Chapter 38 A Red Apple to Mao Zedong: "The Oath"

When it comes to underground poetry during the "Cultural Revolution", one cannot fail to mention Guo Xiaochuan and his famous poems: "Autumn in Tuanbowa" and "Autumn Songs". Guo Xiaochuan (1919-1976), a famous contemporary poet, was born in Fengning County, Hebei Province, formerly known as Guo Enda.Guo Xiaochuan had a glorious revolutionary experience and was the secretary of Wang Zhen, commander of the 259th brigade. Before the "Cultural Revolution", he was the Secretary-General and Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Writers Association. In the 1950s, he dominated the poetry world with "Marching to Difficulties" and a series of poems "Into the Fiery Struggle". In the 1960s, after the publication of poems such as "Sugarcane Forest—Green Gauze", he and He Jingzhi jointly laid the foundation for contemporary political lyric poetry.His poetry creation achievements are manifested in two aspects: one is political lyric poems combining political theory and lyricism; One and Eight", "The General Trilogy" and so on.

The creative techniques and artistic achievements of combining political form with lyricism were inherited by a new generation of young poets during the ten years of the "Cultural Revolution" and became the mainstream of official poetry during the "Cultural Revolution".Guo Xiaochuan, the pioneer of contemporary political lyric poetry and once known as the "singer and horn of the times", fell into a purgatory during the "Cultural Revolution" movement, deprived of personal freedom and writing rights, and fell into a long-term depression. Guo Xiaolin, the son of Guo Xiaochuan (1946-), was a third-year student at Jingshan School in Beijing. Inspired by the spirit of the times, he voluntarily signed up to go to the Great Northern Wilderness in 1964 when he was only 16 years old. During the "Cultural Revolution", Guo Xiaolin learned from his father's creative technique of closely combining political theory and lyric poetry. From 1968 to 1976, he published more than 30 poems, including "New Scenery in the Forest District", and became a "Bingtuan Poet".On New Year's Day in 1972 and 1973, he was entrusted by the "Bingtuan Warrior" newspaper (sponsored by the Political Department of Heilongjiang Production and Construction Corps), and published "editorial"-style political lyric poems on New Year's Day: "Soldiers Love Frontiers", "Test Us, Time——Celebrate the New Year with Young Comrades”, which had a huge impact in the Corps.

What is meaningful is that under the impact of the "Cultural Revolution" movement, Guo Xiaochuan, Guo Xiaolin and his son went through a tortuous and bitter journey together.The father and son embarked on the road of underground poetry creation.In particular, Guo Xiaochuan wrote the famous "Autumn in Tuanbowa" and "Autumn Songs" on the eve of the end of the "Cultural Revolution". As Guo Xiaochuan, a famous poet who has gone through the war years and experienced many movements, and Guo Xiaolin, a new generation of educated youth poet, the rugged poetry writing road of the father and son during the ten years of the "Cultural Revolution" is quite typical.Describing and reflecting on their life and destiny, deep-seated mentality, literary activities and the exchange of ideas between the two generations during the "Cultural Revolution" are essential for analyzing and exploring the mentality of Chinese poets during the "Cultural Revolution" era, understanding and confirming the complexity of literature in this historical period The "above ground" and "underground" relationships in the city have certain value.

In the summer of 1971, the Northeast Construction Corps held a literary and artistic creation class at the headquarters of the Jiamusi Corps.This study class gathered more than 40 creative backbones from various divisions of the Corps. Later, Li Longyun, Liang Xiaosheng, Xiao Fuxing, Chen Kexiong, Lu Xing'er, etc. from the so-called "Beidahuang Powerful Group", painters Zhao Xiaomo, Shen Jiawei, etc., all participated in this class. meeting.Heroes from all walks of life showed their talents at the meeting, making this study class a "hero meeting" of the meeting of wind and clouds.At this meeting, there was a long poem that caused a sensation. This is Guo Xiaolin's 600-line long poem "Oath".

Guo Xiaolin took out the "Oath" in order to solicit the meaning of various aspects, especially the opinions of fellow educated youths.The poem was strongly reflected in the study class, and it was only taken out in the literature group in the morning. After lunch, some people spread the word, saying that there is a "little poet" at the 825 farm.At that time, the study class collectively lived in the Second Move of the Corps behind the headquarters building of the Corps, which was a simple small bungalow of blue bricks.In the evening, everyone huddled in a small dining room for a party. Some people took the "Oath" to the meeting and recited it. Most people reacted strongly.An educated youth from the Girls High School Attached to Normal University came to congratulate Guo Xiaolin.The old officers of the Propaganda Department of the Corps also commented, "Sure enough, I am a hero."But some poetry writers privately expressed dissatisfaction.At that time, the educated youths became crazier than the other.After this study session, the poem "Oath" began to spread quietly among the divisions of the Corps, first in the propaganda teams of the divisions, and then to the propaganda teams of the regiments.Some literature lovers of each company copied the good lines in "The Oath" in their notebooks and circulated them among the educated youth.

