Yang Du (Complete 3 Volumes)
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Summary
In triumph he pursued office with relentless fervor and craved fame and fortune; in defeat he fled to Zhuangzi and Buddhism, feigning detachment. A figure who embodied in one person the peerless talent, the elegant scholar, the constitutional pioneer, and the "remnant of the imperial restoration," he comes vividly to life on the page.
The work won the Third National Book Award and the Tenth China Book Award. A bestseller for thirty years, it remains widely beloved.
Editor's review
The value of this book far exceeds mere curiosity about a period or a figure. It offers a rare vantage point for reflection: in an age when values collapse and are rebuilt, how does an individual anchor oneself? How can knowledge serve the world? Is reconciliation possible between idealism and realpolitik? Yang Du's tragic life hinges perhaps less on the "rightness" or "wrongness" of his political choices than on the fierce collision between the traditional scholar-official's spirit of "taking the world as one's own responsibility" and the instrumental rationality of modernization. Tang Haoming's narration is calm and restrained, his use of historical sources solid, his literary imagination judicious, lending the novel both historical weight and powerful literary appeal. For readers who wish to look beyond simple historical verdicts and understand the complexity of modern China's social transformation and the inner journey of its intellectuals, this three-volume work is an indispensable achievement.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a strong interest in modern Chinese history (late Qing through the Republican era) who seek an immersive reading experience.
- Literature lovers who enjoy seeing great historical change through the lens of individual lives, and appreciate in-depth historical novels and biographical fiction.
- Readers concerned with the relationship between intellectuals and social change, who are willing to ponder questions of idealism, reality, and historical choice.
- Loyal readers of Tang Haoming or other serious historical novelists such as Eryue He and Gao Yang.
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking light, fast-paced web-novel style entertainment, impatient with extensive historical background and psychological portraiture.
- Readers seeking purely academic historical research materials, who reject literary invention based on historical fact.
Reading tips
- Read in order, and consider briefly consulting relevant background materials at key historical turning points to enhance understanding.
- Suspend ready-made "final verdicts" on historical figures and try to enter each character's concrete situation to understand their choices.
