Yuan Tongli (1895 ~ 1965) is a Chinese American librarian and bibliographer. Keep peace. Xu Shui, Hebei. Born in Beijing. 19 16 graduated from Peking University. 1942 used to be the director of Beiping Library. From 65438 to 0949, he went to the United States and worked in the Library of Congress and Stanford University Institute. When Yuan Tongli was the director of Beiping Library, he hired some experts to lay the foundation for book collection, cataloging and bibliography. He is the messenger of cultural exchange in China and the pioneer of modern library in China. He is the author of Textual Research on Yongle Dadian, Outline of Private Book Collection in Song Dynasty, Outline of Private Book Collection in Ming Dynasty, Outline of Private Book Collection in Qing Dynasty, Music Books in China, Bibliography of Western Languages and Sinology (English version), etc.
Chinese name: Yuan Tongli
Alias: Zi Shouhe
Nationality: USA
Ethnic group: Han nationality
Place of birth: Beijing
Date of birth: 1895
Date of death: 1965
Occupation: librarian
Graduate school: Peking University.
Masterpiece: Examination of Yongle Grand Ceremony
The life of the character
Yuan Tongli, whose real name is Shouhe, 1895 was born in Beijing, China. 19/kloc-graduated from Peking University in 0/6, joined Tsinghua campus library in the same year, and worked as a librarian of Ren Qinghua school in 0/917. 19 18, he was elected president of Beijing Library Association. 1920 won a scholarship to go to the United States for further study, entered Columbia University and new york State Library College, 1922 received a bachelor's degree in literature, and the following year received a bachelor's degree in library science from new york State Library College. 1923 to 1924, I studied in the graduate school of London University for one year, studied in the Paris Classical School, and worked in the Library of Congress. /kloc-returned to China at the end of 0/924, and served as the librarian of Guangdong Lingnan University and the secretary of China Library Association. From 1925 to 1927, he was a professor and librarian of bibliography and library science in the National Peking University. 1926 to 1929 as the director of Beijing Library. From 1929 to 1948, he served as deputy director and curator of the National Beiping Library. During his tenure, he established various rules and regulations of the library, carried out library business, and was divided into interview, cataloging, circulation, reference and other departments by library work, recruited talents, sent personnel to study abroad, founded library periodicals, conducted academic research, and edited various card catalogs, linked catalogs and bibliographic indexes. , set an example for the modern library in China, and was well received by the book and academic circles. 1945, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in law by the University of Pittsburgh. 1949 settled in the United States, 1949 to 1957 served as the editorial director of Stanford university research institute. From 1957 to 1965, he returned to work in the Library of Congress, where he was an editor of bibliographic abstracts and a consultant of China literature in the Library of Congress. 1957 retired and worked in the cataloging department of the library of congress. 1965 died of cancer in Washington in February. When Yuan Tongli was the director of Beiping Library, he hired some experts to lay the foundation for book collection, cataloging and bibliography. He has made great contributions to the library cause in China and is one of the main activists of the new library movement. There are deep researches on ancient books, including Textual Research on Yongle Dadian, Outline of Private Books in Song Dynasty, Outline of Private Books in Ming Dynasty and Outline of Private Books in Qing Dynasty. There are abundant historical materials, and there are many incisive theories on the analysis and research of the historical materials of private book collectors in Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties. After going to the United States, we mainly discussed Hongfu, including Catalogue of China's Economic and Social Development History, Bibliography of China's Rare Books Collected by the Library of Congress, Bibliography of Western Languages and Sinology, Bibliography of China Students Studying in the United States, Bibliography of Modern Mathematics Research in China, Bibliography of China's Doctoral Theses Studying in European Countries, Xinjiang Research Series and Bibliography of Fine Arts in China.
Personal experience
Yuan Tongli 19 16 graduated from Peking University and worked in Tsinghua Library. He studied in the History Department of Columbia University and new york State Library College successively, and obtained a bachelor's degree from new york State Library School. 1924 returned to China and served as the librarian of Guangdong Lingnan University. 65438-0925 Professor of Cataloguing Department of Peking University, librarian and president of Beijing Library Association. From 65438 to 0926, he served as director of Beijing Library, deputy director in June of the following year, and director from 65438 to 0929. 1In August, 929, he served as deputy director of Beiping Library, acting as librarian. 1937 engaged in the collection and arrangement of books and materials in southwest China after the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. 1September, 1945, served as the director of Beiping Library. 1September 1949, worked in the Library of Congress. 195 1 year as editor-in-chief of Stanford university research institute. 1957 Participate in the cataloging work of American libraries. 1965 retired.
