"Fortress Besieged", a Modern Chinese Classic Quiz

Answer: His prospective parents-in-law

After the death of his fiancée, Fang Hung-chien wrote a letter of condolence to his father-in-law. The letter touched his father-in-law a lot, so he decided to finance Fang's study with the amount set aside for the wedding and the dowry.

Answer: He fooled an Irishman in N.Y. who sold fake diplomas and acquired the degree of Ph.D by paying a small amount.

The author humorously claimed that "the incident may well mark China's sole victory over the foreigners since she began to have foreign relations or signed her first treaty of commerce".

Answer: Shanghai

The liner did stop at Saigon and Hongkong, where Miss Pao landed. The destination was Shanghai, where Fang and Miss Su landed and parted.

Answer: T'ang Hsiao-fu

Fang did love T'ang very much but their relationship didn't develop to a marriage. Su spoiled it by informing T'ang of his indecent behavior before.

Answer: Ts'ao Yuan-lang

Chao Hsin-mei courted Su fanatically. Su liked Fang instead, but was refused by him. In the end Su married Ts'ao unexpectedly.

Answer: In the interior of China

Fang and Chao both got disappointed in a love affair. At the same time, war would break out in Shanghai, so they decided to go to the interior to teach.

Answer: Li Mei-t'ing

Li was fond of women and wanted to take advantage of the widow's bad situation. This brought much trouble to the group who went to San Lu University.

Answer: Sun Jou-chia

Li and Chao both failed. In the end Sun, the only girl in the group, contacted the "Women's Association" and found a guarantor there.

Answer: Kao Sung-nien

"Kao Sung-nien, the president of San Lu University, was an "old science scholar". The word 'old' here is quite bothersome. It could describe science or it could just as well be describing a scientist. Unfortunately, there is a world of difference between a scientist and science. A scientist is like wine. The older he gets, the more valuable he is, while science is like a woman. When she gets old, she's worthless. Once Mandarin grammar reaches its full development, the time will come when 'old science scholar' can be clearly distinguished from 'scholar of old science' or one will say 'science old scholar' or 'old science scholar'. But as it's still too early for that yet, a general term of reference will have to do in the meantime."

I took much trouble to quote this paragraph, because it once made me laugh out loud. I still find it quite interesting today.

Answer: Chao Hsin-mei

Chao found Wang's wife looked like Su Wen-wan so he loved her. When it was discovered by Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou, he had to give up the teaching position and left San Lu University.