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

Chapter 325 First Prize for Outstanding Drama Performance by the General Political Department
There are many top Chinese scientists, but few have made such contributions to the country as Qian Xuesen, who gave up fame and fortune. No amount of honor can adequately recognize his achievements.

One part of the backbone of the Chinese people comes from Qian Xuesen.

His predictions about the future of science are also forward-looking; he began discussing "artificial intelligence, VR, and new energy vehicles" in the 1980s and 1990s.

Liu Yimin held Qian Lao's letter as if it were a treasure, reading it for almost an hour without getting enough. He picked up his pen to write a reply, but hesitated for a long time, unsure of where to begin.

When Zhu Lin returned from the Beijing People's Art Theatre that evening, he saw the letter on his desk and read it over and over again, carefully studying every word and analyzing it for Liu Yimin.

"Teacher Liu, when are you going to reply to Professor Qian?" Zhu Lin couldn't help but ask.

"Let me think about it carefully!"

"I wonder if I'll ever get to see Professor Qian again and ask him how the atomic bomb was developed. Professor Qian said he's planning to chat with you sometime. Professor Liu, what would you talk about if you actually met Professor Qian?"

Qian Xuesen's actual work was not related to the atomic bomb; what was related was the integration of nuclear weapons and missiles, specifically missiles carrying nuclear warheads. However, the secrecy surrounding this was so tight that even foreign countries believed Qian Xuesen had developed the atomic bomb.

Liu Yimin sat in his chair and thought for a moment. He himself wasn't sure whether to talk about artificial intelligence, drones, or smartphones.

To be honest, he's just a liberal arts student. When he talks about science and technology, he can only talk about application scenarios. If he goes any deeper, his lack of knowledge will be exposed.

The application scenarios can be considered as the writer's future imagination, and there shouldn't be any problems.

However, in the 1980s, there was another area that Qian Xuesen paid particular attention to: Qigong. A Qigong craze is now quietly emerging in China, and more and more people are discussing it.

However, there are no world-renowned "masters" yet, only "child prodigies" as described by the media.

Many people are particularly curious as to why Qian Xuesen turned to the study of Qigong, since it is contrary to science.

Liu Yimin believes this is inseparable from the fact that the US and the Soviet Union were simultaneously researching special abilities. Domestic scientists are also very nervous, because if the two countries really develop special abilities, then China will be at a disadvantage.

It just so happens that "Qigong" has a rich historical and cultural foundation in China, and Qian Xuesen, as a top scientist, preferred to explore the unknown.

Zhu Lin plans to take some time tomorrow to go to Liulichang to frame Qian Lao's letter and put it on the bookshelf. It doesn't need to be shown to anyone, but it must be properly preserved.

"Come on, let's cook and eat together, I'm starving!" Liu Yimin said with a smile as he pulled Zhu Lin out of the study.

Zhu Lin picked vegetables, Liu Yimin cracked eggs, and then took out a piece of pork belly from the refrigerator to stir-fry a plate of meat and vegetables.

At home, the two of them usually ate one meat dish and one vegetable dish. If they wanted to improve their meals, they would either go to Muxidi or to Zhu's mother's house.

Because of the cold weather lately, Zhu's parents haven't been inviting the two of them to their home as often.

"To be honest, I've been craving pigeon soup for a few days now!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Zhu Lin said, "I'll bring a pigeon back tomorrow night, and we'll cook it at home. Teacher Liu, guess how well our play rehearsals are going?"

"Not going well!" Liu Yimin picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth.

"how do you know?"

“Definitely. Having Yang Lixin play a Black man is a challenge!” Liu Yimin said, then asked, “Yang Lixin didn’t seem to have any strong feelings about it, did he?”

"No, he's very enthusiastic now, he's got a lot of energy he doesn't know where to direct it. When Teacher Lan saw that he was a little discouraged, she praised him, and it really worked. The main problem is the portrayal of Black and White people. The key is that our actors are neither Black nor White, they are Asian. The audience can't see the contrast, so they don't feel any sense of identification."

We considered giving him makeup, like in a theatrical performance, but it looked unrealistic and too ridiculous!

Zhu Lin looked troubled. Besides not looking like a black or white person, Yang Lixin didn't know what homosexuality was like, so his imitation was inaccurate.

"Imitation not good enough? That's not a problem. Just have Yang Lixin think about himself all the time in his daily life, start by changing his daily life, and completely immerse himself in the role."

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, a strange smile appeared on his lips.

The next day, when Zhu Lin went to work, Liu Yimin wrote a letter to Qian Lao in the morning, praising Qian Lao's achievements and expressing his admiration.

