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

Chapter 400 The Concept of the Research Institute

The first think tank in Chinese history should be the Jixia Academy, and the first think tank after the reform and opening up was the National Economic Research Center, established in 1980. It was composed of a group of senior economists and mainly provided advice on the formulation of national economic policies and conducted research on the effects of policies.

Subsequently, many departments established their own think tanks, all of which were official think tanks. With the development of the times, non-governmental think tanks also began to spring up like mushrooms after rain, and many experts and influential figures on the internet today have backgrounds in think tank work.

Xia Yan paced back and forth in the room unhurriedly. Liu Yimin pondered carefully before asking, "Where is our organization located? In the ministry? In the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences? Or in the university?"

"It will be located at Yenching University, and the ministry will directly supervise it," Xia Yan replied with a smile. Once he said that, it should be about right.

“Okay, but there are really very few people in China who are doing research on cross-cultural issues right now!” Liu Yimin replied.

Upon hearing this, Xia Yan turned around and sat down opposite Liu Yimin: "You're worth several people by yourself. I've read all the reports you've given, and they all involve international cultural content. Take your time, I believe you can definitely do a good job."

"Is the allocation of funds handled by the ministry?"

"It's from the ministry, bypassing the university and going directly to the research institute." Xia Yan didn't say the specific amount of funding, as the allocation of funds was related to the research projects and staffing that year.

After discussing and researching for a while, Xia Yan brought up Liu Yimin's twins: "They want to call me when they are a month old, because Shen Yun keeps saying he wants to eat at the feast!"

"sure!"

The two walked out and turned into Yan Jiayan's office. Xia Yan told Yan Jiayan that he must support Liu Yimin's research institute establishment.

Yan Jiayan smiled and said, "Mr. Shen, I will definitely give my full support, so you can rest assured."

Xia Yan lingered in Yan Jiayan's office for a while before leaving the Chinese Department.

Yan Jiayan watched Xia Yan leave and teased, "Did you sleep well?"

"Professor Yan, you did this on purpose! You didn't tell me beforehand, and you didn't wake me up," Liu Yimin complained.

"I was going to tell you, but you look so dazed. How can I talk to you? People are in high spirits when they have good things happen, but you're having too much fun."

Liu Yimin complained, "Professor Yan, how can I possibly sleep well if there are two loudspeakers next to you at random times at night?"

"You can't have everything. Twins, other people have to carry them for twenty months when they have one at a time. You've really hit the jackpot!"

Yan Jiayan patted Liu Yimin on the shoulder and returned to his office. Liu Yimin glanced at the time and realized it was lunchtime, time to go home.

After arriving at the office and packing my things, I rode my motorcycle back to the Overseas Chinese Apartment.

Before even entering the door, the sound of crying could be heard. Yang Xiuyun was in the living room trying to soothe her second child, while Zhu Lin was playing with the eldest child using a rattle drum that Chen Peisi and Zhu Shimao had given them.

Liu Yimin took a deep breath at the door and pushed it open, asking, "Mom, why are you crying again?"

"Dad's back, Xiaoyu, look!" Yang Xiuyun said as she walked over carrying her second child. "Try holding them. These two kids are really strong. They don't sleep during the day, but they can fall asleep at night."

Liu Yimin put down his briefcase, hugged his second son in his arms, and after shaking him a couple of times, he actually stopped crying and started laughing instead.

"It has to be his biological father. He's not even a month old and he's already recognizing people." Yang Xiuyun breathed a sigh of relief and went to cook.

Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin each sat on the sofa, constantly playing with the children, the family of five enjoying a happy time together.

After a while, Mr. Zhu also came home from get off work. Mr. Zhu was very particular about how he held the child. He would first pat off the dust from his body, then wash his face and hands, and only after completing a series of preparations would he reach out his hand.

"Oh dear, I forgot to wash my hands today," Liu Yimin said.

Zhu's father teased the child and told Liu Yimin about some new works that had recently appeared in the literary world.

Zhu Lin laughed and said, "Dad, you should write literary criticism instead of trying to write novels. I think you have a very methodical approach to analyzing literature and novels."

“That’s true, writing literary reviews might actually get you published,” Liu Yimin said, echoing Zhu Lin’s words.

Overjoyed, Zhu's father became quite ambitious and prepared to showcase his talent in literary criticism.

