1930, Gao Shiqi boarded a German cruise ship from new york and made a detour to more than a dozen countries in Europe and Asia. What he saw and heard along the way greatly broadened his horizons, and at the same time deeply realized the gap between the motherland and developed countries and the historical mission of their generation of scholars. After returning home, his family, friends, classmates and teachers advised him to get well before going to work. Because he witnessed the epidemic in various places, he was so rampant that he killed hundreds of people every day. "How can I stand by and see a doctor alone?" Soon, under the care of a classmate studying in the United States, he was applied to work in Nanjing Central Hospital as the director of the laboratory. In the old society, the hospital was a "store yamen"-style government and business organization, just like a folk song said: "The door of the hospital is open, and you can't get in if you are sick and have no money"! Seeing the corruption and darkness in the old hospital, Gao Shiqi resigned angrily and didn't even buy a working microscope.
Gao Shiqi, who left his job, became an unemployed man. But he didn't want to go back to his father's house, for fear that his parents would feel sad when he was so ill, so he came to Shanghai to live in the home of his good friend Li Gongpu when he was studying in the United States, and made a living as a translator, writer and tutor. After introduction, he met Tao Xingzhi, a famous educator who advocated "popularization of science", and at the invitation of Mr. Tao Xingzhi, he co-wrote "Children's Science Series" with Dai and Dong Chuncai. 1935, Li Gongpu founded the "Reading Life Club" in Shanghai, and Gao Shiqi moved to the "Reading Life Club", which was a place to live. In the Reading Life Club, he met Ai Siqi, the deputy editor of Reading Life and the author of Popular Philosophy, a young philosopher, and became close friends. Under the influence of Ai Siqi, he often read some progressive books and periodicals, and realized that the evil old society was a "big devil" who ate people, which was worse than the "little devil" who took away his brother and sister's life and made him seriously ill. To eliminate the' little devil', we must first eliminate the' big devil', and our ideological understanding has made a leap. At this time, Taibai Magazine, edited by Chen Wangdao, has just been published. One day, he saw a fresh column in this magazine: "scientific sketch" and an article about scientific sketch. He looked through it curiously and was attracted. In particular, an article "Talking about Dogs" written by Alex (Zhou) vividly depicts the "running dogs" in the old society, which is really enjoyable to scold. Gao Shiqi believes that writing some easy-to-understand and interesting scientific essays in this relaxed and pleasant style can not only spread some scientific ideas and knowledge to the people, but also criticize the current malpractices, arouse the people and fight against the reactionaries, which is a good form of combining science with literature to promote social progress. So he also picked up a pen to write scientific sketches, and published three articles, namely, Food, Clothing, Housing and Transportation of Bacteria, Heroes of Our Enemies and Huliera (Cholera), and renamed it Gao Shiqi. The intention is to get rid of people not being officials and money. Since then, I have embarked on a difficult road of popular science creation.
Gao Shiqi's articles are characterized by their integration of science, literature and political theory, which are both popular and vivid, with unique opinions. Therefore, as soon as the article was published, it was valued and welcomed by the cultural circles and readers, and many newspapers and periodicals contributed articles. At this time, his hands were shaking, and it took a long time to write a word, only a few hundred to several thousand words a day. Living conditions are also poor, and summer is stuffy and hot, but he still keeps writing day and night. In just over two years, nearly a hundred scientific sketches have been published. His masterpiece Biography of Mushrooms, as well as the well-known Seven Periods of Life, Third-rate Personal Life, Cell Immortality, All Aspects of Disease, Interview with Mr. Cholera, Puppet Show of Mr. Typhoid, A Letter to the Poor with Tuberculosis, Listening to the Girl Playing Flower Drum and Talking about Mosquitoes, etc.
After the outbreak of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, under the influence of Ai Siqi, Gao Shiqi decided to rush to Yan 'an to participate in the anti-Japanese national salvation struggle. In a panic, he stopped and went all the way, hungry, and sometimes he couldn't even drink water. Thanks to the help of some kind people, it took nearly a month to reach the ancient city of Xi from Shanghai via Nanjing, Hankou and Zhengzhou. In Xi 'an, it took him two days to find the office of the Eighth Route Army and was warmly received by the office. The next day, the office used a military truck to transport him and a dozen progressive youths from Xi 'an to Yan 'an. After three days of bumpy mountain roads, we arrived at Yan 'an, the holy land of revolution, on June 25th. 1937+065438. The next morning, Esquire came to see him. Only then did I know that Ai Siqi joined the China * * * Production Party as early as 1935. When friends meet again, they are particularly affectionate.
