Hu Shih's Portraits/胡适品人录

Hu Shih devoted his life to advocating for biographical literature and led by example, producing numerous exemplary biographies from his unique perspective. His works offer both fresh insights into prominent figures across ages and civilizations, and original discoveries in the lives of ordinary people. Known for his mild temperament, Hu wrote about people with a historian's pen - yet his observations were remarkably sharp. With the grace of a gentleman, he passed judgment on character - yet his critiques were imbued with distinct personality. The biographies he penned are, in essence, windows through which we observe both others and ourselves, and mirrors that reflect history and the human condition. They not only pioneered the modern biographical form in China but also bear the indelible mark of his liberal convictions.

胡适毕生倡议传记文学，且身体力行，以其独特的视角，写出诸多典范性的人物传记。其笔下既有对古今中外大人物的别样洞见，也有对凡俗人物、平凡人生的特别发现。以平和著称的胡适，以史家之笔，写人却足见锐利；以君子之风，评人则别具性情。胡适笔下的传记，其实观人观己，说史说世相。既为现代传记文体初创之先例，又刻入其自由主义追求之印记。

Hu Shih (1891-1962), courtesy name Shizhi, was a native of Jixi, Anhui Province. He was a renowned modern scholar, poet, historian, literary figure, and philosopher. As a leading advocate of the literary revolution, he became one of the most important leaders of the New Culture Movement. He served as the Republic of China's Ambassador to the United States, President of Peking University, and President of Academia Sinica in Taiwan. His extensive research covered literature, philosophy, history, textual criticism, education, ethics, and Redology (the study of Dream of the Red Chamber).

胡适（1891－1962），字适之，安徽绩溪人，现代著名学者、诗人、历史学家、文学家、哲学家。因提倡文学革命而成为新文化运动最重要的领袖之一。曾担任驻美大使、北京大学校长、台湾"中央研究院院长等职。在文学、"哲学、史学、考据学、教育学、伦理学、红学等诸多领域都有深入的研究。