In China in 1943, in addition to the War of Resistance Against Japan, there was another war without gunpowder, that is, the battle for the cultural influence of Britain and the United States on China.

Last year, US Special Envoy Fairbank sent a telegram to Roosevelt, hoping that the US Government would enhance Sino-US cultural relations, conduct scientific research on Chinese education, and send American scholars to Chinese colleges and universities for exchanges. As for helping Chinese scholars solve their living difficulties, it is only part of Fairbank's plan.

Before Fairbank proposed this plan, Boufield, the cultural counselor of the British Embassy, was already doing it, which was the main reason why Roosevelt expressed his support for Fairbank.

Up to now, the British have directly established the Sino-British Science Cooperation Museum, which has greatly strengthened the cultural influence of the British on China. Fairbank couldn't sit still, and only a week after the official establishment of the Sino-British Science Cooperation Center, he suggested that the US ambassador to China, Gauss, take action, and was authorized by the US government to invite a large number of Chinese scholars to the United States for exchange activities.

The first batch of scholars invited to the United States is a total of six scholars, namely Jin Yuelin, Fei Xiaotong, Cai Qiao, Liu Naicheng, Zhang Qiyun and Xiao Zuoliang. Among them, Jin Yuelin is a philosopher, Fei Xiaotong is a historian, Cai Qiao is a physiologist, Liu Naicheng is a jurist, Zhang Qiyun is a geographer, and Xiao Zuoliang is a political scientist, covering all aspects of Chinese academic circles.

This strategy of cultural influence was intended for the long term and was later extended to the field of culture and art. For example, the fourth batch of invited scholars includes nine people, including writer Lao She, playwright Cao Yu, cartoonist Ye Qianyu, and dancer Dai Ailian.

The Yankees even included the Communist Party in the scope of invitation, and the Communist Party was ready to send four scholars to the United States, but due to various complicated reasons, they did not succeed in the end.

Zhou Hexuan was not invited, because he had been in various exchanges in the United States since he was a child, and Roosevelt could not afford to spend that unjust money again.

Although Chang Kaishen did not agree to Fairbank to provide living expenses to Chinese professors, he attached great importance to Fairbank's invitation to Chinese scholars to visit the United States. He asked his secretary Chen Bui to take charge of this matter, and solemnly conducted a five-day training for the invited scholars. The content of the training is very simple, that is, to teach scholars basic diplomatic etiquette, stipulating that they cannot say things that damage China's image, and that they cannot do things that damage China's image, and so on.

At the end of the training, Chang Kaishen also personally hosted a banquet to entertain the six scholars and presented him with signed photos.

In July, Fairbank brought the first batch of visiting scholars to the United States to gather at the Zhou Mansion.

Zhou Hexuan was naturally a good entertainer of wine and food, and spent two days discussing with these scholars.

Fairbank said: "The Sino-US scholar exchange program is to strengthen mutual understanding between China and the United States in the field of culture and technology. Most Americans don't know much about China now, and some Americans even think that Chinese still have braids. The first step in our exchange program is to let the United States know about China. Here, I would like to select Mr. Zhou's "The Fifteenth Year of Wanli" as one of the books for the exchange of scholars between China and the United States. ”

"Of course, no problem, I'll have Mike Raul Books publish the English version, and I'll have done the translation of the manuscript." Zhou Hexuan said.

Fei Xiaotong suddenly said: "Mr. Zhou, I have some crude opinions on "The Fifteenth Year of Wanli". ”

Zhou Hexuan said: "Please speak." ”

"With all due respect, your magnum opus focuses too much on the civil system and ignores the influence of local autonomy on Zhang Juzheng's reforms," Fei Xiaotong added, "Of course, this is just a humble opinion, and Mr. Zhou doesn't need to care too much." ”

Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "The local autonomy of the Ming Dynasty is also an accessory product of the civil bureaucratic system, right?" ”

Fei Xiaotong shook his head and said: "Of course, the local autonomy of the Ming Dynasty is related to the civil system, but it was not born by the civil system. In fact, in the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial power could go down to the county and the countryside. According to Zhu Yuanzhang's idea, the local government carried out the political faction of the land endowment according to the Lijia household system, of which most of the land endowment was handed over to the central government, and a small part was left to the local government for disposal. In the early Ming Dynasty, local governments had more loose powers, while the local gentry had much less power. ”

"Please continue." Zhou Hexuan listened carefully, and he hadn't read all the historiography books.

