Welcoming the Literary Congress · Learn to teach, to teach
Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to literary and artistic work, cared cordially for literary and artistic workers, and given great encouragement and strong encouragement to the literary and artistic circles.
China Literature and Art Network specially launched the column "Welcoming the Eleventh National Literary Congress", inviting well-known writers and artists to talk about their personal feelings of listening to General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech or receiving a letter from the general secretary in person in the series of "Remembering the Heavy Trust and Not Living Up to expectations", expressing their determination and confidence in remembering the heavy trust, living up to expectations, prospering and developing literary and artistic undertakings, and promoting the construction of a cultural power.
This issue features an interview with film performance artist Niu Ben.
Film performance artist Niu Ben
On June 25, 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote a letter to Niu Ben, an 83-year-old film performance artist who was newly joined the party, encouraging him to give full play to the exemplary role of party members and continue to set an example for the vast number of literary and art workers in terms of artistic behavior.
Encouraged by the letter from General Secretary Xi Jinping, the elderly Niu Ben has never forgotten his original intention, kept his mission in mind, and led more literary and art workers to be people with faith, feelings and responsibilities, and contributed to the prosperity and development of socialist literature and art.
Interview
China Literature and Art Network: When you received the letter from General Secretary Xi Jinping, how did you feel at that time?
Niu Ben: I finished reading this letter with tears in my eyes. I didn't expect General Secretary Xi Jinping to write to me specifically. The general secretary took advantage of every opportunity and took precious time to care for an ordinary actor like me, which made me deeply moved and warm. For more than 3 years, whenever I think of this letter, my mood cannot be calmed for a long time. The letter from the general secretary is the greatest affirmation for me and the greatest encouragement for me, and it always reminds me of my original mission as a Communist Party member.
China Literature and Art Network: General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the letter that you regard the party as your mother, regard joining the party as a sacred thing, and have been unswervingly pursuing progress for more than 60 years and determined to follow the party for a lifetime. How have you been striving for progress?
Niu Ben: Since I was young, I have always longed to join the Communist Party of China. Entering the film industry, I came into contact with many writers and artists who created progressive films. I was one of the first students when the Shanghai Film Studio opened the Party Class, and since then, I have realized that literary and artistic works should serve the people and praise the working people. Only by being in line with the Party in thought and action can one become a true Communist Party member. Therefore, my joining the Communist Party of China was not a momentary impulse, but a long-standing wish. Only by following the party can we live a more meaningful life with limited life.
China Literature and Art Network: General Secretary Xi Jinping said in the letter that you have demanded yourself by the standards of party members for decades, regarded the creation of works for the people as the pursuit of life, adhered to the supremacy of social benefits, and created many artistic images with vitality and appeal, which were highly praised and fully affirmed by the people. How has this letter influenced your work over the years?
Niu Ben: I am an actor, and I think the most important thing for an actor is to interpret every role and shape every character. In the past few years, I have participated in many film and television dramas. I wish I could look back on the past, as described in How Steel is Made, and not regret my wasted years, nor be ashamed of my inaction. This is my life belief, and it is also my lifelong pursuit.
China Literature and Art Network: General Secretary Xi Jinping hopes in his letter that you will give full play to the exemplary role of party members, continue to set an example in being a person in art, and lead more literary and art workers to be people with faith, feelings and responsibilities, and contribute to the prosperity and development of socialist literature and art. How do you understand this sentence?
Niu Ben: The words of the general secretary are "lighthouses" and have pointed out the direction for the vast number of literary and art workers. Literary and art workers must have faith, affection, and responsibility, and only by strengthening their belief in communism and caring for the people can they create classic literary and artistic works. The heroic images in the red literary and art classics have been passed down to this day because they are all figures with glorious ideals, revolutionary feelings, and great righteousness. Today, we need to continue to express this heroic figure, and use the artistic image that adapts to the times to praise the party, praise the motherland, praise the people, and praise the heroes. Only in this way will our revolutionary spirit of indomitability and indestructibility be passed on.
China Literature and Art Network: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. As a member of the Communist Party, what do you want to say to the great Party?
Niu Ben: I carefully watched and studied General Secretary Xi Jinping's "July 1st" speech. The hundred years that the Communist Party of China has gone through are an extraordinary century, a century of hardships and splendor. The revolutionary martyrs of the older generation disregarded their personal safety, threw away their heads and spilled their blood, and fought for the communist faith all their lives, believing that communism would liberate all mankind and create a better future. I will follow in their footsteps, always firmly believe in communism, and do my best to contribute my share to the cause of human progress, because I firmly believe that the future will be better, worth all of us to work hard for and make unremitting efforts.
Biography
Niu Ben, formerly known as Zhang Xuejing, was born in 1935. In 1946, Niu Ben participated in the performance of the anti-Japanese film "The Record of the Holy City" directed by Shen Fu. In 1952, Niu Ben entered the Shanghai Film Studio, and successively participated in such popular films as "Sea Soul", "Desert Chasing Bandits", "Red Detachment of Women", "Legend of Tianyun Mountain", "Wrangler", "Spring Water Dingdong", "Flying Over the Old People's Home", "Zou Bihua", and won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 3rd Chinese Film Golden Rooster Awards, the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 6th, 20th and 22nd Popular Film Hundred Flowers Awards, and the Lifetime Achievement of the Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles.