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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
Preface
He was a notorious traitor in the eyes of the people, betraying the country and committing heinous acts.
However, what is unexpected is that such a character once wrote down four words with a pen, which can now be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, and has become a famous sentence for centuries.
His name may be hateful, but his simple and powerful calligraphy is impressive. What makes the existence of such a contradiction leave such a complex mark on the long course of history?
What are these four words he wrote, and why can they travel through time and space to become today's classics?
Talented: The cultural elite of an era
Zheng Xiaoxu, whose name is Su Hu, alias Taiyi, and whose name is Haizang, was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province in 1860. From an early age, he showed extraordinary talent, especially in literature and calligraphy.
At the age of 23, Zheng Xiaoxu stood out in the Fujian Provincial Township Examination, won the fame of the people, and won the first place in the Fujian Provincial Township Examination.
The young talent soon caught the attention of important people of the time. Li Hongzhang had a discerning eye and included Zheng Xiaoxu under his command and made him his staff.
Under the protection of Li Hongzhang, Zheng Xiaoxu's talent was fully displayed. He not only showed outstanding ability in government affairs, but also made great achievements in literary creation.
Zheng Xiaoxu became one of the advocates of the "same light body" in the late Qing poetry circle, and his poems not only have the graceful style of traditional literati, but also integrate the fresh breath of the times.
His writing is like flowing water, not only with profound cultural heritage, but also with agility and innovation. This unique style of writing soon attracted wide attention and popularity in the literary world.
Pen and ink expressive: the pinnacle of the art of calligraphy
However, what really made Zheng Xiaoxu famous was his outstanding achievements in the art of calligraphy. Zheng Xiaoxu's calligraphy is based on Su Shi and Ouyang Xun, but it is not confined to the ancient method, but has formed a unique style that is both fresh and vigorous.
His handwriting is vigorous and magnificent, and he uses his pen freely, not sticking to details, showing the demeanor of a general. Zheng Xiaoxu combined stele and post studies to create a new realm of calligraphy.
His handwriting is plump and crisp, and the ink is rich and rich, but it does not appear clumsy. Under his pen, every word seems to come to life, jumping on the rice paper, showing a unique charm and power.
Sha Menghai once commented on Zheng Xiaoxu's calligraphy in "Calligraphy in the Past Three Hundred Years": "Zheng Xiaoxu is the only one who can correct Zhao Zhiqian's frivolity, Tao Junxuan's rigidity, and Li Ruiqing's trembling brush." His works are both refined and beautiful, just like his poems, in peace, with a passionate atmosphere. Zheng Xiaoxu's calligraphy works soon became synonymous with "a thousand words of gold".
It is said that in his later years, Zheng Xiaoxu's calligraphy strength was comparable to that of the masters of the Qin and Han dynasties, and he was highly respected in the calligraphy world. He can earn 20,000 gold a year just by selling words, and celebrities such as Kang Youwei and Wu Changshuo often ask him for words.
A Thousand Words: The Legendary Inscription of the Bank of Communications
In 1908, an important opportunity came to Zheng Xiaoxu. At that time, the Bank of Communications was formally established, and the founder Liang Shiyi, in order to create a well-known signboard for the bank, specially visited Zheng Xiaoxu, who had become famous, and asked him to write an inscription for the Bank of Communications.
Faced with this important invitation, Zheng Xiaoxu did not immediately agree. According to legend, he offered a staggeringly high price: 4,000 taels of silver.
You know, at the exchange rate at the time, this is equivalent to 2.7 million yuan now. This price seems like a lot of money even today, let alone at the time.
However, what is surprising is that in the face of Zheng Xiaoxu's high price request, Liang Shiyi, the president of the Bank of Communications at the time, agreed without hesitation. He is well aware of the value of Zheng Xiaoxu's calligraphy and the importance of a good inscription to the bank's image.
In this way, Zheng Xiaoxu splashed ink and wrote down the four big characters of "Bank of Communications" that are still in use today. These four words embody Zheng Xiaoxu's talent and hard work, and have also become a witness to the centennial history of Bank of Communications.
Nowadays, when we walk on the street, we can see these four words everywhere, they are not only the symbol of a bank, but also the mark of an era.
The ups and downs of the political arena: from the important ministers of the court to the storm of revolution
Zheng Hsiao-xu's talents were not limited to literature and calligraphy, but he also showed extraordinary ability in the political arena. Under the guidance of Li Hongzhang, he gradually stepped into the power center of the Qing Dynasty.
