Hu Shih -- Pioneer of vernacular Chinese

[Ian_Lee]

Does anybody from Mainland or foreigners who study in Mainland know Hu Shih?

Mr. Hu wields more profound influence on the evolution of vernacular Chinese than Lu Xun in Modern China.

Because Mr. Hu went to Taiwan and did not stay in Mainland, all the endeavors made by him is deliberately omitted in Mainland. Please read his resume:

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Hu-Shih

Mr. Hu stood for liberalism in modern China. Understandably he could never stand the suffocating atmosphere in Mainland after '49. But sarcastically Mr. Hu was also persecuted (mildly) by Chiang Kai Shek in Taiwan.

[xuechengfeng]

Yes, very instrumental. We're reading in our course about all the important players in modern Chinese lit.. Liang Qichao, Kang Youwei, Hu Shi, Lu Xun, etc.

[Altair]

I had never heard of Hu Shi until I recently bought Wenlin. Among their text files is a short story called Chabuduo xiansheng (Mr. Close Enough?). Has anyone read this story? If so, can you explain the intent of the story and its historical context, if any? I liked the story, since it was easy reading for me, but was confused as to why it was written. Is it a critique of modern laziness? I found the subject of the story a little surprising for someone who I presume was not a traditionalist.

[Ian_Lee]

I recall I learnt Hu Shih's essay "Mr. Close Enough" in my Middle School year.

Though I can't recall exactly its content, I remember its theme was about the national character of Chinese in that era -- never take anything seriously, no matter it is life/work/study.

Mr. Close Enough was like the figure Ah Q portrayed by Lu Xun.

[Altair]

Here is the beginning of the story:

差不多先生傳 胡適

你知道中國最有名的人是誰? 提起此人,人人皆曉,處處聞名;他姓差,名不多,是各省各縣各村人氏。你一定見過他,一定聽過別人談起他。差不多先生的名字,天天掛在大家的口頭,因為他是中國全國人的代表/

Basically, it talks about the fact that Mr. Close Enough 差不多先生 (maybe "Mr. More-or-less" would be better) never seems to get anything quite right, since being "close enough" should be okay. He eventially dies when a veterinarian ("more or less a doctor") fails to cure him, and being alive or dead are "more or less" the same. The people admired his equanimity before death, giving him a 法號 (Buddhist monk's name?) and calling him a 圓通大師 (all-knowing master?).