Peking University Press, Lien Shih Sheng Collection
Life experienced through travelling
Preface, Lien Shih Sheng Collection
Prof. Koh Hock Kiat, Chairman, Lien Shih Sheng Youth Literature Fund

1. Autumn stream runs deep, Towering peak breeds wisdom
Mr Lien Shih Sheng (1907-1973) devoted his whole life to writing tirelessly, giving life to many monumental and inspiring works while scaling greater literary heights. He was famed around Southeast Asia in the 1950s to 1970s as a reputable journalist and writer. For many years, Mr Lien Shih Sheng's writings were widely read in Asia, especially among the young readers in Singapore and Malaysia. His works had a profound and far-reaching impact in shaping the characters of the youths and served as the conscience of our society, calling for the correction of social ills. The Lien Shih Sheng Collection is published by the Peking University Press in loving memory of one of the cultural fathers of Singapore, Mr Lien Shih Sheng, and in conjunction with the fifth anniversary of the Lien Shih Sheng Youth Literature Fund. For the first time, we have brought Mr Lien's work back 'home' to the 'imperial capital' and Beijing University, where he spent ten years of his youth immersed in and moulded by the great cultural capital of China. In inviting Peking University Press to publish Mr Lien's writings, we seek not only to promote cultural exchange between our countries, encourage more youth participation in the learning and creation of Chinese literature globally, but also to offer overseas readers the opportunity to rediscover the works of Mr Lien Shih Sheng. With the publication of this collection, we hope to promote the spirit of self-improvement, untiring mentorship, and perseverance in writing, as embodied in the noble person of Mr Lien Shih Sheng. Officiating at the unveiling ceremony of the statue of Mr Lien Shih Sheng at Confucius Institute, Nanyang Technological University, internationally renowned architect Dr. Liu Thai Ker said, "Mr Lien Shih Sheng's letters covered a wide spectrum of topics. He taught us that no matter how important or insignificant the matter is, we need to hold firmly to a correct mindset and adopt a correct standpoint. At every stage of our life, we should be thinking about 'what we are doing,' 'understand what we are doing,' and 'what we should do.' Lien Shih Sheng should become the people's, especially the youth's, mentor. He placed great emphasis on culture and education. This sense of direction had a great impact to Singaporeans during the colonial days as well as the early days of our nationhood." We are to gratefully remember Mr. Lien Shih Sheng for his profound impact on and great contributions to the Singaporean and Malaysian societies and our youths. As people who are following in his footsteps, we have been called to bring together the works and life story of Mr Lien, in order to better understand what he had gone through in his life, his thoughts along the way, and ultimately be inspired by him. Life is, after all, a long journey which everyone has to embark on individually. Back then, Mr Lien journeyed far and wide - traversing mountains and braving torrents, enduring the many vicissitudes of life - all in the name of realising his aspirations and dreams. With incisive words, he recorded a wonderful life that was filled with steadfastness and an unquenchable thirst for self-improvement; his was a life story that was written with an iron pen of resilience, and has gone on to transform the numerous 'new youths' during the 1960s and 1970s all across Southeast Asia. Mr Lien Shih Sheng has earned for himself a place in the eternal remembrance and grateful hearts of youths from across various eras. His story brings to mind two quotes: "My heart aches with the Master's traverses" (from Shi Jing - The Book of Songs), and "(The Master) braves the frost and dew of (his) treacherous quest" (from Zuo Zhuan - Chronicles according to Zuo Qiu Ming). These quotes illustrate the difficult course that the intellect has to overcome in his lifelong pilgrimage towards an enlightened existence.

2. The wandering years: the life story of Lien Shih Sheng

(1) 1907: Born into a learned tradition in Fujian Mr Lien Shih Sheng was born in 1907 in Fu'an County in Fujian Province. His family had been farmers for many generations, until his great-grandfather became a teacher. Subsequently, his descendants also took up teaching and developed a strong, cultured family tradition. This advantage ultimately imparted a great influence on instilling diligence and a thirst for progress in Mr. Lien Shih Sheng. After he graduated with flying colours from the Foochow Anglo-Chinese Private School, he was admitted with recommendation to the Yenching (Beijing) University.

