On March 5, Irvine Book Club invited former president Anna Cheng to lead a discussion on the Nan Du Bei Gui series, a work by renowned Chinese author Yue Nan.
During the session, Anna reflected on the perseverance of great figures like former NTU president Fu Sinian, who amidst war and turmoil, remained committed to protecting Chinese academia and culture, making great sacrifices.
Irvine Book Club president Laura Yen emotionally remarked : “The wise one is gone, but his influence will endure.” She believes that through Anna’s discussion and members' efforts to spread these stories, the legacies of these great figures will never be forgotten.
The event, hosted by the Irvine Book Club, took place on March 5 at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center and was attended by over 100 people both in-person and online.
Anna Cheng shared that Nan Du Bei Gui series , a three-part epic by Yue Nan, is not only one of the most important books on her desk but also a must-read work of modern biography.
She explained that the book thoroughly explores the painful history of Chinese intellectuals during the tumultuous years of the Republic of China, examining their struggles in exile.
Anna hopes that the discussion will spark interest in this era and inspire readers to delve deeper into the lives of the unsung heroes who made significant contributions to Chinese culture and scholarship.
Anna emphasized that the book avoids political commentary but highlights the stories of scholars such as those involved in excavating the oracle bones of the Yin Ruins and the meticulous academic rigor of early 20th-century Chinese intellectuals.
Their personal struggles and sacrifices are woven into the narrative, showing how they persevered through adversity.
The book provides a vivid journey through time, recounting their stories of dedication, loss, and resilience.
Anna also discussed the establishment of the National Palace Museum in 1925 and the sacrifices made by many lesser-known figures to protect China's cultural treasures.
If many of these intellectuals are like "stars," then Fu Sinian, former president of NTU, is like the "moon" who connected them all.
Thanks to the preservation efforts during their exiles, we now have access to valuable cultural relics for research and learning.
She expressed her admiration for the scholars' unwavering commitment to their ideals despite the harsh circumstances they faced.
For example, Lee Jie’s daughter passed away in Lizhuang Town due to an illness that couldn’t be treated in time, and scholars like Lin Huiyin and Liang Siyong nearly lost their lives to tuberculosis.
Anna also highlighted the contributions of Dong Zuobin who compiled the Yin Calendar based on oracle bone inscriptions, as well as the large number of academic papers, research reports, and scholarly achievements written by the colleagues of the Academia Sinica in Lizhuang Town.
These efforts played a crucial role in the continuation and flourishing of Chinese culture.
Anna concluded by stating that the main motivation behind her desire to introduce this book is to honor the spirit of these unsung heroes of the intellectual world. “Let history not forget them,” she said.
After completing the first session on March 5, the second part of the event will take place online on March 13. For more information, please refer to the event poster.
Introductory Feedback ：
會員Sarah 馬 :
這次Anne 的演講，是我今年讀書會中最期待的演講。
我兩年前讀了一本英國記者Adam Brooks 的“Fragile Cargo”. 是描述二戰期間如何將紫金城國寶拯救下來及故宮博物院文物遷台的史蹟。
尤其博物館長馬衡，最後不願隨他在北大的學生莊嚴來台，選擇留在大陸，最後卻被清算而逝。我非常感動， 當時還做了簡單PowerPoint 給孩子們讀，瞭解這些歷史。
當Anna 提到她看了這三本書，我太興奮了，並一直鼓勵她替IBC會員導讀。 現在IBC的書友很 幸福吧！
因為這一次導讀是三本書，因此上次未參加part one的書友，下星期記得一定要參加，而且這個演講宣傳，也請多寄給親朋好友，這是難得的一個Topic，請大家不要錯過！
前會長余純純：
Anna 講書仔細， 每個人、事、時、地都正確、不遺漏，當她説到1949 國府撤退到台灣時，傅斯年安排好幾位文史考古工作者移居台灣，繼續他們的研究，而幾位選擇留在家鄉的學者晚年不幸的遭遇時，潸然落淚。
Anna 投人書中， 她的真情流露，讓我們都很感動， 下次參加讀書會時不要忘記，一定要帶紙巾， 我們的導讀都會是 tear jerking event， 精彩，豐富。
前會長Cyber Rose ：
知無不言 ，言無不盡！that is our Anna Cheng; a fantastic book leader!
If not because of the time limitation, Anna could have shared triple or quadruple more of the insightfulness of that magnificent era; the end of the 19th & early & mid 20th century ; which were inundated with the brilliant Chinese Scholars’ minds & contributions.
My favorite ones are 陳寅恪& 傅斯年, especially 陳！
I treasured the book below for many years.
Every time, just by reading this truthful headlines of ：「大師之後再無大師」could move me to tears….I could never salute them enough…
會員黃少華：
讀書會前會長Anna 記性好，口才佳。似乎書裡、書外的人物，都在她意念之中，即使那些都是上一代的人事物，她輕鬆談起，倒像是鄰里間的熟人一般，帶領聽眾進入當代大儒身處的環境，感同身受，因而當Anna一落淚，惹得會場內外人人動容。
身處動亂的大時代，人們的學養和本性得以顯現和發揮。我相信那時候還有很多不為人知的無名英雄存在，但是有知名文人學者的作為，得以留傳，極為珍貴。正如濁世中的一股清流，令人景仰。
謝謝Anna 認真努力地去探索和收集，讓我們有機會一窺大師們的艱苦卓絕和高風亮節，感激不盡。
會員Teresa Sun：
The lecture last Wednesday was wonderful. I met a group of professionals of that generation( in the U.S.) and wrote a paper on their lives coming to America after WWII.
