"Student's True Nature -- A Biography of Hu Shih: A Biography of Hu Shih

Author: Zhu Xiaojiang
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: 2002-12-01
: So far, there have been many biographies of Hu Shi. Setting aside Hu Shi's own Forty Years of Self-Reminiscence and Hu Shi's Oral Autobiography, the well-documented works such as Hu Shi: A Critical Essay by Hu Ming, the innovative ones like Hu Shi: A Critical Biography by Li Ao, and the humorous ones like Reminiscences of Hu Shi by Tang Degang are all favorites of mine. As a popular reading, this small book is somewhat "primitive," as it can only introduce some anecdotes of the subject in a "sketch-like" style and cannot provide a detailed critique of Hu Shi's academic thoughts. However, despite this, the author still has his own ideals: to capture the cultural charm of Hu Shi as much as possible by selecting "authentic" materials. If readers develop an interest in Hu Shi's cultural ideas after reading this book—just as I did when I read The Great Strategy of Life a decade ago—they may then choose to read or even fully engage with Hu Shi's own writings and lectures, which would be the author's honor. Culture lies in accumulation, and a cultural master like Hu Shi should occupy a very important place in our contemporary cultural construction—whether it be national or ethnic cultural development, or the enhancement of personal cultural cultivation. This book is divided into ten chapters, including: Introduction, Childhood, Shanghai-Taipei-Anhui, "Early Training" and "Reciting Books," A Fresh World in Vernacular Novels, Agnostic; Studying in Shanghai, Rising Four Levels in Four Years, A Trendsetting Youth on Shanghai Streets, The Weekly Competition, China's New Public School; Studying in the U.S. for Seven Years, Darkness Before Dawn, A New Atmosphere in a Foreign Land, Following Interest, Forced onto the Spotlight; The Turbulent Age, When the Wind Stirred, Turning the Spring Waters into Mists, A Professor at Peking University, China's Cultural Renaissance, Organizing the Classics and "Killing the Ghosts"; Scholars Discussing Politics, "Politics Is an Unbearable New Effort of Mine," During My European Journey, The Human Rights Debate Under the of The Crescent, An Independent Spirit; Ambassador to the U.S., A Soldier Crossing the River, Traveling a Thousand Miles and Delivering a Hundred Lectures, "Tung Oil Loans" and "Yunnan Tin Loans," Resigning; President of Peking University, Returning to the Homeland, President of Peking University, Almost Becoming "President," Leaving Campus, Departing the Country; A Wandering Soul, Baby-Sitter in an Apartment, The Birthday Resolution, Hu Shi in Both Halves of the Island; Returning to Taiwan, President of the Academia Sinica, The Free China Case, The Last Lecture, A Brief Chronology of Hu Shi's Life, Afterword (Detailed Content).