Chinese commoner

Author: Zhang Manling
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: With deeply sorrowful and heart-touching words, the author traces the life journey of his father in China, delving into the transformation and extinction of the true spirit of the commoner, and the resilience of the commoner's character during the collapse of the collective spirit. Though a solitary effort of a scholar, it originates from the cultural roots, profound and vast, beyond measure. In the ever-changing China, has the spirit of the commoner survived? Among the countless descendants of the dragon, is there still a commoner's character? The commoner embodies the essence of the people and the lofty spirit of the world, standing apart from the imperial court and the Confucian circles, nameless yet esteemed, positionless yet respected. Despite persecution and exile, they still refuse to curry favor, maintaining a noble and independent stance amidst peddlers, ruffians, politicians, and all the vulgar.
With deeply sorrowful and heart-touching words, the author traces the life journey of his father in China, delving into the transformation and extinction of the true spirit of the commoner, and the resilience of the commoner's character during the collapse of the collective spirit. Though a solitary effort of a scholar, it originates from the cultural roots, profound and vast, beyond measure.
When too many beautiful and revered lives tremble before the trials of the deep sea and submit, the protagonist fears neither power nor divinity, nor abandons noble dignity in the twinkling of an eye. He steadfastly guards the spirit of the commoner—skeptical, rebellious, free, and magnanimous—enduring a desolate life. The flickering footsteps in the impoverished and remote countryside, the midnight awakenings with soaring spirits yet feeling the chill, the delicate tenderness and infinite sorrow in the eternal yearning for a kindred soul, the character that always shares a bond with the common people—all contain breathtaking scenes. Reading it evokes sighs, sharp pain, and an indescribable sense of sorrow.
The work is compelling in its rhythm and brilliance, revealing profound insights. It shows the pure, noble, and vibrant essence of the Eastern ancient continent—the spirit of the commoner—that, though nearly extinguished through countless trials, will inevitably be restored. Excerpt:
"Jinde Yi Ju" (Fleeting Lines of Moral Cultivation)
"Jinde" is my father's name. His personality was ethereal, and his thoughts broad. He often spoke profound truths in casual moments, not in the manner of sage-like sermons, but in light conversations and laughter, leaving a lasting impression. These words reflected his carefree nature and were filled with the humor of folk wisdom, which I called "fleeting lines." The following are some examples:
"The fisherman carries the fish, but what has the fish done to the fisherman?"
Back then, the intellectuals who had been in the countryside for a long time saw no hope for the future. Some committed petty crimes, while others engaged in cross-border smuggling. When my father learned that some familiar intellectuals had been arrested, he sighed and said this. He said that young people who were once good students, incited to cause trouble in schools and society, and wasted their studies were first raised too high and then feared to be controlled, so they were all sent to the countryside. Such sudden shifts were irresponsible. Moreover, universities were closed down, turning once promising young people into criminals. Who had truly betrayed whom in this situation? The ones who should have been punished were the authorities, not the intellectuals. The intellectuals were merely the fish, while the ones in power were the fishermen.
When this remark spread among the intellectuals, none were not moved, considering my father a kindred spirit of their generation.
"The one who steals the state is a nobleman, but the one who steals the hook is a thief."
This remark was also born of the same sentiments as the previous one. If it had been circulated back then, both my father and I might have been in danger. Even in an era when everyone thought it was appropriate to sing praises, my father never conformed. Once, he told me, "Grinding dumplings into flour and then making buns with that flour—is this also a historical achievement?"
There are many things in China that were developing well according to normal patterns but suddenly became "wrong." Then, another set of self-righteous measures was implemented. As a result, decades of time were wasted, generations of lives were squandered, and the country's progress was delayed. For example, my father had once proposed that banks should not operate like the savings jars of wealthy scholars but should engage in financial economics. However, he was seen as an unruly "old employee" and was eventually excluded from the bank. Social enterprises do not tolerate dissent.
