Scholars on the Century Gate: Sun Yat-sen

Author: Deng Jiaying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: His character is like bamboo, possessing a refined and elegant demeanor, unyielding integrity, tenacious growth in adverse soil, a humble and open heart, and a noble spirit that remains steadfast despite adversity. Zheng Banqiao’s poem seems tailor-made for him:
"Clamping fast to the green hills,
Roots originally in the broken rock.
Through thousands of trials, still firm,
Unfazed by east, west, north, or south wind."
He was labeled as "China’s Liebermann" and fell victim to the campaign of criticism and struggle. Some said, "The political climate is tense outside, don’t speak up anymore!" He waved his sleeves and replied, "I am an economist, not a meteorologist. Wind? Sorry, I haven’t studied that stuff!"
In prison, he wrote a draft of Socialist Economic Theory, over 300,000 words in length, in the form of an outline. It was truly arduous! Once a chapter with analysis and insights was completed, the drafted text would vanish when he tried to outline the next chapter. He had to rewrite it twice, three times, and so on. With the perseverance that moved storms and wept ghosts, he wrote the draft eighty-five times in total. Throughout history, from the earliest counting with knots to the invention of phonetic scripts, has there ever been anyone who undertook such a grand endeavor?
He was passionate about academic freedom and open debate, advocating for named public discussions. At one conference, he handed a note to Yu Guangyuan, saying they had already debated eight issues and hoped to complete an even dozen. "I’m an old cow who can’t produce milk anymore!" Even in his final days, he endured his illness to write the article Not Only Is Doubling the Economy in 20 Years Politically Guaranteed, but Also Technologically Guaranteed. Leaders like Hu Yaobang and Chen Yun praised his writing. This was the last drop of red tears shed by the candle of life.