Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 167, "The Kite Runner" (adapted)

As the sun set, Liu Yimin grew hungry after spending so much time in the study. So he pulled Xu Chi outside to eat, and they talked as they ate.

When they arrived at the state-run restaurant, Xu Chi wanted to eat braised pork offal, but Liu Yimin, who was not used to the smelly dish, ordered a bowl of noodles for himself.

After taking a big bite to fill his stomach, Liu Yimin began to speak: "Last year marked the 28th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, and I saw related congratulatory articles. I also carefully studied a lot of historical materials, and I went through all the materials in the Yenching University Library."

"Starting with the friendship between two boys, this entry point shows a strong sense of contrast in the face of the entire tragic era," Xu Chi sighed, and continued listening to Liu Yimin's story.

Liu Yimin's article is a Chinese translation of "The Kite Runner," which tells the story of two Afghan boys, one a master and the other a servant, from friendship to betrayal and redemption.

Liu Yimin changed the setting of the story to Tibet, and the protagonist is naturally also a Tibetan protagonist, the story of Zhuoke Tsering, the son of Zhuoke chieftain, and his loyal servant Losang.

Zhuoke Tusi was a young and vigorous chieftain with a patriotic spirit. He had received an education from Han China and possessed a certain degree of egalitarianism, treating his slaves and the people of his territory better than other chieftains.

As a result, many chieftains led their people to join the Zhuoke chieftain, and the Zhuoke chieftain was regarded as a thorn in the side by many chieftains.

However, thanks to the support of the people in his territory and his brave army, the local chieftains were unable to do anything about him.

Chief Zhuoke had only one son, Zhuoke Ciren. Due to the different education he received from childhood, Zhuoke Ciren was more bookish.

Although Chief Zhuoke believed this was a sign of civilization, in Tibet, a scholarly air could not lead to a ruthless chieftain. However, his steward advised him that a son should not be allowed to paint and draw by his father.

Zhuoke Ciren had a particularly good relationship with his steward, and he also had a loyal servant named Losang.

Zhuoke chieftain treated Losang and his father better than he would a servant in the conventional sense, and Zhuoke Ciren was jealous that Losang had taken away his father's love.

But his jealousy did not affect Losang's loyalty; he always followed Zhuoke Ciren closely.

In Tibet, there is a grand festival called the Wangguo Festival, which signifies farmers' hope for a bountiful harvest. Several months after the Wangguo Festival, during the autumn harvest, people believe that flying kites will attract wind, which is beneficial for threshing (throwing grain and chaff into the air so the wind blows the chaff away, leaving the grain).
If the wind is released before the harvest festival, it will cause dissatisfaction among farmers, because if the wind is brought in too early, there will be no wind available during the harvest season.

On the day of kite flying, everyone gathers in open spaces or on their own rooftops, bravely flying their kites and directing them to fight, cutting off each other's kites.

Several local chieftains discussed holding a grand kite-flying festival. Their sons would participate in the competition to see who would become the hero of the younger generation, which would also affect the agreements between the chieftains.

On the open grassland, a group of chieftains tasted barley wine and enjoyed singing and dancing, while their children and the young men of their territories bravely competed.

Zhuoke Ciren lived up to expectations, cutting down all the kites and becoming the first place winner. Losang rode his horse to help Zhuoma chase after the kite that had fallen from the second-place winner; catching this kite meant winning second place in the kite-flying competition.

Both the first and second factors influence the distribution of the Tusi's interests in the agreement.

Losang rode off to chase the kite but didn't return for a long time. After Drolma Tsering retrieved the kite and received praise from her father, she bravely leaped onto her own horse and chased after it towards the setting sun.

He crossed the hillside and saw Losang's horse grazing with its head down, while in the distance came Losang's screams. The sons and men of the other two chieftains were humiliating Losang.

Drolma Tsering hid at the foot of the hillside, not daring to show her face, until Losang appeared, lying wearily on his horse, swaying as he walked back, still holding the broken kite in his hand.

The chieftains gained nothing and had to leave disappointed.

In the days that followed, Losang seemed like a different person, no longer the same as before. After Losang's father received permission from the chieftain, he regained his freedom and took Losang away from the Zhuoke chieftain's official residence, to live at the border of several chieftain territories.

Later, a chieftain joined forces with foreign invaders to attack the Zhuoke chieftain. The Zhuoke chieftain and several other chieftains joined forces to launch a fierce counterattack against the invaders, but unfortunately they were defeated by foreign guns and cannons and could only flee to Han lands.

After living in Han territory for several years, Zhuoke chieftain passed away. Zhuoke Ciren received a letter from his old steward, saying that Losang had been found and killed by the son of a rival chieftain. Now Losang's son had been captured and was waiting for him to return to rescue him.

Having already married in Han territory, he struggled for several nights before finally returning to his hometown to carry out a difficult rescue operation, which was also his way of atoneing for his sins in Losang.

After the chieftain Zhuoke left, all his people became slaves, subjected to arbitrary beatings, insults, and even murder. Wearing heavy shackles, he went through countless hardships to finally find Losang's son and bring him back to Han territory.

Unfortunately, the child remained sullen, and the trauma of his childhood had already affected his development. It wasn't until after the peaceful liberation of Tibet that Drolma Tsering took him back to Tibet, where they flew kites on the grasslands.

