Chapter 22 Ouyang Yingji who knows how to play the most: I have to do what I like when I am busy

--------------- Ouyang Yingji who knows how to play the most: I have to do what I like when I am busy --------------- Talking about the new book: I treat the book as my own child Beijing News: The three new books are the same as last year's "Designing Private Life". They were first published in Taiwan and then introduced to the mainland. Is there any difference between the traditional and simplified versions? (hereinafter referred to as Ouyang): It is basically the same. Like many people, I regard the book I wrote as my own child and want to fully express my thoughts, so it is basically the same as the Taiwan version.Last year, I published three books in the Mainland, and there were some changes from the version I published in Taiwan. This time, there are basically no major changes.Among them, there are many changes. The articles are reorganized and new articles and pictures are added.

My book is a very complete idea that I have already made a proposal to the publishing company.They will have some opinions on typesetting, but the design and concept are basically determined by me.I do it all by myself, I go by myself, and sometimes I also take pictures.It also developed from my diet column in a Hong Kong newspaper, but there are still some differences in the content of the newspaper and the book, including the issue of time and photos. The newspaper will send me different photographers at different times. Find a photographer, and reorganize the text and pictures. Beijing News: Many people in the mainland associate your article with the middle class and petty bourgeoisie, thinking that it meets the home life requirements of young middle-class families, but seeing your dazzling white hair, they think that you are not simply trying to satisfy readers That kind of person, is this intentionally emphasizing a disengagement—not as fierce as resistance—a gesture?

Ouyang: It's not dyed, it's really white.It seems that next time I must make a statement in the preface or introduction.I like to be as natural as possible. If it is black, it will not be dyed white, and if it is white, it will not be dyed black.But I do have reservations with mainstream ideas, and I often sing the opposite.Although I write about many brands, I don't think it matters at all whether it is a brand or not.Know something, experience it, and then abandon it, and have your own views.Many people have mentioned the positioning of "middle class" and "petty bourgeoisie", but I think that a clear distinction actually limits the development of this thing. Many things are originally lively, so just let it go.

The Beijing News: Your articles often combine small things in your life, reading and design knowledge, and topics such as gender and space inevitably involve some theoretical and philosophical discourse. How do you usually read philosophy books?Which philosophers have you studied? Ouyang: I'm not a very theoretical person, so I admire my friends who can understand those philosophy books. They can digest boring things.But I don't resist, I like to get a general understanding of those theories.What I write is also aimed at general readers. If I move out a bunch of very complicated concepts, it will scare away readers.Therefore, when writing, it is more life-like and more interesting. You can only see small things, but not the big truth.

Beijing News: Many of the pictures that match your text are books. Do you subscribe to many magazines?Or do you prefer to flip through? Ouyang: I read about 40 to 50 magazines every month. Whether they are gifts from others or bought by myself, I read the entire series from current affairs to economics, art, and gossip.Newspapers mainly read two local newspapers, Ming Pao and Hong Kong Economic Journal, as well as sporadic other newspapers. The Beijing News: So now what media do you mainly use to obtain information, the Internet?Newspaper or book?Or go see for yourself? Ouyang: For me, personal experience is the most important thing. For example, tonight I will take a plane to France to watch the comics exhibition and furniture exhibition.

The Internet doesn't affect me too much, I'm actually an old-school person, I still like to read magazines and books, and the Internet is just a supplementary reference.On the contrary, the spiritual aspect of the Internet has a great influence on me, that is, how to establish an information processing system and convey information.The diffuse way of communication like the Internet has a conceptual influence on me.In fact, I think the "cross-border" that many friends talk about is also an extension of the Internet. Talking about design: the passion for design is a lifetime

Beijing News: You plan to publish the "home" book series that combines design and life. How do you grasp this series as a whole? Ouyang: "Family" is in the process of being formed. The topic of "Family" is too big. Now it seems to be on track. I have experience in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but I am still trying to do it in the Mainland. What is the reaction of friends.In fact, the author is quite lonely, and I hope to communicate with many friends.I am also crossing the river by feeling the stones. I recently wrote a book about Hong Kong food, which is also an extension of this kind of "eating".Like "It's Good to Come Home", I think that if I develop it in the future, I will not only conduct interviews by myself, I also opened several workshops in Taiwan, Japan and other places, so that other friends can do it, and I can do different age, Gender versions, such as homes for younger people and girls’ rooms, can be expanded in the future, such as series for workplaces.

