Under the Elm Tree, Storytelling

Author: Huang Chang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: On the eve of the fall of the "Gang of Four," private book collections had become a rare and almost "criminal" phenomenon. Even Xinhua Bookstore had opened a rental section, indicating that buying books individually was no longer in vogue, and even the existence of Xinhua Bookstore itself seemed questionable. This was likely one aspect of the "bourgeois law rights" that Zhang Chunqiao was so determined to eliminate. Under such circumstances, who would still think about "rare books"? It would be difficult even in a dream. Rare books are the treasure of the nation (referred to as "cultural heritage" in Japan), and it is undoubtedly imperative to make every effort to protect them. However, they are not merely "treasures" to be locked away in a safe; they must also be utilized to make greater contributions to the people. After the fall of the "Gang of Four," people began to value books, which is a very positive development. But there were few effective measures, and it seemed that the only solution was to lock them away in a secure place. To say "secure" might not be entirely accurate. Some book depositories, which had been haphazardly stacked for over a decade, were reportedly moldy and beyond salvation. The books looted illegally by Lin Biao and the "Gang of Four" also showed little enthusiasm for their return. It seemed better to keep them locked away in libraries rather than returning them to their original owners for research and utilization. The reasons were many and sounded quite reasonable, but unfortunately, they were far removed from reality. Protecting rare books has always had established methods throughout history and across cultures. To meet the needs of research, equipment like microfilm has already been in use for several years. For other purposes, strict regulations must be followed when handling the original items. How one reads is also a measure of one's cultural level. Sun Congtian, in Notes on Book Collecting, provides a detailed explanation. A common but avoidable practice is to lick one's right finger and then turn the page. Ancient books were mostly made of cotton or bamboo paper, and such handling would be unthinkable. It was apparently a common practice in the past. It is said that the "author" of The Golden Lotus dipped the corner of each page in poison and sent it to Yan Donglou. When Yan, while reading with great enjoyment using that method, unknowingly ingested the poison. This shows that even high-ranking officials often used this technique to read. Additionally, scratching the cover with fingernails or flipping pages carelessly is also unacceptable. All books, not just rare ones, cannot withstand such treatment. Regulations must be established to prevent such practices, even if they seem cumbersome. Currently, libraries across the nation are conducting cataloging work for rare books, which is entirely necessary and urgently required. However, it must not be forgotten that other tasks also need attention. For cataloging purposes, books may become difficult to locate, effectively closing the doors. This is not a good approach. It seems this is not a unique phenomenon confined to libraries. Recently, discussions in the press about revitalizing traditional dramas have proposed that the most important step is "summarization," followed by "selection," "reform," and "improvement," before finally providing the people with excellent, flawless works. This cannot be called anything other than a high-sounding theory. According to this, theaters would have to close first and wait for the completion of this grand process. This is somewhat similar to certain situations in libraries but also differs. Rare books, when stored properly, pose no problem whether the doors are opened or not, as long as they are not exposed to fire, water, or mold. Traditional dramas, however, are not the same. They are mostly carried by a few remaining elderly performers, and even now, efforts to rescue them are considered too late. By the time the grand "summarization" process is completed, how many elderly performers will still be alive? Even if none have died, how many will still be able to work? P14-15