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考其平生，以大勋章作扇坠，临总统府之门，大诟袁世凯的包藏祸心者，并世无第二人；七被追捕，三入牢狱，而革命之志终不屈挠者，并世亦无第二人：这才是先哲的精神，后生的楷范。
——鲁迅《关于太炎先生二三事》
1869年1月12日，一个新的生命诞生于古老的江南小镇——浙江余杭仓前。他就是后来闻名中外的章太炎。
章太炎，号太炎，后又改名炳麟。他是我国近代杰出的资产阶级革命家和著名的学者。鲁迅曾十分推崇他那“英雄一入狱，天地亦悲秋”的视死如归的英雄气概和“七被追捕，三入牢狱，而革命之志，终不屈挠”的豪杰精神。辛亥革命后，章太炎退居书斋，钻研学问，成为一代儒宗。在学术上，他涉猎甚广，在经学、哲学、文学、语言学、文字学、音韵学、逻辑学等方面都有所建树，一生著述颇丰。自1982年起陆续出版的《章太炎全集》，网罗繁富，有中国文化百科全书之称。
历史上的某些“镜头”，重新回放，会给人一种震撼。
太炎先生的一生中有不少可圈可点、发人深思的故事。在辛亥革命百年纪念之际择其二三予以“回放”，给人以鲜活的感觉和新的震撼。
章太炎大闹总统府
1913年3月20日，著名革命党人宋教仁在上海火车站被刺杀了，震醒了本来对袁世凯抱有幻想的章太炎。1914年1月7日，章太炎脚蹬一双破棉靴，身穿一件羊皮袄，手持宋教仁遗下的羽毛扇，以袁世凯颁发的二级勋章作扇坠，于清晨8时直往总统府，歪歪斜斜地坐在招待所的头一张大椅上，不住地挥着扇子，光溜溜的勋章随扇子摇晃。
章太炎指名要见袁世凯，一次又一次吆喝传事人通报。袁世凯自然是拒而不见。章太炎听说袁世凯不见他，他越要请见。忽然听传事人报总统接见向瑞琨次长，章太炎跳起来道：“向瑞琨是什么东西？一个小孩子见得，难道我见不得吗？”他越说越气，大吵大闹之时，竟然摔碎了茶碗。后来财政总长梁士饴出面，章太炎大怒，大骂：“你是何物？乃鸡鸣狗盗之辈，敢在‘老爷’面前逞威！”梁士饴被骂得灰溜溜退去。
直到下午5点多，陆建章来到，向章太炎鞠躬后说：“总统有重要公事，劳久候，殊歉。今遣某迎先生入见。”
章太炎随陆建章出来，登上马车，出东辕门。章太炎万没想到，自己又被骗了。有“屠夫”称号的京师宪兵头子陆建章奉袁世凯之命，把章太炎送到城外龙泉寺幽禁起来。章太炎一连好几天不见客人前来，知道是遭到禁闭，便绝食表示抗议。
章太炎被囚禁北京长达三年，曾有高层的故旧前往总统府为他缓颊：“袁总统有精兵十万，为何畏惧一书生，不使他恢复自由，甚而还害怕见面？”
袁世凯回答道：“太炎的文笔，可横扫千军，亦是可怕的东西。”
袁世凯1916年6月6日在全国人民讨伐声中一命呜呼。10天后，章太炎方获自由。
鲁迅先生曾高度评价章太炎，他说：“考其平生，以大勋章作扇坠，临总统府之门，大诟袁世凯的包藏祸心者，并世无第二人……这才是先哲的精神，后生的楷范。”
章太炎自题墓碑
章太炎大闹总统府后，慑于章太炎的声望，袁世凯不敢轻易加害，只是对他软禁。随着袁世凯复辟帝制活动的加速，章太炎遭受的迫害也加深，他决心以死相拼，在七尺宣纸上大书“速死”二字，悬挂壁上。章太炎一生仰慕刘伯温、张苍水，希望死后能与刘、张地下为邻，葬于刘、张墓侧。章太炎托老友青田人杜志远向刘伯温后裔求购墓地，刘氏后裔刘祝群同意他的请求，于是，章太炎毅然自题“章太炎之墓”五个大字，寄给杜志远。章太炎夫人汤国梨女士有一首《高阳台》词也是记此事的，其下阕云：“英雄一例终黄土，痛萧条遗榇，来与为邻。杯酒倾怀，兴亡把臂重论。丰碑五字新题句，为人间鸿雪留痕，倘他年，野老村童，闲话遗闻。”不久，袁世凯帝梦惊破，一命呜呼，章太炎获得了自由，并南下定居苏州，而墓碑手迹也就保存在杜志远家中。
定居苏州后，章太炎重病缠身，身体日趋衰弱。1936年6月14日，在苏州锦帆路寓所溘然长逝，享年69岁。为安全计，章太炎夫人汤国黎女士决定暂时把章太炎的灵柩安葬在苏州寓所的后花园内，拟待日后再作打算。
1949年10月1日，中华人民共和国成立。周恩来总理十分关心章太炎的遗体安葬问题，不仅高度评价章太炎革命与学问的一生，认为“太炎先生是一代儒宗、朴学大师，学问与革命业绩赫然，是我们浙江人民的骄傲”，而且亲自函告江苏、浙江两省政府，指示隆重安排此事。此后，江浙两省联合成立了“太炎先生治丧委员会”。
1955年4月3日，章太炎的遗体隆重安葬。葬礼由马一浮先生主持，全国政协、江浙两省党政机关送了花圈。墓落成后，被浙江省人民政府列为省级重点文物保护单位。
章太炎自题墓碑条幅，经装裱成轴，条幅中部纵书篆体“章太炎之墓”五个墨字。纵130厘米，横30.5厘米。1955年，章太炎灵柩从苏州运到杭州下葬时，章太炎自题墓碑手迹由杜志远之子杜伟献出，治丧委员会制成墓碑立于墓前。章太炎以他最擅长的小篆自题的墓碑，字体遒劲挺拔，舒展自如，体现了宁死不屈、大义凛然的气质，为后人所钦佩。
章太炎的墓建在张苍水墓东侧约50米处，两墓平行，面向西湖，背靠南屏山。圆形拱墓，青石砌成，墓道两侧松柏成行，修竹相映，显得古雅、朴实、庄重。墓碑有一人高，毫无雕琢修饰，上面刻有太炎先生亲笔手书“章太炎之墓”五个苍健醒目的篆体大字。太炎先生生前希望与抗清民族英雄张苍水地下为邻的愿望终于实现了。
