Epigraphs to Mingchi pian (Essays on the Sense of
Shame)18 (Summer 1915)
I
The seventh of May,
The Republic suffered extraordinary shame.
How to achieve revenge?
Through our students!
II
17 Presumably of the traditional-style academies, such as Yuelu Academy on the mountain of the
same name, or Jiangnan (South of the River) Academy across the river. The second of these had been
combined in 1903 with what ultimately became First Normal School. For more details on the Yuelu
Academy see also the note to the text of September 1917.
18 Regarding the book in question, see Mao’s letter of June 25, 1915. The first of these two epigraphs
was written on the outside cover of the volume; the second was written at the end of Shi Runshan’s
essay “Gan yan” (Emotional Words), which prefaced the collection. Mao also underscored various points
throughout the book.
These words were written by Professor Shi Runshan of First Normal School. The
professor’s personal name is Guangquan, and he is a native of Baoqing. When the
Sino-Japanese negotiations were concluded,19 the entire school was enraged. This professor was especially anguished, so much so that he stopped sleeping and forgot to eat.
Students and others raised a fund and printed this booklet. Professor Shi then wrote
the preface, edited the text, and so on.
The piece entitled “Jiuguo chuyan” (A Modest Proposal on Saving the Nation) was
also written by Professor Shi.