In the educational circle of the Republic of China, there is a saying that "the males have Cai Yuanpei, and the females have Wu Yifang." This points out two representative figures in the history of modern Chinese education, one male and the other female. Wu Yifang is as famous as Cai Yuanpei because of her work at Jinling Women's College.
Born in 1893 to a government official's family, Wu Yifang threatened to commit suicide when she was young, to get her parents to agree to her request to attend an all-girls school. While she was studying in Hangzhou, her family encountered many misfortunes. First, her father committed suicide because he was framed. Soon after, his brother, due to his despair for the future, threw himself into a river. When her mother died of grief, her sister could not stand the blow and committed suicide.
The loss of four family members in succession made Wu very sorrowful, to the point of considering suicide. Fortunately, her uncle, Chen Shutong, patiently persuaded her to give up the idea and complete her studies. At that time, the foreign missions in China established Jinling Women's University in Nanjing, intending to promote the development of women's education in China. The College was presided over by a female missionary, Mrs Lawrence Thurston, with "abundant life" as its motto. Its meaning comes from John 10:10: "That they might have life, and have it more abundantly".
Wu was introduced to Jinling Women's University by a female Christian missionary and became the president of the student union, showing her organizational talent. Her classmate, Xu Yiling, a devout Christian, preached the Gospel to her. It was by accepting Jesus Christ as her Savior that she got healed of her grief.
In 1919, five women, including Wu and Xu, graduated from Jinling Women's College, becoming the first batch of female university graduates in China. In 1921, Wu went to the United States to study biology at the University of Michigan and received a doctorate seven years later. At that time, China launched a movement to reclaim the right to education, and many missionary schools appointed the Chinese as chancellors. Therefore, Wu Yifang received an invitation from her Alma mater to become the president of Jinling Women's College. After serving as chancellor, she made an in-depth interpretation of the school motto of "abundant life": "The purpose of life is not only to live for oneself but to help others and the society with one's wisdom and ability, which is not only beneficial to others but also enriches one's life".
During the 23 years in which she presided over the school, the teaching condition at Jinling Women's University steadily improved. The school set up 16 fourth-grade subjects, including Chinese, English, History, Society, Music, Physical Education, Chemistry, Biology, Home Economics, and Medicine. Moreover, she attached great importance to physical exercise. Physical education was a compulsory course for every year. As a result, the students of Jinling Women's University not only succeeded academically but also had healthy bodies.
Although she was a chancellor and a nationally renowned female educator, Wu still maintained her style of hard work and plain living. Mei Ruolan, an alumnus of Jinling Women's College, wrote in her article, "In Memory of Wu Yifang": "Chancellor Wu lived in a room of less than 15 square meters for decades, she usually had simple meals and never paid attention to food and drink. Apart from the need to wear decent clothes out of etiquette, she usually wore plain cotton clothes, stitching-up and mending them as they wore-out, instead of throwing them away. She didn't want a car, but only bought a rickshaw. A huge part of her monthly salary was usually donated to her friends. She also gave the honorarium and gifts she got from her speeches to teachers and students one by one, without letting the recipients know."
During the difficult years of the Anti-Japanese War, Wu Yifang took the majority of teachers and students to the Huaxi Dam in Chengdu and continued to run the school. In this regard, she actively supported the students’ participation in the anti-Japanese national salvation movement, which not only improved their studies but also contributed to the country. During this period, she extensively participated in social activities. In April 1945, she joined the Chinese delegation that went to San Francisco to attend the founding conference of the United Nations. She became the first woman to sign the United Nations Charter.
In the 1950s, due to various reasons, Jinling Women's University ceased running and was merged into Nanjing University. Wu, however, remained active in the field of education, serving as director of the education department in Jiangsu Province. Also, she became the vice president of the Christian Three-self patriotic movement.
Wu Yifang, who rested in the bosom of the Lord in 1985 at the age of 92, had long hoped that Jinling Women's University would be reopened. As a result, with the support and efforts of all parties, the original site of Jinling Women's University (now Nanjing Normal University) was restored in 1987. At present, Jinling Women's University is still training useful talents for society. Chancellor Wu's last wish was finally realized.
