It was here that Xiangda began to study the history of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries and Dunhuang studies. In addition to translating the Outline of World History and Modern Indian History, Xiangda also began to contact and inspect the works of foreign explorers in northwest China, translated Stein's Black Water and Stein's Secretary in Dunhuang published in 1930, and began to translate Le Kirk's Archaeology of Gaochang and Stein's Archaeology of the Western Regions. At the same time, he used new materials and put forward new ideas, and published a number of Chinese and foreign cultural exchange history and Dunhuang studies.
From 65438 to 0930, he worked in Beiping Library. Rich information, together with a group of young elites who devote themselves to studying, make the research level of Hunan University advance by leaps and bounds. 1933, his masterpiece Chang 'an and Western Civilization in Tang Dynasty showed people a colorful historical picture in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. In this paper, which Joseph Needham called "Excellent Thesis of Westerners in Chang 'an in Tang Dynasty", Chang 'an, an international metropolis of that year, showed the mutual reflection of eastern and western cultures and the open mind of Chinese civilization.
1935, Xiang Dayin "served in our library for five years, studied classics with outstanding achievements" and was sent to Britain to "photocopy Dunhuang classics in the British Museum". After arriving in England, Xiang arranged Chinese books in the Oxford University Library. The following autumn, when this work was finished, he went to the British Museum and began to read and study Dunhuang scriptures.
It is most understandable to study the legacy left by one's ancestors on other people's land. He used to just translate Stein's books and articles, but now he can witness the looted original works with his own eyes, and he is deeply touched. These foreign scholars robbed China of cultural relics, set off a "new academic trend" around the world, and formed a "Dunhuang studies" to study Dunhuang materials. They also mocked China scholars in every way. Now, he has come to Wan Li to read newspapers, and he can finally see these treasures with his own eyes. But the situation is not optimistic.
In a letter sent from London to China in February 1936, Xiangda wrote: "My brother came to Britain to see the Dunhuang manuscripts in the British Museum. The manager is Dr. LionelGiles. I met twice before and after, and they were all cold and refused. My brother helped him with his work and once asked him if he could allow someone to do a comprehensive study of Dunhuang studies, but he also refused. This situation is likely to put my brother in a dilemma. But at this time, we have to try our best to find a way to avoid entering Baoshan and returning empty-handed. Now I intend to entrust other British people to do it for me, and I will study the first floor in the future. "
In fact, Xiang Da's experience was already encountered in Pujiang Qing two years ago. At the end of 1933, Beiping Library entrusted Professor Pu Jiangqing from Tsinghua University to discuss with the Oriental Department of British Museum the shooting of manuscripts other than Buddhist scriptures in Dunhuang documents, but it was rejected. Pujiang withdrew from the library, asked for several copies, and was also rejected. Instead, it can only borrow cards with numbers in the catalog hall for a limited time. To find what you want from thousands of suicide notes, there is not even a hint, which can be described as finding a needle in a haystack. Pu Jiangqing had no choice, so he offered to catalog Dunhuang documents in the British Museum for the convenience of scholars. However, it is still a cold "no". The following year, another professor, Zhang, a good friend of Pujiang Qing, came to the British Museum during his stay in London. In view of the fact that Pu Jiangqing, who was entrusted by Beiping Library, was also shut out, Zhang Dawei lamented, "The so-called sinologists in the West are afraid of being repaired by others because they can't." So, instead of looking for relevant personnel, he stood in the notebook exhibition room and copied a dozen precious Dunhuang manuscripts word for word by taking advantage of the opportunity of changing exhibits. For example, in the era of Wu Zetian, a 18-year-old woman was sold 10' s silk script, a model essay on how a wife wrote to her mother-in-law and her husband, a dream interpretation book, and the earliest existing chess book explaining Go tactics were all copied back in this way.
Xiang Da suffered all kinds of difficulties from Zhai Lisi in order to consult Dunhuang documents. From September 1936 to August 1937, he saw less than 500 volumes of Chinese and Uighur papers. Xiang Da mentioned this sad past many times in his later articles.