Finally, at the end of the letter, I wrote, "I am honored to receive your letter. I intended to reply in person, but I fear that you are too busy and would be a bother to me."

Sincerely,
salute
Junior: Liu Yimin

January 1.12, 1983

When writing to scientists, keep it concise and easy to understand, as they are very busy. Qian Xuesen wrote and replied to many people, generally using only a few sentences to highlight the main points.

After finishing the letter, I started preparing for my lesson. Liu Yimin had fewer classes, but he had been abroad for a month and missed four classes, all of which he had to make up in January.

In addition, it was final exam time again, and I had to create the exam questions myself. I spent more time teaching in January than in the previous months.

In class, Liu Yimin, holding the pointer he had "borrowed" from Wu Zuxiang, talked eloquently about foreign literature. The pointer tapped the blackboard lightly, and chalk dust fell down.

"Everyone must take a dialectical view of foreign literature. Currently, there are some voices in China advocating for pure literature, returning literature to its essence. What does this mean? It means separating literature from politics."

I've also seen this trend in the United States, with Chinese writer Nie Hualing and some Americans discussing "pure literature." I believe this is an ideal state, but in reality, all works have political leanings, determined by the writer's own values.

The so-called call for "pure literature," in my opinion, is more of a call for political forces to distance themselves from literary creation, giving literature more creative space—a trend towards the liberalization of literary creation!

"Professor Liu, does Western literature also serve politics? In 'Bitter Love,' it says that the West is very free!" Student Zhang Li raised his hand and asked.

"Of course, it's just a matter of degree. All literature has its biases, and we'll find that if we observe carefully. In the future, the political bias in literature will tend to ease, but the fundamental starting point will not change."

"Professor Liu, how do Western media outlets conduct journalism? Can they report on the government at will?"

In the second-year Chinese literature class, there were also journalism students who were more curious about the media operation models in the United States and the West.

Liu Yimin wrote on the blackboard, “Western media controlled by capital and partisans in the United States”: “The United States has Republican and Democratic parties, and the media are differentiated according to political orientation. In addition, there is the power of capital.”

Capital is an invisible hand, even more powerful than the visible hand of political parties; it can seep into every pore of the media like blood!

"How is capital controlled?" "Large capital groups in the United States can control the media through advertising and equity. For example, newspapers that represent the interests of California rely heavily on local California businesses for their advertising revenue. If they fail to represent the interests of California, the newspaper will lose a vital source of funding and face bankruptcy."

Students, if you were the editor-in-chief of a newspaper, what would you choose?

The students looked at each other, offering various opinions, but generally tending to uphold justice and truth.

After listening, Liu Yimin said approvingly, "This shows that our education is still very successful, but this is, after all, an ivory tower. Many students majoring in journalism and literature will work in the media in the future. I hope you will answer this question again in a few years."

After the lecture, some students mustered up their courage and asked if the final exam would be particularly difficult. The course had only been taught a few times, and the students were all quite apprehensive.

Liu Yimin kept everyone in suspense: "Whether you find it difficult or not depends on whether you know how to do it or not."

The light in the student's eyes vanished instantly, and he hung his head, utterly dejected. It was as if the words hadn't been said at all. Besides, saying something like that was a very bad omen!

Some students are concerned about final exams, while others are interested in Liu Yimin's new book, "The Acacia Tree in the Minefield." Because the protagonist is a university student, these students feel a stronger connection to the novel.

Currently, the sales of "The Acacia Tree in the Minefield" have reached 900,000 copies, and the first print run of one million copies by People's Literature and Art is about to be sold out.

The military newspaper published a series of commentaries on "Acacia Tree in Minefield"—"Encouraging Outstanding College Students to Join the Army for Training and Cultivating a New Generation of Backbone Forces";
"The rejuvenation of the cadre ranks means that the military commanders and soldiers also need to be younger. The military must vigorously cultivate a new generation of commanders and soldiers who are knowledgeable and capable of fighting."

The People's Daily reprinted a commentary from the military newspaper, stating that college students are the nation's treasures and that the country is reluctant to send them to the front lines.

But true soldiers are forged in the fires of war; only by immersing themselves in the battlefield can they truly understand it. The army was determined to cultivate a new generation of officers.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that the frontline battle has now entered a stalemate. The intensity exists, but it is not high most of the time, which is the best time to train soldiers and generals.

Liu Yimin was forced to stay in the classroom for another twenty minutes before returning to the Chinese Department office with his lecture notes.

In Wei Wei's office at the Yanjing Military Region, Liu Yimin sat opposite him. Wei Wei handed Liu Yimin a document and said with a smile, "The General Political Department is preparing to award you an award for outstanding scriptwriting!"