Personal deeds
Protect the rare books in War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression
Before the July 7th Incident, as the situation in Peiping became more and more tense, Yuan Tongli was worried that the rare books carefully collected and kept by Peiping Library for so many years would fall into Japanese hands, so he transported 180 boxes of A shares, 120 boxes of B shares and ***300 boxes of rare books to the Shanghai French Concession for preservation, and began to exist in the library of Beiping Road Science Society in Ban Lü Road Town. 1June, 940, after the defeat of France, most of its rights in the Far East fell into the hands of the Japanese. Japanese military police were allowed to search at any time in the French Concession, and many things of China government stored in the French Concession were seized by Japan. The academic circles are worried about the safety of these 300 boxes of rare books, and Yuan Tongli is even more uncomfortable. He began to plan to transport these books into the United States and store them in the Library of Congress for temporary storage.
Yuan Tongli turned to US Ambassador to China Zhan Sen and Shanghai Consul General Gary Locke for help. Both of them thought that this was China's own business and should be solved by China people themselves. At this time, Beiping Library has moved to Kunming. During the Japanese bombing, there were three consecutive bombings. Long-distance transshipment also requires a sum of money, which is equally difficult and unsafe in the bombing environment at that time. Especially in terms of funds, the inflation in the rear area is getting worse and worse, and the scholars and staff in the museum who have moved from afar are having a hard time, and even their normal wages cannot be guaranteed. At the same time, the Japanese began to buy a large number of literature and history materials and precious books scattered all over the country. Yuan Tongli, who is good at this, is fully aware of Japan's intentions and possible cultural losses, and tries his best to buy it. He applied for funds from the National Government, but he was constantly excluded and suppressed by the Central Library and the Ministry of Education of the National Government. At this time, the Ministry of Education allocated 800,000 US dollars to domestic academic institutions. National Southwest Associated University and Academia Sinica each received $35,000, and Central Library 10000. At first, Beiping Library didn't give any money. Yuan Tongli wrote and argued, and gave $65,438+0,700. Later, in a letter to Hu Shi, Yuan cursed: this kind of distribution "has nothing to do, and the distribution of funds has the nature of sharing stolen goods." Apply to the China Foundation for books. The Chinese book purchase fee is only 6,000 yuan (national currency, 1 US dollar can be converted into 30 yuan national currency), while the western book purchase fee is reduced from the initial 50,000 yuan to 25,000 yuan.
On June194165438+10/8, Hu Shi called on mcleish, the curator of the National Assembly Library, and contacted Beiping Library about the temporary storage of rare books. Hu Shi promised him that after these books were shipped, he would allow the Library of Congress to take all microfilms, but asked him to take three photos, one for the Library of Congress and the other two for China when these books were shipped back. Mcleish agreed.
In order to prevent them from being taken away by the Japanese during customs clearance or transportation, Hu Shi found the State Council in the United States and told the people of China that these books were very important. Now the Library of Congress has promised to temporarily store them, but in the process of transportation, "non-American governments will send people to escort them to avoid danger." On February 1 day of the same year, Hu Shi found the Library of Congress again and asked the Library of Congress to send someone to Shanghai to help deliver it. Mcleish disagreed. He thought that if the delivery failed, it might attract the attention of the Japanese. But anyway, the Library of Congress agreed to shelve it. Yuan Tongli has no money and no one, so there are many difficulties. Hu Shi asked Wang Zhongmin to consult with Wu Guangqing. As a result of the negotiation, Hu Shi paid for it and sent Wang Zhongmin back to act.
