Chapter 83 Chapter 7 The Blooming City

Since I couldn't overcome the difficulties of the seventy miles, I resigned in early January 1968 and went to enroll at Indian University in Huacheng to concentrate on my studies.When I was applying for a visa in Taipei before going abroad, I met Guo Zhichao, a student of mine who was teaching translation at the Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Languages ​​of Tunghai University.He helped me find the dormitory at Indian University. With my status as a scholar and my age, I deserved a family dormitory. When I moved in in that cold early January, I saw a piece of paper nailed to the door, which said in Chinese: "Ms. Qi: We are friends of Guo Zhichao. He left the city today. We will come at eleven o'clock in the morning." Look at you. Xu Xiaohua and Cai Zhongxiong left a message." Not long after entering the house, I saw from the big window that there were two Chinese men in their twenties carrying a large basket towards me on the snow-covered hillside outside. come up.The baskets carried by these two lifelong friends of mine contain large and small pots, bowls, cups, plates, kettles, bottles, and a real curtain. A person has all the basic necessities of life.

This one-room dormitory has large glass windows, and the grass in front of the windows is spread to the bottom of the hillside. There is always a red-breasted bird that is only smaller than a pigeon walking on it. It is said to be a robin, but I read in English literature The robin is a rather spiritual bird, perhaps a barn variety in the American Midwest, too big to fly. 1968 was the most tiring and fulfilling year of my life.Since I sat at the window on January 8, people from the grassy slopes have always seen me bowing my head to read or type. I know most clearly that every day I steal from being a wife and mother! During the semester and one summer class, I risked my life to take six main courses: "Comparative Literature and Theory" and "Background and Development of Western Literature" were compulsory. "Literature and Modern Philosophy," "Western Literature Before the Sixteenth Century," "Literature and Culture," and "American Literature—Emerson's Era" are electives.

Professor Mueller (PrOf. Mueller) of "Literature and Culture" asked "Why?" half the time in the class, urging the listeners to think about the deep meaning in the book, such as presented by Thomas Mann and Goethe's "Faust" with different themes This kind of teaching method has a great influence on my later teaching. "American literature" radiates out from Emerson's "confidence" as the supreme existence that connects everything, and elevates American literature to a higher spiritual level.He spoke in detail and vividly, and I came prepared even more, understanding and absorbing every bit of it. Those precious years of seeking knowledge were only experienced in Leshan during the war—but now I am mature and calm, knowing exactly what I want, Also strive to seize every day.Back then, the literature classes at Indian University were top-notch even in the United States. I listened intently to these classes and took notes as much as possible. I often felt that the 50-minute class was too short.

There are more than 20 people in the class of "Western Literature Before the Sixteenth Century", speaking more than five different mother tongues, comforting each other in such a stressful "disaster".A Russian classmate who was really proficient in French, German, and Latin, a bearded man who was called a "monster" by teachers and students, actually asked Gros Louis, a teacher who had just received a Ph.D. Who is King Alfred? It is as embarrassing as asking the Chinese who is Qin Shihuang, and the students from various countries almost pushed him under the chair.

The most valuable thing about these classes is not only the lectures, but also the list of reference books, ranging from a few pages to as many as 80 pages.These reference books are the most useful guidance for me after I return to Taiwan; especially the course "Background and Development of Western Literature" is compulsory for the whole school, and the professor is a big name in the English department. feel.His full lecture class was in a very large classroom. In three months, he built a mental bookshelf for me, and taught me to put the scattered knowledge and thoughts on the context of overall development, so that they would not be lost. In the future, I will read and find The ins and outs also inspired me to study the path of epic and utopian literature in my life.Know the source first, and then move forward.

Before the end of the semester on May 20th, I wrote three reports on the small typewriter day and night. After taking an exam, I went back to the dormitory and fell asleep immediately, sleeping until midnight. Suddenly, there was a bright moon in the sky outside the window. Thinking of it, Baoyu woke up and saw the same moon.I am a modern woman, burdened with the guilt of leaving my family, in a small room on a foreign campus, I really don’t know how to be comfortable in this world of mortals! I got up and wrote a letter to my parents in tears, expressing the sadness In their 70s, how could I have imagined that this would increase their worries...), the next morning, I walked down the hillside and put the letter into the mailbox, and walked back halfway up the hillside and couldn’t walk anymore. I sat on the grass and bowed my head and cried for a long time.At that time, I was circling in my heart (Chunjiang Huayueye): "Last night, the dream in the leisure pool fell, and the pity Chunban didn't return home." The situation in the poem. Just at this time, the little friend Cai Zhongxiong and Xingji couple drove by, and they came up to take me to the Ballentine College of Arts Behind the hall, the whole road is full of pile flowers. The red and white pile flowers are dense and not crowded. Each branch can stretch freely and gracefully, which has become another dream in my life's poetry.

