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

Chapter 614 He praised it highly, and lauded it whenever he encountered it!

Behind Márquez were Chilean writer José, Brazilian writer Coelho, Argentine writer Sabato, PEN International president and Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, their translator, and the rest of his entourage.

Liu Yimin had met all of these writers in Latin America. Argentine writer Sabato and Liu Yimin had discussed the necessity for a country to possess nuclear weapons at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Mario Vargas Llosa, president of PEN International and a Peruvian writer, came to China to exchange ideas with members of the Chinese PEN Center and to inquire about the progress of the establishment of the International Federation of Literary Societies, which was initiated by Liu Yimin and Gabriel García Márquez.

Stepping off the plane, the Latin American writers' first impression of China seemed to be that it wasn't as impoverished as the newspapers had described.

"Welcome, Mr. Márquez, Mr. Vargas Llosa, Mr. José." Cao Yu stepped forward and greeted Márquez and the others with a smile.

"Dean Wan, it's a pleasure to see you again and to meet my Chinese colleagues. Liu, I've come to keep your appointment in China. This time, we're going to take a good look at China, to see how it differs from Latin America, and even from socialist countries like Cuba."

"Welcome, Mr. Márquez. I'm all set to show you around China." Liu Yimin reached out and gave Márquez a hug.

Marquez was dressed in a sharp suit, his red tie fluttering slightly in the wind. He looked a little tired, whether from the long flight or from a recent illness that had left him weak was unknown.

“Mr. Marquez, I heard you’ve been sick for a while. I wonder how you’re recovering?” Liu Yimin asked with concern.

Marquez spread his arms and spun around in front of the crowd: "Everything is normal now. I've heard that there are doctors in China who can cure diseases by feeding people grass. I'd love to see that; it's amazing."

Xia Yan smiled and said, "Mr. Márquez, that's called Traditional Chinese Medicine. After our Latin American colleagues have rested, I'll take them to see Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our Traditional Chinese Medicine is not about eating grass; we extract the essence of different plants to treat human ailments."

“Mr. Xia, I’ve read your articles before. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Marquez said.

Cao Yu introduced Ba Jin, Ding Ling, Mu Qing, Zhang Guangnian, Tang Dacheng, and others to Márquez in turn. There were simply too many people to introduce them all.

Considering the health conditions of Márquez and the others, they did not stay at the airport for long and prepared to let them go to the hotel as soon as possible.

Reporters from various newspapers eagerly snapped photos, some shouting questions, while others spoke directly in Spanish, hoping to get a response from Márquez.

Marquez did not understand Chinese, and his accompanying Latin American translator, in order not to delay his rest, did not translate any of the reporters' questions except for those spoken by the writer.

"Mr. Márquez, could you share your impressions of your first day in China?" the Xinhua News Agency reporter asked in Spanish.

"It's a very beautiful country," Márquez said with a smile, "but I think I should get to know it better rather than just making random comments."

A group of people walked out of the airport surrounded by reporters, got into a car, and headed straight for the Yanjing Hotel.

In fact, at this moment, Marquez and the others were not sleepy at all. After getting into the car, they kept observing Yanjing through the glass.

At this time, autumn was just beginning in Yanjing, a time when the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. Márquez pointed to the distant scenery and said, "It is indeed a very beautiful country, and the weather is very pleasant. It seems we have chosen the most beautiful season."

"I've heard that Chinese architecture is very distinctive. We're about to enter the city, and I wonder if we'll be able to see any antique Chinese buildings," José said with a smile.

The Latin American writers discussed Yanjing throughout their journey, but once they reached the city center, they saw very few antique buildings, but rather modern buildings.

Stepping out of the car, when Liu Yimin heard Jose think that Chinese people still lived in ancient buildings, Liu Yimin laughed and said, "China's ancient houses have limited capacity. If everyone lived in ancient buildings now, Beijing would be overflowing. Do you know how many people live in Beijing?"

"How many people?" Argentine writer Sabato asked curiously.

“More than ten million people. Our city alone is almost equivalent to one-third of Argentina’s total population, half of Venezuela’s, and the entire population of Cuba,” Liu Yimin said calmly.

