Chapter 104 cause of death

Wang Guowei's death cannot be seen with ordinary eyes. His final suicide should be due to the hopelessness of spiritual sustenance and comfort.Wang Dongming, Wang Guowei's daughter, once said: "Father was a pessimistic literati all his life, and his death is just like his poems, which have the beauty of loneliness—the most unretainable thing in the world, and the words of beauty and beauty." There are different opinions about Wang Guowei's sinking in Kunming Lake. There is a record in Zhao Wanli's "Wang Guowei Chronicle", some scholars believe that the reason why Wang Guowei sank into Kunming Lake is hidden in it:...Since last autumn, the world has become more and more urgent, and Mr. (Wang Guowei) always thinks of Jinyuan.Xinzheng went to Jinjin for an audience, and saw that the garden was as usual, and there were no people who were concerned about safety. When he saw this, he was very angry. After returning to Beijing, he was so sad that he suffered from hemoptysis.In mid-April, the military affairs between Henan and Shandong were urgent, and there were many surprises in Beijing overnight. The husband thought that disasters would come soon, or that there would be more changes than Jiazi, which was dangerous and frightening.There are four points in this passage: 1. The world is becoming more and more urgent; 2. "Tianjin Garden is in mind", that is, always thinking about the safety of Emperor Puyi; 3. Wang Guowei is too sad; 4. Soldiers between Henan and Lu The matter was urgent, and Beijing and China were shocked overnight.This is probably the reason why Wang Guowei committed suicide.

After the National Revolutionary Army occupied Hubei in 1926, the Chinese Communist Party launched a peasant movement in Hunan.During this movement, two scholars were killed: Ye Dehui and Wang Baoxin. Ye Dehui was killed for a reason. When the Northern Expeditionary Army arrived in Changsha in 1927, he was planning to leave for Japan, in the name of giving lectures, but in fact to avoid disaster.Later, Ye learned that many of the revolutionary army were old students of his own, so he gave up his original plan to go abroad.But when the worker-peasant movement flourished and reached its climax, this person who once boasted that he "has no ill-feeling with the people" launched a massive attack on the workers and peasants.After he drafted a telegram addressing Duan Qirui, Zhang Zuolin, Wu Peifu, Chiang Kai-shek and others to the so-called ten crimes of the peasant association, he wrote a couplet wantonly abusing the peasants: Ji, the hybrids are on the market; the venue is expanded, horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, dogs, hogs, and six animals are in groups." The horizontal drape is "bin pointed card puppet".In addition, he also said that the cadres of the Peasant Movement were "neither civil nor military, neither big nor small, supreme and inferior, neither human nor ghost" and so on.Ye Dehui was doomed. On the night of April 10, he was captured by the Peasant Self-Defense Forces. On the morning of the 14th (one said the 11th), groups from all walks of life in Hunan held an anti-Jiang demonstration and the second anti-Chiang demonstration in Changsha Education Conference Ping, attended by tens of thousands of people. In the public trial conference for eradicating counter-revolutionaries, Ye Dehui was sentenced to death by a special court.The reason for the misfortune is not only because Ye made a couplet attacking the farmers' association.From the Reform Movement of 1898, the Revolution of 1911, the Northern Expedition, and the Hunan Peasant Movement, he has always stood on the opposite side of a local power opposition figure.According to Cheng Qianfan's records, Ye Dehui's murder was decided by the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Although Ye Dehui was not a good person, his killing caused quite a stir in the intellectual circles.When Wang Guowei learned the news that Ye Dehui had been killed, he showed great anxiety in front of the students. Rong Geng said in his "Oracle Bone Studies": Wang Guowei paid a special visit to Rong Geng before sinking himself.Wang Guowei talked about the Communist Party's killing of Ye Dehui, and expressed his deep sorrow.At this time Wang Guowei was wearing long braids.He said: "When the communist army comes, they are not afraid of being shot, but of cutting their braids." Rong Geng had no other words to comfort him, only saying that even if the Communist Party came, it would not be like this.

