Chapter 18 A real doctor, or a fake doctor?

After Hu Shi studied at Columbia University for one year, plus some courses he took at Cornell University Graduate School, he reached the required credits for graduate students at Columbia University at that time. In November 1916, he passed the elementary oral and written examinations on philosophy and the history of philosophy, and passed the examinations, qualifying him as a "doctoral candidate".At the beginning of August of the same year, I began to write my "doctoral dissertation".The thesis title is: A study of the Development of Logical Method in Ancient China It took nearly nine months to write it. The full text is about 90,000 words, and the typed draft is as many as 243 pages. It is really a magnificent article!

On May 22, 1917, Hu Shi took the final exam for his doctorate.He walked into the examination room and looked up. There were six chief examiners sitting on it: five foreign professors and one foreign doctor.His mentors, Dewey and Xia De, two old men, sat in the middle with high spirits. ① Of the six examiners, only Xia De is a sinologist who understands Chinese, but he also cannot read pre-Qin classics; The other five foreign scholars don't know a single word of Chinese, and their Chinese knowledge is really pitiful. Talking about pre-Qin famous studies to these people can be said to be like playing the piano with a cow.After Hu Shi babbled and reported the gist of the thesis, they asked questions, questioned and answered back and forth, and the exam lasted for two and a half hours.I passed the oral test, but the result was far from satisfactory; ②However, the seven years of studying abroad were finally over.

At that time, the New Culture Movement was in full swing in China.Hu Shi published several articles in "New Youth", advocating a literary revolution, and became famous for a while, so that Cai Yuanpei, the president of Peking University, also hired him as a professor.Hu Shi got this beautiful job, so he bid farewell to Dewey in a hurry, left New York, returned to China by boat via Vancouver, and appeared in the domestic cultural circles and on the forum of Peking University as Yang Hanlin (doctor). In February 1919, Hu Shi's doctoral dissertation was expanded and revised as "Outline of the History of Chinese Philosophy" (Volume 1), and was published by the Commercial Press. On the cover of the first edition, there were five large characters "written by Dr. Hu Shi".In various newspapers and magazines, the title of "Dr. Hu" is flying all over the place. "Doctor" has almost become Hu Shi's proper name, and it's probably Hu Shi's name!

"Dr. Hu" has been popular in the cultural and academic circles of modern China for decades, and no one has doubted his doctorate. Who would not believe that Hu Shi is a real doctor? However, after more than thirty years, Hu Shi's doctorate actually caused problems. In 1952, Mr. Linton, director of the East Asian Library of Columbia University, started to compile a "Catalogue of Doctoral and Master's Dissertations on Asian Studies at Columbia University" to celebrate the bicentennial of Columbia University in 1954. It was published in 1957, but it was not well-known. Dr. Hu Shih.Lin’s compilation was based on the school’s official records. Could it be that there is no record of Hu Shi’s thesis in these official records? Isn’t this a problem?

Later, Mr. Yuan Tongli compiled the "Catalogue of Doctoral Dissertations of Chinese Students Studying in America". ④According to the official list provided by Columbia University, Hu Shih received his Ph.D. in 1927, 10 years later, which is naturally another question.Yuan Jun asked Mr. Tang Degang, who was studying at Columbia University, to re-examine.Driven by curiosity, Tang Jun went to the Columbia University History Library and other relevant departments to "thoroughly check" and found that Hu Shi's "official degree record is indeed 1927, not 1917".Therefore, Yuan Tongli had no choice but to include the year of Hu Shih's doctorate in both 1917 and 1927, which passed vaguely.

These two catalogs are both in English, highly professional, and not widely circulated. Therefore, the issue of Hu Shi's doctorate did not attract the attention of outsiders.On the contrary, Tang Degang, who went to Columbia University to "thoroughly check" the relevant documents and records, once "slowly and tactfully" revealed the issue of this degree to Hu Shi who was in exile in New York.Hu Shi also gradually "explained the whole story" to Tang Jun.And every time he explained, he could not avoid "a bit wry smile" and "felt embarrassed" by it. ⑤Although Hu Shi was embarrassed, only his "little friend" Mr. Tang Degang knew about it at that time, and outsiders did not hear about it, and no one suspected that Hu Shi was a real doctor.Still holding the title of doctor, he flew back and forth on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, and finally flew back to Taiwan Province to take charge of the "Academia Sinica" in Taipei.

