Chapter 67 The Storm of the South Tour

In January 1935, Hu Shi traveled to the south to give lectures because he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hong Kong. On the morning of January 4, when the ship arrived in Hong Kong, it was still dark.Hu Shi stood on the deck and watched.It was the first time for him to come to the south, and it was the first time in his life to receive an honorary degree, so he was naturally in a good mood.Looking at the lights all over the mountain in the morning mist, it really looks like the stars are twinkling all day, clear and peaceful.After landing, he drove into the house of Sir William Horell, the vice-president of the University of Hong Kong; Dr. L. Forster, the dean of liberal arts of the University of Hong Kong, arranged the schedule and accompanied him on the tour. Hu Shi felt very comfortable. , There is also a lot of praise for Hong Kong's sea and mountains.He wrote:

President Han's home is in the middle of the mountain, and the University of Hong Kong is also in the middle of the mountain. From the mountain, you can see the bay and the islands near and far. The weather is more magnificent than Qingdao and Dalian.Although the mountains in Hong Kong are not very high, they are surrounded by the sea on several sides. The proximity of the mountains and the sea is the characteristic of the scenery here. ...January in the Gregorian calendar is the best weather in Hong Kong.The mountains are full of green leaves, and you can see very thick flowers everywhere; those of us who have lived in the north for a long time, really have the joy of "catching up with spring" here. ①

Hu Shi likes to give speeches, and his friends often laugh at him for "selling plasters".This time in Hong Kong, because I was in a better mood, I worked harder to give a speech on "selling plaster". I only stayed for five days and gave five speeches, three in English and two in Mandarin.The content of the speech is still the same as the three sentences: talk about education, talk about new culture, advocate vernacular, oppose classical Chinese, and oppose respecting Confucius and reading scriptures.He listed five reasons and advised educators in Hong Kong to "unanimously switch to Mandarin textbooks."

; He is also very concerned about the reform of Chinese language teaching at the University of Hong Kong. When Hu Shi came to Hong Kong this time, he planned to go to Guangzhou.Before going south, both Sun Yat-sen University and Lingnan University in Guangzhou invited him to give lectures; he also asked Mr. Wu Kang, Dean of Literature of Sun Yat-sen University, to act as "Guangzhou Commander-in-Chief" and arrange the schedule on his behalf.In addition to two lectures each in Zhongshan and Lingnan, there are also the No. 1 Girls' Middle School, the Youth Association, and the European and American Scholars Association. It is planned that there will be almost ten lectures in four days.Zou Lu, the principal of CUHK, also issued a special announcement that the whole school would be suspended for two days so that students could attend Hu's speech; the Youth Association sold more than 2,000 vouchers for attending lectures in one afternoon.

Unexpectedly, Hu Shi caused trouble because of his speech, which caused a little disturbance in his southward travel. On the afternoon of January 6, he gave a speech at the Overseas Chinese Educational Association in Hong Kong, openly attacking the Guangdong authorities’ idea of ​​respecting Confucius and reading scriptures, saying: Now many people in Guangdong are opposed to vernacular style and advocate the use of ancient Chinese, not only ancient Chinese, but also the reading of scriptures. I really don’t understand.Because Guangzhou is the birthplace of the revolution, why is it that other places are already surging, while Guangdong, the birthplace of the revolution, is still so conservative. ②

Reading scriptures is the policy of Chen Jitang, a warlord in Guangdong, and the Southwest Government Affairs Conference officially issued an order to all provinces in the Southwest.Therefore, after the record of Hu Shi's speech was published in Guangzhou newspapers, it caused a storm, but Hu Shi himself was still kept in the dark. On the morning of January 9, he happily came to Guangzhou from Hong Kong and checked into the New Asia Hotel.After reading the Guangzhou newspapers, he learned that the Southwest Political Affairs Conference was held, and someone had mentioned that he had spoken in Hong Kong against Guangdong’s reading policy; after a while, he received a letter from Wu Kang, saying, “The party here is against Mr. Dissatisfied, I plan to persuade Mr. to leave the province by train today and refrain from giving speeches to avoid disputes."On this day, President Zou Lu of Sun Yat-Sen University issued another notice to stop Hu Shi's speech at the school, and the school will resume classes as usual.

