Tracing Xuying – Xuying’s Father Li Yuzeng 李裕增

[Introduction:] When I began researching my grandmother’s life and career, my husband remarked that it was quite extraordinary for a woman of her time to not only received a formal eduction, but also be allowed to pursue a path of her own choosing, which spoke volumes about her family, particularly her father. Intrigued by his observations, I dug into the periodicals from the early Republic Era and contemporary researches to see if I could find out more about my great-grandfather. I was surprised that I could even find anything. This article and the list of works authored by Li attached are based on the information I have gathered so far.

关于李旭英的家世，现存的资料不多。《著名图案画家：我们都母亲李旭英》（下简称《李旭英》）中记载，她出生在贵阳蔡家坊（应当是今天贵阳城中的文化老街蔡家街，而不是书中所写蔡家坡）。那时候李旭英的祖父在贵阳任县长。这位祖父是科举进士出身，他的几个孩 子里只有一个男孩，就是李旭英的父亲李裕增(字福田、茀田)。

李裕增接受的什么样的教育不得而知，但是从他年轻时起参与的活动和撰写的文章看，他的父亲很重视对他的教育，而且不是一个保守的人。李裕增自幼就能接触到一些新事物，思想比较开明。

《民国贵州通志 · 学校志六》（卷 176，第63页）有这样一段记载：“贵阳公立师范学堂 ，省会次南门外丁祠 。 光绪二十八年 ，绅耆于德楷 、乐嘉藻 、李端棻 、李裕增等创办 。” 李端棻（1833-1907）曾在戊戌维新时任礼部尚书，于德楷、乐嘉藻（1867-1944）也是贵阳知名的士绅，且乐嘉藻于李裕增是老友。他们四人办学是出于“谋黔省教育之发展 ，振兴贵州文化，培养新学师资以应教育发展之需求”的目的 。贵阳公立师范学堂是贵州第一所师范学堂，在全国也是最早的中等师范学堂之一 。学堂最早的教员名单里也有李裕增的名字，可见其对教育事业的支持。

父亲去世后，李裕增举家北上。来到京城的具体日期不详，大约在辛亥革命前。乐嘉藻《庚戌旅行日记》中记载他在1910年滞留北京3个月，曾到李福田家中做客，可见当时李裕增已在北京安家。根据1910年10月22日的政府公报第181期，李裕增被任命为农林部主事，但不知出于何等原因，他并未赴任。此后他先在北京农工商部任技士，又在直隶省商品陈列所任技术员，劝业研究会调查员，调查课主任等职，并多年代理或兼任所长。陈列所以发展实业为宗旨，陈列改良国货的样品，介绍国内外实业状况和贸易事项，帮助民族企业参与当时世界各地的贸易博览会。在此期间，李裕增调研并执笔直隶多县的实业调查报告，并撰写《直隶实业根本计划意见书》，《历史商品为发扬国粹促进市荣之唯一要素论》等文，通过细致踏查，对农牧业开发及山林水土保持的关系，文化遗产等等保存与商品化都提出专业意见，很有开创性。

1913年直隶省筹备参加1915年于旧金山举行的巴拿马世博会，严智怡（1882-1935）任巴拿马赛会事务局局长，李裕增被聘为干事。同年6月到9月间，严智怡还派乐嘉藻、李裕增等人赴日考察。他们一路走访大阪、名古屋、东京、京都及汉城的工厂、博览会、博物馆、商品陈列所等，学习他们的先进经验。后来严智怡牵头筹办天津博物院（后改称河北第一博物院），李裕增也是团队的重要一员。

1918年，身为直隶商品陈列所所长的李裕增呈请直隶实业厅批准，设天津公园事务所。将已经破败的天津公园修葺一新、增设游艺、开办会展，并收取门票。使公园渐进鼎盛，成为津城集休闲、娱乐、餐饮于一体的文化中心。

1923年《政府公报》第2786期，有如下记载：“大总统指令第二千二百七十四号：令国务总理高凌霨：呈直隶商品陈列所技术员李裕增因公成废核给终身卹金由呈悉准如所拟给卹此令。” 这件事事出何因，李裕增的身体状况究竟如何没有详情。可以猜想身有残疾对他的仕途是有影响的。《李旭英》中说李裕增在天津博物院担任考古编辑。从院刊《河北第一博物院半月刊》上几乎每期都他发表的文章看，他之后是专心做考古研究了。

