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

Zhang Taiyan has been dealing with Yuan Shikai in the Presidential Palace for more than a year, and his judgment is very accurate.

There are early signs of respecting Confucius. At the end of the first year of the Republic of China, Yuan Shikai ordered that every year on the birthday of Confucius, schools across the country should hold commemorative meetings to honor Confucius.

That’s not to say that doing so is completely wrong, but should we also honor scientific figures? If you feel that Newton, Archimedes, and Galileo are foreigners, then why not choose Zu Chongzhi?

Therefore, the special worship of Confucius is obviously intentional and wants to slowly build momentum.

It wouldn’t be a big deal if we simply respected Confucius, but most revolutionaries understood that Yuan Shikai’s alliance with the elderly and the young to respect Confucius and restore ancient times obviously had a profound meaning: respecting Confucius is the appearance, and retrograding is the essence.

Not long after, the president issued a formal order respecting Confucius, called the "General Order Respecting Confucius."

Although many members of Congress protested, believing that the president's order "violated the legal freedom of belief" and forced everyone to return to the old system, it was obviously inconsistent with the concept of a democratic republic.

But regardless of whether Yuan Shikai was in charge of the Congress, he still implemented it correctly.

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When Li Yu took the new issue of science magazine to the Commercial Press to find Zhang Yuanji for printing, he found that he was very busy.

On the table are some classics books. Judging from the covers, they seem to be primary school textbooks.

Li Yu asked in confusion: "Brother Xiaozhai wants to publish elementary school extracurricular readings?"

"They are all official textbooks," Zhang Yuanji said bitterly. "The Presidential Office suddenly included 'National education takes the Tao of Confucius as the basis for self-cultivation' in the draft constitution. Under pressure, the Ministry of Education ordered schools across the country to compile textbooks on self-cultivation and Chinese language. Moreover, the words, deeds, and scriptures of Confucius must be adopted. If you choose his school of learning, it must be of the same origin as Confucius.”

Li Yu did not expect that the situation would develop so quickly and sighed: "Sure enough, the thoughts of the ruling class are the dominant thoughts in every era."

This is just the beginning. Within a year, the Beiyang government issued the "Specific Education Outline", which stipulated that all schools should worship and respect the ancient Confucian sages and sages; respect Confucius as the foundation, and uphold Mencius as the application; all schools should resume reading scriptures.

In order to implement it in depth, the "National School Order", "Higher Elementary School Order", "Preparatory School Order", etc. were subsequently issued. To put it bluntly, they were all issued to promote the study of scriptures respecting Confucius.

Yuan Shikai was a smart man, and he knew that education was the foundation of a country, and stealing the country was also the beginning.

Zhang Yuanji was even more helpless: "We have just printed hundreds of thousands of Chinese textbooks, so we can only discard them all and turn to printing Chinese textbooks that emphasize scriptures under the new requirements. Although the Revolution of 1911 was successful, the concept of democracy and republic has not It is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Originally, we could change it a little bit through primary school textbooks, but only one year later, it was changed back."

Li Yu said: "The revolution was successful in form, but it was far from enough in spirit."

Now that Sun Huang and other revolutionaries and the National Assembly are helpless, Li Yu is naturally powerless. Fortunately, we know that future development will lead to inevitable ups and downs that cannot be avoided.

After leaving the manuscript, Li Yu returned to Yuyuan.

A few days later, Zhang Taiyan held a grand Western-style wedding in Hartong Garden.

Li Yu came to congratulate the guests. 44-year-old Zhang Taiyan and his wife Tang Guoli, 14 years younger than him, welcomed the guests with cheerful faces.

Zhang Taiyan's first wife died ten years ago, leaving behind three daughters.

After sending the congratulatory gifts, Li Yu met Cai Yuanpei, the matchmaker of Zhang Taiyan and Tang Guoli.

Li Yu smiled and said: "Mr. Yue Lao ordered a good marriage."

Cai Yuanpei said: "At that time, Mr. Taiyan refused to change his madness and wanted to advertise for marriage in newspapers. This was the first time in the Republic of China. Although the response was considerable, unfortunately no one responded, which was very embarrassing. In the end, I asked someone to introduce Miss Tang To Mr. Taiyan."

Li Yu asked: "It is indeed in line with Mr. Taiyan's style to advertise for marriage, but why are the conditions so harsh and no one responds?"

Cai Yuanpei twitched his fingers and told him: "Mr. Taiyan listed five requirements. First, only women from Hubei are allowed; second, everyone must be a lady; third, liberal arts and science must be fluent; fourth, they must not be tainted by the bad habits of equality and freedom in school. ; Fifth, there is the virtue of being obedient to one’s husband.”

"E girl?" Li Yu thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Taiyan is from Zhejiang, right? Why does it have to be a girl from Hubei?"

Cai Yuanpei said: "Listen to what he said, Hunan women are sentimental, and Hubei women are polyphonic. There are many ancient pronunciations in the accent of Hubei people. Mr. Taiyan himself is studying ancient pronunciation, so he wants to marry a Hubei woman."

