Chapter 29 working is beautiful

In 1942, Liang Sicheng was entrusted by the National Institute of Translation and Compilation to compile a "History of Chinese Architecture". This is also their long-cherished wish when they were studying in the United Kingdom and the United States. The "History of Chinese Architecture" written by them will be the first architectural history written by the Chinese themselves.For the writing of this book, they actually started collecting data several years ago. Lin Huiyin's lung disease became more and more serious, and he often coughed up blood, and Liang Sicheng's body also collapsed.His spondylosis relapsed again. When he was writing, his body could not support the weight of his head, so he had to find a glass bottle to support his chin.

Lin Huiyin undertook the proofreading and supplementary work of all the manuscripts of "History of Chinese Architecture", and wrote the seventh chapter of the book, the Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, and Jin parts.This chapter is the backbone of the whole book, with seven sections in total, namely: the construction of Bianliang in the Five Dynasties; the palaces, gardens, temples and cities in the Northern Song Dynasty; , Objects of Jin Dynasty; Analysis of architectural features of Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties. In this chapter, she introduces the characteristics and systems of Chinese palace buildings in the Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties, as well as the art of religious architecture, the architectural style of Chinese towers, the construction of bridges in Liao and Jin Dynasties, and even the urban layout and residential research.

A large number of sources of information are the first-hand materials they have obtained from investigating Chinese architecture over the years.For Chinese pagodas alone, she listed Suzhou Huqiu Pagoda, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, Lingyan Temple Pizhi Pagoda, Kaifeng Youguo Temple Iron-colored Glazed Pagoda, Zhuo County North Pagoda and South Pagoda, Taining Temple Relic Pagoda, There are hundreds of kinds of Linji Temple Green Pagoda, Baima Temple Pagoda, Guanghui Temple Hua Pagoda, Jinjiang Double Stone Pagoda, Yuquan Temple Iron Pagoda, etc.After carefully studying their respective architectural styles, characteristics and religious significance, it became the first monograph to collect the achievements of Chinese pagodas.

In addition, Lin Huiyin also analyzed the architectural art of Chinese Buddhist temples with detailed materials. Mani Hall and Zhuanlunzang Hall of Longxing Temple in Zhengding, Three Great Scholars Hall of Guangji Temple in Baodi, Bojiajiao Hall and Haihui Hall of Huayan Temple in Datong, Shanxi, Daxiong Hall of Shanhua Temple, Pilu and Guanyin of Kaiyuan Temple in Yixian County, Hebei , the third hall of the pharmacist, the main hall of Chuzu Temple in Shaolin Temple, the Daxiong Hall of Jingtu Temple in Yingxian County, Shanxi, the Fengxian Temple in Jiyuan, Henan, and the Sanqing Hall in Xuanmiao Temple, Wuxian, Jiangsu. Demonstration and analysis were carried out.These are things that no one has done before.

Working is beautiful.Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng gained great comfort in writing, and when they poured themselves into the creation, they entered the state of selflessness. They dreamed that when the war was over and their health recovered, they would be able to go to various parts of the country for field trips again.Liang Sicheng said that he also wanted to go to Dunhuang once in his dreams. If God gave him health, he would kowtow to Dunhuang every step of the way.Lin Huiyin said that what she yearns for the most is the inspection of the folk houses in the south of the Yangtze River. It is a pity that she has not had time to make an on-site inspection after staying in the south for so many years.

When their manuscript was about to be completed, Fairbank, Tao Menghe traveled up the Jialing River on a small steamer for a full four-day journey, and arrived in Lizhuang Town on November 14.Fairbank made a special trip to visit the pair of old friends.Since they broke up on Christmas Day in 1935, until they reunited with Liang Sicheng in Chongqing, the accompanying capital, on September 26, 1942, they had not seen each other for almost seven years.That meeting, they excitedly shook hands for five minutes. As soon as they entered, Fei Zhengqing was stunned.He couldn't believe his eyes. Under the living conditions of primitive humans living in caves, these two first-rate scholars in China, even though they were semi-crippled, still put in their last bit of energy and devoted themselves to their work. middle.Around their sickbeds are piles of materials and manuscripts.

