A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 227 Liang Shiyi

Yan Fansun experienced the Reformation and the abolishment of stereotyped essays, and finally saw the attitude of the Qing court towards the imperial examination, so he returned to Tianjin and devoted himself to modern education.

Li Yu didn't know why Yan Fansun brought up the special economic department with him, so he asked, "What does Mr. Yan want to say?"

Yan Fansun said: "I think you can participate. As a person who knows Western learning best, it is very suitable. I can contact Tang Daotai and let him recommend it."

Those who can participate in the Economic Special Division must be recommended by the minister.

Li Yu smiled and said, "Forget it, I'm not interested in fame."

Yan Fansun said: "It's not a bad thing, because I know that you are the one who really understands Western learning, and only by letting people who understand Western learning manage the education of Western learning can the country have a future."

Yan Fansun's thinking like this is a bit like the meaning of Fangzheng and Daoist Chongxu in Xiaoaojianghu making Linghu Chong the head of the Wuyue Sword Sect.

What Yan Fansun thought about was education, but the Qing court did not necessarily think so in this matter.

For so many years, education and imperial examinations have never been equated.

Li Yu asked: "I don't know all areas of Western learning, and I don't know anything about politics and law."

Yan Fansun said: "The country needs political and legal talents, as well as scientific talents. The establishment of Enke by the imperial court will not be as rigid as the previous exams. People who understand science like you have a good chance."

Li Yu asked: "What's the difference? I heard that if the handwriting is not good in the imperial examination, there is no chance."

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the level of calligraphy was very critical to being able to win the number one scholar. It was necessary to write a very standard Guange style.

Li Yu has seen articles written by imperial examination champions in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the museum. The calligraphy level is really very high, almost no different from printed script.

With Li Yu's calligraphy ability, he didn't make it to the stage at all.

Yan Fansun said: "This exam does not deliberately pursue calligraphy, even if it is altered, it does not matter; and there is no need to cover up names and specially transcribe during the exam."

Li Yu said: "It's okay if I can use a hard pen for calligraphy, but I really can't do it with a brush."

Even if Li Yu could write brush characters, it would be too difficult for him to write small script.

Yan Fansun said: "I heard that the examiner, Mr. Rong, is the Minister of Management of the Imperial University. If you were born in the Imperial University, you must get extra points."

"Master Rong? Master Rong Qingrong?" Li Yu asked.

"Of course it's him." Yan Fansun said.

Li Yu spread his hands: "Then there is no way, I don't have a good relationship with him."

"You? Have a bad relationship with him?" Yan Fansun said in surprise, "He is the minister of education, and he will definitely be promoted in the future. Why do you have a bad relationship with him?!"

Li Yu sighed: "It's a long story, but the situation is indeed like this."

"This is difficult," Yan Fansun stroked his beard, "You really shouldn't offend Lord Rong."

Li Yu said: "The matter has come to this point, and it cannot be undone."

Lu Bicheng said helplessly, "This giant of science has offended quite a few people."

Yan Fansun said: "In this way, we can only find someone else. I really don't want to let the economic special department succeed after so much difficulty, and fall short because of the failure of the candidate again."

Li Yu said: "Since Mr. Yan is ready to devote himself to Western education, why is he still obsessed with the imperial examination?"

Yan Fansun said: "After all, this matter was initiated because of my suggestion, and we cannot just sit idly by."

Li Yu said: "Since Mr. Yan has arrived in the capital, let me accompany you to the guild hall to have a look."

In the Qing Dynasty, people who came to Beijing to rush for the exam often lived in the provincial halls outside Xuanwumen.

Li Yu said to Lu Bicheng again, "Go together?"

Lu Bicheng said: "I'm a girl, isn't it suitable?"

"What are you afraid of?" Li Yuman didn't care, "Are you afraid that your talent will not be as good as them?"

When Lu Bicheng heard this, he immediately became motivated, "I'm not afraid."

As soon as they arrived at the guild hall, someone stopped Yan Fansun: "Master Yan! Long time no see."

Yan Fansun also recognized him: "Yifu, why are you here?"

Yifu is Liang Shiyi's character.

Liang Shiyi was a well-known representative of the transportation department in the Beiyang government since then. He founded the Bank of Communications and made great contributions to the early railway industry.

Liang Shiyi said: "I'm going to take the special economic exam."

"You?" Yan Fansun couldn't believe it, "You have already been a Jinshi in high school, why are you here to join in the fun?"

Liang Shiyi said: "I have been obsessed with finance, canals, roads and other issues over the years. In addition, I have studied the imperial examinations for many years, and I have already understood that it is necessary to 'learn into practice'. The status of Jinshi back then is of no use."

He was a Jinshi one year later than Yan Fansun, and the situation of the two is quite similar, and they both realized the disadvantages of the imperial examination.

Yan Fansun said: "With your talent, it must not be difficult to become a Jinshi again. Such a feat of being a Jinshi in the two middle schools really makes me look forward to it."

Liang Shiyi smiled and said, "It's still uncertain."

Yan Fansun has great confidence in Liang Shiyi: "There are not many people studying Western learning nowadays, and your foundation is definitely stronger than ordinary people, and you may be the number one scholar in high school."

"I will do my best," Liang Shiyi looked at Li Yu, "Who is this?"