"Having a biased view and acting stubbornly alone." When the rules of an artist are applied to society, they become a disaster. After repeated (tortures), even when it has been proven wrong, people still boast about it, and everyone turns a blind eye. My father, however, remained keenly aware and refused to compromise.
"A radish with two eyes painted on top—you still welcome it and talk with it for half a day. How much time will you have left to think, read, or write?" My father mocked me for not being selective in my friendships. Though it seemed as if my door was always busy, it was actually a waste of time, and few were truly worth associating with. Those who just wanted to join the crowd were labeled by my father as "radishes without eyes painted on them."
"A cow that has traveled across the five continents is still a cow." This phrase seems to have evolved from Napoleon's saying, referring to his horse. But my father was referring to the wealthy classmates of his time. Some classmates were (young masters) who, failing all their subjects in school, used their wealth to study abroad. After a few years, when they returned, the poor classmates went to visit them to see if they had gained any knowledge. After the visit, the poor classmates told everyone, "They've just learned to eat Western food and tie neckties." This trend still exists today. This saying is still applicable today. Studying abroad does not turn rotten wood into timber.
The words also contained the bitterness of the poor students, implying that if they had traveled across the five continents, they would not have ended up like this.
"The tiger is still on the mountain, but she has already sold the tiger skin." This referred to me spending my manuscript advances prematurely. My father sometimes teased me, but his words were also filled with praise. I often had to borrow money from my manuscript advances. In reality, manuscript advances were not supposed to be borrowed. But the friends in Beijing, remembering that I had no family in the north and often ran short of money, would lend me funds from their editorial departments' revolving funds. At that time, my articles were just starting, discussing some ideas, and I had sold them a topic. But I never failed to keep my promises. Neither did my friends regret it. This was what my father called "selling the tiger skin."
I said, "What's the point of having a tiger on the mountain? I have the strength of Wu Song—I can catch it with ease!" My father smiled but said nothing. He liked me "fighting tigers" and did not want me to be pretentious in the world.
"This is a pile of fat, protein, and carbohydrates that will produce no academic response." This was a definition of someone who only cared about appearance and fashion but was hollow inside. It applies to both men and women.
In terms of intellect and knowledge, my father had a strong sense of superiority. He also admired the "fleeting lines" of Professor Liu Wendi of the Southwest Associated University in his time:
"You also need to run for air raids? Why run?"
Liu Wendi meant that I ran to preserve Chinese culture, but what about you? People like you have no knowledge or contribution to the nation—why should you run for air raids?
The couplet pasted by Mr. Wen Yiduo on the door of his residence in Kunming read:
"On one side: 'Birds and beasts cannot walk together. If I am not of your kind, who am I with?' This must also be one of Wen Yiduo's fleeting lines."
My father explained the allusions in detail to me. Those like birds and beasts are not considered the same species. You people, who have not even earned the right to be called "human," how can a person of my upright character be with you? My father said that the integrity of scholars should always be upheld.
"Striving for the best may yield the middle; striving for the middle may yield the lower. You strive for the lower, and you get the lowest of the low."
Once, my father saw me reading an obscure magazine and angrily scolded me, calling me "striving for the lower." From then on, I never read such trashy literature again.
"Once true gold is made, it cannot return to being ore. Only a lion can understand chasing people." These are the couplets on the Huayan Pavilion of the Jun Temple in Kunming. My father gave me the first two lines. Whenever I fell into idle pleasures due to the invitations of friends and acquaintances, risking a loss of direction, my father would sternly repeat these words to me.
The praise my father often gave me was: "You have found your place!"
But for a long time in those times, "witty words" were dangerous. My father and I inherited this trait, and whenever we spoke earnestly, my mother would have to close the windows. She said, "Are you not enough?"
Still from Dream of the Red Chamber: "The upright suffer danger." Both my father and I had this character and experience, so for a long time, we were also suppressed in social status.
Yet, fleeting lines never ceased, and true nature never faded. Solitary in praise, the fragrance remains in the cold window.
April 21, 2002, Sunday