Introduction: Liu Chunlin, a native of Suning County, Hejian Prefecture, Zhili Province, won the number one scholar in Chen Ke in the 30th year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, becoming the last number one scholar in the history of Chinese imperial examinations, and is known as the "last number one scholar".
The "Last Champion" appointed by the Empress Dowager Cixi
There are many rumors about Liu Chunlin, a student of No. 1 Middle School. It is said that he was appointed by the Empress Dowager Cixi. After the palace examination, the examiner sorted the selected test papers by grade and wrote to the Empress Dowager Cixi, requesting that the title of "King of Imperial Order" be granted. At that time, the worried Empress Dowager Cixi was preparing to celebrate her 70th birthday, hoping to get some luck from the imperial examination. She first read several people's papers and found that none of them met her wishes. When she saw Liu Chunlin's test paper, the exquisite and handsome lowercase letters on the paper made Cixi's eyebrows stretch. She looked at the word "Liu Chunlin" and nodded frequently. It turned out that this year there was a severe drought. Cixi thought of "spring rain", that is, spring rain, rain. Liu Chunlin's native place was Suning, Zhili. She felt that this place name was in line with her desire for peace and tranquility, so she named Liu Chunlin the "No. 1 Scholar".
After winning the first prize, Liu Chunlin was sent to Seiyo University in Tokyo for further study. After returning to China in the 33rd year of Guangxu's reign, he served as a member of the Advisory Council. He was promoted by the Zhili School of Political Science and Law and supervised by the Beiyang Normal School. After 1927, he resigned from public office and stayed at home. He first lived in Shanghai and then moved to Peking. His address is Xizhi Hutong, south of Xinhua Street, Xicheng District. After resigning, he stayed with poetry, calligraphy and painting all day long. Although he lived in seclusion, he cared about the future of his country.
From the September 18th Incident in 1931 to the July 7th Incident in 1937, Japanese imperialism’s crazy aggression against China gradually escalated. Under the dark rule of the Japanese and puppets, many people with lofty ideals refused to surrender and fought unyieldingly, demonstrating the indomitable national integrity of the Japanese people. Liu Chunlin, the number one scholar in the late Qing Dynasty, was one of them. Japanese traitors invited Liu Chunlin to work for the Japanese puppet government many times, but he refused and angrily condemned them.
Refuse to be the "Minister of Education" of the puppet Manchukuo
After the September 18th Incident, Japan occupied the three northeastern provinces. The following year, they supported Emperor Puyi as puppets and established the puppet Manchukuo. The capital is located in Changchun. In order to recruit talents, Puyi not only recruited a group of old and young people from the late Qing Dynasty, but also wanted some influential people to work for him. In March 1935, Zheng, Prime Minister of the Puppet Manchukuo State, led a delegation to search for him. They came to Peiping with the imperial edict signed by Puyi and brought many Northeastern specialties as a meeting gift, hoping to hire the then 63-year-old "last number one scholar" as the "Minister of Education" of the puppet Manchukuo. After getting off at Zhengyangmen East Railway Station, they got on a bus and went straight to the Liu Chunlin Tower in Xizhimen Hutong in the west of the city. I first sent Northeastern specialties, then explained my purpose, took out the "imperial edict" signed by Pu Yi, and handed it to Liu Chunlin. Liu Chunlin looked into his eyes and said: "I am old, frail and sick, and it is difficult for me to be qualified for the position of 'Minister of Education'. You should hire another smart person!"
The two returned to Changchun dejectedly and told the truth. Zheng politely declined the hospitality. Zheng was very angry after hearing this and scolded the two people.
In one month, I will visit Zheng personally. However, after arriving in Peiping from Changchun, he was not in a hurry to go to Liu Chunlin. Instead, he first visited some old friends in Liu Chunlin to understand Liu Chunlin's character, personality and hobbies. One of them said that Liu Zhuangyuan liked tea and water, especially Lao Zhang Yiyuan's tea. So Zheng went to the teahouse outside the front gate of Dashilan, bought a few kilograms of good tea, and then went for a tour in Xizhi Hutong.
Zheng and Zheng are both famous calligraphers, but he is twelve years older than Liu, so he calls him "good brother". After the meeting, Zheng did not ask him to serve again, but instead talked about the art of calligraphy, from the four great masters of Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties to the first four. Liu Chunlin just agreed, but he knew his true purpose. Zheng suddenly said: "Brother, you are the number one scholar appointed by Lafayette and Empress Dowager Cixi. Manchukuo is still ruled by the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Kant loves you even more. I will send you to Manchukuo to hold an important position. Can you live up to your expectations? High hopes?" After hearing this, Liu Chunlin said solemnly: "Now you are no longer the king, and the minister is no longer the minister. You can ruin my reputation!" After that, he opened the door and took the tea that Zheng had brought. Throw it into his hand.
Seeing Zheng's firm attitude, he left sadly.
Refuse to write a plaque for a Japanese store
Shortly after the July 7th Incident, the Japanese army occupied Beijing. With the deepening of military aggression and the gradual advancement of economic aggression, many shops selling Japanese goods appeared on the streets of Beijing, some owned by Japanese and some owned by Japanese.