It was 15 years after Hu Shi's death that Hu Shi's "doctoral problem" was made public, which caused controversy and started a big literary battle. In 1977, "Biographical Literature" in Taipei published three consecutive articles "Recalling Mr. Hu Shizhi and Oral History" by Tang Degang. ⑥ "The third" was entitled "Seven Points of Tradition, Three Points of Foreign Products", which said: When Mr. Hu was a student at Columbia University,... it stands to reason that he should be doing "philosophy" in a proper manner at that time, and he should finish his "Ph.D."He didn't want to do this, but he left his legitimate "crops" and went to "fish and catch shrimp" with Chen Duxiu and Cai Yuanpei.When it was hot, he left the mess of Columbia University and went back to Peking University to be a professor.It became famous for a while, and the title of "Written by Dr. Hu Shi" was also printed on the cover of the first edition of "Outline of the History of Chinese Philosophy".In fact, at that time, he was still only a "doctoral candidate" in his registration record at Columbia University, or the "Ph. D. candidate" (Ph. D. candidate) used on many people's business cards today. cut.Mr. Hu's "to be gifted" stage has been maintained for ten years.When he came to New York again in 1927, he brought with him 100 doctoral dissertations printed and published in Shanghai in 1922, which were completed by Dewey.Hu's original English name when he registered at Columbia University was Shu Hu, and his degree name was Hu Shih. The two names were shared, which may be unprecedented in the history of Columbia University.

This article is the first time that Hu Shi’s degree issue has been publicly disclosed in a publication, announcing that Hu Shi did not receive his Ph.When the news came out, it became big news and caused a pen war between the Suspicious Hu and Wei Hu factions.New York's Chinese-language newspaper "Sing Tao Daily" (later renamed "North America Daily") first published three articles by Pan Weijiang and Hu Zuqiang, with the headline in large font: "Dr. Doctor, and "pretending to be a lifetime" and so on.So Tang Degang, the person who tied the bell, had to go out and untie the bell, and wrote a letter to the newspaper, criticizing it, saying that "Dr. Hu Shi is the real doctor"! Get up and defend Hu. ⑧ Among them, Xia Zhiqing’s article is mainly aimed at Tang Degang and Tang Yan, criticizing their claim that Hu Shi did not get his degree ten years later, that it was a “smashing pot” in the exam, that it was “not enough years to live in school”, or that he was “fishing for fish and shrimp”. Engaging in a literary revolution, or "falling in love", not doing business, and so on.Jun Xia thought it was just a "procedural issue" and invited the retired Columbia University Ding Long Chair Professor Flood to testify.In reply to Xia Zhiqing's letter, Fu said:

The truth is simple.A few days ago, I provided all the facts to Tang Degang.Because when Hu Shi was studying for a doctorate, there was a regulation requiring each doctoral candidate to submit 100 copies of his thesis to the school authorities.I think Hu Shi thought at the time that it was far more important for him to show his talents among his Chinese peers than to concentrate on getting his papers published.Therefore, in 1919 he wrote and published his first volume, Outline of the History of Chinese Philosophy.In 1922, he published "History of Pre-Qin Famous Studies" (published by Shanghai Yadong Book Company), but he did not think of submitting a copy to the Columbia authorities at that time.When the British government hired him and Dr. Ding Wenjiang to serve on the Sino-British Fund Advisory Committee, he was going to the United States again.So he called his publisher to send Columbia the 100 copies he needed.

