Chapter 07 Life of Stay-on-Campus Experience During Summer Holidays 1916

Journalist: “I heard that you had a rich and colorful summer stay-on- campus experience. Can you tell me more about it?”

Mao: “In 1915, I enrolled in the First Normal School, and during my second year, we had a summer vacation. Normally, students were required to leave the campus and go back home, but I wanted to stay at the school. Coincidentally, Xiao Zisheng was teaching at Chu Yi High School and planned to stay on campus for two months to prepare for the upcoming semester and read some philosophy books. I approached him, wanting to spend the summer at Chu Yi with him. My reasons for wanting to stay at the school were different from his. There was no warmth for me to go back home. If I had gone home during this period, I would have had to help my father with fieldwork and harvesting crops. Working in the fields seemed even more boring to me than when I first left home. I wanted to spend the summer reading more books and discussing issues with Xiao. I went to find him, and he was happy to have a good friend to spend the summer with. We went together to meet the principal and requested permission to stay on campus, and the principal gladly agreed. However, I was worried about the 5 yuan for two months’ meals. Xiao said he would lend me the money, so the problem was solved.”

Journalist: “Oh, so you spent the summer stay-on-campus with your good friend Xiao Zisheng.”

Mao: “Yes, we had different morning activities. Xiao focused on English and algebra, but I had no interest in those subjects. I didn’t even want to cultivate an interest in studying English and mathematics. I spent most of my time reading classical literature and history. The remaining time, Xiao would spend on calligraphy, as he had excellent handwriting and could write couplets for others, while my handwriting was very poor at that time. Along with us, two other classmates were also approved to stay on campus. Initially, the four of us sat together at one table to have our meals. However, after a while, those two students moved to another table. At that time, I couldn’t understand why they suddenly did that, but later I realized that they found me untidy and unclean.

Xiao and I had different personalities. He believed that keeping the desk, books, and room as tidy as possible was a moral responsibility and a deeply ingrained habit he had developed since childhood. Even if there was no one to inspect it daily, he still maintained cleanliness. On the other hand, my desk was always messy. His study room was always neat and orderly, while mine was a mess, and I never thought about cleaning it. One time, he jokingly said to me, ‘If a great hero cannot manage his own room, how can he govern the world?’

I replied, ‘A great hero is wholeheartedly focused on governing the world, so there is no time to manage the room!’ Later, I realized that cleanliness reflects a person’s state of mind. As the self-proclaimed great hero, I dragged the country into a great disaster, but that is another story. A true great hero should start from small things.”

Journalist: “Oh, you were not concerned about trivial matters from a young age, a true embodiment of a great hero.”

Mao: “During the summer vacation, the school didn’t provide hot water, so everyone had to go to the kitchen to heat their own water. Xiao would take a shower every day, but on those hot days, I would often go for several days without bathing. I complained that he bathed too frequently, saying it was unnecessary trouble. He would counter with remarks like, ‘Runzhi (my Aka in Chinese style), your body odor is too strong!’ It was true. However, I turned a deaf ear to it and completely disregarded it. His advice couldn’t change my untidy habits in the slightest.

Not only did I take pride in my own lack of cleanliness, but I also strongly opposed Xiao’s habit of being tidy. After meals, he would always brush his teeth, and I would mockingly say, ‘Do you really have to brush your teeth after every meal? That’s a typical habit of the rich kids! You’re a complete gentleman, aren’t you?’ So, I gave him the nickname of ‘rich kid.’ Later, I also called him a ‘bourgeois,’ although at that time I didn’t fully understand the meaning of that term. I believed that cleanliness was a bourgeois habit, not something belonging to the proletariat or the Communist Party. However, we had no intention of interfering with others’ freedom in these matters, and I didn’t force others to live an unclean life.”

Journalist: “Oh, so you didn’t like practicing hygiene or brushing your teeth from a young age.”

Mao: “Yes, in school, we had to wash our own clothes. Xiao really enjoyed this task as he believed it provided a balance to our academic life. But I detested this work. Despite our different personalities, backgrounds, and habits, we would often criticize each other without hesitation. However, we never had real arguments. In fact, we admired and respected each other. After the criticism, we would always end up laughing. We both enjoyed joking around as a way to relax and lighten the mood.

These minor differences in opinions and habits didn’t hinder our serious discussions. Every afternoon, we would have lengthy conversations, usually without a specific topic, but centered around current events especially on what we read from the newspapers.”

Journalist: “Ah, so you both liked discussing worldly matters.”

Mao: “Yes, we talked a lot about Germany because, at that time, Chinese people held a special respect for Germany and Japan, despite experiencing Japan’s imitation of Germany. I, of course, admired Bismarck and Wilhelm II, but Xiao had no favorable opinion of their characters. We had some serious debates about them, we were often led to discussing China’s educational system and ended up there.”

Journalist: “What are your opinions on Chinese education?”

Mao: “At Hunan First Normal University, we believed that the purpose of education is most important. At the entrance of the auditorium, there was a horizontal inscription with the words ‘Moral Integrity, Wisdom, Teamwork, Aesthetic Appreciation.’ This was the educational motto of Cai Yuanpei, the first Minister of Education in the Republic of China. However, the so-called ‘Teamwork” education’ often imitated Germany and Japan. I think this aspect is worth praising. However, Xiao (referring to Xiao Zisheng) didn’t agree. He said, ‘Cai Yuanpei’s motto, though reasonable, is rather ordinary. Only the aspect of aesthetic education is relatively innovative. Cai Yuanpei once wrote an excellent article on this topic titled ‘Using Aesthetics in Place of Religion.’”

Journalist: “What are the differences in opinions between you and Xiao Zisheng?”

Mao: “I firmly insist that ‘Teamwork’ education’ is more important than anything else. If a country is weak, what use does esthetic education have? The foremost task is to overcome our enemies! What does aesthetic education have to do with it? It was only in the later years that I realized that the ‘group education’ I was passionate about was inciting the masses to rebel and leading the country into great chaos and disaster.

Xiao said ‘In ancient poetry, classics, and music, the emphasis was placed on the perfection of virtue. It is essentially the same meaning.’ I countered, ‘But what use is the perfection of virtue if a nation is weak? The most important thing is to become strong. A person should be able to conquer others with strength, and the ability to conquer others indicates virtue.’ Our fundamental viewpoints were so different, yet in our joyous and enthusiastic youth, how could we have known the depth of these differences? It was only in later years that I realized the consequences of my conquest, which brought great disaster to the nation.”