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

Chapter 522 Two Houses in One Hall

During Yan Fu's short tenure, Peking University was streamlined for the first time, eliminating a large number of former Qing bureaucratic positions, such as promotions and promotions.

Then he merged many subjects, especially traditional Confucian classics into liberal arts, collectively called Chinese subjects.

In the eyes of future generations, this is not a big deal, but this operation can be regarded as the first step to break away from the feudal era college system and move towards a modern university.

After all, during the feudal dynasty, the status of Confucian classics was definitely at the top.

Even if Yan Fu and the two or three subsequent presidents of Peking University are not as great as Cai Yuanpei's contribution to Peking University, they have not hindered Peking University - they have not brought about a leap in development, at least they have made steady progress.

After Yan Fu's reforms, overall Peking University is still the university with the most subjects in the country, including liberal arts, law, business, agriculture, science, and engineering.

His goal is to make Peking University the ancestral home of universities across the country and the leader in national education.

But to be honest, the current Peking University cannot support so many subjects, and the funds required to maintain the operation of each subject are also very high.

The salary of foreign teachers in various subjects alone is a large sum. According to the contract, even if schools are closed and students move, their salaries must be paid as usual and in a timely manner.

When classes were suspended for most of the year due to the Revolution of [-], foreign teachers’ salaries were not reduced at all.

Li Yu said: "I looked around the campus and there seemed to be not as many students as before."

Yan Fu said: "With the change of dynasties and the drastic changes in the country's structure, at least half of the students no longer come to class."

Naturally, the old and young people from the former Qing Dynasty would not come to study in the renamed Capital University. Li Yu had already guessed: "What should come will always come. There is no need to force what should not come."

"It just leaves a lot of room for enrollment," Yan Fu said equally relaxedly, "In addition, Tsinghua University is not open now, so you have to take classes here for a while, and this face must be given!"

Li Yu smiled and said, "I dare not refuse."

In the early years, Tsinghua Academy was actually not well-known because of its strict management and remote location.

After the Revolution of [-], Tsinghua University was late in reopening because the U.S. Embassy had to wait until the situation stabilized and the Beiyang government paid up the Boxer Indemnity before they could have the money to allocate funds to Tsinghua University.

However, the Beiyang government also does not have much surplus food now and needs to rely on borrowings to survive.

Yan Fu added: "The dean of science and several professors are old acquaintances of you. They will be very happy to know that you are coming."

Li Yu said: "I happen to want to visit the School of Science."

Yan Fu said: "Do you need me to accompany you?"

"No need," Li Yu stood up, "I'm very familiar with this school."

Li Yu walked out of the principal's office and as soon as he walked to the science building, he saw an aristocratic student parked in a rickshaw. The rickshaw seemed to be a modified private car.

Six electric lights were hung on the car, as well as two bells, which were ringing all the way.

The student in the car was heavily smeared with hair wax and was shiny. He walked slowly down from the car and said to the rickshaw driver: "Good luck is waiting here."

At first glance, they are students from the second generation of government officials. In the early years of the Republic of China, students like this always existed at Peking University.

Li Yu immediately went up the steps, but for some reason the professors in the science building were not there.

Li Yu had no choice but to sit on a chair in the office and wait. The student could not find anyone. When he came to the office, he was stunned when he saw Li Yu. He thought he was also a student, so he asked: "Professor Xia is not here? "

Li Yu said: "You have seen it, unless he knows the invisibility technique."

"What you say is interesting." The student said.

"Are you a student?" Li Yu asked.

"Why, aren't you the same?" the student replied.

Li Yu smiled slightly and did not answer.

At present, some of the students at Peking University are older. Someone like Li Yu, who is in his early 30s, can easily be regarded as a student. The key is that he is not wearing a teacher's uniform.

The student continued to ask: "Looks like a new guy. He doesn't even understand the rules."

Li Yu asked doubtfully: "What rules?"

The student said: "The latecomers should not at least sit down first when they see their seniors."

"I'm new here, so I'm rude," Li Yu said with a smile, "I have a question. I heard that Peking University's tuition and fees plus living expenses for one year cost 180 yuan. If I save a little, is 120 yuan enough?"

"So he's a foreigner," the student said scornfully, "Why don't you go to Tsinghua University? There are students from all provinces there, and even the tuition is reimbursed."

Li Yu said: "Everyone says that Peking University is the ancestral home of universities across the country. I have always admired it, so I came."