Beijing News: In recent years, more and more magazines in the mainland have paid attention to topics such as design.And you are also known to mainland readers in this process. How do you think the interests of mainland magazines and readers are different from those in Hong Kong and Taiwan?Is there any gap between the Mainland and Hong Kong in terms of economy and information? Ouyang: There is a little gap between mainland readers and Hong Kong and Taiwan readers at the beginning. This means that three or four years ago, Hong Kong and Taiwan were already familiar with some brands, and there was almost zero gap with the international popular ones, except for some local ones that I recommend. For labels that have not appeared yet, I basically understand some of the other designs I introduced.

But in recent years, on the one hand, foreign brands have attached great importance to the mainland market, and many have opened stores in Beijing and Shanghai, and many domestic people have gone abroad to study and travel, and have come into contact with more brands, so now the distance between domestic readers and Hong Kong and Taiwan readers Getting smaller and smaller.I found that mainland readers have a stronger pursuit and enthusiasm for design than Hong Kong and Taiwan readers. As for the magazines, I have observed the same situation as the readers in the past few years. The quality of design and life magazines in the mainland is nothing to say. They are deeper than many Hong Kong and Taiwan magazines, and they are also very interesting.I feel that making a magazine has something to do with the degree of study. For some more professional magazines, Hong Kong and Taiwan may have accumulated in terms of economy, perspective, and vision, and they are still working hard, so each has its own characteristics.

Beijing News: It can be seen that you love Italian design. How did you become interested in Italian design in the first place? Ouyang: Maybe we should start with a sofa. The FLEXFORM sofa designed by Antonio Citterio is a very classic design. I saw it more than ten years ago and thought it was the best sofa in my ideal.To be honest, I have seen other Italian designs and books before. Although I liked it at the time, the price was quite expensive for me at the time. I bought it with my own salary for a month, and it has been used for ten years. Yes, and it's still in my living room.I think a good sofa is for a lifetime, and so is my passion for design.