Fei Zhengqing looked at Lin Huiyin, feeling very excited.After years of not seeing each other, it became almost unrecognizable. Fairbank finally couldn't bear it and said: "I appreciate your patriotic enthusiasm, but it is really too difficult to study in such a place. You are wasting your own life. If Americans are in such an environment, they will The first thing to do is to improve your own ecological conditions, not to work. The gold diggers in the west, faced with the temptation of gold, the first thing they did was to try to make themselves have dance halls and cafes" Tao Menghe said: "Let's go to Lanzhou. My wife is also there. The dry air in the Northwest will help to cure your disease. First cure your disease, and then write your book."

Fairbank also suggested that Lin Huiyin go to the United States for medical treatment, and he could provide financial help. Lin Huiyin said: "If you live for a few days, you may have another opinion." Later, in his book "Fairbank's Memoirs of China", he talked about the scene of visiting Huiyin and Sicheng in Lizhuang with affection. The life of the Liang family is still full of intricacies as before, but now the standard of living has declined, making the original intricacies seem basic and simple.The first is the servant problem.The wages were too high, and most of the servants had to be dismissed, except for one maid, who, although slow in action, had a gentle temper and good conduct, so as not to upset her.In this way, Sicheng can only do most of the housework by himself, under the guidance of his wife who is bedridden.Second is the personality issue.The old lady (Lin Huiyin's mother) had her own living habits and complained why she had to leave Beijing; Sicheng liked spicy food, while Huiyin liked sour food, and so on.The third is the issue of relatives and friends.As soon as I arrived at Liang's house, I saw that there was already an air force officer from the Syrian state capital. He was a friend of Huiyin's younger brother (Huiyin's younger brother was also a pilot and was shot down by the Japanese army).Before I left, Liang Sizhuang (Liang Sicheng's younger sister) arrived here from Yenching University in Beijing via Shanghai, Hankou, Hunan, and Guilin, and crossed the Japanese defense line. She had not seen her relatives for five years.

Lin Huiyin was very thin, but during my visit, she was still full of vigor. As before, she was in charge of everything, and she thought of things that others hadn't thought of.Every time we eat, we eat very slowly; after the meal, we start chatting, which is full of fun and interest, and Huiyin is the most talkative.At 5:30 in the evening, candles or lamps similar to vegetable oil lamps were lit, so that I went to bed at 8:30.No telephone, just a gramophone and a few music records of Beethoven and Mozart; there is a thermos but no coffee; there are many sweaters but most of them don't fit; there are sheets but no soap for washing; there are pens and pencils but no writing paper; there are newspapers but they are outdated.You live here, and your day-to-day life is like digging a hole in the wall, taking what you get, and thinking of nothing else, and the result is to live a life at the mercy of nature.

I stayed a week, much of which was spent lying in bed due to the severe cold.I am deeply moved by the tenacity with which my friends have continued their academic work.In my opinion, if Americans were in such a situation, they might have given up their books long ago and found other ways to improve their lives.But this highly trained Chinese intellectuals, while accepting the primitive and simple peasant life, continued to devote themselves to their academic research career.The social responsibilities undertaken by scholars have been deeply ingrained in the social structure and expectations for personal future.If my friends broke this notion and went to work as carpenters or plasterers or plumbers in their spare time in order to improve their lives, they would disrupt the social order and quickly lose their social status, if not reviled, become the object of criticism.