Luo Jizu mentioned in the article "Repostscript of Guantang Letters" that he saw at his father Luo Fucheng a letter written by Wang Guowei to Luo Zhenyu before he sank. It was written on two eight-line papers, which talked about Ye Dehui's death, but Specifically, the people who saw it can’t remember clearly. This letter was originally collected by the Lushun Museum and was lost during the ten years of turmoil. From this point of view, it is certain that Wang Guowei’s suicide is related to Ye Dehui’s murder. Just to what extent it is relevant is yet to be further explored. At this time, Wei Juxian, a student of Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Studies, was about to return to Shanxi to visit his relatives, and bid farewell to Wang Guowei before leaving.Wang Guowei once asked Wei Juxian: Where can I take refuge?Wei replied: Shanxi Province can do it, Yan Xishan is fickle, and he has avoided several major changes in the country!Wang Guowei asked: How will I maintain my living expenses after I go there?Wei A: Several of our friends have established a Xingxian University. Mr. Wang teaches there. The monthly salary is only 100 yuan. He lives in Jinci, a scenic spot in Shanxi Province. It is 30 miles away from the school. Yes, there, the principal of the school has a bungalow to live in, and he comes to the school once a month to teach.Wang Guowei said: I don't have enough books.Wei said: The Shanxi provincial library has books, as well as private collections, all of which can be borrowed.

Zhao Wanli said in "Mr. Wang Jing'an's Chronicle": "His usual pessimism about the current situation is extremely profound. The most recent stimulus was the shooting of scholars from the two lakes, Ye Dehui and Wang Baoxin. Well, it can also be said that he has his own way. Wang Baoxin is a seventy-year-old gentleman who is very respected in the village. He was dragged out by the thugs because of the words "here is hell" in his correspondence. He was extremely humiliated and died. The place of death. Jinggong was deeply hurt, so he followed the example of Quzi Shen Yuan, and never looked back."

On the eve of Wang Guowei's sinking, the National Revolutionary Army arrived in Zhengzhou.The south bank of the Yellow River has been completely occupied by the National Revolutionary Army, and North China is in a precarious situation. According to Bai Sheng's article "Recording the Beginning of Mr. Jing'an's Self-Sinking", when the National Revolutionary Army captured Xuzhou in April and May of 1927, Feng Yuxiang led troops out of Tongguan and defeated Zhang Zuolin's Fengjun in Henan and approached Shandong and Hebei. Already felt extremely panicked.On June 1, Bai Sheng served Wang Guowei. Wang Guowei said: "I heard that Feng Yuxiang will enter Beijing, and Zhang Zuolin will lead his troops to retreat. To the east of Baoshan Pass, Beijing will undergo major changes within a day." Sheng and Xie Guozhen went to Wang Guowei's residence at No. 18 in the West Courtyard. They also talked about the current situation. Seeing different people, they have already found a place to take refuge.

As the Northern Expedition approached, Beijing, the ancient capital, fell into chaos.Liang Qichao also mentioned the fear of the Communist Party when talking about the current situation in "Book with Shun'er".And Wang Guowei, who couldn't be more honest, must be even more frightened! Jiang Liangfu recalled that at that time, many people advised Wang Guowei to cut his hair, and after Liang Qichao suddenly went to Tianjin, Wang Guowei was even more panicked.During this period, Jiang Liangfu went to visit Wang Guowei two or three times. After one visit (Jiang recalled that it was around April 28th in the lunar calendar), Wang Guowei said, "Someone advised me to cut my braids. What do you think?" Jiang Liangfu said, "Don't worry about it." This school is related to international relations, the school is maintained by Boxer indemnity, it must be based on the international situation, whether you cut your braids or not, this is a formality." Wang Guowei seemed to think there was some truth, and Jiang Liangfu advised him not to leave Tsinghua University.

The day before Wang Guowei sank, Jiang Liangfu went to Wang Guowei's home again.Wang Guowei said: "Liangfu, I don't want to be humiliated anymore, I can't bear a little humiliation!" Jiang Liangfu persuaded Wang Guowei.After leaving Wang's house, Jiang Liangfu told Chen Yinke what Wang had said. Chen Yinke was going to see Wang Guowei, but because he was going to his fiancée's house in the city soon, he planned to go later. Three days before Wang Guowei sank, his good friend Jin Liang visited Wang Guowei at Tsinghua University.Wang Guowei, who was usually calm, looked worried and angry.Jin Liang later recalled in the article: "Since the world is becoming more and more urgent, things can't be done, but also worry about Jinyuan, cut Chen left and right, please relocate, but he didn't take care of Dada, and wept a few times in anger. Yu Zhuan comforted him , Talking about the Summer Palace, he said: "Today the soil is clean, but this bay of water is the only ear." It seems that in front of his close friends, Wang Guowei has already revealed that he wants to sink himself.

