The Diary of Wu Mi, Volume 2: 1917~1924

Author: Wu Mi
Editor-in-Chief: Wu Bin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-03-01
Features: This book is a record of the academic career, personal experiences, and activities and interactions of the renowned scholar Mr. Wu Mi in academia, as well as a precious documentation of the history of Chinese academia and education in the 20th century. Excerpt: I have long known the benefits of keeping a diary. During my years at Tsinghua, I accumulated several volumes. When I reviewed them, I was often unsatisfied. This was because my thoughts were scattered and my knowledge limited, leaving me to mock the frog in the well, which was truly pitiful. However, I believed that if I were to travel to America, the new things and experiences would flood my mind, overwhelming me and leaving me no time to process them. I would surely find ways to utilize them, and thus, a diary would be indispensable. Since arriving in America, it has been over two months, and exactly a hundred days since leaving my country. The journey was exhausting and tiring, and after classes, I had even less time. Dazedly passing the days, I never managed to write a single word in my diary. Considering myself a duty-bound person, I wondered how to explain such neglect. Moreover, I had plenty of good material every day, yet to discard it was deeply regrettable. The longer I waited, the harder it would be to catch up. There is no other solution but to start today, first to prevent further accumulation, and gradually to make it easier. As for the backlog from the previous days, I will clear it when I have the time. Today is Thanksgiving Day in America,1 and it is a perfect occasion to commemorate the renewal of the self. May I never forget this. November 29, 1917, written in my residence in Charlottesville, America.
Purpose and Materials of This Diary
1. Record daily incidents, observations, thoughts, and feelings that can add interest to my life history, provide conversation topics, and serve as materials for future works such as "a great novel" and "autobiography."
2. Record American opinions, book and newspaper accounts related to the future of my country, and all significant or minor events of the times that can serve as lessons or models. I will investigate their importance, as well as my readings and reflections, intending to preserve them for my fellow countrymen and women.
3. Record my life's responsibilities, career plans, moral and intellectual progress, as recorded in my diary, to self-discipline, measure progress over time, and weigh gains and losses.
4. Compile the notes into volumes and send them to my relatives and friends in China as a substitute for letters.
(1) Daily incidents. History of my life. Happy remembrances.①
(2) A big and miscellaneous notebook of: (i) Observations. (ii) Conversations and Lectures. (iii) Reading of (a) Books, (b) Newspapers and Magazines. (iv) Reflections and Opinions for future Reference.②
(3) Moral Preceptor. Conscious development of my own Character and Intellect.③
(4) Substitute for Letters to my Relatives and Friends in China. Expression of Love and other Impulses.④
Method of Writing This Diary
1. Dedicate a little spare time to it every day. In spare moments; every day.⑤
2. Mix Chinese and English, using them interchangeably.