Fei Xiaotong continued: "In the early Ming Dynasty, local governments had the power and money, so they could do many things, such as water conservancy, education, transportation, charity, public security, and so on. Due to the increasing land annexation, the local government can receive less and less taxes, and when there is no money, it can only give up some rights and functions, and turn to the power of the gentry clan to undertake local public affairs. This method made the local government save money and trouble, so it actively recognized and encouraged, and the gentry clan gradually took over the control and management of the grassroots society, and even the government had to rely on the gentry to collect taxes. ”

"I see." Zhou Hexuan suddenly brightened.

Fei Xiaotong also said: "In fact, the 'one whip law' was not the first of Zhang Juzheng's initiative, but because the local taxation was too chaotic, the southern county governments spontaneously adjusted it according to the actual situation, and Zhang Juzheng summarized this tax adjustment method as a national system. It can be seen that many capable local officials at that time still wanted to take back the power of grassroots management. Zhang Juzheng's reforms were not without support, but his reforms were so radical that they provoked a collective backlash from officials and the gentry. ”

"Thank you for your advice, I am going to revise the "Fifteenth Year of Wanli", and a revised version will be published in a few months." Zhou Hexuan said.

Fei Xiaotong didn't expect Zhou Hexuan to accept dissent so humbly, he hurriedly said: "There is no need to revise it." There are no major mistakes in Mr. Zhou's original work, just a few omissions. ”

"If you can change it, you can change it, you're talking about a big problem." Zhou Hexuan has changed Huang Renyu's original version a lot, but it is still pointed out by historians as insufficient.

Zhang Qiyun exclaimed: "Mr. Zhou is worthy of being a master, and his rigorous attitude towards learning is enough to be a model for us. ”

Zhang Qiyun is the founder of China's "human geography" and "historical geography", and studied under the philosopher master Liu Boming, the geography master Zhu Kezhen, and the historian Liu Yizheng, so he also has high attainments in philosophy and historiography, and is proficient in Tibetanology, Manchu studies, Mongolian studies and other ethnic minority studies.

Zhou Weilie's geography textbook when he was in high school was edited by Zhang Qiyun. He also edited a high school physics textbook with Dai Yunliang and a high school English textbook with Lin Yutang. These three textbooks were adopted by most high schools in China during the Anti-Japanese War.

At the beginning of 1949, Chang Kaishen didn't know where to go and asked Zhang Qiyun for advice.

Zhang Qiyun hesitated for a long time, and finally said a sentence: "The best policy is to retreat to Taiwan!" ”

Chang Kaishen was shocked, and immediately called Zhang Qiyun to the secret room to talk in detail.

Prior to this, Chang Kaishen had three options, namely retreating to the southwest, Hainan or Taiwan. Most of the bureaucrats and generals of the Kuomintang tend to retreat to the southwest, and in the end, the bottom line is to entrench themselves in Sichuan, cling to the advantages of the mountains and rivers and waiting for good opportunities.

In fact, this is very understandable, the Japanese invaders are so strong that they can't attack Sichuan, and the Communist Party naturally can't do it. That's what the officials of the Nationalist Government thought, and it was a big deal to rule the "Bashu Kingdom" in the future.

Zhang Qiyun was the only one who strongly persuaded Chang Kaishen to retreat to Taiwan, and analyzed in detail the consequences of various choices, and Chang Kaishen was persuaded by Zhang Qiyun on the spot.

It is precisely because of his meritorious suggestions that after the old Chiang withdrew from Taiwan, Zhang Qiyun soared all the way to the top, and successively served as director of the secretary group of the Kuomintang President's Office, director of the Kuomintang Central Propaganda Department, and minister of education of the Taiwan authorities. Before that, Zhang Qiyun was just a distinguished professor of the Ministry of Education of the National Government.

Without Zhang Qiyun's advice, Lao Chiang would probably have entrenched himself in Sichuan to resist the seizure, and there would have been no cross-strait problem.