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

After Qu Hongji left, Yiqian also took out a memorial: "Lafayette, this is the memorial of Ding Weiliang of the Imperial University."

Hearing that it was a foreigner, Cixi cheered up: "What does he have to say?"

Yikuang said: "Master Ding said that he hopes to build an observatory in the capital."

"The observatory?" Cixi asked, "Is it for the telescope?"

Yikuang nodded: "Yes, Lafayette."

Cixi said: "Master Ding really has a heart. I have several telescopes that foreigners paid tribute to. He even offered to build an observatory for safekeeping. But it's a bit troublesome to think about it. I can't take a look at it at any time."

"Lafayette, that's not what it means," Yi Kuang quickly corrected, "Master Ding is talking about building an observatory dedicated to observing astronomy, like, oh yes, like our observatory."

Embarrassed, Cixi said, "The observatory is just an observatory. What do you mean by Laoshizi'observatory'!"

"Lafayette, foreigners all have this thing, and England also has the Royal Observatory." Yikuang said.

"Isn't it just to calculate a calendar, I know, but our Qintianjian has not always had this function, why do we need to build it again?" Cixi asked.

Yikuang had no choice but to explain: "Not only for the calendar, but also for observing the stars in the sky, and I heard from Mr. Ding that this kind of telescope is very huge and can see very far."

"Okay, since it's something that foreigners have, it means it's not bad. Build one, let the Ministry of Households allocate money." Cixi nodded.

Yikuang said: "In addition, Lord Ding also suggested that Li Yu can be in charge of the observatory."

"Li Yu?" Cixi had a deep impression of Li Yu.

"Yes, Lafayette, Mr. Ding said that he has profound attainments in astrophysics, and he is the person who understands it best in China, oh no, in the world." Yi Qiang replied.

"Celestial bodies? Physics?" Cixi obviously didn't understand the term.

It's just that Yikuang couldn't explain why, so he said, "It may be something that Li Yu published in foreign newspapers."

Cixi didn't want to get entangled in such a brain-consuming problem: "It's not a big deal if you think about it, just follow Martin Martin's wishes."

Wenyuange University scholar Wang Wenshao who had been standing aside said at this time: "As for Li Yu, I have previously received a letter from Konoe Atsumaro, the chairman of the Japanese House of Nobles. Have you served in the imperial court?"

"Oh?" Cixi raised her eyebrows, "Chairman of the Japanese House of Nobility?"

Konoe Toshimo had a lot of contacts with important government and opposition officials in China, and had frequent correspondence with Yikuang, Wang Wenshao, Yuan Shikai, Zhang Zhidong, etc.

Wang Wenshao said: "Atsumaro Konoe is a very influential politician in Japan."

Yikuang expressed affirmation of Wang Wenshao's words: "Mr. Konoe and I also mentioned Li Yu many times in the letter, and said that several large conglomerates in Japan, such as Mitsubishi and Mitsui, are very concerned about Li Yu."

Among the four major consortiums in Japan, these two are relatively early.

Cixi didn't expect that Li Yu's energy was so great. Some things she usually didn't pay attention to, but she would really pay attention to them when outsiders suddenly expressed interest.

Cixi said: "Since this is the case, it is even more important to follow Martin's suggestion. The observatory he mentioned should be built quickly, lest foreigners say that we don't value talents."

"The servant complies with the order." Yikuang said.

Empress Dowager Cixi is very concerned about face, and she is also very afraid of foreigners. Once Ding Weiliang and Konoe Bummo moved it out, the effect was astonishing.

Just don't know what it will look like.

As soon as Cixi Jinkou opened, construction of the observatory started immediately, and Ding Weiliang was responsible for purchasing large astronomical telescopes. On the other hand, the Ministry of Commerce quickly approved a piece of land for Li Yu to use as a factory.

The land Xu Shichang applied for is outside the East Fourth Ring Road today, close to the East Fifth Ring Road, and has not yet reached Tongzhou.

The city of Beijing has always been very small in history. Even before the reform and opening up, the area beyond the third ring road was basically wasteland.

At least the Beijing Municipal Public Transport Company even once believed that outside the Third Ring Road should be regarded as the suburbs. According to the regulations of the public transport company, if you take a bus with a price of more than 300, you must buy a "suburban employee monthly ticket", and most of the buses below 300 run Within the third ring.

There were some industries left by foreigners there before, but they were destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion, and they can be used after repairing, at least faster than rebuilding.

It saves a lot of money.

Xu Shichang was very active and quick in handling things, so he immediately urged Li Yu to recruit people quickly.

Although Li Yu really wanted to say that the enterprise was not achieved overnight, he also understood their eagerness to improve, so he agreed to publish a notice in the newspaper to recruit talents.

