Chapter 104 Section 11 Advocating the Establishment of a National Literature Museum

Establishment of the National Museum of Literature.This is my last challenge to the government's cultural policy with my own power.At the end of March 1998, a newspaper reported that the Legislative Yuan Review Committee planned to attach the National Literature Museum, which had been in preparation for many years, to the "National Cultural Assets Preservation Research Center" of the Cultural Development Council. It could not be established alone, or it could be attached to the university The college incident made me feel that the academic world has been fooled by politics again.Because as far back as seven years ago, the Cultural Construction Association was planned by Mr. Huang Wuzhong and others. Four or five experts and scholars and I were invited to visit Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung and other places under the sun for many times. Luo Zongtao was with us. , Chen Wanyi and other Chinese professors.After half a year of discussion, it was decided to open a museum in Tainan, and then they delayed it for many years, and now it is like this!

The next morning was the 20th anniversary celebration of Jiuge Publishing House. I had been invited to give a "VIP Speech". I thought about it for a long time that night and decided to say something about this matter besides the congratulatory speech.This shouldn't be my only anger.Such gatherings are real literary gatherings, and many have known me for years.At the venue, I explained in detail my relationship with this matter and the time and effort I spent. The only expectation is to give our literature a "home", which must not be mixed with historical sites, cultural relics, preservation techniques, etc., under the eaves of the yamen Hang a lonely sign and collect some yellowed manuscripts.

Because in Taiwan’s political environment, only literature is transcendent, or can not be affected by political parties and the economy: if it is named the National Literature Museum, Taiwan’s future will be unified and independent, and it has the dignity of literature. No guts to overthrow a "country".My impassioned speech not only aroused the enthusiastic response of the literary friends at the meeting, but on the next day, April 1st, various newspapers reported it quite prominently. The cultural page of "United Daily News" emphasized the importance of this museum with a very eye-catching title: "No National Museum of Literature--The Shame of Literature", and attached a photo of me clenching my fist in front of the microphone and shouting loudly, writing in half the length of the page The speeches of the experts and the perverse preparatory process for the establishment of the museum reflect the absurdity under the compromise of political reality...

These voices really had an effect, and soon we received invitations from several cultural and education legislators in the Legislative Yuan to hold hearings.I think my public appeal has demonstrated my sincere hope that there should be more voices and strength. Before the conference, I wrote a letter to Xiang Yang (Lin Qizhen), hoping that they would use the poet’s insight (Vision) to strengthen the center I proposed Imagery, I write like this: When people talk about the "Palace of Literature", they sometimes have a sense of irony; but when thinking of the Literature Hall, I think it should have the solemn meaning of a palace in terms of its educational function, so it is not appropriate to hang a signboard with other practical work organizations That's all.

This museum should have a bright center that attracts people as soon as you enter it, such as the dome of the main hall of the cathedral, or the modern display core, using various sound, light, color and electricity technologies to explain what literature is changing with each passing day? Surrounding it It is the achievements and current situation of Taiwanese literature, the achievements and current situation of world literature.In the back is collection and display.It is not a dead collection, but a living dialogue: you can get some inspiration, agitation or more thinking after entering this door, at least not going out empty-handed.

Such a symbolic museum may not be able to be built at present, but in the long run, we should first explain or describe a real ideal. Maybe the government, or even private donations, can build a dignified and independent country The Literary Museum is far above politics. I know that the current chairperson of the Council for Cultural Affairs, Lin Chengzhi, has done his best to fight for the establishment of an independent museum.I hope that everyone will build a vision together. Xiang Yang is a poet with flexible writing but calm artistic conception. Tao Wangji, the translator of PEN Quarterly, translated his four series of long poems "Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter" into English, so he is a friend who can talk. He knows Lan Xi and I am a young literary friend who is loyal to "our Taiwan".He once edited the Zili Supplement of Zili Evening News, and paid more attention to the situation of Taiwanese literature.In the same year, he also wrote a full-blown article "Building a New Hometown of Taiwan Literature", which gave birth to the Literature Museum. We are most afraid that under the so-called "cultural policy", it will be just a sign hanging in a corner, losing its literary application. Some dignity.Perhaps our efforts were not in vain. In October 2003, the newly-named "National Taiwan Literature Museum" was refurbished from the old site of Tainan Bingmaying and opened brilliantly.I saw in news reports that the first director of the curator Lin Ruiming (poet Lin Fan) of Chenggong University and the deputy director Chen Changming (dean of the School of Liberal Arts of Chengda University) were actually students in my "Advanced English" class at National Taiwan University! This one The building with vicissitudes of history is now majestically named as the Literature Museum, standing between oblivion and memory, it will always have more years than personal life, and concretely witness our struggle and heart.

In recent years, more than a dozen universities in Taiwan have established Taiwan Literature Research Institutes, from Tsinghua University's Chen Wanyi, Chengda University's Lu Xingchang and other founders, to the school's newly established National Chengchi University Chen Fangming, Chung Hsing University Qiu Guifen, National Taiwan University He Jipeng, Ke Qingming, Mei Jialing is my student.Sometimes looking at the agendas and themes of various conferences, I really feel my hard work in the classroom in those years.Seeds have been planted! At that moment, I wanted to sing the hymn "Praise of the Puyao" three or six five times:

"Bury it and let the red flowers bloom everywhere, and life will never end." And over the years, of course, I have stopped to ask myself: teaching, commenting, translating, and doing communication work, so I am married and busy for half my life.So why come?But every stop.I always hear some drums, and the drums from far and near seem to be calling me, or is that still my childhood wish?During the anti-Japanese parade in Changsha, even though the huge drum was carried by my companions, I still beat the parade drum with my thin right arm...