Professor Shen Maode (from Baxian), Lv Zifang (from Baxian), Wu (from Jiangjin) and Peng Yongyi (from Chongqing) who were teaching in Chengdu University at that time were shocked and indignant. They drank in Wu, a dormitory in XiaoFujian, Chengdu, and attacked the current situation all night, feeling that China was poor and weak. An important source is the warlord system. Apart from general feelings, they unanimously advocated that people should be awakened according to Sun Yat-sen's legacy, universities should be established in Chongqing as soon as possible, education should be developed, and the young students in eastern Sichuan should have the opportunity to receive higher education instead of going to Beijing and Shanghai, so as to cultivate a large number of indomitable talents with both ability and political integrity and make contributions to saving the poor and weak motherland.
In order to set up a university in Chongqing quickly, Shen Maode and Zeng Jiyi suggested to Zhang Biaofang, president of Chengdu University, that a branch of Chengdu University be set up in Chongqing to simplify the organization and opening procedures of the school. However, Zhang Biaofang disagreed, so Professor Shen Maode used his vacation to return to Chongqing, and with his academic status and social prestige, he visited local celebrities and gentlemen in Chongqing. Wang (President of Chongqing Work-study School in France), Wen Shaohe, An et al. This paper explains the necessity of establishing a university in Chongqing, and points out that if there is a shortage of teachers, those of us who come from eastern Sichuan and teach in universities inside and outside the province can call on us to return to Chongqing, concentrate our intelligence and make great achievements. Although we taught at Chengdu University before the appointment, we decided to resign and go back to Chongqing to serve Mu Zi. Our meager donations, funds and school site all depended on the instructions of our seniors (Professor Peng Yongyi recalled).
Li Gongdu, Zhu, Wang, Wen Shaohe and An, five old Chongqing people, were well-known figures in academic and business circles at that time and had considerable social status. Li Gongdu used to be the director of the political department of the 2 1 Army stationed in Chongqing and the military adviser to Liu Xiang. Wen Shaohe and Li Kui An successively served as the presidents of Chongqing Chamber of Commerce, with strong appeal. With a shout, the 72 gangs affiliated to the Chamber of Commerce can respond in groups. As early as the winter of 1925, Li Kui An, the speaker of Ba County Council, formally put forward a motion in the parliament, proposing to organize Chongqing University, which shows that the elders had long planned to run a university. Therefore, I support Professor Shen Maode's idea and generally agree that 2 1 Army should levy hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Chamber of Commerce as the backing for organizing the start-up funds of Chongqing University.
After full brewing, the Chongqing University Promotion Association was established in Chongqing and the promotion branch was established in Chengdu.
After the establishment of the promotion association, it made extensive preparations for public opinion and vigorously publicized the necessity of running a university in Chongqing.
From the preliminary declaration drafted by Shen Maode and Wu, we can see that the incisive and systematic exposition at that time was full of literariness and emotion, which was convincing.
On the basis of Chongqing's status, the Preparatory Declaration analyzes the necessity of establishing a university, and emphatically points out: "Chongqing was defeated by Jianghan Committee outside, Sichuan-Hong hub inside, Shaanxi in the north, Guizhou in the south, and Yin Yan and Huayang extract were the commercial products. There are also two riverside belts with good steam, and large and small factories are booming every year. There is a shortage of industrial and commercial talents, and winning is a surprise soldier. It is impossible to be afraid of outsiders. Technicians and craftsmen will also ask for money from afar, and the profits will be gone. If two courses of business and engineering are offered in Chongqing University, it will be more versatile and beautiful in a few years. Building shopping malls and factories is eye-catching, that is, field practice can get twice the result with half the effort. In the port, there are the highest institutions of higher learning, dozens of university professors and hundreds of college students, which are enough for industrial and commercial reference, reference and preparation of consultants. In order to enhance the prosperity of this port and the welfare of colonizing southern Yunnan, it is related and important. "
The declaration also demonstrates the necessity of establishing a university from the perspective of the needs of thousands of young students in Sichuan for further study. In 146 counties in Guquanchuan, almost all counties have middle schools, and there are at least a dozen students who graduated at the age of 10. That is to say, there should be more than 2,000 students who need to go to further study in one year. Chengdu can enter higher education, but you can't take care of every hardship. Moreover, the counties in eastern Sichuan are two thousand miles away from Chengdu, and it is difficult to travel back and forth by land and water. If you go to Hu Ning in the east and Ping Jin in the north, your life outside the province will be strange and it will be more difficult to get an axe. So after graduating from high school, you will look around and learn from scholars. Therefore, from the perspective of Chuandongyan, it is biased for the authorities to only host the establishment of Chengdu University and not Chongqing University. From the perspective of Sichuan as a whole, it would be impolite for Sichuanese to say that there are enough universities in Chengdu and there is no need to set up Chongqing University.