"That sounds pretty good to me," the student said. "Tsinghua University is like a military camp, and there is no joy in studying there."

Li Yu asked: "Studying is a journey to the end of the world. Isn't it necessary to endure some hardships in studying?"

"Your idea is very problematic!" the student snorted, "Studying is for a career, otherwise who would read these books? Just like that Tsinghua school, you have to register even when entering and exiting, there is no way to have a private rickshaw! Let alone leisurely leisure time Take a walk around the eight major alleys."

Li Yu asked in surprise: "Bada Hutong? Is that where students go?"

"Why can't you go?" said the student, "you foreigner don't understand, the two courtyards and one hall are the most popular patrons of Bada Hutong."

"Why two houses in one hall?" Li Yu asked.

The student said: "The two houses are the House of Representatives and the Senate of the National Assembly, and the first hall is Peking University - the Capital University Hall."

Li Yu was speechless, but this was what it was like at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China.

Li Yu asked again: "Which department are you from?"

"Shi Xue Guan." The student said.

Li Yu said: "Then the senior's family background must be superior."

The student said arrogantly: "The great scholar Wang Wenshao of the Qing Dynasty is my uncle."

"Disrespect," Li Yu said casually, thinking that the Qing Dynasty was gone, and then asked, "Then why did you come to the science building?"

The student said: "Sit in on some math classes."

"There are still people attending math classes in the Shixue Hall now?" Li Yu said.

"Why not?" the student said, "Actually, I don't want to hear it, but my father insists that I study abroad. Mathematics is a compulsory subject in foreign schools, and I can only come here to strengthen it. But in my opinion, mathematics is nothing more than So, nothing is difficult.”

Li Yu said: "Mathematics requires talent. It sounds like you are very good at it?"

The student said: "I can't say that I don't care about it, but I can solve a few math problems easily."

"So confident?" Li Yu said.

"Tch!" The student pointed to a small blackboard, "Did you see that question? It was the final question of the previous mathematics exam. Only three people in the school could solve it, and one of them was the one below." Li Yu glanced at it, and it was a question. The difficulty of the geometry questions is almost equivalent to the penultimate mathematics question in the college entrance examination.

"If you can concentrate on your studies, you might be able to make some achievements," Li Yu said. "With the few mathematics classes in the official academy, it is very valuable to solve this problem."

The student said: "Actually, I saw in a newspaper that Li Yu, the emperor's teacher at that time, published the topic as a preliminary test for the competition."

Li Yu suddenly realized, no wonder he was so familiar.

The student then said, "Don't read it. New students can't solve this kind of question."

Li Yu said: "That's not necessarily the case."

The student clicked his tongue and said, "I don't know how high the world is, but knowledge is not as simple as you country bumpkins think, especially foreign knowledge."

Li Yu said: "I came up with this question."

"What can I teach you...? Did you teach it?" the student asked in surprise.

Just at this time, Xia Yuanqi, the provost of science at Peking University, and two science teachers, He Yujie and Feng Zuxun, returned together.

He Yujie recognized Li Yu at a glance: "Mr. Academician! Why are you here?"

Xia Yuanxi excitedly stepped forward and shook hands with Li Yu: "We wanted to go to the principal's office to find you, but the principal said you were just here, so we hurried back."

The student opened his eyes wide: "You, are you really the Imperial Master Li Yu?"

Li Yu said: "If it is fake, we will replace it."

Xia Yuanzhen asked, "What's wrong with this classmate?"

The student hesitated and said: "I...I'm fine. Well, I'll come back to the class anytime!"

After he said that, he ran away.

Li Yu sighed as he watched the students leave. Even in the early days of Peking University, there was no shortage of talents. It was a pity that such talented people did not like to study.

But everyone has his own ambitions, and with his wealthy nature, it was impossible for him to concentrate on learning.

After Xia Yuanwei sat down, he said, "It's really not easy to see a living person in a painting."

Of course Xia Yuanzhen meant that Li Yu's portrait had been hung in the school.

Li Yu smiled and said, "It's just a photo."

Xia Yuanxi, whose courtesy name is Fuyun, is only 28 years old, younger than Li Yu.

He has excellent academic qualifications. He studied physics at Yale University and Berkeley School in the United States, and also went to Berlin for further study.

There is currently a severe shortage of talents in science and engineering, and it is not unusual for someone to become a domestic university professor under the age of 30.

He Yujie is not very young and is a professor of physics at Peking University.

Xia Yuanwei said: "When I was studying in Europe, I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Planck several times. He spoke highly of you."

