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Zhao Yuanren and Hu Shi were two preeminent scholars of the 20th-century China. Their 52-year friendship started in September, 1910 when both qualified as successful candidates for studying in American universities on the government scholarships based on the Boxer Indemnity remitted by US to China. Zhao Yuanren was the second best candidate on the list and Hu Shi the 55th.On August 16th, 1910, they set sail from Shanghai to USA.

Hu and Zhao went to Cornell University. Hu studied agriculture for half a year before switching to politics, economics, literature and philosophy. Zhao focused on mathematics with physics and music as minors. They lived in rented houses not far from each other.

In 1915, some Chinese students in eastern US organized themselves into a society for literature and science. It was during this time that Hu Shi was thinking about starting a literary revolution in China while Zhao took interest in Latinizing the Chinese language. When the literary studies department of the society planned for its first annual meeting, Hu Shi and Zhao Yuanren decided to focus on the Chinese language. Hu wrote a paper on the subject of simplifying the language so that it could be taught with ease. Zhao's paper explored the Latinizing possibilities of the Chinese language.

When Zhao Yuanren came back to China in September 1920 and taught physics, mathematics and music at Qinghua University, Hu Shi was teaching in Beijing University. They renewed their friendship.

When Zhao Yuanren and Yang Buwei got married, Hu Shi acted as the chief witness at their wedding.

Hu Shi was appointed Chinese ambassador to the United States after the war against Japanese aggression broke out. As an accomplished scholar, he made special contribution to the diplomatic relations between the two countries, to the friendship between the two peoples, and to the war efforts in China.

Zhao Yuanren, his wife and their children migrated to the United States in 1938. He taught at Hawaii University and Yale and Harvard. The Zhaos later became American citizens. Hu kept in touch with Zhao Yuanren during his stay in USA. When an American match manufacturer learned that the Chinese ambassador was a passionate collector of match boxes, it sent Hu two large cartons of match. Hu later sent the two cartons of match to Zhao Yuanren. It was years before Zhao used all the matches.

Hu Shi left Shanghai for the United States on April 6th, 1949 when the nationalist government collapsed. The sudden change in life made the scholar depressed. Moreover, he did not have reference books for academic studies at home. After learning about Hu Shi's status quo, Zhao and his wife planned to send Hu Shi a precious series of 2,100 volumes in Chinese classics. But Hu Shi declined the gift. He explained in a letter to Zhao that he did not have so many bookshelves for the 2,100 books.

Hu Shi visited Zhao Yuanren on October 31st, 1956 on Zhao's 65th birthday anniversary and presented a gift. Hu Shi said he was now breaking the rule not to giving gifts to Zhao for the first time in the 46 years they had known each other and hoped Zhao would break his no-gift rule and accept his gift.

In 1957, Hu Shi had a surgery for his stomach ulcer. This surgery alarmed all of Hu's old friends. Panicked, they rushed to hospital to have health checks. Zhao Yuanren was found having gallstones and his wife had something seriously wrong with her spine. After learning their poor health, Hu Shi wrote them a letter offering health suggestions.

When Hu Shi died of a sudden heart attack on February 24th, 1962, Zhao Yuanren, then a professor with the University of California, was greatly grieved. After got the news on the phone, he stood motionless holding the phone in his hand for a long while.□