The poem "Oath" mainly describes the story of a red scarf meeting Chairman Mao and giving Chairman Mao a red apple.Later, the red scarf grew up, and after a hard life of struggle, she sublimated her innocent feelings towards Mao Zedong to her understanding of Mao Zedong Thought. This story is basically Guo Xiaolin's personal experience. In 1952, Guo Xiaolin was only 6 years old. He was transferred to Beijing with his father and lived in Zhongnanhai. He met Mao Zedong twice.Once, Guo Xiaolin and a child were playing by the lake, and suddenly they saw Chairman Mao walking along the boulevard. Guo Xiaolin hurried home, took a red apple, caught up with Mao Zedong, stuffed it in Mao's hand, and then The children ran away together.Guo Xiaolin saw Mao Zedong smiling lovingly at them.The second time, Guo Xiaochuan taught Guo Xiaolin how to swim in the swimming pool built by Mao Zedong with manuscript fees. Mao Zedong was at the other end of the swimming pool, wearing a nightgown and leaning on a recliner. Guo Xiaochuan said to his son, "Go and say hello to Chairman Mao!" Guo Xiaolin climbed up to the bank of the pool and ran over. After saying hello to Chairman Mao, Mao Zedong asked, "What's your name? How is your study?" Guo Xiaolin said in a low voice, "It's not very good!" A male classmate from the school interjected, "He studies well, and he won the second prize!" At that time, Guo Xiaolin was studying in the Wanshou Road Central Government Primary School, which is now Yuying Middle School.Mao Zedong smiled and said, "You are better than me. I haven't won a prize in school yet!"

"The Oath" basically rewrites the above two plots. The image of Mao Zedong in the poem is easy-going, friendly, and less mysterious. Dawn ripples on the seashore of the vast sky, The school of fish in the stars is swimming farther and farther. Chairman Mao finished his overnight work, Walk out of the office and lift the sun out of the sea. ... The image of "I" in the poem is reminiscent of the happy and beautiful teenagers described in the movie episodes of the 1950s: "Let's Swing the Sculls" or "Through the Green Forest, We Run to a Beautiful Place".

O blue sea, Clear waves. The white marble railings on the shore, It also looks so extraordinary. The tall green trees are like two rows of pacesetters, It seems that there is going to be a glorious ceremony here. All are concentrating and holding their breath, It seemed to be looking forward to ten o'clock on October 1st. ... It's four o'clock Zhongnanhai looks more solemn and solemn The golden sunset covers the avenue, It is like a lantern decorating the meeting hall. Here, Guo Xiaolin expressed the sincere admiration and love for Mao Zedong among the generation of young people during the "Cultural Revolution".This is the swan song of an era.Then stop lightly:

I ran over like a light swallow. I put the apple into that big strong hand. In the following chapters, "I" seems to condense the image of a generation of young people, casting their hard work and painful training of ideological reform into the representative figure of "I".It should be said that when Guo Xiaolin wrote, he was very sincere.Almost every line of the verses he wrote can find the footnotes of his real practice. Before the "Cultural Revolution" in 1964, he signed up to go to the Great Northern Wilderness when he was only 16 years old.At that time, young people worshiped "Military Reclamation" and "Jiangxi Gongda". Novels such as "The Daughter of the Army" and "Songs of the Frontier" and the movie "Battle Hymn of Military Reclamation" set off a "hot current" in the hearts of young people.But before the "Cultural Revolution", there were still a small number of people like Guo Xiaolin who resolutely went to the Great Northern Wilderness.He went down to Nongyang to work as a farm worker, and worked continuously for 10 years. He was transferred five times from the corps, division, and regiment, but he did not leave, insisting on working in the company.However, because he didn't want to flirt with company cadres, wouldn't get close to company commanders and instructors by drinking, and didn't give oil, cigarettes, candy, and cloth to cadres, he didn't even join the regiment, and he didn't even start the machine that ordinary educated youths envy. It is not his turn to work as a car or as a teacher.At that time, he was in pain and confusion, but he kept betting on it, showing you whether it was red or white.

