Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 484: Zhenbei Fort

Zhenbeibao is located about 35 kilometers northwest of Yinchuan. The road is bumpy and dust flies everywhere when cars pass by.

After almost an hour, everyone arrived at their destination. Zhao Hongjun got out of the car and took off his sunglasses.

"That's it?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhao, right here."

Looking up, there is a wilderness, full of desolation. In the wilderness, there are two abandoned castles. One in the south and one in the north, facing each other in loneliness.

"The one in the north was built by Xu Jian during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was called "Zhenbeibao" at the time and was a frontier fortress during the Ming and Qing dynasties."

"The one on the south was built in Ningxia during the fifth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty. A major earthquake destroyed Zhenbei Fort, and a new fort was built not far from Zhenbei Fort, called 'Zhennan Fort.'" Zhang Xianliang pointed at the two castles from a distance and introduced them to everyone.

"I was doing labor reform not far from here. One day, I accidentally discovered this place while going to the market. The old castle was in decline but still alive. I was deeply attracted by it and wrote it into my novel "The Green Tree."

"Isn't this too shabby?" Zhao Hongjun couldn't help but complain.

"Red Army, you don't understand. This is exactly the characteristic we want." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"Yes, Minghua is right. The desert is filled with smoke and the sun is setting over the long river. When it's dusk, you look at this ancient castle and you'll see a kind of desolate beauty. I dare say you won't find any other place like this in China! Go in and take a look."

Several people entered Zhenbeibao in the north. Although it had gone through the vicissitudes of time and the destruction during special periods, the ancient castle was still relatively well preserved, and the foundations of the corner towers around the city walls were also visible.

It was still desolate inside, but the traces left by the crew after filming were very clear.

"This house." Zhang Xianliang pointed to an inconspicuous adobe house on the roadside. "The Shepherd was filmed here."

"Is it adapted from your novel "Soul and Flesh"? " Zhao Hongjun interrupted.

"Yes, that's right. It was filmed by Director Xie Jin. Since then, I wanted to transform this place into a film and television base." Zhang Xianliang said, inviting a few people to walk into the room. They saw an earthen kang, an earthen stove and other things inside, all covered with a thick layer of dust.

"These were left behind by the crew, but they are abandoned now," Zhang Xianliang explained.

"In addition to The Shepherd, we also filmed One and Eight and Yellow River Ballad. Zhang Yimou also found this place to film Minghua's book Not One Less, and even built a primary school for it. I'll take you to see it when the time comes."

Zhang Xianliang said this and walked out of the room.

Historically, "No One Less" was filmed in a small village in Hebei Province, but Fang Minghua gave Zhang Yimou the script in advance and recommended him to film here.

Zhang Yimou used to be a photographer and shot "One and Eight" there. Knowing this place, he happily went there.

Fang Minghua and others followed Zhang Xianliang to the filming location of "No One Left Behind". Inside a wall made of adobe bricks, there were several adobe houses used as classrooms.

Fang Minghua stood by the window and saw through the plastic sheet that the tables and chairs in the classroom were also made of adobe bricks, and there were a few words written in chalk on the blackboard where the black paint had fallen off.

"Study hard and make progress every day." The handwriting is so childish that it is obviously a child's handwriting. It is probably left behind after filming a movie.

"In Ningxia, rural primary schools are basically like this. I guess it's similar in Gansu Province."

"Some are even more broken than this," Zhao Hongjun replied.

"Education has a long way to go." Zhang Xianliang sighed, "I heard that the movie shot by Zhang Yimou won many international awards."

"Yes, quite a few, including the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards, Venice Film Festival, etc." Fang Minghua replied with a smile.

"Your fellow villager Zhang Yimou is indeed a genius, and so is Red Sorghum." Zhang Xianliang said with a smile: "However, Minghua, your script is also well written. I found that you like to write about rural teachers."

“Because they’re worth writing about.”

Zhang Xianliang nodded and said nothing more.