When I learned that Hu Shi was about to return to the United States, I asked him to give nine speeches at Columbia University (six to the Chinese Department and three to the general audience) with the consent of Provost Woodbridge, and he accepted the invitation.By the graduation ceremony that year, he had received a Ph.D. degree as a matter of course.I was also fortunate to accompany him on the podium.I thought at the time, and I still think so today, that Hu Shi felt that this regulation of Columbia University was very naive. After all, he had already shown his talent, so why bother about it.However, he changed his mind later when he knew he was going back to his alma mater.

Flude was established on August 15, 1978⑨1927. Mr. Flude was the witness of Hu Shi who obtained a degree, received a diploma, and accepted a belt. His words should be credible. From the perspective of our present and those who are watching, the so-called "Hu Shi's doctoral problem" is not "true or false" The problem is that it is only 10 years late to get it.Regardless of whether Hu Shi obtained his degree in 1927, it was "patted on the shoulder and shook hands" or "Dewey completed it", it is always a doctorate officially conferred by the school. How can it be fake? Among the plethora of doctorate teams in the West today, Hu Shi's Ph.D. Is the title inferior to anyone else? What's more, he has received so many honorary doctorates in his life, and his academic achievements have been recognized by the world! ⑩However, Hu Shi's doctorate was 10 years earlier.Even if it was due to the "procedural problems" mentioned by Xia and Fu Ershi, Hu Shi himself should understand.Knowing that the doctor has not yet been obtained, without clarifying, but claiming to be a doctor, and printing it in black and white on the book, it involves the "honest" character of the scholar.It is unreasonable both emotionally and rationally.Some people want to compose lyrics and ridicule him for "Using his Ph.D. before finishing his studies in Columbia". What can he do?The reason why this doctoral degree issue became a talking point, isn’t it also possible to see a certain aspect of Hu Shi’s personality in his youth? ① See "Zanghui Room Notes", Volume 16, "Twenty-six Doctoral Examination" (postscripted on May 27, 1917), Shanghai Yadong Library Edition, p. 143.Among them, there are six main testers: Professor John Dewey (Dewey) Professor DS MillerProfessor WP MontagueProfessor WT BushProfessor Frederich Hirth (Shard) Dr.WF Cooley②Hu Shi himself wrote "Passed" instead of "Passed" in Volume 16 "Twenty-six Doctoral Exams" of "Zanghui Room Notes". On September 7, 1919, Zhu Jingnong, a good friend of Hu Shi who was still studying in the United States, wrote to Hu Shi, saying: Today there is something tasteless I have to tell you.Recently, a group of students studying in the United States who never knew each other heard the nonsense of a gentleman who was "a friend in the past, but now an enemy" with him, and there was a lot of "one dog barking, a hundred dogs barking" He said "Lao Hu is pretending to be a doctor", said "Lao Hu did not pass the oral exam", and said that Lao Hu did this and that.I think it doesn't matter whether "doctor" or "doctor" is not, but the word "pretend" is absolutely unacceptable.I shouldn't have upset you by passing on such nonsense to you.But because "it's easy to hide a sharp gun, but hard to defend against a hidden arrow", this kind of rumor is very hateful, so I would like to tell you frankly that my brother should also try to "defend himself".Of all my friends, no one would believe this statement.But I don't have many friends, and now "there are too many people and I'm few", it's hard to argue.As long as you print the paper as soon as possible, there will be no way for rumors to spread. Hu Shi did not take self-defense measures to publish the paper. On August 9, 1920, Zhu Jingnong mentioned this matter again in a letter to Hu Shi, saying: "Your doctoral dissertation should be published. There are a lot of rumors about this matter here. I am really tired of hearing it. Please come early." Publish it" (the above two letters, see "Hu Shi's Correspondence Letters", Beijing Zhonghua Book Company, May 1979, volume 1, pages 67 and 110).Friends are so anxious about such important matters related to personal reputation, but Hu Shi can't defend himself. It can be inferred that the words of the person who "was a friend in the past but is now an enemy", such as "there is no pass for the oral exam", are probably well-founded. But Hu Shi had something to hide. ③Howard P. Linton, Comp, Columbia Vniversity Masters' and Doctoral Dissertation on Asia, 1875—1956. New York: Columbia University Libraries, 1957.