Guo Xiaolin's life training is not limited to a lot of sweat, but also to completely "abandon himself". "Distressed fingers / plucking fidgety heartstrings / questioning birds / hovering in front of my eyes all day." Guo Xiaolin reflected on his opium smoking of "studying and becoming an official", and mistakenly fell into the predicament of "going to the countryside to be gilded".Determined to "melt" himself under "high temperature" and "high pressure", from scratch, become a worker, farmer and soldier. Just adding fuel to the mind to understand,

A feeling of love burns like a fire. It is the lathe of revolutionary practice, Process the familiar blank into rational zero. ... Take your heart step by step, Closely connected with that great heart. I know that this is the real closeness to Chairman Mao, Far better than that happy day fifteen years ago. In the unique political atmosphere of 1970, Guo Xiaolin's personal worship of Mao Zedong reached a feverish level.When he came back from the field every day, other educated youths fell asleep immediately, while he lit a small homemade oil lamp and rushed to write "Oath——Dedicated to the most beloved and great leader Chairman Mao" in the tent.Working during the day, thinking while working, when a good sentence flashed in front of my eyes, I stopped the scythe and drew a few strokes.He sent some of the long poems and the overall idea copied on sixty-four loose-leaf notebook paper to his father, and soon received a long letter from his father.His father said in a different tone: "I will change my attitude of disapproving of your poem writing in the past, and unreservedly support you in writing this poem." In Guo Xiaochuan's view at the time, praising Mao Zedong and Mao Zedong Thought was The highest mission of contemporary literature, and at the same time, Guo Xiaolin's shining talent is indeed revealed in the poem.The mother described her father and her excitement in the letter.Guo Xiaolin saw the words "good" and "not bad" written on the poem with his father's familiar handwriting, and felt that he was the happiest person in the world.He was finally recognized by his father, a poet.Maybe it was his father's encouragement. In the last four, five, and six chapters of the long poem, Guo Xiaolin's poetry suddenly rose to a new level: The ego has swum the river of ignorance, On the other side of reason. I just saw it for the first time, Chairman Mao's greatness is like a vast continent. ... I saw that a steam turbine with a generating capacity of 700 million watts, It is continuously supplying electricity to the world; I see, the sun lamp of Mao Zedong Thought, Has sent light to the edge of the earth; ... How come, the 10,000-ton hydraulic press is like a chef. Randomly kneading dough of flaming steel? How come, little factories everywhere like hens, Constantly producing eggs of precious monocrystalline silicon? ... Not to mention that intelligent workers can open the underground to traffic, Not to mention that hard-working farmers can be called boats on the bridge; The girls are using their skillful embroidering hands, Dress up every mountain in the motherland. The young man is using the iron shoulders of the mountain. Hundreds of millions of pieces of jasper were picked to inlay the earth In the end, Guo Xiaolin also seems to have entered the state of Guo Moruo when he wrote "Phoenix Nirvana", feeling dizzy and feverish, riding clouds and fog, letting the whip of poetry and thinking whip and rush forward: No, what are these? Chairman Mao has great ambitions in his chest. When the proletariat gets the whole world, When capitalism has been buried by us. We not only want to build lakes from high mountains, divert water from south to north, Let the wind, cloud, thunder and lightning be at their disposal. To level the "roof of the world", Create a new North China Great Plain. Fill the great Pacific Ocean, Let sea water occupy only three-tenths of the earth. Then we will hold high the sun of Marxism-Leninism, Dispel the severe cold that has enveloped the universe for billions of years. With our hands that create everything, Turn the entire galaxy into a paradise for the people. Now what he wants to offer is not an apple, but a heart of infinite loyalty. Greeted with red flowers of life and blood, The proletariat of the world is at the Tiananmen factory, Celebrate the final triumph! After the "Oath" was completed, Guo Xiaolin sent it to his father. His father made an arrangement for Guo Xiaolin in an unquestionable tone: he carefully revised the long poem in the first half of 1971, and sent it to Chairman Mao in June. One copy was given to the People's Literature Publishing House as a gift to the party's 50th birthday.Guo Xiaolin followed the order, but after sending it, there was no further text.The reason: Guo Xiaolin's background - he is the son of Guo Xiaochuan, and Guo Xiaochuan was among those who were knocked down, so of course it is not possible to publish his poems.In addition, this long poem "Oath" has a more prominent personal color.This kind of individualized works were also excluded during the "Cultural Revolution". Works like "The Oath" can only be hand-copied and circulated privately among the lower classes.As a result, it is true. Some people commented on "Oath", saying that if this poem can be published, it will have a greater impact than the later published "Song of Ideal".Because "The Oath" has plots, characters and "personality".However, it is well known that "Song of Ideal" was written by Gao Hongshi and others, but when it was finally published, it was changed and named as "Peking University Workers, Peasants and Soldiers Student Literary and Artistic Creation Group".This shows that at that time, except for a very small number of authors who were favored by Jiang Qing, individual signatures were not allowed on influential works.What's more, Guo Xiaolin is an "educable child" for a personal work like "The Oath".In short, the "red apple" that Guo Xiaolin dedicated to Mao Zedong was lost.