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

Chapter 84 Debate
In Chunshu Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing, Tang Wenzhi and Shen Zengzhi came to the gate of a house with a plaque of "Jin'an Jilu" hanging in front of them.

"Dong dong dong!" There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" It was a woman who opened the door.

Tang Wenzhi said: "Excuse me, is this the residence of Mr. Gu Hongming?"

"Yes. You are looking for a husband, please wait a moment."

Tang Wenzhi once went to Japan as a diplomat, and he could tell at a glance that the woman in front of him was different from ordinary Chinese women.

Sure enough, before the woman turned around, Gu Hongming's voice sounded in the house, he said in Japanese: "Sadako, let them come in, I want them to come."

Yoshida Sadako is Gu Hongming's concubine, she is indeed a Japanese, and she was redeemed by Gu Hongming in the brothel.But she was just a performer but not a body back then, and she belonged to a down-and-out Japanese woman living in China.

Tang Wenzhi and Shen Zengzhi came to the hall, Gu Hongming greeted them and said: "Brother Zipei, Yinghou, come and sit in the room!"

Gu Hongming's mother is a Portuguese-Malaysian mixed race, so he has a high nose bridge and deep eyes, which looks a bit like a Westerner.

After Tang Wenzhi and Shen Zengzhi were seated, they asked, "I don't know what advice Mr. Hong Ming wants us to come to the house?"

Gu Hongming was not in a hurry to answer, he greeted Yoshida Sadako first: "Sadako, quickly bring out the best tea for the two distinguished guests!"

Then he laughed and said, "I heard that the two of you are writing a book about traveling in the West."

Tang Wenzhi didn't know where Gu Hongming got the news: "Who is Mr. Hongming referring to?"

"Hey! Don't hide it. Of course I know that Mr. Zhen Beizi Yao wrote it, but I heard that Yinghou is looking for masters to polish books and for people who understand the West to provide materials. I also want to help a group."

Gu Hongming grew up in Malaysia. His adoptive father was British. He followed them to the UK and Germany for more than ten years. He didn’t come to China until he was nearly 30 years old. He is a Chinese with a complete Western education background. .

Even he used to be a British citizen, although only a "second-class citizen".

Gu Hongming translated "The Analects of Confucius" and "The Doctrine of the Mean" into English, and the level is much higher than that of the earlier missionaries.

Of course Tang Wenzhi knew about Gu Hongming's study background, he cupped his hands and said, "The late student had this intention earlier, but I heard that Mr. was employed by the deputy head teacher of the middle school of the Imperial University Hall, and he was busy with the entrance examination, so he didn't dare to bother him."

In this era, university entrance examinations are an absolute big deal. After all, the Qing government did not get rid of the viewpoint of "gathering talents from all over the world for its own use".

Gu Hongming said with a smile: "I have my own discretion about the exam, and I really have nothing to do now. Did you bring the manuscript?"

Tang Wenzhi said: "Of course."

He took out the manuscript of "Ying Jin's Diary" and put it on the table.

Gu Hongming directly picked up the manuscript and read it, but the more he looked at it, the more he frowned: "Tsk! Yinghou (Tang Wenzhi's word), do you really think Xiyang is so good?"

Tang Wenzhi said: "Of course, otherwise why would we spend so much effort to learn the West."

Gu Hongming shook his head and said: "You only see the appearance, but not the root. Foreigners are nothing but bullshit! We can learn from them, but we cannot copy them, let alone worship them. What is really worth studying is our Confucianism!"

Gu Hongming's statement is very similar to the original Westernization School's thought of "Chinese learning as the body and Western learning as application", but Tang Wenzhi never thought that Gu Hongming would directly scold foreigners.

Tang Wenzhi was surprised and said: "Mr. Hongming, but the reality is that we have been defeated by Western guns time and time again. Naturally, the Western countries are strong and we are weak. Since we are weak, we must learn from it."

Gu Hongming said: "This statement is wrong! Yinghou, you must know that Westerners can only bully Chinese people because they are kind and can't use firearms, but Chinese people will surpass Westerners sooner or later!"

Naturally, no one believed this sentence at the time.

Tang Wenzhi felt confused, why did he feel that Gu Hongming was denying the article he wrote, didn't he agree to teach me a thing or two?

Could it be that the writing is wrong, and it does not fall into Master Gu's eyes?

He asked: "Mr. Hong Ming, Wansheng certainly hopes that we can catch up with foreigners, but besides learning from Western countries, is there any other way?"

Gu Hongming said: "Is there a method? I didn't think of it for a while, but I believe that if we go deeper in accordance with our Confucianism's moral scriptures, we will definitely find a method."

Tang Wenzhi is going to be stupid, what method is this?
Shen Zengzhi next to him had been silent all the time, and suddenly laughed loudly and said: "It's Hong Ming who is wrong! Do you think there are few people who are proficient in the moral scriptures? Can we surpass foreigners by relying on the moral scriptures? Could it be possible to smash foreigners to death on the battlefield with the Four Books and Five Classics?"

