Chapter 14 Speaking of "Red Mansion" in the United States

Adopt a baby girl Invited by the China Institute to give lectures in New York.What they provided was a round-trip ticket with Continental Airlines. On the day of boarding the plane on April 12, 2006, when I went to the boarding gate, almost all of them were foreigners.Sitting down and looking around, I found many foreigners with children.Take a closer look, ah, those children are almost the same age, and they are all Chinese dolls.Looking more closely, those babies should all be girls.Some of the foreigners who carried them looked like couples, and most of them were single women or husbands.From their body language, it can be seen that they love the baby girls they carry very much. Some hold them tightly in their arms, some feed water for the baby sitting on the folding chair, and some bend over to support the baby girl. Arms let it try to walk...

It turned out that on the same plane as me, there was a large American group adopting Chinese abandoned girls. They had completed all the relevant procedures in China and were returning to the United States with the baby they had chosen. Americans have adopted baby girls from China since 1992.The first batch to be brought back are now in middle school.At present, it is said that there are more than 60,000 abandoned babies adopted from Chinese orphanages in the United States.The adopted abandoned babies are almost all girls, known as "Chinese sisters"? ? During the voyage to New York, I kept thinking about how it was such a coincidence that I revealed the secret from Qin Keqing in the book, and at the end of the eighth chapter of the book, I explained that Qin Keqing was raised by a small official from the Yangshengtang baby girl.The Yangshengtang back then was equivalent to the current welfare home. Of course, the old Yangshengtang (also called the Yuyingtang) was full of shady scenes, and the current welfare home should be a sound civil administration institution.But whether it was then or now, the abandoned babies adopted by such institutions cannot be kept there for a long time. According to laws and regulations, it is necessary to go through relevant procedures and allow people with certain economic conditions and moral standards to adopt them. customary behavior of such institutions.

After reading the novels of the British writer Charles Dickens in the 19th century, we can know how inhuman and miserable lives the abandoned children in Western orphanages (that is, nursery halls and health care halls) lived in the old days.After they are adopted, most of them will be exploited as child laborers. Only by chance can they finally get out of the cage and return to a normal (in fact, middle class or upper class) lifestyle.In the era when Cao Xueqin wrote it, China’s Yangsheng Tang was also a dark place, and the children raised there were often regarded as apprentices, and girls were often used as maids, and those with better luck were just small families. adopted sons and daughters.Parents keep secret about their origins, and when they grow up, they will be very painful if they have doubts and perceptions.Because of their "impure background", they will encounter obstacles and setbacks in their life, especially in marriage and employment.

Hawthorne, an American novelist in the 19th century, does not tell the story of Yangshengtang, but the girl in the book, Zhuer, just because she "does not know her father" and "is of unknown origin", she will not talk to her until she dies. Just like the mother who knew who her father was, she had to wear a humiliating red letter A every day, and was exposed and discriminated against.This shows that, regardless of the East or the West, at least a hundred years ago, the issue of blood was still a serious issue that could kill people.So the explanation at the end of the eighth chapter said that Qin Keqing was a baby girl who was taken out of the Yangshengtang by a shy official, but just because she had something to do with the Jia family, she married into the Jia family with rich eyes. To be the main wife of Jia Rong, the noble son of Ningguo Mansion III, was indeed against the common sense of that era, not only against the common sense of China at that time, but also against the common sense of Western society in the past as described by Hawthorne and Dickens.That is indeed a "crux" worth exploring.

A Chinese-American woman sitting next to me on the plane told me about the American adoption group. She said that these white Americans would arrange a good future for the adopted "Chinese sisters", send them to prestigious schools, and finally send them to Enter mainstream American society.She estimates that in another ten years, these girls will grow up and form a "Chinese Sisterhood", and they will realize that they are a special group in American society, and they will return to China to seek their roots (actually, there are already 1992 It will play a special role in all aspects of exchanges between the United States and China.

