Chapter 4 Section 1 Needham's trip to Lizhuang

Just when the scholars were dormant in the mountains silently doing desk work in poverty and loneliness, a tall, big-nosed, blue-eyed "foreigner" came to Lizhuang, causing a stir in the lonely ancient town at the head of the Yangtze River. Microwave with salty astringency.This "foreigner" was Joseph Needham (1900-1995), a professor at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and a historian of science and technology who was later widely known in Chinese academic circles with "History of Science and Technology in China". Like the biographies left by most successful people, Needham, who grew up in Ireland, was also a smart and studious person. He graduated from Cambridge University in 1922 and received a doctorate in philosophy from the school in 1924.In the days to come, Joseph Needham became famous for his research on biochemistry. He was elected as a member of the Royal Society at the age of 37. His famous works on biochemistry and embryology, "Chemical Embryology" and "Biochemistry and Morphogenesis", which were once sensational, were published in Available before the age of 40.

It may be related to human character or nature. According to Needham himself, when he was a student, he suddenly became interested in the history of science by accident one day, and then gradually shifted his gaze to the place where the dawn of eastern civilization was rising. In the summer of 1922, Joseph Needham, who had just graduated from Gonville-Keeds College, Cambridge University, accidentally read an article in the "International Journal of Ethics" published in English by a Chinese student studying in the United States. An Interpretation of the History of Chinese Philosophy and Its Consequences.The article argues that the reason why China has no science is "because according to its own value standard, it does not need it at all."The author said with emotion: "In my opinion, if the Chinese followed Mozi's thought that goodness is useful, or followed Xunzi's thought of controlling the sky but not praising the sky, science would have been produced long ago." The author of this article is Later, he taught at Tsinghua University, Southwest Associated University, and Peking University, and followed Jiang Qing Gaoqiao's ass during the "Cultural Revolution" Feng Youlan, who once called the wind and rain.After reading this strange article, Joseph Needham at that time expressed a series of emotions in surprise: For many years, Westerners who thought they were high-ranking nations had ignorance, contempt and prejudice against Chinese civilization, and made up the so-called Chinese civilization with domineering and even bastard logic A series of false theories such as "European Civilization Center" and "Chinese Civilization from the West" are extremely unfair and humiliating to the Chinese nation and Chinese people. Don't even the Chinese themselves admit that China has science? !The views expressed in this article and the self-deprecating "little bitch" style greatly stimulated Li's spirit, and the name of the author of the article, Feng Youlan, was also accumulated in his memory for a long time.

In November 1937, when China’s Songhu Anti-Japanese War was the most tragic and heroic, three Chinese students came to Cambridge University to study under Joseph Needham. They were Shen Shizhang from Yenching University, Wang Yinglai from Jinling University and Shanghai Lester Medical Lu Guizhen, the daughter of a Nanjing drug dealer in the institute.The three yellow-skinned young men not only brought traditional Chinese culture to Needham, but also brought him a firm belief in ancient Chinese civilization.This "barbarian" with a big nose and blue eyes suddenly turned to love and study Chinese culture in the middle of his life, and this choice has nothing to do with him and Chinese students, especially those who graduated from the School of Science of Jinling Women's University in their early years. The 33-year-old Lu Guizhen has a lot to do with meeting.Regarding the friendship established between Li and Lu, Needham himself has frankly expressed it on many occasions, and Lu Guizhen also "smiled" immodestly in his later years.Joseph Needham, who is 3 years older than Lu Guizhen, first admired Lu's beauty and the charm of a typical oriental lady in her frown and smile, which aroused his strong impulse and interest in loving Chinese culture.The strong love for Chinese culture prompted Needham to ask and think about a series of questions, as he said in his later recollections: "The deeper I know about them, the closer I am to their thinking, which leads to I sharply raise a question: Why was China more effective and far ahead of the West in terms of science and technology during the long years from the 1st to the 15th century AD? What were China’s scientific and technological achievements and contributions? The stage of primitive empiricism, but failed to spontaneously produce modern science and the subsequent industrial revolution?”——This series of questions is the embryonic form of the “Needham Puzzle” (Needham Puzzle) that the world loves to talk about later.

Since the doubts occupied Needham's mind of pursuing truth and scientific spirit, he had to try to answer and decipher them. Therefore, Needham had a conversion of faith from the bottom of his heart.In this regard, Li said: "I used this word carefully, because it is a bit like the conversion of St. Paul on the way to Damascus. ... Fate made me convert to Chinese cultural values ​​and Chinese civilization in a special way. Come this way." The "Bible" says that Saul, a Jew, was suddenly covered by a beam of bright light on his way to Damascus and was reprimanded by Jesus.After that, Saul reflected for three days and three nights, and Jesus sent Ananias to visit Saul.From then on, Saul converted to Jesus, changed his name to Paul, and became an apostle directly selected by Jesus.Joseph Needham described his transformation as "a bit like St. Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus, where he fell into the 'love river' of Chinese culture." .They introduced me to a new world that I knew nothing about before."