李裕增入京后，将家安在北京，地址在西城兵马司水大院内，是一所很不错的四合院。后来他去天津工作，家仍在北京。他很重视子女教育，包括女孩在内。他在天津工作时，将两个大孩子也带到天津，李旭英和弟弟在天津上过中国早期的幼儿园和小学。从这些有限的资料看，李裕增是位博学多才且开明务实的文化人，对李旭英这个同样才学出众又独立自主的女儿，定是十分怜惜疼爱。李旭英早年丧母，与继母不和，早早自立门户。这位情趣相投的父亲是她唯一保持联系并且眷恋的亲人。

李裕增于1939年逝世于北京。

李裕增部分文章目录：
– “与严编修书” 《教育杂志(天津)》1905 第12期  页：26-28
– “表明原子分子各法则之圆纸版图说（附图）” 《贵州教育官报》1906 第1期  页：85-95
– “第一次实业调查报告书：涞水县“ 《第一次实业调查记》，1913年
– “实业调查报告书：完县” 《直隶实业杂志》1914 第3卷 第1期
– “实业调查报告书：广昌” 《直隶实业杂志》1914 第3卷 第6期
– “直隶实业根本计划意见书” 《直隶实业杂志》1914 第3卷 第2期
– “提倡国货当有名实先后缓急轻重巨细真伪优劣之别” 《中国实业杂志》1915年第6年卷第12期；《农商公报》1915 第2卷 第4期  页：144-152;   《中华国货月报》1915 第1卷 第3期, 第5期；《云南实业要闻周刊》1918 第61 – 62期
– “小工业与大利源”（选自《直隶商品陈列所丛刊》）美国克赉痕，钱葆龢译，李裕增重翻白话   《京师总商会月报》   1919年第1卷第12期
– “提倡国货辨”（选自《直隶商品陈列所丛刊》）《京师总商会月报》   1919年第1卷第12期 
– “周代商业最盛考” （1-9） 《实业来复报》1922 第1卷 第19 -26期
– “小正新解设问” 《实业来复报》1922 第1卷 第26-33期
– “动植物二名词谈” 《实业来复报》1922 第1卷 第21期
– “救亡要全国尊重理科!” 《京报副刊》1925 第216-223期
– “什么是真正的实验室?:就是小孩子闹着玩的游戏场” 《京报副刊》1925 第207期
– “投函:附‘几辅之河流与实业’及‘提倡国货歌’(附图)” 《京报副刊》1925 第197期
– “十干新解” “十干新解杂编”《河北第一博物院半月刊》1931 -1933 第2-41期
– “静观庐随笔”《河北第一博物院半月刊》1933 -1935 第50-138期
– “古华民族迁徒考”《河北第一博物院半月刊》1933-1935 第40-103期
– “古文画意（附图）” 《河北第一博物院半月刊》1935 第88期
– “古艺丛考” 《河北第一博物院半月刊》1936 第109-140期
– “古华民族迁徙杂考”《河北第一博物院半月刊》1936 第105-112期
– “古艺丛考棋考” 《河北第一博物院半月刊》1936 第125， 140期

本文参考文献：

-《直隶实业杂志》1914
-《直隶省商品陈列所报告》1918年第2期
-《直隶省商品陈列所概览》1918
– 中华民国《政府公报》
– “首创‘德、智、体、美、劳’教育方针的尹笃生”  马筑生，《文史天地》 2023, 07
– “李端棻家世考”  赵青，《贵州文史丛刊》2021年1期
– “从‘府中学堂’到贵阳一中” 《贵阳地名故事集》2015年3月
– “论直隶省商品陈列所早期实践活动及其历史影响(1913—1922)——兼谈民初商品陈列所与博物馆之别” 王昊仲 龙凌云 《北京档案》2024年第2期59-67,共9页
– “与世相接-严智怡与天津博物院的诞生” –  余慧君《新史学》27卷3期2016年9月

[English translation, article part only:]

Regarding the family background of Li Xuying, there is little surviving information. According to  The Renowned Pattern Designer: Our Mother Li Xuying (hereafter referred to as Li Xuying),  she was born in Caijiafang, Guiyang (likely today’s Caijia Street, a historic cultural district in Guiyang, rather than Caijiapo as stated in the book). At that time, Li Xuying’s grandfather served as a county magistrate in Guiyang. This grandfather was a scholar who had passed the imperial civil service examination. Among his several children, only one was a boy—Li Xuying’s father, Li Yuzeng (courtesy names Futian or Futian). 

Little is known about the education Li Yuzeng received, but based on his early activities and writings, it is clear that his father placed great importance on his education and was not a conservative figure. From a young age, Li Yuzeng was exposed to new ideas and held relatively progressive views.