Led by Zhang Xianliang, the two watched the real scene of the "Blacksmith Camp" in "The Ballad of the Yellow River", the Moon Gate, the wine-making workshop, and Jiuer's (played by Gong Li) living room in "Red Sorghum".

Unfortunately, classic films such as "A Chinese Odyssey" and "New Dragon Inn" had not been released at this time, so there were naturally no traces of their filming. The four of them wandered around for a long time and prepared to return. To be honest, there was really nothing to see in Zhenbeibao at this time. The bustling Old Yinchuan Street in later generations had not appeared yet. The whole castle was deserted, but there was an old man driving a flock of sheep passing by.

Fang Minghua asked Zhang Xianliang and found out that there were more than 20 families living near the castle.

After returning to the city, Zhang Xianliang invited Fang Minghua and the others to dinner, and then went to the guest house. In the room, Zhang Xianliang first lit a cigarette for Zhao Hongjun, and then smiled and said, "Minghua, you also watched it today, how was it?"

"Let Hongjun talk. He knows more about business than me," said Fang Minghua.

"you?"

"I have invested in his company." Fang Minghua said lightly.

Zhang Xianliang suddenly realized.

Zhao Hongjun was not in a hurry. He took a puff of cigarette before saying, "Chairman Zhang, tell me your thoughts first."

"Well."

Zhang Xianliang winked at Ma Hongying who was sitting next to him, and Ma Hongying immediately took out a few sheets of paper from the bag she was carrying and handed them to Zhao Hongjun.

"This is the main plan for the film and television base and the project funding situation made by our Chairman Zhang. Please take a look."

Zhao Hongjun took it, read it carefully, and handed it back to Fang Minghua.

Fang Minghua also took a look. It was mainly the overall plan of the film and television city. Zhenbeibao (Mingcheng) was the main area, and Zhennanbao (Qingcheng) was developed in stages. It was gradually built into a tourist attraction integrating film and television shooting base, sightseeing, food and folk customs.

Fang Minghua did not have much objection to this overall project plan, and later generations proved that Zhang Xianliang's work was quite successful.

"This is a cultural relic protection site in your city. Can it be developed?" Zhao Hongjun asked a key question.

"This problem is indeed quite thorny." Zhang Xianliang did not hide it: "But after I talked to the leaders of the relevant departments, they finally agreed that our Federation of Literary and Art Circles can develop it as long as it does not damage the original city walls and other buildings - after all, cultural relics maintenance also costs money, and the city is poor and has no money. If we take over, it will also reduce their burden."

Zhao Hongjun nodded. "Well, let's talk about the specific cooperation intentions?"

"Okay, Hongying, you talk to Mr. Zhao." Zhang Xianliang stood up and said to Fang Minghua, "Minghua, I heard that you also like calligraphy. I wrote a few words. Would you like to see them?"

"Okay, where is it?"

"In my office, shall we go?"

Fang Minghua happily went there, leaving Zhao Hongjun and Ma Hongying to negotiate.

The two of them drove a Santana to the office of Zhang Xianliang of the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Fang Minghua indeed saw Zhang Xianliang's calligraphy.

I have to say that Zhang Xianliang's calligraphy is indeed good, elegant and graceful, somewhat similar to the style of Mi Fu, Su Dongpo and Dong Qichang.

Before leaving, Fang Minghua asked for a piece of his calligraphy.

As for my own, I'd better practice for another two years.

When the time was almost up, Zhang Xianliang sent Fang Minghua back to the hotel and made an appointment for dinner.

Fang Minghua returned to the hotel room and found Zhao Hongjun alone inside.

"Are you done talking?"

"It just ended. Zhang Xianliang is really something. He dragged you to appreciate calligraphy at this time. What a pretentious thing!" Zhao Hongjun complained.

Fang Minghua laughed: "I understand what he means. He and I are friends, and there are some things that are embarrassing for both of us to talk about. You two are the most suitable to talk about it."

(End of this chapter)