Wang Shuda, courtesy name Shankai, was born on August 2, 1904, and passed away on December 7, 1993. He was from Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and was a member of the Jiusan Society.

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At home in the 1980s

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In the 1930s with colleagues at the Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office, from left: Xu Shirong, Sun Chongyi, Wang Yi, Wang Shuda, He Meicen

Wang Shuda was a Chinese linguist, philologist, and educator. He dedicated his life to the study of language and education, having taught as a Chinese language teacher at several institutions, including Beijing Normal University High School, Beijing Normal University, and Hebei Normal University. He worked at the Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office and the Institute of Linguistics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he authored or contributed to dozens of textbooks and important dictionaries. He held an irreplaceable position in Chinese education and linguistics and made significant contributions to the promotion and teaching of vernacular Chinese. Wang Shuda pursued democratic and progressive ideas from a young age, and after his passing, he donated his entire personal collection of books to the library of Hebei Normal University.

Biography

Wang Shuda was born into an intellectual family in Beijing on August 2, 1904. His father, Wang Songshou, graduated from the Imperial University of Peking and was one of the earliest physics and chemistry teachers in Chinese secondary schools.

In 1922, he enrolled in the Department of Chinese Language at Beijing Normal University, where he was taught by notable scholars such as Qian Xuantong, Li Jinxie, Gao Boding, Zhou Shuren, and Lin Yutang.

In 1928, he graduated from university and began teaching at Suiyuan First Middle School.

From February 1928 to June 1929, he served as a substitute teacher at the Xishan School of the Sino-French University.

From September 1928 to July 1937, he worked as a teacher at the Affiliated High School of Beijing Normal University.

From January 1929 to June 1956, he concurrently served as an assistant editor and editor at the Chinese Dictionary Compilation Office.

From the autumn of 1929 to the summer of 1941, he was a teacher at Beijing Municipal First Women’s High School.

From the autumn of 1935 to the summer of 1942, he was a part-time teacher at the Affiliated Women’s High School of Beijing Normal University.

From August 1946 to December 1948, he was a lecturer at the Mandarin Specialization Department of Peiping Normal University.

From February 1948 to June 1949, he was a part-time teacher at Beijing Municipal Normal School.

From February 1949 to June 1950, he was a lecturer in the Chinese Department at Beijing Normal University.

In May 1951, he joined the Jiusan Society, introduced by Li Jinxie and Ye Dingyi.

From July 1956 to November 1962, he worked as an editor in the Dictionary Editing Office of the Institute of Linguistics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. .9-1984 Hebei Normal University (formerly “Hebei Beijing Normal College”) Department of Chinese, Associate Professor

Personal Publications:

“Grammar and National Pronunciation” Co-authored by Wang Zhen and Wang Shuda, published by Tianjin Baicheng Bookstore (first edition, August 1932)

“Textbook of Chinese for Junior Middle Schools” Edited by Zhang Honglai, Lu Huaqi, Wang Zhen, and Wang Shuda, published by Beijing Chengdian Normal University Affiliated Middle School Chinese Literature Series (August 1934)

“Common Knowledge of National Studies” Edited by Wang Shuda, Duplication by Beijing Normal University Affiliated Middle School (1936)

Collective Publications:

“Comprehensive Index of Dialects and Literary Works,” Twelve Volumes, Supervised by Wang Shuda and others, completed in September 1932, not printed; manuscript compiled into the Dictionary of China Editing Office

“Mandarin Dictionary” (Complete Eight Volumes) Edited by Wang Yi, with Xu Yishi, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Peng Xinru, Xu Shirong, He Meicen, Fu Yan, and Niu Wenqing as editors, published by Commercial Press (1945)

“Mandarin Dictionary” (Complete Four Volumes) Edited by Li Jinxu, with Wang Yi (Director), Xu Yishi, Sun Chongyi, Xu Shirong, Fu Yan, An Wenzhuo, Wang Shuda, Zhang Weiyu, He Meicen, Niu Jichang, and Gao Jingcheng as editors, published by Commercial Press (1948), revised and reissued in 1962 under the new title “Chinese Dictionary”

“New Radical Index Pronunciation Dictionary” Edited by Li Jinxu, with Wang Yi (Director), Xu Renyu, Fu Jieshi, Niu Jichang, Gao Jingcheng, He Meicen, Xu Shirong, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Zhang Naizhi, and Zhang Weiyu as compilers, published by Commercial Press (first edition, August 1949)

“Annotated New Rhymes of China” Edited by Li Jinxu, with Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Fu Yan, Sun Chongyi, Zhang Weiyu, and Zhang Naizhi as compilers, published by Commercial Press (first edition, July 1950)

“Revised and Annotated Commonly Used Characters in National Pronunciation” Edited by Li Jinxu, with Wang Yi, He Meicen, Fu Jieshi, Niu Jichang, Gao Jingcheng, Xu Renyu, Xu Shirong, Sun Chongyi, Wang Shuda, Zhang Naizhi, Zhang Weiyu, Li Zengdu, and Zhu Changqi as compilers, published by Commercial Press (first edition, August 1949)

“Cultural Dictionary for Students” Edited by Li Jinxu, with Wang Shuda, He Meicen, Gao Jingcheng, Sun Chongyi, Xu Renyu, Xu Shirong, Fu Jieshi as editors, published by Commercial Press (first edition, October 1952)

“Homophone Dictionary” Edited by Li Jinxu, with He Meicen, Sun Chongyi, Xu Shirong, Wang Shuda, Gao Jingcheng, and Fu Yan as editors, published by Commercial Press (first edition, May 1956)

“Discussion Collection of Draft of Chinese Phonetic Alphabet” Volume One, Textual Reform. Publisher (First Edition, January 1957)

“Modern Chinese Dictionary” Trial Edition (1956-1960), with Wang Shuda as one of the principal editors.

