In the era when masters gathered a hundred years ago, Hu Shi's life was nothing more than a legend and a genius. For more than half a century, he is almost a myth, an idol, a great man in academia, politics and culture. He left a lot of books, expositions, letters and diaries in his life. In study, he proposed that "in study, we should doubt where we should doubt", and in life, he said that "we should treat people without doubt where we should doubt". From culture to ideology, from the current situation to politics, although Hu Shi has many enemies, "My friend Hu Shizhi" has simply become a symbol of mutual recognition of celebrities for half a century.
Academically, Hu Shi is one of the researchers in modern social sciences with the widest discipline and research scope, and has the reputation of "decathlon". In the field of culture, he pioneered a road of "writing new literature in vernacular Chinese". In the field of historiography, he used textual research as a tool, and the thought of "doubting the ancient" guided historical research, which promoted the emergence of the school of "distinguishing ancient history" represented by Gu Jiegang. In the field of philosophy, his book Outline of the History of China's Philosophy broke through the concepts, standards, norms and general principles of China's traditional philosophy for the first time, and initiated the study of China's philosophy with modern methods. The Outline of China's Philosophy History provides a new standard for the history of China's philosophy in both content and form, and is recognized by modern scholars as the symbol of the establishment of China's philosophy history. In contrast, some so-called masters who boast about their achievements today will be ashamed.
Despite his high academic status, Hu Shi is still modest, gentle and tolerant. Lin Yutang once commented: in character, he is a man indifferent to fame and fortune, with Confucius' most lovely "gentle and not trying" demeanor. Mr. Hu Shizhi in moral articles, in character learning; It's enough for our generation. A temporary reputation, like a monument of the Yuan You Party, Mr. Shi doesn't care at all. This word "don't care" is the upright footnote of Mr. Zhi Shi, and it is the place that Mr. Hu admires and admires most. A good "indifferent" profit seeker is not respected by the society, but it is not easy to recognize the profit seeker. Isn't Lu Xun keen to be the object of young people's worship? (In this regard, Lu Xun's criticism of the national nature is interpreted as "mourning its misfortune and angering it", and the same situation applies to Hu Shi as "radical remarks", which is quite unfair. But it is precisely because of "indifference" that Hu Shi was able to devote himself to academic research and systematically study Zhu when he was controversial in his later years.
As a great scholar, Hu Shi also has the demeanor of a scholar, serious and tolerant. As a liberal, he insisted on the most basic requirements of being a man and maintained his "independent personality and free thought". He has practiced such a request with unswerving will all his life. But in dealing with people, they tolerate others and seek common ground while reserving differences. This can be seen from the attitude he and Lu Xun treat each other. As a "national fighter", Lu Xun naturally criticized Hu Shi. Hu Shi always ignored Lu Xun's remarks and articles that obliterated Hu Shi and refused to refute them. Not only that, Hu Shi defended Lu Xun after his death and prevented others from scolding Lu Xun. Hu Shi's charm lies in his warmth and kindness, and in his intoxicating education, which makes you feel warm. To use an idiom from China, it's like sitting in the spring breeze. In dealing with knowledge and personnel, Hu Shi has a famous saying: "To learn, you should have doubts where there is no doubt, and treat people with doubts where there is no doubt." This is his frank and lovely side.
Perhaps as a politician, Hu Shi is naive.