- Read in comparison with Tang Haoming's other representative work Zeng Guofan to gain a fuller grasp of the author's overall thinking on the late Qing scholar-official class.
About the publisher
Founded in 1983, Tianjin Ancient Books Publishing House focuses on collating ancient texts, academic works in literature and history, and books on traditional culture, with additional titles on calligraphy and antique appreciation. Judging from its catalog, its publishing centers on classical and folk literature, represented by two-volume editions of the four great classics—Dream of the Red Chamber, Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Water Margin—reflecting an approach of making ancient works accessible. It also publishes historical novels such as Tang Haoming's Zeng Guofan and Yang Du, along with prose and essays by Chen Nianxi (Renjian Lüguan) and Yu Shicun, touching on literary appreciation and cultural themes. Its authors range from classical writers Cao Xueqin, Wu Cheng'en, Luo Guanzhong, and Shi Nai'an to contemporary figures like Tang Haoming, Chen Nianxi, and Yu Shicun, showing a parallel commitment to collating ancient texts and contemporary literary-historical writing. Public information is limited, so its series structure and specific editorial methods are not detailed here.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 杨度【上】帝术
- 开卷语
- 第一章 名师访徒
- 一 杨度推开《唐宋八大家文钞》，喟然叹息：世无英雄，使竖子成名
- 二 碧云寺的泥塑罗汉预卜落第举子的命运
- 三 青年王闿运的风流韵事
- 四 王闿运不合时宜的举动：拒绝见陆抚台，倒屣迎张铁匠
- 五 听说杨度非韩薄柳，王闿运欣喜地说：孺子可教也
- 六 大学者家嫁女与众不同
- 七 为得天下一英才而教之，王闿运亲赴石塘铺指点迷津
- 第二章 帝王之学
- 一 王闿运的三门功课：功名之学、诗文之学、帝王之学
- 二 胡三爹将保存二百年的家传《大周秘史》稿本送给王闿运
- 三 新政给古城长沙带来了生机
- 四 一方菊花砚，凝结了维新志士的友谊
- 五 谭嗣同举杯：我们对着苍天神明起誓
- 六 王闿运妙解《枫桥夜泊》
- 七 叔姬将初恋珍藏在心灵最深处
- 八 一阕《玉漏迟》，闺阁压倒须眉
- 第三章 浅涉政坛
- 一 谭嗣同千里迢迢为徐致靖送来紧急家书
- 二 自古以来在中国要办成大事，光凭嘴巴子没有刀把子是不行的
- 三 袁世凯牢记嗣父的教导：官场犹如戏场，最大的本事在于做假的功夫技巧
- 四 新建陆军统帅是当今官场上的凤毛麟角
- 五 江亭初题《百字令》：西山王气但黯然，极目斜阳衰草
- 六 潭柘寺定情
- 七 接到夏寿田送的宫花后，叔姬在病榻上整整躺了半个月
- 八 湘绮老人传授帝王之学的真谛
- 第四章 佛门俗客
- 一 怪木匠齐白石
- 二 老衲无聊题红叶
- 三 佛学原来竟是如此深奥而有趣
- 四 觉幻长老传衣钵
- 五 无意中遇到了哥老会头目
- 六 倭国古刀与松花念珠
- 第五章 八日榜眼
- 一 借讨好周妈的小手腕，消除了王闿运的恼怒
- 二 张之洞眼中的高才
- 三 癸卯科会试在冷冷清清中收了场
- 四 八大胡同寻静竹
- 五 亦竹告诉静竹：你就要做榜眼公夫人了
- 六 “梁头康足”毁了榜眼公的锦绣前程
- 第六章 亡命扶桑
- 一 五年前出逃的惊险情景，梁启超终生不会忘记
- 二 王照的一句话，道出了戊戌政变的真正原因
- 三 杨度为梁启超的书斋饮冰室题名
- 四 智凡带来了八指头陀的信：朵朵莲花托观音
- 五 若道中华国果亡，除是湖南人尽死
- 六 从看到千惠子的第一眼起，杨度就喜欢上了这个美丽的日本女郎
- 七 樱花丛中，杨度与田中探讨中国的富强之路
- 八 遗失在中国的千年古刀又回到了藤原家族
- 九 藤原对今天的留日生讲述古代遣唐使的故事
- 杨度【中】王道
- 第一章 借尸还魂
- 一 各路英豪聚会普迹市共图大业
- 二 杨度独自来到牛石岭祭奠谭嗣同
- 三 在圣公会牧师的帮助下，黄兴机智地逃出险境
- 四 王闿运为初出茅庐的弟子出谋划策
- 五 首战告捷，令张之洞刮目相看
- 六 博爱丸上，杨度静下心对回国三个月来的经历做了一番清理
- 七 千惠子向故园归来的英雄献上一束腊梅花
- 八 初次会晤，杨度就认定孙中山是个磊落大丈夫
- 九 杨度握着孙中山的手说：我事成，愿先生助我；先生事成，我将助先生
- 十 袁世凯为宪政出了一个极好的点子
- 十一 熊希龄东渡日本找枪手
- 十二 杨度道出借尸还魂的奥妙，终于说服了梁启超
- 第二章 丁未政潮
- 一 孙毓筠造反被捕，却意外地受到礼遇
- 二 千惠子的眼泪，藤原勾画的蓝图，把准备回国的杨度的心迷乱了
