"Young Children", a history that should not be forgotten

Author: Hao Chunpeng, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Shanghai Normal University

Rong Hong, the first student to study in the United States in China's modern history, is also a lamplighter who actively promotes the study of official studies. Under his influence, the Qing government sent a total of 120 students to study in the United States in four batches. These teenagers, aged 10 to 15, boarded a ship in Shanghai, traveled far and wide, and set foot on American soil, known as "young children staying in the United States." These students lived up to expectations, and most of them later became the pillars of national construction. This true history was long forgotten and was not mentioned again until the 1970s. In 2004, director Hu Jincao made a documentary called "Young Children", which brought this poignant and sad history to the screen for the first time.

The documentary does not choose a grand narrative method, but starts from the personal experience of the first batch of "young children who stayed in the United States", from small to large, so as to show the context of the entire modern history of China. At that time, the international environment was not optimistic, and the reason why the public student program chose the United States instead of Europe was mainly based on Sino-US relations. As a newly rising country, the United States was thriving in industry and technology and could help China at that time.

One is an ancient dynasty that is weak and poor, and the other is a young empire that has flourished due to the Industrial Revolution, and the violent collision and integration of Chinese and Western cultures directly affect the path of "young children staying in the United States". The original 15-year study abroad plan, in the 10th year, finally due to strong opposition at home and abroad, died halfway through, and fell short. However, when these children who failed to complete their studies returned to China, they did not give up their studies and later became pioneers in all walks of life in China. Standing in the waves of history and looking back, every seemingly small individual is pulled by the waves of the times, and it is these thousands of individuals who form the waves and push history forward. This perspective of presenting the small and the big reveals the essence of human history: history is not a giant machine without life, but a canvas of the times made up of a living life.

In terms of expression, the film combines interviews with narration, intersperses relevant background introductions in the historical narrative, and analyzes the impact of historical events on future generations and even today. The beautiful narration allows the body to understand the intentions of the screenwriter, and the film is not only a realistic documentary, but also a pursuit of beauty restoration. In terms of structure and arrangement, each episode is closely connected and echoes from beginning to end, which not only reflects the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western cultures, but also expresses the vicissitudes of time. At the end of the film, the camera returns to the beginning of the first episode, where a little girl crouches on the steps and plays a tune seriously. This little girl is Rong Hong's fifth-generation granddaughter, and the song she plays is called "long long ago" (many years ago). As the background music of the whole film, this piece runs through the documentary, bringing the audience back to the distant years, as if they are in the scene of the story more than 200 years ago, which makes people feel intimate and sad.

"You have returned, and my sorrows have dissipated, and I have forgotten that you have been wandering for many years. Let me be convinced that you love me as before, many years ago, many years ago..." Along with this song, the screen lists the names and destinations of all the young children who have studied in the United States, including Zhan Tianyou, the first person we are familiar with, Zhan Tianyou, the first person who is familiar with the independent design of China's railways, Zhou Chuanyi, who participated in the construction of the Beijing-Shenyang Railway, Tang Shaoyi, the first cabinet premier of the Republic of China, Cai Shaoji, who has served as director of the Tianjin Foreign Affairs Bureau, president of Beiyang University, Tianjin Customs Supervisor and Tianjin Customs Daotai, and after returning to China, he successively served as Sheng Xuanhuai's secretary and manager of the Steamship Merchants Bureau. Huang Kaijia of the General Office of the Telegraph Bureau, Wu Yingke of the Beiyang Fleet, who participated in the Battle of the Yellow Sea...

The story of "young children in the United States" is like a fragment of precious porcelain, scattered in China and the United States. These memories are worth recovering piece by piece, so that future generations can know their experiences and remember this history. When he went to the ocean, the "young children who stayed in the United States" may have been confused and dazed, but when they returned, they had become the pioneering backbone supporting the rise of China. Know the history wisely, and go far. My generation should be self-reliant. (Hao Chunpeng)

Source: Guangming Network - Literary And Art Review Channel