Li Yu was surprised: "Have you met Mr. Planck?"

Xia Yuanwei said: "I have listened to his courses. Professor Planck is very serious in class and has complete lecture notes. I am deeply impressed."

"Planck is indeed a good teacher," Li Yu said, and then pointed to several German magazines on the table, "Are you studying the theory of relativity?"

Xia Yuanwei said: "Yes, Professor Planck said at that time that the theory of relativity published by you and Mr. Albert Einstein was an unprecedented new theory in physics. As soon as I heard that you were involved, I Can’t wait to find it and study it carefully.”

Li Yu said: "I have a unique vision, and the theory of relativity is a very promising subject."

Without Li Yu's time travel, Xia Yuanxi would have been the earliest scholar in China to conduct in-depth research and translate works on the theory of relativity.

Moreover, Xia Yuanwei is one of the very few Chinese scholars who has met Planck and Einstein at the same time.

Xia Yuanwei said: "Mr. Academician said this, I will continue to study it carefully."

He Yujie said: "We also want to hear what suggestions the academician has for the new Peking University Academy of Science."

"That's right!" Xia Yuanzhen said, "This is a big deal. I hope Mr. Academician will give you some advice."

Li Yu hurriedly said: "It's not about teaching, it's about communicating with each other. Science is the foundation of science. I am very happy to see that it has finally become independent at Peking University."

The first batch of physics undergraduate graduates from Peking University came from physics undergraduate graduates and Professor He Yujie.

Li Yu continued: "Minister Cai said that education is the foundation of a country, and rejuvenation of the country is inseparable from education. But what he actually meant was that compulsory education is the most important, but the promotion of compulsory education requires huge investment and self-development. It is very difficult for the top-down government to implement forcefully. And higher education is the icing on the cake. In our university halls, we must set an example for the country. The most important thing is to build the confidence of the people across the country. Even the most difficult to learn, the Chinese are also It can be learned.”

He Yujie said: "The most difficult thing is the study of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, all of which are inseparable from our School of Science."

Xia Yuanzhen said: "The burden is a bit heavy, and challenges are interesting. Maybe it won't be long before someone among us wins the Swedish Nobel Prize."

Li Yu said: "The capital investment in science is not large, and it is worth spending more time. I have shipped back a large number of experimental equipment from Europe, many of which are the same models from the Cavendish Laboratory and the latest University of Manchester laboratory. I specially selected I donated a batch to your school.”

He Yujie said happily: "I was studying in the UK and was lucky enough to enter the Cavendish Laboratory when I was taking classes with Professor Rutherford. If we also had such an excellent laboratory, I would never have dreamed of it!"

Li Yu said: "Many of Professor Rutherford's experiments can be replicated at Peking University. Maybe you will gradually make new discoveries and publish them in Science and Natural."

He Yujie said: "Many of Professor Rutherford's experiments require specific experimental equipment."

Li Yu said: "Little by little, even if it is just improving the experimental equipment, it is worth studying. Because many experimental equipment themselves are the high crystallization of modern physics, such as the Geiger counter."

He Yujie was deeply inspired: "Thank you, Mr. Academician, for your guidance. I have benefited a lot from talking with you. I already have the prototype of the research plan for the next one or two years in my mind."

Li Yu said: "You followed the right professor in the UK, and you are absolutely right to study along Mr. Rutherford's path."

He Yujie said: "I understand."

After he has carried out experiments for four or five years and has a foundation, Li Yu can give him a big push to see if he can discover the proton in advance.

This is definitely a Nobel Prize-level discovery.

Historically, Rutherford discovered the proton in 1919, but I don’t know why the Nobel Prize was not awarded for such a big thing.

Rutherford was eligible to win three Nobel Prizes, but as a top physicist, he only received one "undeserved" chemistry prize.

The 1920 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to a man named Guillaume. It is estimated that most people have never heard of it, let alone what he did.

Most of the Nobel Prize winners in the first half of the [-]th century were world-famous top figures in physics. The field of alloys studied by Guillaume is really not well-known (it seems to be a nickel-copper alloy used in the watch industry).Even in later generations, it is difficult to find his papers and research materials - his popularity is really too low.

Similar situations occurred several times during the Nobel Prize in Physics in the first half of the [-]th century. Li Yu felt that he could train Chinese scientists to supplement these positions.

But this matter is much more difficult than doing scientific research on my own, and I don’t know how far I can achieve it.

(End of this chapter)