“Lisheng”, “Ergu” and “Manshu”: Three Figures Involved in the “Jingsheng” Incident

Lin Shu's short story “Jingsheng” (《荆生》) launched a veiled attack on the New Culture advocates at Peking University, sparking counter-criticisms and widespread debate in the cultural sphere. The incident is widely regarded as a significant episode in the “ old vs. new ” cultural conflict on the eve of the May Fourth Movement. Previous scholarship has mainly focused on prominent figures from both sides, while overlooking other intellectuals involved. Among them, the identities of three individuals have long remained obscure: “Li Sheng” (“李 生”), who told the tale to “Li Sou”(蠡叟) in “Jingsheng”; “Ergu”(“二古”) and “Manshu”(“曼殊”), who criticized Lin Shu in Weekly Review. This article identifies them as Peking University student Li Liantang, Peking University Preparatory School professor Cheng Yansheng, and Liang Qixun, the younger brother of Liang Qichao. Their distinct intellectual backgrounds, motivations for involvement, and ideological affiliations reveal the complex and multifaceted nature of China's cultural landscape at the time.