"Stormy Years: A Century of Memories and Treasures" by Ji Xianlin, TXT E-book Content Summary
This book is personally selected by Mr. Ji Xianlin for the collection "A Hundred Stormy Years - Ji Xianlin's Selected Works" (Volume One). This series includes three volumes: "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works - Buddhism", "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works - Discussing Sinology", and "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works - Discussing Life". Among them, "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works - Buddhism" combines Ji Xianlin's two well-received Buddhist studies works, "Ji Xianlin Talks about Buddhism" and "Fifteen Topics on Buddhism". On this basis, Ji Xianlin personally supplemented it to make it a more complete compilation of Buddhist writings. "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works - Discussing Sinology" is a classic work of sinology recommended by Premier Wen Jiabao to young people across the country. In response to the recent "sinology fever", this book proposes the concept of "Grand Sinology". Ji Xianlin personally selected articles to explore the essence of sinology, making it a model for discussing sinology by a master of sinology. "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works - Discussing Life" is an excellent work where Ji Xianlin discusses life issues throughout his long life, representing the essence of his century-long life experiences.
Related Information
As the concluding volume of the Complete Works, "A Hundred Stormy Years" is Ji Xianlin's illustrated autobiography. This book exclusively discloses over 100 precious photos that bear witness to Ji Xianlin's century-long life journey. It is the only work so far that truly records Ji Xianlin's memories and treasures in both text and image. It can be said to be a complete record of Ji Xianlin from childhood to old age, condensing the essence of "Ji Xianlin's Selected Works" with extremely high collectible value.
My Childhood
I was born at the moment of transition between the old and new, on August 6, 1911, in a small village called Guanzhuang in Qingping County, Shandong Province (now Linqing City). At that time, the economic situation in China was such that the south was rich while Shandong (including other northern provinces) was poor. Specifically in Shandong, the east was wealthy while the west was impoverished. Our county in western Shandong was one of the poorest counties, our village was one of the poorest villages in the poor county, and our family was one of the poorest families in the village.
Ten-Year Retrospective
I have already lived through eight decades and am now approaching my ninetieth year. However, in terms of reading conditions and environment, no decade can compare with the ten years I spent in Göttingen. In daily life, I am a very uninteresting person; I almost do not know how to play or have any interest in playing. Throughout my life, I have most admired two kinds of people: painters and musicians. These two arts require the most talent, and without natural gifts, forced efforts will yield no achievements.
Me and Books
At Peking University, the term 'cowshed' was not widely used. The official term here was 'labor reform courtyard', sometimes colloquially referred to as 'black gang courtyard', with exactly the same meaning. However, the latter was more vivid and specific, thus becoming popular among ordinary people. As the name suggests, the 'black gang' was not the 'white gang'. They were those who secretly did 'bad things' and went against the 'revolutionary command post'. The place where these people were detained was called the 'black gang courtyard'.
In Sickness
Roughly thirty to forty years ago, I began experiencing skin itching problems. Every winter, when the climate became dry, small blisters would appear on my shins, sometimes breaking open and oozing fluid. I would cover them with protective cream, sometimes applying it haphazardly, which looked quite amusing. We were not familiar with medical terminology, so we casually referred to it as dermatitis. My student Zhang Baosheng once accompanied me to seek treatment from Professor Zhao Bingnan, an authority in dermatology at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Institute on Kuanchai Street in Dongcheng District.
My Academic Summary
How did I start studying Sanskrit? This is indeed an interesting question. In the past, I never considered this question. Instead, I often pondered another question: if I could turn back fifty years, would I still choose the same path today? However, my answer to this question has always been uncertain and unclear. Let’s set aside this discussion for now.
My Insights on Life
A person living in the world must handle three relationships well: first, the relationship between humans and nature; second, interpersonal relationships, including family relations; third, the balance between contradictions and harmony within one's own thoughts and emotions. If these three relationships are handled well, life can be enjoyable; otherwise, it will be filled with troubles.
Some Readers' Reviews:
1. Before his death, Ji Lao was so poor that he had nothing but his skin, yet after his passing, countless people have profited from him, echoing Qian Zhongshu's words.
2. Ji Lao's achievements are inseparable from his lifetime experiences. Although he has passed away, he left behind countless spiritual and cultural legacies for us to study.
3. I was deeply moved by your essay "Eternal Regret"! Your departure is a loss to the cultural community!
4. The number of true masters of sinology is decreasing. Ji Lao's passing is a significant loss to China's cultural industry!
5. You have departed, and I am deeply saddened; but your writings continue your legacy. Reading each line of your blood-pulsating texts, countless readers like myself feel that you are still living in the same world as us.
6. We take pride in having Ji Lao, a learned, patriotic role model for all. His perfect life leaves us in awe! He must be very happy in heaven, continuing to advocate for Grand Sinology.
7. Ji Lao's words give me the courage for objective self-recognition and evaluation, leading to true self-awareness. This awakening also provides the best guidance for educating the next generation, for which I am grateful. A person's life should be as objective, diligent, and hardworking as yours.
8. Perhaps, as Ji Lao wrote in his book, "Life is just like this, what can I do about insomnia?"
9. A person who can overcome loneliness, an ordinary person, a real person, a fortunate person, a favored person.
10. Some people love money, some write fake articles, some think of harming others all day, but the master of sinology educates people with his personal charm. Now there are fewer and fewer such people.
11. Master, may you rest in peace! I, an ordinary person, bid you farewell with these simple words. Possibly because we are from the same hometown, though I don't know much about you, I respect you greatly. Your insights into life are important spiritual wealth lacking in our generation!
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