在楼外楼邂逅蒋介石
章太炎在杭州时，常去杭州名菜馆楼外楼吃饭。有一次，章太炎师徒三人漫步西湖，踅进楼外楼小酌。楼外楼店主亲自出面接待。章太炎就点了宋嫂鱼羹、西湖醋鱼、随园方脯（蜜汁火方）及东坡肉等几只菜。店主见了一笑，说：“这点菜不够的，小店请客，先生随意品尝。”于是陆续上了十来只菜，先生面对湖光山色细品慢酌，大为开怀。
太炎先生酒酣之时，见已拼好三张八仙桌，铺好笔墨纸砚，就问店主人想要写什么？店主笑称，先生随便，写什么都好。
章太炎自得其乐饮酒时，未发觉另有三位客人上楼，正是蒋介石和夫人宋美龄，由杭州市长周象贤陪同。原来蒋介石一向欣赏楼外楼的杭州特色名菜，特别爱吃西湖醋鱼。蒋氏夫妇未曾注意，而周象贤早已见到章太炎在楼上，当三人吃好临走时，周即告蒋，那边在写字的是章太炎。蒋介石与章太炎本是旧交，就走过去招呼：“太炎先生，你好吗？”宋美龄亦上来问好。章太炎连忙回答：“托福托福，太炎蛮好，谢谢！”蒋又问近况，太炎回答：“就靠一枝笔骗饭吃。”蒋说：“太炎先生，我等你一下，我的车子送你回去。”章连连摇手说：“用勿到，用勿到。”蒋又说：“太炎先生有什么事尽可关照象贤。”市长周象贤也说：“老前辈有事尽管吩咐，切不可客气。”章说：“多谢，多谢！”见章太炎坚持不坐汽车，蒋介石无法，就把自己随身手杖赠送给他。章太炎对这手杖倒很喜欢，连声道谢收下。
第二天，杭州各报刊花边新闻报道蒋家夫妇同章太炎在楼外楼相会之事。隔一天，上海《申报》《新闻报》，南京《中央日报》也刊登了杭州特稿。这无疑是为楼外楼店主免费做了广告，中外人士慕名来店品尝的就更多了。对此，楼外楼主人非常高兴，可是看看章太炎的题书，却郁郁不快。原来，章太炎写的是张苍水就义前绝命诗，店主以为不吉利。
后来，他拿给熟客中饱学文人展阅。该客笑视店主，说老板开餐馆做生意确有一手，但欣赏书法、诗词就外行了。他告诉店主人，张苍水即张煌言，字玄著，是宁波人。坚持海上抗清十九年，受南明永历皇帝封兵部尚书。康熙三年（1664）被捕，英勇不屈，就义后墓葬在杭城，其气节为世人所尊重。章太炎对张苍水极其崇拜。
此客向店主建议，张苍水就义前诗词及条幅极多，可多备好纸，邀章太炎每天来，写成长卷，其价值极高。这使楼外楼店主如大梦顿醒，连连道谢。此客还抄录张苍水诗文《忆西湖》《武林狱中》等交给店主，以备太炎先生书写时记不清之需。
次日，楼外楼主人写了大红请帖，称刚到河虾海鲜，敬请太炎先生、师母品尝，连回程四辆黄包车也是老板雇好惠钞。这样，吃了七八次，全部写完，太炎先生还特意在卷尾加入了一段跋语。□
Two Anecdotes in the Life of Zhang Taiyan
By Shi Meng
Zhang Taiyan (1869-1936) was a famed revolutionary and preeminent scholar in the early 20th century. He was born in Cangqian, a small rural town in Yuhang, now a district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. A staunch revolutionary, he was on the most-wanted list seven times and thrown into jail three times before and after the 1911 Revolution. He retired from politics gradually after the 1911 Revolution. Zhang is widely recognized as a scholar who established himself in various fields. The Complete Works of Zhang Taiyan, the first volume of which was published in 1982, are considered an encyclopedia on Chinese culture.
Under House Arrest
After Song Jiaoren (1882-1913) was assassinated at a railway station in Shanghai by a hit man sent by Yuan Shikai, then president of the Republic of China, Zhang was totally disillusioned about Yuan for his leadership of the young republic. In August, 1913, Zhang went to Beijing and went to the presidential office, requesting for an interview with the president. Dressed in a sheep-skin