Gu Hongming
Name: Gu Hongming
Gender: Male Date of birth: 1857 Place of birth: Malay Peninsula, Southeast Asia
Written in foreign language Talking about Confucianism
Gu Hongming can be said to be a strange person in the history of Chinese culture. He was proficient in nine languages ??and learned both Chinese and Western knowledge. At the beginning of this century, when the elites of Chinese intellectuals vigorously preached Western civilization , but he used Western language to advocate the ancient Eastern spirit. His thoughts and writings made a sensation throughout Europe in a very short period of time and had a huge impact. You can’t go to China without seeing the Forbidden City, but you can’t go without seeing Gu Hongming. This became the mantra of foreign writers, politicians, and reporters who visited China at that time. He creatively translated and introduced three of the four books to the West, namely The Analects of Confucius, The Doctrine of the Mean and The Great Learning. His English works include "The Oxford Movement in China", "Spring and Autumn Days", etc. His conservative thoughts and eccentric words and deeds have also aroused widespread concern and controversy in China. As the first person dedicated to introducing Chinese classics and Chinese spirit to the West, Gu Hongming should be recorded in history.
A genius who was born in Nanyang and studied in the West
In 1857, Gu Hongming was born in Penang Island on the northwest side of the Malay Peninsula in Nanyang. In his early years, his ancestors moved to Nanyang from Fujian, China, and accumulated rich property and reputation. His father 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. And this family, which has been accustomed to dealing with Westerners for several lifetimes, also allowed Gu Hongming to inherit the potential of Westerners. Mr. Brown, the childless rubber plantation owner, liked him very much and adopted him as his adopted son. Since childhood, he was allowed to read novels, poems and literary works by Shakespeare, Bacon and others. When the Browns returned to England in 1867, they brought 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.
Upon arriving in the UK, Mr. Brown immediately arranged for Gu Hongming’s education. Starting from the most classic Western literary masterpieces, he made Gu Hongming quickly master English, German, French, Latin, and Greek with the most sincere rote memorization method, and was admitted to the famous Gardenburg University with excellent results. , and was appreciated by the principal, famous writer, historian, and philosopher Carlyle. In 1977, after Gu Hongming obtained a master's degree in literature, he went to Germany to study literature and philosophy at famous universities such as the University of Leipzig. Forty years later, when another master, Lin Yutang, came to the University of Leipzig, Gu Hongming's works were already required reading designated by the school. Fourteen years of studying abroad have turned this talented young man into a young scholar who is proficient in Western culture.
The weirdo who defended Eastern civilization. When Gu Hongming returned to Nanyang, he met Ma Jianzhong, another linguist who had learned both Chinese and Western knowledge in Singapore. Ma Jianzhong suggested that he should seriously study the Chinese civilization that has been passed down for thousands of years, and advised: Talents like you who are well versed in Western academic relics, laws and regulations, how can you live in a place that is neither Chinese nor foreign when the country is employing people, and have been trapped in mediocrity for a long time? What about ordinary people? This meeting changed his life. He quickly picked up the thread-bound book and began to study it. After convincing his mother, he returned to mainland China, where his ancestors had lived for generations, and continued to study Chinese classics. He also served in the powerful minister Zhang Zhidong's shogunate in the late Qing Dynasty for twenty years, with his main responsibility being an interpreter. While helping Zhang Zhidong coordinate Western affairs, he studied Chinese studies intensively, and called himself the Hanbin Reader.
Soon, his reputation for being fluent in various Western European languages ??and being quick-tongued spread among European and American people in China. At the same time, his reputation as a defender of culture gradually grew. Since publishing an article titled China Studies in the English newspaper "North China Daily" in 1883, he has embarked on the writing path of promoting Chinese culture and ridiculing Western learning. In the years at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, he also translated "The Analects of Confucius" and "The Doctrine of the Mean" into English, which were published and printed overseas one after another. Later, "The University" was translated. His work was creative, adding to the ancient Oriental theory the illuminating quips of Goethe, Schiller, Ruskin and Joubert. Before him, there had never been good translations of ancient Chinese classics.
From 1901 to 1905, Gu Hongming published 172 "Notes on China" in five installments, repeatedly emphasizing the value of Eastern civilization. In 1909, the English book "The Oxford Movement in China" (the German translation was titled "Defending China's Opposition to European Concepts: A Critical Essay") was published, which had a huge impact in Europe, especially Germany. Some university philosophy departments listed it as A must-read reference book. In 1915, "Spring and Autumn Days" (the English version was titled "The Spirit of the Chinese") was published. With idealistic enthusiasm, he showed the world that Chinese culture is the panacea to save the world. At the same time, his criticism of Western civilization was also sharp and profound. Soon the German version of "Spring and Autumn Days" published an introduction to Gu Hongming, which caused a huge sensation in Germany, which was undergoing World War I.
The Peking University Professor with Long Braids In his later years, Gu Hongming served as a professor at Peking University, where he lectured on English poetry. On the podium, he said: English poetry is divided into three categories: Guofeng, Xiaoya and Daya. The national styles can be divided into seven national styles, including Scottish style and Welsh style. He also asked students to practice translating the "Three Character Classic" and "The Thousand Character Classic". This eccentric old man who still wore long robes and long braids during the Republic of China became a sight at Peking University and attracted many famous foreign scholars to visit him. British writer Somerset Maugham, Japanese writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, Japanese Prime Minister, and Russian Crown Prince all came to visit. He unceremoniously used his profound Western academic knowledge to attack his shield with his own spear, which made everyone admire him. At the same time, Hu Shi, Chen Duxiu and others also made the conservative Gu Hongming a target of debate. On April 30, 1928, the down-and-out Gu Hongming died of illness in Beijing, ending his strange life.
After his death, the dazzling aura surrounding him and the reputation of being outdated and regressive disappeared almost simultaneously. In recent years, Gu Hongming's works have been rediscovered, and people have re-translated foreign texts that carry the Chinese spirit. Return to Chinese. While lively, it seems too obsessed with his weird image of wearing pigtails and robes and praising his small feet and keeping concubines, while neglecting his spirit. Lin Yutang, another Chinese writer who is famous for his foreign writings, once commented on him: "Gu wrote foreign writings and preached Confucianism, which caused a sensation for a while. Gu is also a weirdo." He is open-minded and self-rejoicing, looking down at China and foreign countries, and his sincerity is close to madness. However, those who can speak and take care of their actions and live in poverty for the rest of their lives are no different from humans and animals compared to those who serve the powerful and the servile. A foreign writer once said: After Gu Hongming's death, there are still many foreigners who can write Chinese poetry. Didn't show up. It seems that Westerners also regard him as a similar person.
Translated works: "The Analects of Confucius", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "The Great Learning"
English works: "The Oxford Movement in China", "Spring and Autumn Days", etc.