His name is Ge Kunhua, from Anhui. He was born in the 18th year of Daoguang in Qing Dynasty (1838). He has been very clever since he was a child, and he has made great achievements in Mandarin and classical literature. He was originally a scholar, but because of his parents' death, his family came down and he lost the conditions for studying. He failed in his studies and joined the military shogunate.
He joined the Xiang army, and because of his bravery, he moved all the way to Jiujiang Town, Jiangxi Province, where he was promoted to be a magistrate. In posthumous title for ten years, Li Xiucheng and Chen Yucheng of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom defeated the South Camp of Qing Army, and Ge Kunhua's manuscripts were all destroyed in the war. Three years later, Ge Kunhua went to the American Consulate in Shanghai, and two years later he was transferred to the British Consulate. His term is as long as 15 years.
/kloc-At the end of 0/9, Harvard University in the United States wants to give lectures on Chinese, train talents who are proficient in Chinese, and enhance the commercial and trade capacity of the United States in China. Ge Kunhua was chosen by thousands of people. Ge Kunhua, who was 41year old in Guangxu five years (1879), signed a teaching contract with the president of Harvard University.
At that time, the status of the Qing court in the world was not high. China people who have crossed the ocean are all laborers. Before entering the United States, they were all kept in cabins and bathed in sulfur. Some of them were even imprisoned for six months to a year. Is a contract equal to? For thousands of days, it's up to you to live or die. .
However, Ge Kunhua was hired by Harvard with better pay. His monthly salary is $200, which is twice that of ordinary Americans, and he is the first person from China to be invited to give a speech at Harvard, which is rare all over the world.
After entering Harvard, Ge Kunhua's Chinese class has its own rules. In class, he insisted on giving lectures in Nanjing Putonghua, wearing official clothes and hats to remind students of the virtue of respecting teachers and valuing Taoism in the East. A Qing officials wear official uniforms in the United States, and naturally there is public opinion, but Ge Kunhua has a strong sense of belonging. He thinks he is from China and should look like a man from China.
He also compiled a book "China English", which is the earliest textbook written in Chinese and English by China people to introduce China culture, especially China's poems. There are Ge Kunhua's poems 15, 1879, 10 in the textbook. 1On October 22nd, Ge Kunhua officially started classes.
He gives public lectures five days a week, one hour a day, and students teach themselves for two to three hours. Among the students are Harvard students, professors who like oriental culture, and some Americans who have trade relations with China. In his lecture hall, he will give lectures in Chinese first and then explain them in English. Every word he said represents the culture of China. Later, when he taught, he simply used Chinese.
At that time, the American newspaper commented: Ge Kunhua? Good at making friends and being sincere? His unique temperament enables him to communicate with people from all walks of life. His words cadenced in the speech, and then he bowed out. The American sighed: We saw the qualities of the great sage Confucius in him.
Ge Kunhua lived in the United States for three years, contracted pneumonia in February, 1882, and died unfortunately. He has a great influence at Harvard, and all walks of life in the United States have proposed? State funeral? Because he promoted the cultural exchange between China and the United States, he was the first person today, but due to various factors at that time, he did not implement it.
Harvard held a funeral for him, his body was transported back to China, and his wife and children were taken care of by Harvard graduates.