●1. Overview of a lifetime●
Before the age of about ten, time seems to move in slow motion, everything unfolding at a leisurely pace. This "film reel" of life suddenly accelerates after reaching thirty. Season after season, year after year, time swiftly slips away. It is at this moment that people become aware of the brevity of life. Each person only has one lifetime. They cannot choose the era they are born in, their family, or even certain aspects of themselves (such as intelligence or appearance). However, everyone can choose to be an upright person.
Grandfather Duan Qirui was such a person—steadfast, honest, and upright. Despite facing numerous setbacks, he remained unchanged from his principle throughout his life. His life spanned seventy-one years from 1865 to 1936.
1865: In the year 1865, Grandfather was born in a rural area of Hefei, Anhui. His mother took care of the household chores, while his father worked on a few acres of farmland. Later on, his parents blessed him with a younger sister and two younger brothers. His sister was six years younger than him, and his brothers were eight and nine years younger. Despite the family not being affluent, his parents persisted in sending their eldest son to study at an old-style private school (私塾). In a society where commerce was underdeveloped and agricultural productivity was low, education was highly regarded with the saying, "All things in the world are ordinary, only being a scholarr is second to none (万般皆下品，惟有读书高)."
1872 to 1779: Grandfather was between the ages of seven and fourteen. After the domestic war settled down, his grandfather, General Duan Pei (段佩), of the Huai Army (淮军), brought his grandson to the Suqian (宿迁) Barracks in northern Jiangsu. In addition to continuing his education at an old-style private school, Duan Pei personally taught and guided his grandson for seven years. This special experience forged an unbreakable bond between Grandfather and the military.
1879: At the age of fourteen, Grandfather experienced the sudden passing of his grandfather, General Duan Pei. He had to return to his parents' side. Besides helping his mother take care of his younger siblings, he also worked in the fields with his father. From the age of five to fourteen, Grandfather had already spent nine years studying at the old-style private school, extensively reading the Four Books, Five Classics (四书五经), and A Hundred Schools of Thought (诸子百家). At a time when the population was mostly illiterate, he had become quite the scholar, understanding concepts like "what's the value of rituals without virtue in heart? what's the value of music, without virtue? (人而不仁，如礼何？人而不仁，如乐何？)" " Wealth and honors attained through immoral means are to me as empty as floating clouds (不义而富且贵，于我如浮云)"; During these formative years, he established the aspiration of "When in poverty, keep personal virtues; when becoming prosperous, improve the world (穷则独善其身，达则兼善天下)" and formed a moral compass of honesty, benevolence, and righteousness in his interactions with others and in his conduct.
1880: At the age of fifteen, Grandfather made a resolute decision to bid farewell to his family, and to seek refuge in a Qing army unit stationed far away, which was under the command of Duan Congde (段从德), his father’s cousin. Over a span of more than four months, traveling for over two thousand li (about 600 miles), he traversed mountains and rivers alone on foot, making his way from Hefei, Anhui, to Weihai, Shandong. When Grandfather arrived at Weihai Wei (威海卫), he had just turned sixteen years old. From that moment on, he embarked on his military career.
1882: Grandfather's father was murdered by a criminal on his way home after visiting his son in the north, stealing his cash. The grief-stricken mother, unable to bear the pain, passed away seven months later, leaving behind three underage children. Grandfather, at the young age of eighteen and a new soldier, took on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings. From then on, he had been taking care of his brothers and sisters.
1885: At the age of 20, with the highest score, Gandfather was admitted to Tianjin Military Academy (天津武备学堂) founded by Li Hongzhang (李鸿章) during the "Westernization Movement (洋务运动)". He studied science at the school with a specialization in artillery. Two years later, at the age of 22, he graduated with top honors (Source: "Chronicle of Duan Qirui 《段祺瑞年谱》," by Wu Tingxie 吴廷燮, in "Collection of Miscellaneous Modern Records《近代稗海》," Volume 4, p. 603).
Thirteen years later, all the students in this school died in a bloody battle with the enemy forces that invaded Tianjin, and the school was destroyed.
