This year marks the 150th anniversary of Zhang Taiyan’s birth. In order to let the world know more about Zhang Taiyan, on June 15th, an exhibition with a new perspective was opened in Hangzhou Hall of Fame-Zhang Taiyan in the Eyes of the World. The exhibition featured more than 60 pieces of Zhang Taiyan’s cultural relics, and outlined a comprehensive and concrete Zhang Taiyan with letters, handwritten letters, manuscripts, calligraphy and rubbings. Among them, there are more than 20 second-class and third-class cultural relics, and some of them are exhibited for the first time.
In the modern history of China, Zhang Taiyan’s name sounds thrilling. Lu Xun commented on him: “There is no second person in the world, which is the spirit of the sages and the model for later generations.” Liang Qichao praised him: “Its influence on academic circles in recent years is also enormous.”
This exhibition shows a resignation letter from Zhang Taiyan for the first time, that is, Zhang Taiyan’s submission to Yuan Shikai. In December 1912, Yuan Shikai appointed Zhang Taiyan as the border envoy of the three northeastern provinces. At that time, tsarist Russia coveted the frontier, and Zhang Taiyan wanted to save the country by industry, so he went to his post, but he was constrained by local officials in Northeast China in many ways and hit a wall everywhere. In January of the following year, he went back to Beijing to meet Yuan Shikai and asked for support, but he got nothing. In anger, he offered to resign, but he was not approved. Until March, when Song Jiaoren was assassinated, Zhang Taiyan thoroughly saw Yuan Shikai’s true face, so he angrily left his post and went south to participate in the second revolution.
Yesterday was Father’s Day, and the correspondence between Zhang Taiyan and his third daughter also moved the reporter. Zhang Taiyan and her daughter often correspond. This letter he wrote to his third daughter Zhang is particularly cordial to read, like a worried and careful father next door. Because her daughter likes reading, Zhang Taiyan is very pleased, but she feels that Twenty-four History is more expensive. She persuaded her to buy Zi Zhi Tong Jian, which is much cheaper, and advised her to study hard. A few words are all taught by the father to his daughter.
The greatest gift the master of Chinese studies received was the stele extension. Zhang Taiyan is also keen on collecting rubbings. The exhibition featured several collections, such as Huang Kan and Wang Dong’s rubbings of “A Thousand Buddhas and Two Xu Inscriptions” presented to Zhang Taiyan. The exhibition will be held from June 15th to August 15th at Tang Yun Art Museum. Reporter Rong Zhang correspondent Chen Jie