The plane started to land, and the outline of Newark International Airport appeared outside the porthole...? big baby mentality Why do so many white Americans form adoption groups to adopt abandoned baby girls in Chinese orphanages? After I arrived in New York, I often discussed with people there.In general, each adopter will have their own unique reasons, even very personal ones.However, generally speaking, they have one thing in common, that is, out of simple humanitarian considerations, they feel that since they have the ability, they should do this kind of thing that cherishes life.This has a lot to do with the fact that most Americans believe in new Christian denominations and hold religious sentiments. In the 1950s, many Americans voluntarily adopted Korean orphans. In the 1960s and 1970s, it became a trend to actively adopt Vietnamese orphans.Now, despite the rapid development of China's economy, the clothes and shoes produced in China are flooding the major shopping malls in the United States, and the Chinese household appliances make Americans feel that they are high-quality and cheap, but the phenomenon of patriarchy in rural China is still serious. Baby girls are still a relatively serious social problem, and the number of baby girls accommodated in some welfare institutions is already considerable.However, Chinese natives are not enthusiastic about adopting these baby girls. Therefore, some Americans who knew about this situation have voluntarily formed batches of adoption groups since the 1990s to come to China to adopt abandoned babies. baby girl.

I encountered an American adoption group on my way to the United States, and I will never forget many of the scenes.For example, a single man bought a first-class seat for himself and a baby girl, and immediately arranged it as a small play area after entering the cabin. He devoted himself to making the baby girl giggle, and he himself was as happy as a big baby. The style, psychology and taste of the big doll are the general impression I formed after meeting many Americans.For example, this time I went to the United States to "promote the red"—that is, to promote China—originally, I went to the lecture hall on the second floor of the China Institute to give a talk about my "Uncovering the Secret", but later they informed me that they were going to cooperate with Columbia University. Co-organized, and the day of the speech will be named "Liu Xinwu Day".When I first heard about their decision, I was really shocked. After all, I am Chinese, and the accumulation of traditional culture to revolutionary culture is very deep in my consciousness. On such and such a day, no matter what, it shouldn’t be my turn, and if I accept it, it would be not only immodest, but also arrogant! But in the end, April 15 was still turned into "Liu Xinwu Day".In the morning I will talk about "The Mystery of Qin Keqing and Jia Yuanchun", and in the afternoon I will talk about "The Mystery of Jia Baoyu and the Love List". Before the two lectures, I will play the first and second episodes of "A Person and a City - Liu Xinwu Touches Beijing" recorded by CCTV, and set a stage Displayed and sold some of my works, distributed materials about my creative resume and the controversy caused by my "Unveiling the Dream of Red Mansions", and posted some Chinese and English reports and photos related to me.I found that Americans have a very simple idea, that is, since we have invited Liu Xinwu, we have some resources in our hands, and there are more than a hundred people who signed up and booked tickets in advance, why don't everyone be happy? They don't put the "Liu Xinwu Day" The name is so solemn, and so much connotation is poured into it, it is a group of big dolls, get together to spend a weekend related to Liu Xinwu, in a carnival-like lively atmosphere, learn a little about Chinese classics and classics by the way. Information about a contemporary Chinese writer.

The mentality of the American-style big baby infected me.Before leaving, a friend told me: "You have a great mission!" When I arrived in the United States, I met with the president and vice president of the China Institute—two white ladies—and its branches The co-chairmen of the Institutional Humanities Society are He Yong from the Mainland and Wang Ban from Taiwan.During the relaxed conversation, I understood that in the metropolis of New York, there are countless cultural activities every weekend, not to mention the Metropolitan Museum and Lincoln Center, not to mention the countless theaters on Broadway and in the In the libraries of various districts, there are many small cultural places, and there are also extremely colorful arrangements.Somewhere there may be a seminar on Angkor Wat in Cambodia, another there may be the launch of an English translation of an Eastern European work.The China Institute itself is also carrying out a variety of activities to introduce Chinese culture. In the exhibition hall on the first floor, an exhibition of Chinese blue and white porcelain is being held.Come to Liu Xinwu and give two lectures of "Unveiling the Dream of Red Mansions", and it is only in Chinese, it is just a drop of rain falling into the vast sea.It is right to take it seriously, but why should you take yourself and the lecture so important, and regard it as a "mission"? Let's play together and spread culture on the weekend. "Liu Xinwu Day" is nothing more than a small weekend game.After entering such a state of mind, my speech that day was relaxed and free-spirited, and instead received an extremely enthusiastic response.

At noon that day, the receptionist led me to a student dormitory to rest. Passing by the university green space, I saw some people who drove from New Jersey to listen to my speech, spread cloth towels on the lawn, and had a picnic on the ground, waiting for my second lecture in the afternoon , very touching, and even more joyful to rejuvenate. Xia Zhiqing joins The day after I "honghong" at Columbia University, almost all Chinese newspapers in the United States immediately reported it. The title of "Sing Tao Daily" used the first name "Liu Xinwu's witty words about the Red Chamber". Lianzhu, even Xia Zhiqing, a leading figure in the study of contemporary Chinese literature, came to join him, and nodded while listening, the lecture hall was full, and the audience followed Liu Xinwu's "Dream of Red Mansions" in Rongguo Mansion and Ningguo Mansion."

The first time I met Mr. Xia Zhiqing was in 1987. When I went to the United States to give lectures at more than a dozen famous universities (the topic was the current situation of Chinese literature and my personal creation process), the first stop was Columbia University.At that time, Mr. Xia did not go to listen to my speech, nor did he attend the gathering where many cultural figures in New York welcomed me, but through his graduate student, he invited me to meet alone in a restaurant in Chinatown, which showed his maverick character.That time I presented him with a folk handicraft, which was a mirror to avoid evil hung by the gates of small towns in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. I was a little embarrassed, so he said again: "Since you brought it, I will accept it." His frankness left a deep impression on me.

