Mr. Chen Tao was the first director of the Japanese Department of the School of Foreign Languages ​​of the University of International Trade and a leader during the founding period of the University. As early as the preparations for the establishment of the school, he was the dir

He was an early revolutionary activist of the Party.

He served as a political instructor at Huangpu Military Academy.

He participated in the "August 1st" Nanchang Uprising.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China,

he served as the director of the World Economic Research Division of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Ministry of Trade of the Central People's Government. ,

Director of Academic Affairs of the Central School for Senior Commercial Cadres, and

Director of the Preparatory Office of Beijing Foreign Trade College.

He has a heart of gold,

is approachable and affable, and

has a unique personality charm.

From galloping on the epic battlefield,

to quietly working in ordinary educational positions,

he left behind a series of works,

also left behind his unswerving pursuit.

Let us walk into his story together

Let’s reminisce together

Professor Chen Tao

Mr. Chen Tao was the first director of the Japanese Department of the School of Foreign Languages ​​of the University of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. He was the leader during the founding period of the University of International Trade and Economics. He was the Beijing Foreign Trade College during the preparations for the establishment of the school. Director of the Preparatory Office of the school (the predecessor of University of International Business and Economics), and later director of the Academic Affairs Office, director and professor of the Japanese Department. He has been engaged in Japanese teaching and research for a long time. In the mid-1950s, he compiled my country's first "Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" ", published by the Commercial Press. As of the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, the dictionary has sold more than 500,000 copies in China alone. It is also sold in Japan and Hong Kong, making an outstanding contribution to Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges. Contribution, he is recognized as a Japanese language expert at home and abroad.

Mr. Chen Tao is not only an authority in the Japanese academic circle, but also an old revolutionary and a veteran member of the Communist Party of China who joined the party in the early days of its founding. Looking at Chen Lao's revolutionary career is to read about an old proletarian revolutionary's search for a revolutionary path.

His revolutionary career began as early as when he was studying in Japan. In 1920, when he was nineteen years old, he obtained a place to study in Japan at government expense and came to study at the Faculty of Economics of Keio University in Tokyo.

Chen Tao returned to China in January 1926 and joined the Communist Party of China in March of the same year. In May, he was appointed by the party organization to go to Guangzhou to serve as the academic director of the No. 1 Middle School of Guangdong Province. From January 1927 to October 1928, he successively carried out revolutionary activities in Wuhan, Nanchang, and other places. He served as a political instructor at Guangzhou Huangpu Military Academy and political instructor of the First Student Team. He participated in the "August 1st" Nanchang Uprising and was an important figure in the uprising. One of the members of the Revolutionary Committee. After 1929, he worked in cultural education and underground party work in Dalian, Shenyang, Beijing and other places.

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen Tao entered the Ministry of Industry and Commerce as the Director of Planning. At a time when everything was in jeopardy and talent was scarce, he used his long-term connections at to recruit a large number of intellectuals, and they were hired as government cadres after being reviewed by the personnel department. He led these human resources to compile and compile classified and comprehensive statistical data in the national economic field before liberation with reference to old Chinese and foreign data. In just half a year, compiled and printed a set of dozens of volumes of "Economic Statistics", which became the Central Financial Commission's The primary reference material for various professional conferences.

Mr. Chen Tao's life was full of ups and downs. In the first half of his life, he was a revolutionary, galloping on the battlefield to save the country and the people. In the second half of his life, he was a silently working educator, working in ordinary positions. He was a revolutionary intellectual in the first half of his life, and an intellectual revolutionist in the second half of his life. When the country was in crisis, he chose revolution. When the revolution succeeded, he did not seek fame and fortune and returned to ordinary life.

He studied economics. During the war years, he engaged in business several times, raising medicines and supplies for the liberated areas, and supporting prisoners and comrades living in difficulty. In peaceful times, he did not use the knowledge he had learned to make money, nor did he stay in the government as an official like people who had the same experience as him. Instead, he chose to calm down and engage in education, His revolutionary experience The valuable experience accumulated in and revolutionary work was contributed to the University of Economics and Business.