Latin American writers were all astonished when they heard this. They knew that China had a large population, but they did not expect that there were so many Chinese people that the population of one city was equivalent to the entire population of Cuba.

Looking at the streets of Yanjing, Márquez said, "So many people! Chinese society is so well-organized. If this were Colombia, the whole country would be in chaos. The Chinese are truly remarkable for managing such a large country so well."

“We have a history of unification, and our management structure has evolved over thousands of years, eventually forming a management system suitable for our vast territory and large population,” Liu Yimin explained.

Xia Yan gave the Latin American writer a brief overview of China's ancient system, from the feudal system to the prefecture-county system, the parallel system of prefectures and kingdoms, then to the provincial system, the three-tiered system of provinces, prefectures and states in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the current national management system from the central government to the local governments.

Vargas Llosa nodded and said, "I have already felt the profound traditional culture of China. In Latin America, no country's culture can compare with China's, not even Europe's."

"China is an ancient country, and also a modern country. Ancient civilization and modern civilization have jointly created the China we know today. Our Latin American colleagues, please rest first. We will host a welcome dinner for you tonight." Cao Yu gestured for the group to go inside.

Marquez yawned and said, "We really should take a good rest. The comfortable temperature in China has made us all lazy."

After checking the Latin American writers in, Liu Yimin instructed the staff at the Yanjing Hotel to keep an eye on them.

Ba Jin said to those who had come to greet them, "Comrades, let's all go back first. We need to let our guests rest!"

"Comrades, let's go back!" Cao Yu said as well.

Zhang Guangnian said with a smile, "Then we'll head back first."

After most of the people had left, Cao Yu instructed Tang Dacheng, the secretary of the Writers Association, to make sure the Writers Association did a good job of hosting them, since the Writers Association was the one that invited them.

"Yimin, you'll be a bit busy lately too, helping Comrade Dacheng with the reception work," Cao Yu said.

"Okay, I understand, teacher. Secretary Tang, please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything I can help you with."

Even after leaving the Yanjing Hotel, reporters from various newspapers hadn't dispersed. Unable to interview the Latin American writers, they wanted to interview domestic writers about their views on the recent visit of Latin American writers to China.

Cao Yu, Ba Jin, and Xia Yan answered questions in turn, while Liu Yimin stood with Mu Qing and did not participate in the interview.

Mu Qing said in a low voice, "Yi Min, these Latin American writers don't seem that arrogant. When Márquez first got off the plane, his expression was slightly serious, but afterwards I saw him always smiling."

"Haha, of course I'm happy to see a friend. Mr. Mu, are you planning to interview some Latin American writers yourself?" Liu Yimin asked in return.

Mu Qing looked at Cao Yu, who was being interviewed, and said, "Me? I'll interview him if I have the chance, otherwise, forget it. I came here to see the world-famous literary master, and now that I have, I've accomplished half of my goal."

Cao Yu and his two companions discussed with reporters the mutual visits between Chinese and Latin American writers, demonstrating that Chinese and Latin American literature will establish a deeper relationship and closer exchanges in the future.

When the reporters from the various newspapers could no longer get any fresh answers, the group gradually dispersed.

Around 2 p.m., today's Yanjing Evening News was placed in a prominent position at the newsstand, with large red characters that were particularly eye-catching: "A delegation of Latin American writers, led by Gabriel García Márquez, arrived in Beijing this morning. Members of the delegation praised Chinese culture." Several pictures of Latin American writers landing at the airport were also included.

The timing of the Yanjing Evening News's publication was opportune; their original content for the day had already been laid out, leaving a blank space on the front page specifically for this news. After the Evening News reporter finished writing, the newspaper immediately went to print, becoming the first newspaper in Yanjing to report on the arrival of Latin American writers in Beijing.

Liu Yimin went home at noon. The two little ones had just completed a month of school, and now, apart from being a bit slow, they no longer cried. Liu Yimin has been busy lately, so Zhu Lin has had to take care of picking them up and dropping them off.

It would take Zhu Lin some time to get to Yenching University after get off work, so Liu Yimin had to ask another student, Liu Ping, to help him at the gate for a while. Liu Yimin was reluctant to ask his students to do these everyday things, but he had no other choice at the moment.