The party headquarters were dissatisfied, the speech was canceled, and Hu Shi was required to "leave the province on an express train". The disturbance was not small! But Hu Shi came to Guangzhou for the first time.It was really not reconciled to be shut down and ordered to evict guests.He knew what was going on in his heart, but he decided to pay a visit to the "Southern King" Commander-in-Chief Chen Jitang.As soon as they met, Chen Jitang said to Hu Shi very rudely: Reading scriptures is what I advocate, worshiping Confucius is what I advocate, and worshiping Guan Yue is also what I advocate.I have my reasons. ③

What is Chen Jitang's "reason"? He said that foreign machines and science can be used for production and construction; The theory of reading scriptures and offering sacrifices to Confucius.Hu Shizhi politely refuted Chen Jitang's proposition face to face, saying: In my opinion, there is only one difference between Mr. Bonan's (according to Chen Jitang's word Bernan) and mine.We all want that "book", the difference is: what Mr. Bernan wants is "two copies", and what I want is "one book". Production and construction require science, and life requires reading scriptures and worshiping Confucius. This is the study of "two books".My personal opinion is that scientific knowledge should be used in production, and scientific knowledge should also be used in life. This is a "one book" of learning. ④

The "Southern Heavenly King" was very unhappy when he heard this, opened his eyes sternly, and cursed, "You all forget your origins"! He also cursed education as "all education for the subjugation of the country."Hu Shi calmly expressed his opinion again.Although Chen Jitang was angry, he didn't like to get angry, so the conversation naturally broke up unhappy. Hu Shi could no longer "sell plasters" in Guangzhou, so he simply played around and visited Huanghuagang, Guanyin Mountain, Yuzhu Fort, Liurong Temple, Zhenhai Tower, Zhongshan Memorial Tower and Memorial Hall, etc., and visited all the famous places in Guangzhou.Just at this time, he received a "special telegram welcome" from Guangxi authorities Bai Chongxi and Huang Xuchu. ⑤ Hu Shi left Guangzhou by plane and went to Guangxi to tour and give lectures.

On the day Hu Shi left, Gu Zhi, director of the Chinese Department of Sun Yat-sen University, and three professors, including Li Cangping and Zhong Yingmei, jointly called the leaders of the party, government, army, police, and constitution in Guangdong Province, demanding that Hu Shi be taken back, Confucius punished Shao Zhengmao too." They also called the leaders of the party, government, army, and school in Guangxi Province, demanding that Hu Shi be "detained and handed over to the executive constitution. He is a few rebellious officials and thieves, and he is a bit alarmed by the police."Such a murderous look is actually the handwriting of a literati.However, the matter was also very dramatic. Professor Li Cangping, who was listed in the telegram, had not heard of it beforehand, and made a statement afterwards to deny the listing.It can be seen that someone else is pulling under the false name, in order to strengthen the formation of the ancient school.Unexpectedly, it was self-defeating, but was ridiculed by Hu Shi, and recorded in "Miscellaneous Memories of Southern Journey", which became a laughing stock of the retro school. ⑥