The reason why Wang Guowei sank into the lake, the academic circles probably have the following opinions: One is the theory of "sacrificing the Qing Dynasty".Wang Guowei is an old man of the Qing Dynasty, and he has a sense of admiration for the emperor Puyi. As a scholar, Wang Guowei was called by Puyi to break the old system of "walking in the South Study Room" in the Qing Dynasty. ".Feng Yuxiang's troops approached Beiping, and he was about to "overturn the nest", so he "finished the festival" by committing suicide.Therefore, Liang Qichao compared Boyi and Shuqi with not eating Zhou Su. Cao Yunxiang, the president of Tsinghua University at that time, Luo Zhenyu, Wu Mi, etc. all held this view, and Luo Zhenyu even forged the legacy and insisted on the statement of Wang Xingqing.

Before that, Wang Guowei once thought about committing suicide.That was on November 5, 1924, when Feng Yuxiang forced the palace.During this incident, Luo Zhenyu also mentioned in his "Official Documents of Worshiping Wang Zhongyi" that he wanted to sink himself in the Shenwumen Yugou, and there are several sentences in Chen Yinke's "Mr. Reward the scholars of the country with great kindness. The servants of Nanzhai want to sink themselves, and the scholars of the North Gate invite them to die together." The servant of Nanzhai refers to Luo Zhenyu.The Beimen scholar refers to Ke Shaomin.Luo Ke once asked the king to throw himself into the Yuhe River outside the Shenwu Gate to die for the country, but the death failed.Wang Guowei's family mentioned in their memoirs that Wang Guowei failed to commit suicide many times.