Gao Shiqi was the first American scientist to take part in the revolution in Yan 'an, and also a famous cultural figure-science sketch writer. Therefore, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen Yun and other leaders paid special attention to and welcomed him, arranged him to be a teacher in Northern Shaanxi College, and sent a Red Army soldier as his nurse and secretary. Under the care and care of the Party, Gao Made Shi Qi's revolutionary enthusiasm is even higher. In addition to doing his job conscientiously, he also actively participated in various anti-Japanese activities in Yan 'an, wrote poems and articles praising and introducing the anti-Japanese activities in the border region, and got together with more than 20 young people studying science, such as Dong Chuncai, Chen and Li, in February 1938, and initiated the establishment of Yan 'an No.1. Its purpose is to study and develop national defense science, and at the same time enhance the public's scientific common sense, so as to enhance the strength of the war of resistance and strive for the final victory of the war of resistance. After nearly a year's hard life in the revolutionary ranks, Gao Shiqi applied to join the Party in the autumn of 1938, and was approved to be accepted as party member of China's * * * production party in February of 1938. He was so happy that he immediately wrote a letter to report to Chairman Mao, and Chairman Mao immediately wrote a letter to congratulate him, encouraging him to be a veritable model of * * * production in party member, and strive for the great ideal of * * * production for life.
Later, due to the deterioration of Gao Shiqi's condition, the drug supply in Yan 'an was extremely difficult, and a specific drug he brought from Shanghai was also used. The party organization decided categorically to send Gao Shiqi to Hong Kong for treatment at any cost. In this way, under the escort of the party organization, he reluctantly bid farewell to Yan 'an, the revolutionary holy land, on April 1939. Go to Hong Kong via Xi, Chongqing, Kunming, Hanoi and Haiphong. I experienced many thrills and hardships along the way. Fortunately, in Chongqing, he spent three months in Hongyan Village and the Eighth Route Army Office in Beifeng. He was taken good care of by the vice chairman and lived in a party group with Ye Jianying and Wu. He learned a lot from these revolutionary leaders, forged a deep love, and gained their care and support in the future work of popular science.
After Gao Shiqi arrived in Hong Kong, under the careful care of the underground party, he was arranged to be hospitalized in Ma Xuan Hospital, one of the best hospitals in Hong Kong. This is an aristocratic hospital full of stench and snobbery. It often treats poor people like Gao Shiqi with black eyes. Gao Shiqi's mood became more and more uneasy, and her illness became more and more serious. Once, he was in a coma for a few days, and the hospital was going to send him to the morgue, but Gao Shiqi miraculously woke up. In order to drive him away, the hospital spread rumors that he was crazy and forcibly sent him to a mental hospital in Hong Kong. When the responsible comrades of the underground party learned about it, they immediately sent people to negotiate and rescued him from this tortured "prison" and prepared to find a better hospital for treatment. Gao Shiqi is very grateful for the care of the Party, but he never wants to be discriminated against by those noble hospitals and wants to return to his comrades. The party respected its wishes, rented a building in Kowloon, let him live there for illness, and sent a nurse to take care of him. Comrades, progressives and progressive youths of the underground party also often visit him. His mood improved quickly and his illness was greatly alleviated. Gao Shiqi is a restless man. When he was a little better, he propped himself up and began to write. At this time, it was very difficult for him to write, so he dictated and the nurse took notes. He was eager to write one scientific sketch after another and published it in Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao.
194 1 10 In February, the Pacific War broke out suddenly, and gunfire, guns and alarms broke out one after another. Residents of Kowloon and Hong Kong fled, social order was chaotic, and traffic between Hong Kong and Kowloon was cut off. The underground party organization lost contact with Gao Shiqi. Gao Shiqi is ill in bed alone and hasn't eaten for two or three days. Fortunately, he was left behind by one. Less than half a month later, after Kowloon and Hong Kong were successively occupied by the Japanese army, Comrade Huang, appointed by the underground party organization, was able to travel from Hong Kong to Kowloon and found him miraculously alive. He was overjoyed. Later, Comrade Huang tactfully broke through the heavy inspections of the Japanese army and moved him from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, and then from Guangzhou to Guilin, where he was taken care of by the underground party organizations in Guangxi.
