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

Chapter 454, "Amnesty 1959," was published.

"Thank you for your trust in me and for voting me as an outstanding individual. I will continue to work hard and write even better works and scripts."

This award is the one I've wanted most since I was a child. When I was in school, I would always read the news about model worker awards for a long time. Comrade Zhang Binggui is my role model.

His fiery spirit is something we should all learn from, and we should strive to do our best in our jobs. I also believe that reasonable compensation is crucial for maintaining the passion of employees.

Thank you everyone, that concludes my remarks.

More people applauded from the audience, especially representatives from various factories, who felt that Liu Yimin was advocating for better welfare benefits for them.

After stepping down from the stage, the leaders of Yanjing City discussed the issue of income distribution methods based on Liu Yimin's speech.

Even after the meeting ended, the representatives from all walks of life stayed behind, crowding around the corridors and doorways to see Liu Yimin.

Faced with outstretched hands, Liu Yimin could only shake hands with everyone, becoming the most prominent man at the entire meeting.

After they came out, Ouyang Shanzun joked, "Even Jiabao Gong isn't as popular as the common people."

"Comrade Shanzun, are you trying to sow discord between us, master and disciple?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile.

Cao Yu turned to look at Ouyang Shanzun: "Hahaha, Shanzun, my student is asking you a question."

“Lord Jiabao, what I meant was that new talents emerge in every generation, each one stronger than the last,” Ouyang Shanzun said with a smile.

The municipal government wasn't far from the Beijing People's Art Theatre, so everyone walked back together. Twenty-odd people wore red flowers on their chests and held certificates in their hands, a sight that drew the attention of Beijing residents.

"It's like watching a Western spectacle." Yu Zhi laughed and even waved to the people who stopped to watch.

Ouyang Shanzun said, "Alright, hurry back. Yimin is still here. It wouldn't be good if everyone surrounded us."

Back at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, Liu Yimin sat in the rehearsal room watching Ouyang Shanzun and Zhu Lin rehearse. This was a new play, and the two were very careful in their rehearsal, afraid that the audience wouldn't understand it.

Cao Yu, sitting next to him, asked, "You've been promoted to a third-level professor. How does it feel?"

"I'm even more tired now."

"You're going to be supervising graduate students, so you need to be more careful with your studies."

"Haha, I'll still be your doctoral student in two months!"

Liu Yimin had already anticipated the large number of applicants for the Chinese Literature graduate program next year, with a significant portion of them coming specifically for him.

If you pass the exam, you will not only be Liu Yimin's graduate student, but also Cao Yu's second-generation disciple.

After watching the rehearsal for a while, the two returned to the office and played chess. Liu Yimin stayed at the Beijing People's Art Theatre for lunch, and he planned to watch the performance of "The Battle of Taierzhuang" that evening.

Taking advantage of this time, Cao Yu asked Liu Yimin to hold a sharing session for the screenwriters of the Beijing People's Art Theatre's editing team, teaching them how to create scripts.

The playwrights at the Beijing People's Art Theatre received a notice from the theatre and rushed to the meeting room to find a seat right after lunch.

After resting for a while, Liu Yimin walked into the conference room and subconsciously glanced at his watch upon seeing the scene inside: "Comrades, am I not late?"

"Comrade Yimin, we're early. Everyone wants to hear your sharing!" screenwriter He Jiping said with a smile.

The screenwriters below burst into laughter, followed by a round of applause.

"Let's exchange ideas and make progress together. Many of you here are my seniors. If there's anything I said that's wrong, please feel free to offer your opinions."

"Comrade Yimin, don't be modest. None of us here can compare to you. You are well-versed in both Chinese and Western learning, have a deep understanding of foreign literature, and have an excellent grasp of the preferences of domestic audiences. We should learn a lot from you," Gu Wei said, standing up to the other screenwriters present.

Before becoming a director, Gu Wei was a screenwriter and was considered a veteran screenwriter at the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

As soon as he spoke, the others nodded in agreement.

Screenwriter Liu Jinyun said, "Comrade Yimin, let's begin."