In 1998, I went to the United States for the second time. In New York, many old friends in the cultural circles, Xinyu, hosted a dinner party to welcome my wife Xiaoge and me.I remember that there were so many people back then that the glass sliding doors of the private rooms in the restaurant could not be closed.Mr. Tang Degang is among the leading cultural figures present, but Mr. Xia still doesn't come to "get together".That time, Mr. Tang's body was very strong, and his voice was like a bell when he talked and laughed.But this time I went to New York again, and when I wanted to present "Mr. Hu Shi and Me" ordered by Mr. Zhou Ruchang to Mr. Tang, the receptionist told me that Mr. Tang had suffered a stroke and his actions and speech were inconvenient. The two volumes of my book were given to Mr. He Yong of the China Institute, please pass them on to express my condolences. Mr. Xia Zhiqing is only one year younger than Mr. Tang Degang. The day before I went to the United States to give a speech at Columbia University, some cultural celebrities in New York gathered at the Green Wine Garden in Central Park to clean up my dust.Mr. Xia and his wife came together. His waist is straight and his eyes are shining. He doesn't look like an 85-year-old old man at all.Not only is he highly accomplished in Chinese culture, but his English writing is also top-notch in the eyes of native English speakers. I feel that he is already proficient in English thinking and has the characteristics of an "American Big Boy".At the dinner, he called his old wife "Mom", and the two of them each ordered a main course of western food, and they exchanged half of the dishes when they arrived, feeling as satisfied and happy as a child. On the morning of my speech, Mr. Xia came to listen and sat in the front row, facing the podium.After the lecture, I went forward to thank him for his support. He said he would come to listen in the afternoon. I advised him not to come, because all those who come to listen to the lecture can only choose one session to listen to. The general audience needs to buy tickets to enter the venue. Yes, one session costs $20, and some only choose the previous session, or only the next session, and listen to both sessions, which is actually very tiring.But Mr. Xia still came in the afternoon, and he was still sitting in the front row, concentrating all the time. The report said "Xia Zhiqing's support" (using the second size above the headline as the introduction), I don't think it is an exaggeration, this is the actual situation.He not only listened intently to the speeches of a junior layman without the title of professor, researcher, expert, or scholar, but also expressed his thoughts aloud several times.Once, when I talked about the confrontation between the political forces of Qianlong and Hongxi, which was alluded to in "Double Hanging Sun and Moon Illuminating the Universe", and the political inclination of the book writer expressed in "Treating the Emperor and His Grandson", he said "Ah , That’s right!” exclamation.Once I mentioned the naming of the Four Fairies in the Illusionary Realm, implying the four women who had the greatest influence on Jia Baoyu in his life, especially when "Hateful Bodhi" alluded to Miaoyu, I reasoned layer by layer, He praised loudly: "Wonderful!" I finally emphasized that Cao Xueqin surpassed his political feelings and did not write the book as a political novel, but through the shaping of Jia Baoyu's image and the design of the "Love List", he raised his text to a humanistic level. At this time, Mr. Xia exhaled two words even louder: "Great!" I think he recognized my argument and praised Cao Xueqin's writing height from the political level to the level of ultimate human concern. Later, more than one person who was present told me that Mr. Xia Zhiqing never flattered others, and it can even be said that he was always stingy with praise. It is rare for him to express his position so loudly in public.Mr. Xia also told the interviewing reporter that after listening to my two lectures, he would read the two volumes of "Revealing the Secret" that I gave him, and, I thought it was more important - he said that he wanted to "revisit old dreams and make up for it". . When I came to Columbia University to give a speech, my original purpose was to arouse the initial interest of ordinary Americans in Cao Xueqin and He. I didn’t expect that the experts who came to listen, especially the scholars like Mr. Xia, would give me such firm support. I was really overjoyed. . Of course, I'm only speaking from my family, and Mr. Xia's praise and support is only his personal reaction.Most people in China know that Xia Lao once wrote "History of Modern Chinese Fiction" in English, and after it was translated into Chinese and spread to China, it had a huge impact.The value of Shen Congwen and Zhang Ailing, two novelists who were once excluded from our literary history, has finally been generally recognized.Qian Zhongshu was once only considered as an excellent scholar of foreign languages. His novels written in the 1940s were not reprinted at all from the 1950s to the 1970s, and they were not mentioned in the history of literature. best-selling novel.I know that there are still some people in China who don't take Mr. Xia's "History of Modern Chinese Fiction" seriously. They can continue to take a critical attitude towards Mr. Xia, including Shen Congwen and Zhang Ailing, but there is one thing that most people agree with. The point is that no one can think that the truth is in their own hands alone, and treat others with a hegemonic mentality and a schoolboy style. Shi Potian was shocked that there was one less door After my lecture at Columbia University, I invited Mr. Wang Ban, one of the co-chairmen of the Humanities Society of Fanghua Institute, to make a concluding speech.Mr. Wang is from Taiwan and has been in the United States for many years. He is a senior teacher of the China Institute. He is good at both Chinese and English and can teach bilingually. Being able to appear on the stage beautifully, singing and doing good work, can be compared with professional actors. Mr. Wang