A Textual Research On Li Genyuan’s Living In Suzhou

Since ancient times,Suzhou’s advantageous geographical location and strong cultural atmosphere have attracted many literati and scholars all over the world.Some of them have lived in seclusion and stayed away from the political strife,while others have watched the current situation and tried to stage a comeback one day.In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China,during the special period of drastic social change and transformation,there were also a group of old fogy from late Qing dynasty and disgraced military and political officials living here.Li Genyuan,a famous political figure in modern China,was one of them.From his residence in Suzhou in 1921 to his departure in 1937 during the War of Resistance against Japanese aggression,Li Genyuan lived in Suzhou for more than ten years and was buried in Suzhou in his later years.It can be said that he had a deep connection with Suzhou city.The years of living in Suzhou are very important to grasp the political and academic thoughts of Li Genyuan,and also indispensable to understand the history of Suzhou in the Republic of China.After retiring from politics,Li Genyuan was not suitable to settle down in his hometown because of the threat he posed to the warlords in his hometown of Yunnan and the frequent wars in southwest China.At that time,his elderly mother was in urgent need to take care.Considering that Suzhou is close to Shanghai,with convenient transportation,suitable environment,the open culture and many friends and relatives there,It was a suitable place for Li Genyuan and his mother to settle down.During the period of living in Suzhou,Li Genyuan enjoyed travelling and making poetry friends,and kept close contact with jiangnan literati,painting and calligraphy masters,and bureaucrats and gentry,thus he established an interpersonal network of elites in Suzhou and laid a foundation for his rapid integration into Suzhou.On the basis of good interpersonal network,Li Genyuan extensively participated in suzhou social and cultural activities.In the social field,he took an active part in grave preservation,disaster relief,anti-Japanese War support and local governance activities.In the field of culture,Li Genyuan,based on his profound attainments and strong interest in golden stone,carried out activities of visiting ancient times,leaving a famous article "Wujun West Hill Visiting Ancient Records",and therefore engaged in the Republic of China " Wu County Chronicle " compilation.At the same time,its long-term operation of Xiao Wang Shan Que has become a new landscape in Suzhou.