Chapter 281 Lecture
"Brothers, what is there that we shouldn't say? Just speak."
Ah Zhang finally spoke out, "As you know, I have been preparing to study at the Jiangnan Naval Academy this year. I have met many professors and friends who are learning new knowledge. Yesterday, a teacher at the Qiushi Academy in Hangzhou wrote to me and asked me to invite you to give a lecture at the Qiushi Academy to introduce the situation in Europe to the students and encourage them to study hard."
"This is a good thing, but you finally came back home, and you've been busy with your wedding since you came back, and you don't have much time to spend with your parents. I really don't want you to waste your time."
Qiushi Academy? Isn't this the future Zhejiang University? I just married the daughter of the founder of Fudan University, Fu Jen Catholic University, and Aurora University, and now I am going to give lectures to Zhejiang University students. This is quite interesting.
So he agreed without hesitation, "Young people are the future of a country. If the young people are strong, China will be strong. If I can inspire the young people in the academy and make them work hard, so that the Chinese nation can regain the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties, what does it matter if I spend less time with my family? Just write them a letter and tell them that I will pass by Hangzhou when I leave home, and I will spend half a day teaching them."
"If the youth are strong, China will be strong?" Zhang pondered over this sentence carefully. "It makes so much sense. I wish I could have your literary talent!"
"Ahem!" Zhang Xingjiu almost choked. You are the first literary giant in modern China. How can I feel good when you praise me like that? After asking about the time when Zhang Xingjiu left home, Zhang immediately said, "Then I will write him a letter right away. You will arrive in Hangzhou at noon that day. They will have lunch with you, and then you will go to the academy for a lecture. Mr. Qian has already said in the letter that you will have the final say on what to say at that time. It doesn't matter as long as it doesn't violate any taboos."
"Then thank you for your help. But I just need to mention in the letter that you don't need to eat West Lake Vinegar Fish. I really can't get used to it!" Zhang Xingjiu joked.
He had been to Hangzhou many times and had eaten this food a lot. He had even tried the West Lake Vinegar Fish Ceiling recommended by Sui Po and the Ziwei Hall in the State Guesthouse. He could taste that the fish was indeed very tender and had no earthy smell, but the taste was really not to his liking.
"Haha!" Ah Zhang also laughed after hearing this. The taste of food in Shaoxing is indeed a little different from that in Hangzhou, and he actually doesn't like it very much.
After staying at home for a few days, Zhang Xingjiu took Ma Zongwen to bid farewell to his parents and prepared to leave. They would not be able to come back for at least three years, so everyone was reluctant to part.
This time, A Zhang, Xu Xilin, Wang Ziyu and others will also accompany him to Hangzhou, mainly to listen to his lectures. They have talked a lot about Europe in their daily chats, but they have not heard the formal speech yet, and they are very curious about what Zhang Xingjiu will say.
So they simply chartered a passenger ship and arrived in Hangzhou before noon. Several teachers from Qiushi Academy had been waiting at the dock for a long time. After meeting them, they expressed their gratitude and invited them to get on the carriage and head towards the city.
Qiushi Academy is not far from West Lake, so the teachers of the school decided to have their meal at Louwailou. This restaurant has been in business since the Daoguang period and has a history of nearly fifty years.
People in later generations all say that Hangzhou is a food desert, but if you think about it a little, you will realize that Hangzhou is a prosperous city for thousands of years. There are fish and shrimps in the water, bamboo shoots and mushrooms on the mountains, and there is no shortage of good chefs in the city. How could there be no delicious food?
It’s just that compared to major cuisines such as Shandong cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine, and Sichuan cuisine, Hangzhou cuisine is not as universal. It is more in line with the preferences of locals and is generally not easily accepted by outsiders.
In addition, Hangzhou did not promote that dish well, so it chose to promote West Lake Vinegar Fish, which created such a reputation.
At present, Louwailou has not yet become a restaurant specifically for tourists. The signature dishes are all quite good, especially the dishes made with bamboo shoots, which made Zhang Xingjiu rave about it. Hangzhou cuisine is absolutely first-class in the cooking of bamboo shoots and is very competitive across the country.
After dinner and a short rest, Zhang Xingjiu came to Qiushi Academy, which was initiated by Lin Qi, the then governor of Hangzhou. He devoted himself to running schools in Hangzhou for four years. He founded Qiushi Academy, the predecessor of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Sericulture Institute, the predecessor of Zhejiang University of Technology, and Yangzheng Academy. He cultivated outstanding talents such as Chen Zhongfu, Li Suizhi, Shi Chengzhi, Shao Piaoping, and Xu Shoushang.
The academy was originally converted from a temple. When Zhang Xingjiu arrived at the former main hall, he saw a group of students of similar age to him who had been waiting for a long time.
Mr. Qian first introduced Zhang Xingjiu's identity to the students. When the students heard that Zhang Xingjiu had become famous in France with his Western scientific knowledge, they were very excited and looked forward to his speech.
After Zhang Xingjiu came to power, he started by talking about the history of France. "Twenty-six years ago, the German army invaded the French capital of Paris, and the German Emperor William ascended the throne in the French palace. The humiliation suffered by France was much more serious than ours back then!"
"However, in just over twenty years, France has risen again and become a world-class power again. Everyone, I believe you must be curious about the reasons behind this. Today, I will explain it to you in detail!"
This opening immediately aroused the curiosity of all the teachers and students, as well as A Zhang, Xu Xilin, and Wang Ziyu. They all pricked up their ears and listened carefully to Zhang Xingjiu's lecture, fearing to miss even a word.
Unfortunately, Zhang Xingjiu was unable to satisfy all their curiosity. After all, it was an imperial academy, so some things still needed to be paid attention to. "This topic is actually very broad, involving politics, economy, military and many other fields. I don't know much about other fields, so I dare not speak rashly. Today, I will only talk about France's progress in science and technology."
"Today, the competition among countries in the world covers a wide range, and technology is undoubtedly the most important one. The country with stronger scientific and technological strength can produce heavier warships, cannons with longer range, and bombs with greater power! And these can help them win in the military."
"How did France achieve technological breakthroughs? This all started with Emperor Napoleon, who established an advanced education system in France."
"French scholars have more abundant funding and a relatively free research environment. They can conduct research according to their talents and preferences. The results of their research can bring them honor and economic benefits, which forms a positive cycle."
Zhang Xingjiu spent about two hours giving a brief account of the history of France's scientific and technological development. These things were still very new to the teachers and students of Qiushi Academy, and they were fascinated by what they heard.
After the speech, Zhang Xingjiu gave them some opportunities to ask questions. A student about 16 or 17 years old immediately raised his hand, "My student Qian Junfu, may I ask Mr. Zhang, how can China catch up with Western countries in science and technology?"
Hearing this name, Zhang Xingjiu’s eyes widened immediately. Of course, it depends on your son!
(End of this chapter)
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