Chiang Monglin (1886-1964) was president of Peking University in the 1930s. Via this book, readers can relive the quiet village life of his childhood, the fast-changing urban life of his teen years and the impact of his growing awareness of Western thought, and the years of studying abroad that would shape his thinking. This takes place against the background of the end of dynastic rule in China and the country's transition into a republic, a journey full of social change, conflict, and war.