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

Chapter 544 The architect who is not doing his job properly

Since Bell, Tesla, and George Eastman were all celebrities in the American scientific and industrial circles, upon learning of their arrival, many high-level officials from the Shanghai Concession attended the dinner, and even the newly appointed U.S. Minister to China, Rainey Shirley, attended the dinner. I took a train from Beijing to Shanghai.

Rui Enshi is a familiar name in modern Chinese history. Until the May Fourth Movement, he served as the U.S. Minister to China.

Rui Enshi took off his hat after entering the room and shook hands with several people one by one: "It's really surprising. We didn't have a chance to get to know each other in the United States, but we met for the first time in faraway Shanghai."

Bell took a puff of his pipe and asked, "Ruienshi is your Chinese name?"

Rui Enshi said: "It's a transliteration, but I like this name."

Bell continued to ask with interest: "Can you write it out?"

"Of course!" Rui Enshi said, "I dare say that I am one of the best Chinese speakers among all Americans!"

Rui Enshi took out a pen and wrote his name in Chinese on a piece of paper as he spoke.

"It's so beautiful!" Bell said. "This wonderful text structure is so fascinating. It's hard to imagine that you can master Chinese writing perfectly."

Rui Enshi said proudly: "I have studied Chinese culture for more than ten years, read a lot of Chinese classics, and tried to practice calligraphy."

Tesla suddenly asked: "Which Chinese celebrity does Mr. Minister like the most?"

Rui Enshi blurted out: "Wang Yangming."

Bell, Tesla and George Eastman all had a lot of question marks on their heads. They had learned a lot about Chinese culture during the half-month voyage, but they had never heard of this name.

"Wang Yangming?" Bell repeated it with difficulty, and then said, "Who is he?"

"Oh my God!" Rui Enshi immediately started talking, "Wang Yangming was a very outstanding scholar, strategist, and educator. He played an important role in the cultural circles of the Ming Dynasty. Oh, the Ming Dynasty was the Chinese dynasty before the Qing Dynasty."

Bell nodded: "I heard Li Yu talk about this on the ship."

Rui Enshi continued: "I started reading "The Complete Works of Wang Yangming" ten years ago, and his theory of 'mind science' deeply shocked me. Since then, many of my studies have been influenced by his 'unity of knowledge and action'."

Bell was confused: "What is the unity of knowledge and action?"

"It's like..." Ruienshi thought for a while and said, "It's like combining theory with practice, but its connotation is richer."

Tesla said: "Sounds a lot like Professor Dewey."

Rui Enshi said: "There is a difference, but this difference can only be experienced by yourself."

Bell smiled and said, "You seem to have become a believer in that person from hundreds of years ago."

Rui Enshi said: "I would like to quote a very interesting Chinese saying, I am willing to be Yangming's lackey."

"Stooge is a bad word," said George Eastman.

"If you know more about it, you'll know why I said this," Rui Enshi said, "and the wonderful thing about Chinese is that there is no fixed grammar. Any words used well can become our favorite puns."

This old man is indeed a fan of China, and is no longer a simple "China expert" in the conventional sense.

As early as the end of the last century, Reinsch established the world's first international relations course - "Global Politics" at the University of Wisconsin. In American academic circles, Reinsch took the lead in bringing "China and East Asia issues" into the research scope of "global politics," thus making modern "international relations" truly have the connotation of "world politics."

Then he published the influential book "World Politics" in the early 20th century, which was very popular in the late Qing Dynasty and Japan. Many scholars regarded it as a guide. Even Liang Qichao introduced his works many times in articles.

When international students such as Zhou Yichun went to study at the University of Wisconsin, Ruienshi believed that "the Word became flesh." ——If you can say the word "Tao", you are better than many foreigners.

After that, Zhou Yichun took charge of Tsinghua University and introduced many "Wisconsin concepts" into the campus cultural system of Tsinghua University.

Of course, what cannot be denied is that, to be selected as the ambassador to China by the United States, Rui Enshi is definitely a staunch supporter of the open door policy, and the deepest consideration must be the interests of Laos and the United States.

Bell and the others were already full of curiosity about Chinese culture, which made Rui Enshi even more itchy.

Bell asked a lot of questions in a series, and Reinsch answered them from an American perspective. Although a little incomplete, they belonged to the same cultural system and seemed to be easier to understand.

