first major translator of Western fiction and one of the last important prose writers in the classical style
Lin Shusheng, a literary figure and translator in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, had five sons and four daughters. His son Lin Lu (styled Shuyu) was lively and playful by nature, and Lin Shu had to put in a lot of effort for him.
In the early Republic of China, Lin Lu studied successively at the Dehuazhong School in Tianjin and the Junior Department of Qingdao Special Higher Vocational School. In his book “The Old Man Who Fears the House Teaches His Son” (also known as “The Book of Lin Fears the House Reveals His Son”), Lin Shu spoke eloquently, such as: “As a son of man, one must be considerate of one’s own heart, first take care of the body, and then diligently study. This is filial piety
At the age of sixty, Lin Shu continued to write and write, exhausted in various ways, and devoted himself to household chores. In addition, his wife lived frugally, so the family burden was still light. Lin Shu should have been relieved, but unfortunately Lin Lu was young and inexperienced in the world, did not seek progress, did not return home at night, violated school rules, and “almost caused the Tianjin School to retire”. He earnestly hoped that Lin Lu could become a good student on her own and not idle away her idle companions every day.
Lin Shu has a piece of advice: “One should think of oneself as a responsible person, and especially strive to do good deeds and focus on learning, in order to comfort the hearts of parents. There is a blunt saying: ‘Only superficial and crude thoughts, unwilling to delve into knowledge, and unwilling to become familiar with it.’. Never be lazy or absurd, let this youth be wasted. If you are not diligent in your studies, how can you be independent in the future? There are also encouragements and additions: ‘Do not be greedy for anything, except for knowledge, and do not lose appetite. There is no need to compete for anything, only knowledge, and the word’ compete ‘is necessary.’. Lin Shu is gentle and gentle, saying, “If you bury your head in studying now and graduate, you will have a place to eat for your whole life. Then slowly work hard from your experience, and you will become a successful person.
The expectations of Lin Shu as a father are beyond words. There are still many earnest warnings he gave to Lin Lu, which have significant reference value for modern people.