Shen Zengzhi is a true master of Confucianism, and he also loves Confucianism, but he has not yet reached the point where he thinks that relying on these can defeat Westerners.

Gu Hongming contended: "Of course not! I mean that the people of our country now lack the core of the moral scriptures and the essence of Confucianism, which is why they have fallen into such a disastrous situation."

"Oh? Can Mr. Hongming tell me what is the core of Tao Te Ching and the essence of Confucianism?" Shen Zengzhi asked.

Gu Hongming thought for a while and said: "Nature is the spirit of the Chinese people."

Shen Zengzhi continued to ask: "What spirit?"

Gu Hongming said word by word: "Meek!"

"Hahaha!" Shen Zengzhi laughed loudly, "I thought that Mr. Hongming lived overseas for a long time and was a celebrity who was familiar with Western learning, but he said such words when he didn't want to. It really disappointed me!"

Gu Hongming said: "Isn't it? Or, do you think you know the West better than me?"

Shen Zengzhi said: "About the West, of course I don't understand as well as my husband. But when it comes to the "essence of Confucianism" you just mentioned, I will tell you the truth. In this regard, I understand everything you say; but you must understand what I say. If not, you will have to study Chinese books for another 20 years!"

"Then what I said is wrong?" Gu Hongming continued.

Shen Zengzhi pointed to the bookcase on the side wall, "I see that there are quite a few Confucian classics on the shelf. Sir, you can read more before talking with me."

Gu Hongming was a little genius in debates, and he immediately countered: "Ask Mr. Shen, which book on the shelf can you memorize but I can't? Which book do you understand and I don't?"

Shen Zengzhi ignored it and said to Tang Wenzhi, "Yinghou, let's go."

Then he stood up and said to Gu Hongming: "We came to the mansion to seek advice from the West, not to study Confucianism with your husband. Besides, hum!"

Of course Gu Hongming knew what he meant by the last cold snort: Shen Zengzhi and Tang Wenzhi both came from serious Jinshi backgrounds, while he was just an "honorary Jinshi". Shen Zengzhi thought that his research on Confucianism was far ahead of him.

Although this is indeed the case, Gu Hongming doesn't think so.He sneered: "What a big tone, I don't know if foreigners have read Mr.'s articles?"

The English articles written by Gu Hongming far exceeded the Chinese articles in his life, and his fame was obtained from the translation of "The Analects of Confucius" and "The Doctrine of the Mean" from the West, and he wrote many articles to demonstrate the importance of traditional Chinese culture. Stronger than Western culture.

Therefore, foreigners all think that he is the most powerful master of Chinese studies in China, and even said the sentence: "When you come to China, you can ignore the three halls, but you must see Gu Hongming."

But when it comes to the level of Confucianism, although Gu Hongming loves Chinese Confucian culture very much, he is still no match for native scholar-bureaucrats like Shen Zengzhi and Tang Wenzhi.

After all, Gu Hongming was a monk halfway through. He only started to study Chinese culture when he was close to 30 years old. He only understands the general framework of Confucian classics. His articles seem to use the theory of twelve constellations to explain the whole universe. They are rather abstract and vague, and have not been explored in depth. .

Shen Zengzhi sneered: "Sir, do you think foreigners can understand real Confucianism?"

Shen Zengzhi was already more polite, did not say "understand his own articles", but directly used the word "Confucianism" in Gu Hongming's mouth.

Shen Zengzhi stopped talking nonsense, and it was meaningless to continue arguing about Confucianism. What they wanted to do was to write this book introducing the West, so they left directly.

Gu Hongming was so angry that he blew his nose: "Pedantic, really pedantic!"

In anger, he even accidentally knocked over the teacup.

Yoshida Sadako immediately ran up to comfort him and said, "Husband, don't get angry, you have to go to the university hall to meet Master Zhang in the afternoon."

Shen Zengzhi was very gentle. Later, Gu Hongming and Hu Shicai could be said to be real enemies.Gu Hongming despised Western learning, while Hu Shi admired Western learning.In the future, the two of them will confront each other many times during the New Culture Movement, and there will also be debates over Confucianism and Confucianism.

But when it comes to Chinese studies, there is no need to compare with a true master like Zhang Taiyan. Even if it is Hu Shi, Gu Hongming is at least fifty Xu Zhimo behind him.

Gu Hongming’s current level of Confucianism is indeed not appreciated by many people. After 100 years, he suddenly became a "geek" in the eyes of many people in the Internet age and became famous again. Many of them are because of his contempt for the West and his conviction that China will rise remarks.

Originally, he might just be an ordinary scholar, becoming an unremarkable name in the history books.

But the amazing thing is that China actually became strong again with blood and sweat and gradually forged national self-confidence, so Gu Hongming's few words 100 years ago really adapted to the times!
Like a prophet who has seen through a hundred years.

This is Gu Hongming's luck, but also our luck.

(End of this chapter)