Firstly, I have to explain that the character named Zhang Ruzhou is not the husband of the famous female poet Li Qingzhao in the Southern Song Dynasty. He could not live longer than 700 - 800 years. The man in my post is a professor in Guizhou University, dogged by bad luck.
Our school was a small one, only having around 1,000 students distributed in seven majors of six departments. The oddest major was the Art Department, left behind by the National College, in which a few teachers are teaching only one student, even some of art teachers are famous for the whole province. For the musician majors, there were only ten boys and girls enrolled each year. The teachers crowded in a classroom so that there was little room for the students. Nowadays even students who are pursuing their doctor's degrees can't enjoy this kind of treatment.
Art Department had just a few people, but it took up the largest building in the university. We passed by that building every day when we went to the cafeteria, but hardly seeing people coming in or out. Art students sketched in the countryside, otherwise piano room for the students of music major was in another place. And the students vocalized on the hillside, leaving the teaching building in dead silence.
Chinese Department was the largest and really needed a bigger classroom for lessons. Then they were arranged to study at the upper floor of the library. Chinese Department also had the largest number of professors, accounting for almost 2/3 of the whole school. The most famous one was Zhang Ruzhou.
He was famous as he was a first class professor, (third level in the Chinese rating system).
Please don't look down on the third level rating. There was only one first level full professor in the whole province, who was Dean of the Agricultural College. The professor went to study in the United States in 1930s. He had been worked as a government official in other provinces early years, and his salary had long surpassed that of a first level full professor. Therefore, the title of a professor was wronged.
Another only one second level full professor, was the director of the Provincial Education Department as well as the president of Guizhou University. This professor went to Japan to study in the early 1920s. He was famous enough because of asking Zhang Taiyan how to make life worth living. Therefore, the university set up a major "professional educator" vaguely to invite him as a emeritus professor. He met his students once a year on the podium of the opening ceremony. The speeches were prepared by the school office, and were read once by him. As soon as the speech was over, he left immediately with the help of nurses waiting there.
Only Mr. Zhang was a real expert who was worthy of his reputation and cultivated by domestic education.
The first level full professor at that time were celebrities, such as Feng Youlan, Chen Yinque, Yang Shuda, Zhu Guangqian, who were even more valuable than the panda. Compared to them, even Wang Li and Zhu Dexi were counted as some kind of celebrities, to become the second level full professors. While Zhang was teaching in a small place of Guizhou, and not being an official. Itwas fairly good for him to be able to compete for the third level full professors.
2
His fame in his wide knowledge.
We only heard that he was famous for his study of ancient astronomical calendars. Indeed, he was also very good at phonology, grammar and exegesis. His calligraphy was very good, too. He was almost all rounder. However, this inducedhis arrogant habits, which provoked some people's envy. In 1956, he was framed in jail. After being out of prison, he caught up with a vocational grade evaluation. His salary was 260 RMB, the equivalent of five assistants, which was both a good and a bad thing. Sure enough, the salary was canceled in 1957 as he was labeled as a rightist.
There are dozens of books that are not widely circulated written by Mr.Zhang. I have seen a letter written by Guo Moruo to him in the "era of slavery." This letter discussed when Zhouyi had been written, at the time of May 1951. It was probably more difficult to get a reply from Guo Moruo and to have the letter printed in Guo's book than to win a lottery.
3
His fame in body language
Mr. Zhang was the Number One rightist in Guizhou province. When we enrolled in 1959, we could still see the anti-right newspaper, publishing his guilt and excerpts of his speech. It is not necessary nowadays to take these deliberately framed things seriously.
In order to satisfy my curiosity , , indeed (frankly speaking),, desire to peek I always wanted to have a look at his appearance. Knowledge was admirable. Therefore, I was just like young star chasers who would buy one ticket no matter how expensive the fare was. Without the identity of education celebrity, his knowledge and fame were not worth a penny. But his brain of doing research was still there. Hence, if I could see something special, with no need to buy tickets and a tip, and what I needed to do is standing for a few minutes. Why not?
Mr. Zhang was called "stubborn". But, was his head made of iron? Unlike him, at the time of the land reform, a landlord doing business outside was escorted back to the village and criticized in the afternoons. At night, as a result, he hanged himself. Another example was in high school: half the number of teachers were rated as rightists, and no one dare not plead guilty. Comparing to them, what special function Zhang Ruzhou had? I wanted to see .
Mr. Zhang lived in the city and usually did not come to work, as he did not lecture at that time. However, if there was a meeting, he would surely come, especially since he was rightist now. When it was meeting-day, I would be waiting along the road in front of the library. When people carrying a handbag came out in twos and threes, I knew that the meeting of teacher of the Chinese department was dismissed. However, I had not met him after several trials.
Now, when I look back to these, I found myself so stupid. Since there would no sign of rightists and the wide knowledge, How could I tell Mr. Zhang from others just on the face? Young rightists in our department always carried a pail of shit on their shoulders. Andwhen they dig gutter, they rolled up their sleeves aand trouser legs. These actions were their logos. Old Zhang Ruzhou did not have these logos. The logo of him, I think now, only was a pair of nearsighted glasses . How could I find him out of the crowd?
