In 1967, Chen Yinke, who was blind, fractured his right leg, and his wife who had a heart attack took care of him day and night. Unexpectedly, he wrote an elegy to his wife, and after reading it, his wife said: Don't worry, I will live longer than you.
In 1967, not only did the country experience turmoil, but the personal life of the famous scholar Chen Yinke also encountered a severe test. Blindness, combined with the tragedy of a broken right leg, made his life almost entirely dependent on the care of his wife, Tang Yun, who was also in poor health. Although Tang Jun suffers from heart disease, her tenacity and perseverance support the family's weak flame.
One winter day, Chen Yinke's right leg was broken in an accidental fall, which not only exacerbated his mobility difficulties, but also plunged the entire family into an unprecedented downturn. During these difficult days, Tang Jun had to not only manage her own condition, but also take care of her husband's daily life. Although the outside world is particularly cold due to political turmoil, their home is full of warmth because they support each other.
In the days that followed, although Chen Yinke's eyesight was no longer regained, his academic work did not stop. Tang Jun became his eyes, and she read documents for him day after day, sorted out notes, and even helped him prepare the content of the lecture. During this time, Chen Yinke continued to communicate with the academic community, and his research was continued. However, the weight of life and Tang Jun's illness put the couple's relationship to a new test.
Tang Yun got up on time at five o'clock every morning, tidied up the room lightly, prepared breakfast, and did not want to disturb Chen Yinke, who was still sleeping. She carefully selected the documents and materials that Chen Yinke needed to read, and carefully placed them on the left side of the desk so that he could easily reach them later. Then she would begin to read, repeating each page word for word, her voice clear and peaceful, even though her own heart disease made it a little difficult for her to breathe.
Although Chen Yinke couldn't see, his sense of hearing became extremely keen, and he could feel her exhaustion and persistence through Tang Yun's voice. He knew that she was struggling to keep her daily routine running while her own health deteriorated. Despite this, Tang Jun never revealed half of her pain to him, and she always appeared in front of him with the strongest face.
During this difficult time, Chen's academic research became an important pillar of their lives together. Whenever Chen Yinke was immersed in his research, Tang Yun would sit quietly on the sidelines, sometimes helping him turn the pages of the book, sometimes taking down his dictated notes. In this daily communication, the two of them gradually built a wordless understanding and support. Tang Yun's care gave Chen Yinke great spiritual comfort, and Chen Yinke's dedication to academics gave Tang Yin the motivation to persevere.
Over time, Chen's research has made some important progress. He began to write an important treatise on the history of medieval China, which required a large number of historical sources and documents. Despite his deteriorating health, Tang Jun still insisted on accompanying him in this difficult task. Through correspondence with the librarian, she helped him borrow the valuable materials he needed and patiently read out every important historical description for him.
Once, while preparing a lecture on political changes in the Tang Dynasty, Chen Yinke was puzzled by a historical detail that did not match the description. Seeing this, Tang Jun ignored his illness and went to the library to verify the materials in person. She had a busy day and finally found the key literature to solve the problem. When she returned home, exhausted, she felt that all the efforts were worth it when she saw Chen Yinke's satisfied smile as this historical puzzle was solved.
However, as Tang's heart condition intensified, she began to experience severe pain in her chest frequently. One night, as she was getting ready to go to bed, she suddenly felt a sharp chest pain, which was worse than ever. She lay quietly on the bed, unwilling to wake up Chen Yinke, who was already asleep. She knew that if he found out about his condition, he would be heartbroken.
The nights of such silent suffering are numerous, and Tang Yun's health is deteriorating, but her spirit is extremely strong. She didn't want Chen Yinke to worry about her, and she didn't want him to feel that she was a burden. She often endured pain alone in the dead of night, hoping that Chen Yinke could continue his academic research and fulfill his academic ideals in a limited time.
Chen Yinke and Tang Yun, Mei Xiaoxi, People's Weekly, 2019