The Beijing News: I feel that some of your styles seem to be closer to Japan, such as Haruki Murakami, Hibiki Tsuzuki, Tadao Ando... Many Japanese writers and artists pay attention to toilets, stoves, mattresses, mugs, T-shirts, Trivial items like alarm clocks, stainless steel teaspoons. Ouyang: The lifestyle in Japan certainly has an influence on me. Many TV dramas, comics, and movies have been transmitted from Japan to Hong Kong. It may have been TV dramas first, and then movies.In fact, there are several impacts from different cultures at the same time. If you compare them, you may be able to tell the size, but many of them are interactive. The Beijing News: The classic modern designs in Italy and Japan all pay attention to "fineness", while some areas in the mainland, especially in the north, may emphasize "roughness". Do you have any experience of this difference? Ouyang: That's right, but it doesn't have to be modern design to be good. It is also good if it is "rough" to a certain extent, has its own feeling, and has vitality.Thickness does not matter, just like the blue and white bowls in the north, which give people a very grand and simple feeling. I like it from the bottom of my heart. This is also a kind of design, and it can even be said to be the beauty of design without design. Talking about work and leisure: Do you think I am very casual? Beijing News: You said that you have been flying to Milan like a migratory bird for many years. Do you remember the first time you flew to Milan?Was there any difference between then and the most recent trip to Milan? Ouyang: I went to Milan Furniture Fair for the first time in 1989. To be honest, it was the best feeling when I went there for the first time, as if a window was suddenly opened and my eyes were wide open.I will go there every year after watching it for more than ten years. Of course, I feel that there is not much change. Now it is difficult to look at it from different angles. Some of them will be very interesting, and there are so-called trendy hypes. Some marketing strategies are actually very boring.But it's also interesting to see how they manipulate trends.I think I also have to keep updating my point of view so that I can understand it better. On the contrary, I am very excited to go to the mainland. Every time I go to Beijing or Shanghai, I find that the people in the mainland are very excited and come up with a lot of creative things, so I think "chaos" is good. If there are too many rules, there will be no vitality. Beijing News: What kind of equipment do you bring with you when you travel now?a laptop?Two digital cameras? Ouyang: I don't bring a computer, because I think I'm probably OK when I go out, and it's too heavy to bring a computer on the road.But I must bring a camera, but I haven't found an ideal digital camera yet, so I still use a traditional camera for reversal film. The Beijing News: Draw comics, do design, also do planning, also write articles, and also take pictures. How do you divide these different aspects?How to balance between interest and market?Will you consider "economic benefits" every time you travel now? Ouyang: Sometimes I don't care much about this distinction, and I don't use certain words to position myself.The main thing is my own mentality, how many words do I have to write if I don’t regard this as a job.I think there will always be someone in the market who will like it, and someone will share their experience.If you take the market as a market too much, and take the market rules of having a main target too seriously, it will not be fun.I don't think too much about my position in the market. The Beijing News: From 1997 to 1999, you worked for Hong Kong Commercial Radio, and now you often write articles for newspapers and magazines. What influence do you think the media has on you? Ouyang: Being a media person is also one of my identities.But within certain limits I must be involved in real design work, such as graphic design, interior design or acting as a design consultant.I don't think it's possible to just comment without real design. I want to have a balance between writing and design. Only with certain experience in the industry can I write serious cases and introduce them to readers. The Beijing News: From the book, your life seems to be very idle, without any pressure, in fact?I heard that you once ran a furniture store, and now you also have a company. Do you also have specific work pressure?What is the basic pattern of your daily life? Ouyang: Do you think I am casual?No, I'm actually very busy, but not in a messy way.I think rhythm is important, and sometimes it feels like I'm living the same life as the military.Every year, I have to pick a few places that are not affected by the city, and travel to places that retain my original appearance, such as India.But to be honest, except for the Antarctic and the North Pole, there are no places on the earth that are really not affected by external influences.But not for "reflection" Such seriousness does not always have a purpose, mainly for delicious food, to find interesting people, and sometimes for pure pleasure.At this time, you can completely ignore your work, and don't care what others think of you.In fact, it mainly depends on your own mentality, and look at the problem from a different angle.Although I am busy, I do what I like. Beijing News: You said that you have mixed interests, but you never read martial arts novels. Why?Because they are not urban enough? Ouyang: It's not that I hate martial arts novels, it's just that I haven't met my fate.It’s funny to say that I don’t know if the novel I read recently is considered a martial arts novel. Yes, after reading it, I found that it was a little enjoyable. Maybe I will read martial arts in the future.Recently, I am interested in the word "Jianghu" and find it interesting. Beijing News: Do you want to buy when you see a design you like?What is the one thing you most want right now? Ouyang: Actually, I don’t buy much. Many things I see are good, but I don’t think about buying them until I really need them.Besides, there are so many good designs in the world, it is impossible to buy them all, the most is to collect some information, or take pictures, and it is OK to know the story behind it. As for the favorite, I have already bought it!Do you know about the recent cartoon "The Incredibles"?I bought that Superman doll model, the big one, I like it a lot, as a birthday present for myself—of course, it’s already a birthday like 2046, and you always have to find an excuse to buy things. (Zhou Wenhan) There is only one reason for "mixing" in.