"Interesting," Li Yu asked again, "Ms. Tang is from Hubei?"

"No," Cai Yuanpei shook his head, "She is also from Zhejiang."

Li Yu smiled and said: "The first one cannot be satisfied."

"Even so, Taiyan is very happy." Cai Yuanpei said.

Li Yu said: "I can understand the second and third articles, but the fourth and fifth articles seem to be somewhat contradictory. As a revolutionary, why does Mr. Taiyan require his wife to abide by the three obediences and the four virtues?"

Cai Yuanpei said: "There is always a difference between the outside and the inside. Mr. Taiyan advocates new trends in society, but in his family life he is a relatively traditional person."

Similar situations were not uncommon among celebrities in the Republic of China, and Li Yu was not surprised.

Zhang Taiyan’s newlywed wife Tang Guoli is also no ordinary woman. She is a talented woman from Zhejiang and a pioneer of the feminist movement.

She is a smart woman and handles family life very well.

Zhang Taiyan was naturally overjoyed to be able to marry such a wife.

There were many celebrities present, including Sun Huang and Chen Qimei.

Even though Zhang Taiyan had some personal differences with Sun Yat-sen, there was no ideological conflict.

He awkwardly walked towards Sun Huang and the others. Huang Xing asked in surprise: "Brother Taiyan, why are your legs and feet suddenly so bad?"

Zhang Taiyan said: "Foreigners' leather shoes are really uncomfortable. I don't know how you can endure them."

Li Yu had sharp eyes, took one look and said, "Mr. Taiyan, your left and right shoes are on backwards."

Mr. Sun laughed loudly: "Taiyan really needs a wife to take care of the housework. She even wears her leather shoes inside out."

Zhang Taiyan awkwardly switched over and explained: "I never wore leather shoes before, and I will never wear them again. It's just that the wedding dress must be matched with leather shoes, so I have no choice but to do so."

After all the guests arrived, everyone sat down one after another. Li Yu and Cai Yuanpei sat together.

Li Yu asked casually: "Brother Jiemin, what's your next plan?"

Cai Yuanpei said: "I want to study abroad for a few more years."

Li Yu asked: "Where to go?"

"France," Cai Yuanpei said, "I studied in Germany for a few years before, and this time I changed places. France has a long history and has a great influence in the world like the United Kingdom. In the past two to three hundred years, France has made great achievements in science, philosophy, and art. There have been brilliant achievements in this regard. Moreover, France was the first to put forward the slogan of 'liberty, equality, fraternity' and was the home of the Great Revolution. Perhaps new spiritual wealth can be found there."

"France is a good place," Li Yu said. "The Work-Frugal Society in France sent a group of students half a year ago. It will be reassuring to have Brother Jiemin as a leader in the future." "Not only do I lead the students, I also have to study deeply myself," Cai Yuanpei said, "In my opinion, you must learn from the advanced ones before you can grow, and the same goes for the country. Ancient Greece absorbed the cultures of Egypt and Phoenicia; today's Europe has absorbed the cultures of Greece, Rome, and Arabia. Only then can Chinese culture radiate great vitality.

As for us, since the Qin and Han Dynasties, our neighboring countries have all been barbaric and lagged behind the civilization of the Central Plains, and we have no one to learn from. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, exchanges with many countries led to cultural brilliance. But in the more than 600 years since the Yuan Dynasty, there has been almost no new civilization to nourish and supplement it. "

Li Yu said: "Western civilization is indeed advanced now, but it is not all the best. We must be more cautious when learning from the West."

"Brother Shucai summed it up so well. It's a rare moment of sobriety in the world. Talking to you always makes me gain something," Cai Yuanpei raised his glass and said, "Here, let's have a drink!"

After putting down his glass, Cai Yuanpei added: "I have a premonition that the current situation will change. Mr. Sun's second revolution concept is too difficult to succeed."

Li Yu said with a smile: "On Mr. Taiyan's happy day, don't talk about politics."

"That's not what I meant," Cai Yuanpei said. "Brother Shucai, I have long said that I value you very much. Promising young people like you are the hope of the country. Now China lacks a person who can say a word and make it a law for the world." Men like figures come out to speak and uphold justice; there is no great thinker who can transcend politics and be respected and trusted by the whole country, so that there is an authority to judge the rights and wrongs of national affairs. And if you want such figures to appear in China , we can only rely on educating young people.”

"Brother Jaemin's words are worth a thousand pounds. All I can do is do my best in science and education," Li Yu said. "And in the democratic era, isn't the most feared thing is one's words?"

"Yes! Hey, I really don't know where the road is," Cai Yuanpei said with a sigh, "But seeing people like Kang Youwei holding the banner of the Confucian Church to deceive the public, I felt angry. What he had in mind was not 40,000 at all. Thousands of people, but the core interests of a handful of people.”

"He is just a chess piece. He doesn't even know that he is being used by others," Li Yu said. "When we have broad and far-reaching ideological enlightenment, we will know who the clown is at a glance."

