An anecdote about a big figure in the literary world of the Republic of China: Hu Shi switched to liberal arts because he didn’t know how to read apples

When Zhang Taiyan was in Japan, he wrote a note to Wang Yunzong: "Now I don't have a single coin, so I am begging to borrow two silver coins to buy cigarettes." Jiang Weiqiao, who lived in the same room, said: "Since I have borrowed money from others, Why don't you borrow a few more yuan?" Zhang replied: "This gentleman only has a friendship of two yuan."

Zhang Taiyan has never known beauty in his life, and he does not even know how to appreciate the beauty of nature. Someone invited him to visit the mountains, but he said that he didn't know what mountains were and that he couldn't be interested in them anyway.

Hu Shi was originally an admirer of Zhang Taiyan, and after he became famous, he often asked Zhang for advice. But after asking for advice, a problem was solved, and he immediately refuted and attacked Zhang Taiyan as a means of becoming famous.

When Hu Shi first arrived in the United States as an intern at Cornell Agricultural College, it took him two and a half hours to distinguish 20 types of apples from more than 30 varieties. He had to transfer to liberal arts. Otherwise, there will be one more science professor and one less literary and historical master in Chinese history.

In 1914, Tao Xingzhi was studying at Jinling University and was very poor. He borrowed money from friends, but his relatives and friends replied with a letter quoting an ancient poem: "Ten buckles of firewood will not open nine of them." After receiving the letter, Tao did not mind, but Change it to "a hundred-knot firewood door with ten openings."

In 1917, Cai Yuanpei was appointed president of Peking University. On his first day at school, the school officials lined up at the door to salute him respectfully; he also took off his hat and bowed to the school officials in a polite manner, breaking the tradition of previous principals ignoring the school officials. .

On May 9, 1919, Cai Yuanpei resigned as president of Peking University and quietly went to Tianjin. He also left a piece of "notice" saying: "I am tired! 'The one who kills the king and the horse is beside the road.' 'The people are tired and can rest for a while.' I would like to rest less."

In 1920, Xia Yan wrote five novels in one breath and sent them to the Creation Society, but they were all rejected. From then on, he changed his mind and stopped writing novels, and later dominated the literary world as a playwright.

Luo Longji once jokingly boasted: "Tsinghua University has been in nine years, and only the principal has been replaced." Tsinghua University has an eight-year system, but due to the turmoil, he stayed for one year. Wen Yiduo said: "What's that? I stayed in Tsinghua for one year and ten years each." Wen stayed in Tsinghua for one year because he didn't learn English in his first year, and finally stayed for another year because of the turmoil. , so ten years.

Young man Mao Yisheng loved bridges. Whenever he read ancient poems and articles about bridges, he would extract them into a book. When he saw pictures of bridges, he would also cut and paste them and collect them.

Zhang Zongxiang said that Jiang Baili once persuaded him to read "Yesou Exposed Words" when he was a boy, and Jiang Qie regarded himself as a literary minister. Zhang believed that he was greedy for literature and had too many things to do, and that he could do nothing; but Chiang did not study politics, philosophy, literature, foreign languages, and fine arts from then on.

When Xiong Xiling was the Prime Minister of the Beiyang Communist Party, he invited Wang Kai to visit Zhonghai in Beijing one day. At that time, the State Council was located in Jilingnan. The king asked where this place was, and the bear said it was the gathering place. The king said: "Oh, the four spirits will eliminate you, Phoenix, Linlong."

Song Chunfang served as an official. He said that being an official is also a profession; if you are not an expert, not only will you not make any money, but you will also cause trouble and make jokes. In the 9th or 10th year of the Republic of China, there was a "Guanxue" in Shanghai, which shows that being an official is not only a profession, but also a kind of knowledge.

Song Chunfang has been a professor in Peking and Shanghai for more than ten years. He said: "Based on all the strange current situations I have heard and witnessed in the past two years, professors must not only be able to teach, but also have the strategy of 'joining vertical and horizontal' politicians."

Yun Tieqiao because Three of his sons died of typhoid fever, so he gave up writing to study typhoid fever. Later, he used a prescription to cure the fourth son of typhoid fever. From then on, he officially started practicing medicine and edited "Tiehan Medical Monthly".

When Shen Zonghan was studying at Zhejiang Azhong Agricultural School, he practiced compost making. One day, a classmate splashed cow urine into his mouth while trampling on him, and said to Shen, "Urine tastes like salt?" Shen said, "The smell of urine proves that it is a salt-based fertilizer, which is very gratifying." From then on, Shen gave up literature and determined to specialize in agricultural science.

Chengshe was arrested by Zhang Zongchang and narrowly escaped being killed. Later, Cheng met Zhang who had left the field. Zhang apologized repeatedly while Cheng laughed wildly. He later said: "This smile is the most sincere smile from my heart and one that I will never forget."