In 1937, in the Xi Zhiyi Hutong of Peking, the wealthy Japanese businessman Kato said to an old man selling paintings: "Write a word for me, and I will give you a gold bar."
Everyone thought that the old man would immediately write an inscription for Kato, but no one expected that the old man selling paintings would actually say: ", let alone a gold bar, even if it is a gold mountain, I will never write a word to the Japanese." ."
Kato could only leave in disgrace when he heard this reply. While admired this old man for daring to reject the Japanese, he also couldn't help but wonder who he was so that one word could be worth a thousand pieces of gold?
"A useless scholar"
This old man who regards money as dirt is the last number one scholar in the Qing Dynasty, Liu Chunlin, and he is also the last number one number one in Chinese history.
Liu Chunlin, the top scholar, was reduced to selling paintings on the street. Does mean that this is a parallel import number one scholar without any real talent or knowledge?
Anyone who reads Liu Chunlin’s writing will immediately overturn this idea. In fact, Liu Chunlin, who was full of knowledge, could have had a place in the government of the Republic of China by relying on his own talents.
In 1904, Liu Chunlin, who was only 32 years old, won the first place in the imperial examination that year, and he was unparalleled for a while.
In fact, Liu Chunlin was originally ranked second, but because the first place Zhu Ruzhen was disliked by the Empress Dowager Cixi, Liu Chunlin was made the number one scholar.
Anyone with the word "zhen" in their name will think of the annoying person Empress Dowager Cixi.
Because Sun Yat-sen, Hong Xiuquan, Kang Youwei and others were all from Guangdong, this made the Empress Dowager Cixi wary of people from Guangdong.
Zhu Ruzhen is also unlucky. The good number one scholar was delayed by her name and place of origin.
Zhu Ruzhen could only give up the position of No. 1 Scholar to the second place Liu Chunlin. The Empress Dowager Cixi was very happy when she saw the name Liu Chunlin. At that time, the Qing Dynasty had been experiencing a severe drought and was looking forward to a spring rain.
happens to be the word "Chunlin" which means spring breeze turns into rain and sweet rain falls.
Liu Chunlin originally thought that God had mercy on him and gave him the position of number one scholar, but he never expected that he would be the last number one scholar in the Qing Dynasty.
In 1905, the already crumbling Qing Empire set up a constitutional monarchy country in order to deceive the people. In the same year, the imperial examination system which had lasted for more than a thousand years was also cancelled.
And Liu Chunlin naturally became the last number one scholar in Chinese history.
The late Qing government at that time also thought about saving itself. The court sent Liu Chunlin and other Jinshi scholars to study abroad, hoping that they could achieve success in their studies and serve the Qing Dynasty.
Liu Chunlin was sent to Japan to study and did not return to China until 1907. After returning to China, Liu Chunlin served as a member of the Political Council.
But the Qing Dynasty at that time was already on the verge of collapse and was irreversible. The Zizhengyuan where Liu Chunlin works has no real power and is just a decoration department.
Liu Chunlin originally thought that he would be transferred from this department to a department with real power in a few years, even if he was a local official.
What happened next was even more unexpected by Liu Chunlin. Emperor Puyi announced his abdication, and the Qing Empire fell.
The seemingly impregnable Qing Dynasty has perished. Where should he, the number one scholar of the Qing Dynasty, go?
Liu Chunlin has read poetry and books since he was a child. In his mind, he is "Heaven and Earth, Lord, Prince and Master". But now that the emperor is gone, Liu Chunlin suddenly feels that his faith has collapsed.
Due to the limitations of his own thinking, he also blindly supported Zhang Xun's restoration and once again welcomed Puyi into the Golden Palace.
This restoration was ultimately just a farce, which ended after only 12 days.
Later Liu Chunlin also served as the director of the Provincial Department of Education of the Beiyang Government . However, after he witnessed the melee and internal fighting among the warlords, he felt deeply powerless and disgusted with this government, so he chose to become an official.
In 1928, Liu Chunlin resigned from all his posts and concentrated on studying calligraphy and painting at home to take care of himself.
National justice
If there had been no Japanese invaders and no warlord separatism at that time, then Liu Chunlin might have disappeared from the scene and really enjoyed his old age at home.
But in the third year after Liu Chunlin took office, Japanese invaders occupied the three northeastern provinces of our country and established the "Puppet Manchukuo".
After Japan established the "Puppet Manchukuo", it was natural to think of Liu Chunlin, the former number one scholar, and the Japanese wanted to invite him to be the Minister of Education.
Moreover, the emperor of the "Puppet Manchukuo" was none other than Liu Chunlin's "old master" Puyi.
But at this time, Liu Chunlin had already understood the situation and no longer blindly believed in the feudal monarchy. He even sternly refused the invitation from the Japanese.
But the Japanese will not easily let go of the former number one scholar. They will still use various means to make Liu Chunlin their own.
After the July 7th Incident, the Japanese army began to invade our territory aggressively. Liu Chunlin looked at the atrocities committed by the Japanese and wished he could kill these beasts with his own hands. He only regretted that he was not a general, otherwise he would have to wear armor and go into battle.
At this time, Wang Yitang , a Jinshi who was in the same class as Liu Chunlin, suddenly came to visit. This Wang Yitang is bloodless. When he saw the Japanese invasion, he immediately surrendered and became a traitor.
Liu Chunlin originally wanted to persuade this former classmate to get back from his lost ways. But Wang Yitang shamelessly invited Liu Chunlin to serve as the mayor of Beijing under the Japanese army.
Seeing that his old classmate was so stubborn, Liu Chunlin was so angry that he kicked him out of the house. Wang Yitang felt that he had been insulted, so he severely sued Liu Chunlin in front of the Japanese.
Later, the Japanese army looted Liu Chunlin's house, and all the books, calligraphy and paintings that Liu Chunlin had collected for many years were taken away by the Japanese.
But even so, Liu Chunlin was still unwilling to work for the Japanese and become a shameful traitor.
Although Liu Chunlin lived in poverty in his later years, he insisted on being himself and an upright Chinese.
In 1944, Liu Chunlin, 72 years old, died of illness. Until his death, he never did anything for the Japanese.
Although Liu Chunlin was the number one scholar in the feudal dynasty, and he did some wrong things due to his muddled thinking, he deserves the admiration of each of us in terms of national justice.