It was this change in thinking and academic values ​​that made the 37-year-old Needham start learning Chinese from Lu Guizhen and Gustav Halouu, another famous Sinologist at Cambridge, and eager to decipher this "" in his lifetime." The Needham Problem".When Lu Guizhen was about to graduate and leave Cambridge, Needham co-wrote the first paper on the history of Chinese science with her, and made an appointment: in the future, he was determined to make a career in this field, just like the Roman Congress advocated that "Carthage will never be destroyed." , we shall perish" vow.

At this time, Needham aspired to write "a historical book on science, technology and medicine in Chinese culture that has never been seen in Western literature in the past", and through this book, he solved this confusing problem. Difficulties—this is the germ of the publication of the magnificent "History of Science and Technology in China" that shocked the world and extended from the first volume to more than 30 volumes. In the autumn of 1942, at the most important turning point of World War II, the British government decided to send a group of famous scientists and scholars to China for investigation and humanitarian assistance.Joseph Needham, who is a member of the Royal Society and has a good command of Chinese and has a strong interest in oriental civilization, was fortunate enough to be selected. He and ER Dodds (ERDodds, also translated as Dodds or Todds), a Greek professor at Oxford University, formed the British cultural and scientific mission to China. In March 1943, Joseph Needham and several colleagues flew from Calcutta, India, via the famous "Hump" route, the only channel connecting China with the outside world, over the Himalayas, and entered Kunming, Yunnan. career.

During his stay in Kunming, Needham visited the Institute of Astronomy, Chemistry and Engineering of Southwest Associated University and Academia Sinica in Kunming, and delivered some books, instruments and other items in short supply to these institutions. On March 21, Needham and his party flew from Kunming to Chongqing.Early the next morning, I went to the head office of Academia Sinica to visit the director-general Ye Qisun to discuss post-war scientific cooperation between China and Europe.Afterwards, he held talks with Wu Tiecheng, Chen Lifu, Wang Shijie, Weng Wenhao, Zhang Daofan, Jiang Tingfu, Jiang Menglin, Zhu Jiahua, Mei Yiqi and others who were in Chongqing at the time in Chongqing.Hired by Zhu Jiahua, Joseph Needham and ER Dodds served as communication researchers at the Academia Sinica.With the understanding and support of the British ambassador to China Seymour, in June of this year, through the joint efforts of the Chinese and British governments, the Sino-British Science Cooperation Museum was established in Chongqing. In the side bungalow, the personnel consisted of 6 British scientists and 10 Chinese scientists.

When this organization was established, Joseph Needham, who visited several universities and research institutes in Kunming and Chongqing, felt more and more that the ancient Chinese civilization was extensive and profound, and the old dreams buried in his heart began to revive. He approached Chen Lifu, Minister of Education of the Nationalist Government, and stated In addition to the Sino-British cultural exchange work I undertake, I also have a plan to study ancient Chinese science. I plan to make in-depth comparisons, research, and write on the aspects of ancient Chinese scientific and technological achievements, scientific ideas, and their value in the history of human culture that I am most interested in. A monograph titled "Science and Culture in China" (South Press: later "History of Science and Technology in China").After hearing this, Chen Lifu said, "You have won my heart with your ambitions", and immediately expressed his appreciation and support, and encouraged: "This plan is very good. It is better for you to write this book than for us, because you are not Chinese, and it is written by us." A book written by a non-Chinese person who talks about Chinese affairs must be of greater value.” In order to cooperate with Needham’s work plan, Chen Lifu promised the government to give full support within its capacity.Out of respect for the aspirations of this foreign scholar, Chen Lifu also presented Joseph Needham with a copy of Hanshu before and after.After 42 years, when Joseph Needham visited Taiwan, he still did not forget to thank Mrs. Chen in person again for donating the book.

Needham's research plan was once opposed by some foreign groups in China. Among them, the most fierce opposition was Fairbank, an official in the China Relations Division of the Department of Cultural Relations of the US State Department in Chongqing and later became a well-known expert on China.According to Fei's recollection, he "had a heated argument with Joseph Needham about his research plan for Chinese science and technology".This debate continued until the 12th Congress of Historians, which was held in Rome.However, Needham at that time did not take this politician and scholar Fairbank seriously, let alone Fairbank's endless chatter and nonsense, as well as the embarrassment and obstruction in his actions.Now that the determination has been made, and there is strong support from Chinese government officials such as Chen Lifu, Zhu Jiahua, Weng Wenhao and other celebrities, why should a small American cultural bureaucrat and politician Fei Zhengqing be afraid?Needham decided to take immediate action to advance towards his established goal. In the early summer of 1943, Needham took his assistants with him and started his investigation in Southwest China, which gave him the opportunity to communicate with people in China's scientific and educational circles.