(The original article is published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
在民国教育界，有一种说法认为“男有蔡元培，女有吴贻芳。”这指出了中国近代教育史上，一男一女两位代表人物。而吴贻芳能够与蔡元培齐名，与她在金陵女子大学的工作是分不开的。
吴贻芳于1893年生于一个官宦家庭，她年轻时为了进入女校学习而不惜以自杀相威胁，从而让父母答应她的请求。当她在杭州求学时，家庭却遭遇变故。先是父亲因为被陷害而自杀，不久哥哥因为对前途失望而投江。而母亲因着伤心过度病故，姐姐则经受不了打击自尽。
接连失去四位亲人令吴贻芳非常痛苦，甚至有了轻生的念头，幸好她的姨父陈叔通耐心劝导，才让她打消了念头，得以继续完成学业。当时在华基督教差会在南京建立金陵女子大学（后文简称女金大），旨在推动中国女子教育的发展。女金大由女传教士德本康夫人主持，以“厚生”为校训，其含义出自约翰福音10章10节；“是要叫羊（或作人）得生命，并且得的更丰盛。”
吴贻芳通过一位女教士介绍进入金陵女子大学学习，并成为学生会会长，展现出过人的组织才华。而她的同学徐亦蓁是位虔诚的基督徒，她把福音传给了吴贻芳。正是接受了耶稣基督为救主后吴贻芳才抚平了内心的伤痛。
1919年，吴贻芳、徐亦蓁等五人从女金大毕业，成为中国首批女大学毕业生。1921年，吴前往美国密执安大学攻读生物学，并在7年后获得博士学位。而此时，中国发起收回教育权运动，各大教会学校纷纷让中国人担任校长，于是吴贻芳收到了母校的邀请，成为金陵女子大学的校长。担任校长后，吴贻芳对于“厚生”的校训进行了深入解读，“人生的目的不光是为了自己活着，而是要用自己的智慧和能力来帮助他人和社会，这样不但有益于别人，自己的生命也因之而更加丰满”。
吴贻芳主政学校23年，金陵女子大学的教学工作稳步提升，学校设置过16个四年级学科，包括中文、英语、历史、社会、音乐、体育、化学、生物、家政以及医学专科等。而且她非常重视体育锻炼，体育课是每个年段的必修课。因此女金大的学生不但学有所成，更有健康的体魄。
虽然担任了校长，又是享誉全国的女教育家，可吴贻芳仍然保持着艰苦朴素的风范。女金大校友梅若兰曾在《怀念吴贻芳》的文章中写到：“吴校长几十年一直住在一间不到15平方米的房间，平日粗茶淡饭，从不讲究吃喝。除出于礼仪需要有几件像样的衣服外，一般总是布衣布衫，缝缝补补，还舍不得扔掉。她不要小轿车，只肯买一辆黄包车，每月工资大部分都接济亲友，外出演讲得到的酬金和礼物，也一一转赠师生，并不让受赠者知道。”
而在抗战的艰苦岁月里，吴贻芳带着广大师生经过辗转来到成都的华西坝，继续办学。在此她积极支持学生参与抗日救亡运动，不仅在学业上增进，更为国家做出了贡献。而在这一时期，吴贻芳广泛参加社会活动，尤其是在1945年4月，加入中国代表团，前往美国旧金山参加联合国成立大会，并成为首位在《联合国宪章》签字的女性。
五十年代由于种种原因，金陵女子大学停止办学，并入南京大学。而吴贻芳仍然活跃在教育岗位上，她出任江苏省教育厅长。此外，她还是基督教三自爱国运动的副主席。
1985年，92岁的吴贻芳安息主怀，而她生前一直希望金陵女子大学能够恢复办学。于是在各方努力、支持下，1987年金陵女子学院原校址（今南京师范大学）恢复，目前仍在为社会培养有用的人才，吴校长的遗愿终于得以实现。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/portal/article/index/id/55494
吴贻芳与金陵女子大学
In the educational circle of the Republic of China, there is a saying that "the males have Cai Yuanpei, and the females have Wu Yifang." This points out two representative figures in the history of modern Chinese education, one male and the other female. Wu Yifang is as famous as Cai Yuanpei because of her work at Jinling Women's College.
