Gu Hongming, a famous scholar and translator in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, is proficient in Chinese and Western cultures, has translated Confucian classics such as "Analects", "The Middle Mean" and "University", and authored English books such as "China's Oxford Movement" and "The Spirit of the Chinese" to promote Eastern culture and spirit to Westerners. He once said a surprising sentence: "Now there are only two good people in China, one is Mr. Cai Yuanpei and the other is me." When and where did this sentence come from? Why did he say this, and what respect did he have for Mr. Cai Yuanpei? These questions are all worth exploring.
Born in a wealthy Chinese family in Penang, Nanyang, Gu Hongming went to Europe to study with the British Brown couple since childhood, and successively studied at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Leipzig and other prestigious universities, obtained 13 doctorates, and mastered nine languages. During his time in Europe, he not only dabbled extensively in Western literature, philosophy, science, etc., but also developed a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture. He once gave an impromptu speech in Latin at a German ceremony to commemorate the centenary of Bismarck's birth, praised Bismarck's political prowess, and quoted stories from the Spring and Autumn Period to illustrate the political wisdom of ancient China. His speech aroused the amazement and admiration of the Germans.
After Gu Hongming returned to Nanyang, he met Ma Jianzhong, an overseas Chinese who was enthusiastic about promoting Chinese culture. Ma Jianzhong introduced the essence of classical Chinese culture to Gu Hongming and persuaded him to return to the motherland to serve the country. Gu Hongming was deeply moved and decided to give up his position in the colonial government and concentrate on the study of Chinese studies. He began to publish articles entitled "Chinese Studies" in the English newspaper Zilinxi Bao, expounding the characteristics and values of Chinese philosophy, morality, history, and art. He also translated Confucian classics into English and published them overseas, giving Westerners direct access to the origins of Chinese thought.
In 1885, Gu Hongming went to China and served for twenty years in the shogunate of Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang. Zhang Zhidong was one of the powerful ministers who carried out the Westernization Movement during the Qing Dynasty, advocating "Chinese style and Western use", that is, absorbing Western technology and systems on the basis of maintaining traditional Chinese culture. As Chang's foreign language secretary and advisor, Gu Hongming was involved in many important political and educational matters. He assisted Zhang Zhidong in the establishment of the Ziqiang School (the predecessor of Wuhan University) and served as a professor and supervisor. He also participated in the compilation of The New Chapter of Senior Administration, an encyclopedia of the political and economic system and the development of science and technology in the West.
After 1905, Gu Hongming resigned from public service and engaged in education and writing in Shanghai, Beijing and other places. He successively taught at Nanyang College (the predecessor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University) and Peking University, and had close contacts with intellectuals and revolutionaries at that time. He published two important works in English during this period: The Oxford Movement in China and The Spirit of the Chinese. The former is an introduction and evaluation of the New Culture Movement led by Cai Yuanpei, president of Peking University during the New Deal period in the late Qing Dynasty, and the latter is an explanation and praise of the moral spirit advocated by Confucius in the Spring and Autumn Period in traditional Chinese culture. Both books have had a huge impact in Europe, especially in Germany, and have been selected as must-read reference books in some university philosophy series.
From 1917 to 1923, Gu Hongming was a professor at Peking University and established a close friendship with Cai Yuanpei. Cai Yuanpei was an enlightened and progressive educator and thinker who participated in the Xinhai Revolution and served as the Beiyang government's chief of education and foreign affairs. He advocated "freedom of thought and inclusiveness", that is, on the basis of respecting different ideological views and schools, we should take the essence of different ideological views and schools and eliminate their dross, so as to form our own independent and complete ideological system. During his tenure as president of Peking University, he hired many professors from different backgrounds and positions, creating an atmosphere of freedom, openness, inclusiveness, diversity, truth-seeking, pragmatism, innovation and progress on campus.
Gu Hongming respected Cai Yuanpei, and in his eyes, there were only two good people in China at that time: one was Cai Yuanpei, and the other was himself. Therefore, at the time of the "May Fourth Movement", Cai Yuanpei resigned as the principal, and Gu Hongming was also an active retainer, but his reason was: "The principal is the emperor of our school, so he must be retained." This sentence reflects Gu Hongming's admiration for Cai Yuanpei's profound knowledge and noble character, and also reflects that he still has a certain degree of nostalgia for the imperial system. Although Gu Hongming ridiculed the "May Fourth" new trend, and the "May Fourth" new trend did not want to see him as an "old antique", in Cai Yuanpei's view, the "May Fourth" new trend does not represent all the truth, and the "old antique" is not completely useless. "Freedom of thought" means accommodating all kinds of voices, and "inclusiveness" means taking what everyone needs. The new trend of "May Fourth" needs to be supplemented by "old antiques", and "old antiques" also need the inspiration of the new trend of "May Fourth". This is Cai Yuanpei's educational philosophy.