On the afternoon of January 11, Hu Shi flew to Guangxi.The reception he received in Guangxi was in stark contrast to the cold reception he received in Guangzhou.Not only the president of Guangxi University, Mr. Ma Junwu, who was originally Hu Shi’s teacher at the Chinese Public School, but also many faculty members in the school are old classmates of the Chinese Public School. Luo Wengan, Luo Longji, etc. are good friends who talk about "good government" and "New Moon". Naturally, they all warmly welcomed them; even Bai Chongxi, a corporal who was also courteous, repeatedly urged Hu Shi to change the sailing schedule and spend a few more days in Guangxi.Hu Shi happily traveled in Guangxi for 14 days, flying back and forth by plane, visiting famous mountains and rivers in Wuzhou, Nanning, Wuming, Liuzhou, Guilin, Yangshuo, etc.; He gave more than ten speeches.He had a very good impression of Guangxi, and his own mood was also very good, so he praised Guangxi's mountains and rivers, and also greatly exaggerated Guangxi's political achievements and people's sentiments, saying: My first impression of Guangxi is that there is no superstitious, ancient-loving reactionary atmosphere in the province.The medieval atmosphere of reading scriptures, respecting Confucius, offering sacrifices to Guanyue, building temples, building pagodas, etc., which were seen in Guangzhou city, is completely gone in Guangxi.When the order of the Southwest Government Affairs Conference was sent to Nanning, Mr. Bai Jiansheng (press, that is, Bai Chongxi) smiled and said to his colleagues: "Our Confucius Temple has long been used for other purposes. If we want to worship Confucius, we have to build a new one." Confucius Temple." ⑦ When praising Guangxi, Hu Shi did not forget to avenge Guangzhou, criticizing the reactionary atmosphere of superstition and antiquity under Chen Jitang's rule.He also did not forget to commend the achievements of the Guangxi warlords in "suppressing the Communist Party".In the end, he did not forget to speak to Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi: "Anyone who cannot sincerely help the unification of the country will inevitably be suspected of being pleasing to the enemy." He hopes that they will adapt to the situation of national crisis and maintain the unity of the country. On January 26, Hu Shi rushed to Hong Kong and went north by boat, ending his first southward tour.On the boat, he opened a volume of "Yue Acura" given by his friend, read it with great interest, and wrote the poem "Huanghuagang" imitating "Yue Acura" in the Cantonese he learned: God of Liberty on the Huanghuagang, who is he holding the torch in his hand? The microphone said that the torch was not bright enough, and it frightened the general. ⑧ Hu Shi believed in freedom, thinking that the "God of Liberty" could frighten the general.In front of the stubborn and domineering warriors, the incident of his trip to the south this time did show a bit of the personality and strength of a liberal new cultured man.However, the "God of Liberty" praised by Hu Shi came from the United States, and he lived in China ruled by warriors. Even if the God of Liberty holds a torch, what can he do? ① "(1) Hong Kong" in "Miscellaneous Memories of Journey to the South". "Miscellaneous Memories of Journey to the South" has five sections: (1) Hong Kong; (2) Guangzhou; (3) Guangxi; (4) Impressions of Guangxi; (5) Epilogue.Contained respectively in "Independent Review" No. 141, 142, 145, 146; October 1935, published by the National Publishing House.The text quoted in this section is based on "Independent Review". ②The full text of Hu Shi’s speech record at the Hong Kong Overseas Chinese Educational Association was published in various Chinese newspapers in Hong Kong at that time, and was also reprinted in newspapers around the world. In the article "Hu Shi and Hong Kong" by Lin Boming published in "Hong Kong Times" on February 24, 1964, he copied the full text of Hu Shi's speech record. ③ "Miscellaneous Memories of Journey to the South" "(2) Guangzhou". ④Ibid. ⑤ On January 8, 1935, Bai Chongxi and Huang Xuchu sent a telegram to Hu Shi, saying: "Urgent, Guangzhou transfers Hu Shizhi's doctor's book: I have long admired the great name, but I have not been close to the elegant model. I have passed it all the way, and I have to rely on it. I heard that Wen Wei traveled far away. , has arrived at Yangshi, and Guangdong and Guangxi are not far apart. Shangxi will not hesitate to teach you, and come here to visit, so that you can listen to the great theory and give instructions to Zhou Xing. Welcome by special telegram, waiting for the reply. Bai Chongxi and Huang Xuchu knocked. Geng Yin." Today Contained in the second volume of "Hu Shi's Correspondence and Correspondence", Beijing Zhonghua Book Company, May 1, 1979, pp. 267-268. ⑥ Gu Zhi, Li Cangping, and Zhong Yingmei from Sun Yat-Sen University jointly sent two "true telegrams" to the authorities of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces (January 11). January 16, Sun Yat-sen University Daily.When Hu Shi wrote "Miscellaneous Memories of a Journey to the South", he copied the full text of these three "very interesting texts" in the section "(2) Guangzhou". ⑦"Miscellaneous Memories of Journey to the South" "(4) Impressions of Guangxi". ⑧ Huanghuagang, at the foot of Baiyun Mountain in the eastern suburbs of Guangzhou. On April 27, 1911, the Tongmenghui led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen launched an armed uprising in Guangzhou and attacked the governor's office of Guangdong and Guangxi.After the failure of the uprising, the remains of 72 martyrs who died in this battle were collected and buried together in Huanghuagang. In 1918, overseas Chinese donated money to build the cemetery, which is called Huanghuagang 72 Martyrs Tomb.At that time, it imitated the Statue of Liberty in New York, and a Statue of Liberty was treed behind the tomb.