Mr. Chai Degeng
In November 2017, Mr. Chai Niandong donated the handwriting documents of his grandfather Mr. Chai Degeng to Beijing Normal University Library for the first time. For more than three years, Xiao Yanan, a librarian in the library's special collection department, has maintained contact with Mr. Chai Niandong, often communicated and communicated with each other, witnessing the hardships and fulfillment of Chai Niandong's compilation of Nazu's remains, compiling Nazu's chronology, restoring and reflecting on his grandfather's life journey.
Mr. Chai Degeng was a versatile and capable person throughout his life. He not only made outstanding achievements in historical research, but also had profound achievements in calligraphy art. He was also an energetic social activist and a patriot who was enthusiastic about the construction of socialist democracy. From the "Chai Degeng's Letters Collection" ( Commercial Press 2008) and "Chai Degeng's Long Biography" (to be published), etc., we can see the deeds of Chai Degeng's Joining the China Democratic Promotion Association (hereinafter referred to as Democratic Progressive Party ) during his time in Beijing, serving as a director of the Beijing Council of the Democratic Progressive Party of Beijing, participating in various meetings and activities of the Democratic Progressive Party of China, as well as his election as a member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party of China in Suzhou , and actively preparing for the activities of the Democratic Progressive Party of Jiangsu Province. Chai Niandong's compilation uses a large amount of information from his family, public and private collections, which is very close. However, modern and modern documents are vast, and new materials emerge from time to time in the auction market and the old book market, which can add new evidence to historians. This summer vacation, we met Mr. Chai Degeng's note from the Old Book Network, which is a new historical material, which is very helpful for understanding Mr. Chai's process of preparing for the Jiangsu Democratic Progressive Party and his characteristics of doing things.
Repair the binding note of Chai Degeng
This letter is written in a brush, with a total of two cotyledons. The signature date is October 5, 1956, and the recipient is Beijing's "Democratic Progressive Party Central Committee". At that time, Mr. Chai was in Suzhou. In September 1955, Mr. Chai, who was unconscious, was transferred from the History Department of Beijing Normal University to the History Specialty Department of Jiangsu Normal University (predecessor of Suzhou University), which was established shortly after it was established. He was appointed as the first history department of Jiangsu provincial universities, serving as professor and department director. According to the chronology of Chai Niandong, Mr. Chai reported to Jiangsu Normal University on September 21, and discussed teaching and student work with new colleagues on September 23. It can be seen that he devoted himself to new locations, new positions and new tasks with full enthusiasm. At the same time, he actively promoted the work of the Democratic Progressive Party in Suzhou, absorbed the Democratic Progressive Party in Zhoushou Shoujuan , Fan Yanqiao, Xie Xiaosi , Cheng Xiaoqing , Gu Gongshuo and others to join the Democratic Progressive Party, and thought about establishing a grassroots organization for the Democratic Progressive Party in Suzhou. According to the "Big Events" released by the official website of Suzhou Democratic Progressive Party, "In July 1956, the Suzhou Preparatory Group of the Democratic Progressive Party was established. Chai Degeng, Fan Yanqiao, Xie Xiaosi, Qian Xuantang and Fan Chongxin were members of the preparatory group, and the convener was Chai Degeng." [1] In August of that year, Mr. Chai was elected as a member of the Fourth Central Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party. Two months later, "On October 21, the Suzhou Preparatory Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party held a founding meeting, with 28 members attending the meeting. The meeting central committee designated Chai Degeng, Xie Xiaosi, Fan Yanqiao, Jin Zhaozi, , Qian Yingtang, Chen Juanyin and Fan Chongxin to form the preparatory committee. Chai Degeng, Xie Xiaosi and Fan Yanqiao served as the chief and deputy chairman of the preparatory committee respectively." [2]
This letter was written on the eve of the establishment of the Suzhou Preparatory Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party. It reported to the Central Headquarters of the Democratic Progressive Party Central Committee on the date of the establishment meeting formulated by the Preparatory Committee and put forward two suggestions or requests. The first is to hope that the headquarters will send leaders to attend the establishment meeting of the preparatory committee: "The establishment of the preparatory committee has formulated a plan, and the leaders of all parties and brother parties and factions will be invited to participate... We have initially scheduled on October 21st, and I hope that the headquarters can invite a responsible comrade to Suzhou for guidance." He hopes to invite Xu Guangping, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party, to come to Shanghai, because "Today's newspaper uploaded Vice Chairman Xu Guangping to Shanghai on the 14th, and we are willing to invite her to come to Suzhou nearest." It is currently impossible to verify whether Xu Guangping participated in the establishment meeting of the Suzhou Democratic Progressive Party Committee. The second is to recommend adding Fan Yanqiao to the Deputy Director of the Suzhou Preparatory Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party, and to recommend that the number of personnel of the Preparatory Committee be appropriately increased if necessary, so as to absorb some prestigious democrats in Suzhou into the Democratic Progressive Party. From "The Great Events", it was learned that Fan Yanqiao was ranked as deputy director of the preparatory committee, and Mr. Chai's suggestion was adopted at the time. The value of this letter can be seen here.
