Chapter 6 Rheology

During his studies in France, Gu Hongming met an old professor whom he admired very much.The old professor thinks it is the most valuable classic.He believed that Hegel's theory was based on writing, but Heishi took it as his own, saying that it was his own creation, and criticized the theory as worthless.The old professor regretted that he did not know Chinese and could not read it thoroughly, so Gu must study hard after returning to China.From then on, Gu Hongming became interested in the study of the book, and in his later years he called himself a "Hanbin Reader" and an "Old Reader".

In 1880, Gu Hongming learned to return to Malaya and was sent to the colonial government of Singapore.At that time, he was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, and his short hair was shiny, like a doctor of the Western style.Two years later, he met Ma Jianzhong, a reformer.Gu stated that his "three-day conversation" with Ma "made me a Chinese again".He immediately resigned and returned to Penang, expressing to the parents and cousins ​​of the Ku family that he was willing to wear his hair in braids, take off his foreign clothes, and wear traditional Chinese clothes. Before meeting Ma Jianzhong, the only Chinese literature that Gu Hongming read was Zhai Lisi's translation.Ma told him that "Liao Zhai" was just a notebook novel of a failed scholar in the dynasty, and it was not considered an outstanding Chinese literature, and advised him to read the works of the eight great masters of Tang and Song Dynasties.After a long talk with Ma Yixi, he was fascinated by the profound Chinese culture, and began to "read the Five Classics and masters day and night. After a few years, he read all kinds of books, and said coolly: 'Tao is inherent, and you don't need to look for it'" ".

Through the study of traditional culture, Gu Hongming has a new understanding of Chinese and Western culture.He believes: "Europe and the United States are the main power, and those who seek outsiders are also the ones; China is the main ritual, and it is also the one who cultivates the inside. It seems to be better than China when it is said to be strong for a while, but if it is long-term stability, the way of China is prosperous and beautiful!" In 1885, Gu Hongming met Yang Rushu, the alternate prefect of Guangzhou, on a ship bound for Hong Kong from Xiamen.Yang was impressed by Gu's insight and eloquence, and recommended him to Zhang Zhidong, governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.

When Gu Hongming saw Zhang Zhidong for the first time, he was still wearing a suit and his braids were not very decent, so that Zhang asked, "Are you Chinese or a foreigner?" and told him to "take off the suit quickly. , grow braids, learn Mandarin, and be a decent Chinese.” A certain British man knew that Gu Hongming had studied abroad since he was a child and knew little about Chinese national studies, so he chose some difficult words and sentences in a certain scripture and went to question him.When asked, Gu blushed and was dumbfounded, unable to say a word for a long time.Feeling jealous of those who hated Gu for a while, they all said triumphantly: "Now we have stumped Gu Tangsheng!" Stimulated by this, Gu Hongming worked harder and devoted himself to studying Chinese classics.

After Gu Hongming took office as Zhang Zhidong's staff, he humbly asked other colleagues in Zhang's house for advice whenever he had the opportunity, but he bumped into walls everywhere.The reasons for these people's refusal were similar: "You read foreign books, and you are not qualified to read our Chinese classics." Gu Hongming had no choice but to buy an English version of the Mandarin Chinese guidebook translated by the Japanese to explore the way to learn Chinese culture.What troubled him the most was that he couldn't look up Chinese dictionaries, and he couldn't do anything when he encountered new words.After Zhang Zhidong found out, he told Gu that it wasn't that these old masters didn't want to teach him, but that he lacked the proper manners to be a teacher.From then on, Zhang personally taught Gu to look up and read the dictionary, and invited famous teachers to give him advice.

One day, Zhang Zhidong had a big banquet for guests, and Shen Zengzhi, a famous scholar, also came to the banquet. After Zhang Zhidong introduced Shen to Gu Hongming, Gu started talking with Shen. He talked about learning Western methods, but Shen didn't say a word.Gu couldn't help asking: "Why didn't Mr. Shen answer a word?" Shen replied: "I understand what you said. If you want to understand what I say, you need to read Chinese books for twenty years." Twenty years later, on Zhang Zhidong's birthday, Shen Zengzhi also came to celebrate his birthday.Hearing that Shen was coming, Gu ordered people to move all Zhang Zhidong's collection of books to the front hall. Shen was very puzzled and asked why he moved the books.Gu cupped his hands and said: "Ask senior Shen, which book can the seniors memorize and which I can't? Can the seniors understand it, but I don't?" Shen listened, and said earnestly: "From now on, the burden of Chinese culture will fall on the on your shoulders!"

Gu Hongming once said to people in the future: "Some people say that I am smart, but I don't know how my cleverness can compare with Shen Gong! In my opinion, among the Chinese, there are only three smart people--Zhou Gong, Ji Xiaolan, and Shen Zengzhi." Gu Hongming once recited "Kangxi Dictionary" from beginning to end.He highly respected "Kangxi Dictionary", calling it "magnificent work", and because of this, he loved the house and black, and highly respected Emperor Kangxi. At the time of the reform and reform, many people called for reform, but Gu Hongming "is alone and quiet, and his words must reflect the past, calling him the king, or using humorous words to satirize the world".

Gu Hongming said: "Many people laugh at me for being loyal to the Qing Dynasty. But my loyalty to the Qing Dynasty is not loyal to the royal family that has been favored by the emperor in my family—it is loyal to China's politics and religion, that is, to China's civilization." In the 1920s, Gu Hongming went to Taiwan to give lectures and lived in the home of Gu Xianrong (the father of Gu Zhenfu).At that time, Gu Xianrong worked for the Japanese colonial authorities, and Gu Hongming warned him: "Don't ever forget that you are Chinese!"