He personally helped Losang's son chase the kite, and said the words Losang had said to him countless times: "For you, a thousand times over!"

It not only translated "The Kite Runner" into Chinese, but also incorporated elements from the famous film "Red River Valley" to tell a moving story of the Tibetan people's resistance against foreign invasion, using the historical backdrop of foreigners' attempt to invade Xinjiang.

Zhuoke Ciren's return to Tibet with Losang's son to fly kites foreshadowed a new era for the Tibetan people after the peaceful liberation.

With the theme of redeeming friendship, it composes a tragic song of the times.

Inside the restaurant, Xu Chi listened attentively to Liu Yimin's explanation, nodding frequently. After taking a few bites of the braised pork, it cooled down, and he forgot to touch it again. After listening, Xu Chi smiled and said, "You even know about the Wangguo Festival, which shows you've done a lot of research. Thorough research is essential for writing good works; your dedication is something we should all learn from."

Although the starting point is different from "The Flames of War in Beiping," there is a common thread in the macrocosm of the era. You are very good at starting with small details and establishing a lofty theme in your writing.

We are moved by this path of redemption, and by the Tibetan people's resistance against invasion. Several chieftains who were originally hostile to the Zhuoke people bravely stood up against the colonizers; doesn't this demonstrate the unity of our nation?

"What Chief Zhuo Ke said brought tears to my eyes."

Zhuoke chieftain stretched out his hand and counted on his fingers to tell the invaders who came to persuade him to surrender: "The Han people are this, the Tibetan people are this. Since our ancestors brought us together as one family, you don't need to worry about the affairs of this family."

Different races are part of the fingers, clenched into a fist, signifying the ability to resolutely crush any invader.

As Xu Chi spoke, he recalled his past, his experiences during the War of Resistance against Japan and his time reporting in Korea, and all sorts of people.

As she spoke, she reached up and wiped the corner of her eye.

"What makes 'The Kite Runner' even more moving than 'The Flames of War in Beiping' is the presence of tragic heroes who are worthy of our praise. Which magazine do you plan to submit your manuscript to?" Xu Chi asked.

"Harvest magazine hasn't sent any manuscripts to Sister Xiaolin in a long time. She even sent me a letter a few days ago asking about it!"

Xu Chi sighed. He had originally wanted to ask Liu Yimin for the manuscript to publish in a provincial magazine, as Liu was now a director of the Hubei Provincial Writers Association. But then he thought that publishing it in "Harvest" would definitely be better.

“It would be great if our province had magazines like Harvest or Contemporary. Without a well-known magazine, it’s hard to get articles published,” Xu Chi said. Then he added, “Could you write a commentary and publish it in our province?”

Liu Yimin agreed without hesitation, though the timing was uncertain. Xu Chi happily finished the cooled braised pork and walked down the street to say goodbye to Liu Yimin.

"This trip was definitely worthwhile, it's just a pity we arrived too early. Hurry up and write, I'm waiting to read it! When it's done, I'll get our provincial magazine to reprint it," Xu Chi encouraged.

Liu Yimin stuffed an envelope into Xu Chi's pocket. Xu Chi saw the money inside and angrily said, "What does this mean?"

"Comrade Xu, the translation fee is as promised!"

"No need. I'm already more than satisfied to see your novel ahead of time today. Consider this a translation fee!" Xu Chi stuffed the money into Liu Yimin's pocket and left gracefully.

He shouted to Liu Yimin from afar, "Hurry up and write it, I'm waiting to see it. I live in Jiaodaokou now, if you need anything, you can come here to find me."

Jiaodaokou? General's Mansion? Never mind, I really don't need to talk to you.

Looking at the money he hadn't yet given away, he realized he'd been getting free money from Lao Xu for months!

I've made up my mind to wire the money directly to Hubei Province in a few days. The old man has worked so hard for half a year; he can't have worked for nothing. This fee is already low enough.

Old Xu is a man of principle, and Old Liu can't be any less so!

The next day, Liu Yimin rushed to the Beijing People's Art Theatre and handed the manuscript to Cao Yu. After flipping through a few pages, Cao Yu exclaimed, "Xu Chi has put in a lot of effort; the translation is quite accurate."

"A labor of love spanning six months!"

“You haven’t been in the literary world for long, but you’re quite popular.” Cao Yu looked at Liu Yimin and carefully counted. Liu Yimin had good relationships with many people, many of whom were influential figures in the literary world.

"Treat people with sincerity!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"That's right, that's the principle. Making friends is simple in some ways, and complicated in others. Treat others with sincerity and empathy—these eight words are the simplest truths."

Cao Yu asked Liu Yimin to sit down and began to carefully consider which American magazine to submit his work to.

"The Paris Review, The New Yorker," Cao Yu thought of a bunch of things.

"Teacher, no rush. You can submit your article when you go to the United States for a visit!"

Cao Yu shook his head: "Submit it as soon as possible and publish it as soon as possible. I want to see what the Americans think of you!"

After thinking for a while, Cao Yu still hadn't made up his mind, so he simply put down his manuscript and looked at Liu Yimin with a smile: "I heard you have some good news lately?"

(End of this chapter)