From Haizhou to Peking University

陈武China Culture and History Press · ChinaSep 2024

Rating 3.2
Word count
91K words
Chapters
17
ISBN
9787520539005

Tags

Literary Appreciation Humanistic CareInspirationComing of AgeHeartwarming NarrativeSocial Observation

Summary

Known as the "Famous Prefecture of the Eastern Sea," the ancient city of Haizhou in Lianyungang is the birthplace of the literary master Zhu Ziqing and the place where his grandparents and parents lived; from here he took his first steps in life. In 1898, Zhu Ziqing was born into a scholarly family in Jiangnan. As the eldest son of the Zhu family, he was from childhood given great expectations by his elders, especially in his studies; his father, an official, kept him under strict supervision, and thus he laid a very solid foundation in classical poetry and prose and in traditional Chinese learning. In 1916, after graduating from middle school, Zhu Ziqing, disregarding the opposition of his tradition-minded father, applied on his own to the preparatory program at Peking University. Although his mathematics score was zero, his outstanding talent won him the chance to be admitted to Peking University by exception. This book is part of "Zhu Ziqing's Traces."

Editor's review

Taking Zhu Ziqing's early years from Haizhou to Peking University as its thread, this book examines the growth of a literary master within a specific regional and family context. The author does not merely list biographical facts but focuses on the living environment of his grandparents and parents, the expectations of a scholarly family, his father's strict supervision of his studies, and the key turning point when, after middle school, he applied to the Peking University preparatory program against his father's wishes, showing how a young man chose between traditional family learning and a new type of education. The detail that he was admitted by exception despite a zero in mathematics reveals both his talent and a certain magnanimity in Peking University's selection of students at the time. The book is short and plainly written, suitable as an introductory read for understanding Zhu Ziqing's early life and the local cultural vein of Lianyungang. Readers may note the tension between family expectations and personal aspiration, which is the distant cause of the temperament and integrity seen in his later essays. It is suited to slow reading in a quiet setting and can be read alongside Zhu Ziqing's early works.

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Reading tips

  1. First read famous pieces such as Zhu Ziqing's "Back View" and "Hurry," then look back at his early experiences to appreciate the relationship between family background and temperament.
  2. While reading, note the descriptions of the Haizhou regional background and family atmosphere; a map can be used to learn about the human geography around Lianyungang.
  3. For the section on the Peking University preparatory examination, consider it in light of general knowledge of modern educational history rather than fixating on a single detail.
  4. The book is limited in length and can be read in two or three sittings, noting briefly after each reading the key turning points in the subject's life.

About the publisher

China Culture and History Press China · Founded in 1980

China Culture and History Press has long devoted itself to modern and contemporary literature and culture-and-history reading matter, with publishing directions centered on classic works, social novels, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy, alongside culture-and-history periodicals such as Zongheng. Among the more than 1,500 titles in the collection, representative books include Zhang Henshui's Ti Xiao Yin Yuan, Lu Xun's Complete Classic Works (10 volumes) and Wild Grass, and Lao She's Four Generations Under One Roof series and the boxed set of Lao She's Classic Works (10 volumes), while its author resources are concentrated on figures such as Zhang Henshui, Lu Xun, Lao She and Sima Qian. Its publishing character lies in solid editorial work on culture-and-history source texts and in issuing famous authors' works in sets, balancing the readability of individual texts with the systematic presentation of complete collections for focused reading and collecting. Beyond these directions, public information on the press's contemporary original publishing is limited, so it is not elaborated here.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 前言
  3. 我就生在海州
  4. 邵伯湖畔万寿宫
  5. 我是扬州人
  6. 扬州的故居
  7. 择偶记
  8. 考入北大
  9. 求学之路
  10. 参加五四运动
  11. 第一波创作高峰
  12. 积极参加社会活动
  13. 毕业那一年
  14. 震撼人心的《异样的人》
  15. 诗歌合集《雪朝》
  16. 附录
  17. 主要参考书目

FAQ

Is this book a complete biography of Zhu Ziqing? No. This book focuses on the early period from Zhu Ziqing's birth in Haizhou to his application to the Peking University preparatory program; it is a thematic account of one segment of his life, not a complete biography covering his whole life. To learn about his later writing and teaching career, other biographies or chronological materials are needed.
Is the claim that he was admitted to Peking University by exception despite a zero in mathematics reliable? The book narrates this episode based on relevant materials to show that Zhu Ziqing gained the opportunity for further study through his outstanding talent. Readers may regard it as an account reflecting the student-selection methods of the time and the subject's brilliance; for strict historical verification, authoritative chronological materials and archives should be consulted.
Can readers without a background in literary history read it? Yes. The book is plainly written, follows the person's experiences as its main line, and does not rely on specialized terminology. Readers need only a basic impression of Zhu Ziqing to begin, and understanding will become more concrete after reading his essays.

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About the author

陈武 Author

Chen Wu is an author about whom relatively limited public information is available: his nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name are not currently known, and six of his works are held in the collection. Judging from their subjects, he attends to the modern educational history of China and the traces of intellectuals, with titles such as The Long Days at Southwest Associated University, Splendor Throughout Tsinghua Garden, and From Haizhou to Peking University, which largely concern famous universities, scholars, and changing times. He has also written travel accounts such as Studying in Europe, A Vacation in Chengdu, and Travels Through Jiangnan. His writing spans biography, essays and miscellaneous works, and literary appreciation, tending toward documentary prose and informal sketches that link people and history through journeys and observations. Because biographical details are limited, his life cannot yet be summarized; readers may turn to these works to understand his themes and narrative style.