Looking at the recruitment conditions in future generations, it seems like a joke, but at present, it is one in a million.

"Now with the approval of the Ministry of Commerce of the Qing Dynasty, I, Li Yu, need to set up a modern enterprise to recruit talents from all walks of life. It is necessary to understand basic mathematics and science, as well as certain financial and legal knowledge. Production and sales abroad. The above positions are all middle and high-level management positions in the company, and they can obtain preferred shares.”

Translated into modern dialect, it is best to have a junior high school diploma.

Li Yu posted notices in the "Ta Kung Pao" in Beijing and Tianjin, and in the "Shen Shen" in Shanghai, and soon received a response.

Xie Yuxi found Li Yu with a letter from Shanghai, "This is a letter from Bu Fangji, the president of Shanghai St. Apply for a job."

Li Yuxi said, "St. John's University? Great!"

Nowadays, there should be very few Chinese people who have heard the name of St. John's University, let alone know the specific details of this university.

However, during the period of the Republic of China, this university was known as the "Harvard of the East" and the "Cultivation Institute for Diplomatic Talents".

Many great figures in the Republic of China graduated from this school, such as "the first diplomat in the Republic of China" Gu Weijun, Song Ziwen from the Song family, famous scholar Lin Yutang, architect IM Pei, and talented woman Zhang Ailing in the Republic of China, etc.

St. John's University attaches great importance to English teaching, and stipulates that all subjects (except Chinese) are taught in English, and English is also used for communication on campus. St. John's has become the first school in China to teach only in English.

The tuition fee of this school is very high. During the period of the Republic of China, the tuition fee per semester was as high as more than 200 silver dollars.So all the students admitted to St. John's University were from rich families. Every weekend, there would be a long queue of cars picking up the students home at the gate of St. John's University. This was also a spectacle in old Shanghai.

Looking at the country, the quality of students at St. John's University is definitely one of the best.

The principal, Bu Fangji, is an American who graduated from Columbia University, so he got in touch with Xie Yuxi first.

St. John's University has basically grown from him, and he has been the principal for more than 50 years.

This person practiced "separation of church and state", that is, the separation of politics and education. He advocated that students should not interfere with politics, and opposed the use of schools as the center for launching political movements.

Although it is difficult to suppress the enthusiasm of the students, from the perspective of future generations, it is actually a kind of protection.

After all, students are too hot-blooded and easily incited, and it will be bad if they become angry youths.

Not only St. John's University, but also the students of Nanyang Public School that Cai Yuanpei taught before also very much hope to help national enterprises.Cai Yuanpei was even more enthusiastic about national industries and wrote a letter to Li Yu himself.

Li Yu was somewhat encouraged, they were all energetic young people.

At this time, most Chinese people who have received a little education are more patriotic and self-motivated.

Know your shame and be brave!

Li Yu didn't want to disobey their wishes, so he decided to leave for Shanghai.

Every time at this time, I feel how convenient it would be if there was a high-speed rail. The journey of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail in later generations takes a few hours, but now it takes a few days to take a ferry.

When arriving at Tanggu Port in Tianjin by train from the capital, Tang Shaoyi stopped Li Yu temporarily.

"I heard Brother Ju mentioned that if you want to open a factory, don't forget our Tianjin Beiyang." Tang Shaoyi said.

Li Yu said with a smile: "Of course I remember that the first branch factory of the follow-up automobile and radio industries will be located in Tianjin!"

Tianjin is the base camp of Beiyang, and it is even relatively safer.

In the future, another factory will need to be set up in Shanghai as a response.

With the promise, Tang Shaoyi "let" Li Yu onto the boat.

St. John's University President Bu Fangji and Cai Yuanpei came to the pier to welcome Li Yu.

Nanyang Public School is the predecessor of Shanghai Jiaotong University and Xi'an Jiaotong University, and St. John's University is not simple.Although it was revoked, its various faculties have been merged into major prestigious schools, such as:

The Department of Journalism, the Department of Foreign Languages, the Department of Chinese (partially), and the Department of History were merged into Fudan University;

Department of Civil Engineering and Department of Architectural Engineering merged into Tongji University;

The Department of Mechanical Engineering was merged into Jiaotong University, that is, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Xi'an Jiaotong University;
Faculty of Science (Department of Mathematics, Department of Physics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biology), Department of Chinese (partial), Department of Education merged into East China Normal University;

They are all famous 985 and double first-class schools.

"Mr. Li Yu, by the way, I should call you Mr. Academician!" Cai Yuanpei stepped forward to welcome him and said, "It's really an honor to meet again!"

