My era, 1979!

Chapter 186 Discussing Traces and Hearts

Discuss the deeds but not the heart.

The friendship between China and Japan over the past decade has indeed brought many development opportunities to China during that period.

Ohira personally came out to receive them.

He was humble and warmly welcomed the delegation when he shook hands with the head of the delegation, Ba Jin, and reviewed the long history of cultural exchanges between the two countries.

This was a high-level, ceremonial meeting.

The conversation between the two sides mainly revolved around macro themes such as friendship between the two countries, cultural exchanges, and world peace.

On behalf of the Chinese delegation, Ba Jin expressed the desire to enhance understanding and promote literary exchanges. His words were sincere and neither humble nor arrogant.

Xu Chengjun, the youngest member of the delegation, sat quietly in the back row, observing everything attentively.

He could sense the meticulous atmosphere unique to this formal occasion.

One can also feel the heavy sense of responsibility that older generation writers like Ba Jin shouldered when representing the image of the country.

The flashbulbs went off again, capturing this historic moment, but unlike the one at the airport, this time the light was more solemn and restrained.

Xu Chengjun is a writer and one of the witnesses to this signal.

It is far more insightful than reading about it in history books.

My thoughts on the relationship between "literature" and "the times," and between the individual and the "nation."

There seems to be something more inexplicable and hard to explain.

Sitting and discussing principles
The afternoon's itinerary included an official exchange with the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan and a visit to its affiliated National Theatre.

Located in Hayabusa-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, this theater was built in 1966. Its architectural style is dignified and modern, incorporating some traditional Japanese elements. It is the highest-level art venue established by Japan to preserve and revitalize traditional arts such as Kabuki and Bunraku.

Its status is equivalent to that of the National Grand Theater at the University of Tokyo, representing the Japanese government's respect for and admiration of traditional culture.

The group walked on the theater's gleaming marble floor, listened to the introductions from officials from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and watched a short but exquisite Kabuki performance. The magnificent costumes, exaggerated makeup, unique vocalizations, and stylized movements were both novel and exotic for the writers from the University of Tokyo.

Xu Chengjun trailed at the back of the group the whole way, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones with Song Liangxi and Wu Lei beside him.

Watching the slow, ritualistic performance on stage, Song Liangxi murmured, "The movements are so slow, and the story doesn't seem very easy to understand..."

Wu Lei adjusted his glasses: "This is their national treasure, which emphasizes 'form' and 'meaning'. It's somewhat similar to our Peking Opera, but also very different."

Xu Chengjun simply replied, "The form itself is a cultural declaration."

Such official cultural exchanges are more of a superficial and cursory affair.

Everyone maintained polite smiles, nodded, applauded, and exchanged formulaic compliments. In a sense, this was no different from a performance, but it was a necessary diplomatic courtesy aimed at demonstrating respect and friendliness to the other side.

In the evening, the delegation traveled by car to the Tokyo Hall to attend a formal welcome dinner hosted by the Japanese side.

This is a historic luxury hotel located near Hibiya Park, often used to host state guests and important banquets.

As dusk settles, the Tokyo cityscape unfolds outside the car window, a scene of bustling prosperity and tranquility.

As the convoy slowly drove towards the vicinity of Hibiko Park, an unexpected scene unfolded.

A sudden commotion erupted from the intersection ahead!
A group of about several dozen people, dressed in old-fashioned uniforms, black clothes and trousers, with white headbands, were seen holding eye-catching signs and flags of Hinomaru and Asahi, shouting slogans with great emotion.

The team has a small number of members.

but.

Yes, we should judge by actions, not intentions.

The relaxed atmosphere inside the car instantly froze.

The faces of the delegation members, especially the veteran writers who had lived through that period, instantly turned extremely grim, and Du Pengcheng clenched his fists tightly.

This unexpected scene gave the delegation quite a shock.

Fortunately, the Japanese government agencies of that era were resolute in maintaining order and acted swiftly. Almost simultaneously with the appearance of the marching procession, the piercing sirens of police cars howled. Several police cars arrived quickly, and a large number of police officers efficiently formed a human wall, separating the marching procession from the delegation's convoy, and then carried out a strict dispersal operation. The process was tense but orderly, and the disturbance was quickly suppressed, but the prejudice and hostility that emanated in that brief moment had already cast a shadow over the hearts of the exchange delegation members.

The convoy eventually arrived safely at the Tokyo venue.

At the entrance of the brightly lit banquet hall, a Japanese cultural official, dressed in a dark suit and with a solemn yet apologetic expression, was already waiting.

He strode forward, first bowing deeply to Commander Ba Jin, and said sincerely:
"Mr. Ba Jin, my friends from China, an extremely regrettable and infuriating incident just occurred on the road! It was a completely incompetent small group, and we express our strongest condemnation and sincerest apologies for it! This is absolutely not the intention of our government and people..."

