Chapter 3 Debate

When he was studying in the UK, whenever there were important traditional festivals in China, Gu Hongming always set up an altar facing east in the room, offered wine and food, and paid respects to his ancestors.The old lady of the landlady teased after seeing it: "When will your ancestors come to enjoy your big fish and meat?" He retorted: "It should be before your ancestors smell the fragrance of your filial flowers!" The other party was dumbfounded. Qiaomou, the servant of the school, said to Gu Hongming: "Your arguments are all kingly, but why can't they be implemented today?" Gu replied: "There are two kinds of ways in the world, one is the way of kings, and the other is the way of bastards. What Mencius said is ' Dao benevolence, benevolence and non-benevolence are nothing more."

In 1893, Gu Hongming assisted Zhang Zhidong in preparing the mint.One day, experts from the Mint invited Gu Hongming to dinner, and everyone elected him as the chief.During the dinner, a foreign expert asked Gu: "Can you tell us about the benefits of the teachings of Confucius in your country?" Gu replied: "Just now everyone pushed me to be the chief. Like the competition advocated by you in the West, everyone competes for the top position, and the winner is the winner. I don’t think everyone can eat this meal. This is the benefit of Confucianism!” After the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Ito Hirobumi went to China and had contact with Zhang Zhidong.Gu Hongming, who was Zhang's staff at the time, gave the translated English version to Ito. Ito joked: "I heard that you are proficient in Western academics. Don't you know that the teaching of Confucius can be practiced more than 2,000 years ago, but it cannot be practiced in the 20th century. Is it today?" Gu replied: "Confucius's method of teaching people is like the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of mathematicians. Thousands of years ago, the method was three times three to nine, but in the 20th century, the method is still three three to nine." , It’s not three-three-eight.” After hearing this, Ito was at a loss for words.

Gu Hongming followed Zhang Zhidong for many years, but Zhang sometimes refused to listen to Gu's advice.Once, a certain Wang said to Gu: "You always analyze right and wrong, so he can't listen to it. As a man, Zhang only knows good and bad but not right and wrong. If you want to persuade him, you should talk about good and bad." After entering Zhang's ear, Zhang was furious, called Gu Hongming, and asked: "Who said that I only know the benefits but not right and wrong? If I only know the benefits, then am I rich now? Where is the benefit he said? What do I know?" The emphasis is on public interest, not private interest. Private interest cannot be discussed, but public interest must be discussed.” Gu replied: “Confucius seldom talked about self-interest back then, but Confucius also talked about self-interest.” Zhang Zhidong argued in every possible way, insisting that public interest must never be neglected.Finally, Gu said: "There is a saying in "University": 'Those who grow the country and use money must be small people.' Doesn't a small person also care about public interests if he wants to grow the country and use money?" Zhang listened and let it go Tea.

Some Europeans asked Gu Hongming: "Why are there so many dialects in China?" Gu Fan asked: "Why are there so many languages ​​in Europe?" Once, Li Ji asked Gu Hongming in class: "Sir, when he was studying abroad, of course he wore short hair and a western dress. Later, he wore braids when he returned to China. Didn't it feel inconvenient at first?" Gu immediately pointed to a door and asked, "Then Why is there a raised line on the door?" Li was at a loss for words for a while, not knowing how to answer. "This is Wen! Do you think it is inconvenient to have a convex line on the door?" Gu asked, then took his braid, waved it around, and said, "This is also Wen!"

One day, Gu Hongming hosted a banquet for European and American friends at his home in Chunshu Hutong, Beijing. He lit a kerosene lamp, and the smoke choked his nose.Some people say that kerosene lamps are not as bright as electric and gas lamps.Gu smiled and said: "We Orientals pay attention to understanding the mind and seeing the nature. Orientals are bright, and oil lamps are self-illuminating. Orientals don't pay attention to superficial skills like Westerners."