Li Yu smiled and said, "Principal, you don't have to be so polite."

Cai Yuanpei introduced Bu Fangji who was next to him, "Principal Bu has always attached importance to education, and the students trained by St. John's University can be said to be in short supply."

The United States has been in China for a relatively short time, and it was too late to engage in British colonization, so it can be regarded as a relatively wise emphasis on education, hoping to influence China's young generation in order to influence China in the future.

Therefore, many foreigners engaged in education in China now come from churches in the United States.

Bu Fangji was similar to Martin Wai-liang in that they were both missionaries at first, and both were also bachelors in theology.

——Of course, it is indeed too difficult to promote missionary work in China.

And education is easy to be accepted, after all, China has attached great importance to education since ancient times.

Bu Fangji said: "Academician Li Yu, my students are all first-class talents, and they are often snatched away before they graduate. But when they heard that you were going to start a business, they all wanted to defect to you. It’s really magical!”

There is nothing wrong with what he said. Graduates of St. John's University were very popular in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.

In fact, as long as you can understand English, you can already eat well in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.

Li Yu was also not polite, and said bluntly: "I will never let down the students' hopes."

Several people came to St. John's University first.

In terms of organizational structure, St. John's University is almost the most complete in China at present.

The subjects are well established, especially science and engineering, which were difficult to establish during the Republic of China period, were established here early.

President Bu Fangji has always vigorously advocated natural science. A few years ago, he raised 1.5 US dollars and 4000 taels of silver to build the "Gezhi Building", which has physics and chemistry laboratories.

Regardless of the fact that any middle school in China now has these laboratories, but at that time, similar universities were almost unique.

"Sir, come to the auditorium first, the students are already waiting." Bu Fangji said.

When Li Yu entered the auditorium, the students immediately boiled over. How many Chinese can be recognized by foreigners now?What's more, Li Yu is able to be an academician of many countries. In the eyes of the students, he is simply a god-like figure.

Bu Fangji maintained his discipline: "Everyone, be quiet! Let Academician Li Yu, who is the most shining in the scientific world today, speak to you!"

Li Yu looked at the hundreds of pairs of sincere and excited eyes in the audience, not only those who were graduating soon, but also students from lower grades. He cleared his throat and said:
"Seeing your enthusiasm makes me a little apprehensive. Everyone must know that compared with foreigners, we are too weak now, so weak that we can't even make a few decent screws. Even if we continue to emphasize self-confidence, in the face of facts , also seem pale and feeble. That's why we have to change this situation little by little, starting from small things. What you have to do after me is something that even foreigners can't make! At that time, you may be able to see a trace of true respect!"

In the era before Li Yu traveled, although quite a few Europeans, Americans, Japanese, and Koreans still looked down on the Chinese, the situation has changed a lot.

But at this time, when Chinese people face foreigners, most of them really see only arrogance and contempt.

People who can make foreigners look up to them are very extraordinary in the eyes of Chinese people.

Now Li Yu even dares to say that the company he set up will produce things that foreigners can't master, which is really exciting.

People would never believe what someone said, but Li Yu's profound attainments in science have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and everyone adores him and absolutely believes in him.

Li Yu added: "The talents I need to recruit this time will not only enter the best companies in the world in the future, but also enter the most advanced laboratories. Those who want to do something big and make the Chinese people look up, just Come join me!"

Although Li Yu is not good at personnel affairs, nor is he good at painting cakes, but a few straightforward words are very effective.

The students were really excited: "We want to follow Academician Li Yu! Be proud Chinese!"

Principal Bu Fangji said: "I have prepared the form, and anyone who intends to apply for Academician Li Yu's company can fill in the form."

As soon as he took out a stack of watches, they were quickly snatched up, and they were not even enough. Some people could only write directly on white paper.

Li Yu's main targets are the departments of science and engineering, economics, medicine and law.

A 15-year-old boy suddenly came to Li Yu with a form: "Mr. Academician, I have already filled out half of it, but suddenly I found out why there is still an age limit, must be over 18 years old?"

Li Yu explained with a smile: "Because I dare not recruit child labor."

His eyes suddenly caught sight of the boy's name "Gu Weijun"!
Well, he happens to be studying at this school now.

Gu Weijun was dissatisfied with this: "My father said that he was already working with his grandfather when he was 15 years old. Why can't I?"

According to the historical trend, Gu Weijun will study in the United States next year and enter Columbia University.

Li Yu smiled and said, "You still have a long way to go, at least you have to finish your studies first."

Gu Weijun had no choice but to regret: "Brother academician, you must remember to leave me a good seat!"

Li Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I remember."

But once he goes to the United States, he will have to stay in the United States for about seven or eight years.