Chapter 27 Dongying, here I come again!

"I didn't write for four months. I wrote sixteen or seven articles in the hospital. The last one was a speech "Why do we write?" at the International PEN Conference held in Tokyo. I left shortly after finishing the speech Hospital. It’s not that I’m completely cured when I go home this time, but I’m just going out to prepare for the Tokyo conference. The doctor agreed to my going abroad, which means that my illness has been controlled by medicine and my health is gradually recovering. As long as I take the medicine on time, I don’t let I am tired, and I think a short two-week visit abroad is manageable.

"I am really optimistic. Most of my friends do not approve of my going abroad for meetings. They are afraid that my body will not be able to bear it. I have been ill for more than two years, and it took me two years to be hospitalized. I have very little access to fresh air. I am a patient. When visiting relatives and friends come, they always ask and talk about the disease. The more they talk, the more depressed I become. Seeing my mental state, I understand some of my illness Of course, my relatives and friends will worry about my health. In fact, even I myself have been discouraged. It does take a lot of courage to fight against the disease, but the support of the doctor is also indispensable. The doctor's approval gave me great encouragement In June 1984, Ba Jin wrote the words above after returning from his second visit to Japan.This is Ba Jin's second visit to Japan after his first visit to Japan in April 1979.

On his previous visit to Japan, Ba Jin went with Xie Bingxin and other Chinese writers.At that time, his body was free from any disease. Although Ba Jin was physically and mentally exhausted after ten years of catastrophe, Ba Jin at that time still had a sense of excitement and joy as he struggled out of the shadows.The previous trip to Japan took more than ten days, and the visit to Japan was also from south to north, from east to west.And Ba Jin went to Tokyo for the second time to participate in the 45th World PEN Conference.During this period, due to physical reasons, Ba Jin did not walk around Japan like the previous time to have a look.After all, Ba Jin is old and suffers from Parkinson's syndrome, so his body is always weak.Even if he does not use a wheelchair, he must use a cane to maintain his balance.

Ba Jin once again picked up his pen to write his unfinished writing project "Capricious Thoughts".This was a month after he returned to Shanghai from Tokyo.Ba Jin agreed to go to Japan to participate in this PEN meeting in the hospital. Apart from his position as the head of the delegation, there is another reason, that is, Ba Jin’s friends from the Japanese literary circles for many years have always warmly welcomed him. Ba Jin went to Tokyo to attend the meeting. When Ba Jin was still lying on the bed of East China Hospital to treat his illness, his old Japanese friend Yasushi Inoue had visited Ba Jin in East China Hospital three times.Soon, another friend Mizukami who had been friends with Ba Jin for decades also walked into Ba Jin's ward.Of course, their arrival was not only to invite Ba Jin to participate in the PEN meeting in Japan, but more importantly, they represented that many Japanese writer friends were concerned about Ba Jin's body.Faced with the enthusiasm of these Japanese friends, Ba Jin has secretly made up his mind to fly to Japan again.Because in his heart he will never disappoint the Japanese friends who welcomed him.However, at that time Ba Jin was troubled by Parkinson's syndrome. Whether he could go abroad smoothly and fly to Fusang to meet his Japanese friends again, even Ba Jin himself was not sure.Fortunately, after a long winter, when the thick spring finally came to the bank of Huangpu River, Ba Jin's health began to improve.The doctor who was in charge of his leg injury and Parkinson's disease, after many examinations, finally agreed with Ba Jin to go abroad.In this way, the old man came to Japan again, but he was no longer able to walk like flying with a cane stick like before. Now Ba Jin can only travel in a wheelchair when he comes to Japan again.

Ba Jin was still full of guests at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo where he stayed, and Japanese friends came to visit almost every day.People around him are concerned about Ba Jin's health, but Ba Jin always insists on meeting the visiting guests. He said to the people around him: "Since I am here, I must meet as many old friends as possible. Don't refuse anyone's visit. It is rare There is such an opportunity." Friendship made sick Ba Jin young.Regardless of his age and age, he personally visited the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association. At the reception held by the Japan-China Cultural Exchange Association, Ba Jin once again felt the power of friendship.At the opening and closing ceremonies of the 47th PEN Congress, the highly respected Chinese writer Ba Jin suddenly became the focus of attention of writers from all over the world.His speech at the conference once again aroused applause and applause... Two weeks have passed by Ba Jin's side with nostalgia.At Narita Airport, Ba Jin, who was sitting in a wheelchair, looked back at the familiar yet unfamiliar Tokyo with excitement.This is the place he has been to three times. Ba Jin, who came here for the first time during the war years, is still a young writer who has not become famous.Ba Jin, who came to Japan for the second time, is already a leading figure in the Chinese literary world, and he has stepped out of the shadow of the ultra-left ideological trend of the "Gang of Four". When he came to Japan again, Ba Jin had just healed his left leg from a fall. He did not fall ill in Tokyo as his relatives, friends and doctors had worried before his trip.Now, Ba Jin is still in good spirits and set foot on the plane.When he stood in front of the cabin door and waved his arms high to those who were waiting on the tarmac to see him off, Ba Jin felt that he was entering a new historical milestone!

No. 13 Wukang Road in Shanghai is still quiet.Ba Jin has not returned to this home for a long time since his leg injury.He has been living in the ward of East China Hospital, and now when he returns to the quiet small building, the first thing he sees is the urn on the chest of drawers.It was Xiao Shan who hadn't seen her for a long time.Now she is still in the small building, just like the plum blossom smiling among the bushes when the mountain flowers are in full bloom, she is looking at Ba Jin's today with a quiet smile.Thinking of his dead wife, Ba Jin couldn't help feeling a little sad.From Xiao Shan, he would think of the grave of his Japanese friend Kenzo Nakajima.Another long-cherished wish of Ba Jin's visit to Tokyo this time was also fulfilled, that is to lay flowers in front of Mr. Nakajima's tomb.

"When I arrived in Tokyo, when I was discussing the schedule at night, I only made one request to the host: to lay flowers at the tomb of Mr. Nakajima Kenzo. The next morning, the car took me to Gotokuji Temple. Mrs. Nakajima Kyoko was already waiting at the door. The Cultural Exchange Association Mr. Baitu Wufu also came, and they showed me the way. My daughter Xiaolin or Xiaochen, who was an interpreter, helped me. I haven’t had this feeling of “entering an ancient temple early in the morning” for many years. But how can I believe that I am going to visit the grave? This old friend of seven years, his laughter is still in my ears. I want to see him so much, how many words do I have to say to him, but unfortunately, I have trouble moving my left leg distressed...”