He lived a relatively stable life in Guilin and his condition improved. According to his requirements and specialties, the party organization arranged for him to be the technical consultant and director of the Food Research Institute of Southeast Joint Logistics. By visiting some famous local wineries and using his own knowledge of microbiology, he quickly developed several delicious nutritious foods from local common plant raw materials and supplied them to the front line. After work, he discussed some poetry creation problems with the famous poet Liu Yazi, published some scientific sketches in the local newspaper, and conducted a research on pinyin and logic called "scientific letters". At this time, Xie, a nurse who lost contact with him in Kowloon, returned to his side after many twists and turns. In order to take better care of him, she became an honorary husband and wife with him. Miss Li, the daughter of a friend who claimed to be her father, also volunteered to be a nurse to help Xie take care of her. This can be said to be the happiest period of his wandering life. But it didn't last long. Japanese imperialist planes began to bomb Guilin. In the chaos of Guilin's retreat, Xie, who went out for help, died of a heart attack. Miss Li, who "volunteered" to take care of her, took the opportunity to escape without leaving him a mosquito net and locked him in the room. When Gao Shiqi found out that something was wrong, he had no way to ask for help and nothing to eat. His eyes were black with hunger, and swarms of mosquitoes stung him at night. The troubled Gao Shiqi is in trouble again. Ma Ning, a young writer appointed by the underground party organization in Xin Hao who often goes to Gao Shiqi, went to see General Ye Ting's family after trying his best to send them away. He doesn't know whether Gao Shiqi has left. After some inspection, Gao Shiqi was found locked in his room before he was rescued. Later, the party organization managed to get a boat and sent Ma Ning and his wife to send him from Guilin, which was bombarded by Japanese artillery, to Zhaoping County. When you get off the boat, you have to climb a mountain to find a place to stay. Gao Shiqi didn't want to be carried, but insisted on walking with the help of his comrades. His feet were worn out and he didn't say anything. I lived in a Guandi Temple at night and was discovered by Ma Ning and his wife. Without ointment, I used tea oil instead of vaseline to prepare some anti-inflammatory drugs for him. Who knew there were so many rats in Guandi Temple? At night, when mice smell the fragrance of tea oil, they will eat Gao Shiqi's high heels in droves. Gao Shiqi is sleepy and tired. He slept in a daze and was bitten to death until he bit off a piece of meat. Gao Shiqi found that a group of big and fierce mice were attacking him, so he struggled to sit up and put his hand over his heels. Rats will bully others and bite their fingers without fear. It was not until the next morning that Mr. and Mrs. Ma Ning discovered Gao Shiqi's tragic situation and wept bitterly. No one who witnessed this tragic situation did not shed tears. Later, Gao Shiqi was placed in Huangyao, a small town in Zhaoping County, and was taken care of by Zhou Xingxian, a revolutionary comrade who fled from Shanghai to Guangxi. He lived a quiet life during his recovery, writing and studying until Japan surrendered.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Party brought Gao Shiqi from Huangyao to Guangzhou, and it also experienced hardships along the way. In a small town called Babu, we waited for a boat for two months. Gao Shiqi was deeply touched, and wrote a series of poems expressing feelings and criticizing current politics, such as Farewell to Huang Yao, The Light hasn't come yet, We are still hesitating, Electronic, Darkness and Light, My Query, My Atom is Exploding, etc. After that, a series of political events occurred in China, such as the "School Gate Incident" in Chongqing. During his stay in Guangzhou, he also wrote a long scientific poem full of passion, philosophy and belief in the victory of the revolution and the people being masters of the country: March of Heaven. This poem * * * has 4 1 stanza and 288 lines. From what is the sky, to the development and change of the sky, to the development and change of human understanding of the sky, to the unity of opposites of the materials that make up the sky, it finally comes down to one point: the sky is not an unchanging day, not a diehard day, not a diehard day, but a human day! This is the masterpiece of his early popular science poetry creation, which has great influence and laid the foundation for his later popular science creation in the form of writing poems.