In the afternoon, Liu Yimin sat down with Cao Yu, Ba Jin, Xia Yan, Qian Zhongshu, and others at the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, where they briefly discussed the upcoming hospitality arrangements.

According to the arrangements made by both sides, the group of Latin American writers will stay in Yenching for about ten days, followed by seven days in Shanghai. After the exchange in Shanghai, they will fly to Japan.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, Cao Yu stood up and said, "It's time to welcome our Latin American friends!"

The Writers' Association couldn't possibly hold a beach party like they did when they went to Latin America. After internal discussions, the venue was decided to be Fengzeyuan Restaurant. Fengzeyuan specially prepared a decent banquet hall, ready for the banquet to begin.

The Writers' Association's car took Márquez and others to the entrance of Fengzeyuan. Chilean writer José pointed to the sign and said, "I've heard of it, I've heard of it. I heard people talk about this place when I went to America. The food here is delicious, very Chinese."

The manager of Fengzeyuan couldn't understand it. After the translator finished translating, he regretted it so much that he slapped his thigh. He should have had someone take a picture of the foreign writer's impatient expression beforehand and hung it on the wall.

"Today we'd like to invite you all to try some authentic Chinese food." Cao Yu said to Jose, "Mr. Jose, as the Chinese saying goes, seeing is believing. I hope tonight's meal will suit your tastes."

"I can't wait any longer." José lifted his leg and walked inside.

Upon entering Fengzeyuan, the Chinese-style architecture attracted the Latin American writers to stop and admire it from time to time. Tang Dacheng explained to everyone the symbolism of different shapes in Chinese architecture.

The translator was unsure about many sentences, and in the end, Qian Zhongshu stepped in to save the day.

Vargas Llosa shook his head and murmured, "What are the Chinese thinking? There are so many interpretations of building a house. It's as if the Chinese live in a story; even a pattern has its own story."

"Hahaha." The Chinese writer couldn't help but smile after hearing this.

Liu Yimin said, "The Chinese philosophy of life is found in every blade of grass, every brick and tile. Over thousands of years, we have accumulated so much culture that we are now a little overwhelmed and can't digest it all. But in any case, our culture will surely continue to be passed down."

"Interesting, very interesting!" Sabato exclaimed, clapping his hands.

Marquez's stomach suddenly rumbled a few times, and he said awkwardly, "Eating should now be a philosophy of the stomach."

"Okay, everyone, please take your seats. The food will be served shortly." Upon hearing this, the manager of Fengzeyuan quickly got up and ran towards the kitchen.

After the Latin American writers were seated, Liu Yimin taught them how to use chopsticks. If they didn't know how, that was fine; forks and spoons were provided for them.

Fengzeyuan acted quickly; within minutes, hot dishes were laid out all over the table.

The aroma of the food whetted the appetites of Márquez and his companions, but they were held back by their chopsticks. Finally, with a wry smile, they had no choice but to use their forks.

After eating for a while, José wiped his mouth with a tissue with satisfaction: "Wow, Chinese food is delicious. I finally understand why my Chinese counterparts in Latin America are so thin. It's because our food really can't compare to Chinese food. Some of the ingredients on this dish are exactly the same, but the taste is completely different."

"We dare not speak for other things, but Chinese culinary techniques are absolutely unparalleled in the world. Moreover, from south to north, from east to west, every region in China has its own unique cuisine. The food we eat here is called Shandong cuisine, which is quite far from Beijing," Qian Zhongshu said.

Latin American writers couldn't get used to Chinese baijiu, so Fengzeyuan replaced it with red wine.

The banquet ended at 10 p.m., and no speeches were scheduled. All activities will take place tomorrow.

The next day, in the meeting room of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Cao Yu, representing the Federation, spoke to welcome the Latin American writers, while Ba Jin spoke on behalf of the China Writers Association, and Liu Yimin represented Chinese writers.

Latin American writers then spoke in turn, saying that they came to China with friendship and literature, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of China.

Reporters from People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency asked questions in turn, but to avoid too many reporters causing confusion, only reporters from People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency were allowed to enter the venue today.

