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

Chapter 497
According to common sense, it will definitely take several years or even more than ten years to translate and organize a tome with millions of words.

Historically, Aristotle's works began to be translated into Chinese in the 1920s, but they were only circulated on a small scale in academic circles and did not become popular until the 1980s.

Mr. Miao Litian specializes in studying Western philosophy. He later re-translated the complete works of Aristotle. In his preface, he also talked about the discovery process of the complete works of Aristotle.

Generally speaking, after Aristotle's death, his manuscripts were passed around by friends and students, and for 100 years they were kept in the cellar of a friend's house.

At that time, Europe was in the Roman period. Aristotle had been dead for more than 200 years. In 60 BC, the No. 11 host of the Lyceum (the academy founded by Aristotle), Andre Nile, finally got the manuscript. Start organizing.

Miao Litian wrote so doubtfully:

"This is a great legendary story. Although it sounds very sad, it always makes people doubtful. Because Lyceon was created by Aristotle, and the school he created has not existed for 250 years since his death. Isn’t it strange that no academic papers or works on Aristotle have been handed down, and no one even mentions him?

……

What is even more regrettable is that the complete works left by Ander Nile have not been handed down. They are all lost, and there is no catalog left. "

He also discovered that ancient scholars who studied Greek philosophy did not mention Aristotle at all.

Afterwards, Miao Litian wrote that throughout the Roman period, no one still mentioned the existence of Aristotle. After Justinian vigorously developed Christianity, it became even more serious. Almost only church schools were allowed to exist to teach theology.

Later, the Arabs translated the complete works of Aristotle, and in the 13th century they were translated into Latin, but no Arabic works remain.

The complete set of works in front of Li Yu today was compiled and revised by the Berlin Academy of Sciences for 40 years.

As for how many of them were added by later generations, it has long been impossible to test.

These are just factual descriptions.

It is said that Li Yu really understands the current mood of the Chinese people and really believes in all the things foreigners say.

The reason is just inferiority complex.I feel that our own culture is too backward, or else later even big figures like Lu Xun would agree to abolish Chinese characters and use alphabetic characters.

It was not until before Li Yu traveled through time that China began to revive, and everyone slowly regained their confidence. Many of the so-called "public opinions" that they had previously believed in began to disintegrate one by one, and everyone gradually began to question it.

There is nothing to criticize in questioning itself. After all, Europe has been questioning us in the past, and we should reciprocate.

Westerners themselves say that progress grows through mutual questioning and criticism.

So I don’t know why, just because there are some doubts, many people on the Internet jump out anxiously, and it seems that they can’t even discuss it.

Maybe it’s because Aristotle is so special. He is the ancestor of Western philosophy and the most holy teacher in the West.

A current mainstream view is that even if Aristotle did not exist, he must have had a prototype, and some later works have been attributed to him. After all, it is unlikely that so many works appeared out of thin air.

Just like when Marco Polo overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, the West overextended Asia.

Just as Westerners believed in Marco Polo at that time, we have also believed in the West's excessive beautification of Aristotle over the years.

But Marco Polo was also a Westerner, and we have never taken the initiative to praise him from beginning to end, so now the West seems to be in a difficult position and unable to come back.

But they still have the right to speak, and most people around the world believe what they say.

But the Chinese are different. If you brag about being technologically advanced, we have nothing to say. If you brag about history and ancient culture, you really shouldn’t show off in front of the Chinese people.

We all know it all too well: Why do ancient works have so few words?This is because the ancients cherished words like gold and writing tools were very precious.

There were few intellectuals at that time. Lu Buwei compiled "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals", which took thousands of followers and took so long to compile into a total of only 20 words.

Confucius's "The Analects" only has more than 1 words. It was not even Master Kong who wrote it alone. His disciples helped record and organize it.

Most importantly, there are archaeological finds on these things.

Li Yu watched the documentary. The bamboo slips found by Haihun Hou were almost turned into a pile of rotten wood and were almost thrown away. The restoration process was very troublesome.

There are many other things that are questionable. For example, why do Western archaeological discoveries basically only have statues and almost no bronzes?

You must know that the types of bronzes we have excavated are astonishing, not to mention the quantity. Many of the words describing the types of bronzes are even rare words that ordinary people cannot pronounce.

Also, anyone who likes history knows that only in prosperous times can history be compiled on a large scale. In the 24 Histories, the Tang Dynasty compiled six volumes.