After a while, Yuan Changkun, director of the Shanghai Telegraph Bureau, knocked on the door and entered.

Yuan Changkun was once a young boy studying in the United States and was exposed to telegraph-related work in the late Qing Dynasty.

Wearing a newly customized suit, he held up his hands and said: "Everyone, I, Yuan Changkun, director of the Shanghai Telegraph Bureau, welcome you all to Shanghai."

Bell said friendly: "The Telegraph Office is in the right place. I don't like to have too much contact with the political circles."

Yuan Changkun had long heard of the names of Bell, Li Yu and others, and said respectfully to Bell: "You are the ancestor of the telephone. I still have one of your telephones."

Bell smiled and said: "It's just an old antique, what's the use of keeping it."

Yuan Changkun asked: "Mr. Bell, Mr. Tesla, and Mr. Eastman, are you coming to China to inspect the telegraph industry and the photography industry?"

Tesla was the most straightforward person and replied: "We just want to have fun in the name of scientific investigation."

Reinsch laughed and said, "Only Eastman has the intention to do some business."

Yuan Changkun said regretfully: "What a pity."

"There is nothing to be sorry for. We are here purely for the sake of Academician Li Yu," Bell said, blowing on his cigarette. "I am a retired old man who just wants to stroll around; Mr. Tesla is Li Yu." The company's managers are also people who like to travel around; Mr. Eastman appreciates Mr. Li Yu's ability and sees the huge potential of the Asian market. At the same time, as a member of the photography industry, if he can shoot a few groups in East Asia Good-looking photos are also good for promoting his Kodak cameras."

Yuan Changkun said: "Mr. Li Yu deserves respect. If it weren't for him, it seems that I wouldn't be able to invite you to come to China."

Li Yu said casually: "Brother Yuan, thank you very much."

Bell is indeed very playful now, and he also found it interesting to establish the Aviation Experimental Association, so within a few words he brought up the topic of where to continue traveling, "Li, what did you say on the boat? Why do you want to see the Five Mountains?" When looking at Huangshan Mountain, you don’t want to see this or that one. Which mountain are you going to go to?”

Li Yu said with a smile: "If you want to get closer, just take a look at Mount Tai. The railway just happens to pass by."

Eastman continued: "There are also the rumored Great Wall and Forbidden City."

Li Yu spread his hands and said: "The Great Wall is easy to talk about, but the Forbidden City is a bit difficult."

Eastman said: "I originally wanted to take a photo of the little emperor. It would definitely make headlines when I get back."

Bell joked: "If you go to Japan, do you also want to enter the Japanese Imperial Palace and take photos of the Emperor?"

"That's okay! But I've heard people say that the imperial palace in Japan is too small and boring," Eastman said. "Besides, doesn't China no longer recognize the emperor? This contrast is the most eye-catching." Eastman has a good business sense. Li Yu said: "There are not many people entering the palace in the name of photography, and it is possible to pass."

"Great!" Eastman's eyes sparkled, and then he asked Rui Enshi, "Mr. Minister, have you ever entered the Forbidden City? What's the point?"

"I haven't been there since the dynasty changed. I always meet the president and congressmen at the War Department Building or the Navy Department Building," Reinsch said.

Eastman is already eager to try: "If you submit the note, there will definitely be a chance!"

Rui Enshi said: "After I return to Beijing, I will help you ask after I see the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There will be a ceremony in the Forbidden City soon, and the costumes will be more suitable for you to take pictures."

Yuan Changkun said: "When you arrive in Beijing, I will tell the Minister of Transportation in advance that Mr. Liang Shiyi will personally take you around."

During the Republic of China, the Ministry of Transportation was a powerful department with four departments: Electricity Administration, Postal Service, Road Administration, and Aviation Administration. It was responsible for managing national railway, postal service, electricity administration, and navigation administration affairs.

The Ministry of Communications has very broad authority, which is why the Communications Department became a very powerful faction in the early years of the Republic of China. The current Communications Department is the "Old Communications Department" headed by Liang Shiyi, and a few years later there will be the "New Communications Department" led by Cao Rulin.

But in fact, they were still a family. Many years later, Liang Shiyi returned from Japan, and the old and new transportation systems coexisted. It's just that because Liang Shiyi was earlier, the word "old" was added.

They kept chatting, and Feng Ru took the opportunity to discuss airplane-related topics with Li Yu.