parka and holding a feather fan from Song Jiaoren decorated with a medal issued by Yuan Shikai, Zhang Taiyan sat in a big chair in the most disrespectful way. The medal was most conspicuous. But the president refused to see him. Zhang waited till 5 o’clock in the afternoon when the gendarme commander Lu Jianzhang came to see Zhang, announcing he was instructed to take Zhang to meet the president. Zhang was taken away and placed under house arrest.
A friend of Zhang Taiyan asked Yuan why the strongman with well-trained and well-armed 100,000 soldiers under his command would fear meeting a scholar like Zhang Taiyan. Yuan confessed that Zhang’s pen was powerful enough to defeat an army.
Yuan Shikai dared not have Zhang killed, for the scholar and staunch revolutionary was a well known figure in China. Under house arrest, Zhang wanted to die. He inscribed the words “Tomb of Zhang Taiyan” for the use of his own tomb and sent the inscription to a friend named Du Zhiyuan. Zhang asked Du to buy a burial ground near the tomb of Liu Bowen, a native of Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province and famed minister of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), whom Zhang admired a great deal. The Liu family agreed.
But Zhang did not die and did not have a chance to be buried with his hero. He was under house arrest for more than three years. During his imprisonment, Yuan Shikai abolished the republic and declared himself the Chinese emperor. Infuriated, the whole nation went up against Yuan for restoring the feudal system. On June 6, 1916, Yuan Shikai passed away. Ten days later, Zhang was released.
In his last years, Zhang and his wife Tang Guoli lived in Suzhou and he passed away on June 14, 1936 at the age of 69. At that time, the all-out war was about to break loose and Japanese bombers occasionally came to Suzhou. So Zhang was buried in the backyard of the house so that the burial could be appropriately arranged after the war. After the founding of New China in October, 1949, Premier Zhou Enlai instructed the governments of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces to honor Master Zhang Taiyan by reburying him.