In 1891, Zheng Xiaoxu was sent to Japan to serve as the clerk of the Qing government's legation in Japan. This experience gave him the opportunity to see and understand Japan up close, and it also laid the groundwork for his future life.
After returning to China, Zheng Xiaoxu's career was even smoother. In the third year of Xuantong (1911), he was appointed as the political envoy of Hunan and became a local minister. However, just when his career seemed bright, the Xinhai Revolution broke out.
This revolution was like a huge storm that completely changed the political landscape in China. Zheng Xiaoxu, a former important minister of the imperial court, suddenly finds himself in a completely new world.
His reaction was confused and mixed. On the one hand, he still has a deep affection for the Qing Dynasty; On the other hand, he had to face a new reality.
In 1923, through Chen Baochen's recommendation, Zheng Xiaoxu entered the Forbidden City as a walking officer in the Maoqin Palace. In 1924, he was appointed Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. These experiences allowed him to establish a close relationship with Pu Yi, and also laid hidden dangers for his future life choices.
Betrayal and Fall: From Cultural Celebrity to Sinner Through the Ages
In 1931, Japan launched the "September 18 Incident" and began its invasion of Northeast China. Faced with this major historical turning point, Zheng Xiaoxu made a shocking choice.
In 1932, when he was over seventy years old, he resolutely became the premier of the State Council and the head of the Ministry of Culture and Education of the puppet Manchukuo, despite the dissuasion of relatives and friends, and in July of the same year, he served as the chairman of the puppet Manchukuo Concord.
This decision completely changed the trajectory of Zheng Xiaoxu's life. He went from a well-respected cultural celebrity to a traitor who was spurned by thousands of people in an instant.
On September 15, 1932, on behalf of the puppet state of Manchukuo, he signed the Japan-Manchukuo Protocol with Muto Nobuyoshi, commander of the Japanese Kwantung Army and ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Manchukuo, confirming the actual rule of the Japanese Kwantung Army over Northeast China.
This act not only handed over the fate of the three northeastern provinces to the aggressor, but also nailed his own reputation to the pillar of shame in history.
In March 1934, Zheng Xiaoxu served as the prime minister of the puppet Manchurian Empire. In this position, he actively cooperated with the rule of the Japanese, completely turning his back on his responsibilities and conscience as a Chinese intellectual.
Zheng Xiaoxu's series of behaviors, in the historical evaluation at the time and later, undoubtedly positioned him as an outright traitor. His name was thus nailed to the pillar of shame in history forever.
Zheng Xiaoxu died in Changchun on March 28, 1938, leaving behind a complex legacy – his timeless art of calligraphy on the one hand, and his unforgivable political betrayal on the other.
Historical Refutation: The Dual Identity of Sinner and Artist
Zheng Xiaoxu's life is undoubtedly full of contradictions and controversies. He was a talented artist and at the same time a traitor who betrayed his nation. This dual identity has left a difficult historical puzzle for future generations.
Despite his political disgrace, Zheng Xiaoxu's achievements in the art of calligraphy are undeniable. To this day, the four characters "Bank of Communications" he inscribed for the Bank of Communications are still in use, and have become a landscape that can be seen everywhere in every city.
This paradoxical phenomenon raises a lot of questions: how should we evaluate a historical figure like Zheng Xiaoxu? Should artistic achievement be viewed in complete isolation from personal virtue? These issues remain a hot topic of discussion in academia and the public to this day.
There are roughly three reasons why Bank of Communications continues to use Zheng Xiaoxu's inscription: First, this inscription has witnessed the development of Bank of Communications for more than 100 years and has become a part of the bank's history.
Second, compared with the influence of the huge institution of the Bank of Communications, Zheng Xiaoxu's personal negative impact is relatively small. Finally, out of respect for the art of calligraphy itself, people choose to view the artistic value separately from the personal actions of the creator.
Zheng Xiaoxu's story has left us with many questions worth pondering. It reminds us that historical figures are often complex and cannot be judged simply by good or bad.
At the same time, it also reminds us that talent and morality do not always go hand in hand, and that a person's artistic achievements do not hide their moral flaws.
epilogue
Zheng Xiaoxu's life is like a historical drama with ups and downs. His talent and betrayal, his achievements and sins, have stirred up countless ripples in the long river of history.
Today, when we see the words "Bank of Communications" on the streets and alleys, we may be able to think of this complex historical figure and think about the relationship between art, morality and history.