Chen Zhongfan’s uncle Chen Yushu (1853-1906), also known as Ti’an, studied at Nanjing Academy and was taught by Wang Xianqian, a famous scholar in the Qing Dynasty. Under his guidance, he completed ten chapters of "Mao Shi Yiwen Jian". roll. Chen Yushu, whose name was Xiaolian in Yancheng, was the dean of Shangzhi Academy.
Chen Zhongfan "from the age of 10 to 15, he studied with his uncle and was deeply influenced by him." Chen Yushu was an upright and honest man. He always encouraged himself by saying, "Don't take any money that will disgrace yourself, and don't do anything that is close to shame." Chen Zhongfan benefited a lot from his teachings. In the autumn of 1904 (the 30th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty), Chen Yushu applied to be promoted to Sanjiang Normal School and wrote three volumes of "Education Briefs". Perhaps because he was deeply influenced by his uncle and admired his character and knowledge, Chen Zhongfan was admitted to the public education department of Liangjiang Normal School from Huaian Middle School in 1909, even though his uncle had been ill for four years at that time. When he was in Liangjiang, Chen Zhongfan often went to the Jinling Sutra Engraving Office near Yanggongjing on weekends to listen to Buddhist lectures, and he became very interested in philosophy. After graduating from Liangjiang Normal University, he went to Hujiang University to study English.
In 1913, he was admitted to the Department of Philosophy of Peking University. In the midsummer month of 1921, Chen Zhongfan returned to Ningxia from Beijing and accepted the appointment of National Southeast University as professor and director of the Department of Chinese Literature. He told the students of the Chinese Language and Literature Department of the Women's Normal University: "In the past three years, I have been busy compiling textbooks and rarely returned to my hometown. I have not had time to take care of my wife at home. Recently, Nanjing Southeast University sent me a letter of appointment. I thought about it again and again, and I was hesitant. Why not continue to think about it? Following the ancient method of remembering wives and children, I entrust you to my dear friend Mr. Hu Xiaoshi. He is an upright man, erudite and talented in calligraphy. He is good at poetry and rhetoric. I recommend it to the principal and he has been approved. What do you think? " The classmate has been teaching for three years and has a deep relationship with his teachers and students. However, my husband wants to reunite with his teacher and his wife, but he is not in a position to persuade her to stay, so he can only nod his head.
Soon, Chen Zhongfan came to the classroom with Hu Xiaoshi and said: "I have introduced Mr. Hu's character and knowledge last time. Now I will hand over the responsibility of his seniority to him. I'm very grateful. You should study hard and pass on his knowledge. "Hu Xiaoshi said: "Since ancient times, a disciple does not have to be inferior to a teacher, and a teacher does not have to be better than a disciple. 'I came to Beijing at the request of Brother Zhongfan. We can discuss with each other, but we can’t talk about teaching...".
Chen Zhongfan and Hu Xiaoshi are both graduates of Liangjiang Normal School. They have been close friends for a long time. In the spring of 1920, they met for the first time at Mr. Mei'an's home in Shanghai and immediately felt a connection. In November of that year, on the recommendation of Chen Zhongfan, Hu Xiaoshi left Shanghai and went north to teach at Beijing Women's Normal University. More than sixty years later, Cheng Junying, a female disciple of the two elders and a professor at East China Normal University, still clearly remembers the unforgettable scene where Chen Zhongfan and Hu Xiaoshi "remembered their wives and children" when they were studying at Beijing Women's Normal University. From August 1921 to November 1924, Chen Zhongfan served as professor and director of the Department of Chinese Literature at National Southeast University.
In July 1924, National Northwest University and the Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education jointly organized a summer school and invited famous domestic professors to give lectures. There are 14 famous professors including Lu Xun and Xia Yuan from Peking University. Three professors from National Southeast University were invited to give lectures: Chen Zhongfan (Department of Chinese Literature), Wu Mi (Department of Western Literature), and Liu Jingbo (Department of Literature, Political Science).
The topics Chen Zhongfan lectured on were: (1) Chinese teaching methods in middle schools; (2) The sequence of evolution of Chinese literature; (3) Ways to read ancient books. A trip to the northwest takes "nine days for a round trip for forty days." After giving lectures, Chen Zhongfan and others visited scenic spots, which was an eye-opener. He later wrote in the article "Travel to Shaanxi": "Everywhere you travel, you can see the wonders of Taihua Zhongnan, the vastness of the rivers, Weiyiluo, and the steepness of Hangu and Tongguan. All those who longed for it in the past will come here. If you don't have anything left, you will be rewarded with a lifetime of fame." What Chen Zhongfan cannot forget is that he once traveled with Mr. Lu Xun and had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Lu Xun's "making a fuss out of a molehill" and laughing at the "sound of a fly".