Ming and May :
We are delighted to be treated with your wonderful talk. The stories of the best period of Chinese intellectuals experienced in recent history deserve respect and appreciation. I hope the story will end there.
Unfortunately, like a line in Charles Dickens “ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” (from A Tale of Two Cities), we are about to witness the great suffering of many great intellectuals at the same time across the strait.
It is a very honest and brave book written by an ex PLA writer.
Again, nice book and great introduction. Looking forward to your talk next week.
爾灣讀書會3/5邀請前會長傅鶴琴為大家導讀《南渡北歸》，在談及前台大校長傅斯年等大師在戰亂紛擾時代，仍「初心不改」為中國學術與文化護寶，奉獻和犧牲，不禁潸然淚下！
會長李克琪會後感性指出，「哲人日已遠，典型在夙昔」，她相信透過傅前會長的導讀和會員廣為傳播，這些大師的事蹟永不埋沒！
由爾灣讀書會主辦的《南渡北歸》導讀活動，在南海岸中華文化中心舉行，實體+雲端共有一百多人參加。傅鶴琴表示，這本由中國知名作家岳南所寫《南渡北歸》三部曲，不僅是她案頭非常重要一部劃時代必讀之書，更是一本傳世傳記文學。
她為大家說明，這是一部全面細緻探討民國百年中國知識分子歷經戰亂紛擾的流亡血淚史，也是需要細細品嚐，一而再，再而三去翻閱思考的近代史傳記。
她希望透過這場導讀，能夠引起大家興趣去閱讀，並深入瞭解那些對中華文化和學術有卓越貢獻，卻不為人知的幕後英雄。
傅鶴琴表示，這部巨著不做政治批判，但從討論中央研究院同仁們，發現挖掘殷墟甲骨文的始末，到民國初期，文人學者們高風亮節做學問的嚴謹態度, 和不為人知的人性掙扎…最後離鄉背景恨離天、傷別離….，閱讀這部巨著，就像走進時光隧道，親臨見證當年的點點滴滴。
在這部書中，更著墨甚多故宮博物院自1925 年開始設立，許多背後小人物為護寶做出的犧牲和貢獻！如果書中許多不為人知的知識份子是「星星」，那前台大校長傅斯年就像「月亮」，把星星們都串連起來，也因為有當年國寶的顛沛流離保護經歴，如今才有珍貴的遺產，讓我們可以近距離的觀摩和學習研究。
傅鶴琴說，她景仰大師們身處惡劣環境依舊「初心不改」那份讀書人的志氣與心性，不怨天尤人不自暴自棄。例如李濟的愛女在李莊鎮，因患病得不到即時救治，悵然去世的悲傷。林徽音、梁思永，也因肺病差點命喪黃泉。
如董作賓根據甲骨文編纂的殷曆譜，以及中央研究院同仁們在李莊鎮撰寫的大批學術論文、調查報告和學術研究成果，都為中華文化的延續和發揚光大作出極大貢獻。
所謂一瓢飲、一簞食，在陋巷，人不堪其憂，回也不改其樂。這份知識份子向世界展現的不屈精神，賢哉。士子情懐，情何以堪！
「莫讓青史了無痕」！傅鶴琴說，這是她願意出來介紹這套書的主要動機。特別是對文史界這一批無名英雄的精神致敬。
「篳路藍縷做學問，殷墟甲骨天下揚。李莊往事難自棄，李傅董梁青史留.」傅鶴琴看完全書，有感而發作的一首小詩。也為前輩大師們無怨無悔付出的初心，獻上最崇高的感謝和敬意。
由於「南渡北歸」一共三部曲，主辦單位分兩個時段完成。第二階段將於3/13早上在線上進行。歡迎有興趣參加民眾上網參加，相關資訊請參閱活動海報。
作者小檔案 :
岳南，1962年生。北京師範大學魯迅文學院文藝學碩士，他是中國作家協會會員，也曾是台灣清華大學文學院駐校作家，現居北京。
岳南善將歷史、考古新發現融入文學作品中，其代表作《中國考古探險文獻叢書》被認為是中國最具影響力考古文獻系列。岳南對民國間知識分子生活特別關注，他耗時八年創作的《南渡北歸》三部曲自出版以來，一直受到讀者好評，暢銷不衰。
本書小檔案 :
「南渡北歸」系列共分《南渡》、《北歸》、《傷別離》三卷，是中國極具影響力的紀實作家岳南，三下江南、耗時八年，搜閱近千萬字珍貴史料，所完成的巨著。
書中詳述民國知識分子們冒著抗戰炮火由中原遷往西南之地，再回歸中原，後來因政治局勢對立而各自分離的故事。這部作品完整再現中國最後一批大師劇烈變遷的群體命運，可視為一部全面探討民國百年中國知識分子的流亡血淚史。