Yisheqiang, an American who wrote a book about the National Southwest Associated University, shows his photos about Yunnan. [Photo/ Wen Ruoyu]

A book written by an American scholar on a university which was formed by 3 leading institutions during the Second Sino-Japanese War in Kunming has caused much of a stir in China this year.

Yi Sheqiang (易社强), the writer of Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution is a Mr. Kunming from the states. He is one of the American scholars of academic exchange between China and America after 1949. As the first American professor in Kunming, he was one of the only five Americans living in Kunming in 1980.

In the summer of 1937, Japanese troops occupied the campuses of Beijing’s two leading universities, Beida and Qinghua, and reduced Nankai, in Tianjin, to rubble. These were China's leading institutions of higher learning, run by men educated in the West and committed to modern liberal education. The three universities first moved to Changsha, 900 miles southwest of Beijing, where they joined forces. But with the fall of Nanjing in mid-December, many students left to fight the Japanese, who soon began bombing Changsha.In February 1938, the 800 remaining students and faculty made the thousand-mile trek to Kunming, in China’s remote, mountainous southwest, where they formed the National Southwest Associated University (Lianda). ---from Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution

Yi Sheqiang has been studied Chinese history for more than 50 years. Yi said the sales of the book is less than 1,000 within 14 years, however, the Chinese version exceeds 20,000 this year in China.

Yi has spent over 20 years to finish the book which has been titled "academic monograph". Most Chinese readers regarded it as the best choice to know about the National Southwest Associated University.

"Going to Kunming is a dream, a beautiful dream," Yi has been dreaming of going to Kunming since the 1970s. "It could be a huge regret if I did not come to Kunming while in the hope of writing university history of Lianda."

His dream came true in 1980 when he traveled around Kunming, recording life here with his diary and black-and-white photos. Besides, he also found his life partner here.

In the first chapter of the book, it tells about the nature, culture and social environment of Kunming specifically in 1980. When mentioning about life at that time, Yi said no matter what people wanted to buy, they needed the relevant tickets. And all stores and companies were state-run. Though Yunnan was abundant in fruits, people had to find relations if they wanted to taste fresh fruits. "Even buying a clothes rack is rare," Yi said when he was seen take a hanger, people regarded it as a high-level taste. At that time, it took just about half an hour to walk from the south to the north of the city's urban area.

(Editors:Lynn, Minnie Mao)

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