Liu Yimin thought about it at noon and felt that it would be good to talk to everyone about the comparison between current Chinese and foreign dramas.

"Currently, the themes of foreign plays can be divided into three categories: the first is to express political demands; the second is to explore social psychology; and the third is to express the individual's predicament in society."

For example, our performance of Miller's "Death of a Salesman" depicts the existential predicament of American salesmen and the collective social psychology they exhibit.

This illustrates the arduous path of survival for individuals within the current torrent of American consumer society, and the devastating impact of a society driven by desire on the individual.

Liu Yimin's three categories impressed the playwrights below, who quickly took notes, feeling that it was a theoretical summary of Liu Yimin's profound insights into Western drama.

"There are three types of themes, but they are divided into many styles of expression, including realistic styles and stream-of-consciousness works that focus on trendy forms."

Our Beijing People's Art Theatre has also learned a lot, such as from productions like "Absolute Signal" and "The Station," emphasizing immersive performances in small theaters.

Liu Jinyun couldn't help but ask, "Comrade Yimin, what do you think about us learning this?"

"What do you all think?" Liu Yimin asked rhetorically.

Gu Wei said, "These small theaters have received some response, but they can't achieve the phenomenal success of 'The Best Restaurant Under Heaven'."

Several screenwriters then spoke, suggesting that the reason it didn't reach phenomenal success might be due to the small theater format or insufficient learning from foreign practices.

Liu Yimin said with a smile, "Everyone's points are valid. From the perspective of Beijing People's Art Theatre, while adhering to the local style of drama, learning from foreign theatrical performance methods is a sign of inclusiveness. After all, how can we know if they are good or bad if we don't try them?"
However, judging from the current audience response, our local style still prevails. And it's not just local; take "Death of a Salesman" as an example, also a realistic work, proving that this style is most popular with the general public.

We don't necessarily have to learn from the West or write a script specifically for that Western style.

If you specially make a plate of dumplings just for the sake of vinegar, are you focusing on the vinegar or the dumplings? Are the viewers eating the vinegar or the dumplings?
I believe that when you can't write a play script, you should go out and observe society. Scripts draw their material from society, especially a rapidly changing one, which will generate more information and more stories to write.

From the corners of Yanjing (Beijing) to the plateaus of Northwest China, the granaries of Central China, and the transformations of Shenzhen, what is there to not write about?

Screenwriter He Jiping agreed, saying, "Yes, the country is changing, and change creates stories, conflicts, and the joy of success. These are all things that can be written about. Isn't 'Good Luck Building' a product of the times? Before Comrade Yimin created it, no one expected that a duck could become a work that audiences flock to."

"Haha, Comrade Yimin, I agree with your idea. I also feel that there is so much to write about on this land. A society undergoing change and intertwined with various contradictions is a blessing for us storytellers. We don't lack material, we just lack the eyes to discover it."

Liu Jinyun is a representative of realism, and Liu Yimin's views made him so happy that he wanted to slam his fist on the table.

"Comrade Yimin, if writing plays is really difficult, I still can't write anything even when I go out to collect material. Not only can I not be as prolific as you, but I also can't write one a year. What should I do?" The voice asking the question came from the corner, and Liu Yimin couldn't see who it was.

Liu Yimin straightened up and said, "Writing one book a year is not bad."

"What if you can't write it even after several years?"

"Can't write anything after all these years? What's so difficult about plays? It's been like this since they were born. Can't write anything? Look for the reasons within yourself. Has your writing improved over the years? Have you been writing seriously?" Liu Yimin joked.

The screenwriters in the meeting room burst into laughter, and even the screenwriter who asked the question laughed; he could still write one book a year.

Many screenwriters discussed the issue of writing clues, how to effectively grasp the idea of ​​writing, or how to accurately judge whether there is potential for writing when they see something.

"We need to see if this event is representative, unique, and has the potential for in-depth investigation. Sketches are very popular now. 'The Stage' combines comedy with profound thought. Everyone can also write some comedy scripts. It's good to let people have some fun amidst their busy work."