A plaque is a gold-lettered signboard of a store, and its inscriptions are mostly written by celebrities or famous calligraphers. Therefore, some Japanese businessmen also use the name of old Beijing and ask famous calligraphers to write plaques for their shops to increase the splendor of the shops.
Liu Chunlin is a famous modern calligrapher. His regular script enjoys a high reputation in Beijing, and he once had the reputation of "the best regular script in the world, and he learned it later". His regular script characters are exquisite, straight, sparse, square, round, firm and soft, and his writing style is elegant, smooth, steady and simple, which is a must. Calligraphy treasures, such as writing boards, book fans, calligraphy couplets, book plaques, book flags, etc. Popular among scholars.
A Japanese named Kato opened a Fuji dealer on Bamiancao Street, specializing in selling Japanese-made bicycles. He heard that Liu Chunlin, the "last scholar", had good calligraphy, so he went to Liu Chunlin Palace to ask him to inscribe a plaque. But as soon as he explained his intention, he was rejected by Liu Chunlin, so "Fujian" was eliminated.
But this guy didn't give up, thinking that Liu Chunlin didn't want to write because he didn't have enough money, so three days later he came to the door again and brought four gold bars. He said to Liu Chunlin: "As long as you write inscriptions for the store, I will pay you a gold bar for every word. What do you think of Liu Jun?" Liu Chunlin sneered, "Don't say it's a gold bar, it's just a word and a gold mountain. I can't sign. You might as well ask a smart person again!" Kato was conquered by Liu Chunlin's indomitable spirit and left in vain.
A few days later, another Japanese businessman came to Liu Chunlin. This man was about forty years old, short in stature, with a chubby face and a "beard". As soon as he entered Liu Chunlin's living room, he announced his name in fluent Chinese. It turns out that he is Ichiro Matsumoto, the Japanese owner of the "East Asia Building" restaurant near Xisi Paifang Road. He invited Liu Chunlin to write a plaque. He is an "expert on China" and knows Chinese culture and etiquette very well, so before coming to Liulichang, he went to a famous "Southern Paper Shop" and bought a set of exquisite "Four Treasures of the Study" as a gift. When Liu Chunlin heard that he was Japanese, he also came to chat. Without saying a word, he "invited" him out.
Refuse to be the "mayor" of the pseudo-Beiping.
After the "July 7th Incident", the Japanese and puppet regime was established in Peiping and wanted to find some celebrities to support Taiwan Province, including the previous champion Liu Chunlin. They sent people several times to coerce Liu Chunlin into becoming an official of the puppet Ministry of Education, but Liu Chunlin lied in bed and pretended to be sick, cleverly avoiding the intimidation of the Japanese and puppets.
In March 1940, the "Provisional Government of the Republic of China" was renamed the "North China Administrative Council". In June of the same year, Wang, a fellow member of the Communist Party of China, was appointed chairman, under the supervision of the Internal Affairs Bureau. He thought he had friendship with Liu Chunlin. He is a scholar in the same subject and went to Japan to study together. He has always had a good relationship. He felt that if Liu Chunlin was appointed as the pseudo mayor of Peiping, he would not only help himself, but also get a good job in front of the Japanese.
One day, Wang wore a suit and tie, a Japanese military hat, and went traveling with expensive gifts. I was very dissatisfied when I saw Wang wearing a Japanese military cap and looking like a slave. Because Wang put on a sanctimonious air, he had already heard about it. After the guests and hosts sat down, they bowed and said straight to the point: "My brother's character and talent are ten times better than mine. I hope he can defend government affairs for me. My brother feels very lucky! This 'mayor' of Peiping is none other than me." "Good friend!" But before he finished speaking, Liu Chunlin suddenly stood up from the wicker chair, threw a cup of tea on the ground, and shouted angrily: "I will never rely on foreign invaders." Being a traitor will not end well. Please don't speak! "The king said, and had to resign.
The king, who was condemned and reprimanded, became angry because of the embarrassment. The next day, he sent troops to Liu Chunlin's home, snatched away all the furniture, and robbed him He collected calligraphy and painting treasures for many years and drove his whole family out of the house.
Liu Chunlin said angrily: "I would rather be a beggar than a traitor!" Later, under the pressure of strong public opinion, Wang was allowed to return to the country, and was allowed to redeem his paintings and calligraphy with heavy sums of money, and returned the stolen property.
On January 18, 1942, Liu Chunlin died in Beijing due to heart disease at the age of 70. He was buried in Lugang Village in the western suburbs of Baoding City, Hebei Province. His epitaph reads: "Living in seclusion in the mountains and forests, worrying about the country and the people." Scolding bandit gangs, the fate of heroes" praise. A grand funeral was held for him, and mourners flocked in. Many celebrities sent elegiac couplets and eulogies, including two gold plaques with a black background, which read "No. 1 Scholar" and "No. 1 Scholar" respectively. "The backbone of China".