Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 2.pdf/269

 弓汝恆, and was printed in 1900 in 22 chüan under the title 深州風土記 Shên-chou fêng-t'u chi. In 1879, on the recommendation of the governor-general,, Wu served for a few months as acting prefect of Tientsin (1879–80), and in 1881 was made department-magistrate of Chi-chou, Chihli, where he remained about eight years. He retired from official life in 1889, not having received a promotion for twenty years. At the request of Li Hung-chang, however, he remained at Paoting for the following decade as director of the Lien-ch'ih 蓮池 Academy.

Early in life Wu Ju-lun devoted himself to mastering the principles of the T'ung-ch'êng School of prose writing (see under ), but under the influence of Tsêng Kuo-fan and Li Hung-chang became interested in Western civilization and read intensively Chinese translations of Western works. Consequently he realized the necessity for modernizing China, and the latter half of his career in Chihli was devoted to the development of education. He gathered about him such brilliant scholars as Ho T'ao 賀濤, Fan Tang-shih 范當世 , and Wang Shu-nan 王樹枬. At Chichou he recovered, for the schools, property which had been illegally occupied by persons of wealth and influence; and at Paoting he established schools of foreign languages, inviting teachers from Japan and Great Britain. It is reported that about twelve hundred students were in this way trained by him in Chihli. During the Boxer Uprising in 1900, when the Lien-ch'ih Academy was sacked by rioters and by French troops, Wu took refuge in Shên-chou, but later went to Peking where he assisted Li Hung-chang in concluding peace negotiations with the powers. With the advent of peace the Peking authorities recognized the necessity for educational reform and resolved to reorganize the Peking Imperial University (see under ). On the recommendation of Chang Po-hsi 張百熙, newly appointed Superintendent of Educational Affairs, Wu Ju-lun, early in 1902, was selected head of the University faculty. Before assuming office he made a tour of inspection to Japan, staying three months (July 2—October 18). During this period he observed all types of schools in Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo; attended a summer course held by the Department of Education, Tokyo; and became acquainted with Japanese educators and administrators such as Kikuchi Dairoku, Kanō Jigorō (for both see under ), Yamakawa Kenjirō 山川健次郎 (1854–1931) and Hamao Arata 濱尾新 (1849–1925). Wu was welcomed by Mishima Ki 三島毅, Shigeno Yasuaki 重野安釋 , and by other old-style sinologists in Tokyo. While in Japan he was accompanied by several fellow-countrymen, among them adherents of who opposed Chang Po-hsi's new policy. These assistants took note of Wu's words and actions and sent unfavorable reports to Jung-lu. Wu also was not in good favor with the Chinese minister in Tokyo who held different opinions on educational matters. Owing to the antagonism thus created, Wu was advised by Chang Po-hsi to cut short his sojourn in Japan and come home to safeguard his position. Late in that year he returned, not to Peking but to his native place where, with the assistance of a Japanese whom he brought back with him, he established a modern primary school. Before Chang Po-hsi had a chance to call Wu to Peking he died, early in the following year at the age of sixty-four sui. His detailed report on his tour of inspection was printed in October 1902 in Tokyo, under the title 東遊叢錄 Tung-yu ts'ung-lu. During Wu's absence, in the summer of 1902, Chang Po-hsi's reform plan was put into effect by the establishment of an officer's training school (仕學館) and a teacher's training school (師範館). Two Japanese scholars, Iwaya Magozō 巖谷孫藏 (1867–1918) and Hattori Unokichi 服部宇之吉, were invited as deans, and these two schools admitted 136 students on December 12, 1902.

As a writer of the ku-wên prose style Wu Ju-lun rivaled. As literary men Wu and Chang were on intimate terms and had many students and disciples, among them the brothers, Yao Yung-kai 姚永概 and Yao Yung-p'u 姚永樸, Hsü Tsung-liang 徐宗亮 , Ho T'ao, Fan Tang-shih and Wang Shu-nan. Wu Ju-lun compiled a few anthologies of model writings in the ku-wên style, of which the 漢魏六朝百三家集選 Han Wei Liu-ch'ao pai-san chia chi hsüan was printed in 1917–18 in 20 ts'ê. It is a selection from the Han Wei Liu-ch'ao pai-san ming-chia chi (see under ). Wu Ju-lun's literary works, together with three small 871