Many screenwriters feel that sketch comedy is not a respectable style, and that good screenwriters don't write such things because they lack depth and critical insight.

The discussion officially ended around 5 p.m.

After dinner, Liu Yimin sat in the front row of the performance hall, resting while waiting for the show to start.

It's still early before the performance, and a sign for "The Battle of Taierzhuang" hangs on the stage, with large red characters that look as if they were written in blood.

The play "The Battle of Taierzhuang" opens with a meeting where Han Fuqu is shot. On stage, the bald man shakes hands with Han Fuqu insincerely, but then turns to a sinister expression and orders an investigation into the loss of Shandong Province.

"The loss of Shandong Province is my responsibility, but whose responsibility is the loss of Nanjing?" The actor playing Han Fuqu slammed his fist on the table.

In the quiet theater, the loud noise was deafening, a reminder to the audience to pay attention to the play. Han Fuqu was then killed, and Li Zongren officially entered the scene, beginning to devise strategies for the defense of Xuzhou.

On the stage that followed, thick smoke, gunfire, and sounds of fighting could be heard intermittently.

When Wang Mingzhang died in battle in Teng County, the entire audience was initially silent, but then burst into applause like a volcano.

When the play ended, Liu Yimin exclaimed, "That was really well done!"

The audience was reluctant to leave. On stage, an actor slowly blew a bugle call, the sound gentle and plaintive.

Liu Yimin went on stage to shake hands and take photos with the actors, expressing his respect to them.

"Teacher Liu, you've arranged it well!"

"That's wonderful." Liu Yimin led Zhu Lin out of the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

Zhu Lin said to Liu Yimin, "Teacher Liu, we are planning to perform in Saihanba at the end of the month."

"It's the end of the month, how many days are you going to perform?"

"The performance will run from the 28th of this month until May Day, and we will come back after May Day."

Liu Yimin suddenly thought of the TV series "The Most Beautiful Youth" that Beijing Film Studio was currently filming, and wondered how the filming was progressing.

"We should be able to meet them when we go to Saihanba. They went to film winter scenes during the Spring Festival, and now that it's spring, they're filming the spring tree planting scenes. It shouldn't be long before they're done."

After arriving home, the couple held the child for a while, put him to sleep, and then quickly went to rest.

Lying in bed, the two of them had endless things to talk about and endless things to do.

At the end of April, Liu Yimin personally saw Zhu Lin and the drama troupe off on the train: "The wind and sand in Saihanba are strong, be careful."

"Don't worry, it'll only take a few days."

As the train departed, Zhu Lin and Liu Yimin became worried, wondering if they could usually keep the two little ones in line.

At this point, they stopped breastfeeding, and various complementary foods plus formula were enough to ensure their nutrition.

When Liu Yimin returned home and saw that everything was normal, he went to school with peace of mind.

The school specially arranged for Liu Yimin to hold a sharing session for the students on the playground; otherwise, the students' emotions would be suppressed, and they would surround Liu Yimin every time they saw him.

On the playground, Liu Yimin slowly recounted his experiences in Europe and America, and spoke of the fate of Chinese cultural relics exiled overseas.

"Classmates, you don't need to think too highly of me. There's nothing to be proud of in a Chinese person winning a foreign literature award. In fact, what I want to tell everyone is that foreign recognition isn't that important. Take national development, for example. We must do what we have to do, regardless of whether foreigners agree with it or not."

More important is self-identity; foreign recognition is merely icing on the cake.

This sharing session was not just Liu Yimin giving a report; it was interactive, with students asking questions and him answering them for most of the time.

"Professor Liu, why are foreigners willing to donate money to plant trees in our country?"

The other students nodded in agreement when they heard the question. Many of them thought that these foreigners were really great and were practically internationalists.

Some people even felt that Professor Liu was being disrespectful for giving such a large sum of money to the recipient.
"Let me tell you about this. Especially economics students, you should listen carefully."

The economics students immediately straightened up, eager to hear what Liu Yimin had to say!
Liu Yimin didn't simply talk about domestic afforestation; if you only talk about domestic issues, your tone will inevitably be weak. To truly address this, you need to start with Western deforestation, industrial development, and global warming caused by carbon emissions, and talk about the larger ecological cycle system.

