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

Chapter 446 Italian Version: Better to Give to Outsiders than to Domestic Servants

The French president sat in the Élysée Palace with a furrowed brow. The pressure from right-wing parties on the left was mounting, and a sense of foreboding was rising in his heart.

"Chirac is used to making no attempt to hide his ambitions and is unwilling to give up any opportunity," President Mitterrand said angrily.

"Chirac and his new political wings are now in place, but whether they can win next year's parliamentary elections is another matter."

Mitterrand was very unhappy with Chirac's statement, as he was the true president of the country.

“We will also hold a press conference and have our spokesperson speak out to the outside world, encouraging cultural exchanges and cooperation in the protection of cultural relics between the two sides.” Mitterrand threw the document on the table.

"I think we should stop him and prevent him from accumulating public support smoothly."

"Stop it? If we try to stop it, what will China think? What will the people think? We are a government that respects public opinion. There's a Chinese saying, 'Go with the flow.'" After saying this, Mitterrand waved his hand and told his men to get to it.

The Élysée Palace quickly held a press conference to encourage Paris Mayor Jacques Chirac's actions and reiterate its commitment to cultural exchange and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Now that China has joined UNESCO, member states should legally support the pursuit of Chinese cultural relics.

When the presidential palace made its statement, Liu Yimin and Chirac had already attended the donation banquet hosted by the Pinault family.

Parisian cultural elites gathered together, and writer Perec saw Liu Yimin and said with a smile, "Liu, you did it."

Another writer, Lai, gave a thumbs-up and said, "Liu, you're amazing."

“In just a few days, France has gained a new understanding of China and experienced a baptism of Chinese culture,” Marguerite Duras said, leaning closer.

She is a famous French writer and screenwriter, best known for her film "Hiroshima Mon Amour," which won an award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The story, told through a love story, depicts the devastation of Hiroshima after it was destroyed by nuclear weapons, and reflects on the nature of war.

This year, Marguerite won the Prix Goncourt in France, and she is currently a very popular figure in the French literary world.

“I’ve been to Hiroshima several times, and I’ve also been to other cities in Japan. In the 1950s, many Japanese people would acknowledge the war. When I went there a couple of years ago, quite a few young Japanese people no longer believed that the war existed. Liu, what do you think?” Margaret asked curiously.

“If they believe there was no invasion, then Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not bombed with atomic bombs!” Liu Yimin said solemnly.

Margaret said in astonishment, "But there are still traces of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

"We also bear the marks of invasion."

"Some people believe that you've made a lot of movies that promote hatred. What do you think?"

"If facing the true history is to promote hatred, then why did they establish Hiroshima Memorial Day? Isn't promoting their victimhood also promoting hatred? France was an Allied power, and you also share in the hatred of the Japanese."

"Hahaha!" Margaret chuckled dryly a few times.

Liu Yimin said, "I would like to invite you to visit China when I have the opportunity."

After exchanging a few words, the Pinault family went on stage and signed the donation agreement with the ambassador, to which everyone in the audience applauded.

After the signing was completed, Chirac went on stage and gave a lengthy speech. Liu Yimin then made a brief statement before the banquet officially began.

"Yimin, that's remarkable! This is a major step forward in the return of European artifacts, following the return of artifacts from the United States. From Italy to France, I believe it will have a ripple effect. We sent the photos back to China, and cultural relics experts believe that these are important national treasures, which will be of great help in studying the history of the Shang and Zhou dynasties."

The bronze tripod was very well preserved, and the inscriptions inside were very clear. The ambassador held Liu Yimin's hand tightly.

When Chirac arrived, Ambassador Cao turned around and shook hands, saying, "Mr. Chirac, I hope you will always be a friend of the Chinese people."

"Mr. Chirac, thank you for what you have done."

Chirac spoke a few practical words in a low voice, and when he saw people arrive, he brought up his so-called values ​​again.

"Liu, you are a trustworthy friend. I believe our friendship will continue." Chirac raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Liu Yimin quickly emptied his glass of wine, and at 10 p.m., he left the Pinault family's dinner party.