Cai Yuanpei said: "It is a pity that Zhuo Ru (Liang Qichao) still failed to make up his mind to make a clean break with him, and even wrote a letter together to establish Confucianism as the state religion."

Li Yu said: "Brother Zhuo Ru is very public-minded. Perhaps in his view, strong rule is needed now. Even if he thinks that President Yuan has many shortcomings, he still wants to help."

Cai Yuanpei said helplessly: "Even if you can tell which one is right or wrong, it will take time to verify it bit by bit."

After drinking a few more glasses of wine, Cai Yuanpei asked again: "Do brothers Shucai have any plans to go to Europe recently?"

Li Yu said: "I should go there, otherwise I'm afraid I won't have the chance in the next few years."

"No chance?" Cai Yuanpei asked, "Go if you don't want to go?"

Li Yu said: "Europe is now at war, and war will break out within a year."

"From the newspapers, Europe is indeed like a tight arrow now," Cai Yuanpei said, "but Europe is a civilized country, and we don't just attack at will."

Li Yu said: "When it comes to fighting, it's like dog bites dog, and it will only stop if the opponent is killed. The contradictions in Europe cannot be reconciled. The most terrifying thing is that everyone is eager for war."

Cai Yuanpei said: "This is not like the American Civil War, where everyone hoped that the war would start as soon as possible."

"By then they will know what real war is," Li Yu said. "These gentlemen are used to bullying others and have long forgotten what pain is. As everyone knows, a person can love military affairs, but only fools like war." .”

Cai Yuanpei said: "Politicians also like war."

Li Yu sighed: "In their eyes, war may really be just a continuation of politics, and they can't say they like war."

Cai Yuanpei said: "No matter what the current situation is, I will go to France to study for a while."

Li Yu said: "On the whole, Paris is definitely safe. Maybe we can meet again in Paris."

Fortunately, he is not going to study in Germany this time.

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After the wedding banquet, Li Yu received a telegram from the capital and immediately set off for a trip back.

Tsinghua University was going to select a new batch of students to study abroad, so Li Yu drafted science test questions on the train.

He can clearly feel that the students' level has improved, and the questions they propose are becoming more difficult every year. It is estimated that it will take less than two years to come up with serious questions for the college entrance examination.

As a master of exam-oriented education, Li Yu has become more and more comfortable in formulating questions. Some American teachers even send the questions he developed back to American schools for use.

Maybe in a few years, there will be a "Collection of Questions from Famous Teachers" with Li Yu's name on the market.

Fifteen students studying in the United States were selected for this exam, and the first place was undoubtedly Hou Debang, a top student from Tsinghua University.

Hou Debang is a man who can really do practical things. Li Yu is ready to help him raise his achievements to a higher level. With his talent, there is absolutely no problem.

The chemical industry has to be developed, and Hou Debang, coupled with Fan Xudong and others, can completely support the company. All Li Yu has to do is to help advance the project a little earlier, and then expand the scale.

"I wrote a letter of recommendation to MIT. They owe me a favor and will definitely admit you to the school." Li Yu gave him an envelope. "There is my handwritten letter in it. Show it to them when the time comes. MIT will definitely accept you." Will take it seriously."

Hou Debang took it solemnly: "Thank you, Mr. Academician."

"I will visit you when I get to the United States," Li Yu said. "Also, a branch of the Science Society has been established in the United States. You can also join when you get to the United States. Uniting together can reduce many difficulties."

Hou Debang said: "I have written it down."

Li Yu saw that one of the fifteen students seemed to be isolated, and asked the principal Zhou Yichun: "What's going on with that child?"

Zhou Yichun said: "His name is Hong Shen, and he is the son of Hong Shuzu, one of the murderers behind the assassination of Song Jiaoren."

"Hong Shuzu's son?" Li Yu said, "It seems that his grades are pretty good."

Zhou Yichun said: "He is a good seedling, but it is a pity that he has such a father. When he was in school, Hong Shuzu used some connections to force him in, but Hong Shen himself worked very hard, and we did not want to delay the child because of his father's influence. Since he has obtained a place to study abroad based on his own strength, let him study abroad in accordance with the regulations."

Li Yu praised: "Principal Zhou is very generous."

Hong Shen originally planned to go to the United States to study materials science, but when he was studying at Harvard University in the United States, he switched to drama and literature. After returning to China, he became a rare all-rounder in the Chinese film and television industry and had a profound influence.

In addition, he has a grandson who is even more famous, named Sammo Hung.

After finishing school work, Li Yu immediately went to Tianjin Feng Ru Aircraft Factory and asked Feng Ru to teach him how to fly an airplane.

The aircraft at this time were not difficult to operate, there were not so many complicated instruments, and the flying altitude and flying speed could not be compared with those of later generations.

Although the biplane is a bit bulky, it is relatively stable. With a parachute, the safety factor is sufficient.

Li Yu is not short of money, he can use fuel as he pleases, and he practices very frequently. Just like taking the driver's license test in later generations, can it be faster if there is a special coach and a special coach car?

It took a month or two for Li Yu to fly a plane to the sky alone.

This feeling can only be said to be more exciting!