Japanese-Chinese dictionary

edited by Mr. Chen Tao. It was in the early 1950s. Mr. Chen, who was over fifty years old, was ordered to prepare for the establishment of the Central Ministry of Trade Senior Commercial Cadre School (the predecessor of Beijing Foreign Trade University), and served as the director of the preparatory office and the academic director. After the preparatory work was basically completed, Mr. Chen stayed and returned to the Japanese Department, the most basic teaching unit, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to Japanese education as the director of the Japanese Department. Starting from 1956, it took him three years to use his profound knowledge, rich work experience, and selfless work attitude to complete the compilation of the "Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" that he had dreamed of many years ago. was published by the Commercial Press in 1959. It was published by the library and distributed in mainland China, Japan, and Hong Kong. It became the originator of Japanese-Chinese dictionaries and created the highest circulation of Japanese-Chinese bilingual dictionaries at that time. On this basis, in the mid-1970s, Mr. Chen planned and participated in the editing work of the "Modern Japanese-Chinese Dictionary". When the work was completed and handed over, Mr. Chen relied on his past experience in running newspapers and magazines during the revolutionary period. , proposed to establish a Japanese comprehensive journal magazine . Under his planning, the bimonthly magazine " Japanese Learning and Research " founded by the Japanese Department was founded in 1979, and Comrade Liao Chengzhi was asked to inscribe the title of the magazine. In the early days of the journal, Mr. Chen personally wrote articles and required teachers in the Japanese Department to actively write articles. He also encouraged young people to be brave enough to submit articles, which greatly inspired young teachers to write with enthusiasm. Under the planning and guidance of Mr. Chen, the maximum circulation of "Japanese Language Learning and Research" was as high as 80,000 copies per issue. With its professionalism and authority, it has gradually become an important platform for young teachers and scholars to improve and develop their professional abilities. Over the decades, we have trained several generations of scholars and professors in the Japanese language community.

Taken in the Chengzeyuan Study Room of Peking University in 1977

Mr. Chen Tao is also an internationalist who values ​​friendship. He had many Japanese friends in Japan who had supported the Chinese revolution. Due to historical reasons, he lost contact with them after the founding of the People's Republic of China. However, Mr. Chen never forgot them, and finally revisited them in 1981 at the age of 81. In Japan, I met old friends and fulfilled my long-cherished wish. The Japanese people have not forgotten this old man who made outstanding contributions to Sino-Japanese exchanges. On the occasion of commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, a Japanese scholar published an article online to commemorate this veteran member of the Communist Party of China for his contributions to Sino-Japanese exchanges. contribution. Among them, the article "Studying Abroad Experience of Chinese Intellectuals Who Used Language to Build a Bridge of Sino-Japanese Exchanges" (https://www.nippon.com/cn/in-depth/d00709/) specifically introduces Mr. Chen's life and study abroad experience in Japan. revolutionary activities during this period.

In 1981, Mr. Chen took a group photo with the staff of the embassy in Japan and some scholars studying in Japan when he visited Japan.

After returning from Japan, Mr. Chen began to plan and compile a set of large and small and medium-sized dictionaries. Finally, when he was eighty-five years old, he began the compilation of my country's first large-scale Japanese-Chinese dictionary "Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" with nearly 10 million words. It took five years to complete and was published by Machinery Industry on January 1, 1991. It was published by Society. Unfortunately, it was only nine months before Mr. Chen died of illness. He was not able to see the publication of this dictionary with his own eyes.