The provinces set up a joint committee for the grand reburial. The tomb was built about 50 meters on the right of the tomb of Zhang Cangshui, a hero of the Ming Dynasty that fought the invading Qing army. In the eyes of Zhang who had fought for a China free of the Manchurian rulers, to be buried near the hero who battled the invading Manchurians and refused to surrender to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was a great honor. Engraved on the headstone was the epitaph Zhang Taiyan inscribed for himself during his house arrest in the 1910s. The handwriting was donated by the son of Du Zhiyuan.
On April 3, 1955, a solemn ceremony was held and the tomb was inscribed as a key cultural heritage under the protection of Zhejiang Provincial Government.
Chance Meeting with Chiang Kai-shek at Louwailou Restaurant
Zhang Taiyan visited Hangzhou many times in his lifetime and the lakeside Louwailou Restaurant near the Solitary Hill in the middle of the West Lake was his favorite food shop. One day, Zhang Taiyan and his two disciples came to the restaurant after a lake tour. They ordered three best dishes on the menu and meant to have a brief drink only. The restaurateur was very happy to recognize Zhang and served more than 10 complimentary courses. After the dinner, Zhang wrote calligraphic works for the restaurateur. While Zhang was at the restaurant, Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) and his wife Madam Soong May-ling (1898-2003), accompanied by Hangzhou Mayor Zhou Xiangxian, came to the famous lakeside restaurant for dinner. After the dinner, Chiang came up to meet Zhang. They chatted and Chiang offered a car ride for Zhang and his two disciples, but Zhang declined. Chiang gave his walking stick to Zhang as a gift. Zhang liked it very much.
The restaurateur was not particularly happy about Zhang’s calligraphic work, however. It turned out to be the very poem the resistance hero wrote before he was executed. The restaurateur regarded it as ill-fated, but he changed his mind after learning from a scholar friend that Zhang Cangshui was a martyr with a lot of poetic works. If Zhang Taiyan could copy the hero’s