The next day at eight o'clock, Liu Yimin woke up in his bed in London. Massey Danny, as a team member, accompanied him, and the British publisher and editors were also present.

In the restaurant, editor John ate a piece of bread, his eyes revealing excitement as he looked at Liu Yimin.

“Liu, if you had won the Booker Prize, I believe your influence in the UK would have doubled. Now is the best time for Sino-British relations, and everyone at our publishing house believes that Chinese literature will have a huge market in the UK.” John’s biggest regret was that Liu Yimin did not win this year’s Booker Prize.

Last December, the two sides reached an agreement on the Hong Kong issue, and the obstacles to the forward development of bilateral relations have been removed. The relationship between the two countries is getting better and better.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, relations between China and Britain were good in all aspects, especially in the military sphere, with China purchasing a considerable amount of British equipment.

The anti-artillery radar used on the front lines was purchased from the British.

Judging from the current situation, John's assessment of the best period in Sino-British relations is not wrong.

"The Booker Prize doesn't have the same reputation as our French Goncourt Prize," said Marcel Dani.

John said with dissatisfaction, "Only you French people would think that way."

"You two, let's not argue," Liu Yimin said helplessly.

Liu Yimin found the British breakfast unappetizing, while Lü Tongliu next to him ate quite well. Having studied in the Soviet Union, he thought British bread was better than Soviet rye bread.

"Danny, try to arrange Chinese meals for the rest of the trip," Liu Yimin said.

Massey Danny immediately replied, "Okay, I'll communicate with them."

“Chinese food in Britain isn’t as good as in China. I miss the braised sea cucumber with scallions from Fengzeyuan Restaurant, and that fish too. It’s better than the fish in Britain.” John said, his mouth already savoring the taste of Fengzeyuan.

At 9:30, Liu Yimin arrived at the book signing event and met with all the readers.

One match in London, one at Oxford University in the UK, followed by Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

Two days in the UK, one day each in Germany and Belgium, and half a day in Luxembourg. After this packed schedule, Liu Yimin will begin his trip to the United States.

At the lecture in London, renowned British author Amis and the Speaker of the London Parliament were present.

Amis came to meet with Liu Yimin. The situation of the Speaker of Parliament coming is similar to that of Chirac: to whitewash his image in the field of human rights.

“Liu, congratulations.” Amy said enviously, “You are so young, you have achieved far more than I have at this age.”

Amis's works mainly focus on London, and Liu Yimin is not very familiar with his literary style, but John had already read the relevant materials for him.

“Mr. Amis, tomorrow I will be traveling to your alma mater, Oxford University. I hope I can experience the charm of this ancient school.”

"I believe you will definitely see it."

Following the book signing, the British newspapers *The Guardian* and *The Times* jointly interviewed Liu Yimin. Their newspapers are distributed globally and have a significant influence worldwide.

Liu Yimin discussed Sino-British exchanges with them, focusing on the issue of France voluntarily returning cultural relics.

"Liu, we'd like to know what efforts China has made in afforestation?"

"Currently, our main focus in tree planting is in northern China, in what we call the 'Three-North Shelterbelt Project,' where our people have made enormous sacrifices. However, we have also won the help of many international people who love the environment. Many environmental groups in the United States are providing financial and material assistance to China's afforestation efforts."

"What is the exact amount?"

“American NGOs have about a few thousand dollars, but the money isn’t important. What matters is the effort we make to protect the Earth’s environment. We will do it regardless of whether we have financial assistance or not.”

A reporter from The Times asked, "With international assistance, would you be able to do even better?"

"Of course, we have the method and enough money, so we can plant more trees."

You probably can't imagine that a desert has turned into an oasis before your very eyes—it's a miracle, a miracle! We are replicating this miracle. The West constantly calls for environmental protection, but I hope that these calls will be put into practice, that we will take action. What we need is action.

