Chapter 78 Discord

In 1927, 33-year-old Qian Mu taught at Suzhou Provincial Middle School.Hu Shishi invited Suzhou Women's Normal School and Suzhou Middle School to give lectures. One of the purposes of his coming to Suzhou was to meet Qian Mu, because someone introduced him as "don't expect to meet Qian from Suzhou Middle School".At that time, Qian Mu was working on the writing of "The Chronicles of the Pre-Qin Philosophers" and published part of it in a magazine in Nanjing. However, there were two books discussing "Historical Records·Chronology of the Six Kingdoms", but they could not be found.Qian Mu "suddenly saw a famous scholar in the world", so he "inquired about it without realizing it. There is no way to deal with it." Embarrassed, Hu Shi did not answer, saying "forgetting to bring a razor knife" and "a long-standing habit must be this common knife" as his excuse. An excuse to return to Shanghai.Before leaving, Hu Shi left an address in Shanghai for Qian Mu, "Hey, come to Shanghai, you can meet here. If you communicate, you can also use this address." This was the first time the two met, and the only thing Hu Shi formally said to Qian Mu talk.This is also one of the reasons for the discord between Qian Mu and Hu Shi in the future.Qian Mu also made his own reflections on this matter in his later years, but most of them still did not understand Hu Shi.

Qian Mu opposed the "New Culture Movement". He commented on the "New Culture Movement": "Everything that is inherent in China must be rejected", "It is too arbitrary to slander the ancients", and "Condemn the ancients for being too extreme in the past."For Hu Shi himself, Qian also criticized: "At that time, the disease was actually a generation of high-level intellectuals. Just like the giants of the New Culture Movement, they were professors in universities, that is, they used universities as their bases." Universities understand Chang’s words that the existence of universities in China must have begun with Peking University. None of the national imperial schools recorded in the “Twenty-Five History” should be included in the list of universities. This is beyond explanation.” To myself, I am glad: "I have been reading "New Youth" month by month, and new ideas and trends are coming. And I have made up my mind to revisit old books, not to be swept away by the trend of the times. Thinking about it now, I was also a great luck back then. " "As for Mu Xihua, the people of the country at that time, they were ashamed and humble, and did not dare to make unreasonable remarks."

Qian Mu and Hu Shi have very different views on Lao Tzu's birth date and other academic issues, and they sometimes argue.Although Hu Shi admired the rigorous textual research of Qian Mu's Chronicle of Liu Xiangxin and his Sons, he often made voluntary publicity to the students; He also made generous speeches and vigorously criticized.During his lectures, Qian Mu also contacted and criticized some of Hu Shi's arguments at any time, often saying: "Mr. Hu's research is wrong again on this point." Once, the business wanted to ask Hu Shi to edit a middle school Chinese textbook. Hu Shi believed that Qian Mu had many years of teaching experience in middle schools, and hoped that he would cooperate with him in the editor.It is the dream of many people to be able to edit a book with Hu Shi, but Qian Mu politely declined, thinking that the two have very different views on Chinese literature, and it is inappropriate to compile a book together. It is best to each edit a book for readers to compare.Hu Shi didn't expect him to refuse, so he walked away in anger, and the two gradually drifted away from then on.

Qian Mu praised Hu Shi in his early years, thinking that he "introduced the methods of new Western historians to govern the country, which had a great influence on the academic future."But there are also criticisms of Hu Shi.He mentioned that when Hu was writing, his handling of some issues seemed sloppy due to his haste.But he immediately said: "If the book (Hu Shi's "Outline of the History of Chinese Philosophy") is sufficient to instruct scholars to use a clear and fresh method, then its merits are not detailed."Even when comparing Hu Shi with Liang Qichao, Qian Mu still preferred Hu Shi.He said that although Liang's works are "exquisite and detailed", "it seems that they are inferior to Hu's when they point out Chen's way and open up new paths".Qian Mu did not take seriously Liu Yizheng's criticism of Zhang Taiyan, Liang Qichao, and Hu Shi from Southeast University, and believed that the actions of Liang and Hu had the power to turn the trend around.