When Fairbank was resting in bed due to a cold, Lin Huiyin took the poems she wrote in Lizhuang and read them to him and Tao Menghe.What surprised them was that under such harsh living conditions, Lin Huiyin was still full of poetry. After Fei Zhengqing's fever subsided, Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng accompanied them for a walk outside, and Fei Zhengqing became very interested in this small village in southern Sichuan.Lin Huiyin said: "The folk houses in southern China fully embody the humanistic spirit of China. I have an idea. When I get better, I will make a detailed inspection of the folk houses in the south of the Yangtze River." Fairbank said: "Lin, I have already understood that your career is in China, and your roots are also in China. Intellectuals of your generation are plants that cannot be transplanted." After visiting Fu Sinian's library in a secluded monastery, Fairbank also spent an afternoon watching Dr. Johnson, a missionary from Spink County, South Dakota, USA, and then returned to Chongqing with Tao Meng and Chong boarded the small steamer. In August 1945, the Japanese invaders announced their unconditional surrender. When the news came, Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng, who were poor and sick, were ecstatic. The 8-year turmoil was finally over, as if a person trapped in an ancient well suddenly saw the sun.But Liang Sicheng was not in Lizhuang at the time, and was having dinner with two young writers in the canteen of the American embassy in Chongqing. Lin Huiyin celebrated in a very special way. She dragged her sick and broken body and took a sedan chair to the teahouse. This was the first time in four years that she left her room to celebrate the victory of the Anti-Japanese War with tea instead of wine.After Liang Sicheng returned to Lizhuang Town with great interest, he bought meat and wine with the little money the family had, and invited Mo Zongjiang to celebrate with him.Lin Huiyin also gave up drinking, and drank a few glasses happily. Taking advantage of the wine, Liang Sicheng loudly taught the baby and younger brother to recite Du Fu's poems: Outside the sword, it suddenly spread to Jibei, When I first heard it, my clothes were full of tears. But what's wrong with his wife? Manjuan Shishu is ecstatic! Singing songs during the day requires drinking too much, It's good to return home with youth as a companion. That is, from the Ba Gorge to the Wu Gorge, Then he went down to Xiangyang to Luoyang. The baby and the little brother were also excited when they saw that they were going back to their hometown of Beiping after a long absence with their parents. As the day of "passing through Wu Gorge from Ba Gorge and then going to Xiangyang to Luoyang" is approaching day by day, their mood is not calm day by day. However, what Lin Huiyin saw and heard made her very uneasy. Although the Japanese invaders had surrendered, the sky over Gele Mountain was still covered with clouds of war. Chiang Kai-shek dispatched troops to prepare for a civil war. In January 1946, she wrote to Fei Weimei from Chongqing: Precisely because China is my motherland, I have seen it suffer in one way or another for a long time, and my heart is pierced like a knife.I too suffer with it.Over the years, I have endured great suffering.It is not at all easy for a person to go through one revolution after another in his life.Because of this, whenever I find someone who cares little about matters involving the lives and deaths of millions of people, I cannot forgive him in any way... As a "wounded man in war", I cannot move freely, and my mood is sometimes very difficult. impatient.I waited in bed for four years, looking forward to this "Victory Day".What happened next, I didn't think about it.I dare not think too much.Now, victory has really come, but there is also a civil war, a protracted war of attrition.I probably won't live to see the day of peace (or, I've been vaguely looking forward to it, so to speak).I died in such an anxious and irritable manner in the torment of the disease, it was really miserable. At the same time, Lin Hui has been in a heavy mood because of another incident.The source of funding for the Construction Society was completely cut off, and it could no longer sustain itself. Liu Dunzhen and Chen Mingda had left one after another, and those left behind were also distracted.Liang Sicheng felt that the study of ancient Chinese architecture, after several years of hard work by colleagues in the Architecture Institute, has basically clarified the evolution of the system in each historical period, and can come to an end. What is most needed after the war is to cultivate construction talents. The family decided to go to Chongqing to see a doctor first, and then to meet old friends in Kunming. They suggested that Mei Yiqi, head of Southwest Associated University, add an architecture department at Tsinghua University. After a while, they took a car from the Institute of History and Philology to Chongqing and set off early in the morning.Before going, friends from the Institute of History and Philology advised her: "Miss Lin, go to Union Medical College Hospital for treatment. After all, Chongqing is not Beiping." When she arrived in Chongqing, she spent most of her time in the guest house of Academia Sinica. At that time, Fei Weimei came to China as a cultural attache at the American embassy. Not