A few days later, I went to the department to get the semester report card. There were three A's in four courses and one A-, totaling 4.0.I asked another friend, Xu Xiaohua, what does this 4.0 represent?He just received a Ph.D. in the Department of Physics and said, it is straight A! It is the glory of us Chinese! I said, wait for the glory. What a high price to pay... There are so many famous teachers from all over the summer class, and I have to take three fierce courses.With the guilt of leaving home, I was able to enter this treasure mountain, and I couldn't waste a day.During this period of hard study, my biggest world is the sky outside the big glass window and the ever-changing clouds: the news about Taiwan comes from my family letter and the aviation edition of "Central Daily" seven days ago, and the shabby room in Huahua City is the place in my life. The closest place I've ever lived to heaven.

My only living or social circle is a few Chinese classmates and their families.At that time, Indian University had about 300 Chinese students, nine out of ten were from Taiwan, about one tenth were from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, and there was not a single mainland student.That year their Cultural Revolution nightmare had just begun, Politically, Taiwan has not yet been divided into its own province and other provinces, and everyone is pure-hearted.Take care of each other.School leavers pack usable household items in large cardboard boxes and distribute them to newcomers when school starts.There are several small lakes surrounded by lush trees outside Huahua City. They often invite me when they drive there.Once, it was to match Yang Qiaoxia and Zeng Ye, who used to live with me.There were six cars of people who drove to the lakeside to "look at the moon" and sang Chinese songs loudly. It was too late and they were "driven away" by the police.Several times I drove to Chicago with Xu Xiaohua, Cai Zhongxiong, and Hu Yaoheng, and to Ohio, Iowa... what I saw on a long distance.It made me see the vast Midwest of the United States, and the big barn that covers thousands of miles, and made me miss the fertile fields of my father's hometown.

The famous library of Indian University and her bookstore are the places I go to most often.In the Far East Library, which occupies half a floor, I met Professor Deng Siyu (TengsSu, Ssu, 1906-1988), who is a respected expert on modern Chinese history in the academic circle.His English works "History of the Taiping Uprising", "A New View on the History of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom", and "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Prime Minister Hong Renxuan and His Modernization Plan" were all published by Harvard University and are must-read books for Western Sinology studies.Professor Deng, a native of Hunan, although he went to the United States in his early years, has settled down and established a career. He is deeply concerned about China's suffering. We have a lot to talk about.When he retired, the Indian University hosted a feast to see him off, and he even invited me to sit at the same table.At the meeting, the school read a letter from John King Fairbank (l907-1991) of Harvard University. The letter said that when he first came to Harvard to study Sinology, Professor Deng gave him various guidance, and he would always be grateful to this model Chinese scholar. .

Such a simple and happy study life was forced to stop in the winter vacation of 1968.The condition for applying for Fulbright-funded advanced studies at the beginning is that there must be a teaching job, and the time limit is only one year, and the stay in the United States cannot be postponed for studying for a degree.I've applied for a six-month extension, so I'll have to go back to St. Mary's in the woods to teach for another semester.During that semester, I went to Terre Haute State University to read "English Literature in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries". Professor MUllen, who taught the class, was an expert in the study of Spencer's poems.The other "Literary Criticism" course is also very substantial, which will be of great help to my future research, and Indian University recognizes these six credits.I went back to Blossom City to take the master's degree exam and passed it. I only need to take six more credits of French courses to get a master's degree-but I have not been able to go back to study for a degree in this life.

When the exchange scholar visa expires.I am still hesitating whether to apply for another half-year extension.At this time, a letter came from my father.He said that Yuchang has been working hard, and your family urgently needs you to come back.Now that the legal deadline for signing the exchange program has expired, what has been promised must be complied with. In the Bible Genesis, Jacob dreams of a ladder to heaven.I also dreamed of my academic ladder in the spring flowers and winter snow in the flower city of Indiana University. The people who go up and down on the top of the ladder seem to be angels.And in my initial stage.The ladder was removed.It has brought me melancholy for many years, and it takes a lot of awakening and wisdom to accept my fate. There is no academic ladder in this world.There are no angels either.Although I was recalled by reality, I did not fall from the ladder.I finally understand that my whole life, since my sickly childhood, I have been climbing up the stone ladder with books one after another, word by word, and never stop.