On the other hand, there is no living allowance for the big ones. Hunan University has not forgotten the sufferings of the motherland and its mission. On February 2 1, 1936, he wrote to Yuan Tongli, the curator: "Although Da is a scholar, he has no pride. He would rather go back to China and starve to death than respect this generation to make a living. I only care about the sufferings of the motherland, dare not give my uncle's treasure, and take overseas Taoyuan as a paradise to avoid Qin. "
China is a poor country. At that time, even the scholars sent by the state were underfunded. Scholars have to rely on their own beliefs and will to complete their historical mission. In spite of this, Xiang Da made detailed cards of all the papers he could see, copied them down, and wrote a table of contents summary. Write down the number, name, length and number of lines of the paper, copy down the first 5 lines and the last 5 lines, and take photos of important papers.
His works "London Dunhuang Popular Literature" and "London Dunhuang Literature Catalogue" provide extremely rich materials for academic circles, which have raised the study of Dunhuang studies in China to a new level.
1938, Hunan University finally returned to China, which was being invaded by the Japanese invaders, with millions of words of Dunhuang materials. After the establishment of People's Republic of China (PRC), Mr. Xiang Da was in charge of the library affairs in Peking University. He was one of the first members of the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences of China Academy of Sciences, and also served as a member of the School Affairs Committee of Peking University and the director of Peking University Library. He knows Peking University's books like the back of his hand. In addition to being in charge of the whole library, he is also personally responsible for the procurement of China classics, because he has a deep understanding of the catalogue version. From 65438 to 0947, he and Professor Wang Zhongmin and other scholars worked hard to set up specialized courses in library science (affiliated to Chinese Department) and museum science (affiliated to History Department) in Peking University. Now, after more than half a century's development, these two majors have become famous information management departments and archaeological and cultural colleges at home and abroad.
1950, Mr Xiang resolutely sent his youngest son to the volunteer army to "resist U.S aggression and aid Korea". The following year, the party and the government invited him to join the first condolence group to the DPRK. He was elected as a deputy to the Beijing Municipal People's Congress and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Hunan University is deeply influenced by the spirit of "scientific democracy" of Peking University, and it is also "honest and clean, distinguish right from wrong, and never be soft". He said publicly: "We should now supervise the ruling party, let it do a good job and prevent it from changing."
During 1957, he proposed that historians should let a hundred flowers blossom, not just "five golden flowers" (referring to the five aspects of ancient history staging, modern history staging, capitalist germination, peasant war and ethnic issues), and that a hundred schools of thought should contend academically. He believes that Marxist principles and individual conclusions cannot replace specific historical research methods. He said: for example, archaeological excavations, how can we say that this hoe is bourgeois idealism and that hoe is Marxism-Leninism? At that time, Jane Bozan, the only other first-class professor in the history department of Peking University, criticized Hunan University and exposed its "remarks attacking the leadership of the Party". Specifically, Xiang Da once compared some administrative cadres of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to "Zhang Zongchang leading troops" and "a layman who doesn't trust people", and described some "scientists as vagrants who come and leave whenever they want", for example, "Today's historians die because of peace.
The consequences of his unbridled remarks can be imagined. The most serious thing is being falsely accused of having the ambition to rob the governor of Tujia Autonomous Prefecture in Hunan Province. Therefore, the old and new accounts are counted together, so Xiang was wrongly classified as the second "big right" among the five right wings in the history circle (Huang Xianfan, Xiang, Xiang, Chen, in the order of birth date).
1966 After the "Cultural Revolution" began, Professor Zou Heng of the History Department wrote down the scene that Xiang Da was severely criticized: I will never forget that terrible sun-like morning. In June of 1966, several "rebels" supported Mr. Xiang Da, who was forced to shave his head, and knelt on the hot tile outside the second floor of the Third Hospital. I saw some teachers trembling with fear, and I also felt that he was ill-fated and hid in tears. Sure enough, since then, I have never seen a generation of great masters.
At this time, Hunan University, although secretly telling friends "don't worry", will be like "phoenix nirvana, reborn from the fire"; Instead, he got seriously ill and didn't get timely treatment. After flying, he had to accept endless labor reform, criticism and torture, and finally failed to break through the gate of hell where sticks and animals were screaming everywhere.
1966165438+1On October 24th, a generation of great historians passed away.