It's a pity that in the era that Li Yu traveled to, foreigners were the most superior people. Whatever they said was what they said, and no one could doubt it.

Fortunately, during the Republic of China, there were many masters who thought independently and had the ability to question.

Li Yu is not anxious about this kind of thing at all. After all, only when the nation becomes stronger and builds confidence can the truth be seen through the fog.

Now that we are at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, don’t think too much. First, let everyone learn as much as possible. It is impossible not to translate ancient Greek works.

As for arguments, the famous saying goes: put aside the controversy for now.

The subtext is that when you are capable, I will argue with you again.

-

Li Yu bought a copy of the "Beijing-Tianjin Times" at Tianjin Station and continued back to the capital.

Since it is a British newspaper, it has a considerable space to introduce the situation in the UK and Europe, such as the death of Rolls-Royce on the headline.

One of the two founders of Rolls-Royce.Their names are really difficult to distinguish. Simply remember the young and rich boy is Rawls.

Rolls-Royce is engaged in the field of aviation engines. The temptation of heaven is too great for today's people. After Rolls-Royce used Li Yu's patented engine, he couldn't wait to fly the plane across the English Channel.

The crossing back and forth was very successful. Although he was not the first person to fly an airplane across the English Channel, he was the first person to drop letters from an airplane. In a sense, it can be regarded as the most primitive air mail. flight.

But a month after crossing the English Channel, Rawls died in a flight accident at the age of 33.

Inspired by crossing the English Channel, the United States began to build seaplanes again, taking off from the aircraft deck and then flying to land. I wonder if it should be counted as the earliest aircraft carrier?

But it is also a pity that the pilot who successfully completed the first shipboard takeoff also died during a flight show just a year later.

So flying at this time is quite risky.

After returning to the capital, Li Yu received many telegrams, including various requests for patent authorization or direct purchase of engines.

The most urgent of them turned out to be Italy.It is hard to imagine that the first country in the world to put aircraft into war was Italy at the end of this year...

When I returned to Beijing, the Chinese New Year was just two days away.

This year was still very lively, because on the first day of the new year, Lu Bicheng gave birth to a boy.

The process was not thrilling. A baby's cry was louder than all the firecrackers.

Lu Bicheng held the wrinkled baby boy, and Li Yu said with a smile: "The newborn baby turns out to be so ugly."

Lu Bicheng pursed her lips: "It looks good if it's long. Have you thought of a name?"

Li Yu said: "I have thought about it a long time ago. It is simple and simple, just name it with the word "Xian". I hope he can leisurely watch the falling flowers, listen to the sound of rain, listen quietly to the passing of time and watch the flowing clouds."

Lu Bicheng was a little surprised: "I have no intention of waiting for my son to become a dragon."

Li Yu was too familiar with the future situation. This year was the last year of the Qing Dynasty, and the situation had changed extremely frequently since then, so he smiled and said, "Why do you have to live so hard? Being happy is already pretty good."

Lu Bicheng was not stubborn. He touched the child's little face and said gently: "Xian'er, you must be happy and healthy."

Li Yu was now very famous. Nine days later, invitations were sent out and there was an endless stream of people coming to congratulate him.

Tang Shaoyi brought the gift and said happily: "Congratulations to brother Shucai on the birth of their son!"

Li Yu clasped his fists and said, "Excuse me, Master Tang, for your visit."

"I'll tell you, sir, to go out," Tang Shaoyi said, "I brought a small gift. In addition, Mr. Yuan... also asked me to give him some of his thoughts."

Tang Shaoyi took out two boxes. What he gave was a calligraphy painting by Wen Zhengming. Needless to say, it was valuable.

The gift from Yuan Shikai was packed in a small box. After opening it, there was a piece of jadeite with a very pure color, smooth and transparent, without a word engraved on it.The name of this thing is the Wu Shi Pai, which is also extremely valuable. In later auctions, it will start at hundreds of thousands.

The meaning of the Nothing Card is quite good. Yuan Shikai obviously put his heart into giving such a valuable gift.

Not only the high officials of the imperial court, but also Xiaode Zhang in the palace also gave gifts.

Yan Fu, Yan Fansun, Zhang Boling and others all came from Tianjin, and Li Shutong came with them.

After Li Shutong returned to China, he first became a teacher in Tianjin, teaching calligraphy and painting.