After a while, a message came from our class saying that, an old man would appear on the campus from time to time, with an umbrella with a curved handle and a pair of rain boots, no matter it was sunny or raining,. He was neither a plumber nor a beggar. It was said that he was the big rightist of the Chinese Department, Zhang Ruzhou. I suddenly realized that I had a target.
One afternoon in late autumn, I went to the mailbox of the school gate to send a letter. When I was back, on the way behind the auditorium, I saw an old man standing there, then moving a few steps to the left, and came back again, and then stopping. It seemed that he did not know what to do. I slowly approached to observe. The old man had a Medium hairstyle, with white hair erecting sparsely and disheveled. His beard was full of mouths. It seemed that unless the barber took the initiative to serve for him, he would not bother to find a barbershop. Grooming seemed no meaning to him: neat instrument was only prepared for the lecture. Since he did not have to stand in the podium, but only to satisfy the family, strangers or himself , he seemed no need to mind it. What were the eye after the lens full of? melancholy? Wise? Or indifferent to the numbness? I could not tell, nor thought to explore. I then sized his dress. He wore a suit of white washed Lambu tunic. What was strange was that the baggy pockets on both sides almost fell down, while middle button pulled up. The clothes were not so neat, even unsightly. The the green umbrella handle was slanting the ground. He was under 60 then and had not reached the age when he needed a crutch. And after the ups and downs, his body was still strong. He stood there as if he lost something. His pants were the popular style of the year, with large pants into the rain boots which seemedparticularly botchy.
Autumn in the plateau had rare rain. Therefore, rain gear were almost useless. Why did he take an umbrella every time? Didn’t this kind of dress insult his prestige of professor? Didn’t it damage the dignity of the gentleman? Didn’t it increase his eccentric? I could not understand!
Later, I finally figured out that this was his body language. In his stubborn temper, verbal argument had no meaning, nor was it possible. In what way did him talk to others? What could express his noble but not become a subject for ridicule at the same time? What he could use was only body languages.
In all, his talent, his benevolent feelings of the masses, and his heart to serve the country, were really admirable. There were two poems that could prove that he was not weird at all and nothing unlike other professors.
Passing the Qiangui Railway in 1947
Thousands of laborers worked very hard every day,
to build the railway,
But it is us now
to enjoy the convenience of the railway.
We have dined and wined to satiety,
while laborers are still hungry.
Who have thought to donate to the workers,
just a single penny?
Rainy days turning sunny during the journey, in 1956, after being released from prison due to elimination of counter-revolutionaries