On February 2nd of the same year, Hu Shi wrote several letters of introduction for Wang Zhongmin. On February 3rd, Wang Zhongmin set out. On the 4th, while waiting for the bus in Chicago, Wang Zhongmin wrote a letter to Hu Shi, because Hu Shi asked Wang Zhongmin to buy another book "Twenty-four History Series Integration" for him from the Commercial Press, and the Library of Congress also asked him to buy another batch of books from the Commercial Press, so Wang Zhongmin wanted to see if he could mix these books with them and take them out. On the 6th, when Wang Zhongmin arrived in San Francisco, he sent another letter to improve the above scheme. When passing through the customs with these books, if you give him the title of agent of the Library of Congress, "it may not be difficult to stay", which requires Hu Shi to send a letter of authorization to mcleish and send it back. At the same time, he is worried that if word gets out that "the enemy will send internal personnel to inspect", it will be in trouble.
On 28th, Wang Zhongmin arrived in Hongkong, where Yuan Tongli was waiting for him. They arrived in Shanghai together on March 4th. When I arrived in Shanghai, the situation in the concession surprised the people of Zhong Wang. The public concessions, including the French Concession, were tightly blocked by the Japanese army, and the French Concession was very unsafe. Fortunately, the traffic between the French concession and the public concession is quite convenient. Books must be shipped from the French Concession before they can be shipped to the United States. There is a handicraft company in Gongx Concession, with deep warehouse and good ventilation. Suitable for storing books, run by the British. It is relatively safe for the time being, and the other party agrees. So the two of them used trucks to transport these books to the company room within 12 and 13 days. After processing, Wang Zhongmin telegraphed Hu Shi, ready to think of some way to start shipping. In order to facilitate transportation, Zhong Wang Min and Yuan Tongli rented a house of another company next to them. They opened the boxes one by one, picked out those books that were heavy and of great academic value, and then selected the best and most refined ones from edition engraving and content. The number of boxes has been reduced to 100, all boxes have been numbered, and all books have been catalogued, one in Chinese and two in English. They were busy for three weeks.
On the other hand, Yuan Tongli began to clear customs to see what method could be used to transport the books safely. However, Shanghai Customs has been completely watched by the Japanese. Ding Guitang, the Commissioner of Customs, is a native of China. He holds the highest position in the customs and has been friends with Yuan Tongli for many years. Ding Guitang thought of three ways: first, give the book box to the US Consul General in Shanghai, which belongs to the US government and is completely transported by the US, and the customs can issue bank cards; Second, refit old suitcases and take them to Hong Kong or other places through passengers' luggage. If they bring 20 boxes up and down at a time, he can issue a certificate of exemption from inspection (this is how Hu Shi's eldest sons Hu Zuwang and Xu Dachun brought Hu Shi's books when they went to the United States); Third, if you can't hand over the book box to the American government first, you must have instructions from the Chongqing National Government before you can issue a certificate.
As soon as they got together, they first thought that the second method was not feasible. If the ready-to-wear boxes are reformed, the number of boxes will increase many times. At the same time, it is more difficult to buy old boxes than new ones. Even if you buy a modification in the company, it is very easy to leak the news. However, Yuan Tongli had already found the American Consulate General before, and they had refused, so they had to adopt the third method. So I called Chongqing for help from the National Government, but I didn't receive a reply from Kong Xiangxi until April 30th. It's almost 50 days, and they will forward it to Ding Guitang immediately. Ding Guitang quickly reported the matter to the Customs Commissioner Moore, who immediately called back to Kong Xiangxi and decided not to implement it. The reason is that in view of the dangerous precedent of transporting silver deposited in the China Bank in the Concession some time ago, the situation is more tense than at that time, so it is better not to transport it.
Wang Zhongmin couldn't see the situation clearly and couldn't stay any longer, so he left Shanghai for the United States with Hu Shi's second son Hu Sidu in mid-May. Yuan Tongli is still busy alone.
At this time, the Ministry of Education of the National Government originally promised to pay the freight of 3000 dollars. At this time, seeing that he couldn't ship it out for a while, his social education department found a reason to take it back and use it for other purposes. Hu Shi's righteous act, care and support undoubtedly gave Yuan Tongli great encouragement.
In mid-May, US Ambassador to China Zhan Sen arrived in Hong Kong. Knowing this, Yuan Tongli hurried to Hong Kong to seek Zhan Sen's help again. Jensen came up with an idea. He said that if the Beiping Library signed an agreement with the Library of Congress, stating that the Library of Congress would borrow these books for five years, and then the State Council authorized the Shanghai Consulate General to declare them as American property at customs declaration, it would be convenient and safe to transport them.
