Chapter 102 Leung's Book Collection

In the summer of 1946, the Department of Architecture of the Academy of Engineering of Tsinghua University recruited 15 students for the first batch. Also in this year, Sicheng and Huiyin's family moved into No. 8 Xinlinyuan, Tsinghua Garden. This is Tsinghua's professor building, with a quiet courtyard and spacious housing.Lao Jin and several old friends are very close. Before everything was ready, Sicheng was notified that the Ministry of Education and Tsinghua University had sent him to the United States to investigate post-war architectural education in the United States.At the same time, he received invitations from Yale University and Princeton University.Yale University invited him to lecture on Chinese architecture and art as a visiting professor in the 1946-1947 academic year, and Princeton University invited him to participate in the International Symposium on "Far Eastern Culture and Society".During this period, he was recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to serve as the Chinese representative of the United Nations Building Design Advisory Group.

Before leaving, I thought about making a replacement for the young teachers in the department, and I could discuss with Lin Huiyin if I had anything to do. In the 1920s, Huiyin and Liang Sicheng experienced the whole process of starting from scratch in the Department of Architecture of Northeastern University in Shenyang.Now, although she does not hold a teaching position in Tsinghua University, she regards the affairs of the Department of Architecture as her own affairs, and she is obliged to help Sicheng with a lot of work.In the early days of the establishment and operation of the Department of Architecture, the work she has done cannot be replaced by others.

The Department of Architecture had just been established, and there were not enough books and materials in the reference room. Huiyin recommended the books at home to young teachers, and let them choose and borrow them.The Liang family's collection of books has become the wealth of the Department of Architecture. Whether it is a teacher or a student, anyone can go to the Liang family to borrow books. Those precious rare books and out-of-print books are circulated in the department all day long.Huiyin was very happy. She thought that these books had been fully utilized and finally reflected their value.

Flipping through the collections of Mr. Liang and Mr. Lin, a young teaching assistant lamented that their salaries are barely enough to make ends meet, and they never even think about using this money to buy original professional books in foreign languages. Someone interrupted him and said: Under the current situation, the salary of Tsinghua teachers is considered good. Has anyone heard of it? So, these days, some young teachers from Peking University and Normal University either try to go abroad, or try to transfer to Tsinghua University and Yanjing, even if they abandon their original majors.

Hearing this, Huiyin said to them: "I wonder if you have heard of another sentence? 'Peking University, Tsinghua University, Tsinghua University.' Being able to work in Tsinghua University and Peking University is worth cherishing. Of course, the premise is that you can't starve to death. " Although Huiyin stays at home, as a housewife at home, she knows that the current situation is difficult due to the soaring prices.The price of rice rose from 900 yuan a catty when they first returned to Beijing to 2,600 yuan a catty. It was often heard that students pawned clothes at the entrance of the cafeteria.

Huiyin organized some people from the Department of Architecture to set up an arts and crafts design group, and they undertook some outside work.Huiyin used the proceeds to purchase paints, paper, and stationery for the students in the Department of Architecture who had difficulties in life. The young teachers of the Department of Architecture like to come to Mr. Lin's home. They feel very relaxed and free in spirit, whether they are asking questions about teaching, or talking about life and art.Moreover, it is so interesting to talk with Mr. Lin. At that moment, I will forget the troubles and hustle and bustle of the real world, and feel pure and quiet in my heart.

That day, several people came to Huiyin's house to return books.A young teaching assistant talked about a book he had just read on the protection of cultural relics. He said: "The reason why Western culture has developed more balancedly from ancient times to the present is inseparable from the fact that they have always attached importance to the maintenance and protection of ancient art."