④Tung-li Yuan, Comp, A Guide to Doctoral Dissertations by Chinese Students in America, 1905— 1960, Washington, DC 1961. ⑤Refer to Tang Degang's article: "Seven points of tradition, three points of foreign goods--Recalling the oral history of Mr. Hu Shizhi No. 3", contained in Taipei "Biographical Literature", Volume 31, Issue 4. ⑥Tang Degang's "Recalling Mr. Hu Shizhi and Oral History" one to three, originally published in Taipei "Biographical Literature", Volume 31, Issues 2-4, and later continued to 10 articles, collected as "Hu Shi's Miscellaneous Memories", 1981 In November 1999, it was published by Taipei Biographical Literature Publishing House, with a preface by Zhou Cezong and Xia Zhiqing, and a letter from Zhou Cezong to Tang Shi in the appendix, that is, "On Hu Shi's Poems——On Poems One." ⑦The three articles published by New York's "Sing Tao Daily" are: "Hu Shi's Doctoral Title Is Hidden" by Pan Weijiang, Hu Zuqiang's "From the Textual Research of Dr. Hu Shi's Title", and Pan Weijiang's "Supplementary Account of Dr. Hu Shi's Hidden Title" , see the newspapers on April 17, May 13, and May 29, 1978, respectively.Tang Degang's letter published in the newspaper on June 7 of the same year. ⑧Tang Yan's "The Disturbance of Dr. Hu Shi's Degree", contained in "Biographical Literature", Volume 33, No. 1, and appended Tang Degang's letter to the editor-in-chief of "Sing Tao Daily" "Dr. Hu Shi Naizhen".Xia Zhiqing's "Hu Shi's Doctoral Degree Research", contained in "Biographical Literature", Volume 33, Issue 5. ⑨The original letter of Mr. Luther Currington Goodrich was photocopied and plated, and it was attached to the article published by Xia Zhiqing in Volume 33, Issue 5 of "Biographical Literature" in Taipei, and it was translated into Chinese by Xia. (There is still one line in the original: Subject Dr. HuShih's ph. D. degree. Chinese translation: About Dr. Hu Shih's Ph.D. degree) ⑩The honorary doctorate Hu Shi received throughout his life is based on "Mr. Shizhi's Doctorate and Others" and "Mr. Period), a total of 35, arranged in chronological order as follows: 1935 Doctor of Laws, University of Hong Kong 1936 Doctor of Letters, Harvard University, USA Doctor of Letters, University of Southern California 1939 Columbia University J.D. Juris Doctor, University of Chicago 1940 Doctor of Laws, Wesleyan University, USA Juris Doctor, Duke University Juris Doctor, Clark University Juris Doctor, Bloom University Juris Doctor, Yale University Ph.D., Berrington College Juris Doctor, University of Pennsylvania 1941 Juris Doctor, University of California, USA Doctor of Letters, McGill University, Canada Juris Doctor, Lake Forest College, USA Juris Doctor, Dixon College Juris Doctor, Middlebury College, USA Juris Doctor, University of Toronto, Canada Ph.D., University of Vermont 1942 Doctor of Letters, Dartmouth College, USA Ph.D., Dinarson University Ph.D., State University of New York Juris Doctor, The Ohio State University Juris Doctor, University of Rochester, USA Oberlin College Juris Doctor Juris Doctor, University of Wisconsin Doctor of Laws, University of Tortoise, USA Northeastern University Juris Doctor J.D., Princeton University 1943 Ph.D., Berknall University, USA 1945 Doctor of Laws, University of Oxford, UK 1949 Doctor of Letters, Cleoket University, USA 1950 Doctor of Letters, Claremont Institute, USA 1959 Doctor of Humanities, University of Hawaii, USA The words, written by Zhang Ziying, are quoted from Note 9 of Chapter 5 of Tang Degang's translation and annotation of "Hu Shi's Oral Autobiography".The one who said that "Hu Shi will inevitably commit the ten-year crime of 'deceiving the world and stealing his name'" was the "Yongzhuzhuzhuzhu". criticized.