After declaring the matters of the establishment meeting of the preparatory committee, Mr. Chai briefly talked about his contact with other democratic parties and social groups at work: "The work here is normal, and he has some encounters with the [DPRK] League. Recently, the United Front Work Department convened a meeting and negotiated, and the middle school has roughly divided the work. The Pingtan League in the cultural circle also does some work. We have a good relationship with farmers and workers, and we are also doing some developments in the middle school." A few words reveal Mr. Chai's work efficiency, and also shows his characteristics of being easy, enthusiastic and social. Qigong Mr. Chai once said: "Mr. Chai has many friends. Almost few people did not know him in the academic and educational circles at that time. Some people say why he has so many friends? He has a charm and naturally has no barriers with the people he knows." [3]
Mr. Chai Degeng was admitted to the Department of History of Peking Normal University in the summer of 1929. During his time at school, he was inspired and taught by famous teachers such as Chen Yuan and entered the palace of history. After graduation, he followed Chen Yuan for a long time. He taught in Fu Ren Affiliated High School and the History Department of Fu Ren University. He met Qi Gong and others and became his best friends throughout his life. Fu Ren University’s main subject was incorporated into Beijing Normal University’s in 1952, and Mr. Chai also transferred to the History Department of Beijing Normal University to teach and serve as the department head. Mr. Liu Jiahe, a senior professor at our school, graduated from the History Department of Fu Ren University in 1952 and taught at Beijing Normal University. Mr. Yu Chai has been in charge of his life for many years. When Mr. Chai went south to Suzhou in September 1955, it was Mr. Liu Jiahe who sent him to the train box[4]. Over the past ten years, Mr. Chai Niandong has sorted out his grandfather's remains and has come to the Tieshizi Tomb many times to seek help and guidance from Mr. Liu Jiahe. Through Mr. Liu's little memories, Chai Niandong's understanding of grandfather's life and academics has become more in-depth. In the past three or four years, Chai Niandong has repeatedly donated parts of his grandfather Shuzezhong related to Beijing Normal University to our school library. The interweaving of personnel has made Mr. Chai Degeng's fate with Beijing Normal University continue.
Mr. Chai's letter, after being certified by Mr. Chai Niandong, was confirmed to be unseen historical materials, Beijing Normal University Library hopes to collect it into the expanded documents of famous teachers in the school in recent years. Early this summer, Mr. Wang Ning, a senior professor at our school, heard that the library was focusing on accepting teacher Shouze. He donated the classroom notes of Mr. Feng Chenglin's " Modern Chinese class" when he was in college to the library, and said to Xiao Yanan, the special collection department of the library's ancient books: "When you see what you want to buy [5], tell me, I asked the students to visit it, and I bought it and gave it to the library." This time, Xiao Yanan reported to Mr. Wang Ning the situation of the Chai Degeng note on the old books website. Teacher Wang immediately asked his doctoral student Li Cong to conduct research and quickly purchased the correspondence letter. He contacted Xiao Yanan on the same day and asked the famous teacher Shouze to enter the library. Mr. Wang Ning, who was admitted to the Chinese Department of Beijing Normal University in 1954, although he had never taken Mr. Chai Degeng's class, he was also famous and was full of respect and gratitude for Mr. Chai's generation of scholars. Teacher Wang's generous actions are not only a strong support for the library's literature collection work, but also a pious greeting to the older generation of scholars and a silent promotion of the tradition of respecting teachers and valuing education.
"Qingfeng Caotang Teacher Friends Mo Yuan" cover
After receiving the donated Chai Degeng's note from Teacher Wang Ning, the library first sent it to the ancient book restoration room. Teacher Ge Ruihua carefully repaired and bound the letters of the two leaves, including flattening, repairing, designing them into book sizes, paper matching, lining, pasting, binding, etc., which made Mr. Chai's letters present in a pleasing form. In the late 1940s, when Mr. Chai Degeng was at Fu Ren University, he invited several teachers and friends to write calligraphy and integrate exquisite albums, titled "My Yuan, Teachers and Friends of Qingfeng Caotang". In November 2020, to commemorate the 140th anniversary of Principal Chen Yuan’s birth. The Library of Beijing Normal University once held an exhibition of "Academic manuscripts, letters and calligraphy and painting works by Chen Yuan and his friends and disciples". At that time, the "Qingfeng Caotang Teachers and Friends" was exhibited, which made the teachers and students of Beijing Normal University linger. Mr. Chai carefully collected the inscriptions of teachers and friends, and was pious and self-evident. Today, with the same pious feelings and the glory of history, we pay deep respects to Mr. Chai and his peers.
Teacher Ge said that in the future, all donated loose leaf handwritten documents can be made into a similar style.In recent years, the Beijing Normal University Library has received several precious documents donated by teachers, alumni and people in the society, including ancient books, manuscripts of famous teachers, etc. Every time a donation is received, the restoration personnel work tirelessly to repair it. We will hold a donation document exhibition at a time to allow these documents to be presented and maintained in the best state, and live up to the donors' generous and selfless spirit, and live up to the donors' trust and expectations for the Beijing Normal University Library!
[1]http://www.suzhoumj.gov.cn/show.asp?id=115path=115classid=0filename=115
[2] Same as above.
[3] From Mr. Qi Gong's speech titled "Respect for Teachers and Friends and Treat People Sincerely" at the "Comrade Chai Degeng Memorial Symposium" held by the Central Committee of the Democratic Progressive Party in 1988.
[4] According to Mr. Liu Jiahe’s speech at the 110th anniversary of Mr. Chai Degeng’s birth.
[5] refers to manuscripts, letters and other documents.
is reproduced from the official account of "Beijing Normal University Library"