Mr. Chen Tao's life is ordinary but great. He is a revolutionary predecessor and academic leader whom I admire. It is my lifelong happiness and pride to have the honor to work with such a respected senior. It was the mid-1970s. I had just graduated from college and was assigned to work at the Beijing Institute of Foreign Trade. The school was preparing to compile the "Modern Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" based on the "Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" edited by him in accordance with the scientific research tasks assigned by my superiors. 》. At that time, no more than now, many written words and documents were transferred by hand. So another colleague (Professor Li Ermin ) who was assigned to me at the same time and I took on the role of correspondent for Mr. Chen to upload and deliver, traveling back and forth between the School of Foreign Trade and Mr. Chen’s residence in Chengzeyuan of Peking University.I spent my college studies holding the "Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" written by Mr. Chen in the 1950s. After arriving at the University of International Trade, I not only met Mr. Chen in person, but also listened to his teachings. I felt extremely honored. Because there was no bus from our school to Peking University at that time, it took more than half a day to go to Mr. Chen’s home at Peking University. But I was happy to go to Mr. Chen’s place. I was honored to serve someone I had always admired and admired, and I felt full of pride and joy. A glorious feeling. When I was studying, I only knew that he was a leader in the Japanese academic world. Now that I know that he is an old revolutionary and once served as an important leader of the party, I admire him even more. Mr. Chen is approachable and affable, and you will be infected by his charisma at a close distance. So although I was in awe of him, I never felt embarrassed in his presence. His demeanor in dealing with people and his generosity in dealing with specific problems make people feel that this old revolutionary intellectual is unique. Especially in the distribution of interests such as later manuscript fees, Mr. Chen and his wife, teacher Zhang Jingxian, have a humble and humble attitude in the face of honors and interests, which awes me and my colleagues. We had to communicate with Mr. Chen on many aspects in the early and late stages of dictionary compilation. During that time, the Japanese Department would often send us there. Every time he went there, he would politely greet us and express his love for young people. I was very inspired. Mr. Chen likes flowers. There is a large garden in the yard where he lives, which is full of various rose flowers. Whenever he has free time, he and his wife, teacher Zhang Jingxian, are busy in the garden. I remember one time it was the turn of spring and summer. When we went there, he was busy in the rose garden with the first blooming rose flowers. When he saw us coming, he put down his work to receive us. He saw that we both loved the garden. Before leaving, he insisted on giving each of us a pot of beautiful rose flowers. We were really too young at that time and did not dare to bear the weight of the gifts from our respected seniors, so we refused to accept them. Later, every time I think about it, I regret my ignorance and let down the old man's care for us.

The picture on the left shows Mr. Chen and the rose flowers in his yard. Taken in Chengze Garden of Peking University in 1978. Pictured on the right, Mr. Chen and his wife, teacher Zhang Jingxian. Taken in Chengze Garden of Peking University in 1984.

I remember that on the occasion of Mr. Chen’s 80th birthday in 1980, the teachers in the Japanese Department were planning to congratulate Mr. Chen on his birthday. When he learned about it, he refused to allow it. Instead, he and Mr. Zhang Jingxian hired help to prepare a self-service Western-style meal at home. All the teachers from the Japanese Department were invited to have a warm birthday at his home. At that time, Mr. Chen was in very good health, busy inside and outside, and did not look like an 80-year-old man at all. What impressed me most was that Mr. Chen took out the strawberry jam that he made himself and shared it with everyone. It was the first time I had tasted home-made jam. The family dinner was also attended by Japanese foreign teachers. During the dinner, Mr. Chen did not make any speeches or speeches, and there was no special ceremony. It was just like the head of a big family letting his children who had not been home for a long time go home for dinner. I bought the best food and let everyone enjoy it contentedly. I took care of everyone from time to time so that everyone could eat and drink well. He even reminded me not to be restrained. It was in the early days of the reform and opening up of and , when food stamps were required for meals. It was not easy for Mr. Chen to entertain more than 30 people in the department at home. That day, as a member of the younger generation, I saw another side of Mr. Chen. He was not only an old revolutionary and party member, but also had profound knowledge, and he also cared about others more than himself. is more aware of the comments made by many old comrades who have worked with Mr. Chen or who have been fortunate enough to listen to his teachings about Mr. Chen -

"He has a heart of gold and thinks of others in everything except himself." .

In 1979, Mr. Chen took a group photo in front of Chen's home on his 80th birthday.

Taken in the Summer Palace in Beijing on August 9, 1989.