While Zhu's father and Zhu Lin were talking, Liu Yimin got up and went to the kitchen to help Yang Xiuyun. Yang Xiuyun made braised noodles, stir-fried a meat dish, and separately stewed pig's trotters for Zhu Lin in a clay pot next to her.

This method of cooking pig's trotters was taught to me by Zhu's mother. It contains a lot of Chinese medicinal herbs, which are very effective for pregnant women to restore their nutrition.

After the food was prepared and placed on the table, Zhu's father said, "You eat first, I'll hold you for now."

Yang Xiuyun quickly said, "My dear in-law, you've been working all day, you must be very tired. I can hold the baby."

Mr. Zhu picked up his second child, got up, and walked to the center of the living room, saying, "No need, no need. I just sit in my office when I go to work. I don't get as much exercise as you do when you're at home taking care of the kids."

Zhu Lin also said, "Mom, you eat first. I've been coaxing you all morning, you must be starving."

Yang Xiuyun stopped refusing and asked Zhu's father what he usually did as a professor at the school while they were eating. Zhu's father gave Yang Xiuyun some simple and easy-to-understand examples.

After Zhu's father finished speaking, Yang Xiuyun asked, "I wonder when Yimin will be promoted to professor!"

"Professor is not an official position, it's a professional title!" Zhu's father was speechless.

Yang Xiuyun waved her hand and said, "They're all about the same, they're all about the same!"

After Liu Yimin finished eating, he went to hug his second son. Zhu's father thought for a moment and said, "That makes sense. What my in-laws said makes sense."

Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin exchanged a smile and sat down to whisper to each other. That afternoon, Liu Yimin didn't go to school but instead attended the filming ceremony for "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven" at the August First Film Studio.

Some actors from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, such as Yu Shizhi and Lin Liankun, were selected for the TV series. When Liu Yimin arrived on set, he saw that the scale of the production made it seem like a joint production between the August First Film Studio and the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Liu Yimin held Yu Shizhi's hand and said, "If you perform well, you'll definitely be the Best Supporting Actor next year!"

Yu Shizhi said in a low voice, "You know what I'm thinking. What are film awards? I don't care about them. I only care about awards in the theater world."

"The awards for the theater world are coming up soon!"

"It will be evaluated next year, and then every three years thereafter."

Li Jun, who was standing next to Yu Shizhi, said, "Dean Yu should be able to win the Best Supporting Actor award this year. As for awards in the film industry, he really doesn't care about them."

"Hey, don't call me Dean Yu, Comrade Li Jun. I'm your soldier now, just call me Lao Yu."

At the opening ceremony, Liu Yimin and Li Jun jointly announced that the filming of "The Best Restaurant Under Heaven" had officially begun.

In late April, Liu Yimin and his family sat in front of the TV to watch "The Legendary Shopkeeper".

The two little ones didn't cry or fuss; they calmly watched TV with their eyes open, as if they could understand it.

Looking at the lavish dishes at Jifenglou Restaurant on TV, Yang Xiuyun exclaimed in surprise, "People in the city ate this well back then!"

“There are always wealthy people, and most of them have wealthy ancestors,” Zhu’s mother explained.

Looking at the harmonious scene, Liu Yimin thought to himself that it was good that the two of them were on the same side, at least he didn't have to worry about family conflicts.

Zhu Lin was thinking about how pleasant and free the time she spent at home with Liu Yimin was.

After watching TV, Liu Yimin and Zhu Lin took the child back to rest, where they set up two small beds next to the main bed, one on each side.

Zhu's mother and Yang Xiuyun looked at the two little ones standing at the door and said, "You two shouldn't sleep too soundly, or you won't know if the baby is crying. This house is soundproof, we won't hear it for a while." "Okay, Mom!" Zhu Lin said wearily with a smile, "We'll keep our ears perked up, and get up immediately if there's the slightest sound."

Zhu's mother glared at Zhu Lin: "Speak properly."

After the two left, Zhu Lin finally relaxed and lay down on the bed. A murmur came from the rocking crib next to her, which immediately made Zhu Lin tense up. She only relaxed when she realized that the person hadn't woken up.

Liu Yimin patted Zhu Lin on the shoulder and said, "You've had a long day, go to sleep!"