Yuan Tongli wrote to Hu Shi and asked him to do so. Hu Shi saw Wang Zhongmin's failure, and he was more worried about these books. After receiving the letter from Yuan Tongli, Hu Shi had to go to the State Council again to fight for it. But the State Council's attitude remains unchanged.
While waiting for Hu Shixin, Yuan Tongli returned to Shanghai in August and found the customs again. Perhaps moved by Yuan Tongli's insistence, the customs promised that if three or four cases were shipped at a time, there would be no need for a release certificate and it would be safe. But three or four cases at a time, how many times should this 100 case be shipped? What if the news leaks?
He went to the American Consul General in Shanghai, Lockhart, to see if the State Council had any instructions. Lockhart was also moved by his spirit and introduced him to Gregory, an American businessman, who opened a transshipment company here. Yuan Tongli didn't hold out much hope, but he hoped to come after hitting a wall many times. Hearing this, the American businessman immediately agreed and asked him to move these books to the US Navy warehouse at once. As long as there are warships passing through here, he will immediately send them to the ship responsibly and transport them to the place designated by the Chinese side in the United States. At the same time, he said that the first is that the delivery does not require the consent of the Consul General, and the second is that there is no freight charge.
Yuan Tongli was so happy that he almost threw up this time. After he came back, he discussed with Sun Hongfen, and then sent a message to Hu Shi, asking him to ask the State Council to call Lockhart to support this method. Hu Shi once again went to the State Council as an ambassador.
This batch of books has been delivered since mid-September. Because it is an urgent shipment and there is no reservation, there are often not many shipping spaces, but there are as many as there are. 100 cases are distributed in several batches, and because there is no customs responsibility, it is completely supported by American businessmen, so it is very careful when it is sent, and the recipients must change from time to time to avoid attracting attention. Among them, 27 cases were sent to the Library of Congress and 75 cases were sent to the Library of Canadian University.
This batch of books has been sent out and is already in the middle of 10. At this time, the dark clouds of the Pacific War are gathering overhead, and all American ships have stopped sailing in Shanghai. Yuan Tongli was relieved to see the books safely transferred, but he paid a heavy price himself. During this time, three people in his family got appendicitis, and the youngest daughter died unfortunately because she had no time to cut it.
After the book was sent, Yuan Tongli called Hu Shi and said, "After the boxes arrive in the United States, they should be stored in two places or concentrated in one place." Hu Shi was in charge. After all the books were sent, Hu Shi arrived at the University of California in February, 1942. After consultation, these 75 boxes of books were also moved to the Library of Congress. At the same time, Hu Shi also handed over the Han bamboo slips shipped to the United States to the Library of Congress for temporary storage.
On the issue of preserving rare books in Beiping Library, Hu Shixian served as a liaison. After the books arrived, he was responsible for supervising the preservation. In the middle, when Yuan Tongli was in a very difficult situation, he paid Wang Zhongmin to go back and carry them. His spirit and practice were in sharp contrast with the attitudes of some relevant departments of the National Government towards Yuan and these rare books.
1April, 946, Hu Shi began to prepare to return to China as the president of Peking University. /kloc-in June, 2000, he wrote to the American library director Hume to express his gratitude. "In the past eight and a half years, you have collected and protected Han bamboo slips and rare books in Beiping National Library, and made great contributions to China. All of us, anyone who knows and praises your excellent protection of these China treasures, will remember it for a long time. " On the 6th, Hu Shi handed the receipt and key to Wang Zhongmin, entrusted him with management, and said that "once it is shipped to Chase by sea in the future", it will be shipped back. 1947 began to go through the formalities of returning to China in the spring, but it was stopped because of the outbreak of civil war, and it was not shipped back to Taiwan Province Province until 1965.
Personal evaluation
Yuan Tongli was the promoter of the new library movement in China, and founded the China Library Association and the National Beiping Library, which marked the modernization of the library cause in China. He devoted his life to the two largest libraries in China and America, and he is an eternal model in the library field.