In the heavy rain,
suddenly,
the wind changed, it cleared up, a sunny day.
The soil softer, the sandals lighter,
the pedestrians hurried to pack the parcels,
while the setting sun,
to resume the journey on their way.
Original post written by @hqy: 杂忆之-------我的大学老师张汝舟|@hqy 二哥贺汪泽新作/月旦评
Translator: @aileniu
我先得说明，此张汝舟不是南宋著名女词人李清照的再嫁丈夫，他活不到七八百岁。这位张汝舟是我们贵州大学的多灾多难的教授。
我们学校很小，才一千多点学生，六个系，七个专业。最奇葩的是民族学院留下的艺术系：美术专业几个老师围着一个学生转，几乎集中了全省有点名气的画家；音乐专业每年招男女学生各十名，老师挤满一教室，学生就那么一点点。现在读博没这么气派吧。
艺术系人少，却占用一栋最大的大楼。我们去食堂吃饭，天天从那儿经过，几乎没见有人出进。美术专业下乡写生，音乐专业琴房另有其地，练声在山坡上，教学楼里死一般寂静。
中文系最大，上课要大教室，将就安置在图书馆楼上。中文系教授最多，几乎占了全校的三分之二。最有名的就算张汝舟。
他的名，一是级别高，教授三级。
你别小看这三级，全省只有一个一级，在农学院当院长。此公30年代留美，早年在外省做官，官俸早就超过了一级，给个一级还委屈了他。一个二级，在省教育厅当厅长，兼贵州大学校长。这位20年代初留日，凭一则请教章太炎“人生怎样才不辜负一个我”的轶事，就够有名了，不必再问英雄来路。勉强给个专业，就算职业教育家吧。他一年与学生见一次面，在开学典礼的主席台上。发言稿是校办准备好的，读一遍就被等候在场的护士扶走了。真正本土培养，有名有实的专家就只有张先生。
当年的一级是名流，如冯友兰、陈寅恪、杨树达、朱光潜这些人，比熊猫还宝贵；连王力、朱德熙都只算小有名气，打进二级；张先生局处贵州一隅，又没做官，拼个三级，也算不错了。
二是他的学问。
我们只听说他是研究古代天文历法出的名。教音韵、语法、训诂也呱呱叫，还写得一手好字，几乎是全才。由此，大约也玉成了他的孤傲习气，招惹一些人的妒恨。56年遭诬陷坐牢，放出来撞上评级定薪，有了260块钱的薪水，相当于5个助教，也令人又爱又恨的。果不其然，57年打成右派，就撸下来了。
先生的著作有几十种，流传不广。我见过郭沫若《奴隶制时代》写给先生的一封信，讨论《周易》的著作年代的，时间是1951年5月。当年能得到郭沫若的回信，并且印在他的著作里，大概比抽签中奖还难。
三是他的肢体语言。
张先生是贵州省的头号大右派，我们59年进校还能看到反右时的报纸，公布他的罪状，摘编他的言论。今天已不必为这些谋蘖其罪的东西较真了。
为满足自己的猎奇心理，说不好听，就是窥私欲，总想一睹其尊容。学问是令人景仰的，和小鲜肉观明星一样，再贵的票也要挤一张。张先生从杏坛跌落下来，学问一钱不值，声名也如粪土。但他研究学问的脑袋还在，看有点什么特别的，又不要买票，不要打赏，驻足等几分钟，何乐而不为？
当年说先生“顽固不化”，“死不认罪”，难道他的脑袋是铁打的？土改时，我们村揪回一个在外地经商的地主，下午斗，晚上就悬梁自尽了；高中时，老师打了一半右派，没听说那个敢不低头认罪的！张汝舟有什么特异功能，多想见识见识。
先生住城里，不上讲台了，平时是不来上班的。开会必来，成了右派，更是风雨无阻。轮到开会那天，我就等在图书馆门口的大路上，当三三两两提着手袋的人出来了，我就知道是中文系老师散会了。等了好几回，没有结果。
现在想来，我真傻。右派脸上没刻字，学问装在肚子里，那有写在脸上的道理？我们系上的年轻右派肩上离不开一对大粪捅，掏阴沟时捋起袖子，挽起裤管，这就是标志。张汝舟这些标志去掉了，我想只剩下一副近视眼镜了，你怎么把他从人丛中找出来？
过了一段时间，我们班上传出一条新闻，说隔一段时间在校园的马路上，见到一个老头，不管天晴下雨，都拄着一把勾把伞，穿一双雨靴，水暖工不像水暖工，叫化不像叫化，据说是中文系的大右派张汝舟。我晃然大悟，有目标了。
深秋的一个下午，我去校门口的邮筒发信回来，在大礼堂背后的路上，远远看见一个老头儿站在那儿，往左移了几步，又踱回来，驻足观望，不知想做什么。趋近一看，留着分头，竖着的白发，稀稀松松，胡乱地栽在那儿。胡须渣子满嘴，许久没刮了，看来剃头匠不光顾，他就懒得去修理。看得出，仪容对他已没什么意义。那是为上讲台准备的，不用站上去，做给自己、家人、陌生人看，用不着费这番心思么？镜片后的眼睛，是忧郁？是睿智？是漠不关心的麻木？我看不出，也无心去发现。我的目光移到他的穿着上，上身，洗得发白的兰布中山装，奇怪的是两个下罢口袋鼓囊囊的，两边往下坠，中间的扣子往上拽，显得不那么清爽，甚至有碍观瞻。手持的勾把青布雨伞，斜点在地上。不到六十岁，尚未进入拄杖的年龄，再怎么风霜摧折，身板还算硬朗，若有所失地站在那儿。裤子也是当年流行的款式，大裤管塞进雨靴里，特别地扎眼。
高原的秋天，是少雨的季节，雨具几乎派不上用场。先生怎么次次如此呢？这招牌式打扮，不掉先生的教授身份？不损先生的体面？不增先生的古怪之气？我百思不得其解！
后来，我终于参透了，这就是肢体语言！以先生这样死硬的脾气，口辩已没有意义，也没有可能！用什么来与别人对话？用什么来表达自己的高洁？而又不落话柄？惟有肢体语言来对话了。
先生的才气，先生的仁民情怀，先生的报国之心，有两首诗作证明他一点也不怪异，和别的教授没什么两样！
过黔桂铁路 作于1947年
筑路千夫尽日劳，
路成便利属吾曹。
吾曹醉饱千夫饿，
谁为千夫拔一毛？
途中雨霁 作于1956年肃反出狱之后
急雨风回忽放晴
软泥更觉草鞋轻。
行人包裹忙收拾，
要趁斜阳赶一程.
感谢惜mm的费心修改，比心~
感谢理解~有时候挺怕改多了，译者会生气。
不会不会，我还怕我翻译的太差了以至于让你修改时费神太多呢：p
感谢@aileniu的翻译，你辛苦了！
🤗感谢贺老师为我们译者鼓劲～
不辛苦，能翻译贺老师的作品是我的荣幸：）
Life is filled with so many great memories. We are not able to remember them all. It is good to write down your memories. When read back at them in a few years, even our grandson could still talk about it.
it is great to look back and learn from the past.
翻译不易，尤其是汉语文化浓厚的文章，为翻译者 @aileniu还有作者贺老师点赞。
感谢支持。
感谢~
@cn-reader, 写得太棒了，我喜欢!
@cn-reader, 嘻嘻，小可可来给你点赞啦~~~
BTW, @cn-naughty.boy 淘气包，好像快情人节了咧，去哪里约会...羞涩中...
惜澄辛苦了，谢谢！
贺老师言重了。