1946 In May, Gao Shiqi returned from Guangzhou to Shanghai where he left 10. Shanghai is still a paradise for the rich, who are addicted to money, and a hell for the poor, who are penniless. Gao Shiqi fell ill as soon as he arrived in Shanghai, and the aristocratic hospitals of the rich could not afford the "civilian hospitals". But "civilian hospitals" don't love civilians. Since Gao Shiqi could not pay in advance for several months at a time, he was stopped from supplying food, so he had to ask someone to buy some bread from outside and eat it with boiled water. After this matter was reported by this newspaper, it aroused the sympathy of many readers and gave him a helping hand in succession. Money, medicine, flowers and food kept flowing, and many people wrote warm letters of condolence. When Comrade Deng Ying Chao learned about it, he made a special trip to visit him and brought cordial condolences from Comrade Zhou Enlai who was in Shanghai at that time. Tao Xingzhi, a people's educator, and Qian, the head of the Shanghai Party organization, also visited him and appointed Baihua as a nurse to take care of him. Deeply moved and encouraged, Gao Shiqi wrote a poem of thanks with a very emotional poem: Responding to the Lofty Mourning, which was published in Literary Life.
In July this year, Li Gongpu and Wen Yiduo were killed by Kuomintang agents in broad daylight. One is his good friend for many years, and the other is his classmate in Tsinghua. Gao Shiqi was very sad and angry. Later, Mr. Tao Xingzhi, an old friend who cared for and helped him many times, also died in Shanghai. According to the instructions of comrades, the Shanghai Party Organization held an unprecedented public sacrifice meeting for three comrades, Li, Wen and Tao, in Jing 'an Temple. Considering that Gao Shiqi was ill and could not move easily, he was not informed. After learning this, he repeatedly asked the girlfriend of a nurse who came to find someone to tell him the news unintentionally and took him to the public sacrifice meeting, and immediately after the meeting, he wrote a tragic poem, "The hurricane in July can't put out the people's anger."
Because Gao Shiqi successively published some radical poems criticizing the dark rule of the Kuomintang government and calling for democratic progress, he was found to have been to Yan 'an and was blacklisted. The underground party soon moved him to Suzhou, and then from Suzhou to Taipei via Shanghai. It was not until 65438+ 1.949 that the Kuomintang's general trend was gone that he agreed to his request to return to the liberated areas and escorted him from Taiwan Province Province to Hongkong for standby. Soon Beiping was liberated, and then Nanjing was liberated. In May, he was escorted from Hong Kong to Tianjin, where he rested for a week and arrived in Peiping on May 3 1. From then on, Gao Shiqi ended his wandering life for ten years, got rid of the dangerous situation of dying several times, and lived a stable and happy life. It is no exaggeration to say that it is the cordial care of the Party organization, the meticulous care and timely rescue of many underground comrades who are responsible for contacting and caring for him at great risks, and the helping hand extended by some good people at a critical moment that enabled Gao Shiqi to survive the hardships of ten years. Without the production party and the kind and respectable people, there would be no later Gao Shiqi. Gao Shiqi has also firmly established deep feelings with the Party and the people, and even more loves the new China that countless revolutionary martyrs exchanged their blood and lives for.
After the founding of New China, Gao Shiqi successively served as an adviser to the Science Popularization Bureau of the Ministry of Culture of the Central People's Government, an adviser to the All-China Association for Science and Technology Popularization, a member of the Standing Committee of the China Association for Science and Technology, honorary president of the China Association for Popular Science Creation, and honorary director of the China Institute for Popular Science Creation. He also served as director of chinese society for microbiology, director and consultant of the Chinese Writers Association, member of the National Committee of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, director of the China Welfare Foundation for the Disabled, and member of the China People's Committee for the Defence of Children. He has made great contributions to the prosperity of China's popular science creation, especially scientific and literary creation, the formation and growth of popular science teams, the advocacy of popular science theoretical research, the construction and development of popular science undertakings, the extensive and in-depth development of popular science activities, especially the activities of young science and technology enthusiasts, and the restoration and revitalization of the Association for Science and Technology.