Gu Hongming is proficient in nine languages, holds 13 doctoral degrees, has translated three of the four books, and has devoted his life to promoting Chinese culture to the outside world. Come with me below to learn about the profile of Gu Hongming, the master of Chinese studies!
The profile of Gu Hongming, the master of Chinese studies
Who is Gu Hongming? He was born in Nanyang, studied in the West, and married in Dongyang, official in Beiyang. Proficient in 9 languages ??including English, French, German, Latin, Greek, and Malayan, he has obtained 13 doctorates. He read English newspapers backwards and laughed at the British, saying that Americans are uneducated. He was the first to compile Chinese "The Analects of Confucius" and "The Analects of Confucius". "The Doctrine of the Mean" was translated into the West in English and German. With his impeccable tongue, he lectured on Confucianism to Japanese Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, exchanged letters with literary master Leo Tolstoy, and discussed world culture and political situations. He was called "the most noble China" by India's Mahatma Gandhi. people".
Gu Hongming, courtesy name Tangsheng. Born on July 18, 1857 in Penang Island, Penang State, Malaysia, in the northwest of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia, in a British rubber plantation. In his early years, his ancestors moved to Nanyang from Fujian, China, and accumulated rich property and reputation. His father, Gu Ziyun, was the general manager of a rubber plantation run by the British at the time. He spoke fluent Hokkien and could speak English and Malay. His mother is a blond, blue-eyed Westerner who speaks English and Portuguese. In this kind of family environment, Gu Hongming has had an amazing understanding and memory of language since he was a child. Mr. Brown, the childless rubber plantation owner, liked him very much and adopted him as his adopted son. Let him read the works of Shakespeare, Bacon and others since he was a child.
British gunboats opened the door to China in 1840. Mr. Brown, Gu Hongming's adoptive father, said to him: "Do you know that your motherland, China, has been put on the chopping block, and the vicious invaders are wielding butcher knives, ready to divide and eat it. I hope you can learn both Chinese and Western knowledge and take on the responsibility of The responsibility of governing a rich country and civilizing Europe and America." When the Browns returned to England in 1867, they brought the ten-year-old Gu Hongming to the most powerful Western empire at the time. Before leaving, his father burned incense in front of his ancestors' memorial tablets and warned him: "No matter where you go, whether you are surrounded by British, German or French people, don't forget that you are Chinese."
When he arrived in the UK, under the guidance of Brown, Gu Hongming started with the most classic Western literary masterpieces and quickly mastered English, German, French, Latin, and Greek with the most sincere rote memorization method. He was admitted to the famous University of Edinburgh with excellent results and was appreciated by the president, famous writer, historian, and philosopher Carlyle. After Gu Hongming obtained a master's degree in literature in 1877, he went to Leipzig University and other famous universities in Germany to study literature and philosophy. Later, when Cai Yuanpei went to study at the University of Leipzig, Gu Hongming was already a well-known figure; and 40 years later, when Lin Yutang came to the University of Leipzig, Gu Hongming's works were already designated must-reads by the school. Gu Hongming was mentioned in a book. Fourteen years of studying abroad have turned the talented young man Gu Hongming into a young scholar proficient in Western culture.
After completing his studies, Ku Hongming followed the persuasion of Ma Jianzhong, a master of language in Singapore at the time, and devoted himself to the study of Chinese culture. He returned to his motherland and continued to study Chinese classics. He served in the powerful minister Zhang Zhidong's shogunate in the late Qing Dynasty for twenty years, and his main responsibility was "interpretation". While assisting Zhang Zhidong in coordinating Western affairs, he studied Chinese studies intensively and called himself the "Hanbin Reader".
The story of Gu Hongming, the master of traditional Chinese culture
Concubine
When Gu Hongming was a professor at Peking University, one day, he and two American ladies explained about "Concubine" and said: "The word 'concubine' means Li, female; when a man is tired, he puts his hand on his daughter." When the two American ladies heard this, they retorted: "When a woman is tired, why can't she put her hand on a man?" Gu Hongming calmly said Trial and defense: "You have seen 1 teapot with 4 teacups, how can there be 1 teacup with 4 teapots? The principle is the same."
