Chapter 8 7. From Beiping to Hankou

So I returned to China and first taught English and Linguistics at National Peking University.When I was in Leipzig, I had read a lot of Chinese books and worked hard to study Chinese linguistics. Required books to apply.Since Gai took the chair of Tsinghua University, I have been working hard on Chinese literature, and those who can write articles in Chinese today are all due to the hard work at this time. When I was in Peking, as a university professor, I often criticized current affairs and politics casually, so I was always regarded as a fierce member of the "house of heresy" (Peking University).At that time, the professors of Peking University were divided into two factions, armed with armor and preparing for battle, evenly matched: one was represented by "Modern Review", with Dr. Hu Shi as the leader; Shuren (Lu Xun) is the leader.I belong to the latter group.It was thrilling when the two weekly magazines fought over the Ministry of Education and Women's Normal University.It is really a center for intellectuals to express their opinions and a field for intellectual activities. I was very happy about that battle.I also joined student demonstrations, fighting the police with flagpoles and bricks.The police hired a group of semi-naked hooligans to throw bricks at the students to prevent them from marching out of the Third Court.I also had the opportunity to use my baseball throwing skills.The college life that I missed in various foreign universities before is at least a complement.At that time, Duan Qirui's government in Beiping was regarded as very laissez-faire, and it also respected the freedom of the press and the freedom of meetings.The Kuomintang is also the backing of the student movement. Now there are several dignitaries in the Nanjing Nationalist Government who were the masterminds and leaders of the student demonstrations back then.

There are two other great events that can be mentioned during this period.One is that the government besieged the students who were petitioning, shot and killed two girls and disabled more than 50 students.They ambushed the soldiers, each with a sword and chain, and waited for the students to protest and march to the Consulate, then closed the outer door and brandished their whips and swords, and put them to death in the trap.The scene at that time deserves a feature article.I personally saw a girl (Liu Hezhen) placed in a coffin at one o'clock in the afternoon, and at twelve o'clock, I also saw her joyously parading and shouting slogans.Another major event was the funeral of Mr. Sun Yat-sen—this event shocked me more than anything else.In April and May of the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926), the dog-meat general Zhang Zongchang drove into Peiping and shot and killed two of the bravest journalists (Shao Piaoping and Lin Baishui) without trial.Then there was another list of fifty fierce professors to hunt, and I was one of them.As the news got out, I was in hiding for a month, first in a French hospital in Dongjiaomin Lane, and then in a friend's house.One morning, I quietly left Peiping with my family.

Going back to my hometown, I caused a big commotion at the dying Xiamen University, until I could no longer settle down there, so I left in the spring of the 16th year of the Republic of China to join the national government service in Wuhan.I have to delete this chapter of the chronicle. I can only say that I was the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at that time and lived opposite Borodin, but I have not met Borodin or Wang Jingwei once.