Latin America Five Countries Tour

Author: Zheng Pinggang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Comrade Zheng Pinggang spent several years writing "A Journey to Five Latin American Countries," preparing to submit it to a publishing house for publication. He asked me to write a few words at the beginning as a preface. After accepting the task, I hesitated for a long time before daring to start writing. First, I had never written a preface or afterword for anyone, fearing I might not do a good job. Second, I didn’t consider myself a big figure or a renowned expert. Generally, those who write prefaces are either powerful figures or famous scholars, and I certainly didn’t qualify. But Comrade Pinggang still insisted, arguing that we had filmed Latin American TV documentaries together, endured hardships together, sweated together, marveled at things together, and felt that we could write something meaningful. Perhaps it would be more intimate. "Respectfully, I must comply." After much deliberation, I finally put pen to paper and wrote the following passages:
For the Chinese, Latin America is incredibly far away, both geographically and culturally. If one departs from Hong Kong, flies to San Francisco in the United States, and then transfers to Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, on a Boeing 747, the flight takes a full eighteen hours. The vast distance creates a sense of strangeness and mystery about the countries in Latin America. The more mysterious a place, the more people want to know what it looks like. To some extent, "A Journey to Five Latin American Countries" satisfies this desire for knowledge.
It must be said that the landscapes, customs, lifestyles, natural resources, architectural styles, myths, and man-made attractions of Latin America are unique, strange, and fantastical. After briefly visiting these five countries, our greatest wish is to return and experience the colorful world of Latin America in greater depth. I believe that the writing of this travelogue can, to some extent, meet people’s desire to understand this distant and magical land, which is also the contribution of the author.
When we return to our homeland from Latin America, almost every acquaintance will ask sympathetically, "Was it hard there? You must have worked hard." This kind of well-meant greeting reflects, on one hand, how little people understand Latin America, and on the other, how deeply the propaganda of the "Third World" impression—"poverty and backwardness"—influenced public perception. In reality, after visiting five Latin American countries, our understanding, feelings, and experiences have completely changed. It must be said that, except for a few exceptions, Latin American countries in terms of environmental beauty, natural resources, economic development, and social progress far surpass contemporary China. Whether in cities or rural areas, people’s wealth is even greater than that of coastal regions in China. As for the people of Chile and Argentina, they are deeply offended by being labeled as Third World countries. They firmly believe that their countries are fully capable of joining the ranks of developed nations.
Through this book, readers can gain some insight into the true faces of five Latin American countries and correct some of their preconceived notions. "A Journey to Five Latin American Countries" is a scroll depicting the customs of Latin America. Mexico’s "Mariachi"; Brazil’s "Samba Dance" and Carnival; Peru’s Llamas and Alpacas; the "Nazca Lines," a work of nature; Chile’s "Easter Island"; Brazil’s Iguazu Falls; Argentina’s "Delta of the Three Rivers"—these are masterpieces of nature, some of which hold unsolved mysteries. The "Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon," the mysterious "Mayan World," the highland city of Cusco, the cave paintings of Tucapalpa, the legends of the Inca Empire, and the world-famous Colón Theatre in Buenos Aires—all are undoubtedly the winding historical labyrinths of Latin America.
"A Journey to Five Latin American Countries," with its concise language, flowing prose, and simple style, combined with numerous photographs taken on-site by the production team and recent images from fellow travelers, brings readers vivid and authentic scenes. For journalists, one should have the perspective of a child, finding wonder and interest in everything. During the fifty-plus days the author spent filming "A Journey to Latin America," he captured the many ordinary people and their stories that others might glance at and then move on from. For journalists, one should also have the wisdom of an elder—after the initial wonder of a child’s perspective, one should analyze, accumulate, and organize the observations, which is how this travelogue came to be.
China has entered the 21st century and should have a deeper understanding of the world. We must not only know the United States and Canada, or Europe, but also Africa, Oceania, and Latin America. Travelogues are windows through which we can learn about the outside world. I hope to see more travelogues published, giving the Chinese people more windows to understand and explore the world!
This book will serve as a loyal "guide," leading readers into the unfamiliar lands of Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru, allowing them to explore the scenic beauty, local customs, and splendid culture of these countries.