poems in calligraphic works and gave them to the restaurateur, these calligraphic works would be extremely valuable. The restaurateur thought it a smart idea. He happily prepared all the tools for copying and invited Zhang Taiyan over for tasting fresh seafood. The restaurateur even had texts of the poems close at hand in case Zhang Taiyan would not be able to remember all the poems.
Zhang Taiyan was only too happy to come. He was invited many times and finally copied all the best poems by Zhang Cangshui. □
——鲁迅《关于太炎先生二三事》
1869年1月12日，一个新的生命诞生于古老的江南小镇——浙江余杭仓前。他就是后来闻名中外的章太炎。
章太炎，号太炎，后又改名炳麟。他是我国近代杰出的资产阶级革命家和著名的学者。鲁迅曾十分推崇他那“英雄一入狱，天地亦悲秋”的视死如归的英雄气概和“七被追捕，三入牢狱，而革命之志，终不屈挠”的豪杰精神。辛亥革命后，章太炎退居书斋，钻研学问，成为一代儒宗。在学术上，他涉猎甚广，在经学、哲学、文学、语言学、文字学、音韵学、逻辑学等方面都有所建树，一生著述颇丰。自1982年起陆续出版的《章太炎全集》，网罗繁富，有中国文化百科全书之称。
历史上的某些“镜头”，重新回放，会给人一种震撼。
太炎先生的一生中有不少可圈可点、发人深思的故事。在辛亥革命百年纪念之际择其二三予以“回放”，给人以鲜活的感觉和新的震撼。
章太炎大闹总统府
1913年3月20日，著名革命党人宋教仁在上海火车站被刺杀了，震醒了本来对袁世凯抱有幻想的章太炎。1914年1月7日，章太炎脚蹬一双破棉靴，身穿一件羊皮袄，手持宋教仁遗下的羽毛扇，以袁世凯颁发的二级勋章作扇坠，于清晨8时直往总统府，歪歪斜斜地坐在招待所的头一张大椅上，不住地挥着扇子，光溜溜的勋章随扇子摇晃。
章太炎指名要见袁世凯，一次又一次吆喝传事人通报。袁世凯自然是拒而不见。章太炎听说袁世凯不见他，他越要请见。忽然听传事人报总统接见向瑞琨次长，章太炎跳起来道：“向瑞琨是什么东西？一个小孩子见得，难道我见不得吗？”他越说越气，大吵大闹之时，竟然摔碎了茶碗。后来财政总长梁士饴出面，章太炎大怒，大骂：“你是何物？乃鸡鸣狗盗之辈，敢在‘老爷’面前逞威！”梁士饴被骂得灰溜溜退去。
直到下午5点多，陆建章来到，向章太炎鞠躬后说：“总统有重要公事，劳久候，殊歉。今遣某迎先生入见。”
章太炎随陆建章出来，登上马车，出东辕门。章太炎万没想到，自己又被骗了。有“屠夫”称号的京师宪兵头子陆建章奉袁世凯之命，把章太炎送到城外龙泉寺幽禁起来。章太炎一连好几天不见客人前来，知道是遭到禁闭，便绝食表示抗议。
章太炎被囚禁北京长达三年，曾有高层的故旧前往总统府为他缓颊：“袁总统有精兵十万，为何畏惧一书生，不使他恢复自由，甚而还害怕见面？”
袁世凯回答道：“太炎的文笔，可横扫千军，亦是可怕的东西。”
袁世凯1916年6月6日在全国人民讨伐声中一命呜呼。10天后，章太炎方获自由。
鲁迅先生曾高度评价章太炎，他说：“考其平生，以大勋章作扇坠，临总统府之门，大诟袁世凯的包藏祸心者，并世无第二人……这才是先哲的精神，后生的楷范。”
章太炎自题墓碑
章太炎大闹总统府后，慑于章太炎的声望，袁世凯不敢轻易加害，只是对他软禁。随着袁世凯复辟帝制活动的加速，章太炎遭受的迫害也加深，他决心以死相拼，在七尺宣纸上大书“速死”二字，悬挂壁上。章太炎一生仰慕刘伯温、张苍水，希望死后能与刘、张地下为邻，葬于刘、张墓侧。章太炎托老友青田人杜志远向刘伯温后裔求购墓地，刘氏后裔刘祝群同意他的请求，于是，章太炎毅然自题“章太炎之墓”五个大字，寄给杜志远。章太炎夫人汤国梨女士有一首《高阳台》词也是记此事的，其下阕云：“英雄一例终黄土，痛萧条遗榇，来与为邻。杯酒倾怀，兴亡把臂重论。丰碑五字新题句，为人间鸿雪留痕，倘他年，野老村童，闲话遗闻。”不久，袁世凯帝梦惊破，一命呜呼，章太炎获得了自由，并南下定居苏州，而墓碑手迹也就保存在杜志远家中。
定居苏州后，章太炎重病缠身，身体日趋衰弱。1936年6月14日，在苏州锦帆路寓所溘然长逝，享年69岁。为安全计，章太炎夫人汤国黎女士决定暂时把章太炎的灵柩安葬在苏州寓所的后花园内，拟待日后再作打算。
1949年10月1日，中华人民共和国成立。周恩来总理十分关心章太炎的遗体安葬问题，不仅高度评价章太炎革命与学问的一生，认为“太炎先生是一代儒宗、朴学大师，学问与革命业绩赫然，是我们浙江人民的骄傲”，而且亲自函告江苏、浙江两省政府，指示隆重安排此事。此后，江浙两省联合成立了“太炎先生治丧委员会”。
