In 1956, a gray-haired old man and his granddaughter left this precious group photo on the campus of Yunnan University. In the shot, the old man is wearing a dark robe, looking solemn and elegant. His face was carved with the traces of time, but his eyes still sparkled with wisdom. There is a pair of glasses on the bridge of the nose, which adds a bit of scholarly temperament. This old man is none other than Mr. Liu Wendian, a famous master of Chinese culture in modern times.
At this time, Liu Wendian has entered the twilight of his life, and at the age of 66, he has long passed the age of retirement. However, he still sticks to his position in education, influencing batches of students with his knowledge and wisdom. On the podium of Yunnan University, he was still in good spirits and spoke impassionedly about China's traditional culture and history.
This year has a special significance for Liu Wendian. Because in this year, he was rated as a first-class professor, which is the best recognition of his hard work in education over the years. This honor not only represents his academic achievements, but also his high recognition as a scholar and educator.
However, fate does not always seem to favor the great old man. Just three years after this photo was taken, Mr. Liu Wendian passed away due to illness at the age of less than 70. This news has made countless people feel regret and sorrow, because Mr. Liu Wendian is not only an outstanding scholar and educator, but also a literati with firm beliefs and noble character.
Born into a small merchant family in Anhui Province, Liu Wendian developed a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture from an early age. He is familiar with the Four Books and the Five Classics, and has a profound knowledge of the subset of classics and history. In the late Qing Dynasty, he joined the League and actively participated in the revolutionary activities that overthrew the Manchus. Later, he went to Japan to study and met his mentor Zhang Taiyan in Tokyo. The two of them have similar interests and become close friends. Under the guidance of Zhang Taiyan, Liu Wendian's academic level has been greatly improved.
In the early years of the Republic of China, Liu Wendian returned to Shanghai to run a newspaper, and he actively disseminated new ideas and criticized current politics, so he was wanted by the authorities. At the critical moment, he again traveled to Japan and served as Mr. Nakayama's secretary. Liu Wendian's eloquence and excellent writing skills, coupled with his profound knowledge, were quickly appreciated by Mr. Zhongshan. Later, when the situation stabilized, he returned to China and was invited to teach at Peking University. This period was the peak of Liu Wendian's academic research, and he made a series of important academic achievements.
Liu Wendian's sex is like fire, he is not pedantic, but dares to speak out. During his tenure as president of Anhui University, he clashed with Chiang over a student strike. Jiang Zhongzheng demanded the expulsion of the students who participated in the strike, but Liu Wendian firmly opposed it and severely criticized Jiang Zhongzheng. This move made Jiang Zhongzheng very angry, and Liu Wendian was dismissed from his post and imprisoned. However, under the mediation of the cultural circles, Liu Wendian was eventually released. After this incident, Liu Wendian's reputation became even louder, but he also lost his position as principal because of it.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Beiping soon fell. Liu Wendian stayed in Beiping because he did not have time to evacuate, and his whereabouts were closely monitored by the Japanese army. The Japanese military top brass wanted him to take up a false position, but he sternly refused. He used his actions to interpret the character and dignity of a literati. However, at the end of the 50s of the last century, some people with ulterior motives imposed trumped-up charges on Liu Wendian, resulting in his death due to illness during criticism, and his death made people feel endless grief and regret.