"Essentially, it's a form of ecological compensation. If we plant trees well, not only will the Chinese people benefit, but people all over the world will benefit too. Chinese people like to seek help from Buddha in times of need, but who are the ones who seek help from Buddha every day? They are some nobles and aristocrats who openly exploit the people but secretly eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist prayers to atone for their sins. This is the Western mentality of atonement."

As for why some companies are willing to spend a million dollars on charity, it's because it's advertising. A million dollars buys media coverage, wins over consumers, and boosts stock prices.

Economics students should analyze this case carefully; a million dollars is small change compared to stock price growth.

Many students below did not understand, but the third and fourth-year economics students understood after a little thought. Liu Yimin invited a student to the stage to explain in more detail.

"Student, you're doing well. The economics professors should give this student extra credits."

After some analysis, many naive students exclaimed that they had been harmed by capitalism: "This is the deceptive and covert nature of capitalist exploitation!"

In the following days, because Zhu Lin was not home, the two little ones cried more often, especially at night. Liu Yimin had to stay at home all the time except when he was teaching.

Whenever someone makes a fuss, someone rushes over to comfort them.

For the first time, Yang Xiuyun felt that tearing off the calendar on the wall was so difficult; a few days felt like several months.

"You two little devils have no conscience! I've been away on a business trip for a month and I haven't seen you two cause such a ruckus." Liu Yimin gave each of them a flick on the forehead, and the next second Yang Xiuyun's roar came: "You little brats, try hitting me again!"

Liu Yimin quickly said, "Mom, I didn't use any force!"

"You want to use more force?"

"If I can't afford to offend them, I'll just avoid them, okay?"

On May 1st, People's Literature and Art officially published Liu Yimin's "Amnesty in 1959".

Readers on the streets and alleys were talking about it, making fun of the die-hard elements above, or people like Wang Yaowu.

These are the private matters of those important figures, and often the things that the masses love to talk about.

The popularity of historical secrets such as the Qing Dynasty palace secrets, the Cixi secrets, and other unofficial histories stems from people's excessive interest in the hidden affairs of important figures.

"Wang Yaowu's stance changed really quickly!"

"This Huang Wei is a damn die-hard, but his fighting ability is really mediocre. He shouldn't have been released!"

Huang Wei sat in the literature and history department of ZX, listening to the discussions of Zheng Tingji and others. Huang Wei pretended not to hear them. There was also a copy of "People's Literature" under his documents, but he was too embarrassed to take it out and look at it.

"Old Huang, Yimin should thank you. If you hadn't been so stubborn, so determined to be buried with the J family dynasty, this book wouldn't have been so exciting. You should get half of Yimin's royalties!"

Huang Wei snorted coldly, "Sigh, actually I wasn't that stubborn. Now that I think about it, I was just being a stubborn mule."

After saying this, Huang Wei had a change of heart and picked up "People's Literature" to read it boldly. When he came across something interesting, he not only laughed out loud but also teased Shen Zui next to him, saying, "This big spy."

However, after seeing Yang Botao's disdainful look, he quickly straightened up and started reading.

The old leader personally called Liu Yimin to praise his writing, which demonstrated the Party's inclusiveness and political confidence.

"Yimin, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you on winning the foreign literary award yet, but I'd like to say congratulations now."

"You're too kind. My book, Amnesty 1959, is going to be published, and I'll need your help to write a preface."

"It's no big deal, I'll write it now. I'll call you when I'm done, and I'll also bring your silver trophy over so I can take a look at it."

The following day, the People's Daily published an article by General Secretary Xi Jinping entitled "Our confidence comes from the people, and we must carry out reform and opening up with greater political confidence."

Liu Yimin stood on the platform with a newspaper, waiting for Zhu Lin's train to go home.

At this moment, Zhu Lin was pacing back and forth at the exit of the train.

"Director Zhu, are you missing Professor Liu?"

"Who said that? I miss my son and daughter!"

(End of this chapter)