Li Shutong took out a folding fan with a fan surface painted by himself and a string of rosary beads and said, "Brother Shucai, I wish you could fulfill your wish. The fan is what you have wanted for a long time. I hope you like this little thing."

Today's Li Shutong's family is about to decline, and the temperament of the young master of the past is much less.

Li Yu carefully put it away: "Thank you very much."

Li Shutong also introduced him to his second wife, Japanese Haruyama Shuko.

Haruyama Shuko, whose real name is Axun, is the daughter of Li Shutong’s landlord in Japan. She also worked as a mannequin for Li Shutong when he was studying Western painting.

Then it was a fierce fire...

Chunshan Shuzi was really attracted to Li Shutong, and this attraction directly ruined the rest of her life.

What's this called?We met for the first time at Fengling Ferry. When we met our uncles, we ended up being together for the rest of our lives.

Li Yu greeted her in Japanese, and Shuzi Haruyama squatted politely in return.

Li Yu had been busy all day today. When he went back and saw the peaceful face of the sleeping baby, he knew that his bond with this era had become deeper.

Years later, Michie Tono, a Japanese who ran a kindergarten in Wuchang, finally came north to the capital. Li Yu immediately paid for a yard near the Capital Women's School to run a kindergarten.

Everything is built according to the successful cases of Hubei kindergartens. It can be said that the birth of the first kindergarten in Beijing has been advanced by more than ten years.

The current understanding of kindergartens in China is too low. After all, even new-style primary schools are rare. Li Yu just used this to set an example, and then slowly promoted it to Tianjin and other places.

When it comes to education, naturally the sooner you start, the better.China has experienced so much suffering, and Li Yucai is eager to hope that they will grow up quickly.

Li Yu was very happy during this period and was even studying making a baby stroller.We also ordered newly-launched milk powder, baby bottles, etc. from across the ocean.

Although it was commonplace in later generations, it was truly a rarity in China during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, and ordinary families simply could not accept it.But this is all Li Yu can think of. As for how to feed a child after weaning in ancient times, he has no way of knowing. He can only dig into his common sense knowledge in later generations. At least in his opinion, doing so will not make a mistake.

When he was busy, Li Yucai thought of writing an article introducing the people who won the Nobel Prize last year and submitted it to Ta Kung Pao.

Judging from the awards this year, it has the meaning of guiding future scientific and industrial development. For example, the Chemistry Award was awarded to the German Wallach, the founder of the artificial flavor and synthetic resin industry; the Biology Award was awarded to the researchers who studied proteins and proteins in cells. Cosell who made outstanding contributions to nucleic acids.

The most famous person is van der Waals, who won the Physics Prize and is one of the three Dutch Nobel Prize winners.

Li Yu did not write much about the famous van der Waals force. He only wrote a little bit about his life and gas state equation, hoping to arouse the interest of domestic children who love physics.

Li Yu really wants to translate and adapt it into a biography of celebrities that teenagers can understand, introducing the lives of super scientific figures such as Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Gauss, and Euler.

Celebrity biographies play a very important role in cultivating young people's interest in science and their confidence in scientific research.

Li Yu has greater confidence in the Chinese people. At least before World War II, the Chinese people's scientific achievements were really strong and their potential was greater. They were closer to the Nobel Prize than Japan.

When Li Yu goes to Europe again, he will bring back a batch of biographical books.

When Li Yu went to Dongjiaomin Lane to buy things when his child was just one month old, he encountered many people running out of the city gate to watch the excitement.

Zhao Qian said to Li Yu: "Sir, today is the day of the funeral of Chief Manager Li Lianying."

Li Yu completely forgot about this incident and said casually: "He is already dead?"

Zhao Qian said, "I heard that Li Lianying brought many treasures out of the palace. Do you think that a childless person like this would really not take them with him until he died? Would he hide all the treasures in his tomb?" inside?"

Li Yu looked around and saw that there were many people watching his funeral from a distance, and there were probably many people who had the idea of ​​robbing the tomb.

Li Yu said: "Li Lianying is different from the Queen Mother. She was a very fickle person. She didn't even change her residence regularly during her lifetime. She was more careful than the emperor. Most likely she wouldn't have thought too much about the burial objects. She would bury her life together with all her strength." Please give me the whole body."

Zhao Qian said with emotion: "He was buried in Enji Village. There are many eunuch tombs there. This group of people can really take care of each other after they go to the underworld."

(End of this chapter)