Liu Yimin opened the General Political Department's document, and the title "Triumphant Return at Midnight" was listed first.

"Actually, 'Song of the Moon' should also be included, as every soldier on the front lines loves to sing it now. However, considering the limited number of awards, 'Song of the Moon' was not included. Nevertheless, the General Political Department and the soldiers will remember your contribution."

In a couple of days, there's a cultural performance by the Yanjing Military Region. You absolutely must come and attend, and you can also collect your prize. The Yanjing Military Region's cultural troupe will be competing against the drama troupes from the General Political Department, the Air Force Political Department, and the Navy Political Department—it'll be a huge spectacle! Plus, you can bring your family!

Wei Wei smiled and handed him several access passes for the cultural performance.

Bring family members? Zhu Lin was busy rehearsing at the moment, so naturally he didn't have time. As for Zhu's father and mother, it was unknown whether they would have time.

"Okay, I'll try my best to come, but I can't guarantee it!"

Wei Wei said, "You absolutely have to come on the last day. If you don't come, how will you claim your prize?"

"Okay, I'll definitely come!"

The cultural troupe of the Yanjing Military Region has already held preliminary rounds, and the cultural performances these past two days are the final competition among the outstanding programs from several major units.

"The script for the play 'The Acacia Tree in the Minefield' has been ordered from you by the Zhan You Drama Troupe through me."

"That's no problem, but it will probably be written out after the New Year."

"No rush, no rush. Let's enjoy the New Year first. You must be tired after coming back from the United States."

Before leaving, Liu Yimin asked Wei Wei if he knew why there was still no news about "Triumph at Midnight".

After calculating the time, it should be finished by now. Liu Yimin had been busy lately and hadn't had time to ask Wang Yan and Li Jun.

Wei Wei said in a low, mysterious voice, "I got this information from the General Political Department. You know how important this film is, so the editing and review process has been extremely careful. I heard it has already been reviewed twice, and both the General Political Department and the Film Bureau have given their opinions. I estimate that it will be ready after one more cut."

"I understand!"

After returning home, Liu Yimin asked Zhu Lin if she wanted to see the military's cultural performance. Zhu Lin wanted to go, but didn't have time. In the end, he gave one ticket each to Zhu's parents, and two more to Li Yuru and Wan Fang, and the four of them agreed to go together.

Being able to attend a cultural performance at the Yanjing Military Region was a symbol of status. Normally, if you could sneak into the army's drama troupe to see a play, you'd talk about it for days afterward.

The four of them spent a day observing the area. On the second day, Liu Yimin joined the four of them to observe the area, and the five of them entered the Yanjing Military Region in a grand procession.

After Liu Yimin visited several times and gained a reputation, the soldiers on guard duty became familiar with him. The sentries were not allowed to move due to discipline, but the soldiers in the guard post next door greeted them with smiles.

Upon arriving at the performance venue, Liu Yimin and a few others sat together. Shortly after, Wei Wei followed in with a group of leaders, and upon seeing Liu Yimin, waved to him.

"Comrades, this is Comrade Yimin!"

The senior officers all turned their attention to Liu Yimin. After observing him for a moment, the senior officer with slightly graying temples said, "Not bad, Comrade Liu Yimin. The army's cultural and artistic endeavors owe a debt of gratitude to you for your support!"

"Commander, you flatter me!" Liu Yimin said.

"Haha, come on, sit next to me and watch!"

On the last day of the performance, the Zhan You Drama Troupe performed "Triumphant Return at Midnight," as did the Air Force Political Department. The rest were dances created by various cultural troupes, including "Song of the Moon" by the General Political Department Cultural Troupe and "On the Coastal Defense Line" by the Navy Political Department.

"There are still ten teams competing today. Originally, everyone had signed up for 'Triumphant Return at Midnight,' but not all of them could perform. So, based on the principle of first come, first served, it was decided that Zhan You and Air Force Political Department would perform," Wei Wei said in a low voice.

Both the performances by Zhan You and the Air Force Political Department Drama Troupe were excellent, with Feng Xiaogang once again playing a Vietnamese soldier in Zhan You Drama Troupe. Meanwhile, Liu Yimin also met some old acquaintances at the Air Force Political Department Drama Troupe.

Two well-known actors, Wang Xueqi and Li Xuejian, are playing the roles of Tong Chuan and the front-line regimental commander, respectively.

At this time, Li Xuejian's vocal cords had not yet been damaged by nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and her speech was strong and clear.

The cultural performance had many participants and lasted a long time; it was hard to sit still for two or three hours.

(End of this chapter)