General Gazetteer of Republican-era Guizhou: Educational Institutions VI (Volume 176, p. 63) records: “Guiyang Public Normal School, located at the Ding Ancestral Hall outside the secondary south gate of the provincial capital. In the 28th year of the Guangxu reign (1902), prominent figures such as Yu Dekai, Le Jiazao, Li Duanfen, and Li Yuzeng established it.” Li Duanfen (1833–1907) had served as the Minister of Rites during the Hundred Days’ Reform, while Yu Dekai and Le Jiazao (1867–1944) were also well-known gentry in Guiyang, with Le Jiazao being a close friend of Li Yuzeng. The four founded the school with the aim of “promoting the development of education in Guizhou, revitalizing Guizhou’s culture, and training new teachers to meet the needs of educational progress.” The Guiyang Public Normal School was the first normal school in Guizhou and one of the earliest secondary normal schools in the country. Li Yuzeng’s name appears on the earliest list of instructors, demonstrating his commitment to education.

After his father’s death, Li Yuzeng moved his family north. The exact date of their arrival in Beijing is unclear, likely before the 1911 Revolution. Le Jiazao’s Gengxu Travel Diary records that in 1910, during a three-month stay in Beijing, he visited Li Futian’s home, indicating that Li Yuzeng had already settled there. According to the Government Gazette (Issue 181, October 22, 1910), Li Yuzeng was appointed as a staff member in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, but for unknown reasons, he did not take up the post. Subsequently, he served as a technician in the Ministry of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce, and later held positions such as technician at the Zhili Province Commodity Exhibition Institute, investigator for the Industrial Promotion Research Association, and head of the investigation department, often acting as or concurrently serving as the Institute’s director. The Commodity Exhibition Institute aimed to promote domestic industry by displaying improved domestic products, providing information on industry and trade both domestic and international, and assisting national enterprises in participating in global trade expositions. During this period, Li Yuzeng conducted surveys and authored industrial and trade investigation reports for multiple counties in Zhili, as well as works such as Opinions on the Fundamental Plan for Zhili’s Industry and Historical Commodities as the Sole Factor in Promoting National Essence and Market Prosperity. Through meticulous fieldwork, he offered professional and pioneering insights on the relationship between agricultural and pastoral development, forest and soil conservation, and the preservation and commercialization of cultural heritage.

In 1913, Zhili Province prepared for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, with Yan Zhiyi (1882–1935) appointed as the director of the Panama Exposition Affairs Bureau and Li Yuzeng hired as an officer. From June to September of that year, Yan Zhiyi sent Le Jiazao, Li Yuzeng, and others to Japan for an inspection tour. They visited factories, expositions, museums, and commodity exhibition instituts in Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Seoul, learning from their advanced practices. Later, when Yan Zhiyi led the establishment of the Tianjin Museum (later renamed the Hebei First Museum), Li Yuzeng was a key member of the team.

In 1918, as the director of the Zhili Commodity Exhibition Institute, Li Yuzeng submitted a request to the Zhili Industrial Office for approval to establish the Tianjin Park Office. He renovated the dilapidated Tianjin Park, added recreational facilities, organized exhibitions, and introduced entrance fees. The park gradually flourished, becoming a cultural hub in Tianjin that integrated leisure, entertainment, and dining.

In 1923, the Government Gazette (Issue 2786) recorded: “Presidential Decree No. 2274: To Prime Minister Gao Lingwei: The request to grant a lifelong pension to Li Yuzeng, technician of the Zhili Commodity Exhibition Institute, due to disability incurred in public service, a lifelong pension is approved as proposed.” The cause for this matter and the specifics of Li Yuzeng’s health condition were not detailed. It can be inferred that his disability likely affected his career. According to Li Xuying, Li Yuzeng served as an archaeological editor at the Tianjin Museum. Judging by the articles he published in nearly every issue of the museum’s Hebei First Museum Biweekly, he later focused on archaeological research.

After moving to Beijing, Li Yuzeng settled his family in a spacious courtyard house in the Shuidayuan area of Bingmasi, Xicheng District. Even when he worked in Tianjin, his family remained in Beijing. He placed great importance on his children’s education, including that of his daughter. While working in Tianjin, he brought his two eldest children there, where Li Xuying and her younger brother attended some of China’s earliest kindergartens and primary schools. From these limited records, Li Yuzeng emerges as a learned, progressive, and pragmatic cultural figure who must have deeply cherished and adored his equally talented and independent daughter, Li Xuying. After losing her mother at a young age and having a strained relationship with her stepmother, Li Xuying established her own household early on. Her like-minded father was the only family member she stayed in touch with and remained deeply attached to.

Li Yuzeng passed away in Beijing in 1939.