Zhang Dinghuang
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Zhang Dinghuang (1895–1986), also known as Zhang Fengju was a Chinese-American
antiquarian An antiquarian or antiquary () is an fan (person), aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifact (archaeology), artifac ...
, Linguistics,
literary critic Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. Th ...
, poet, and translator. He was born in Nanchang and an expert in antique manuscripts. Zhang was a supporting but key figure of the rich
20th century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and World War II, nuclear ...
Chinese literary movements. He was a talented multi-linguist who studied in
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
and France, a professor at Beijing University and Sino Franco University, and also was active in the literary scene. After World War II he also was a primary figure to recover a collection of looted antique manuscripts for Taiwan's National Central Library (the literary equivalent of antiques of the
Palace Museum The Palace Museum () is a huge national museum complex housed in the Forbidden City at the core of Beijing, China. With , the museum inherited the imperial royal palaces from the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and opened to the public in 192 ...
).


Early years

When 15 years old, he enrolled in the Nanchang Army Survey Academy, following elder brother
Zhang Dingfan Zhang Dingfan, (Chinese: 张定璠; 1891 – 25 January 1945) alternate name Zhang Boxuan 张伯璇, was a Chinese military general, police officer, and politician who cut his teeth during the 1911 Revolution in Wuchang and successively rose to ...
, an officer in the "Dare to Die" regiment of the Xinhai Revolution. He then attended Kyoto Imperial University. Returning from Japan in 1921, he began his literary and teaching career of the 1920s and 1930s, and activity to develop vernacular Chinese literature. He taught at Peking Women's College of Education,
Peking University Peking University (PKU; ) is a public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education. Peking University was established as the Imperial University of Peking in 1898 when it received its royal charter ...
, L'Institute des Hautes Études Chinoises of the Sorbonne in the 1930s, and the Sino-French University in Shanghai. He mastered Japanese,
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, and English, which would serve him well decades later. In 1937 he married Zhang Huijun . Zhang authored and translated works in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, Japanese and English. Examples include "Shelley" and "Baudelaire". He worked closely with key figures who shaped modern Chinese literature and education today. These included Guo Moruo, Cheng Fangwu,
Zhang Ziping Zhang Ziping () (May 24, 1893 – December 2, 1959) was a Chinese writer born in Meixian, Meizhou, Guangdong. He was a very popular author in the 1930s. Biography Zhang received a classical education and, after studying in Japan from 1912, rece ...
, Zheng Boqi , Xu Zuzheng ,
Shen Yinmo Shen Yinmo (沈尹默, 1883 – June 1, 1971) was a Chinese poet and calligrapher. Early Years He was born in Shaanxi, Hanyang 陕西省汉阴厅 province. He made his name in Kyoto, Japan. He was one of the first to write in the new style ...
, Lu Xun, and Yu Dafu. All of them participated in the journals ''Creation Quarterly'', ''Yusi'', '' Contemporary Review'', and '' New Youth''. These provided forums for lively and heated discourse on the transition to the vernacular Chinese language; weeklies for short insights or responses, quarterlies for considered and developed ideas. The goal was to bring the written language closer to everyday speech and use subject matter from everyday life.


Later years after 1940

In the 1940s, he worked primarily for the Chinese Ministry of Education and National Central Library in the areas of antiquities, education and publications. A lasting achievement was to recover the works of the
Rare Book Preservation Society The Rare Book Preservation Society (文献保存同志会) was founded in 1940 by Zheng Zhenduo (郑振铎), Zhang Shouyong (张寿镛), He Bingsong (何炳松), Zhang Yuanji (张元济), and Zhang Fengju (张凤举) for the purpose of secretly ...
which were looted during World War II. It began with the Yuyuan Road Conferences in 1945–1946 to identify the wartime booty that Japan took. Key members included
Jiang Fucong Chiang Fu-tsung (; 12 November 1898 – 21 September 1990), courtesy name Weitang, was a Chinese educator and politician of the Republic of China. Life Chiang was born in a Catholic family in Haining City, Haining, Zhejiang, China, towards the ...
,
Ma Xulun Ma Xulun (, 27 April 18854 May 1970), courtesy name Yichu ( zh, 彝初), was a Chinese politician, activist, and linguist. He was one of the co-founders of the China Association for Promoting Democracy. Early life Ma Xulun was an early member of ...
, Zheng Zhenduo, and Zhang Fengju. Official Yuyuan Road Ministry conference minutes shows is the lower signature of the first line. March 23, 1946, the Ministry appointed Zhang Fengju to the Chinese Occupation Mission in Japan as head of the Fourth Section (Education and Culture). He left for Tokyo on April 1 and began discussions with the U.S. Command General Headquarters ( GHQ) the next day. Because of his gift in languages and his participation in the original preservation effort, he held substantive meetings with all parties without translators. In two months, over 135,000 volumes were retrieved. By the year's end, they were returned to the National Central Library where they form the core of the rare books collection today. Many other university and museum collections were also retrieved. After 1949 and with the excesses which followed the Chinese Civil War, his closest friends and associates from the early years were on the mainland. His closest recent associates were in Taiwan. He favored neither side and preferred non-violence. He did not participate in any government activities after 1960 but kept in touch with a network of old friends in Taiwan and the U.S. including
Li Shu-hua Li Shu-hua (, courtesy name: Runzhang 潤章, 23 September 1890 – 5 July 1979) was a Chinese biophysicist and politician. He was an educator, and administrator at Beijing University and a Chinese diplomat. He was the brother of Li Shu-tie ...
, Zhu Jiahua , Gu Mengyu , Y. H. Ku, Zhu Shiming , and
Shang Zhen Shang Zhen (Shang Chen, 商震, 1887–1978) was a general of the National Revolutionary Army during the Warlord Era, Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. He was an early 20th century field general who won his share of wars and successful re ...
. He moved to the U.S. with his wife in 1965 to join his children. He died on February 2, 1986, in Atlanta, Georgia. His handwritten diaries and reports, now at National Central Library in Taipei, contain details of the recovery looted manuscripts and books from Tokyo.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dinghuang, Zhang 1895 births 1986 deaths 1910s in China 1920s in China 1930s in China 1930s in France 1940s in China 1945 in Japan Art and cultural repatriation after World War II Art crime Book and manuscript collectors Chinese antiquarians Chinese antiques experts Chinese poets Chinese–French translators Chinese-Japanese culture Classical Chinese philosophy Cultural history of World War II Japanese occupation of Hong Kong Japanese war crimes Kyoto University alumni Academic staff of Peking University People of the Republic of China Linguists of Chinese National libraries Occupied Japan People from Nanchang People of the Second Sino-Japanese War Sorbonne University 20th-century antiquarians Chinese emigrants to the United States