- 三 梁夫人轻柔地对皙子说：兄弟，一腔热血不洒在自己的国土上，算什么中华好男儿
- 四 千惠子轻轻一曲《上邪》，直唱得杨度五脏六腑都翻腾起来
- 五 丁未年北京城，政界风潮迭起，动荡不安
- 六 张之洞与袁世凯商议奏调杨度进京
- 第三章 投身袁府
- 一 为接儿媳妇回家，老名士煞费心机
- 二 王闿运为进京做官的弟子准备了两份特殊礼品
- 三 儿子的情人转眼间做了老子的姨太太
- 四 袁世凯要杨度转告梁启超，他不是戊戌政变的告密者
- 五 杨度踏遍西山，下定决心要寻到静竹的墓穴
- 六 静竹做出异乎寻常的抉择
- 七 看到《大周秘史》的扉页题词，袁世凯有意成全杨度
- 八 即使是秉承士为知己者死的古训，杨度也甘愿为袁世凯驱驰
- 第四章 山雨欲来
- 一 大喜之夜，杨度和亦竹双双来到静竹的房里
- 二 临终前夕，慈禧为中国选择了最后一位皇帝
- 三 徐世昌来到袁府，为把兄弟划策渡难关
- 四 醇王府里，母子夫妻兄弟为争权夺利吵得不可开交
- 五 锡拉胡同与肃王府的密谋在同时进行
- 六 张之洞巧叙前朝旧事，救了袁世凯一命
- 七 冷冷清清的前门火车站，前来给袁世凯送行的只有严修和杨度
- 八 江亭再题《百字令》：昨宵一梦兼春远，梦里江山更好
- 九 悟宇长老指明朝廷亡在旦夕的三个征兆
- 第五章 洹上私谋
- 一 奉内阁总理之命，杨度连夜奔赴彰德府
- 二 野老胸中负兵甲，钓翁眼底小王侯
- 三 张謇私下对袁世凯许愿：倒掉皇族内阁后由你来做总理
- 四 杨度没有料到，袁世凯居然想当大总统
- 五 茶叶蛋里的四字情书：忍死须臾
- 六 袁世凯隆重宴请刚出牢门的汪精卫
- 七 杨度和汪精卫联合发起国事共济会
- 八 杨度对革命党人亮了底牌：袁世凯不是曾国藩
- 九 静竹的鼓励，自我的检讨，使杨度相信自己的转变没有错
- 十 南下就职前夜，北京城闹起了兵变
- 杨度【下】情痴
- 第一章 一拍即合
- 一 八指头陀笑道：和尚如此厌倦红尘，何不出家
- 二 八指头陀向杨度讲授佛家哲理：人世好比一个圆圈
- 三 袁世凯巧妙地逼迫熊希龄在解散国民党的命令上副署
- 四 袁克定决心效法太原公子
- 五 今日的太原公子与未来的房玄龄一拍即合
- 六 夏寿田对亡妾的深情眷恋，使叔姬心里很不是味道
- 七 杨度和梁启超都把宝押在蔡锷身上
- 八 湘绮楼庭院，王氏祖孙三代赏月联诗
- 九 进京途中，王闿运为旧时名妓书写《洛神赋》
- 十 老于应对的袁世凯，面对周妈，不知如何称呼为好
- 第二章 筹安会首
- 一 日本公使夜进居仁堂
- 二 从秦汉到前清，哪个办大事的人不想做宰相
- 三 发生在云吉班里的风流壮举
- 四 袁世凯题赠的金匾高高悬挂在杨度的厅堂上
- 五 孙毓筠为即将建立的机构取名筹安会
- 六 严复说华风之弊，八字尽之：始于作伪，终于无耻
- 七 梁启超宣布：复辟帝制一事，哪怕全国都赞成，我也断不能赞成
- 八 国史馆的饷银居然被周大拿去赌博
- 九 静竹为皙子亵渎了他们圣洁的爱情伤心
- 十 正阳门城楼上，郭垣对袁克定谈北京王气
- 十一 八大胡同的妓女为中华帝国取了一个动听的年号：洪宪
- 十二 袁克定破釜沉舟，要把帝制推行到底
- 十三 皙子，早日奉母南归，我在湘绮楼为你补上老庄之学
- 第三章 小红低唱
- 一 千年前的《推背图》上便已载明袁克定要做皇帝
- 二 看到蔡锷拍来的独立通电后，袁世凯大骂杨度是蒋干
- 三 究竟是人生不宜久处顺境呢，还是顺境原本就是诱人堕落的陷阱
- 四 落难的杨度依旧羡慕宋代宰相赠妾与人的雅事
- 第四章 由庄入佛
- 一 杨度在迷惘困惑中为恩师撰写挽联
- 二 临终前，静竹劝杨度读读佛经
- 三 八指头陀的诗集将杨度引进佛学王国
- 四 一个万籁俱寂的庐山月夜，杨度终于领悟了佛门的最高境趣
- 五 叔姬把五彩鸳鸯荷包送给了心中永远的情人
- 六 虎陀禅师为信徒们开传法会
- 第五章 中山特使
- 一 禅意发挥到极致，原本与艺术的最高境界相通
- 二 梅兰芳几句俗家之言，无意间触及了佛门天机
- 三 尚拟一挥筹运笔，书生襟抱本无垠
- 四 在陈炯明叛变的危急时刻，杨度践约帮了孙中山的忙
- 五 千惠子在寒山寺立下中日合璧诗碑
- 六 孙中山交给杨度两个使命
- 七 江亭三题《百字令》：卅年一梦，江山人物俱老
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About the author
Tang Haoming (born 1946) is a native of Hengyang, Hunan, and a contemporary writer and editor at Yuelu Press. He has long been engaged in organizing Hunan's local documents and led the compilation of The Complete Works of Zeng Guofan, through which he gained a deep familiarity with late Qing historical sources. Beyond this editorial work, he turned to writing full-length historical novels, producing Zeng Guofan, Yang Du, and Zhang Zhidong, the last published in three volumes. He has also written a series of commentaries on Zeng Guofan and a reading of his diaries, touching on literary appreciation and prose miscellany; his works are often classified as documentary literature and historical reading. Grounded in historical sources, his writing is steady in tone and attentive to how individuals fare and choose amid sweeping change, and he has exerted wide influence both in historical fiction and in Zeng Guofan studies.
