I have studied in many schools, and among all my favorite one is Tsinghua University; In Tsinghua University, I love the library most.
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Someone asked me about how was Qian Zhongshu doing at Tsinghua Library. But actually I did not know about it. It was because I never saw him in the library when I was a visiting student. And he was not in Tsinghua when I was a graduate student. When we returned to Tsinghua University together, he worked in the city for secondment. I frequently borrowed and returned large stack of books for him every weekend when he came back to Tsinghua. Maybe we were together at the library occasionally. After the founding of the National Southwestern Associated University, we went to the library of New Peking University (formerly Yenching University) together. The two sets of catalog there was particularly good: one set of books, and another of authors. There were often “eureka” moments when looking something up in the catalogs. But we were not allowed to enter the vault. I once likened reading to stopping by. Borrowing books was like stopping by at a certain house, and browsing through books when standing in front of the bookshelves in the library was like you can come to every house at will. This is fun specifically for those who have browsed massive books on the shelves. I'm sure that Qian Zhongshu’s favourite is the Tsinghua Library, same as mine.
About Yang Jiang
Yang Jiang (born on July 17, 1911 and passed away on May 25, 2016), original name Yang Jikang, was born in Wuxi, Jiangsu. She is a contemporary Chinese writer, literature translator, foreign literature researcher and an honorary member of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Yang Jiang and Tsinghua University are the same age, and there is a very tight connection between them.She, as well as her husbandand her daughter, regarded Tsinghua as their favorite.She cared very much about Tsinghua and its students, and has made donations to her Alma Mater and set up the “Love Reading” Scholarship.She was talented and brilliant, while kept a simple lifestyle. Many said that Ms. Yang’s talent was extremely rare, and was reputed to be a true representative of “intellectual aristocrat”. With richness in history and Tsinghua’s great spirit, her entire life is connected with Tsinghua, where there lies her simple love and warm affection.
It was in Tsinghua that Ms. Yang expressed her love of literature and started writing. Mr. Zhu Ziqing, her teacher at that time, recognized her talent and encouraged her to write intensively. Her first works, including her essaySouls and Footprintsand novelNo Need to Worry, Luluwere published on the supplement ofL’Impartial,thanks to Mr. Zhu’s recommendation.
To this day, an old desk is still preserved in Tsinghua’s Old Library. It was Ms. Yang’s favorite place in school. During her student days, she enjoyed sitting there, immersed herself in the vast ocean of books. Once she wrote an article especially to tell about her fantastic feelings the first time she entered Tsinghua library.
Sources:
1.Baidu Baike,https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%9D%A8%E7%BB%9B/155576?fr=aladdin
2.In Memory of Yang Jiang, Tsinghua University’s Senior Alumna, fromhttps://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/info/1115/41927.htm
