This is a sentence Li Dazhao said in his speech commemorating the 25th anniversary of Peking University. For ordinary people, this may be a plain, irrelevant word.

"I personally don't have everything in my heart, the owner is only Peking University." This is a sentence Li Dazhao said in his speech commemorating the 25th anniversary of Peking University .

For ordinary people, this may be a plain, irrelevant and painful sentence. However, for Li Dazhao, this is his heartfelt words.

The ten years of Li Dazhao working and fighting at Peking University were the last ten years of his life and the ten years of sublimation of his life.

In terms of identity, Li Dazhao transformed from a free scholar in society to a staff member of a first-class university in China; in terms of faith, he moved from a democratic revolutionist to a Marxist path.

Peking University and him have experienced a degeneration in the past ten years, affecting a group of aspiring young people. They often see him running around for public welfare, indirectly changing China's future destiny.

In the past ten years, his monthly salary increased from 120 yuan to 280 yuan before his sacrifice, but he often had to borrow money to live. Why is this?

Li Dazhao

Become the director of the library

As early as 1916, Li Dazhao published an article "Youth" at the China Society, calling on people not to let ancient sages lead the nose, and advocated that heroes are products driven by the masses and gained fame in the academic community.

A year later, at the invitation of Zhang Shizhao, he served as an editor in the journal Jiayin and published articles such as "Confucius and the Constitution" and "New Chinese Nationalism".

Li Dazhao began to become famous. In 1918, Li Dazhao was only 29 years old and was recommended by Zhang Shizhao to become the director of Peking University Library .

Zhang Shizhao later recalled the situation at that time: Although he had excellent knowledge, he was actually not popular at that time. His colleagues from Peking University were all good at gilding quality in European and American universities. He was alone and had no such thing as the shallow ones, which inevitably led to Fan Kuai's view of the constellation.

Simple translation is that returnees are superior to others. Foreign monks are good at chanting scriptures, and most people look down on the diploma and resume of the Constant.

Zhang Shizhao

It can be said that Li Dazhao's status was not high when he first entered Peking University. This can be seen from the fact that he was not named a professor when he was appointed as the director of the library.

His former director and friend Zhang Shizhao has the title of professor and speaks in the academic and cultural circles. This reason must start with Cai Yuanpei's reform of Peking University.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, political disorder, The imperial examination was abolished, education was chaotic, modern Chinese universities were still in their early stages.

In a unique historical environment, Cai Yuanpei, who had just taken over the position of Peking University president, vigorously promoted reform measures, studied under the German university system, and put forward the idea of ​​"professor to govern schools". Under this idea, democratic management and the "professor school management" system are promoted at all levels by establishing three organizations: parliamentary committee, department professor meeting, and administrative meeting.

Li Dazhao

So at that time, if he could be awarded the title of professor, no matter how disagreement there were in academic opinions, others would listen carefully, otherwise they would not even give you the opportunity to take care of you.

The title of professor represents the recognition of others. Of course, the title of "professor" is so awesome, and the matching salary is naturally enviable, and it is very generous.

According to the provisions of the "Regulations on the Appointment and Salary of National University Staff" issued by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China, it is roughly divided into 7 levels, namely: president, senior, director, full professor, undergraduate professor, preparatory professor, and assistant professor.

Each level is divided into six small levels. The literary leader Cai Yuanpei is definitely the highest level. He is a first-level principal and his monthly salary is 600 yuan. In the TV series " Awakening Era ", Chen Duxiu's position is the fourth-level liberal arts chief, with a monthly salary of 300 yuan.

Li Dazhao

Li Dazhao compared to Li Dazhao, since he is not a regular teacher, he has fewer positions. His specific position is the fifth-level director, with a monthly salary of 120 yuan.

Nowadays, the high housing prices in Beijing are prohibitive, but in the Republic of China period, Li Dazhao bought a house without any effort. It only took him two months to buy a classic Beijing Sanheyuan , because at that time, the Sanheyuan only needed 200 Ocean .

Some people may question that during the Republic of China, China's urbanization process had not yet begun, so it is a bit inappropriate to use this as an analogy. If you have to find an example that is closest to the real purchasing power, you can only start from the necessary prices for people.

Li Dazhao

In 2022, the beef in the supermarket is about 50 yuan per pound, which means that Li Dazhao's monthly salary can buy 400 pounds of beef, which is now 20,000 yuan.

Salary receipt

In addition, it should be noted that Li Dazhao also worked as a part-time teacher in other schools. In his spare time, he still had royalties to receive. Conservatively estimated that by 1920, Li Dazhao's salary was equivalent to 50,000 yuan today. In this way, the Republic of China was really a prosperous era for literati.

Li Dazhao was hired as a professor in July 1920 with his contribution to promoting the scientific development of Peking University Library. In October of the same year, he was elected as a member of the Peking University Supreme Power Organization-Chapter Evaluation Council and served as an appraiser. The senator can only be a professor and the professors will be selected by each other. The number of people is small and they will be reselected once a year.

From 1920 to 1923, Li Dazhao was selected for four consecutive times, and the number of votes he received increased year by year. In 1923, Li Dazhao received 11 more votes than Hu Shi and (Li got 39 votes, and Hu got 28 votes).