In the mid-1980s, I was sent by my school to study abroad. went to Japan. When I returned to China in the spring of 1990, I was shocked to hear that Chen The death of old age is extremely sad. The last time I visited Mr. Chen's home was in the early summer of 1997. One day, I received a call from Mr. Chen Jialin, Mr. Chen's second son, telling him that Mr. Chen's home would be moved from Chengzeyuan to Yanbeiyuan . There were some Japanese For the collection of research books, the Japanese department can select some if necessary.I hurriedly took a taxi with my colleague Mr. Li. When we arrived, the house had been moved and all the family had left, leaving only a row of bookshelves standing there. Seeing things and thinking about people, things have changed and people have changed. We were very emotional. We hurriedly selected some original materials and research books and brought them back. None of those books were signed, and many years later, until I retired, some were still on the bookshelves in the department for teachers to read and use.

Professor Chen Tao has been modest and prudent throughout his life, does not take credit and is arrogant, and acts in a low profile. After his death, his children compiled and published his "Memoirs of the Time in Japan" and "Life Resume", which gave us a basic understanding of Mr. Chen's revolutionary career. His resume only mentions the liberation of Beijing and Tianjin in 1949. In his memoirs, he downplayed his ups and downs of revolutionary experience, and said nothing about the suffering he suffered during the years he was arrested twice and spent several years in enemy prisons. What we read is just a Revolutionaries adhere to their beliefs and are loyal to the revolutionary cause, as well as their hatred of their enemies and their care and love for their revolutionary comrades.

Just as the old president Comrade Sun Weiyan commented in an article commemorating Professor Chen Tao thirty years ago -

"Mr. Chen Tao's life went from an epic battlefield to an ordinary educational position, to loneliness and cold treatment, and finally It came to an abrupt end amidst the loud drums of war... Among the precious legacies he left to our intellectuals, what is more precious than the books he wrote with painstaking efforts is his lifelong determination to do good things for the people. Chongqing's pursuit. "

Mr. Chen Tao is a banner that has established the academic monuments - "Japanese-Chinese Dictionary", "Japanese Learning and Research" and "Modern Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" - in the Japanese Department, pushing the Japanese Department of the University of International Trade to the top. The highest point in the Japanese language academic field has won many honors for the school, and also made the Japanese language of the University of International Trade famous throughout the country and Japan. Once upon a time, the Department of Japanese Language and Literature was a gathering of talents. At its peak, there were more than 30 teachers on staff, including many well-known scholars in the Japanese language field, such as Wang Dajie, Song Wenjun, Leng Tiezheng, Yue Jiuan, etc., who are all well-known professors in the Japanese language field. Most of them are the descendants of Mr. Chen who stayed in Japan, and they have great respect for Mr. Chen. Professor Yue Jiuan, who was still alive when Mr. Chen Tao passed away, also wrote a touching commemorative article. Although these predecessors have passed away, the precious academic legacy and scholarly spirit left by Mr. Chen Tao and his predecessors will continue to inspire future generations to strive for it.

Since the 1950s, the Japanese Department of the University of International Trade has stood on the high starting point of the academic world set by the old director Chen Tao. Under his leadership, it has completed the compilation of the "Modern Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" and inherited his career. , has persisted in running the magazine "Japanese Learning and Research" for more than 40 years. Now it has completed the revision of the "Modern Japanese-Chinese Dictionary" and has delivered it to the Commercial Press for typesetting and publication. What is gratifying is that the later generations of the Japanese department have lived up to the expectations of the older generation. They did not seek fame and fortune under difficult conditions and persisted in obscure work such as revising dictionaries and editing magazines. In the decades after his death, ten comrades including Yue Zhenping, Han Jinwang, Sun Guang, Li Lin, Yao Liping, Li Ermin, Li Aiwen, Guo Deyu, Ma Jun, and Zhao Liwei served as deans of the Japanese Department, passing it on like a baton. and maintain the glorious traditions and tangible academic heritage of our predecessors. One thing these later generations have in common with old Director Chen Tao is that they all studied in Japan or have experience working in the embassy in Japan for many years. They all love their motherland and their Japanese language education and Japan-related research work. .

August 27, 2021

Source: Retired Personnel Office of the School of Foreign Languages ​​

Reference: "People's Daily" second page on May 5, 1990; Publication meeting of Mr. Chen Tao's Memorial Book: "Mr. Chen Tao's Memorial Book" 1991 edition

Text: Yao Liping (Professor of Japanese Department, School of Foreign Languages)

Animation design: Weng Leyi

Editor: Liu Zhiling