(2) 1927: Admitted to Yenching (Beijing) University, and started writing prolifically In 1927, Mr Lien Shih Sheng was admitted to Yenching (Beijing) University and transferred from the Physics and Chemistry Faculty to the Economics Faculty. Following the recommendation of the Master of the Chinese Classics, Gu Jie-gang, Mr. Lien entered the Peking National Library for his graduate studies, and was asked to write for the Food and Money biweekly publication. In 1931 he began writing for well-known newspapers and magazines in Beijing and Shanghai, such as the Eastern Journal (Dong Fang Za Zhi), Ta Kung Pao, and Shanghai News (Shen Bao). In 1935 he contributed articles and translations of essays on Western economic history to the socio-economic history biweekly publication Shi Huo.

(3) 1937: Displaced by war In 1937, when the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out, Mr Lien Shih Sheng fled with his wife and children to Hong Kong. After his wife died, he continued to finish his translation of the book Industrial Evolution by Professor Gras of Harvard University, while teach at the Faculty of Arts in Lingnan University. He joined the International News Agency set up by Tao Xi-sheng in 1940, and set to translating Western commentaries of world events as well as writing his own commentaries. In the same year, he wedded Ms. Luo Mei in Hong Kong. The famous writer Xu Di-shan (alias Luo Hua-sheng) served as their matrimonial witness. Following the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, Hong Kong and Kowloon fell to the Japanese. When he was living in Kowloon and Hong Kong, he was continually living in fear. Eventually, in 1942, he took ship to Macau with his family, passed through the Guangzhou Bay before landing in Annan (Vietnam). He became the principal of a Chinese primary school, and continued his translation of books on the history of Western economics. While in Vietnam, he completed the translations of The Economic Development of France and Germany and An Economic History of Modern Britain by Cambridge University professor, Sir John Harold Clapham. When Japan surrendered unconditionally in August 1945, the Far East Daily in Saigon engaged Mr. Lien as its anchor writer. He went around the POW camps throughout Laos, Cambodia, Siam (Thailand) and the Philippines, offering his well-wishes to the British, American, French, Dutch and Canadian prisoners. As he travelled around, he came to understand the characteristics of the various overseas Chinese communities.

(4) 1947: A turning point in life 1947 was a turning point in Mr Lien Shih Sheng's life. That year, he became, concurrently, the correspondent of the Chong Shing Yit Pao (Zhong Xing Daily) and the Nanjing Central Daily. This appointment eventually paved the way for him to come to Singapore to work for Nanyang Siang Pau with his family. When he was covering news in Europe, he penned Travel Notes On Our Motherland, Travel Notes on Europe - by the banks of the Seine, By The Waters of the Mediterranean Sea, A Corner of the Atlantic and Sailing on the Indian Ocean, all of which were published by Singapore's Nanyang Siang Pau. These five masterworks have had such far-reaching influence that they secured Mr. Lien as the preeminent writer and journalist in Singapore and Malaya. He cared about the youths, often offering patient advices and encouraging them to strive for progress. He helped to shape the character of young people from across national boundaries and generations. For this, he was revered in Southeast Asia as a model to the youths, which in turn laid the foundation for his future leadership role at the Nanyang Siang Pau and an exalted status in the literary world.

(5) 1957-67

From 1957, Mr Lien Shih Sheng began promoting Chinese culture actively in Singapore and Malaya, and his influence grew. He served as council member and then Chairman of the Nanyang Society, as board member of both the Nanyang University and the University of Singapore, as founder cum adviser of the Singapore Writers Association, and member of the Singapore Government's Public Service Commission. He groomed and helped many who were interested in taking up writing and education as a career. His patient and subtle influence had touched countless young people on both sides of the Causeway, inspiring many to go on to become writers and journalists. In recognition of his contribution in this area, Mr Lien Shih Sheng was awarded the Public Service Medal by the Yang di Pertuan Negara of Singapore. In 1965, he witnessed the founding of Singapore as an independent country, and went on to publish three biographies of Gandhi, Nehru and Tagore separately, as well as eight volumes of his Letters From The Seaside series over the following two years.