At that time, Li Dazhao had a place in Peking University, and his fame and money were all his belongings.

Li Dazhao

money is still not enough to spend

Even though his income is not good, Li Dazhao still encountered difficulties in money issues.

After Cai Yuanpei heard that Li Dazhao had borrowed money to buy food, he notified the accounting department that part of Li Dazhao's salary would be deducted.

and came to Li Dazhao's home in person and handed over this part of the salary to Li Dazhao's wife Zhao Renlan , so as not to become a modern version of "a clever wife can't cook without rice", which ensures the basic life of the Li family.

But this is suspicious. Where is Li Dazhao's salary spent? He will never run away with his own legs. The reason is very simple. Once a person has faith, his whole person will be completely renewed from the inside out.

Li Dazhao does not pay attention to personal material enjoyment and advocates a simple life. Almost all his salary and royalties were used to promote his descendants, revolution and charity.

Stills of Li Dazhao

Promotion of juniors

Liu Renjing was admitted to Peking University in July 1918. During this period, due to his poor family, he was unable to pay high tuition fees. Li Dazhao heard the news from other places and used his reputation as a guarantee and helped him write a policy for tuition arrears.

Today's The Chinese Revolutionary History Museum saves the notes written by Li Dazhao: "I will pay the tuition for classmate Liu Renjing first. Li Dazhao."

Liu Renjing was petite in the May Fourth Movement, standing on the shoulders of his classmates, turning over and entering the wall, opening the door of Cao Rulin . Li Dazhao also praised him: he was willing to fight at a young age.

When the teacher first entered Beijing, he was also helped by Li Dazhao. At that time, the living expenses in Beijing were too high for teachers, and the teachers borrowed money to come to Beijing and had to find a job immediately.

Later, through Yang Changji's introduction, I met Li Dazhao and worked as an assistant in Beijing Library . I got an income of 8 yuan per month, which was barely enough.

Liu Renjing

However she lived in Beijing, thanks to Li Dazhao's help, the teachers broadened their horizons and exposed them to new ideas.

Even in April 1920, the teacher left Beijing, he still had close contact with Li Dazhao.

In June of the same year, the teacher prepared to establish the Cultural Book Club in Changsha. The biggest difficulty he encountered was the funding problem. The bookstore does not want to owe too much debt to affect its credibility.

In this case, Li Dazhao extended a helping hand to the teachers. The more than 50 books sold by the book club came from the Publishing Department of Peking University, and implemented the "deposit exemption" method. Li Dazhao also provided the remaining funds for the activity from his own pocket to help the book club overcome difficulties.

Li Dazhao and others

It’s a pity that the bookstore did not die of money, but died in the ban of the “Ma Ri Incident” in 1927.

In 1949, the teacher returned to Beijing and saw the ancient capital city walls, and his memories of the past appeared in his heart. I once said with infinite emotion:

Thirty years ago, I was running around to seek the truth of saving the country and the people. After suffering a lot, I met a great person in , Peking , Comrade Li Dazhao.

He is my real teacher. Without his guidance and teaching, I don’t know where I am today!

Stills

Revolutionary and Charity

During her time at Peking University, Li Dazhao participated in the launch of the "Disa Relief Association" to raise funds for disaster victims in the north, served as the main member of the "Women and Children Relief Association" of Peking University, and contributed funds to social welfare undertakings many times.

At that time, the education funds allocated by the State Council in Beijing were not accounted for. When Li Dazhao gave a report at the joint meeting, he received unanimous thanks from the faculty and staff at the meeting. In addition to being happy, Li Dazhao took the lead in announcing that all the salary in April would be donated to the library construction expenses.

When leading the Northern Workers' Movement, Li Dazhao took on the task of raising funds for Changxindian workers' tutoring schools. Later, he learned that a considerable part of the source of the funds was deducted from Li Dazhao's own salary.

In the early days of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the expenses were tight, so Li Dazhao took out 80 yuan from his monthly salary as the party's activities funds.

Li Dazhao

There are many examples like this. In this way, no matter how rich Li Dazhao has, he is not enough to spend it. Sometimes in times of crisis, he doesn’t need to borrow money from his colleagues to live.

At that time, Zhang Eryan advised Li Dazhao to pay more attention to diet and nutrition, but Li Dazhao said: Everyone pursues delicious food, so why don’t I want to enjoy it? But now the country is in trouble, and many compatriots cannot fill their stomachs and do not cover their bodies. How can I enjoy myself and not think about the suffering of the public?

IOU

Hu Qiaomu once commented on Li Dazhao and praised him as "the perfect man in modern times". Li Dazhao's life is simple, and he is different from others abandoning his first wife. He does not buy a real estate in Beijing and walks to work every day. His children did not care about wearing. According to Liu Jingjun's recollection, "Mr. Li's second daughter wore a small red coarse cotton jacket and a blue coarse jacket, which looked like a country child."

This practiced him. "We have his own open and honest personality and a real and simple life. We should cherish it, cherish it, cherish it, and value it. We must not throw it away gently, and be a slave for the sake of glitz and vulgarity.

References

"Li Dazhao's Ten Years in Beijing" Wang Jie

"Biography of Li Dazhao" Zhu Zhimin

"Li Dazhao and Peking University" Xiao Chaoran