1917: Who's there?

Visiting a hermit, not there by Tang dynasty poet Jia Dao (779-843)

Beneath the pine tree, ask the servant boy.
Replies, "Master went to pick herbs,*
Surely here on this mountain,
But the clouds are so thick, don't know where exactly."

Jia Dao became a monk, his family was poor, and he renounced his relations. Later, he came back and re-entered regular life, studied, and became quite a famous poet.

*medicine

1917 - age 16

I started at Buowen Middle School, and went to new student registration. Starting 7th grade, all my school supplies were free (the consumables, the school gave new; durable items, I was given used and they needed to be returned when promoted; a lot of the hand-me-downs had several users before me). In the classroom, everyone is assigned a desk. In the desk, you can put your things like books, references, and miscellaneous. In the dormitory, you are assigned a bed and you needed to bring your own pillow and blankets, but the mattress and mosquito net, the school provides. You're not supposed to put suitcases under the bed, you must put them in assigned storage. The storage room has a key possessed only by the headmaster. In the dining hall, you are also assigned a seat. There are eight to a table with one upperclassman who is the table leader. The table leader is responsible for order and supervision. At every meal, we have to sing praise songs and say grace first and then we eat. Always, everything is done in an orderly manner.

Every morning, after rising, you have free time. I usually go to the yard to exercise. This was my established habit for the next sixty years, I do this every morning. At 8am, we went to chapel for morning prayer. Then we had breakfast. After breakfast, at 9am, we started classes. Three periods in the morning and three in the afternoon. Lunch was at noon. After lunch, we had resting period. Every afternoon, after 4 o'clock, we had free time. If it's a sunny day, we had to go to the play field to participate in sports. If it's a rainy day, we did activities in the auditorium or hallways. Dinner was at 6pm, evening prayers at 7pm, and then study hall at 8pm. Showers and bedtime were at 9pm, lights out at 1opm. On Sundays, we didn't have class, but at 9am we had to go to morning service. After noon, we could leave the school, but we had to be back by 7pm to attend evening service. When you left the school, you had to go toward the east side. Every Wednesday afternoon, we also didn't have class and students were allowed to go shopping or play. We had to return by 5pm for roll call just as every other day. Besides summer and winter break, everyone stayed in school and followed this schedule. So, in this way, everybody developed well in body, character, and academic studies. 

What I described was seventh grade. Usually, 7th graders are 13, I was already 16. Fortunately, I was rather short so I didn't call attention to my age. And I just followed along. Among all my subjects, the one that gave me the most impression was English. My English teacher was woman from England in her 40s. We studied from ABC and she had very accurate and clear pronunciation. She would patiently go back and forth until she is satisfied. Another thing is the music teacher. Every new student took an individual test. Good ones were allowed to enter the choir for more teaching and practice. Me, I cannot carry a tune, so I wasn't accepted in the choir. This is one of my weaknesses: music. 

The chapel at school is called Hongdao Church. It was open all the time and everybody could go in. I saw a bible verse inscribed by the pulpit: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." I thought in my heart, in my situation now, my parents are getting old, my family is poor, and I haven't finished studying: I am weary and heavy laden. Who are you who can give me rest? This was the first time I had an experience with Jesus, when I came to Buowen School.

All the mail came to a big mail box. Leaders sorted the mail and delivered them to the addressees. One day, I was in class and I received a letter. There were several classmates beside me and I opened it. Inside, there were lots of peach tree petals. Everyone was surprised. There was a letter that congratulated me on receiving a full scholarship. At the end, it was signed by a person named Yin Suzhen, a girl student whom I had never met. After receiving this letter, I tried to find out who she was. She attended the church I went to when I was in elementary school, she was a teenager and very pretty. We found out later that this letter was not signed by Miss Yin, but actually by another male student, Mr Mao. He was envious of my full scholarship and wanted to defame me. At any rate, I left the matter alone and it didn't cause any harm or trouble. This was one of the things that happened in 7th grade.