(6) 1973:

Passing away After Mr Lien Shih Sheng was appointed editor-in-chief of Nanyang Siang Pau in 1969, he continued to write many insightful editorials that inspired many readers. In 1971, he resigned from all his positions due to failing health, but still he went on writing even when he was on the sick bed. After returning from his visit with eldest daughter Qiao Si in Beijing in 1973, he fell critically ill and passed away on July 9.

3. Characteristics and Spiritual Value of Lien Shih Sheng's proses

The Lien Shih Sheng Collection is a 23-volume compendium of most of his travelogues, proses, letters (eight volumes of Letters From the Seaside), biographies (Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore), which taken together would consist a nearly-complete collection of Lien Shih Sheng's lifelong works. Of special noteworthiness are the eight volumes of his Letters From the Seaside, which Mr Lien had evidently poured his heart and soul into writing. The touching letters are filled with his deepest feelings, and their literary value is comparable to the classical Chinese family letter-proses. These eight volumes represent Mr. Lien's most intense and emotive proses. The Letters From the Seaside series was begun in January 1957, of which the last letter in the series was written in September 1972, rounding up the collection of more than 380 articles. The reason why these epistolary proses have such a long-lasting influence and came to be regarded as a classic prose collection is due mainly to Mr. Lien's continuous reflection on life and his reverence for the intellect. He chronicled his thoughts and reflections with an artful flair that combines the daily grind, life as a whole, culture and aesthetics into a ode to wisdom and life. His writings were guided by reason but infused with feelings, which harmoniously infused the rational aesthetics of Confucianism and the free-spirit of Lao Tsi and Zhuangzi. His work encapsulates a noble spirit and an elegant transcendence that portrays a soul's perfect pursuit for a meaningful philosophy of life. In addition, from his travelogues, biographies such as Gandhi, Nehru, Tagore, and other works, it is not difficult to notice that whether he was reasoning, commenting on world affairs, citing the classics, or critiquing, he was always sincere, emotional yet controlled, moderate yet unrestrained. Mr Lien was a knowledgeable man who had a deep understanding of both Chinese and Western cultures, coupled with a rich life experience. His critique of his subjects were balanced and incisive; his observations of events were comprehensive and unbiased; he infused his writings with correct approaches to learning and principles of conducting oneself. All of these writings exhibited his grasp of the essence of Chinese traditional culture that present and future generations can learn from. When Mr Lien Shih Sheng first arrived in Singapore and Malaya, his unique qualities and mannerism of a Northern-Chinese scholar conveyed a sense of confidence and knowledgeability. When he was a reporter and, later, editor at Nanyang Siang Pau, his refined demeanour, composure, rationality, and even a hint of sentimentalism were inspiring to many young people then. He was genuinely concerned for them, for he believed that the young holds the hope for the future. He offered patient guidance and encouragement to the youths and affirmed their ability to influence the future. He set an example of himself and became the mentor and role model of the youths. Some scholars even nicknamed him the "Lu Xun of Nanyang". In fact, he embodied the traits of the archetypical literati from the Beijing school of thought: refinement, scholastic. We can clearly sense his calmness, rationality, transcendence over worldly gains and his nostalgic temperaments. He would write with a flair for the Chinese classics while conveying his yearning for his homeland, in the mean time combining Chinese and Western cultures with an acute cultural sensitivity. He upheld liberalism in pure art and pure literature, aligned himself with the modern humanism of the Western culture while clinging fast to Chinese history and culture. He was concerned with politics, passionate about his country, vociferous against social injustice, and he upheld justice and abhorred evil. Mr. Lien sought to realise the traditional Confucian philosophy of "unity in diversity". He had a strong sense of local identity, yet seeks to infuse elements of Beijing culture into Southeast Asia. With his adaptability to the new environment, keen observation and harmonious personal adjustments during his early years in Singapore, Mr. Lien attempted to integrate the culture of all ethnic groups in Southeast Asia. He once said, Southeast Asian culture should be based on local culture, yet garnished with traditions from Chinese, Indian and Muslim cultures as well as new ideas from European and American cultures, to give birth to an intriguing culture that is harmonious with local needs. Only then can this unique culture take root, flourish and bear fruits. He did not agree that to absorb the local culture, one needed to abandon his own culture. He said, I have been reiterating the importance of the mother tongue, but I am certainly not against people learning foreign languages. Instead, I have always encouraged people to pick up foreign languages. Take me for example: I know three foreign languages; if the opportunity arises in the future, or more simply, any time when I am determined, I would want to pick up Malay and Hindi as quickly as possible. Learning the language of another people and studying their history, culture, mannerism and customs can help us overcome our own deficiencies by absorbing their strengths. From these insights, we can appreciate how forward-looking was his vision. He expressed himself in simple, economical yet meaningful and lasting words, and this can be attributed to his strong foundation in the Chinese classics and the tempering of his spirit in his youth. His ability to write coherently and apply logic rigorously was honed by his training as a historian from his university days; his broad international outlook can be attributed to the accumulated knowledge of his years of researching and translating foreign masterworks on economics. When we read his works, we will surely pick up many valuable life experiences and wisdom!