“Dictionary of Language Knowledge” led by Sun Chongyi and Wang Shuda, compiled by the Hebei Normal University Editorial Team, Hebei People’s Publishing House (First Edition, August 1984).

Character Assessment

As a scholar, Wang Shuda is known for his extensive knowledge and his serious, rigorous approach to scholarship has been praised as practical. He was passionate about collecting books and reading, consistently setting aside 10% of his income each month to purchase books since starting work, without interruption. Everyone who visited his study marveled at the scale of his collection. Unfortunately, most of his books were confiscated during the Cultural Revolution, and only a small portion was recovered later. Following his passing, his family, in accordance with his wishes, donated this collection of 1,848 volumes to continue serving the public good.

As a teacher, Wang Shuda always adhered to the principle of “leading by example.” He was very kind and patient with his students and younger colleagues, teaching tirelessly, and willing to share and discuss professional knowledge with them. Throughout his decades of teaching, he nurtured many students who have gone on to become professionals and scholars across the country. Many continue to remember the guidance of their mentor after finding success. Prominent students in history and literature include Gao Jingcheng, Shi Shuqing, Xu Zengzhong, Wang Fushi, Deng Ruiling, Sun Niantai, Sun Nianzeng, Lu Yunchong, Li Xiyan, Gao Jingming, and others.

As a parent, Wang Shuda took on the responsibility of a large family early on. During times of war, he financially supported his younger brothers Wang Shuxi and Wang Zhiming to study abroad in pursuit of science and truth; they later returned to the country and held important positions in their respective fields. He made it his mission to address the country’s needs by encouraging his children to study science and engineering to support national construction. All six of his children graduated from top universities in the country and became pillars in various industries.

Anecdotes and Reflections

  1. Quoted from “Forever Yu Shizhi”

Yu Shizhi: “After starting middle school, I once fantasized about becoming a scholar, specializing in the study of phonetics and prosody in characters. This field of knowledge is incredibly broad and profound, and how could children possibly understand it! However, the teachers had a way of making it interesting and accessible, which drew me in, and I envied their erudition and all that surrounded them. I still remember Wang Shankai’s study; it evokes a lasting impression to this day… The walls are lined with books, all arranged in the same kind of glass cabinet; the cabinet is extremely tall, reaching from the floor to the ceiling. It was in this study that Mr. Wang taught me the preface to the “Shuowen Jiezi”—”In ancient times, the Emperor Pao Xi ruled the world,” and “Wang,” pronounced with a falling tone here, is a verb… He continued to explain in detail, discussing the origin of characters, the formation of writing, and also informed me of the shortcomings of the story of Cangjie creating characters: how could it be that only one person created them, and that no one else could? … Mr. Shan Kai’s study might not be very bright, but I can still remember the arrangement of that study, and even the position where he sat during our lesson. How enchanting it is, that study and its knowledgeable master!

  1. Quoted from “The National Treasure Level Master - Shi Shuqing, Who Loved Precious Art for a Lifetime”

In 1935, 14-year-old Shi Shuqing entered the renowned Normal University Affiliated High School from Rotary Primary School. As the best school in Beiping, it not only had excellent facilities but also remarkable classmates—each one was outstanding. The teachers were even better, like Mr. Sun Zhao who taught Chinese literature, Mr. Li Lanpo, and Mr. Wang Shuda, each possessing profound knowledge and insightful perspectives, with expertise in scholarly teaching.

  1. Du Xiaoqin’s “Those Places I Lived in Yanyuan” (Edited by Chen Pingyuan in “The Story of the Tube Building”) includes a brief description of Mr. Wang Shuda, which I have specially recorded here:

I had once spent less than ten yuan to buy three notebooks signed “Wang Shuda,” with covers titled “National Heritage,” “Shuowen,” and “Summary of National Heritage.” The first page of “Summary of National Heritage” has a note above the “Contents” stating “Lecture by Mr. Wu Jianzhai.” Wu Jianzhai, whose real name is Wu Chengshi, was one of the three major disciples of the modern classical master Zhang Taiyan, a well-known scholar of Confucianism, ancient characters, and education, often paired with Huang Kan as “Southern Huang, Northern Wu.” From 1924 to 1933, Mr. Wu Chengshi served as a professor and head of the Chinese department at Beijing Normal University, dedicated to teaching and research in classical studies, offering courses such as “History of Confucianism,” “Three Rites Objects,” “Summary of National Heritage,” “Six Script Principles,” and “Methods of Reading Ancient Books.” These three booklets should be the classroom notes taken by Mr. Wang Shuda with a brush while studying at Beijing Normal University. “National Heritage” and “Summary of National Heritage” used the nine-line green-barred xuan paper from the Tongxingrong South Paper Shop, while “Shuowen” manuscript used is an edition of the nine-line green-bordered xuan paper from the Yuechi Study. Mr. Wang Shuda’s notes are clear and precise, with a graceful and beautiful running script. Looking through them, one can envision the vast knowledge and demeanor of scholars like Wu Chengshi during their lectures, as well as feel the seriousness and intelligence that Mr. Wang Shuda displayed while studying.

  1. Zhang Yongquan recalls in ‘My University’:

Mr. Wang Shuda, who has been delegated from the Philosophy and Social Sciences Department of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and has edited the Modern Chinese Dictionary for decades, delivers his classical Chinese lessons with clarity and structure. Each lexical item, whether a substantive or a grammatical word, is explained accurately and meticulously.”