"Go to sleep, Teacher Liu!"

The two lay in bed embracing each other, feeling each other's breath, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

On its first day of broadcast, "The Legendary Manager" attracted a large number of television viewers. It continued to be a hit, with its intricately plotted storyline keeping viewers hooked. The story of an ordinary man's rise to wealth resonated with many, who were eager to see Luan Zi become the renowned Manager Luan and then the Chairman of the Beiping Catering Association.

Most importantly, it's exhilarating. Seeing Luan Xuetang come up with ingenious tricks repeatedly despite the interference of his competitors, the audience couldn't help but applaud and shout "Brilliant!"

Fengzeyuan specially bought a large color TV and placed it in the lobby of Fengzeyuan to play the daytime rerun of "The Legendary Shopkeeper". Next to it hung a large photo of Liu Yimin taking photos at Fengzeyuan, with a note below.

Diners watching TV occasionally exclaimed how exciting the show was. Recently, the number of customers at Fengzeyuan Restaurant had shown signs of decline, but it quickly rebounded.

The manager and chef of Fengzeyuan were very satisfied with this scene. The only regret was the name "Legendary Manager". It would have been better if it had been changed to "The Number One Restaurant in the World". The word "Number One" sounds more domineering than "Legendary"!

In response, Chef Wang Yijun comforted everyone at the restaurant, saying, "Quanjude spent 20,000 yuan, while Fengzeyuan didn't spend a penny."

On the first day of the broadcast of "The Legendary Shopkeeper", the manager sent someone to deliver several dishes from Fengzeyuan to Liu Yimin in a food box - braised sea cucumber with scallions, cuttlefish egg soup, braised lion's head meatballs, steamed soft-shelled turtle, and braised shark fin.

The five dishes also have a special meaning. Upon learning that Liu Yimin had twins, the five dishes symbolized the wish for five sons to achieve success in the imperial examinations.

The manager invited Liu Yimin to hold the full moon celebration at Fengzeyuan, but Liu Yimin declined, feeling that there would be too many people there.

Grandpa Wang Yijun called Liu Yimin specifically to say he would be there to help Liu Yimin prepare the banquet.

“Comrade Yimin, just because you left me a few words in the book, I should do this banquet!” Wang Yijun said immediately when Liu Yimin declined.

In the ending of "The Legendary Shopkeeper", Liu Yimin briefly wrote about Wang Yijun working as an assistant in the kitchen of Fengzeyuan, which can be regarded as explaining the succession of Fengzeyuan from the old to the new. Every time Wang Yijun reads the last few paragraphs, his emotions cannot help but surge.

In his heart, he gave the book a perfect ending, establishing himself in Fengzeyuan with his skills, becoming a head chef, preparing state banquets for the elderly, and eventually becoming a world-renowned Shandong cuisine chef.

In a TV series filmed by Li Jun, there's a scene where, after actor "Wang Yijun" joins Fengzeyuan, Luan Xuetang watches the bustling streets of Yanjing return to normal, and Wang Yijun himself walks past the entrance.

These shots may be unearthed by some commentator in the future, sparking heated discussions among netizens who exclaimed that this was "the director's romance."

Several days had passed, and the TV series still hadn't aired the finale. Wang Yijun was itching to watch it and couldn't wait to show it to the person next to him.

"Grandpa, thank you for your trouble!"

"Comrade Yimin, please don't be so polite!"

In the following period, Liu Yimin devoted himself to the establishment of the research institute, in addition to teaching and writing books.

Unfortunately, after looking around Yenching University, I didn't find many suitable professors. I could only focus on writing things down, such as outlines, institute structure, staffing, and funding applications.

The research institute generally doesn't need a large number of staff for daily operations. Most of the employees are administrative staff from the secretariat or office, while the rest are visiting professors and scholars. These professors and scholars don't usually work together; they only need to collaborate on specific research projects.

Liu Yimin has high expectations for the future of this research institute. He feels that there are too many suggestions to make and too many questions to study in the cultural field.

There are many things we can do, especially targeting a country like South Korea that is known for its thievery. At the very least, we can't let them take away the kimchi that Koreans rely on for their livelihood anymore. The Dragon Boat Festival and other traditional festivals should also be our intangible cultural heritage.

Furthermore, since this involves news dissemination, we should also cultivate more excellent media journalists to weaken the environment for the existence of public intellectuals.

