Chapter 32 Mourning Ms. Shen Liying

In the summer of the 14th year of the Republic of China, I was in the summer school of Cornell University in the United States, and I got a letter from a female student of Yanda University in Peking, saying, "This year, there is a classmate in our school, Ms. Shen Liying, who transferred to Wellesley University. Please take care of me." .” I was very happy when I got the letter, because there were no Chinese students at UW that year, and with students from China joining me, I would not feel lonely. After the summer vacation was over, I returned to Weida. As soon as I put down my luggage, I inquired about the dormitory where she lived, and found that the place where she lived was very close to me. I immediately went to find her, knocked on the door, and said please come in. I saw a pale and slightly shy face.In less than a few words, we hit it off.Although she and I were not at the same time in Yanda, we talked very cordially when we talked about our teachers, our classmates, and our campus.That night, I invited her to my dormitory, and I ordered fish, rice, and vegetables over the phone. The two of us cut the fish and vegetables with a knife on the desk, and cooked the rice on the electric stove.We used the small flower box as a bowl, ate and talked, and lingered until late at night-I think I am happy with my new friend.

We were all very busy that year. She was a first-year undergraduate student, and her homework was quite heavy. I was writing my graduation thesis in the graduate school, and I often had no free time, but we still met quite a lot.I already knew at that time that she specialized in science.But she has a strong interest in literature.Sometimes she came to see me and saw that I was busy, so she would read the Chinese poems on my bookshelf, recite them in a low voice, and leave for a long time. The scenery of Weida is famous all over the United States.We often sneak in a leisure time, go boating on the lake and have a picnic and chat.When we were young, we always liked to talk about our ambitions. We thought it was too exaggerated, but fortunately no third person heard it!She often said that she must fight for a place in the scientific world for women, and use her achievements to show women's abilities.She also said that she hopes that her career and marriage can go hand in hand. She would like to have a happy family and a satisfying career.Looking back now, she did everything she wanted.It's a pity that she passed away first!

In the summer of 15 years, I graduated and returned to China. After 19 years, I never saw her again. I only knew from the newsletters and reports from friends that she was married. The other party was Mr. Shen Zonghan, a colleague of hers. When doing things, I know that Li Ying is stepping into her ideal paradise step by step, so I am really lucky for her. At this time last year, I had just arrived in Chongqing from Kunming and caught a serious cold.While on the bed, Li Ying suddenly brought a child to see me.After more than ten years of separation, her appearance and attitude have not changed much. When talking about the life after the farewell and the exile after the Anti-Japanese War, everyone still has great enthusiasm for work.At that time, the various publications of the cultural affairs group of the Women's Guild were in need of manuscripts, so I asked her for articles, and she said with a smile, "I can't write articles, and I can't talk about women's issues. What I say is the same. Old stuff." I said, "I don't want you to talk about women's issues anymore, I just want you to report your own work, your own problems, it's women's issues." She promised me, and it was late in the evening, so I took a treasured farewell After that, she really sent several articles one after another, and distributed them in the quarterly and weekly magazines of "Women's New Movement", all of which talked about the work of wheat breeding. One of Decades of Improved Wheat".

On a Sunday afternoon this spring, she brought another child to see me. According to her, Mr. Shen Zonghan had a meeting near our residence and would come to talk after the meeting. The weather was very good that day, full of spring, we were all over the world, talking about the evening, and Mr. Shen didn't come, so she left. That was the last time we saw each other! In October of this year, I suddenly read the news of Li Ying's death in the newspaper, and felt cold in my heart. How could someone like her die! No matter how you look at it, Li Ying is a very unusual woman.What I call unusual may be what she herself calls "old-fashioned."There are female scientists in China, but I have never heard of someone like her who is willing to "help her husband's career success first, raise children second, and her own career success third".This is exactly what makes Li Ying great. If she couldn't help her husband or raise her children, she wouldn't be able to say such things. If she didn't have a successful career, she wouldn't have to say such things.

Li Ying's spirit of work is best expressed in the article "One Win of Improved Wheat in Ten Years". She believes that the status of our women cannot be won by empty protests, but by achievements in work.Li Ying and I talked about various women's issues. She often said, "Women's issues have passed the period of propaganda and entered the period of work."She advocated that "comrades in the female world should always strive for self-improvement, seize the society and work hard", and she advocated "ask yourself that you have worked hard to serve the country, and you don't have to worry about how much you have gained."This attitude of "don't ask about harvest, but about hard work" and "do more, talk less" is also the most unusual thing about Li Ying.

Li Ying owes her achievements in her work to the love of the country and the help of friends. I think this is not unusual at all.During the Anti-Japanese War, there were generally more difficult environments than smooth ones, and some people were depressed while others were optimistic. It all depends on the individual's psychological attitude.Li Ying is a "married woman" who takes "childbirth as her bounden duty" and at the same time is a "civil servant" whose "in-law test is her own business". Under the double burden, she does not evade or complain. For her subordinates and co-workers, she is neither impatient nor critical, she expresses "comfort" everywhere, saying "this co-worker is rare", she is grateful and happy everywhere, this is her unique spiritual cultivation. It enables her to cooperate with the environment with "confidence and fighting spirit, and overcome all kinds of difficulties."

In the end, she fell ill from overwork, "stayed in bed for two months, unable to move, and was so irritable and impatient", this is what I sympathize with her most.I have been sick for many years, often bed rested, depressed and irritable, unable to relieve myself.However, Li Ying was able to "see lightly and openly", thinking that "being sick is actually beneficial to me".Because she took illness as an opportunity to study and cultivate, which is beyond the reach of ordinary people.Her conclusion is that "we should maintain our physical strength to strive for long-term victory, and we don't have to work and rest in a day to cause lifelong pain."This is a famous saying through the ages.I will always remember it!

Today is the day when the Chongqing women's community mourns Li Ying. Li Ying is the most worthy of mourning by the women's community. I hope that today's women and youths will follow Li Ying's words and deeds.I myself was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, but after writing this mourning article in bed, I felt a little warm in my heart.I am extremely sympathetic to Mr. Shen Zonghan and their children. I believe that in the laboratory, in the family, and in the hearts of her many friends, her position cannot be filled!However, Li Ying is not dead. Her work will last forever, and Mr. Shen Zonghan will continue her unfinished business. We must work hard to fulfill her hope for the women's world. Li Ying knows it and should be able to rest in peace.December 21, 1941, Gele Mountain.