Seeking the Roots of Survival: My Reflections

Author: Qian Liqun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This book is a collection of Qian Liqun Professor's post-retirement thoughtful works. The author, with great passion, focuses on major events in contemporary life and delves into them with deep reflection. Through keen observations and profound analysis, he reveals aspects of events and phenomena that are often overlooked. Academic norms, university reforms, world peace, and cultural reconstruction all reflect a strong humanistic concern derived from historical experience and realistic analysis. On June 27, 2002, Qian Liqun finished his last lecture and bid farewell to the stage of Peking University. The professor once said that after retirement, he felt a sense of freedom: he could now think and speak freely without the constraints of status or position. This book is a product of such "random thoughts" and "ramblings," titled "Retrospections," which literally means "a record of reflections after retirement," but also carries the meaning of "retreat and open horizons." Because the writing was done in a somewhat unstructured manner, the resulting work is scattered and boundless, ultimately forming five volumes.
The mountains of Yunnan and Guizhou gather in abundance (1). The mountains of Guizhou, with ten thousand peaks, form a nation—or as the saying goes, "Opening the door reveals mountains." If you are from Guizhou, you will have a personal understanding of this phrase; if you are a visitor from afar, the moment you enter Guizhou, mountains greet you. And our Guizhou Reader begins with mountains as well. This can all be called a "connection with mountains." The question is how to view these mountains, and specifically the mountains of Guizhou. This unit includes Tian Wen's On Mountains and Waters, a former governor of Guizhou, who wrote: "The landscapes of Qianyang are extraordinary, as if crafted by divine hands, making them worthy of being placed among the best in the Central Plains. Scholars and high-ranking officials would surely not stop their journey. However, living in this remote land, I have not had the chance to witness them, and the spirit of these mountains seems to have been unlucky." This expresses a sense of injustice toward Guizhou's extraordinary mountains and waters. Outsiders know little and view Guizhou as a wild and backward place; those born there take its uniqueness for granted, yet due to its location in the Miao region, they are often ashamed to mention it and regard the phrase "no place is flat for three li," as quite derogatory. However, with the increasing popularity of "developing Guizhou," people have begun to think differently. Many scholars have pointed out that the prerequisite for development is a correct understanding of Guizhou's "provincial conditions," and that Guizhou, as a "mountainous nation," should be the starting point of discussion: "In Guizhou, all material resources and living conditions necessary for human survival and development are provided by the mountains. This is the foundation of Guizhou's culture and the material support for the people of Guizhou. Mountains and Guizhou are deeply intertwined in a vital connection."—The final piece in this unit, Guardians on the Cliff, deeply discusses the life-affirming feelings of a child from the mountains. Thus, the saying "Guizhou culture is 'mountain culture'" has emerged.
Dear readers, how do you view the relationship between mountains, Guizhou, and the people of Guizhou?—Perhaps you know little about Guizhou and cannot offer an opinion; then, wait until you "travel through Guizhou" with this book before discussing it.
(2) The long and winding mountain paths
The most striking feature of this unit is probably the four "Guizhou Road Maps," spanning over two thousand years. They evoke a long historical memory: during the late Warring States period, Zhuo Jiu, the man who discovered Guizhou, quietly cleared paths through the mountains; in the Han Dynasty, opening the Yelang Road required the mobilization of thousands of soldiers and laborers, taking nearly two decades; and in the Ming Dynasty, major repairs to the post roads cost countless lives and resources. The ancestors of Guizhou built these roads, great and small, between towns, between urban and rural areas, and between villages, with their lives and sweat. The people of Guizhou have lived for generations on these winding mountain paths, seeking survival and development, struggling against nature and fate with will and labor. How many imaginations does the long and winding mountain path evoke? Who traveled these roads in Guizhou back then! "Flowers and birds line the road, startling the old spring; battlements rise to the clouds as evening opens," Wang Yangming, on his way to his destination in Longchang, looked ahead at the boundless wilderness. The battlements, the setting sun, the pavilions, and the evening bells—all were common imagery in Tang Dynasty frontier poems. "A valiant man suddenly fires a cannon, startling the mountains to cry to the sky," Lin Zexu, who went to take the Yunnan provincial examinations as a Hanlin academician, was in the prime of his career and free of shadows. Upon entering Guizhou for the first time, the extraordinary landscapes filled him with and excitement. "The ridge ends, boats cross the river, waves surge and crash against the sky," Huang Zhizhong, who had been serving as the magistrate of Dading for years, was already accustomed to the mountain paths and took a serene attitude, admiring the landscapes along the way. Whether desolate, passionate, or distant, people of different identities and circumstances created such rich poetic imagery when facing the mountain paths.
As modern Chinese and people of Guizhou, what do you think of when you walk on rural paths or ancient post roads? The author of The Soul of the Ancient Road writes with a somber tone about his reflections, and you might as well put pen to paper and express your own thoughts.
(3) The reverence of this southern mountain
The magic of Fanjing Mountain lies in its inclusivity: in terms of scenery, it "collects the extraordinary, perilous, elegant, and majestic beauty of the Five Great Mountains"; in terms of its natural ecosystem, one mountain houses three regional animal systems—Central China, South China, and Southwest China—and over 730 species of forest trees. Around it, several ethnic groups such as the Miao, Dong, Qiang, Tujia, and Gelao live. People praise Fanjing Mountain as Guizhou's most famous mountain, and there is good reason for this: to some extent, we can consider Fanjing Mountain as a symbol of Guizhou's landscapes and even Guizhou culture: 'This mountain is revered' is no exaggeration. The magic of Fanjing Mountain also lies in the fact that both its landscapes and ecological environment have been preserved relatively intact. When human living environments are destroyed to a point of horror by themselves, suddenly discovering this "pure land" will naturally evoke a sense of wonder. The reason for this is not only that the steep mountain paths have become a natural barrier for Fanjing Mountain's self-protection, but mainly because the mountain people still hold a "reverence for the sacred mountain." Even local officials understood the need to set up "prohibition of logging" stones, saying, "Trees and grass are the essence of mountains and rivers; mountains and rivers are the lifeblood of a prefecture. Ten years of planning for trees—how much more for these towering mountains and lush forests? It should be stopped, and logging is forbidden; otherwise, it is not acceptable." In the face of "towering mountains and lush forests," not even the slightest carelessness is allowed! Do not underestimate these two words, "reverence": today, many Chinese people lack reverence for nature and are crazily "wasting the treasures of heaven and earth," and they will inevitably face merciless punishment—this is no exaggeration. Those who seek to develop Guizhou and Fanjing Mountain must take heed!