The Declaration further analyzes and demonstrates the necessity of establishing a university in Chongqing from the perspective of the extreme importance of talent training in the relationship between the country and the people and the resistance to foreign aggression: it is imperative to curb the aspirant, the literary field of mankind and the chaos of the country, and knowing talents is the main reason. Talent will rise, then the cause will be new, the cause will be new, and then the vitality will last forever. The evolution of the world has no borders, and the country lasts forever, which is why it exists. If there is no need for talents in the world, it can't be opened in the end. If the country does not need talents, it will protect the country and benefit the people and will not be destroyed. Therefore, the old saying goes: the people of the country are heaven: the rabble is not considered a martial artist, and the martial artist is not considered a temperate teacher. Today, those who talk about countries say that barbarians are not enough to become semi-civilized countries, and semi-civilized countries are not enough to become fully civilized countries. Today's Europe and America, the territory is smaller than mine, the people are less than mine, and there are many universities in their borders. In other words, in order to seek international equality and resist aggression, I really don't care, but there are universities in the provincial capital, and other provinces have not merged universities. And after graduating from high school, it is hard to say that you can become a talent. If it is abandoned, the pearl will sink in the water, the jade will be buried in the grass, and the hometown will be abandoned. If the local affairs of the country are all done with this immature talent, without the guidance of most people with profound wisdom and firm virtue, then the son of a straight thief will harm your family and kill your country. Today, this phenomenon has been shown. Anyone who is knowledgeable and has no worries about friendly countries will sue me. What China needs most today is a leader. If Hans says it is unreasonable, set up Chongqing University and learn from the West.
At the same time, the preparatory declaration also refutes all kinds of speeches and ideas that hinder the preparation of Chongqing University, so as to demonstrate the realistic possibility of establishing Chongqing University.
Some people think that Chongqing is a prosperous and prosperous city, which is not suitable for setting up universities. Professor Wu and others think this reason is untenable, citing international and domestic examples to refute: Shanghai and Guangzhou are advanced in civilization, London and new york are also the centers of order, and it is not enough for Chongqing University to live in a remote place.
Some people think that Chongqing is a commercial port with few talents and it is difficult to set up a university. In view of this metaphysical view, the professor retorted: when talents gather in the cause, the cause will flourish and talents will come. There is no career that you don't give up, only waiting for talents. There is no university education in Yuzhong, so university talents are not gathered here. Chengdu is superior because there are many universities and talents are well placed. Today, the university is successful. Why are there no teachers? Why are there no teachers? It's not enough for me to get sick in Chongqing University.
Others plausibly suggested that starting a university needs a lot of money, and you must raise enough money to start it. Without funds, how can we talk about establishing a university? Undaunted by this difficult problem, the professors confidently replied: Who can afford all the political expenses today? If you sincerely want to have a huge sum of money before you start studying, it will come true, the river will be clear, and the national university will become an example. Otherwise, those who don't smell the money shortage will be abolished. Some people have money, and are rich in Chongqing R&F, far exceeding Chengdu, open source and access, multiple ways, or go to the country, save taxes, and distribute as appropriate; Or local taxes, transfer subsidies. Progressive year by year, the number of songs increases less, the micro-number is easy to start, and the duration is easy to continue. Chongqing University is not enough.
Some people think that there is already Chengdu University in Sichuan, and there is no need to set up another Chongqing University. Chongqing will come again, which is not good for Chengdu. This view seems reasonable, but it is all wet. Professors believe that even if two universities are established, there are still shortcomings. Depending on the number of small islands in Britain and Japan. The establishment of universities is based on the natural needs of society, not only to polish great achievements, but also to have universities in Chengdu and Chongqing. It's not enough that Chongqing University is sick.
After full argumentation, Professor Shen Maode and Professor Wu concluded:
In a word, the establishment of Chongqing University is necessary and possible, and the time has come, not a dream. To sum up, it can be said that the influence of the May 4th Movement, the awakening of Chongqing people and the rapid development of Chongqing's industry and commerce are the objective environment and material conditions for the establishment of Chongqing University. The initiative of a group of professors in eastern Sichuan, the active sponsorship of local gentry and scholars, especially business leaders, and the strong support of Chongqing military and political authorities at that time were the subjective factors for the establishment of Chongqing University.
[Note] For the quotation in this section, please refer to the fifth issue of Chongqing University History Data.