First Chinese Enrolled by Prussian Academy of Sciencd: Banquet at Peking work "oe De Hu Shih, the Moted owing tribute to the great
Chinese. scholar and " philosopher, yas paid by Dr, 0. Trautman, the German Minister. to China, at a franguet held in Peking on Septem ber B2, Dr, Hu Shih was recently nominated a corresponding member of the Prussian Academy of Sctences in, Berlin.
"Among those present at the ban-quiet were Dr. 'V._K. Ting; Mr. Chiang' Hong-ling, President of the Peto: University, Mr. Chu Chie chien, former Prime Minister, Dr. Sw'C! Mei, President of the Tsinghua" University, "Dr.-Jen Hung-chun, President of the China Foun. dation, Mr, T. L. Yuan, Director of the National Library, Mr. Fu. S2e-hien, President of the "Academia Siniga, Dr. Quinze Wang, Dean of Tsinghua." University, Professors Carsun Chang, Li Chi and Yang Ping-chen, Dr; issu Tauclingy Dr. Lessing, Dr. Keleg, of the Gernian Hospital, Baron von Stod-Holstein, Dr. G, Coke and Dr. von den Steinen, Professors at Tsinghua University, Once, as a little boy, you throw a worn-out idol of mud from a wrecked temple into a pond. I take this action as an omen and symbol for what you have done since you have grown to manhood. You were one lof the first, if not the very first, to ook for a way of emancipation from the unbearable shackles with which Chinese thought had been bound.
It was in the language used by the Chanceries of Ceniral Germany Jon the one hand, and in the language used by the man in the street on the other, that Martin Luther found the instrument fit to spread his ideas among the German speaking peoples. "*You must look upon the common people's mouth," he said.
Yeu, Sir found your language in jthe Wonderful store-house of Chinese fiction, novel and drama, and the language of every day life. In your standard work "The History of [Chinese Philosophy" you showed your mastery in handling thie "new fold" language, you proved better than by theories how fit that language was to express thoughts on the is Bee Schiele et the Unt, {most 01NE #0 you encouraged many who abstract subjects, and by Catholic University, and members had still been wavering, and convert of the staff of the German Legation.
Tu his speech, Dr, Trautmann said:
'Your nomination, as ponding member of Academy of Science fed with the greatest satisfaction, both in Germany as well as China, For the first time in. history, we find the name of a Chinese scientist enrolled' among the members pf the Academy. I would, howecasion point out that first time that we find Academy entering into golntions with this country, many who had been ardent opbliah, by the medium of the Academy, intellectualeand cultural contacts with "the Empire of China. Leibniz the first to recognise the great importance of Chinese culture for, the development of the West. He himself, had studied the teachings of
correspondence with Chinese philosophers, he stood the suit Father Grimaldi, who had lived many years in China, and in 1607 he edited, on the basis of his knowledge of this country, his "Novissima sinian", which caused such a stir in Europe at the time.
It was his idea that the spiritual values of the East should enrich the development of thought. in. the West, With his Society of Science, founded by him in Berlin, he had in mind an "organisation of all scientific work and the enlistment of all the intellectual forces in the service of productive activity." As Adolf von Harnuck tells us in his History of the Academy of Berlin, Leibniz lined ut the opening up of China and the interchange of civilisation between China, and
ations existing between Pri Europe. By the medium of th and Peter the Groat, he wanted to establish the spiritual road via Russia to that country so fascinating to him, to China," The foundation, which' he inspired, the Russian Academy of Science, was intended 'a8 a mile-stone on this path.
'Leibniz possessed a frame of mind which "we may call universal. Te Yealised that, ax far as the sirehgthening and' deepening" of relations between nations and individanis are concerned, philosophy may claim to Dlay'a dominating part, "Thus the Prussian Academy has, indeed, acted inthe spirit of its founder if it now counts yous Dr-Shih, among ite members, 'AL must resist' the temptation of giving a full account of the great work achieved by. you since your fest contrition, of the age of 16 othe magazine "The Struggle" in More competent men than T may tio $0, and have done 30. "Let me only well for a few moments on What you have achieved "on behalf of your country.
Thy' China, all things which have to he done' to further its developrmient and prosperity. must be done
furies a written language had de-gigantic sti r untold cone veloped in this country, which, what ever its avtistie' merits may" be, Taeked life, because the' people, not understanding it, took to. pate in its development." Tt was bristling with difieutties for those studying Tr had become ap idol, a false ideal of a privileged class of literati, who
pressing vor pethape imitating amiing tis nstoment thoughts, had withdeaen more and aer fron the worees of every day ponents to what they might he Formed a sacrilege.
But you, having given China a new vehicle of scientific thought, had prove that it was fit also to convey the deepest and. tenderest feeling. Since the glorious days of Tang "poetry, Chinese. versiication was bound by seademic rules. which deprived it of life, But at the ores the posted of the peopl ore, the poetry of the people, known, and. unappreciated. by. the leaders in Iterature: Your "Book Jot Experiments" ax you"modestly call it, shows a way to all those of our countrymen tin whose hearts stil resides. Foot-binding thyme, never dying. genius of poetry
ionariesand textbooks were poetic voice of the Chinese people rang forth again It is you who have rendered your Jcountrymen articulate, you who have [taught millions of those who, were it not for you, would have been deaf and dumb to hear and to speak.
'All creation is bound up with destruction, And much that is dear to you, your countrymen and even to; tas, must give way to that which is Even Goethe, who, expecially later years, stuck' to the old
that humanity has the right, leals, was compelled to from time to time, to rebuild the basis of its civilization. You re-Jeognized this necessity and you cleared the ground for the new building: with a clear-sightedness, Jcourage and sincerity of conviction which has gained universal admiration. Free from prejudice, unbound by fetters of a stale tradition, unshaken by attacks of opponents, you went your way, difficalt though it may have been' at, times.
But would all this have succeeded at all in the face of a world of opposition, had it not been for your books which entirely revolutionized Chinese thought?
Your "History of Chinese Philosophy" strikes us as calculated to [shed a new light upon many of the problems of contemporary Philosophy.
our Essays, your "History of Chien," a contemporary of Kant, genius" perhaps to be compared ith Leibniz, and not to forget the History of the Living Literature of China," all these are real sources.
information and T hope will be since the days of Romanti boast of understanding the voice of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.