“我们在纠正百年历史错误”，美国宾大将追授林徽因建筑学学位

2023-10-19 09:10

近日，美国宾夕法尼亚大学韦茨曼设计学院宣布，其将于2024年5月18日的毕业典礼上追授林徽因女士建筑学学士学位。

宾大发表的一篇题为“这位建筑先驱值得”的文章称，林徽因是中国现代史上首位、也是最著名的女性建筑师。此次追授，实属“姗姗来迟”。

"At the May 18, 2024, Weitzman Commencement Ceremony, the School will award Lin, arguably the first and most famous female architect in modern China, a long-overdue posthumous Bachelor of Architecture degree," stated an article titled "An Architectural Pioneer Receives Her Due", published by University of Pennsylvania on Sunday.

图源：宾夕法尼亚大学官网

然而，这位杰出的建筑学先驱生前却没有建筑专业文凭，即便她完成了所有学业课程。这是为何？

中国建筑学的奠基人

林徽因，原名林徽音，自小受到良好家世熏陶，年轻时曾游学欧美。在那个才子佳人辈出的时代下，林徽因以她书香世家的端庄秀丽、遍览文明的出众才华，在时代的风口浪尖前脱颖而出。

林徽因与梁思成在北京天坛祈年殿图源：宾夕法尼亚大学费舍尔美术图书馆

林徽因除了是中国现代杰出作家，同时也是中国现代建筑的开创者和推广者之一，与其夫梁思成一同被誉为中国现代建筑学的奠基者。

1928年留学归国后，林徽因夫妇二人参与共创了新成立的东北大学建筑系，并亲自担任授课讲师。

Lin Huiyin, a prominent modern Chinese writer, is also revered as a trailblazer in modern Chinese architecture, alongside her husband, Liang Sicheng. In 1928, following their return from overseas studies, they actively contributed to the creation of the Architecture Department at Northeastern University and served as instructors.

同时，二人还怀着穷尽一生的热情投身于中国文化遗产的修复工作，包括建筑研究、古建筑保护等。北平解放后，二人还一起参与了中华人民共和国国徽与人民英雄纪念碑的设计工作。

Liang and Lin embarked on restoration projects for cultural heritage sites after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, a passion they continued to pursue until the end of their lives. Following the liberation of Beijing, the couple also played a role in designing the National Emblem of the People's Republic of China and the Monument to the People's Heroes.

人民英雄纪念碑图源：IC

学界普遍认为，在林徽因夫妇回到中国后的几十年里，他们二人共同改变了全中国各地的建筑历史、教育和实践，改变了二十世纪中国设计的进程。“当你在美国时，众所周知最伟大的建筑师当属弗兰克·劳埃德·赖特；但当你在中国，这个头衔则属于林徽因与梁思成二人了。”韦茨曼学院城市与区域规划系研究生组主席吉妮·波奇如此评价道。

In the decades following their return to China, Lin and Liang worked together to transform architectural history, education, and practice across the country, altering the course of twentieth-century design there. "When you come to America, everyone knows of Frank Lloyd Wright. When you go to China, everyone knows of Lin and Liang," says Genie Birch, chair of the graduate group in the Department of City & Regional Planning at Weitzman.

有着如此功绩的伟大建筑学巨擘，林徽因却为何迟迟未获母校建筑学学士学位文凭？

女性身份下的偏见

1924年，林徽因与梁思成考入宾夕法尼亚大学。虽然当时二人都想上建筑学院，但前者却因女性身份被拒之门外。因此，她退而求其次进入了宾大美术学院，并于1927年获美术学士学位。

1926年梁思成与林徽因在宾大建筑系学生印象派舞会上图源：宾夕法尼亚大学档案馆

但林徽因凭其高度的热情，在参加美术学士学位课程的同时，也完成了建筑学士学位所需的大部分课程（一项有男性作为真人模特、不向女性学员开放的课程除外）。她不仅参加了诸多建筑课程，还担任了建筑设计课程的助教，成绩也远超同龄男性。

In 1924, Lin and Liang both enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania. Although they both wanted to attend the School of Architecture, Lin was not admitted because she was a woman. She therefore enrolled in the School of Fine Arts. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1927.

While Lin, who enrolled in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program, also completed most of the coursework required for Bachelor of Architecture degree — the exceptions include a drawing course that was not open to female students because the live models included men. She took courses in design theory, drawing and architectural history and was a teaching assistant in architectural design, often outperforming her male peers.

林徽因为宾大女本科生年鉴绘制的插图图源：宾夕法尼亚大学档案馆

“从当时的记录来看，很明显林徽因想要学习建筑并成为一名建筑师，并且她也在这一领域取得了巨大成功。”韦茨曼设计学院院长兼讲席教授弗里茨·斯坦纳说，“随着我们不断深入调查，显然她没有被授予学位的原因是她的女性身份，”斯坦纳院长于2022年发起了调研和审阅程序，并表示“这绝非正确之事，是时候来纠正它了”。

得知此事，林徽因的后代无不为此感慨万分。

"From the records, it was clear she wanted to be an architecture student and architect, and she was a very successful one at that. We looked into it more and more, it was clear the reason she wasn't given a degree was because she was a woman," says Weitzman Dean and Professor Fritz Steiner, who initiated a formal review in 2022. "It's not right and this is an opportunity to correct that."

林徽因女儿、94岁的梁再冰感叹道：“百年之后，母亲得到她母校的承认，让我想起她当年选择建筑专业时的勇敢与坚定。她用自己的一生证明，她是一位真正的建筑师！”

于葵与韦茨曼院长弗里茨·斯坦纳等人的合影图源：宾大官网

林徽因的外孙女于葵也说：“林徽因一直是我们家庭的楷模，作为她的后代，我们钦佩和欣赏她在追求艺术激情和梦想方面的无畏。我们为她在一百年后，从她的母校获得这样的荣誉和认可而感到鼓舞和自豪。”

Lin's daughter, 94-year-old Liang Zaibing, said, "A hundred years later, my mother is being recognized by her alma mater. This reminds me of her bravery and determination when she chose to major in architecture. She proved throughout her life that she was a true architect."

"Lin has been a role model for our family, and, as her descendants, we admire and appreciate her fearlessness in pursuing her artistic passion and dreams," said Yu Kui, Lin's granddaughter. "We are encouraged and proud that she will receive such honors and recognition from her alma mater after a hundred years."

不少网友认为，林徽因的功绩早已不是一纸文凭能够衡量的了：“她参与过国徽与人民英雄纪念碑的设计，她的成就早已不需要这个建筑学学士学位来证明。”