Yan Fansun introduced him: "He is the famous Li Yu."

Liang Shiyi said in surprise: "It turned out to be Mr. Li Yu! Li Yu, the imperial teacher of the dynasty, is a scientific genius who is famous all over Europe!"

Li Yu smiled and said, "Mr. Liang, hello."

Liang Shiyi said: "If the emperor and teacher also want to refer to it, I'm afraid I'd better give it up."

Li Yu waved his hand: "I will not take the special economic examination."

Liang Shiyi said: "When I was in Guangdong, I saw several reports about the Emperor's Master in the newspapers. Your scientific achievements are commendable. Even if you are directly listed as a Jinshi or even the number one scholar, I don't think it is an exaggeration. .”

Li Yu said: "As you said just now, what about Jinshi? If there is an Academy of Sciences, maybe I'm still interested, but the possibility is almost zero."

Liang Shiyi said: "Nowadays there is a lot of waste waiting to be done, and more practical talents can save the country from danger."

Yan Fansun said: "What Yifu said is very true, but I don't know if the imperial court can recruit practical talents for this special economic department."

Liang Shiyi sighed: "If there are another group of corrupt Confucians, I'm afraid there will be no chance at all."

Yan Fansun has been studying politics for many years, and he understands the situation of the imperial examination very well. He said: "Although I have written and explained many times, the imperial court still only regards the school as a place to train people. In their eyes, only the imperial examination is the real selection. The way of talents. If this concept does not change, I am afraid that the school will not be able to develop.”

Liang Shiyi is from Guangdong, Guangdong is the hometown of the Revolutionary Party. At that time, he and Liang Qichao were classmates, so he was very accepting of the new-style schools. It can be seen that the things taught in the new-style schools are more useful knowledge.

Liang Shiyi said: "I have devoted myself to studying water conservancy and transportation in the past few years, only to realize that there is so much knowledge in it. Just like the railways and trains of foreigners, the knowledge and principles contained are too numerous to enumerate. If only those who understand these knowledge It is no longer enough for people to be artisans.”

Now Li Yu is mainly engaged in theoretical science. If he manufactures a few specific machines, he is afraid that he will be regarded as a craftsman.

Because theoretical science, whether it is mathematics or physics, ministers will not understand how to explain it;
But the manufactured machinery is different, no matter how sophisticated it is, as long as the real thing is in front of them, they will feel that it is nothing more than that.

Therefore, even though the Qing court has been beaten for so many years since the Opium War, it still only puts the force of foreigners on weapons and warships.

Even a political and legal system that is relatively easy to understand and very useful is unacceptable, let alone brain-intensive science and technology.

Liang Shiyi said to Li Yu again: "I heard that the emperor's teacher has been to several countries of the great powers, and even took the train to Europe via Russia. His vision is broad. Do you think we can catch up with the great powers on the road of technology?"

"It's too early to talk about catching up. It's great if we can learn it now," Li Yu said, "But as you two said, if you don't build a new school, you will never have a chance. Only by taking a few steps in a down-to-earth way can we consider After that, it’s called catching up.”

Liang Shiyi said, "What you said is true."

Yan Fansun encouraged: "That's why I hope that Yifu can go to high school! The Economic Special Section was set up for the sake of new learning. In the future, if you become the number one student in high school, you can promote new learning."

Yan Fansun cupped his hands and said with a smile, "I will definitely do my best."

It's just that Liang Shiyi not only didn't have a high school champion this time, he didn't even pass the Jinshi exam.

The examination questions of the Special Economics Department generally belong to the category of policy theory, but the questions have a little "economic" taste, such as "Huan Kuan said that foreign goods flow out but the profits are not leaked, so the state will use it and the people will use it. Today I want to What is the strategy for foreign matter to flow inward without benefiting from the outside.” In fact, the discussion is about import and export trade.

It's just that we are still looking for examples from the ancients.Huan Kuan was the author of "On Salt and Iron" in the Han Dynasty.

Another topic is: ""Zhou Li" has its own special official theory on agriculture, industry and commerce and various politics".

Li Yu definitely couldn't answer.

He was born in a modern society. If he really took the economics test, he would be able to cover more or less no matter what.But he has never read "Zhou Li", let alone "Salt and Iron". If he comes up with a pen to discuss the real economic import and export related content, and write him the World Trade Organization WTO, I am afraid that Rong Qing will read the paper. Must have thought it was a neuropathy.

So the imperial examination, after all, is still an imperial examination, and it is impossible for Li Yu to adapt to changing the soup but not the medicine.

Liang Shiyi was actually selected as the No. [-] scholar, but when the results were passed on to the Empress Dowager Cixi as usual, she thought Liang Shiyi's name was really unlucky: the surname was the same as Liang Qichao, and they were classmates and brothers; the last word of the name was the same as Kang Youwei ( Kang Youwei, formerly known as Kang Zuyi), "Liangtou Kangzu, character can be seen."

So Liang Shiyi was disqualified as the number one scholar.

In the end, the champion was Yuan Jiagu from Yunnan, who later became a professor in a modern university.

He is also the only number one scholar in Yunnan in the history of imperial examinations.

And the title of the article he wrote for winning the No. [-] Scholar is very interesting: "Defending the people is like defending Sichuan."

(End of this chapter)