Chen Zhongfan and Liu Jingbo, professor of the Department of Political Science, took the Jinpu Road train northbound, then took the Longhai Road to Xuzhou, doing business in Qiu and Kaifeng to Zhengzhou. It happened that Lu Xun, Xia Yuan, Wang Tongling and others were heading south from Beijing, so they went west together. The next morning the buzz of flies disturbed my sleep. Mr. Lu Xun said: "The poem "Mao Shi Qi Feng" chants: "'The rooster crows, the sound of flies', this is true today. "When passing through Luoyang, Xia Yuan, who was the dean of science at Peking University, made a special trip to visit the warlord Wu Peifu. Wu asked Xia: "What courses do you teach at Peking University?" Xia replied: "He is responsible for electronic research in new physics. Wu pointed to the Eight Diagrams hanging on the wall and asked: "There is also a mystery of the changes of yin and yang in this. Can you explain it to me?" Xia replied: "This old physics is not the same thing as the new physics." Wu Peifu said forcefully: "There are old mysteries in the old, and new principles in the new." "Xia Yuan returned from his visit and talked about it with the professors. Everyone laughed. Lu Xun teased: "This is also the sound of a fly. Someone asked Liu Jingbo what courses he taught. Liu replied: "Studying international issues, especially 'big nationalism'." Lu Xun said: "Is it referring to imperialism? It disrupts the world a hundred times more than flies." "Some people recalled that during the May 4th Movement, Mr. Cai Jiemin (Yuanpei) gave a speech in Tiananmen Square, emphasizing that "only floods can destroy wild beasts." Then someone sighed and asked: "Should these trivial things like flies and dogs be eliminated at the same time?" Mr. Lu Xun He replied: "Although this is making a fuss out of a molehill, in the future New China will have its own new environment, and of course all harmful insects will be wiped out.
"Mr. Lu Xun hated flies. He once denounced those buzzing "insects" in essays such as "Soldiers and Flies" and "Three Insects of Summer". During his trip to the northwest, Chen Zhongfan heard Lu Xun denounce the "voice of flies" three times. The impression was extremely profound. More than fifty years later, he recalled this past event in "Lu Xun's Visit to Northwest University". Chen Zhongfan had been studying with Hu Xiaoshi from north to south. In the autumn of 1920, Chen Zhongfan asked Hu Xiaoshi to go north together and teach at the Women's Normal University. In the summer of 1921, shortly after he went south to head the Chinese Language Department at National Southeast University, he recommended Hu Xiaoshi to come to the south. . "In September 1924, the Department of Chinese Language and Literature of Jinling University was reorganized, and Hu Xiaoshi became professor and department head, and became involved with Chen Zhongfan, who was already working part-time at Jinling University at that time. In less than a semester, Chen Zhongfan hurriedly traveled south to teach at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou. When they returned to Jinling University in the spring of 1926, they had another opportunity to discuss matters, appreciate wonders and analyze doubts. In 1927, the two gentlemen had different opinions on whether to maintain or change the old system of Jinling University, which led to a disagreement in 1928. In the spring of the same year, he transferred to Jinan University to teach, and "there was no contact with him for more than 20 years."
In 1952, the department was reorganized. Chen Zhongfan, who was teaching at Jinan University at that time, came to the Chinese Department of Nanjing University, and together with Hu Xiaoshi and Wang Pijiang, it was called the Chinese Department. "Three elders". Chen Zhongfan and Hu Xiaoshi came together to "plan to help each other and effectively improve teaching work." " When Hu Xiaoshi died suddenly of illness in 1962, Chen Zhongfan was deeply shocked, "to the point of being stunned and at a loss." He recalled the relationship between the two of them over more than fifty years of study and work, as well as the twists and turns of getting together, separation, and reunion. He wrote the article "In Memory of Senior Hu Xiaoshi" and "I would like to write a couplet to express my heartfelt condolences":
Three years of study, ten years of *** *Things, I feel ashamed that Jizhao is in love with me, how many people are close friends in the vast flowing water and high mountains?
Four volumes of manuscripts and five volumes of catalogues. I sigh that my son has lost all his music, and I am melancholy at the end of the day. Calling for ghosts?
Chen Zhongfan and Hu Xiaoshi were classmates at Liangjiang Normal School and worked together at Dongda University, Sun Yat-sen University, Jinda University and Nanjing University for many years. They were familiar with each other, although there had been differences. , we can finally meet each other candidly. Chen Zhongfan used "Ji Zha" and "Zijing" as metaphors. His meaning was real and his emotions were touching. Chen Zhongfan was already nearly 90 years old when he smashed the "Gang of Four". , but like the people across the country, he was in high spirits and extremely happy. From 1978 to 1980, he still went to Beijing every year to attend the plenary meetings of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and attend the National People's Congress meetings to care about and participate in discussions on state affairs. p>
In 1980, while attending a conference in Beijing, he was invited by the editorial department of the "Literature" series of the Beijing Library to write an "autobiography" for the book "Contemporary Chinese Social Scientists", in which there are two paragraphs: "I am determined to do my best in my lifetime to contribute to the motherland's early realization of the 'four modernizations'"; "The school's party and government organizations take great care of our veteran teachers. Compared with the bleak old age of the elderly in the old society and the risk of unemployment from time to time, I am full of happiness in my heart. I fervently hope that the vast number of social science educators in our country will be stable, united, and full of vitality. Under the leadership of the party, they will work together with the people of the country. , work together with one heart and one mind, and make outstanding contributions to the construction of the 'four modernizations' of the motherland." He donated the books, calligraphy and paintings, and antiquities he had collected for many years to Nanjing University and Nanjing Museum where he taught, and also gave the three buildings he built The house was donated to the state-run university.
On July 22, 1982, Chen Zhongfan died of illness. His memorial service was hosted by Bao Houchang, Chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and Zhang De, Secretary of the Party Committee of Nanjing University, delivered a eulogy. : “Professor Chen Zhongfan’s death is a great loss to my country’s education and academic circles. Professor Chen Zhongfan has pursued brightness and progress throughout his life. His spirit of serving the education cause, his hard work in cultivating the academic field, his unswerving spirit of patriotism, and his revolutionary spirit of loving the party and socialism are always worthy of our study.
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