During his time at Peking University, Gu Hongming taught not only English literature, but also classical Chinese culture, especially the moral spirit of the Spring and Autumn Period. He believes that the Spring and Autumn Period is the greatest work in Chinese history, and it is Confucius's summary and sublimation of Chinese civilization. He said: "Spring and Autumn is the brainchild of Confucius and his highest expression of the spirit of the Chinese. He summarized the moral spirit of "Spring and Autumn" as "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faith", and compared and dialogued it with the "freedom, equality, and fraternity" of the West. He believes that the spirit of the Chinese is "gentle, courteous and frugal" and is an internal moral force, while the spirit of the Westerners is "freedom, equality and fraternity", which is an external political right. He said: "The spirit of the Chinese is an art of living, and the spirit of the West is a science of living. He advocated that Chinese and Western cultures should learn from each other and complement each other to achieve a harmonious and unified realm.
During his time at Peking University, Gu Hongming also got acquainted with many well-known figures at that time, such as Hu Shi, Lu Xun, Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, Liang Qichao, Zhang Taiyan, etc. He has different or even opposite views and positions with these people, but he does not reject or hostel them, but respects their freedom of thought and individual characteristics. "I don't want to change anybody, and I don't want anybody to change me," he said. I just want to get to know them and let them know me. He had many interesting and profound dialogues and exchanges with these people, showing an academic atmosphere of openness and inclusiveness, seeking common ground while reserving differences, inspiring each other, and promoting each other.
During his time at Peking University, Gu Hongming also encountered some difficulties and setbacks. Because of his insistence on royalism and braids, he was ridiculed and attacked by some revolutionaries and new currents. Because of his advocacy of polygamy, it caused disgust and protest from some feminists and moralists. Because he criticized Yuan Shikai for becoming emperor, he was persecuted and imprisoned by Yuan Shikai's government. Because of his praise of Japanese culture, he has attracted misunderstandings and accusations from some nationalists and patriots. However, Gu Hongming did not change his views and attitudes because of this, but adhered to his beliefs and principles, and bravely faced various challenges and difficulties.
In 1924, Gu Hongming was invited to give lectures in Japan for three years, giving lectures at famous universities such as Tokyo Imperial University and Kyoto Imperial University, and was warmly welcomed and respected by Japanese intellectuals and social circles. Gu Hongming believes that the essence of Chinese civilization after the Song Dynasty has disappeared in the mother country of China, and only remains in Japan. Therefore, "it should be said that the Japanese are the real Chinese, the Chinese of the Tang Dynasty." He praised the Japanese for inheriting the spirit of bushido in classical Chinese culture and carrying it forward. He said: "The Japanese have a noble and pure patriotism, which is lacking in the Chinese. He also praised the Japanese for their world-class achievements in science and technology, industry, and military, and hoped that China would learn from Japan.
During his stay in Japan, Koo also went to Taiwan to give lectures and was entertained by Koo Hsien-rong (Koo Hsien-rong), the founder of the Koo family in Taiwan, (Koo Hongming's cousin). Koo has a special affection for Taiwan, which was once Qing Dynasty territory and was occupied by Japan in 1895. Koo has called on the people of Taiwan to resist Japanese colonial rule and support Taiwan's democratic autonomy movement. However, during his stay in Japan, Koo Hongming also saw that Taiwan had made a certain degree of modernization progress under Japanese rule, and believed that this was also worthy of recognition and reference.
After returning to China from Japan in 1927, Gu Hongming settled in Beijing, where he continued to work as an educator and writer. On April 30, 1928, he died in Beijing at the age of 72.
In short, Gu Hongming is a scholar, translator, educator and thinker who has a wide range of Chinese and Western skills, has a unique style, dares to speak up and do good deeds, and has far-reaching influence. He used his unique and profound insights to explain the relationship and value between Chinese civilization and world civilization, and used his rich and colorful experience to demonstrate the exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese nation and the nations of the world. He was not only an "old antique" who was loyal to traditional culture, adhered to royalism, advocated polygamy, praised the spirit of bushido, wore big braids, wore robes and horse coats, and called himself a "strange master of the late Qing Dynasty", but also a "pioneer of the new era" who was proficient in foreign language culture, participated in the New Culture Movement, supported the democratic revolution, criticized Yuan Shikai for being emperor, went to Europe and the United States to give lectures, made friends with celebrities from all over the world, and called himself a "pioneer of the new era". He used his vivid and real cases to prove that the Chinese nation not only has a long and splendid historical and cultural tradition, but also has an open and innovative ideal of modern civilization.