Chapter 119 Southbound Communications

Southbound Communications I have stayed in Beiping for three and a half years. Except for the irreparable loss of losing a family member last winter, thank you for everything else—as usual, I should say thank God or God, but now I don’t know who to say. I had no choice but to go through the gate for the time being——at last it passed safely.These three and a half years have been troubled times in China, but I have never left Peiping, so I am finally happy, although I only think of one person. For me, maybe we can say that for some of us, Beiping is really the only good place in China in my imagination.A few years ago, Mr. Zhou Qiming wrote that Beiping is the best place to live in China. Mr. Sun Chuntai also wrote an article "Peking About", praising the benefits of Beiping: Times have changed a lot in recent years, but my opinion is still the same as theirs. Same.The benefits of a place are the same as those of a person. You don’t usually feel it, but when you leave or lose it, it becomes clear one by one.Let me say a few good things about Beiping now. If you live in Beiping, you may find it ridiculous, and say that I am unnecessary?

The best thing about Peking is that it is big.From the palace to the courtyard of the residence, to the road under the locust tree and willow.A friend from the north came back from the south and said his impressions: "I can't bear that kind of courtyard!" In fact, the suffocating streets in many places in the south are also unbearable to people in Peking.As for the trees, they are not only large but also abundant; some people say that Peiping is only green when viewed from an airplane.When a person comes to live in Peiping, unconsciously his eyes widen and his heart expands; I often think that it is best for children to be raised in Peiping, and that is why.The reason why Beiping is big is because it has been the capital for hundreds of years; it has people from all over the world in its arms, and people of all kinds, and it is also because of the culture created or imported by these people.Shanghai is also a city with mixed places, but it only has industry and commerce, so we only feel that it is noisy and dirty.Some Shanghainese are smart and cunning; but they don't understand generosity.

The second best thing about Peking is Shenzhen.We all know that there are many books in Peking.But there are more good things besides books.For example, calligraphy and paintings, bronze wares, stone carvings, rubbings, even porcelain, jade wares, etc., are already rich in public collections, and private collections also have their own specialties; and the cabinet archives are extremely precious modern historical materials, and they are well known to all.Cultural relics of Chinese history, language, literature, and fine arts are gathered in Beiping; most of the talents in these fields are also concentrated here.The depth of Peiping will be unfathomable in the near future.Mr. Hu Shizhi said that there are so many libraries in Beiping, but there is only one in Shanghai, which is not yet a public library.This is also an important difference between Beiping and Shanghai.

Beiping's third best thing is to be idle.If Shanghai can be said to represent modern times, then Peiping represents the Middle Ages.Everything in Peking always has a leisurely and unhurried flavor.Just like the tram, how fast it is in Shanghai, many people jump on and off the train.The cars in Peiping were walking on the wide road, and they didn't seem to be busy at all.After 9:00 p.m., it is true that people are walking fast; but there are only a few people left in the car, as if they are going for a ride in a car, and they still don’t feel busy at all—sometimes driving by Huailin on East Chang’an Street However, with the lush trees and sparse lights covering each other, there is still a sense of euphoria.There are actually very few real idlers in Beiping, but there is always a sense of idleness in everyone's bones.I also like the busyness of modern times, but I seem to be closer to the idleness of the Middle Ages.But maybe this is because of staying in Peking for a long time.

After writing here, I feel that I seem to have forgotten the times.What I praise seems to be only the remnants of feudalism, the things of "Boolean" or small "Boolean"; but now it is said that it must be "provincial", which is a bit embarrassing.I really love Peiping, and the Peking I love is as mentioned above.I did not or could not "acquire" the "ideology" of the "pro" nor could I "overcome" myself;There is nothing wrong with not speaking, but talking is probably not a crime now; as for lying, I can say subtly, "I don't have that art yet," or simply say, "I don't have that art yet." Courage!" Fortunately, I am writing this letter to some friends, and it probably doesn't matter if I let them read my truth.

I am alone in Peiping now, and this time I am going back to my hometown.But I don't feel like I'm going home at all, everything is like going out to be a guest.Beiping has become my spiritual home, and I thought about returning before I left; I planned to go for five weeks, but thinking about the patios, humidity, and mosquitoes in the south, I might return in a month.Speaking of humidity, on the day of my departure, I hated Peiping a little.Every summer, there are several heavy rains in Beiping as usual, and it often lasts for several days.At a banquet a few days ago, someone asked me where I would go to escape the summer heat; I replied that I would go to Shanghai; he knew that Shanghai was not a place to escape the summer heat.But I knew he needed to avoid the summer heat, so I asked, is it Beidaihe?After he agreed, he said: "Beiping is too hot, and the usual rain is coming soon, so it's no fun!"I probably said "yes" at the time, but I really didn't know why the summer rain in Peiping was so boring!Last year, I sat in a big room watching the summer rain outside the glass curtain, and went to the porch to watch the running water in the courtyard, and I thought it was interesting.But this time it hurt me.Not first, not later, this summer's rainy season just started on the morning of my departure!The torrential rain may not be bad for me sitting in the big house, but it is a kind of tyranny for me who is about to start my unfamiliar travel life.I drenched from the western suburbs into Beiping City like this, and fell asleep in resentment.When I awoke it was raining, and I took the morning train to Tianjin with these gloomy feelings.

On July 10th, Tianjin Marunaka. When a certain gentleman went south, I asked him to write some letters, and now I pay for this "grass", hoping to come "from source to source".He went to the south of the Yangtze River in the midst of the great heat, and blamed Zhang and Li for the heat, but it was hard to say.Although this article contains a lot of nostalgia for Peiping, it is quite fair.However, the last paragraph quotes a certain gentleman who needs to avoid the summer heat and curses the rain in Peiping, but it may not always be the case.I thought it would be better to curse the ashes of the censer.

Pingji on July 19th. (Originally published in Issue 12 of "Camel Grass" on July 28, 1930)