Chapter 4 Chapter Four

Liu Suola: I know a soprano who won several gold medals at the same time in the 1980s. Her singing is very good.After going abroad, she told me honestly that she was facing a crisis, that is: Chinese musicians only practice music for the sake of winning awards, so they are especially able to win awards, and they practice all day long for competition events. But it is difficult to find a job when you come out, because there are too few repertoires, and you don’t have the cultivation of Western opera actors. Although they are all trained by music colleges, Western opera actors are familiar with all musical scores from classical to modern, while Chinese operas Actors only know the few award-winning songs.I remember what O'Need Cowman said to me: Some people do classical music not because they love music, but because of their family's face—parents think that their children are decent if they are classical musicians.I think this kind of thing is more prevalent in Asia, so the topic of music is always difficult to go deep, even the musicians themselves are not interested.But having said that, European opera is not a tradition of Chinese opera, and it is not easy to imitate other people's things better than others.But the question is, whether it is making folk music or western music, how to do it with "heart"? Where is the "heart"?

Zha Jianying: This problem did not end with the 1980s, it still exists now, and it even intensifies.Parents and teachers in China all know the term "examination-taking generation", which means that everything is for the college entrance examination, from elementary school to middle school, and middle school to university, all for the exam. It is the fastest, and the test scores will be the highest, but such graduates lack the ability of independent thinking and practical work ability after they come out.This kind of education does not emphasize general knowledge, but cultivates one-sided people. He may have a strong point, but it is difficult for him to have a broad vision and a graceful, calm, and nourishing temperament.

The problem is that half of Americans can go to college after graduating from high school, and only 5% in China; in China, passing the college entrance examination is the only relatively fair way for many ordinary people and poor people with no relevant background to change their destiny.The competition is so fierce, he has no choice but to sprint on this single-plank bridge, and he has no time to enjoy the learning process and happiness. In this case, you use the standard of noble elite education to ask him to talk about the state of understanding by analogy and forgetting words when he is proud.If he didn't memorize the "words" by heart, he wouldn't even think about going to college.What's more terrible is that the content of this "word" and the way behind this test are still the guiding ideology of the great unity. What it emphasizes and commends is not free, independent, lively thinking and inquiry, but unified thinking, standard answer.It’s like clamping a baby’s tender head with forceps, and pouring him/her artificial milk prepared according to your various ratios. Is this feeding method and growth process normal?Some parents know that this kind of education suppresses the personality of their children, so they have to bite their teeth and force their children for the sake of their future. It is really pitiful for both adults and children.Then I went to university and went to the next goal: to study abroad.I have seen a report that a girl from Peking University lost her mind as soon as she received a letter from a certain American university offering her a scholarship, walked out of the campus in a trance and disappeared.At that time, I remembered the story of Fan Jinzhongju, and it was really uncomfortable.The same is true for winning awards. The whole thing is to make people focus on one goal: to win glory for the family or the nation.Perhaps this is a common symptom of education in third world countries that are determined to catch up and succeed. They are tight and desperate, a bit like Zhang Depei playing tennis back then. He was so small that he had to run desperately...

Liu Suola: The difference between the 1980s and today is that there is still a bit of elitism, and the artists at that time devoted themselves to making art.The sad thing is that I don't know my limitations, and I don't know the real challenges I will face abroad. I accidentally make a noise and think it will shock the world. In fact, I am still a frog in a well, but I am simple.People at that time didn't really know how to calculate, and they didn't know that there would be various opportunities in the world, and those opportunities that appeared later were not expected.After the 1980s, and from the 1990s to the present, people have a sense of management. They have a purpose when they start learning, and they know how to play every move.In literature, I know how to make layouts, know what to say that can sell well; in art, I can take shortcuts, know how to use concepts to omit skills, etc.It can also be said that people in the 1980s are still relatively humble compared to people after the 1990s.Most of the people in the 1980s had experienced the "Cultural Revolution" and queue jumping, and they had more or less hippie-style concepts. In addition, they were full of elite ambitions. When this kind of contradictory people went abroad, they could neither completely relax like hippies. , and there is no foreign elite-style training, nor does it understand the business operation of art.For example, some music elites are still discussing whether they are masters or whether they are successful after going out for fifteen years.Foreign musicians never discuss such "big" issues. Instead, they can master any music score, are interested in any music, and understand that music is a job they like. They need to manage and learn. What a fuss.Foreign musicians don't care about winning awards, but about living in music first, and then managing music.And we have been trained not to enjoy music - all sounds were once for the service of society, can we enjoy it?It's always arguing about right and wrong - whoever betrays the tradition and who is unconventional is rebellious; I don't have music business training, so I don't have any moral principles or aesthetic principles when I start my business. Anyway, I either become a bitch or set up a memorial arch , just can’t be a normal person to enjoy normal art.

Everyone has gone abroad, the world is big, and there are noises all around, how to continue?who are we?Putting yourself on the ground hurts your self-esteem too much. Being pampered in China and being an ordinary person makes you psychologically unbalanced, so you use arrogance to maintain yourself, sit at home and call yourself a master, you can close your eyes and not see the outside world: I It is professionally trained!Not an amateur!Not folk!Not even popular!I know notation! ! …Actually, if someone who engages in Western music doesn’t understand Western ideology, just like someone who engages in Chinese music doesn’t understand Chinese painting, no matter how many prizes you win, you won’t be able to treat your work in a normal state of mind.You can't enjoy it, you just think about how to let people admit it.

Zha Jianying: Let people admit that this is a key word.Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor wrote an article titled: "The Politics of Recognition", which talked about the psychological deep-rooted mentality of disadvantaged nations and groups that others—especially powerful nations and groups—recognize. desires and needs.I think this desire for "recognition" is very human, because it is connected with "dignity" among the weak, or in a more Chinese word, it is "have face".Since the Opium War, this kind of psychology has permeated in the blood of our nation. We can analyze it, reflect on it, and criticize it, reminding everyone not to turn life into "sacrificing face and suffering".But I really don't know if it can be changed, because it is difficult for a person to enjoy when he is turned over.Just like you remind Zhang Depei: Hey, don't be nervous, take it easy, the outside world is very exciting!Can he hear it?He felt that as soon as he relaxed, he would be out of the game. Once he was out of the game, his sky would collapse, and he would lose his share in the wonderful world.In other words, unless he doesn't participate and doesn't worry about whether the judges admit him or not, it will be difficult for him to turn playing into enjoyment.This has something to do with the education system and learning attitude, with physical and psychological conditions, and also with the status of the Chinese in the game of globalization.Like Sampras and Agassi, the innate conditions are much superior to Zhang Depei, and the demeanor is very different all the way up the game-Zhang Depei is still the best among Chinese Americans, and he is also a top player who was born and raised in the United States and was cultivated by that system.If it were changed to playing table tennis or Go, the situation might be completely different, and the Orientals would immediately appear to be more at ease.But now you feel that little ping pong is not enjoyable enough, and you want to play tennis, then it is really not easy for you to play, because it is not something that grows from your soil.