Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 591 Interview at the Hu La Tang Shop

The meeting was still held at Tangcheng Hotel, and provincial leaders still attended and delivered passionate speeches, but the attention paid to this meeting was much higher than the last study class.

Who will win the first World Chinese Literature Award?
Some media reporters flocked to Tangcheng Hotel to interview the judges attending the conference.

However, this time the organizing committee of the conference issued meeting rules to the judges: they can accept interviews from media reporters without affecting their work, but they cannot disclose the selection situation!
You can talk to reporters about literature, life, your personal experiences and hobbies, but you cannot mention the meeting. The meeting organizers will reveal the meeting progress to media reporters in the form of special reports every day.

So some reporters complained to the organizing committee that it was so secretive? It was even more mysterious than the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards. Do you think it was an Oscar?
The organizing committee was naturally unmoved.

But precisely because of this, the issue has been completely hyped up, and the selection of literary awards has become a hot topic in the media recently.

The judges were not allowed to speak, but non-judges could express their personal opinions, so some reporters interviewed literary critics and even some writers and asked them to express their views.

Which work will win the grand prize?
Fang Minghua is one of them.

As the person in charge of this meeting and the reviewer of the special report, Fang Minghua naturally knew some inside information, but since he was not one of the thirteen judges, he became the main target of reporters.

Fortunately, Fang Minghua didn't have a mobile phone or even a pager. He didn't stay in the hotel all the time and was often elusive, so it was not easy for ordinary people to find him.

Of course, there were also reporters who went specifically to stop him, and Yang Li, a reporter from Guangming Daily, was one of them.

When the World Chinese Literature Award was established last year, Yang Li did an exclusive interview with Fang Minghua. During the interview, Yang Li asked sharp and pointed questions. The report was finally published in Guangming Daily. As a reporter, Yang Li was also appreciated by the leaders.

This girl is also very aggressive. Now before dawn, she is standing at the east entrance of Nanfang Lane inside Chaoyang Gate, waiting for her chance. Fang Minghua must pass by here when he leaves Chaoyang Gate.

Sure enough, after a while of daybreak, an off-road vehicle was seen approaching, and Yang Li quickly waved to the car.

The SUV slowly stopped beside her. Fang Minghua stuck her head out of the window and greeted with a smile: "Reporter Yang, good morning, what a coincidence?"

"Good morning, Chairman Fang. This is not a coincidence. I am waiting for you here specifically because I want to interview you." Yang Li went straight to the point.

"Haha, reporter Yang, you are very dedicated. Have you had your meal?" Fang Minghua suddenly asked.

"not yet."

"Come on, let's go to Lao Liu's house outside Chaoyangmen to drink Hu La Tang. His Hu La Tang is unique." Fang Minghua invited warmly.

"Thank you very much, Chairman Fang, for the treat." Yang Li was not polite and got into the passenger seat of the car with a smile.

Eating and chatting at the same time in a relaxed atmosphere will help you get more interesting things.

The off-road vehicle slowly passed through Chaoyang Gate and entered Changle West Road. From a distance, Yang Li saw a shop selling Hu La Tang on the side of the road, and there were already many diners.

"Let me tell you, this is the only authentic Hu La Tang around here. The owner is Liu Dahu. His ancestors used to sell Hu La Tang in Luohe, Henan Province. It was called Beiwudu Hu La Tang."

"After the great disaster in Henan in 42, I moved my whole family to Xijing and continued my old business outside Chaoyangmen. This business has been passed down from generation to generation, and except for that special period, the shop has never stopped operating. Don't you think the taste is not authentic?" Fang Minghua explained clearly while driving.

"Chairman Fang, I thought you like bread and milk. Nowadays, many people like to eat breakfast like foreigners." Yang Li said.

"My wife loves that, but I can't get used to it. How can bread be as delicious as Roujiamo and Hu La Tang? Hu La Tang with a vegetable box is simply amazing. If you don't believe me, I'll get you two next time."

As the two were talking, the car had arrived near the breakfast shop. Fang Minghua parked the car on the side of the road and got out with Yang Li.

Seeing Fang Minghua coming over, Boss Liu, who was scooping up the spicy soup, hurriedly called out, "Master Fang, are you here?"

"Boss Liu, business is good. Two bowls of spicy soup and four vegetable boxes."

"middle!"

Fang Minghua took Yang Li to an empty table on the street, and soon Boss Liu brought the spicy soup and vegetable boxes. "Try it, how does it taste?" Fang Minghua asked with a smile.

"Hmm, it tastes really good." Yang Li took a bite and nodded.

"See, I didn't lie to you." Fang Minghua smiled, very happily.

Yang Li certainly didn't forget today's mission while eating. She swallowed a mouthful of the box and said, "Chairman Fang, can I ask you a few questions?"

"I know you are definitely here to judge the literature award. Just ask me. I will try my best to tell you as long as it does not violate the principles."

"Okay, Chairman Fang, what stage has the selection process reached now?"

"The winners for novels, long novels and short stories have all been announced, leaving only essays and poetry. The main focus of controversy among the judges is on essays, and they are still under intense discussion."

"Controversy? Do you mean that the judges have very different opinions?" Yang Li asked back.

"Of course. They are all literary masters, so of course they have their own opinions. Let me tell you something. Although the judges are all old, they are actually very hot-tempered and often argue over a certain work until their faces turn red."

"Which prose work will eventually win the award?" Yang Li asked again.

"That's hard to say. I'm not a judge, so I can't answer your question."

"Then Chairman Fang, in your opinion, which of the five shortlisted essays has the best chance of winning the award?"

"Do you really need me to tell you?"

"I want to hear your opinion."

"Personally, I think the two essays that may win the prize in the end are Shi Tiesheng's "I and the Altar of Earth" and Bei Dao's "The Visitor from Poland."

"Why not Yu Qiuyu's Mogao Grottoes? That's the genre of 'cultural prose' that you created," Yang Li asked.

"Reporter Yang, first of all, let me correct you. This school of thought was not founded by me. The origin should be traced back to two old gentlemen, Jin Kemu and Zhang Zhongxing. I cannot take all the credit. This name was just proposed by me." Fang Minghua was very serious.

Yang Li certainly didn't want to discuss literature with Fang Minghua, so she immediately changed the subject: "Which poetry collection do you think is most likely to win the award?"

"Selected Short and Medium-length Poems by Haizi"

"Why are you so sure?"

"Because I like this book of poetry."

"Is this a reason?" Yang Li was stunned.

"Isn't this a good reason? If I didn't like him, how could I think he would win the award?" Fang Minghua smiled.

Very cunning.
Yang Li complained in her heart.

"Okay, Chairman Fang, let me ask another question. I see that among the shortlisted works, in addition to those from mainland China, there are also works by writers from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and an American. Will these writers come to Xijing to attend the award ceremony?"

"Yes, except for North Island in the United States and Gu Cheng in New Zealand who cannot return to China for various reasons, all the authors of the other nominated works have replied to express their participation in the ceremony."

"Really? Including Mr. Butler from the United States?" Yang Li was a little unconvinced.

"Yes, including." Fang Minghua smiled.

(End of this chapter)