Biography of Hu Shi

Author: Li Ao
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-05-01
Features: Li Ao's Biography of Hu Shih is a contemporary biography with Hu Shih as one of its main subjects. Its purpose is not only to "paint" the "portrait" of Hu Shih but also to paint the portrait of that era, depicting the grand stage of the time, its comedy and tragedy, the main and supporting characters, the setting of the stage, the lives behind the scenes, and even the countless eyes in front of the stage. The great British statesman Oliver Cromwell once cursed those who painted his portrait by saying, "The portrait must be of me." These words can serve as a warning to anyone who wants to paint the portrait of others. Hu Shih is not an easily understood person, so he is also not easily judged. Those who have not received rigorous training in methods and history, those who have not learned to breathe the air of the new era, cannot paint his "portrait." Li Ao, however, claims that only he can write the true biography of Hu Shih. Li Ao's Biography of Hu Shih is also a representative work of his writing style. From the main text, it may seem literary; from the footnotes, it may seem historical; from the margins, it may seem all-pervading and sensational. As a result, many readers of this biography may feel surprised and shocked, just as Li Ao himself said about this biography: "It is neither liked by gentlemen nor by petty men—only those who are in tune with Li Ao will like it." This book is a biography of Hu Shih, but it is not just a personal biography of Hu Shih—it is a biography of the era, an era with Hu Shih as one of its main subjects.