Journey of Thought: The Life and Career of Yin Haiguang

Author: Zhang Qing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: When interacting with Jin Yueling, Yin Haiguang gained the amiability and tolerance he craved as a young man; whereas with Xiong Shili, he felt dogmatism and extremism. He once attributed this difference to the influence of British empiricism versus Chinese thought, which also marked his own path in scholarship. However, in his later years, Yin grew to admire Xiong Shili—less for his academic work, and more for his "unworldly character" and "spirit of overturning the ages." Just as Yin Haiguang was preparing to apply to Tsinghua University's philosophy department in the summer of 1937, the Sino-Japanese War broke out. Since the "September 18th Incident," northern China had been shrouded in war shadows. Yet before 1937, schools in Beijing and Tianjin continued their academic activities uninterrupted. Jiang Menglin, then president of Peking University, once remarked: "From 1930 to 1937, over the seven years I steered Peking University, I devoted myself to guiding this ship of learning through the turbulent waves of the Sino-Japanese conflict." With the help of friends like Hu Shih, Ding Wenjiang, and, "Peking University managed to advance steadily, making only occasional adjustments to its sails." Once a vortex of revolutionary activities and student movements, Peking University gradually transformed into an academic center. Perhaps cherishing the achievements of these years, scholars, despite growing clouds of uncertainty, moved cautiously in shallow waters, avoiding swift currents to prevent direct confrontation with Japan's invasion of China. The Independent Review, a magazine founded by northern scholars during this period, reflected the intellectuals' diverse perspectives on the crisis. Living in the perilous northern city, Yin Haiguang surely had many thoughts. Shortly after arriving in Beijing, the "Xi'an Incident" occurred. One of his personal accounts revealed the influence on his future political stance: On a certain day in December, a tall, thin student in the dormitory said, "Today has been a greatly satisfying day for me." Yin asked, "Why?" He replied, "Zhang Xueliang in Xi'an has captured Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. Since he refuses to resist Japan, his capture has brought me great satisfaction." Hearing this, Yin Haiguang was deeply angered. He told the student, "I am deeply disappointed that Generalissimo Chiang is resisting Japan—it’s just that we’re not prepared yet, and the time isn’t right, so we haven’t acted. If he’s captured, who will lead the resistance? It seems our country is on the verge of disintegration." The two argued fiercely, each holding their ground, and their relationship completely broke, leaving them to avoid each other thereafter. On the night of the "July 7th Incident," Tsinghua University, located west of Beijing and adjacent to Wanping, could clearly hear the sounds of Japanese gunfire attacking the Marco Polo Bridge. Yin Haiguang may not have experienced the heartache of Tsinghua’s students during those days, but he witnessed the desolate scenes of panic and fear spreading across Beijing after Japan’s invasion. At this point, Yin knew that his dream of starting university in this conquered capital had been shattered by the worsening situation. He decided to return south with some classmates from the south. Having no travel funds, he sought help from Jin Yueling, the only person who could assist him in Beijing. Jin gave him 50 yuan as his travel allowance from Beijing to Hankou. Jin also said, "You should return to the south! The situation here is unstable, and I’m afraid you might end up stranded. The situation may not stabilize anytime soon. We’ll have to wait and see. I hope you return home safely." After staying in Beijing for nearly a year, Yin made his way back to his hometown, waiting for the situation to improve. In the spring of the following year, he learned that Tsinghua University, Peking University, and Nankai University had relocated to Kunming and merged to form Southwest Associated University (briefly referred to as SWU). Only then did he decide to go to Kunming to study and continue following Jin Yueling. P43-P44