Ban said that my two four-hour speeches can be summed up in four words: groundbreaking.Regarding such an evaluation, should I immediately resign myself to be arrogant in reporting such praise? After calming down and thinking about it, I think these four words can indeed be used to describe the response that the speech won that day.In fact, it can be summed up in Beijing dialect, two words are enough: shocking! Of course, this will lead to even greater resentment and anxiety among those who opposed my going to the United States to expose the red flag. Isn’t it obvious that I have misled the audience in the United States? I have to tell everyone again that no one in the audience there expects me to go guide.For those who have their own views, he may adjust his thinking by listening to my speech, or he may just feel that there is an additional reference; " conclusion, he will have the desire to listen to more kinds of analysis.The most fundamental thing is that people will have the urge to find and read after listening to it, and they will never have the idea of ​​"ah, then there is no need to read the original work". Generally speaking, the academic atmosphere in the United States welcomes personalized research, encourages innovation, and tolerates subversion.If you announce that your point of view is "correct", "stable", "truth" and "direction", and your speech is to "direct" them, and it is full of criticism of dissidents' "heresy" and "vigilance against being misled by someone" ", then their interest in listening must be greatly reduced.After I went there, I asked the inviting party: "Who recommended me to you?" The answer was: "Those who strongly oppose you." They said that they didn't know how many channels China Central Television had. Channel 10 is not for foreign countries. They can't see it, let alone the "Hundred Schools Lecture Forum" program, but my series of lectures "Uncovering the Dream of Red Mansions" led to "beatings" and "war of words" were widely reported, especially some foreign media not only reported but also criticized this After commenting on this matter, they knew that I had such a series of "Revealing the Secret".Opponents were so angry that I announced that I "couldn't go to the TV station to talk about it", "it caused social and cultural confusion", and "disturbed the direction of literary and artistic research", which aroused their curiosity, so they managed to find CDs and books After reading it, I realized that my research is really personalized and interesting, and I think it is very suitable for their lectures.Because the lectures they hold are not aimed at the academic world, but a leisure weekend activity to introduce traditional Chinese culture to ordinary Americans.The purpose is not to promote "how to understand correctly" to Americans, but to let ordinary Americans know that "there is a great Chinese writer Cao Xueqin who wrote a great novel" with popular and vivid speech content. "Shocking" is just a description of my speech with a strange angle, novel content, and stimulating expression.I can only speak in Chinese, so although the identities of the speakers who came to listen that day were basically American citizens or green card holders, the audience was full of black hair and black eyes, and there were only a few blond Americans, and one of them was a young man. Also quietly exited halfway.This shows that there is still one thing missing in my "Shocking", and that is foreign languages.If I can present what I want to say vividly in both fluent Chinese and equally fluent English without relying on translation, the effect will be full of "rock-shattering".Jiang Zhiruo of the China Institute and Ms. Jia Nan, the vice president, are all white women. What I wrote is the Chinese name they chose for themselves.They can speak a little Chinese, but they find it difficult to have in-depth conversations with me, and they cannot read my two "Disclosure".They said that the China Institute urgently needs to hold such lectures, that is, the speakers have considerable attainments in both Chinese and English, and can take into account both native Chinese and English-speaking audiences, and introduce Chinese traditional culture and contemporary culture. come out. Scholars like Mr. Xia Zhiqing who have learned both Chinese and Western cultures have successors.It turned out that scholars from Taiwan and Hong Kong who went to the United States occupied many chairs and served as department chairs in the East Asian departments of American universities. Now, scholars from the mainland in the past gradually stand out. There are more and more bilingual talents, and some have become famous brands in the United States. A tenured professor at the university is also familiar with the job of the head of the department.Talents who can bilingually promote Chinese culture in the past are also gradually emerging in the mainland.I know that I am just a transitional figure promoted in the United States, like a drop of rain falling into the sea, insignificant.Speakers who can really make Chinese culture make more Americans, especially the mainstream ethnic groups over there, feel "shocked", get ready to go! Wikipedia Beach Poetry On a trip to Hawaii with Mr. L, my old friend Brother Mei sent us to the airport. Before receiving the boarding pass, he handed me a paper bag, with a mischievous smile on his face, and told me: "Look over there. Watch slowly on the beach." Fly from New York to Los Angeles, and then fly to Honolulu. The journey will take ten hours. Reading during the flight is the best way to pass the time. I want to read the things in the paper bag. Mr. L handed me a book and advised me to follow Mei Brother's advice, go to the beach to find out.I just read the French novel "Phantom" he gave me. It is said to be a best-selling novel in France, and the translation is quite fluent, but when I read it, I just feel that I am moaning for nothing, playing tricks on mysteries, and I am dazed, or at least, stupefied. , Unknowingly, the plane has landed on the runway. Hawaii is very different from what I imagined.I thought it was very hot there, so I brought a lot of shirts, but the