Born in 1893 to a government official's family, Wu Yifang threatened to commit suicide when she was young, to get her parents to agree to her request to attend an all-girls school. While she was studying in Hangzhou, her family encountered many misfortunes. First, her father committed suicide because he was framed. Soon after, his brother, due to his despair for the future, threw himself into a river. When her mother died of grief, her sister could not stand the blow and committed suicide.
The loss of four family members in succession made Wu very sorrowful, to the point of considering suicide. Fortunately, her uncle, Chen Shutong, patiently persuaded her to give up the idea and complete her studies. At that time, the foreign missions in China established Jinling Women's University in Nanjing, intending to promote the development of women's education in China. The College was presided over by a female missionary, Mrs Lawrence Thurston, with "abundant life" as its motto. Its meaning comes from John 10:10: "That they might have life, and have it more abundantly".
Wu was introduced to Jinling Women's University by a female Christian missionary and became the president of the student union, showing her organizational talent. Her classmate, Xu Yiling, a devout Christian, preached the Gospel to her. It was by accepting Jesus Christ as her Savior that she got healed of her grief.
In 1919, five women, including Wu and Xu, graduated from Jinling Women's College, becoming the first batch of female university graduates in China. In 1921, Wu went to the United States to study biology at the University of Michigan and received a doctorate seven years later. At that time, China launched a movement to reclaim the right to education, and many missionary schools appointed the Chinese as chancellors. Therefore, Wu Yifang received an invitation from her Alma mater to become the president of Jinling Women's College. After serving as chancellor, she made an in-depth interpretation of the school motto of "abundant life": "The purpose of life is not only to live for oneself but to help others and the society with one's wisdom and ability, which is not only beneficial to others but also enriches one's life".
During the 23 years in which she presided over the school, the teaching condition at Jinling Women's University steadily improved. The school set up 16 fourth-grade subjects, including Chinese, English, History, Society, Music, Physical Education, Chemistry, Biology, Home Economics, and Medicine. Moreover, she attached great importance to physical exercise. Physical education was a compulsory course for every year. As a result, the students of Jinling Women's University not only succeeded academically but also had healthy bodies.
Although she was a chancellor and a nationally renowned female educator, Wu still maintained her style of hard work and plain living. Mei Ruolan, an alumnus of Jinling Women's College, wrote in her article, "In Memory of Wu Yifang": "Chancellor Wu lived in a room of less than 15 square meters for decades, she usually had simple meals and never paid attention to food and drink. Apart from the need to wear decent clothes out of etiquette, she usually wore plain cotton clothes, stitching-up and mending them as they wore-out, instead of throwing them away. She didn't want a car, but only bought a rickshaw. A huge part of her monthly salary was usually donated to her friends. She also gave the honorarium and gifts she got from her speeches to teachers and students one by one, without letting the recipients know."
During the difficult years of the Anti-Japanese War, Wu Yifang took the majority of teachers and students to the Huaxi Dam in Chengdu and continued to run the school. In this regard, she actively supported the students’ participation in the anti-Japanese national salvation movement, which not only improved their studies but also contributed to the country. During this period, she extensively participated in social activities. In April 1945, she joined the Chinese delegation that went to San Francisco to attend the founding conference of the United Nations. She became the first woman to sign the United Nations Charter.
In the 1950s, due to various reasons, Jinling Women's University ceased running and was merged into Nanjing University. Wu, however, remained active in the field of education, serving as director of the education department in Jiangsu Province. Also, she became the vice president of the Christian Three-self patriotic movement.
Wu Yifang, who rested in the bosom of the Lord in 1985 at the age of 92, had long hoped that Jinling Women's University would be reopened. As a result, with the support and efforts of all parties, the original site of Jinling Women's University (now Nanjing Normal University) was restored in 1987. At present, Jinling Women's University is still training useful talents for society. Chancellor Wu's last wish was finally realized.
(The original article is published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Nonye Nancy
Wu Yifang and Jinling Women's College
