Chapter 35 Preface to "The Chronicle of Mr. Zhan Tianyou"

Preface to "The Chronicle of Mr. Zhan Tianyou" I read "The Chronicle of Mr. Zhan Tianyou" edited by Mr. Ling Zhuming, and I admire his diligence in collecting materials, his meticulous records and correct comments. Mr. Zhan Tianyou's hometown is Wuyuan County, Huizhou Prefecture, Anhui Province, and his grandfather moved to Guangzhou.But at the age of 11, he was admitted as an official student in the United States. Before he was sent abroad at the age of 12 (the 11th year of Tongzhi, 1872), his father "recognized" him, and wrote "Zhan Tianyou, a boy...from Wuyuan County, Huizhou Prefecture" .Zhu Ming said that he is Mr. Zhan's "backward" in Guangzhou, and I can also say that he is a descendant of his hometown in Huizhou.Both Zhuming and I admire Mr. Zhan.Six years ago—July 1954—I was invited to give a lecture on "Mr. Yung Wing's Centennial Graduation at Yelu University". Among the 120 young children that Mr. Hong led to study in the United States, Mr. Zhan was the only one who had the opportunity to make full use of the academic knowledge he had learned and achieve great results after returning to China; Yes, there is no one who has not noticed the biographical information of Mr. Zhan Tianyou.But I knew at that time that Mr. Zhan did not leave many works, and it was not easy to collect biographical information about him.

Zhu Ming is an expert in railway engineering. He is also interested in writing Chinese railway history and biography. His "Memories of Four Years in Politics" is an autobiography that can be used as a model, leaving many important historical materials for modern historians.Zhu Ming compiled this "Zhan Tianyou Chronicle", and he has made it very clear in the "Preface" about the difficulties in collecting materials.What we are most interested in reading this chronicle is the description of the difficult and great project of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway.The materials collected by Zhu Ming start from the report of Mr. Zhan’s first survey of Jingzhang Road (pages 42-44) in Jiachen (1904) in the 30th year of Guangxu (1904) to the 19th day of August 19th in the year of Xuantong (1909). Up to the opening ceremony of Zhangquan Road (pages 62-65), it includes Mr. Zhan’s method of building Jingzhang Road and the estimated cost (pages 47-50), as well as the project plan that must be revised at any time after the start of construction according to actual difficulties. Such detailed records make me I sincerely admire the author's diligence in collecting materials, and the careful and detailed arrangement of materials.

Because the author has paid attention to the history of China's transportation all his life, because he is interested in the history of Chinese railways, and because he is the heir to Mr. Zhan's railway construction business in history, so he is most qualified to describe Mr. Zhan's achievements and judge Mr. Zhan's work.I quote the passage that moved me the most from the Chronicle: On April 17th in the thirty-fourth year of Guangxu, the Juyongguan Cave was completed.On April 23rd, at 10:30 in the evening, the entire Badaling Cave was opened.On the sixth day of May, Mr. (Zhan) reported the situation to the Ministry of Posts and Communications, briefly saying that "at the beginning of the construction of this cave, due to the ups and downs of the mountain, it could not be leveled. It was only measured by hanging a line on the mountain surface, and it blocked the Great Wall. It is difficult to look around. After repeated hesitation, Fang Ke determined the line. The section of the cave was excavated, and then it was measured carefully. After the opening, the north-south straight line and the level were measured, and they were all within seconds."

It shows the tension and precision of the work at that time. ... After the completion of this hole, the key to the opening of the entire Beijing-Zhangjiakou Road was resolved. ... (page 56) This is the most proud passage in the biography written by a civil engineer to a great predecessor civil engineer. After recording the grand opening ceremony of Jingzhang Road, Mr. Ling Zhuming made a summary statement: Jingzhang Railway started construction on the fourth day of September in the 31st year of Guangxu (1905), and opened to traffic on August 19th in the first year of Xuantong (1909). Li, has not yet completed four years.The original budget for wages was 7,291,860 taels of silver, but the actual total received in four years was 7,223,984 taels.The actual expenditure until the initial completion of the project is 6,935,086 taels of silver, leaving 288,898 taels of silver.Compared with the original estimate, the saving is 356,774 taels (4.8% of the original budget).

The construction cost of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, including rolling stock and driving equipment, averages 56,000 taels per mile, which is about 35,000 taels per kilometer (approximately 48,600 silver dollars)... (page 64-65) Zhuming has a clearer explanation in the "post-compilation" of the chronicle.He said: Most of China's railways are built with foreign funds, and the loss of road rights is not to be considered. As far as the road workers themselves are concerned, most of the senior personnel in charge of the projects are foreigners. The power lies in the translation, and unscrupulous people will inevitably cheat from it, and the purchase of materials will be discounted, and there will be bad rules for contracting labor. The country will suffer great losses, and the cost of the railway will naturally increase.The Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway...it is difficult for Mr. to take over the post. Mr....for the personnel who are in charge, improve their treatment and encourage their ambitions, and especially pay attention to the reform of the atmosphere, get rid of bad habits, so that the country will not suffer losses.This test compares the figures of Beijing-Zhangjiakou Road with the figures of other roads in the same period as follows:

A. The average construction cost of the whole road is about silver dollars per kilometer: Jinpu Railway 119,000 yuan Beijing-Hanzhou Railway 95,600 yuan Jingfeng Railway 94,600 yuan Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway 48,600 yuan The Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway goes deep into the interior, without the convenience of other transportation, and the project is particularly difficult.In the section from Nankou to Kangzhuang, it is difficult to dig mountains and tunnels, which is unprecedented in other roads. ...and the average construction cost per mile is only half of that of Jinghan, Jingfeng and other roads. ...

If the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway is still built with borrowed money, the construction cost may double. B. Funds for the tunnel project: The southern section of the Guangdong-Han tunnel is 642 meters long, with an average cost of 400 silver dollars per meter. The Ping-Han Railway Tunnel is 664 meters long, with an average cost of 358 silver dollars per meter. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway Tunnel is 1,645 meters long, with an average cost of 315 silver dollars per meter. C. General expenses during the project period: Jinpu Railway averages about 10,000 yuan per kilometer. Ping-Han Railway 8,500 yuan.

7,700 yuan for the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway. 6,300 yuan for Jingfeng Railway. The Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway is 3,100 yuan. (For all the above, see pages 96-98 of the book) Such a comparison is Mr. Zhu Ming's most rigorous ode to this great engineer. Anyone who reads this chronicle can't help but respect and love this model engineer who has dedicated his life to the country and is very self-confident and frugal.On page 63 of the Chronicle, Mr. Ling tells a story: On August 19, the first year of Xuantong, the grand opening ceremony of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was held. On that day, "more than ten thousand people" came from all over the world.

Xu Shichang, Shangshu of the Ministry of Posts and Communications, made the main speech.Mr. Zhan Tianyou is the person who hosts the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, so he had to give a report speech.Mr. Ling said: Mr. Zhan was not good at eloquence... After the opening ceremony, Mr. told his friend: "Yu is in charge of opening the road in Beijing. Do you know why I have passed through difficulties?" The friend said that he dug the Badaling cave.The gentleman laughed and said: "No! It is more difficult for me to give a report than to open a cave!" This is Mr. Zhan's wit!

November 19, 1960