Chapter 25 two years life

The contract signed between Tsinghua University and the German Academic Exchange Office stipulates that the study period is two years.I originally only planned to live in Germany for two years.During this period, I was a student.In ten years in Germany, these two years of student life can be regarded as a stage. In these two years, generally speaking, life is relatively peaceful, without strong winds and waves, and no violent vibrations.A few years after Hitler came to power, Germany worshiped him like crazy.I know a girl who is young and beautiful.Once when I talked about Hitler with her, she blurted out: "It would be a great honor for me to have a child with Hitler!"I never met Hitler in person, but often heard his mad dog barking on the radio.Among the Germans there was little opposition to him.His two famous teams: SA (Sturm-Abteilung, Stormtrooper) and SS (Schutz-staffel, SS), can be seen on the street at any time.The former wears a yellow uniform, which we call "yellow dog"; the latter wears a black uniform, which we call "black dog".This yellow and black dog has never made trouble with us Chinese students.When you go into a store or meet a friend, you call your "Heil Hitler!" I call mine "Good morning", "Good day" and "Good night".We never talk about politics with Germans in general.

In fact, at that time, both China and Germany were on the eve of a big storm.Two years later, the situation has changed drastically. I'm aware of this, but I can't do anything about it, so I can only live a peaceful life for a day, just for a day, and gou's life is just in troubled times. On the surface, the market is still very prosperous, and the food supply is also very sufficient. The limited system has not yet been implemented. As long as you have money, you can buy anything.I eat breakfast at home every morning: small bread, milk, butter, dry cheese, served with a pot of black tea.Then go to the Institute of Sanskrit, or take classes, or study.Eat in a restaurant outside at noon.After eating, I still went back to the research institute, never knowing what to take a nap.In the afternoon, I either go to class or study, and go home at 6:00 pm. The old lady of the landlady will leave a portion of the hot meal they ate at noon for me to eat in the evening.So I don't have to eat only bread and sausages and tea for dinner like the Germans.

In this way, the days passed in an orderly and comfortable manner. On Sundays, several Chinese students who were living in Göttingen at that time: Long Piyan, Tian Dewang, Wang Zichang, Huang Xitang, Lu Shou, etc. went to a green grass called "Schiller Lawn" at the foot of the mountain outside the city to meet.This piece of grassland is green all the year round, surrounded by towering ancient trees, facing the mountains in the east, and the mountains are also lush with trees. The length and width of the large forest are tens of miles.There are quite a few scenic spots in the mountains, such as the Bismarck Tower, which stands high on the top of the mountain, and you can have a panoramic view of the whole city from the top of the mountain.There are also several cafes and restaurants.After our meeting on the Schiller Lawn, we sometimes went for a walk in the mountains, and we ate lunch in the mountains.It is a great pleasure to meet Chinese people and speak Chinese.Often the passage of time is forgotten in the midst of small talk and jokes.When I noticed the time, it was already dark and the moon was above Dongshan.

As for study, I still go all out.Although I was supposed to stay for only two years, I was still preparing for the doctoral exam.According to German regulations, a PhD candidate must read three departments: one main department and two sub-departments.My main department is Sanskrit, Pali and other so-called Indologie, which is the overall situation.The key lies in the two sub-departments, but this matter is quite troublesome.When I was suffering from the "study abroad fever" in China and the matter of studying abroad was still as remote as the three mountains of Penglai, I had already made a big oath: I would never write a doctoral dissertation on China.Mr. Lu Xun said that some Chinese students studying abroad used Laozi and Zhuangzi to obtain doctoral titles abroad, which surprised foreigners; however, they talked about Kant and Hegel after returning home.I despise such doctors and will never follow in their footsteps.Now in Germany, neither the main department nor the sub-department has anything to do with Chinese studies.I heard that an international student studying natural sciences chose sinology as his sub-department because he wanted to be opportunistic.During the oral examination, the first question asked by the Sinology professor was: Du Fu in China or Shakespeare in England, who comes first? The history of Chinese literature is thousands of years old. Compared with Qu Yuan and others, Du Fu is behind.In England, Shakespeare is considered an ancient writer.The international student was probably influenced by this impression, and said, "Du Fu is next." The Sinology professor said, "You have failed! There is no need to ask the following questions."

Speaking of oral exams, I would like to add two small examples here to see the situation of German oral exams and the authority of the professor. At the end of the 19th century, German medical master Virchow had an oral examination student. He put a plate of pork liver on the table and asked the student, "What is this?" The student was dumbfounded and speechless for a long time.How could he have thought that the professor would bring pork liver.The result is that the oral examination fails.Wei Erhe said to him: "A medical worker must seek truth from facts, and say what he sees. If you don't even have this ability and courage, how can you be a doctor?" Again, this same Wei Erhe And in the oral test, he pointed to his clothes and asked: "What color is this?" The student looked at it for a while and replied solemnly: "Mr. Privy Advisor (an honorary title for outstanding professors in Germany)! Your clothes It used to be brown." Wei Erhe laughed loudly, and immediately said: "You have passed!" Because he didn't pay much attention to his clothes, and after wearing them for more than ten years, the original brown color turned black.These two examples are small, but significant.It tells us how German professors try their best to cultivate students' ability to observe problems in a realistic manner without any interference from external influences.

Back to my sub-department issue.I resolutely do not choose Sinology, this is an unshakable decision.So what to choose? I considered English Linguistics and German Linguistics.Later, Arabic was also considered.I really worked hard to learn Arabic for a year.Later, I felt inappropriate and decided to give up.Finally, English Linguistics and Slavic Linguistics were selected.But in Slavic linguistics, you can't just learn one Russian language.I also learned Yugoslavian.From then on, the world will be settled. The Institute of Slavic Languages ​​is also in the Gauss-Weber Building.Since then, I have come to the institute every day and studied for a whole day.The main energy is of course used to learn Sanskrit and Pali.I was the only student in the Sanskrit class.About the beginning of the third semester, two German students came: one was a history student, and the other was a village pastor.The former had studied with Professor Sigg for several semesters before I came to Göttingen.At the beginning of my second year of school, he came to attend, and there was no other class, just in one class.I was really in awe of him at first, he was an old schoolboy.However, after a while, I discovered that he was struggling to study.Although he had studied Greek and Latin in middle school, and knew English and French, he was helpless in dealing with Sanskrit, whose grammatical rules were so cumbersome.In class, whenever the teacher asks a question, his eyes will be stared, his mouth will be in a daze, he will be stunned, and he will be speechless.Until the outbreak of the Second World War, when he was conscripted into the army, he still failed to conquer Sanskrit, in my words, that is, he did not jump over the Dragon Gate.

My own learning of Sanskrit was not all smooth sailing.This is an ancient language with the most complicated grammar among the known languages ​​in the world, and its rich morphological changes are completely opposite to Chinese.Of course I would have difficulty.However, since you have made up your mind to learn, you must conquer it.In the past two years, I have secretly expressed my determination many times: I must jump over this dragon gate.