Long River Solitary Journey: The Ninety Years of Life's Vicissitudes of Huang Wanli

Author: Zhao Cheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Renowned hydraulic engineering expert and Tsinghua University professor Huang Wanli, hailed as a model of conscience in 20th-century China for his pragmatic and straightforward approach, was born into a distinguished family, mentored by renowned scholars, and initially studied at Tangshan Jiaotong University. He later pursued advanced studies in hydraulic engineering at Cornell University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Illinois, earning both master's and doctoral degrees. He worked on water conservancy projects in Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast China, insisting on field investigations and scientific practices. In 1957, based on the realities of the Yellow River, he firmly opposed the construction of the Sanmenxia Dam and criticized the planning of Soviet experts. Additionally, his book Whispers in the Flower Grove, which directly exposed societal issues, led to his persecution as a rightist and years of suffering. After 22 years, he was finally exonerated and returned to the lecture hall to continue his fight for hydraulic truth until his death at the age of 90. With the authorization of Huang Wanli's family, the author has written his biography, providing nearly 200 precious photographs to witness the passage of history. The book comprehensively portrays Huang Wanli's father, the famous educator and revolutionary Huang Yanpei, his wife Ding Yujun, and her father Ding Weifeng, a founding member of the Kuomintang. It also vividly recounts the lives of Huang Wanli's martyred older brother, Huang Mengfu, who served as Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, as well as his father Jingwu, and numerous other members of the Huang family, along with his students, friends, and relatives, including three generations of maidservants, three generations of doctoral scholars, international relatives, academicians' spouses, and colleagues who shared his struggles. Reading it is like witnessing a historical scroll unfold before your eyes.