Qian Mu believed that Hu Shi's "worldly reputation is great, and worldly affairs are also troublesome. If you don't want to increase his troubles, you will stay away from it." Therefore, the two met again when Qian Mu went to Peking to teach at Yanda University. Time.Qian Mu and Gu Jiegang went to Hu Shi's home to discuss the issue of Lao Tzu's age.Hu Shi followed a saying of the Qing people, believing that Laozi was as early as the late Spring and Autumn Period, slightly earlier than Confucius, and in the "Outline of the History of Chinese Philosophy", he restored the fairy-like "Laozi" to the philosophical Laozi.Qian Mu's old work "An Investigation on the Time of Laozi's Writing" believes that Laozi arrived in the Warring States Period later than Confucius and slightly earlier than Han Fei.Hu Shi insisted on what he said, and was first opposed by Liang Qichao, and also disagreed with Feng Youlan, Gu Jiegang, and Qian Mu.Qian Mu seems to think that Hu Shi's point of view is not worth refuting.

There are many anecdotes about Qian Mu and Hu Shi arguing about Lao Tzu, which reflect the sharp differences between the two in humor.It is said that when Hu Shi gave a lecture at Peking University, he disagreed with Qian Mu about the age of Lao Tzu. Once he said angrily: "I am not my Lao Tzu, how can I have any prejudice?" However, his attitude was still very objective. When a classmate asked him which one of Mr. Qian's statement was different from his own, Hu Shi replied: "In college, professors introduce various theories to everyone, and students should choose by themselves to see which one is in line with the truth. "

Zhang Zhongxing also has a similar record in the article "Red Mansions": "Hu Shu came out early, so naturally he stood still, so Qian raised troops to attack, but Hu didn't raise the white flag. Qian was very angry. When he met at the professor's meeting, Qian said: 'Mr. Hu, Lao Tzu The age is late, and the evidence is convincing, so don’t insist on it anymore.” Hu replied: “Mr. Qian, the evidence you presented can’t convince me. If it can convince me, I don’t even want my father.” The dispute ended with a smile. When Hu Shi fell ill and was hospitalized, someone asked Qian Mu: "You are worthy of respect. With this disease, there are more visitors than you. Why don't you go?" Qian Mu replied, "This is obviously two things. If you agree with me, I will teach the rest of you." Why are you human?"

Qian Mu deeply felt that "Yu entered Peking University, as if he had entered the field of right and wrong." At that time, the courses taught by Qian Mu and Hu Shi respectively attracted many students. One of the reasons was that their views were opposite. Classes are almost like being on the debate field.” During Qian Mu's seven or eight years in Peiping, Hu Shi only visited him once.Moreover, Hu Shi came here only to tell Meng Wentong about his dismissal.At that time, Qian Mu retorted with reason, but Hu Shi knew that he was wronged, and twice "the words ended endlessly", "the two finally broke up unhappy".Qian Mu also felt a bit of coolness from it, and seemed to be worried about losing his job. He bought more than 50,000 books in Beiping, and joked to his friends: once the school is dismissed, he can set up a bookstall and worry about life.Of course, his estrangement with Hu Shi did not affect Hu Shi's appointment of him as a professor at Peking University.But when it comes to practical issues, Hu Shi's attitude is very clear.Ren Jiyu once recalled that Chen Shouyi, the head of the history department, was on vacation for one year, and someone suggested whether the head of the department should be replaced by Mr. Qian.At that time, Hu Shi was the dean of literature, and said: "Mr. Qian was an associate professor when he first came to Peking University, and now he is a professor." Without going further, this suggestion was shelved.After arriving in Taiwan, Hu Shi served as the president of the Academia Sinica. During his lifetime, Qian Mu was never selected as an academician.Li Ao once complained about this: "His (referring to Qian Mu)'s simple achievements in classics should be elected as an academician first."

In April 1958, Hu Shi went to Taiwan to take over as the dean of Academia Sinica. Many of Qian Mu's students questioned that Academia Sinica lacked only Qian Mu and lacked representativeness.Qian Mu was once tempted. In 1966, although several senior academicians proposed to nominate Qian Mu, he flatly refused. Qian Mu asked, as early as 1948, Academia Sinica had nominated more than 80 academicians. Shouldn't he be included?Despite repeated persuasion by his disciples, Qian Mu was not willing to accept the nomination until two years later, and was immediately approved by a unanimous vote.