Braids
Gu Hongming wears pigtails Entering the classroom at Peking University, the students burst into laughter. Gu said calmly: "The braids on my head are tangible, but the braids in your hearts are invisible." After hearing this, the arrogant Peking University students were silent. . Gu Xu said, "My braids are tangible and can be cut. However, the braids in your classmates' heads are not so easy to cut." At that time, many naughty students at Peking University were betting that they would cut the old man's braids in order to become famous, but Considering his temper, no one dared to take action.
Imperial Power
“Many people laugh at me for being crazy loyal to the Qing Dynasty, but my loyalty to the Qing Dynasty is not only loyal to the royal family that my family has received favor from the emperor for generations - but also loyal to China’s politics and religion. That is to say, he is loyal to Chinese civilization."
Gu Hongming advocated imperial power throughout his life, which was criticized by others. But who has noticed that he does not kowtow when he encounters a tablet. Even such an old conservative has a backbone. On the birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi, the "congratulatory poem" he blurted out in public was "The emperor will live forever, and the people will spend money. If the emperor lives forever, the people will suffer." When Yuan Shikai died, the whole country mourned for three days, but Gu Hongming specially invited a theater troupe to hold a party at his home, which was lively for three days.
History may have proven that Gu Hongming was wrong in advocating for imperial power. But at that time, he was able to find arguments to support himself, and Japan was a ready example. Retaining imperial power does not mean rejecting modernization. Eliminating imperial power does not mean that democracy is automatically achieved. The emperor of China was overthrown, but what did those who participated in overthrowing the imperial power do after that? Restoration, civil war, restoration, and civil war again. Without the emperor, China fell into a chaotic situation where everyone wanted to be the emperor with the barrel of a gun. Everyone strives to be the emperor, and only the common people suffer.
Small Feet
"The three-inch golden lotus walks gracefully and gracefully, and will produce a charming figure with a willow waist. The small feet will arouse men's imagination. All the unique features of women. In the little feet. "Gu Hongming has a seven-character secret to taste the little feet: thin, small, pointed, curved, soft, soft and straight. He also said: "The foot binding of the previous generation was not a tyranny. My wife's small feet are my stimulant."
Gu Hongming likes women's small feet. Kang Youwei gave him a banner of "Content with Contentment", and Gu Hongming said: "Kang Youwei knows my heart well."
Reading the newspaper
Gu Hongming deliberately read the newspaper upside down on the streets of England. When a British man saw it, he laughed and said, "Look at how stupid this Chinese is. He even knocked down the newspaper." Gu Tangsheng retorted, "Your English is too simple. You can't show your ability when reading straight up." Then he read backwards skillfully. The newspaper, with its authentic Cockney accent, shocked the British.
Swearing
Gu Hongming once met a foreign reporter while attending a large banquet. The reporter asked: "How to stabilize China's political situation?" He replied: "The method is very simple. If all these politicians and bureaucrats are taken out and shot, China's political situation will be more stable." The officials dared to get angry but did not dare to say anything, because no one could scold him.
Reading the newspaper
Gu Hongming deliberately read the newspaper upside down on the street in England. A British man saw it and laughed and said: "Look how stupid this Chinese is, he even held the newspaper upside down." ." Gu Tangsheng retorted: "Your English is too simple and you can't show your ability when reading straight up." Then he read the newspaper backwards skillfully and spoke with an authentic London accent, which shocked the British.
Gun
“For many centuries, we in China have managed the country with wisdom instead of force. Why are we being despised and bullied by you white people now? Because You invented the gun. That is your advantage. We are the unarmed masses, and you can completely destroy us. You only know how to use your abominable inventions to oppress us, but you don’t know that we Chinese have mechanical genius. Know that there are 400 million of the most pragmatic and intelligent people in the world in this country. When the yellow people can make the same guns as you white people, and they can shoot as accurately as you, what will you face? You like guns and bullets. , you will also be sentenced by bullets!"