Commander Ba Jin remained calm, simply nodding without saying anything more.

Ms. Bingxin's brows were also slightly furrowed.

Standing a little behind the crowd, Xu Chengjun wasn't too surprised by what he saw. He just let out a soft, almost inaudible sigh.

"The strong are respected..."

"see it?"

He spoke almost inaudibly to himself, and also to Song Liangxi and Wu Lei beside him, “This is reality. So-called respect and friendship cannot exist without the support of a strong nation. Dignity is not gained through apologies, but earned through one’s own efforts. The strong are respected, as has always been the case.”

It's a long and arduous journey.
The sigh drifted down lightly amidst the melodious music and lively conversation at the banquet.
-
Every move the delegation made in Japan was immediately reported back to China by the accompanying reporters from Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, and Wenyi Bao via telex and overseas phone calls.

In the early 1980s, when cultural life was still somewhat monotonous and information transmission was far less developed than it is today, this cultural exchange across the East China Sea, with its vibrant exoticism and milestone achievements, quickly became the most popular topic of conversation among people in the streets, factories, and government offices.

At 6:30 p.m., the familiar and solemn opening theme of the "National People's Broadcasting Stations Joint Broadcast" program from the Central People's Broadcasting Station came from radios in thousands of households.

Then, the announcer delivered the following in his clear, rhythmic, and authoritative voice:
"Our station reports: A delegation of Chinese writers, headed by renowned writer Ba Jin, recently paid a friendly visit to Tokyo, Japan. During the visit, the delegation met with Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira, and the two sides held cordial and friendly talks on strengthening cultural exchanges between China and Japan."

The announcer paused slightly, as if emphasizing what was to come, a subtle hint of excitement in her tone:

"It is worth mentioning that the youngest writer in this delegation, Comrade Xu Chengjun, a writer who was sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution in Fengyang, has reached an agreement with Iwanami Shoten, one of Japan's most influential academic publishing institutions, for the publication of his novel 'The Unbreakable Red Silk' in Japanese. This will be the first contemporary literary work in the history of New China to be actively introduced and published by a mainstream Japanese publisher, opening a new chapter for my country's literature to reach the world..."

This news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

In the city, workers wearing glasses chatted while eating in the canteen; government officials held teacups and sighed with emotion in their offices; and on university campuses, students excitedly passed around clippings of relevant reports from the People's Daily on bulletin boards.

As the sound of wired loudspeakers spread throughout the rural fields, Xu Chengjun's name and his identity as an "educated youth writer" ignited a fire in the hearts of countless rural youths with dreams.

In Haiyan, Zhejiang, dentist Yu Hua had just finished a day of tedious dental work. Sitting in the clinic's duty room, he turned on his old radio and clearly heard the news.

He gazed out the window at the dull streets of the small town, holding not a dental probe, but a few pages of manuscript he had secretly written.

Xu Chengjun's story, like a ray of light, pierced through the fog before his eyes—

"His war stories actually caught the eye of Japan's largest publishing house? He's taken another step forward!"

He finally made up his mind.

Also shocked by this news were...
In the military unit in Gaomi, Shandong, a soldier named Mo Yan, who loved reading, read a related report in the "PLA Literature and Art" magazine. As he stroked the gun in his hand, his mind was filled with thoughts of the red sorghum in the Northeast countryside, and a seed about "going out" was quietly planted.

In his dormitory at Beijing Normal University, student Su Tong and his classmates were having a lively discussion about "The Unbreakable Red Silk" and Xu Chengjun. The writing style that combined heavy history with personal narrative made his imagination of "the South" and "Xiangchun Tree Street" more concrete.

In a cultural center in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Jia Ping'ao was working on the first draft of the Shangzhou series. Upon hearing this news, he became even more determined to delve deeper into the land beneath his feet, believing that what is most rooted in local culture may also be most universal.

The name Xu Chengjun, along with radio waves and newspapers, once again resounded throughout the country.

but.

This time, it's not just a sensation within literary circles, but has become a phenomenon, a symbol.

He symbolized the possibility of breaking free from constraints and being recognized by the world, which greatly stimulated and inspired an entire generation of literary youth who were groping in confusion and yearning to grow in barren land.

A new era for Chinese literature is quietly unfolding with this report from Tokyo.

As night deepens, the New Otani Hotel, like a slumbering beast, maintains the tranquility of its area amidst Tokyo's ever-burning lights.

The hotel's prized Japanese garden was blurred in the night, with the meticulously trimmed pines and cypresses becoming dark shadows. Only a few stone lanterns emitted a soft, dim glow, barely illuminating the winding cobblestone path.

(End of this chapter)