Chapter 61 I have never had a study that could be called a "study" in my life

To be honest, I haven't had a study that can really be called a study in my life! My father used to have a study, although it was very small, less than twelve square meters. It was in the small third room in the east wing of a small courtyard house with two lights and one dark room.The bright one was used as a living room, and the "dark" one was used as a study. In this small study, there is a bookcase against the north wall, with two glass doors on the upper half, and there are some Chinese and foreign books inside.In the middle are two drawers, which contain letters from many old friends and poems written by them.

In the lower half are two board doors, where thread-bound books and papers are placed.Under the west window is a horizontally placed desk with a pen stand, inkstone, seal and inkpad box, and a chair with a backrest in front of the desk.There are also two straight-backed chairs against the east wall, a tea table in the middle, and tea sets on the tea table. The room is full.There is a banner on the wall above this coffee table, which is a pine tree and has a poem inscribed on it. I can’t remember which uncle gave it to me. Today's body size is ten circumference. If you don't make dragon scales and crane covers, you will miss her beautiful appearance if she comes back.

This study left a deep impression on me, because many conversations between my father and me, such as talking about the "Lighthouse", were carried out in this small study. As for me, since I was able to read and write, I have always placed a small desk in front of the bedroom window, and a small bookshelf next to the desk, that's all.When I was teaching and translating books, I was in the office of the school, where there was no bed, but the office was not mine alone, and there were desks on the left, right and opposite. In the past few decades, in China and abroad, there were times when the desk was not placed in the bedroom, but this time was very short, and there were not many books on the bookshelf, because most of the books were lost!

Now, there is also a desk in front of the bedroom window, but this room is larger and the windows are big and bright.I have seven bookcases, three in the living room, and four more on the two walls in front of the bedroom window! (In recent years, I have received too many books as gifts, so I had to pick some out and put them in the wall cabinet in the corridor.) Now this bedroom and study room is bright and clean. There is a pot of Clivia on the window sill, which was given by a friend. I don’t know how to serve it, and it only grows leaves. I don’t know when it will bloom. Sometimes there is a bottle of roses on the table, as well as pen holders, inkstones, table lamps, calendars, etc., and two dictionaries: one is the small "English-Chinese Dictionary" and the other is "Xinhua Dictionary", because whether you write When reading Chinese or reading English, I often forget the words when I pick up the pen, or I can't "spell" a word in English, so I have to turn to these two small dictionaries.

There are often guests in this "half room" study.In recent years, I have had limited mobility, unless I am a stranger or there are too many guests, I only get up and go to the living room.Therefore, when acquaintances come, especially young friends, they will come into my study as soon as they come, and there are often laughter and conversations here, which is really "there are great scholars in talking and laughing".I will not mention the names of these great Confucian scholars, so as not to be suspected of "excusing the light". Besides, during the day, my daughter, son-in-law and their children are out of school, and the house is very quiet.My partner, Comrade Chen  (she is my younger son-in-law's sister), only sits in the living room reading a book or knitting, and she comes in to notify me when there is a call or a guest.Also, there is my daughter’s baby kitten, it will jump on my desk twice in the morning and afternoon, sit on my letterhead or manuscript paper, come to me for dried fish, and the rest of the time is myself that's it.

But don't think that I have plenty of time to write.I have many customers, many calls, many letters to answer, many books to read, and more chores!If it weren't for the heavy snow today, which suppressed my restless mood, I don't know when this "My Study" will be handed in!On the morning of heavy snow on December 17, 1986