4. Forefather and Benefactor of Nanyang culture

A country's cultural identity is etched out by its history, culture and significant persons. Singapore is still in the process of defining its own cultural characteristics. What Lien Shih Sheng had contributed in the past would constitute a vital piece of jigsaw in the emerging picture. Without a doubt, he is indeed a very important contributor to our modern culture. Mr Lien was constantly thinking about life, communicating his philosophy on life, culture and aesthetics, and weaving them into a gushing song of wisdom and life. His writings were guided by reason but infused with sentiments, which is a harmonious marriage of the rational aesthetics of Confucianism and the free-spiritedness of Lao Tsi and Zhuangzi. He continues to inspire the youth across all eras, affecting his young readers by enriching their minds. His work encapsulates a noble spirit and an elegant transcendence that portrays a soul's perfect pursuit for a meaningful outlook on life. In his works, Mr Lien Shih Sheng was constantly asking, "What is life?" His life was a constant process of caring about society, inspiring the youths and passing on our cultural heritage. Whence did Mr Lien Shih Sheng beget such a noble spirit? This has to do with what he experienced during his childhood, youth and adulthood. In his poem titled Crossings at the Three Rivers, the Song Dynasty poet Yang Wan-li wrote, The stream does not look back when it passes the bridge, but the boat needs to be poled along. Friendship is as permanent as the Shan Xi Crossing, unmoving against the waves that roil and throng. Like the rises and dips of a blue mountain ridge, or the ebb and flow of a meandering river, life is full of ups and downs, yet it forges on bravely from strength to strength. Mr Lien Shih Sheng used his proses to describe the interaction between people, events and feelings, about the meetings and struggles of the mountains and rivers of our life, exulting in the endless stream of surprises in the process and delighting in the hidden and accumulation of the subliminal wisdom of life. When we read through this Lien Shih Sheng Collection, we cannot help but be comforted that, no matter how indifferent or cynical our world becomes, somewhere in the world there will always be someone like Mr Lien Shih Sheng, an intellect and writer who persisted in choosing good and was dedicated to spreading the hope of light in this world, someone who was able to compose a living symphony with a fleeting glimpse of life. With this reproduction of the Lien Shih Sheng Collection, Mr Lien's proses will continue to nourish us in the years to come. With the preservation of this collection of modern classics, we can be hopeful that the torch of literature will be passed on down the long river of time!