Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 54: Ai Qing's explanation is excellent! (Please continue reading!)

Inside the editorial office, Ai Qing was chatting with Yan Chen in his office, discussing the current state of the literary scene. Ai Qing had returned to Yanjing from Xinjiang Province, but hadn't yet shaken off her past.

We first chatted about some old friends who hadn't returned yet, and then we talked about the new generation of poets in the poetry world.

“I have met this young man, Bei Dao. He is very talented in poetry. You should publish more and cultivate more young people. They are the future of the poetry world. As for us old guys, we will eventually decay into the earth.”

Bei Dao and Ai Qing had met long ago. Bei Dao greatly admired the young man, and the rise of Misty Poetry was even related to Ai Qing's support.

At that time, he could not have imagined that he would later be criticized as the "dominant figure in the poetry world".

"Old Ai, I'm so happy you're back. The literary world is in dire need of revitalization. With Old Zhang personally overseeing things at People's Literature and Art, how about you come to Poetry Journal when the time is right?"

"I will follow the organization's arrangements, but the Poetry Journal still depends on you guys. Old Zou has done a good job!"

Liu Yimin arrived early, but hearing them chatting animatedly inside, he didn't go in. Adding a peanut to a group of sunflower seeds just felt awkward, not only to the sunflower seeds but also to the peanut.

“Yimin, Mr. Ai Qing thinks highly of you. You must bring honor to the literary circles of Henan Province.”

Ge Luo poured Liu Yimin a glass of water, in which were dried chrysanthemums that his wife had picked last autumn. Wild chrysanthemums shouldn't be steeped for too long, or they will become very bitter.

Nowadays, there are very few well-known writers and poets from Henan Province. It is heartbreaking to think that the literary atmosphere of the hometown of Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi has declined to this extent. Therefore, he always feels particularly close to Liu Yimin whenever he sees him.

Ge Luo felt that meeting a fellow countryman with great potential in Yanjing was just as difficult as meeting a stranger in Africa when he was helping to build the Tanzania-Zambia Railway in 74.

Liu Yimin smiled slightly and thanked him for the chrysanthemum tea.

Zou Huofan arrived at the editorial department with a camera he had borrowed from the Writers' Association. He saw Liu Yimin chatting with Ge Luo and said, "Yimin, come on, let's go in together."

After Zou Huofan pushed open the door and went in, he introduced to Ai Qing, "Comrade Ai, this is Comrade Liu Yimin."

Ai Qing looked Liu Yimin up and down, then extended her hand and said, "I saw you on the stage just now. The person sitting next to you is Cui from People's Literature and Art, right?"

Liu Yimin was taken aback, not expecting Ai Qing to have noticed him. He smiled and nodded, "Comrade Cui Daoyi is my senior brother. He was just urging me to finish the manuscript."

"See? I'm not coming to Poetry Journal. If I did, I'd be just like Cui Yongyuan, a troublesome editor who'd be chasing me for manuscripts all the time. Young man, you don't know, I used to encounter these problems all the time. I had no inspiration, but they still asked me to write. I can't just do things half-heartedly. I understand how you feel, young man."

"Mr. Ai, I was so excited to see you. There were so many people earlier, and I wanted to go up and shake your hand, but I'm not good at pushing my way through. Your poems 'Dayanhe - My Mother' and 'I Love This Land' are my two favorites."

Hearing Liu Yimin say this, Ai Qing raised her eyebrows, glanced at Yan Chen and Zou Huofan beside her, and said with interest, "Oh? Tell me about it?"

"I think that whether it is poetry or realistic novels, they are closely connected with our land, people, country and era. Only works that are firmly rooted in the land are good works, works of the people. These two poems were written in an era when the country was poor and weak, and they praise the land, the people and love for the country."

Our love for this land is the driving force that propels us toward the future. Without this love, without detachment from this soil and the millennia-old Chinese culture, I don't know where we will go!

As Liu Yimin spoke, Ai Qing slowly moved his hands from behind his back to in front of him, and his body, which had been slightly relaxed and bent over, gradually straightened up. He suddenly had a feeling that Liu Yimin was like his peer, someone who had also come from that era.

When chatting with Bei Dao, these young people wouldn't say that. They value personal freedom and their inner world. He doesn't like the gloomy style, but he doesn't hate it either. He just thinks it's caused by different personalities and upbringing.

There's also the kind of loving care that elders show to younger generations, and the superior tolerance that seniors have for juniors, which makes them willing to support these young people in expressing their ideas. "Comrade Yimin, well said, well said! We may encounter temporary setbacks, but we must believe that the future is bright."

Ai Qing's poems, after shedding the labels, contain both criticism of the past decade and praise for the light. His poem "Fish Fossil" compares this experience to an earthquake; the 'fish' is buried by the earthquake and becomes a fossil, but is eventually rediscovered by geological explorers.

The poem concludes by expressing a positive and forward-looking attitude.

Liu Yimin expressed his desire to take a photo together, and Ai Qing held Liu Yimin's hand affectionately and took a photo together.

"What a pity!" Liu Yimin said.

Ai Qing asked curiously, "What's wrong, Yimin?"

"It's a pity the photo can't be printed now, otherwise I could ask you to sign it!" Liu Yimin said.

"Haha, once I've decided on the location, you can come find me anytime."

After seeing Ai Qing off, Zou Huofan said, "Yimin, even Old Ai has changed how he addresses you now, he calls you Yimin now, you're amazing! Here's the camera, you can use it to take pictures at Tiananmen Square. Just return it tonight, the photographer from the Writers' Association will develop the photos for you then."

Zou Huofan readily agreed, but fearing that Liu Yimin might damage the camera, he hurriedly instructed him to take care of it.

"Thanks, Comrade Lao Zou. If our Poetry Journal ever has a Best Editor competition, I'll definitely vote for you!"

"Come on, if you vote for me, your fellow villagers will be jealous!"

Zou Huofan waved his hand and smiled as he watched Liu Yimin leave. As soon as he turned around, he realized he had forgotten to tell Liu Yimin to pedal his bicycle gently.

This young man has firepower; he might even stand up and kick!
At the entrance of the editorial department of People's Literature, Cui Daoyi saw a girl dressed in plain clothes pacing back and forth at the gate, holding an envelope in her hand.

For some reason, my left foot, clad in canvas shoes, kept tripping over my right foot. If there were ants, they would have been crushed to death.

"Hello, young comrade, are you submitting an article? I'm an editor from *People's Literature and Art*!"

Zhu Lin was startled by the sudden voice, and shrank back with a "Yay!" Then he patted his chest and said, "I'm not submitting a manuscript, I'm a reader, and I wrote a letter. I live in Xidan, which is very close to here, so I don't think I need to send another letter."

"A reader's letter?" Cui Daoyi's enthusiasm had dissipated somewhat, but he still accepted Zhu Lin's letter: "Just give it to me."

"Thank you, old comrade!" After saying that, Zhu Lin quickly rode away on his bicycle.

"Old comrade?" Cui Daoyi pouted. A college graduate from 56 was already considered an old comrade. He was about to casually toss the reader's letter aside, but after glancing at it, he noticed what it said.

"The College Entrance Examination 1977? For Yimin?"

Please keep reading and vote with your monthly tickets! I'm so grateful! I just discovered the book is on the new book chart. If you have any monthly tickets, please vote for it and help it climb the charts! I really want to improve!

Supporting a master is icing on the cake, but supporting me is a lifesaver. I'm so grateful!
(End of this chapter)