Just then Li Yu took out the parachute design he had just designed and said to him: "This thing can save his life."

Bell next to him glanced at it, immediately guessed what it was, and came over to take a closer look.

"Academician Li Yu is indeed the person who values ​​safety the most in the world. He applied for a patent for car seat belts and now designs a parachute for airplanes," Bell said.

"This is not a fear of death," Li Yu said with a smile. "I have always believed that if airplanes cannot escape the adventurous nature like cars, they will have no future."

"I like this sentence," Bell said. "After all, no one wants to be free-falling at an altitude of seven to eight hundred meters or even a thousand meters."

Feng Ru understood that Li Yu was a master of theory, so he asked tentatively: "In addition to parachutes, has Mr. done other research?"

"Yes," Li Yu took out some more calculation paper, "I discussed the aerodynamics of the aircraft and derived the minimum induced force formula."

Theoretical aspect is what Li Yu is best at.

Bell looked at these formulas, and it took him a long time to figure out some clues: "Is Mr. Li Yu trying to explain the aerodynamic principles of the aircraft in terms of physics and mathematics?"

Li Yu said: "Good eyesight."

In the first decade of the 20th century, almost all aircraft designers did not understand what the aerodynamic force of the wing was, let alone details such as which parts of the wing would receive more aerodynamic force.

That’s why the wings have many shapes, and they are all designed intuitively.

Yes, it really depends on intuition...

Including the Wright brothers, they didn't think too much when designing the aircraft wings. They just drew on past experience, used some rudimentary wind tunnel data, and then relied on the intuition in their minds to create the Flyer One.

But intuition can make an airplane born, but it can never make an airplane flourish.

Bell said: "Your data is very new, is it from Mr. Eiffel in France?"

Li Yu nodded: "I sent a telegram to Mr. Poincaré and asked him to help him get it."

The Eiffel they mentioned was Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower.

As a civil architect, Eiffel did not understand aerodynamics, but he could build a wind tunnel!

Moreover, Eiffel measured the detailed pressure distribution on the wing, and these data became first-hand information for analyzing aerodynamics.

Bell turned a few pages and then said: "Your mathematical abilities amaze me every time. These complex calculations have already stumped too many people."

He still didn't know that Li Yu had a magical calculator. In terms of analyzing data, Li Yu was far ahead of others.

Tesla asked: "Can you read the data in French?"

Currently, Germany has the strongest technology, followed closely by Britain and France. The three countries have different texts, and a lot of information cannot be synchronized in time.

Quite a few valuable research papers were first produced in Germany or France and then translated into English a year or two later.

Even if the English materials are not translated, most German and French researchers can understand them.

In other words, just knowing English is not enough now.

Li Yu said: "I can understand the data naturally. Although I don't understand the French well, my wife's French level is quite good and she can help me translate."

Eastman laughed and said, "It's so convenient!"

Li Yule said: "This is called matching men and women, and the work will not be tiring."

After flipping through the calculation script, Bell said: "Based on the mechanical analysis that follows, do you think the monocoque fuselage is better?"

"Yes," Li Yu said, "Since Leonardo da Vinci first designed the thin wing section, the purely mechanical design model has always dominated aircraft design. But if you do more wind tunnel tests, you can find the hard shell The streamlined fuselage under the traditional design is more in line with aerodynamic requirements."

Feng Ru said: "But such a rigid structure doesn't break away from the light and flexible principle of bird wings?"

"What you said is the problem," Li Yu said. "A bird is a bird, and an airplane is an airplane. They are completely different things. You cannot build an airplane based on the characteristics of birds. Predecessors have failed too many times with bird-wing airplanes. And the monocoque type The fuselage has lighter weight and higher strength, and the advantages are obvious.”

Bell thought for a while and said: "But this will greatly increase the cost, and once damaged, it will be difficult to repair."

Li Yu sighed: "This is a problem of materials science. I am optimistic about a new material, but I don't know when it will be applied to aircraft."

"You mean duralumin?" Feng Ru asked.

Li Yu nodded, and then said comfortingly: "Even if metal is not used, just wood splicing can still achieve a certain effect."

Feng Ru believed in Li Yu's judgment: "We will use your structure."

"Building an airplane is not too difficult," Li Yu said. "I think you should assemble the training aircraft quickly so that I can get my pilot license as soon as possible!"

(End of this chapter)