Not long after Joseph Needham and his party arrived in Chengdu, Feng Youlan, Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professor of Philosophy of Southwest Associated University, was invited to give lectures at several universities in Huaxiba, Chengdu.In a speech, Feng Youlan claimed that Taoism is the only natural mysticism known to the world that is not extremely opposed to science.At that time, Joseph Needham and his assistant were sitting in the guest seat and listening quietly. Facing the face and tone of Feng Youlan, Joseph Needham suddenly remembered that this impassioned person was the one who publicly stated in the "Journal of International Ethics" that China has no science 20 years ago. Feng Mou, a Chinese student studying abroad, felt contemptuous on the spot and disapproved of his theory.At this time, Needham had already begun to realize that the real Chinese Taoist culture was exactly the opposite of what Feng said. Taoism was very supportive of science and could be said to be the enlightenment teacher of science.

On the afternoon of May 3, taking advantage of the opportunity invited by West China Union University to give a speech, Joseph Needham gave a speech titled "Science and Society" in the school's gymnasium, and specifically pointed out Feng Youlan's theory: "Science is the cooperation between people, And the results accumulated with the continuous development of the times. All nations in the world have contributed to science. In ancient times, Egypt, Babylon, China and many Mediterranean countries all made contributions to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, chemistry and geology. Among these sciences, ancient China made great contributions to alchemy and engineering.” According to Li, the term “alchemy” originated in China.It is not known whether Feng Youlan, who was still in Chengdu at the time, attended the lecture, but according to a report in the Central Daily News citing a student's notes the next day, the speech, which included a counterattack against Feng's theory, was very popular with the audience, so much so that when Needham "ended Long after his speech, there seems to be lingering lingering emotion." As Needham gained more and better understanding of ancient Chinese civilization and scientific and technological achievements, he began to publicly propose in his papers: In Chinese culture and technology, "Where science sprouts, there will be traces of Taoism. No matter Wherever you find alchemy or ancient chemistry, you can find the shadow of Taoism, they are always there - the earliest scientific experiments in the world are carried out in the alchemy room."For example, Ge Hong in the Jin Dynasty was called "the greatest alchemist of his time and the greatest alchemy writer in China" by Joseph Needham. The masterpiece "Baopuzi" written by Ge Shi, shining with the brilliance of scientific thought, is extremely rich. Science philosophically explores the possibility of prolonging life or achieving material immortality through artificial means.And the entire Taoist ideological system, until today, still occupies at least as important a position as Confucianism in the ideological background of the Chinese people.It is an excellent and extremely interesting combination of philosophy and religion, with "primitive" science and alchemy at the same time.It is extremely important to understand the whole of Chinese science and technology.Out of admiration and fascination with Chinese Taoism, Needham took three Taoist titles, including "Shisu Taoist", and called himself an "honorary Taoist".When discussing the contribution of Taoism to ancient science and technology, Li did not forget to mention Feng Wen's old story 20 years ago, and unceremoniously criticized Feng Youlan's article "Why China Doesn't Have Science——On the History of Chinese Philosophy and Its Consequences" "An Explanation of China" sharply criticized, calling it "Youthful Pessimism", and at the same time bluntly pointed out that "Chinese people are not naturally uninterested in the outside world as Feng Youlan asserted" and so on. On June 4, 1943, Joseph Needham completed his visit to several universities and scientific research institutions in Chengdu, Sichuan and Leshan. Accompanied by Professor Shi Shenghan of Wuhan University who moved to Leshan during the war, he and his assistant Huang Zongxing and his secretary went to Wutong Bridge Drift down the Minjiang River on a salt boat and arrive at Lizhuang Wharf in the afternoon of the next day, and then enter the headquarters of Tongji University located in the Yuwang Palace in the center of Lizhuang Town for investigation and exchange. Tongji University moved from Kunming to Sichuan. Zhou Junshi, the reputable principal in the education field, presided over the planning and was in charge of the overall work.When Mrs. Zhou was studying abroad at the Technical University of Berlin in Germany, she and Zhu Jiahua, who was studying in Germany for the second time, also met Chen Yinke, Fu Sinian, Yu Dawei, and even Zhu De, the later leader of the Communist Party of China, and other work-study students, and became friends with them. . In 1924, Zhou returned to China and successively taught at Jinan University, Central University, and Chongqing University. "August 13" the Songhu Anti-Japanese War broke out, and