1955年4月3日，章太炎的遗体隆重安葬。葬礼由马一浮先生主持，全国政协、江浙两省党政机关送了花圈。墓落成后，被浙江省人民政府列为省级重点文物保护单位。
章太炎自题墓碑条幅，经装裱成轴，条幅中部纵书篆体“章太炎之墓”五个墨字。纵130厘米，横30.5厘米。1955年，章太炎灵柩从苏州运到杭州下葬时，章太炎自题墓碑手迹由杜志远之子杜伟献出，治丧委员会制成墓碑立于墓前。章太炎以他最擅长的小篆自题的墓碑，字体遒劲挺拔，舒展自如，体现了宁死不屈、大义凛然的气质，为后人所钦佩。
章太炎的墓建在张苍水墓东侧约50米处，两墓平行，面向西湖，背靠南屏山。圆形拱墓，青石砌成，墓道两侧松柏成行，修竹相映，显得古雅、朴实、庄重。墓碑有一人高，毫无雕琢修饰，上面刻有太炎先生亲笔手书“章太炎之墓”五个苍健醒目的篆体大字。太炎先生生前希望与抗清民族英雄张苍水地下为邻的愿望终于实现了。
在楼外楼邂逅蒋介石
章太炎在杭州时，常去杭州名菜馆楼外楼吃饭。有一次，章太炎师徒三人漫步西湖，踅进楼外楼小酌。楼外楼店主亲自出面接待。章太炎就点了宋嫂鱼羹、西湖醋鱼、随园方脯（蜜汁火方）及东坡肉等几只菜。店主见了一笑，说：“这点菜不够的，小店请客，先生随意品尝。”于是陆续上了十来只菜，先生面对湖光山色细品慢酌，大为开怀。
太炎先生酒酣之时，见已拼好三张八仙桌，铺好笔墨纸砚，就问店主人想要写什么？店主笑称，先生随便，写什么都好。
章太炎自得其乐饮酒时，未发觉另有三位客人上楼，正是蒋介石和夫人宋美龄，由杭州市长周象贤陪同。原来蒋介石一向欣赏楼外楼的杭州特色名菜，特别爱吃西湖醋鱼。蒋氏夫妇未曾注意，而周象贤早已见到章太炎在楼上，当三人吃好临走时，周即告蒋，那边在写字的是章太炎。蒋介石与章太炎本是旧交，就走过去招呼：“太炎先生，你好吗？”宋美龄亦上来问好。章太炎连忙回答：“托福托福，太炎蛮好，谢谢！”蒋又问近况，太炎回答：“就靠一枝笔骗饭吃。”蒋说：“太炎先生，我等你一下，我的车子送你回去。”章连连摇手说：“用勿到，用勿到。”蒋又说：“太炎先生有什么事尽可关照象贤。”市长周象贤也说：“老前辈有事尽管吩咐，切不可客气。”章说：“多谢，多谢！”见章太炎坚持不坐汽车，蒋介石无法，就把自己随身手杖赠送给他。章太炎对这手杖倒很喜欢，连声道谢收下。
第二天，杭州各报刊花边新闻报道蒋家夫妇同章太炎在楼外楼相会之事。隔一天，上海《申报》《新闻报》，南京《中央日报》也刊登了杭州特稿。这无疑是为楼外楼店主免费做了广告，中外人士慕名来店品尝的就更多了。对此，楼外楼主人非常高兴，可是看看章太炎的题书，却郁郁不快。原来，章太炎写的是张苍水就义前绝命诗，店主以为不吉利。
后来，他拿给熟客中饱学文人展阅。该客笑视店主，说老板开餐馆做生意确有一手，但欣赏书法、诗词就外行了。他告诉店主人，张苍水即张煌言，字玄著，是宁波人。坚持海上抗清十九年，受南明永历皇帝封兵部尚书。康熙三年（1664）被捕，英勇不屈，就义后墓葬在杭城，其气节为世人所尊重。章太炎对张苍水极其崇拜。
此客向店主建议，张苍水就义前诗词及条幅极多，可多备好纸，邀章太炎每天来，写成长卷，其价值极高。这使楼外楼店主如大梦顿醒，连连道谢。此客还抄录张苍水诗文《忆西湖》《武林狱中》等交给店主，以备太炎先生书写时记不清之需。
次日，楼外楼主人写了大红请帖，称刚到河虾海鲜，敬请太炎先生、师母品尝，连回程四辆黄包车也是老板雇好惠钞。这样，吃了七八次，全部写完，太炎先生还特意在卷尾加入了一段跋语。□
Two Anecdotes in the Life of Zhang Taiyan
By Shi Meng
Zhang Taiyan (1869-1936) was a famed revolutionary and preeminent scholar in the early 20th century. He was born in Cangqian, a small rural town in Yuhang, now a district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. A staunch revolutionary, he was on the most-wanted list seven times and thrown into jail three times before and after the 1911 Revolution. He retired from politics gradually after the 1911 Revolution. Zhang is widely recognized as a scholar who established himself in various fields. The Complete Works of Zhang Taiyan, the first volume of which was published in 1982, are considered an encyclopedia on Chinese culture.