Luo Zhenyu was not the only one who supported Wang Guowei's death to "sacrifice to the Qing Dynasty". Chen Yinke, Wu Mi, Cao Yunxiang, Jin Liang, and Yang Zhongxi all thought so.Jin Liang specifically pointed out that Wang Guowei sank himself in front of the Yuzao Pavilion in "The Story of the Martyrdom of Duke Wang Zhongxi", which also has his deep meaning: "The "Poem" says: When the fish is in Zao, there is a reward for its head, and the king is in the pickaxe, how can he drink wine Worry about the uneasiness of the king's residence. A poem said: "Fish is in the algae, and the ambition is in the bait. The life of the fresh people is not as long as the death. Worrying about the changing times of the world is also urgent... Fu Sao sees ambition, Huai Sha hurts himself." , Its purpose is to live stealthily, and those who aim at bait can see that they can die without shame." And it was Luo Zhenyu who led the mystery of Wang Guowei's self-sinking to the peak of "sacrificing the Qing Dynasty". In the article "Talking about the so-called "Da Nei Archives"", Lu Xun claimed that the king "put an end to the life of the elderly in the water", which shows that this is also the case. However, those who oppose this theory believe that Wang Guowei is different from Luo Zhenyu, Zheng Xiaoxu, and Chen Baochen.However, Wang Guowei, who led Tsinghua University, devoted himself to academics without distractions.Although he is "loyal to the Qing", he is not a dog like a dog, so that he is "foolishly loyal" to the extent of "sacrificing the Qing".That's why someone said at the time: "Look at the will next to him, why is there a word with a blank space at the beginning? Is this what a martyr is like?" The second is the theory of "pressing debts".At that time, Puyi said in it: Shaoying, Minister of Internal Affairs, commissioned Wang Guowei to sell calligraphy and paintings in the palace. Luo Zhenyu learned of the matter. Confess to Shaoying, so ashamed and seek death.At that time, the newspapers also reported that Wang had lost money in business cooperation with Luo and owed Luo huge debts.After Luo's son-in-law (Wang Guowei's eldest son Qianming) died, there was a rift between Luo and Wang. Luo ordered his daughter to stay in his house to observe festivals for her husband, and forced the king to pay him 2,000 yuan a year for his living expenses.Wang Guowei, a scholar, was in debt, mixed with shame and anger, and short-sighted.Guo Moruo also agrees with this statement, and it is almost conclusive.However, judging from the arrangements for the funeral in Wang's suicide note and other evidence afterwards, Wang Guowei was not in debt enough to cause him to commit suicide. The third is "fear". In the spring of 1927, the Northern Expeditionary Army marched to the north, and the Feng and Yan armies changed flags, shaking the capital.Some people think that Wang Guowei committed suicide because he was afraid that he, an old man from the former Qing Dynasty, would fall into the hands of the Northern Expedition Army and suffer humiliation; , Moruo self-destruction.But at that time, many people despised this kind of statement, thinking that it was not in line with Wang Guowei's way of dealing with the world. The fourth is the theory of "remonstration and resistance".It is believed that Wang Guowei's throwing into the lake is similar to Qu Yuan's throwing into the river. He used the "corpse remonstrance" to persuade Puyi to follow Luo Zhenyu and others' ideas, and planned to go east to Japan for refuge. The fifth is the theory of "cultural martyrdom".Chen Yinke, who is also a teacher of Tsinghua University with Wang Guowei, and who has the same spirit and has a close relationship, first commented on the death of the king by "sacrificing the Qing Dynasty", and later thought: "When a kind of cultural value declines, the people transformed by this culture You must feel pain, and the more extensive it is to express this culture, the more pain you will suffer; since it has reached an extremely deep level, it is definitely not out of suicide because you can't seek peace of mind and feel righteous." "Gai today Chixian Shenzhou is worth a huge catastrophe that has not been seen in thousands of years. If the catastrophe becomes poor, the people who are condensed by this cultural spirit will die together without sharing their fate. Mr. Guantang had to die, so for Those who are deeply mourned and deeply cherished by future generations in the world."Chen Yinke's interpretation immediately resonated with those of his kind and had an important influence in the cultural world.But Chen Zhi's point of view is not so much an explanation of Wang Guowei's death, but rather a reflection of Wang Guowei's spirit with his own mentality. The last point of view is "factors".With a survivor desperate for the fall of the Qing Dynasty, with a scholar desperate for the decline of a culture, and a scholar with no basis for his life——When Wang Guowei wandered in the corridor of the Summer Palace, he recalled that "those who sink themselves can revisit in an instant The motto of "his life experience", then "jump up in front of Yuzaoxuan".Perhaps this is the "answer" to Wang Guowei's suicide. Wang Guowei's descendants believed that Wang Guowei's suicide had something to do with Luo Zhenyu. In August 1983, Wang Zhenming, the third son of Wang Guowei, and Wang Dongming, the eldest, published special articles "The Death of the Father and Others" and "The Most Unable to Stay in the World" in Taiwan.The brothers and sisters cherished their father's memory with sincerity and affection.They believe that "the father's suicide has a lot to do with the death of the elder brother (Qian Ming). My father loves the elder brother the most, and the death of the elder brother was a deep blow to his father, and Mr. Luo Zhenyu secretly took his elder sister back to his natal home and refused Pension... It is a painful thing to face Luo Zhenyu, a close friend who has cultivated and supported him for decades and a partner who has jointly studied knowledge.... After this incident, he no longer saw his father's happy face, and within a year he committed suicide by throwing himself into the lake The brothers and sisters denied the theory of "sacrificing the Qing" and wrote, "In fact, my father is just a chess piece, and it is also the wings he (referring to Luo Zhenyu) pre-spread... Gradually, my father felt that he had been involved in the maelstrom of the 'turbid world' Therefore, he declined to write memorials, delivered memorials, and made suggestions on his behalf, and said that he would "teach students behind closed doors to support himself" in order to feel at ease. Luo Shi was quite dissatisfied with his father's attitude..." Wang Dongming wrote: "Wang Most of the descendants of the Luo family are silent by nature, and many of them live overseas, so they cannot collect opinions from many sources, and draw conclusions based solely on the words of the Luo family, which has its own biases." Wang Qingshan, Wang Guowei's grandson, agreed with his aunt and third uncle. He believed that Wang Zhenming was the closest man to Wang Guowei when he was in Beijing. There is first-hand information; Wang Dongming is Wang Guowei's favorite daughter, she has spent the longest time with her, and is familiar with her personality and inner world, so what they said should be true and credible. Wang Qingshan said that when he returned home from visiting relatives in 1968, his father Wang Zhongwen once told him: "Our eldest son married the youngest daughter of the Luo family. The most fundamental thing is that the marriage between your uncle and aunt is unequal. Luo Wang’s marriage is not in favor, it’s just because we rely on Luo (Luo Zhenyu) for support, so he agreed to this marriage out of helplessness. Our royal family does not seek fame and fortune, but also loves to blame ourselves. Back then, the grandfather was sorry for the death of the eldest son. , very sad, and feel sorry.”