average temperature was mostly around 25 degrees, and there were light showers from time to time, so a jacket was still indispensable.I thought I could use "natural golden beach, flying silver seagulls" to describe the seaside scenery there, but I found out that it was a volcanic island. The beach was originally full of black stones and black sand scorched by magma. What I see now The golden white sandy beach is paved with sand imported from Australia.Because fishing has been banned for a long time in the whole territory, the coastal ecology is special, and there are no seagulls flying, and most of the birds seen are pigeons.I thought it was close to the South Pacific, and there must be many snakes in the tropical vegetation. I was most afraid of snakes. I brought snake medicine, but the tour guide told us: "There are no snakes in these volcanic islands. If there are, there are only two. One is in the zoo, and the other is right in front of your eyes—I, the local snake!" I thought that the Hawaiian state flower must be a very special tropical flower, but unexpectedly it was the hibiscus, or Zhujin peony, which is often seen in Beijing... … But Hawaii does have an ecstatic charm.The aborigines there regard black as precious and fat as beautiful. People meet and say "Aloha" to each other. Whether it is the soft guitar melody or the bold hula dance, they all convey to you abundant kindness and innocence. The hotel we stayed in is very close to the famous Wikipedia Beach. We walked there, rented two deck chairs and a parasol, put two bottles of drinks in the free ice bucket, wore a swimsuit, and alternated sunbathing and sea bathing. It was a fairy-like joy. .I took the paper bag that brother Mei gave me, leaned on the recliner, and took out the contents. It turned out to be a volume of Chinese "Jin Zhou Kan" published in New York, and found that there was a whole page of ancient poems related to me. Before I went to the United States, the "Beijing Evening News" had already published Mr. Zhou Ruchang's "Poetry for Brother Wu to the United States to Promote Red Studies": "I was in England to talk about red, and I was in the United States. Zhu Louxiao in the Pacific Exhibition, New York City Fu Jiang Zhangchong. The Fourteen Classics are heavy on China, and the three thousand worlds are well-informed. Fangyuan was originally a Qin residence, and the truth is hard to hide from the police's dream." It was published in "Journal of Weekly", and it is still very moving to read it again.But what surprised me and moved me even more was that after Mr. Zhou's poems, "Journal Weekly" published four poems by Bu Zhouyun in a row.The first song is by Brother Mei Zhencai: "Hundreds of years of exploration and research are like a fire, and I like to watch Qin Xue create a whirlwind. Gently shake the fan shaft to clear up a thousand doubts, and a hundred flowers bloom and adore the world. It is hard to say that you are always tactful when you are cold against group attacks. .Ask you if you have three spring dreams, and you will be included in the Jinling love list." There is also Mr. Liu Banglu: "Persistence in exploring Qinhong, the contemporary master's morality. Ten outstanding literary figures topped the list, and some Qin theories are high. Expose the illusion The true appearance breaks through the entrance to block the way. Thirty-six chapters relieve the confusion of dreams, and the essence of the story is revealed." Mr. Chen Yiran's poem is: "After the catastrophe, the literary world became a hit, and the wind blowing the drum tower on the long street. The ice was broken The stele of the gods has fallen, and the tradition has returned to Confucianism. The truth is hidden by revealing the secrets, and the illusory world is poor. A concealed dream can deceive the public, and it depends on the awakening of the master." Mr. Luo Zijue and the poem: "Suddenly heard that the Art Association of the United States is paying off , New York re-emphasizes the style of lectures. Qin Laojin’s heart has been shining for thousands of years, and Liu Lang’s embroidered mouth is admirable. The dream of the Red Mansion feels like the clouds and smoke are dissipating, and the blue-blooded book becomes a police illusion. In addition to Zhou's old rhyme and poems, there are seven other poems that encourage me. Among them, Mr. Zhou Rong's "Listening to "The Secret of the Red Mansion" is presented to Mr. Liu Xinwu": "Don't open up the upper floors of life, and reveal the secrets of prosperity and decline. A hundred years of prosperity It’s all a dream, and once it’s gone, it’s too much to worry about. The unique fan axis discusses the characters, and the mystery proves the valleys and hills. Create a trend. The Red Mansion has opened up again today, climbing to the top of the floor.” In my speech, I said that Qin Keqing is like the shaft of a folding fan to me. Starting from her, the whole fan can be seen after being thrown away.Several encouragers quoted this meaning in their poems, and they are indeed bosom friends. Of course, I know very well that some of these people are old friends, some are new acquaintances, and some have never met, all belong to my "fans", and some even take a special name "Liu Si".People need support to do things, and encouragement to produce results. A fence has three stakes, and a person needs at least three people to help. There are "Liu Si" that I reveal the secrets at home and abroad, which is my blessing.But I also know that there are many people who wish to "tear me in half".For them, I would like to say that it is difficult for them to spend so much time and energy and invest so much emotion in treating me. I will seriously consider any elements of academic value in their criticisms, but those that are rumors, slanders, personal I can only laugh at the words of attack. I wish them health and happiness, and don't hurt themselves and waste things because they are angry with me. After appreciating those poems, I looked towards the sea and saw surfers jumping up and down nimbly and firmly in the rolling sea waves. I felt that I should learn from them and be a surfer who would never shrink back!?