Chen Yinque is the most famous historian, classical literature researcher and linguist in modern China. One of the four philosophers of Tsinghua's century-old school history.
Since 1902, Chen Yinque has studied abroad many times. During his study abroad, he studied diligently, accumulated all kinds of knowledge, and had the reading ability in eight languages, including French and German.
1925, Chen Yinque returned to China. At this time, Tsinghua University established the Institute of Chinese Studies. "Its basic concept is to organize the national heritage with modern scientific methods." Wu Mi, then director of the institute, valued him very much and thought that he was "the most learned man in China". Liang Qichao also respected him very much and modestly introduced to people: "Teacher Chen's knowledge is better than mine." 1June, 926, at the age of 36, he was recruited as the tutor of the research institute together with Liang Qichao and Wang Guowei, and was called the "Tsinghua Big Three". When he lectures, or quotes many languages, he proves history; Or quote a poem to quote history, just say it, but the source of the text is all accurate, and the accompanying explanation is even more accurate and impressive.
Chen Yinque was blind in his later years, but he continued to compile and write books. "I am not afraid of hard work, the classic camp, I am hiding in this manuscript." Its perseverance spirit is really earth-shattering and makes people cry. "
In his inscription on the monument of Wang Guowei in 1929, he first put forward the academic spirit and value orientation of pursuing "independent spirit and free thought".
In his reply to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (1 953 65438+February1), he put forward two conditions for being the director of the Second Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Article 1: "The Institute of Medieval History is allowed not to worship Marxism-Leninism and not to study politics." Article 2: "Please ask Gong Mao or Gong Liu to give a permit as a shield." And said: "This means that Mao Gong is the highest political authority of the Party and Gong Liu is the highest person in charge of the Party. I think the highest authorities should share my views, starting with myself. Otherwise, there will be no academic research. " So I can't take office. Still teaching at Sun Yat-sen University. "Independent spirit and free thought" shows us the unique character of the literati in the Republic of China. With the chaos of the times and the turmoil of the current situation, Mr. Chen Yinque did not get involved in the blood of politics, but insisted on academic independence, just as judicial independence was gradually valued by today's society. That kind of rigor, reverence and even piety for academics is beyond the reach of people in today's impetuous society.
He doesn't participate in politics, but it doesn't mean that he is locked in an ivory tower. Is to see through the political darkness and save the country by learning.
He has a deep knowledge of western learning and a strong academic background, but he loves China culture very much and adheres to the cultural standards of China. He has always been a cultural concept, that is, "on the one hand, absorbing and introducing foreign theories, on the other hand, not forgetting the status of his own nation." These two opposing and complementary attitudes are the true spirit of Taoism, the old way of Neo-Confucianism and the history of ideological contact between our nation and other nations in 2000. Mr. Chen's ultimate concern and realistic concern are always inseparable. For the development of today's nation, we should study history, China and the West. Chinese and western cultures collide fiercely in this era. Among the literati, there are Hu Shi who stubbornly advocates western learning, Gu Hongming who insists on Chinese studies and is almost paranoid, and Chen Yinque who refines both. His bearing of connecting the preceding with the following and connecting China and the West is really amazing.
Scholars in the Republic of China are full of contradictions and close to tragedy in the historical legacy and the development of the times. At the same time, they also opened up a brand-new road for future generations, taking themselves as experiments and completing the painful self-transformation.
This is the best time and the worst time. "The literati of the Republic of China are not only the last generation of literati in China history, but also the ideological pioneers who rushed to the forefront of the times."