Before the age of about ten, time seems to move in slow motion, everything unfolding at a leisurely pace. This "film reel" of life suddenly accelerates after reaching thirty. Season after season, year after year, time swiftly slips away. It is at this moment that people become aware of the brevity of life. Each person only has one lifetime. They cannot choose the era they are born in, their family, or even certain aspects of themselves (such as intelligence or appearance). However, everyone can choose to be an upright person.
Grandfather Duan Qirui was such a person—steadfast, honest, and upright. Despite facing numerous setbacks, he remained unchanged from his principle throughout his life. His life spanned seventy-one years from 1865 to 1936.
1865: In the year 1865, Grandfather was born in a rural area of Hefei, Anhui. His mother took care of the household chores, while his father worked on a few acres of farmland. Later on, his parents blessed him with a younger sister and two younger brothers. His sister was six years younger than him, and his brothers were eight and nine years younger. Despite the family not being affluent, his parents persisted in sending their eldest son to study at an old-style private school (私塾). In a society where commerce was underdeveloped and agricultural productivity was low, education was highly regarded with the saying, "All things in the world are ordinary, only being a scholarr is second to none (万般皆下品，惟有读书高)."
1872 to 1779: Grandfather was between the ages of seven and fourteen. After the domestic war settled down, his grandfather, General Duan Pei (段佩), of the Huai Army (淮军), brought his grandson to the Suqian (宿迁) Barracks in northern Jiangsu. In addition to continuing his education at an old-style private school, Duan Pei personally taught and guided his grandson for seven years. This special experience forged an unbreakable bond between Grandfather and the military.
1879: At the age of fourteen, Grandfather experienced the sudden passing of his grandfather, General Duan Pei. He had to return to his parents' side. Besides helping his mother take care of his younger siblings, he also worked in the fields with his father. From the age of five to fourteen, Grandfather had already spent nine years studying at the old-style private school, extensively reading the Four Books, Five Classics (四书五经), and A Hundred Schools of Thought (诸子百家). At a time when the population was mostly illiterate, he had become quite the scholar, understanding concepts like "what's the value of rituals without virtue in heart? what's the value of music, without virtue? (人而不仁，如礼何？人而不仁，如乐何？)" " Wealth and honors attained through immoral means are to me as empty as floating clouds (不义而富且贵，于我如浮云)"; During these formative years, he established the aspiration of "When in poverty, keep personal virtues; when becoming prosperous, improve the world (穷则独善其身，达则兼善天下)" and formed a moral compass of honesty, benevolence, and righteousness in his interactions with others and in his conduct.
1880: At the age of fifteen, Grandfather made a resolute decision to bid farewell to his family, and to seek refuge in a Qing army unit stationed far away, which was under the command of Duan Congde (段从德), his father’s cousin. Over a span of more than four months, traveling for over two thousand li (about 600 miles), he traversed mountains and rivers alone on foot, making his way from Hefei, Anhui, to Weihai, Shandong. When Grandfather arrived at Weihai Wei (威海卫), he had just turned sixteen years old. From that moment on, he embarked on his military career.
1882: Grandfather's father was murdered by a criminal on his way home after visiting his son in the north, stealing his cash. The grief-stricken mother, unable to bear the pain, passed away seven months later, leaving behind three underage children. Grandfather, at the young age of eighteen and a new soldier, took on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings. From then on, he had been taking care of his brothers and sisters.
1885: At the age of 20, with the highest score, Gandfather was admitted to Tianjin Military Academy (天津武备学堂) founded by Li Hongzhang (李鸿章) during the "Westernization Movement (洋务运动)". He studied science at the school with a specialization in artillery. Two years later, at the age of 22, he graduated with top honors (Source: "Chronicle of Duan Qirui 《段祺瑞年谱》," by Wu Tingxie 吴廷燮, in "Collection of Miscellaneous Modern Records《近代稗海》," Volume 4, p. 603).
Thirteen years later, all the students in this school died in a bloody battle with the enemy forces that invaded Tianjin, and the school was destroyed.
