Literary Master 1983

Chapter 117 Yu Xuanfeng is coming (Part )
This is a unique literary interview program with an elite gathering of guests. The beautiful host is NHK news anchor Yuko Kunitani, a double degree holder from Brown University who has interviewed many politicians and industry tycoons.

More than 40 students from the University of Tokyo signed up to participate, holding the Little Red Book and some armbands, and more than a dozen students from Kyoto University came from afar, writing anti-imperialist propaganda, "Down with Japanese imperialism!" They were not the most outstanding either.

In the small studio, there were painters Higashiyama Kaii and his wife, Chinese-American writer Chen Shunchen and his wife, Matsuyama Ballet Company director Shimizu Masao and his wife Matsuyama Kiko, etc. In addition, animation industry master Tezuka Osamu also participated in this literary talk, and actors Takakura Ken and Tanaka Yuko appeared.

As for writers and editors, there are too many to list.

This is exactly the influence of Ba Lao overseas, and his reputation as the goat of contemporary Chinese writers. People are eager to take a photo with Ba Lao, want a business card of Ba Lao, want to take a book with him and get his autograph...

But their attention was first drawn to Yu Qie himself:
This is a very standard handsome guy, standing out among the group of writers. He is tall and has a handsome face.

It cannot be associated with symbols such as "poverty" and "backwardness", but reminds people of the classical giant Tang Dynasty that asked people to "borrow seeds" more than a thousand years ago.

As Asahi Shimbun reporter Matsunaga said this morning: "This has nothing to do with his literary achievements. I was just simply surprised."

What was shown on the scene was that the music was still playing, but the audience even forgot to applaud, they just stared blankly.

The host, Yuko Kuniya, did not want the limelight to be overshadowed by something other than literature: "Let's applaud this young Chinese writer! Warmly welcome him again!"

The whole audience just reacted and there was thunder.

Chen Shunchen and his wife were very surprised in the audience. They said: "This man is not as humble as those Chinese writers in the past..."

"He is not just modest, he doesn't even seem modest. He gives people the feeling that he has just won the Akutagawa Prize and is giving a speech. He is completely flamboyant and full of energy."

"Hahaha! I wasn't that surprised at first, but I was surprised because he was from the mainland."

Yuko Kuniya introduced the process of the "Literary Interview": "Our interview lasts one and a half hours, which is not actually long because we have to give time to the translator. During these 45 minutes, there are two parts: the literary talk and the audience's questions."

"Do you two understand the procedure?"

Both parties nodded.

"I have something special to say about 'Yu Qie'. This literary interview program will not only be broadcast on the largest TV station in Japan, but also on other TV stations in America, Europe and around the world that have broadcasting agreements...especially in your Chinese region."

This means that in addition to China and Japan, there are another 20 to 30 million Chinese people who can watch this episode.

Kuniya Yuko asked Yu Qi: "Are you nervous? This is your first time doing a show."

Yu Qie asked in return: "Do you think I'm nervous?"

He shrugged, which was rare among young people in mainland China at that time. Just this one gesture brought applause from the studio.

Kuniya Yuko's eyes lit up: "I suddenly have a personal question for Mr. Yu, but I will talk to him after the meeting is over. Let's move on to the literary talk first."

There are three topics here, the first one is about Yasushi Inoue.

“Why is it said that Dunhuang is in China, but Dunhuang studies are in Japan?”

The first topic came up.

This topic is for Inoue Yasushi. He is an expert in Dunhuang studies and the author of "Dunhuang" and "Loulan". In 1979, when China opened up to the outside world, Inoue Yasushi knelt down and begged on the spot, with tears streaming down his face, because he might not be allowed to enter Dunhuang.

But this topic is quite embarrassing for Yu Qie, a Chinese. In 1909, the Dunhuang Stone Chamber was excavated. Both China and Japan conducted research, but for a long time afterwards, Japan's research obviously invested more and produced more results. At that time, there were frequent wars in China, and almost no one paid attention to the research of Dunhuang. The only scriptures were bought and looted by foreign explorers.

Even the term "Dunhuang Studies" was first proposed by Japanese scholars. Chen Yinke of the Republic of China said: "Dunhuang is the sad history of our country's academic research."

Inoue Yasushi spoke first: "First of all, I want to say that this has nothing to do with the academic level of the two countries, but is caused by some special historical reasons. From the development of the University of Tokyo after its founding, we can see that this is just a special case in the long river of history."

Yu Qie nodded in agreement.

Inoue Yasushi added, "The 'Study of Tang and Song Dynasty Legal Documents' and 'History of Chinese Identity Law' completed from the Dunhuang legal documents show that China had advanced and realistic legal concepts during the Tang Dynasty."

Continue to recognize.

"As Japanese, we are excited when we hear the words Silk Road, Dunhuang, and Chang'an because this culture still lives powerfully in the hearts of the Japanese."

This logic sounded very comfortable to the people present. Why?
This is a variant of the orthodox Tang culture in Japan. There is a saying in Japan that "there is no China after Yashan, and there is no Huaxia after the fall of the Ming Dynasty."

In fact, it is a variant of discriminatory speech that is hidden in academic discussions.

Yu Qie was immediately angry and raised his hand to say that it was inappropriate: "The last words should be said by us first. The culture of the heyday of the Tang Dynasty is still powerfully alive in the hearts of the Chinese people. I emphasize again that it lives first and foremost in the hearts of the Chinese people."

Kuniya Yuko asked on behalf of Inoue Yasushi: "Why didn't China conduct in-depth research on Dunhuang culture?"

Yu Qie said: "Because we were in the midst of war, there were no conditions for research, our archaeological system was in chaos, and our scholars were being bombed - you came to bomb them."

Inoue Yasushi said nothing. He had many Chinese friends and it was not appropriate for him to speak here.

When reviewing the manuscript with Yu Qie last night, every time Inoue Yasushi was asked this question, he was dumbfounded and could only muddle through.

Kuniya Yuko asked: "Mr. Yu, does this have anything to do with academic research?"

"Of course it matters! My teacher Ma Shi Tu was working hard to learn knowledge and culture despite your bombardment. How could he and his colleagues conduct research?"

Kuniya Yuko emphasized: "Let's put aside the war and just compare the research level. According to the information we have here, you (referring to the University of Tokyo) have not done in-depth research. We need to discuss the issue pragmatically."

Pragmatic? What a practical hammer!

Yu Qie was completely angry: "You ask me why I didn't do the research? You first apologize to my compatriots, and then I will tell you."

"This is a literary talk show, why are you apologizing?"

"Why don't you apologize? The premise of all our interactions is to apologize and admit mistakes. Are the Japanese a nation that doesn't admit mistakes? Your prime minister has admitted his mistakes."

Then, Yu Qie stood up and said slowly: "The general trend of the world is that civilization will defeat barbarism, but there are often counterexamples."

Yuko Kuniya is a student studying in the United States. She is not a pure Japanese, but she was stunned by Yu Qie's attack power.

Think about what kind of situation this is in. What are painters, actors, and top students? Are they all barbarians?

Is this the Chinese person I met before?
Pointing at someone and scolding them like this in a Japanese studio?
Everyone present was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat over the scene on the stage.

(End of this chapter)