long after Li Zhuang met, they met for the second time in Chongqing.Fei Weimei sometimes drove her to the city to play, sometimes drove to the suburban Nankai Middle School to pick up her son who was studying there, sometimes drove to the canteen of the American embassy to have dinner together, and sometimes went to the home where she and Fei Zhengqing had just settled down. sit.In Chongqing, Fei Weimei also asked the famous American thoracic surgeon Dr. Leo Elousel to check her condition.When her health allowed, Fei Weimei also took their family to the theater and movies, and Lin Huiyin and her son Xiaodi also attended a reception hosted by General Marshall at the headquarters of the Chongqing Beauty and Innovation Department, where they met senior leaders of the Communist Party Zhou Enlai, "Christian General" Feng Yuxiang and other celebrities. Later, they went to a better church hospital for another examination. Liang Sicheng said, we must have a comprehensive physical examination, and feel at ease on the way back. After the X-ray examination, the doctor called Liang Sicheng to the treatment room and said, "It's too late now. Ms. Lin's lungs are empty. There is nothing I can do here." Liang Sicheng fell down on the chair like a thunderbolt.He somehow walked out of the hospital with Lin Huiyin. Lin Huiyin was very calm, and comforted Liang Sicheng: "Now I feel much better, and I will recover soon when I return to Peiping." These words were like a knife piercing Liang Sicheng's heart, and every organ in his body was bleeding. In Chongqing they agreed that Liang Sicheng would go back to Lizhuang to deal with the matter of returning to the north, and Fei Weimei and Lin Huiyin would take the opportunity to go to Kunming. The residence I revisited in Kunming was the ancestral residence on the mountain behind the warlord Tang Jiyao. The ancestral residence had large windows, a large luxurious garden, several towering eucalyptus trees, and the fragrance from the branches swayed in the wind. After a long separation, Zhang Moruo, Qian Duansheng and his wife, Lao Jin and other old friends gathered around her. She was ecstatic, and endless words were always lingering around her bed. On February 28 of this year, Lin Huiyin wrote to Fei Weimei, reporting on her trip to Kunming: I finally came to Kunming again!I have come here for three things, at least one of which has finally come to fruition.You know, I'm here to get cured.The second is to come and see this colorful city with clear sky, pleasant breeze, flowers everywhere.Last but not the least, was to get together with my old friends and have a good chat.The first two goals have not been achieved, because my condition has not improved, and it is even worse than when I was in Chongqing-I was bedridden as soon as I arrived in Kunming.But the last one I enjoyed far more than I expected.For the past few days, I have lived a truly comfortable and happy life, which I dare not expect when I live alone in Lizhuang. It took me 11 days to fully understand how my friends in special circumstances lived in Kunming, which deepened our mutual understanding after a long separation.It didn't take long for the relationship between them to be rebuilt and deepened.We spent two days talking about each person's living conditions, sentiments and thoughts.They also narrated their views on major national events, and talked about their family economics, as well as personal and social conditions before and after.Although the conversation was endless, there was always a warm current of mutual trust and concern among the few of us (Zhang Xiruo, Qian Duansheng, Lao Jin, and me).Not to mention, the joy and excitement given to each of us by the unforgettable moment of being reunited suddenly. Although Kunming's altitude has a bad effect on Huiyin's breathing and pulse, she is surrounded by many old friends for her company, endless books, and the warm and thoughtful care of the maid and Lao Jin. very comfortable. Lin Huiyin also wrote a letter to Fei Weimei about living in Tang Jiyao's "dream villa": All the best things came on duty around the garden, that bright blue sky, everything under the cliff and beyond the hill... The room was so spacious, and the windows so large, that it had the effect of Gordon Clegg's early ball designs.Even the afternoon sunlight seemed to shoot into the window in a dreamlike way according to his command, and the swaying branches of the pine tree outside cast slowly moving shadows on the ceiling. Whether it’s sunny or raining, Kunming is always so beautiful. When it gets dark, the atmosphere in my room is so romantic that I can’t describe it—when I’m alone in a lonely house in a quiet big garden, suddenly the sky and The earth was all black.This is something that a person will never forget in his life. Liang Sicheng's suggestion quickly gained Mei Yiqi's support.Mei Yiqi replied that he would first set up the Department of Architecture in the School of Engineering of Tsinghua University and hire him as the dean of the department.Mei Yiqi also told him that Tsinghua University will return to Ping'an soon, so he should also be ready to go back. In July of this year, the teachers and staff of Southwest Associated University returned to the north. Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng's family also took a modified military plane with them and returned to Peiping smoothly from Chongqing.