Chapter 235: Diary 2

In September 2014, in the editorial department of a Beijing publishing house, editor‑in‑chief Lin Jianguo was staring at the sales figures on the computer screen, his brows tightly knit. He had a deep‑blue cloth‑bound hardcover on his desk, its foil‑stamped title standing out in the light: The Diary of Li Yuxuan (Complete in Five Volumes).

"Chief Lin, the first print run of 30,000 copies sold out in a week, and the order for an additional 50,000 copies has already been placed," editor Xiao Wang burst in, excited. "There are already over a thousand reviews on Douban Books, rating 9.2! The Weibo hashtag '#The Diary of Li Yuxuan#' has exceeded a hundred million reads!"

Lin Jianguo took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He had not expected that this diary, compiled by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference's literature and history archives and sealed for more than half a century, would provoke such a massive social response after publication.

"The controversy is also huge," he sighed, opening a forum page on the computer. "Look, some say this is 'painting the Kuomintang General Officer with gloss,' others say it is 'restoring historical truth.' And others are debating the nature of Li Nian'an's campaign to Nanyang…"

Xiao Wang leaned in to look at the screen. In the forum, a thread titled "Is Li Yuxuan a 'Foolish Loyalty'?" had already amassed over three thousand layers of replies. The most liked comment read: "His loyalty to his Young Master stems from a favor of recognition; this traditional notion of 'a scholar dies for a confidant' may seem old‑fashioned today, but in that era it was the spiritual backbone for many. We cannot condemn historical figures with today's values."

Immediately following was a fierce rebuttal: "But didn't his hands get stained with the blood of the Liberation Army? In 1949 in Southeast, how many casualties did his troops inflict on our forces? 'Foolish Loyalty' is not an excuse!"

The debate continued.

Lin Jianguo closed the page and looked out the window. Autumn sunlight streamed through the glass, illuminating the cover of The Diary of Li Yuxuan. He had personally taken part in editing the set, selecting and organizing material from a sea of original manuscripts, letters, and battle records. Li Yuxuan's handwriting is neat and clear; from his observations while studying in Japan in 1912 to his feelings on the eve of his 1959 special‑pardon release, nearly half a century of personal history also forms a unique portrait of modern Chinese history.

"Notify the publishing department to print an additional 100,000 copies," Lin Jianguo concluded. "Also, contact several historians to arrange a symposium. Some controversies need to be clarified on an academic level."

In the second week after the diary's publication, online discussion had already spread like wildfire.

On Bilibili, where young people gather, history‑section content creator "Shi Haigouchen" posted a forty‑minute video: "Living Fossil of Modern History Li Yuxuan: How One Diary Upended Our Perception?" At the start of the video, the creator used rapid cuts to showcase several pivotal moments in Li Yuxuan's life: born in 1890 in Fenghua Xikou as the son of a Servant, in 1908 studied in Germany and met the young Er Zhan Touzi, in 1914 returned home and met Roosevelt, participated in the Huangpu Establishment, in 1937 held Wusongkou during the Battle of Shanghai‑Soochow, in 1949 was captured at Xikou, and after a 1959 special pardon took part in literary and historical work…

"Brothers, even a fictional biography wouldn't dare write this!" the creator exclaimed. "But the most shocking thing isn't these 'legendary experiences,' it's the lifelong contradiction and steadfastness revealed in the diary—his loyalty to his Young Master, born of a favor of recognition, and the rift with his deep love for the nation. During the War of Resistance, he wrote, 'If the Japanese pirates are not eradicated, how can a home exist?' In the later stage of the Liberation War, he wrote, 'Brothers turn swords against each other, a pain that pierces the heart.' This person is too complex, so complex that we cannot define him simply as 'good' or 'bad.'"

The video quickly rose to the trending list, with bullet comments flooding in:

"This is the real historical figure, not a caricatured villain or hero!"

"The part where his son Li Nian'an led three hundred thousand troops to Nanyang is too fantastical, please give details!"

"Am I the only one who noticed he taught that person for a few weeks? What a divine intersection…"

At the same time, discussions about Li Yuxuan on Weibo split into multiple camps. Historian @Zhi Shi Qiuzhen posted a lengthy Weibo:

"The historical value of The Diary of Li Yuxuan is beyond doubt. It offers a detailed perspective on Kuomintang senior decision‑making, such as the financial strain in the early days of the Huangpu Establishment, the behind‑the‑scenes coordination of KMT‑CCP Cooperation during the War of Resistance, and the chaos within the Kuomintang at the end of the Liberation War. However, we must beware of two tendencies: first, glorifying his entire history because of his anti‑Japanese war achievements; second, denying his national righteousness because of his final choices. Historical research requires calm analysis, not partisan bickering."

Below that Weibo, the most liked comment came from an ordinary reader: "I'm just a middle‑school history teacher. What moved me most in the diary was Li Yuxuan's dedication to education. From his study of the military education system while in Germany, to formulating the teaching principle 'Cultivate the army by first cultivating virtue' during the Huangpu period, and later establishing primary and secondary schools while governing locally. In that chaotic era, there were still people who truly believed education could save the nation; that idealism is truly rare."

Nevertheless, the controversy persisted. On a well‑known forum, a thread titled "Is Li Yuxuan's 'Patriotism' Worth Celebrating?" sparked a fierce clash. The poster wrote:

"Yes, he has war‑resistance merits. But during the Liberation War, as the highest commander in Southeast, he carried out many orders from his Young Master; didn't his hands get stained with blood? His 'Loyalty' to his Young Master is, to some extent, a betrayal of the people. As for his son Li Nian'an leading three hundred thousand troops to Nanyang—what is that? Preserving strength? Clearly a continuation of warlord fragmentation! Today some people, because the diary is well‑written and detailed, start to praise him; this is historical nihilism!"

In the replies, someone countered: "History cannot be divorced from its concrete context. In the life‑and‑death KMT‑CCP struggle, as a senior Kuomintang General Officer, he at least refrained from massacring civilians or persecuting Advance Personnel, and covertly protected many Underground Agents. That is already the utmost a person in his position could achieve. Regarding Li Nian'an's Nanyang campaign, the diary clearly records Li Yuxuan's instruction: 'Uphold the spirit of China, safeguard the safety of overseas compatriots.' The overseas Chinese in Nanyang were in a difficult situation at the time, and this army objectively protected their interests. The matter must be viewed dialectically."

The debate yielded no conclusion, but the buzz around The Diary of Li Yuxuan kept climbing. The publisher's additional 100,000 copies sold out again, and the e‑book surpassed five hundred thousand downloads. In the history sections of major bookstores, this deep‑blue‑covered diary set was placed in the most prominent spot.