Under House Arrest
After Song Jiaoren (1882-1913) was assassinated at a railway station in Shanghai by a hit man sent by Yuan Shikai, then president of the Republic of China, Zhang was totally disillusioned about Yuan for his leadership of the young republic. In August, 1913, Zhang went to Beijing and went to the presidential office, requesting for an interview with the president. Dressed in a sheep-skin parka and holding a feather fan from Song Jiaoren decorated with a medal issued by Yuan Shikai, Zhang Taiyan sat in a big chair in the most disrespectful way. The medal was most conspicuous. But the president refused to see him. Zhang waited till 5 o’clock in the afternoon when the gendarme commander Lu Jianzhang came to see Zhang, announcing he was instructed to take Zhang to meet the president. Zhang was taken away and placed under house arrest.
A friend of Zhang Taiyan asked Yuan why the strongman with well-trained and well-armed 100,000 soldiers under his command would fear meeting a scholar like Zhang Taiyan. Yuan confessed that Zhang’s pen was powerful enough to defeat an army.
Yuan Shikai dared not have Zhang killed, for the scholar and staunch revolutionary was a well known figure in China. Under house arrest, Zhang wanted to die. He inscribed the words “Tomb of Zhang Taiyan” for the use of his own tomb and sent the inscription to a friend named Du Zhiyuan. Zhang asked Du to buy a burial ground near the tomb of Liu Bowen, a native of Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province and famed minister of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), whom Zhang admired a great deal. The Liu family agreed.
But Zhang did not die and did not have a chance to be buried with his hero. He was under house arrest for more than three years. During his imprisonment, Yuan Shikai abolished the republic and declared himself the Chinese emperor. Infuriated, the whole nation went up against Yuan for restoring the feudal system. On June 6, 1916, Yuan Shikai passed away. Ten days later, Zhang was released.
In his last years, Zhang and his wife Tang Guoli lived in Suzhou and he passed away on June 14, 1936 at the age of 69. At that time, the all-out war was about to break loose and Japanese bombers occasionally came to Suzhou. So Zhang was buried in the backyard of the house so that the burial could be appropriately arranged after the war. After the founding of New China in October, 1949, Premier Zhou Enlai instructed the governments of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces to honor Master Zhang Taiyan by reburying him.
The provinces set up a joint committee for the grand reburial. The tomb was built about 50 meters on the right of the tomb of Zhang Cangshui, a hero of the Ming Dynasty that fought the invading Qing army. In the eyes of Zhang who had fought for a China free of the Manchurian rulers, to be buried near the hero who battled the invading Manchurians and refused to surrender to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was a great honor. Engraved on the headstone was the epitaph Zhang Taiyan inscribed for himself during his house arrest in the 1910s. The handwriting was donated by the son of Du Zhiyuan.
On April 3, 1955, a solemn ceremony was held and the tomb was inscribed as a key cultural heritage under the protection of Zhejiang Provincial Government.
Chance Meeting with Chiang Kai-shek at Louwailou Restaurant
Zhang Taiyan visited Hangzhou many times in his lifetime and the lakeside Louwailou Restaurant near the Solitary Hill in the middle of the West Lake was his favorite food shop. One day, Zhang Taiyan and his two disciples came to the restaurant after a lake tour. They ordered three best dishes on the menu and meant to have a brief drink only. The restaurateur was very happy to recognize Zhang and served more than 10 complimentary courses. After the dinner, Zhang wrote calligraphic works for the restaurateur. While Zhang was at the restaurant, Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) and his wife Madam Soong May-ling (1898-2003), accompanied by Hangzhou Mayor Zhou Xiangxian, came to the famous lakeside restaurant for dinner. After the dinner, Chiang came up to meet Zhang. They chatted and Chiang offered a car ride for Zhang and his two disciples, but Zhang declined. Chiang gave his walking stick to Zhang as a gift. Zhang liked it very much.
The restaurateur was not particularly happy about Zhang’s calligraphic work, however. It turned out to be the very poem the resistance hero wrote before he was executed. The restaurateur regarded it as ill-fated, but he changed his mind after learning from a scholar friend that Zhang Cangshui was a martyr with a lot of poetic works. If Zhang Taiyan could copy the hero’s poems in calligraphic works and gave them to the restaurateur, these calligraphic works would be extremely valuable. The restaurateur thought it a smart idea. He happily prepared all the tools for copying and invited Zhang Taiyan over for tasting fresh seafood. The restaurateur even had texts of the poems close at hand in case Zhang Taiyan would not be able to remember all the poems.
Zhang Taiyan was only too happy to come. He was invited many times and finally copied all the best poems by Zhang Cangshui. □