Repeating important words during a speech can enhance its persuasiveness. When talking about "miracles" and "actions," Liu Yimin emphasized them particularly. "The earth is a whole. The benefits of us Chinese planting trees are not only for the Chinese people, but for people all over the world."

A Guardian reporter said, "I have seen the interviews and photos of the French journalists who visited Saihanba, and the photos and stories have deeply moved us. I believe that no one in Britain would want to work in such a place, not even the most ardent environmentalists."

"That's the difference between us and you. We rarely talk, but we always do. You talk, but you don't do."

"But we feel you've exaggerated?"

“If you don’t believe what the French journalists say, you can go and see for yourselves. But I believe you will be even more shocked than they are, because there are now many more trees that have survived.”

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, he glanced at the two men and said again, "American environmentalists are supporting this with concrete actions, and I believe that the people of Europe should also support it. Your Times and Guardian are both top-tier newspapers in the world, and you should have an even greater sense of responsibility."

“We will include your appeal in the document.”

As soon as the interview was scheduled, John came in and asked the reporter to leave.

During his trip to Oxford University, journalists from domestic newspapers accompanied him.

Reporter Li Zhou, looking at the reports in The Guardian and The Times, said: "It is rare for Third World countries to accuse developed countries of being indifferent to environmental issues; it is mostly developed countries that accuse Third World countries of deforestation and destroying the earth."

"Comrade journalist, this is where the Westerners' brilliance lies. They always set up countless topics for us to explore, but we should set up topics for them and let them prove themselves."

The Japanese say there was no war, so Liu Yimin says that Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not nuked, and he'll let the Japanese prove it themselves.

Most of the time, people who are too concerned about saving face suffer a lot in arguments.

Li Zhou said, "Our media are mostly good at fighting domestic battles, but incompetent in international ones. Many people in the West are shameless, just like politicians, turning their backs on you as easily as flipping through a book, and denying their promises after they've done their job is as common as eating a meal."

“We also have people who don’t talk about history and have no shame, but they’ve used that on ourselves.”

Oxford University students are very interested in the humanities and environmental protection, and the books they carry most often are "The Old Man and the Dog" and "Beloved".

Upon learning that one of the students was the president of the drama club, Liu Yimin decided to send her the script of "The Old Man and the Dog" after he returned to China, after talking with her for a while.

"This is the script for a benefit performance by an environmental group in San Francisco, USA. They raise funds for reforestation around the world through their actions. I hope that each of you will become an internationalist and truly put your hearts on the world."

The president of the drama club laughed and said, "We will also take our own actions. My friends all say I have a very broad mind."

“I think they’re right,” Liu Yimin said, looking down at the measurement.

The awards ceremony concluded on the 12th, followed by a speech at the Paris Parliament on the 13th. Liu Yimin concluded his European speaking tour on the 21st.

Signing autographs always hurts, so Dani Massey taught Liu Yimin a simple trick: when attending autograph sessions, wrap your hand in gauze and say you're injured and can't sign.

“Danny, you’re trying to fool my readers. My readers are the most lovable people, and I won’t fool them. Only sincerity can earn sincerity.” Liu Yimin patted Danny on the shoulder.

In addition to the prize money from the literary award, Liu Yimin has earned about $15,000 in appearance fees recently.

"Goodbye, Comrade Lü!" Liu Yimin said to Lü Tongliu.

"Comrade Yimin, I wish you a successful trip to the United States!"

Lü Tongliu had completed the task assigned to him by the Federation of Literary and Art Circles and was preparing to return to China. He was exhausted, with a sore back and aching muscles. Liu Yimin suggested he rest in Paris for a few days, but he refused, saying he missed his wife after being away for half a month.

"Comrade Yimin, do you need me to bring something for your family?"

"No need, I'll buy it when I get back from the US. Do you need some foreign currency? Want to buy something to take back with you?"

Lu Tongliu said, "No, the US dollars the Federation of Literary and Art Circles gave me, plus the extra money from the various publishing houses these past few days, are enough. I'm still taking advantage of you."