Zhou Junshi was appointed as the president of Tongji University and was responsible for the southward relocation of the university.No matter when Tongji University was in Kunming or in Lizhuang, Zhou Junshi actively advocated that Tongji University should continue to study as much as possible during the Anti-Japanese War. Absorb Germany's advanced scientific research achievements and cultivate practical talents for the country.But the good times didn’t last long. The Pearl Harbor incident broke out in December 1941. Hong Kong and other places fell one after another.When the news reached Li Zhuang, Zhou Junshi, who had a close friendship with Chen Yinke when he was studying in Europe, felt that the dominance of the Kong family was not equal to the fate of people in the cultural and intellectual circles such as Chen Yinke, so he personally encouraged and led the teachers and students of Tongji University. They marched in the streets to denounce the evil deeds of "Flying Dog Dean" Kong Xiangxi and his family, and telegraphed the actions, words and deeds of Tongji University to the whole country.Chiang Kai-shek, who was in Chongqing, secretly informed and provoked through Confucian figures, and was very angry. He believed that Zhou was inciting the students and deliberately embarrassing the authorities.In a fit of anger, through the Ministry of Education controlled by Chen Lifu, Zhou was revoked as the president of Tongji University and transferred to Chongqing University as a professor and dean of the School of Engineering. The post of president of Tongji University was replaced by Ding Wenyuan who had just returned from Germany. Ding Wenyuan (named Yuebo) is the fourth younger brother of Ding Wenjiang, the former director-general of the Academia Sinica. He is known as Ding's fourth in the world. In 1920, he graduated from the medical department of Tongji University, and later studied at the Medical School of Frankfurt University in Germany and obtained a doctorate in medicine.After returning to China, he served as a councilor of the Executive Yuan of the National Government, a councilor of the Examination Yuan, and a counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Germany.After the Pearl Harbor incident, as China declared war on the evil Axis powers of fascism in Germany, Italy, and Japan, he was recalled to China and replaced Zhou Junshi in Lizhuang as the president of Tongji University.Although Ding Wenyuan and Ding Wenjiang belonged to the same brothers, no matter at that time or later, this Ding Laosi could not be compared with the famous "Big Brother Ding" in terms of knowledge and conduct, especially in character and morality. "Model" Ding Wenjiang ran in the opposite direction and was widely criticized by the world. As soon as Ding Wenyuan arrived at Tongji University, in addition to sparing no effort to suppress the forces of justice and student unrest, he also often did some unscrupulous, shady, scandalous and nasty things that could not be seen on the stage. Less than two years after he became the president, he was banned by Tongji University's Tong Dizhou. 24 well-known professors, including Wang Baoren, Wang Baoren, and Tang Zhe, collapsed and overthrew, becoming negative teaching materials and a lesson in the education field.Li Qingquan (from Li Zhuang), who was the admissions committee member of Tongji University at that time, had such a memory: "Principal Zhou Junshi studied civil engineering and studied and worked in Germany for eighteen years. When he was besieged, he shared weal and woe with the local people, but he was very disgusted with Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Nazi Party. He was approachable and lived a simple life. Although he had been abroad for many years, he did not have a foreign flavor, did not wear a suit, and an old fedora I don’t know how many years I have worn it, but it has turned dark brown. His employment standards emphasize both ability and political integrity, and most of the professors and lecturers he hired are well-known people in China. The principal Ding Wenyuan who succeeded him later was just the opposite of him, full of bureaucratic airs, He is a cultural spy of the Jiang Gang. He bought a house in the suburbs of Lizhuang, and he had to take a sedan chair when he went in and out, no matter how far he was. It was only after liberation that I learned that Principal Zhou Junshi returned to Chongqing after resigning from Li Zhuang, and was imprisoned by the Jiang Gang at the Sino-US Cooperation Institute, where he was killed in 1949. Although it has been many years, it is very sad to think about it.” When Li Qingquan recalled this incident, it was in the early 1990s, and it was inevitable that he was contaminated with the characteristics of that era.Judging from other circumstantial evidence, it should be true that what Ding Wenyuan did in Tongji University in Lizhuang made most teachers and students with a sense of justice hate him, but there is not enough information to confirm that he is a "cultural spy".After Zhou Junshi left Lizhuang for Chongqing, he was not imprisoned, and he was still teaching at Chongqing University. He was secretly arrested by Kuomintang agents and shot to death in 1949.It is a pity that an upright and famous scholar died tragically at the gunpoint of Jiang's spies!