Some journalism and communication textbooks are problematic. Most Western histories of journalism portray foreign newspapers as paragons of objectivity and impartiality. Ignoring their biased reporting, how can students not make mistakes?
Inside the Ministry of Culture, Liu Yimin was giving a report to Xia Yan. Xia Yan looked at the name of the research institute and its research direction on the document and said with satisfaction, "It seems that entrusting it to you was a good choice."

Liu Yimin named the institute the "Institute for the Protection and Development of Chinese Culture," and its main research directions are threefold: first, the issue of cultural invasion in the international environment; second, the protection and development of Chinese culture in East Asia; and third, the healthy development of China's cultural industry.

"Please take a look and see if there are any shortcomings. This is just a general idea," Liu Yimin asked.

Xia Yan pointed to the last two research directions and asked, "Explain the second and third ones to me in detail. What do you mean by cultural industry?"

"Cultural preservation and development within East Asia, simply put, means protecting our own culture while enhancing the influence of Chinese culture in East Asia. Countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia are deeply influenced by Chinese culture. When a country is strong, it is naturally willing to extend a helping hand to Chinese culture, such as the Japanese envoys to Tang Dynasty China."

However, our country's economic strength is relatively weak now, and we can't control these people, so naturally they are unwilling to acknowledge the influence of Chinese culture on them. This is why South Korea and Vietnam abolished Chinese characters. But on the other hand, the cultural influence of thousands of years will not be so easily eliminated.

The cultural relics of Vietnam and South Korea still feature Chinese characters, and the South Korean flag displays the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbol. If they want to shake off this influence, they will inevitably need to reshape their own cultural history. Some of our things are easily claimed as their own; if there's no history, they create one. How can we allow them to steal the things passed down from our ancestors?

Xia Yan frowned upon hearing this: "Isn't this just calling a deer a horse? They say they are theirs, but facts speak louder than words."

"We know this, but other countries in the world don't! They say good wine needs no bush, and true gold fears no fire. But if the real thing is blocked, the fake thing becomes the real thing."

In *Journey to the West*, Sun Wukong died, so the Six-Eared Macaque became the real Monkey King.

"Others may not know, but aren't they guilty themselves?" Xia Yan asked.

Liu Yimin laughed and said, "In the Rakshasa Kingdom, the uglier you are, the higher your official rank, while handsome people are labeled as monsters. Horseman doesn't know he's a donkey, and bird doesn't know he's a chicken!"

Xia Yan fell silent after hearing this, and began to ponder. He had a deep understanding of human nature, but sometimes he couldn't believe that a country would do such a thing.

“I’ll go back and do some research. What about the cultural industry?” Xia Yan asked.

The concept of the cultural industry has not yet been introduced to China. Liu Yimin explained the concept of the cultural industry to him in detail, including the development of the film and television industry, etc.

“In the West, these are like industrial products that can generate profits. They produce movies and music as industrial products. With our reform and opening up, we will also have a cultural industry in the future. If our domestic cultural industry develops well, there will be fewer foreign companies, and we can even go overseas to make money.”

Liu Yimin sat in Xia Yan's office and talked to Xia Yan for most of the day. The two of them drank several cups of tea.

After listening, Xia Yan said, "What you said is something everyone in the department should hear!"

"I was just thinking randomly, and my idea isn't complete yet!"

"Which type of film from our country do you think will have an international impact?"

"Currently, it's Chinese Kung Fu. The movie 'Shaolin Temple' is very popular overseas. If more movies can be made, I think it can increase its popularity even more."

Have you ever been to the Shaolin Temple?

Liu Yimin said, "It's very close to where we are, but I've never actually been there. We have a Fengxue Temple there, which has a long history. Some scenes from the movie 'Shaolin Temple' were filmed there."

“It seems we should encourage the creation of this type of film.” Xia Yan patted the armrest of the sofa.

After they finished chatting, Xia Yan teased, "When is the baby's one-month celebration? It's almost here, isn't it? I'm afraid you'll forget about me!"

"Born on April 12th, we plan to hold the ceremony on May 12th. I don't want to make a big fuss, so please don't complain that it's too simple."

"Haha, I'm not a picky eater, but I can't control Shen Yun."

(End of this chapter)