The reporters from both organizations mostly focused their questions on Márquez, which Mu Qing felt was inappropriate, as it would neglect other reporters. So he quietly had someone give a heads-up to the Xinhua News Agency reporters, asking them to be mindful of this when asking their questions.

"Mr. Márquez, your works are widely popular in China. Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?" the reporter asked.

Marquez pondered for a moment: "When I met Liu in Latin America, Liu said that China was carrying out reform and opening up, and for the Chinese people, reform and opening up meant unlimited opportunities. In that case, I would like to give my readers a piece of advice—don't waste opportunities, life is shorter than you think."

"Mr. José, how do you feel about China from yesterday to today?"

"Chinese people are very hospitable, Chinese architecture is beautiful, and Chinese food is delicious!"

After the morning press conference, the group toured the Forbidden City in the afternoon.

It was October 1st, National Day, and brand-new five-star red flags were flying in front of Tiananmen Square, while the Forbidden City's loudspeakers were playing "Ode to the Motherland".

The Forbidden City was teeming with tourists, and Qian Zhongshu explained the architecture of the Forbidden City to representatives from Latin America.

They thought Chinese architecture was like that in Fengzeyuan Garden, but little did they know that the architecture in the imperial palace was the essence of ancient Chinese architecture.

In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the group took a group photo. Márquez pointed to the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and said, "I never imagined it would be so vast. Standing here, one feels as if overlooking the entire world. Chinese emperors truly knew how to enjoy life."

“That’s too extravagant. Marco Polo’s Travels describes Chinese palaces as being paved with gold bricks, paper money as being able to buy the whole of Venice, and even beggars using embroidered bowls. Is that true?” Vargas Llosa asked.

"Haha, of course not. I think Mr. Marco Polo went through all sorts of hardships to come to China and saw such a prosperous city, so he exaggerated a bit in his description. But the bricks in these palaces are called gold bricks. They are made with a special process and are extremely expensive. They are said to cost 'one tael of gold for one brick,' and they can make a metallic sound when struck."

Liu Yimin led them to the entrance of the main hall and pointed to the floor tiles on the ground.

“That’s incredible.” After getting permission, Vargas Llosa gently tossed a coin into the floor, and sure enough, the floor tiles made a metallic clanging sound.

Hearing the Latin American writers' exclamations of praise greatly satisfied the vanity of many.

They spent the entire afternoon wandering around the Forbidden City, but only managed to explore less than two-thirds of it.

In the evening, Márquez and his companions decided not to follow the route planned by the Writers' Association, but instead wanted to stroll around the bustling market area.

As you walk out of Tiananmen Square and arrive at the Monument to the People's Heroes, the square is filled with flowers.

When there is no military parade, the flower display is the main celebration. A total of 10 pots of flowers were used to create 38 flower beds of various sizes in the square, symbolizing the 38th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Around the central flower bed are four flower beds with different designs: "Nanhu Lights", "Yan'an Pagoda", "Great Wall", and "Sisterly Sentiments".

Students gathered to recite poems, including Liu Yimin's "My Motherland, My Beloved Motherland".

When Marquez and the others heard this, they wanted to know what the students were shouting, so Qian Zhongshu explained it to them.

Upon hearing that it was Liu Yimin's poem, Márquez immediately became interested. After learning that it was a patriotic poem, he couldn't help but exclaim, "If all Colombian youth were like this, Colombia would not have become a haven for drug lords and crime."

"Today is China's National Day, so everyone is celebrating."

Marquez couldn't help but recite a patriotic poem in Spanish, and Latin American writers joined in, some even spontaneously swaying and dancing.

Seeing this, Liu Yimin clapped and kept time for them, creating an indescribably harmonious atmosphere.

On the way to the East City Market, Márquez asked Liu Yimin curiously, "Liu, you mentioned last time in Cuba that you wanted to write a work about the experiences of Chinese people in Cuba. I wonder if you've finished writing it yet?"

"It's almost finished writing," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Oh? When can I see it? My translator should be able to explain it clearly to me." Márquez praised, "It's good to be young; you think and write quickly!"

P.S.: One update today.

(End of this chapter)