As a member of the delegation, Lü Tongliu followed Liu Yimin in giving speeches. Each publishing house paid him about fifty US dollars a day, and with several hundred US dollars in hand, he was already quite satisfied.

After seeing Lü Tongliu off, Liu Yimin rested for a night in Paris before heading to the United States. Another translator from the Writers' Association was already waiting for him in San Francisco.

After his European speaking tour concluded, news media in various countries published different assessments of Liu Yimin's trip in their newspapers.

Le Monde (France) – “A Chinese Writer’s Trip to France: As Sharp as the Last One”

Le Figaro – “The return of cultural relics opens a new window for Sino-French exchanges”

The Guardian (UK) – "A Chinese writer who dares to speak his mind"

The Times – “He made Europeans understand China again”

The German newspaper *Der Tagesspiegel* reports: "He has changed the negative image that some Chinese writers have cultivated in Europe in recent years."

The satirical cartoon from Charlie Hebdo—"You Should Take Action!"

The cartoon depicts Liu Yimin and European environmentalists, with exaggerated poses that made Liu Yimin laugh out loud.

After Liu Yimin left, the Italian newspapers began to change their tune, which prompted Liu Yimin to say that Italy could be a friend, but not a teammate.

Many Italians have questioned the award criteria for the Nonino Literary Prize, arguing that the prize money awarded to Liu Yimin, a foreigner, is too high, twice that of domestic award winners.

It's practically the Italian version of "I'd rather give to outsiders than to my own servants!"

This matter caused a great uproar in Italy after Liu Yimin's departure.

Liu Yimin wouldn't bother with such things. Let them argue; it would be beneath him to get involved in the argument himself!

A Maltese student named Klif sent a telegram to Liu Yimin, which was delivered to the embassy. He was attending Liu Yimin's award banquet as a Maltese diplomat and had intended to greet him, but there were too many people around and he didn't have a chance.

Liu Yimin replied with a telegram wishing everyone well and that their friendship would last forever.

"Yimin, I wish you a safe journey and a safe arrival in San Francisco," Ambassador Cao said with a smile. Beside him was Lu Jimin, the director of the Cultural Relics Bureau, who was in charge of the handover of cultural relics.

"Comrade Yimin, this cultural relic is of great value. It was sold during the Republic of China era and was worth at least 50,000 silver dollars at the time. The other gold artifact was looted from France at that time." Lü Jimin also told Liu Yimin that the application for the Great Wall to be recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage has been approved and will be officially announced soon. The applications for the other items are also being processed in an orderly manner.

“You are a hero. We are here not only to contact France, but also to contact other European countries.”

"I wish everyone success in their pursuit of their funds!"

Liu Yimin turned and boarded the plane. He then informed the embassy's translator to wait for him at the embassy in Washington.

The flight from Paris to Washington takes less than ten hours, but if you're going to San Francisco, it will take about two more hours.

After the plane flew over the European continent, it reached the vast Atlantic Ocean. It was the first time Liu Yimin had seen the Atlantic Ocean from the air, and the routes of the triangular trade began to become clear in his field of vision.

The Black man next to Liu Yimin asked him what he was looking at, and Liu Yimin replied, "I'm looking at how many souls from Africa are underwater."

The black man was immediately terrified and silently moved a little further away from Liu Yimin.

When they reached the middle of the Atlantic, the Black man saw Liu Yimin in the newspaper. After carefully comparing the two, he was excited and wanted to shake hands with him.

“Although I am Black, we have been French since my father’s time, in 1945.”

Liu Yimin nodded and said, "I wish you a pleasant stay in France. How many children do you have?"

"Five!"

"France will be your France sooner or later," Liu Yimin said meaningfully.

At 3:00 AM on March 23, Liu Yimin officially arrived in Washington.

The Paris Review, China Book and Periodical Press, the embassy, ​​and various associations had been waiting for Liu Yimin for a long time. To his surprise, Liu Yimin spotted Nie Hualing in the crowd.

(End of this chapter)