Joy in the Republic of China

Author: Dai Xiong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Beyond the setting sun, the homing birds lose their traces. As the sunset fades its light, it's like a coin has flipped its side, transitioning from the stage to life. There's the clamor of red wine and green lights, the intoxication of singing and dancing, the exhilaration of gambling, and the tranquility of birdsong and fragrant flowers. Published by Jiangsu Literature and Art Press, the series "Eating in the Republic of China," "Drinking in the Republic of China," "Having Fun in the Republic of China," and "Enjoying Life in the Republic of China" recreate the vibrant and colorful life of the Republic of China era.
At dusk, the dinner at Yuan Shikai's "Presidential Palace" has just begun. On the table are the steamed ducks and braised Yellow River carp that Yuan Shikai particularly enjoys. He picks up an ivory chopstick and pierces the duck, rolling a large piece of skin onto it in three swipes before skillfully placing it in his mouth. Under the bright lights of Nanjing's Confucius Temple, the Six Dynasties Tea House is bustling with people—some drinking tea, others singing, while vendors call out cheap dumplings and shredded silk. Even poor students can spend a few copper coins here to join the fun.
Outside a Western-style bar in Shanghai, a stylish bartender stands by the door, eagerly greeting passing customers in the dim light. In a heavily guarded mansion in Beijing, under the glow of a lamp, two men sit facing each other, playing Go. One is the Prime Minister of the Republic of China, Duan Qirui, and the other is the Go genius, Wu Qingyuan.
Unlike general conceptual introductions and academic research works, this series delves into these life details, where characters, stories, and scenes are vividly presented through a gentle narration, as if watching a slide show from the past. Recently, a newspaper in Chengdu reported that a celebrity visited Chengdu for a performance, and fans swarmed the scene. A young man was pushed and struck by the celebrity's bodyguards, slapped three times in the face. Yet, after the beating, he claimed it was worth it, as these slaps were for the chance to get closer to his idol. The world is indeed vast, and there are people of all kinds.
While chasing stars and idols, those who can offer luxury cars and mansions to celebrities achieve very different results. The pursuit of stars in the Republic of China era, however, had a different method. In the sixth year of the Republic, Guangxi warlord Lu Rongting entered the capital and asked the former emperor and empress about their pleasures beyond the Manchu-Han feast. Those in the know told him to listen to Tan Xianpei's opera. At that time, the Peking opera master Tan Xianpei was already seriously ill and no longer performed on stage. Yet, the warlord demanded that Tan Xianpei perform, threatening to destroy the theater and confiscate his family's property if he refused. Even Tan Xianpei, despite having served emperors and empresses, had no choice but to perform, singing "The Three Stars Return," despite his illness. This performance turned out to be the last of a master (see "Having Fun in the Republic of China").
The same goes for eating, drinking, and having fun—some value taste, others extravagance, some care about face, and others seek practicality. From these small matters, we can glimpse the personal character and integrity of the Republic of China's prominent figures and their connection to their successes and failures. This is also what makes this series engaging.
The difference between eras may lie only in the sunlight and the stage. Beyond the setting sun, in life, it's all the same. Just like the same prescription, individual temperaments differ. As for the clamor of pleasure, the intoxication of wealth and luxury, it's just that the sun still sets, and people change. Eating, drinking, and having fun hold both a big world and a higher realm. This book is an old calendar, a folk painting, featuring the shadows of high-ranking officials and the prayers of ordinary people. There's the comfort of birdsong and fragrant flowers, and the struggle on the Go board.
"Having Fun in the Republic of China" takes you into their lives, reminiscing about the passing years. "Having Fun in the Republic of China." Though not a peaceful era, people in any time have never reduced their pursuit or appreciation of "fun," even with a sense of resilience and optimism in hardship. Music, calligraphy, painting, and poetry, flowers, birds, fish, and insects—perhaps this reflects humanity's innate love for pleasure? "Having Fun in the Republic of China" reveals behind the (leisurely enjoyment) lies the customs and refined tastes of a nation, the "absurd words and bitter tears" of the literati and scholars of the Republic of China era.
Flowers, birds, fish, and insects, music, calligraphy, painting—there's always a love for pleasure in human nature. In "Having Fun in the Republic of China," more stories belong to those who find joy in hardship, the "absurd words and bitter tears" of the literati and scholars of the Republic of China era.