On February 28, 1999, the writer Bing Xin left us forever, but this "little orange lamp" of Chinese literature has been shining on future generations with her light and heat. This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the death of The Old Man of Bingxin, and we have published this article as a souvenir of Bingxin.
Bing Xin (1900-1999): Famous writer, former vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, honorary chairman of the Chinese Writers Association, vice chairman of the Sixth and Seventh Central Committees of the China Association of Democratic Progressive Party, and honorary chairman of the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Central Committees.
Ba Jin: The existence of Big Sister Bingxin is a huge force
The last years of Bingxin's life were spent in the wards of Beijing Hospital, and due to the inability to move, the interaction with old friends was involuntary. But the friendships of the past and the concerns of today are always in mind. She has been in constant correspondence with Barkin, and her children are in constant contact by phone. Every birthday, do not forget to give flowers to each other, and the love of yin is not blocked by time and space.
Bing Xin and Xiao Qian lived together in Beijing Hospital, and when Xiao Qian was in good health, he often came to visit. Because Xiao Qian was a classmate of Bingxin's younger brother Xie Wei when he was young, Bingxin still affectionately calls him "Little Brother", and his brotherhood is overflowing with words.
In the 1990s, Min Jie, a reporter from the Xinhua News Agency, published a long article in the "Democracy" magazine of the Central Committee of the China Association for the Advancement of Democracy, telling the story of the 70-year-long friendship between Bingxin, Ba Jin, and Xiao Qian, three literary giants over 90 years old. Changwen said that he met Bingxin in the early 1930s, when Ba Jin was still in the early stages of creation, and often invited friends to visit Bingxin. "Barkin is more silent, shy and slightly melancholy." Bing Xin recalled the scene at the age of 83, still with a little bit of the style of a big sister. She had always believed that Barkin was the kind of person who didn't write for the sake of being a writer, and the love and hatred in his heart were very strong, and he didn't spit out unhappily.
Ba Jin is 3 years younger than Bingxin, he was tormented by illness in his old age, how many times he wanted to put down his pen, he saw that Bingxin was still writing, still shouting, he "did not dare to lie down, did not dare to be silent, and picked up the pen again." He once wrote to Bingxin: "70 years later, I am still following you. He said, "The existence of Big Sister Bingxin is a huge force." She is a beacon. Illuminate the path ahead of me. She was more optimistic than I was. The lights were on and I strode forward with confidence. The lights are on and I don't feel lonely. ”
Of the three, Xiao Qian was the youngest. Xiao Qian's original name was "Xiao Bingqian", and he was nicknamed "Little Cookie" by Bingxin because of his harmonic sound, until he later became the "Biscuit Uncle" of Bingxin's children and the "Biscuit Grandpa" of his grandchildren. Min Jie wrote in a long text:
Bing Xin was not only Xiao Qian's "eldest sister", but also once had the dual identity of "Master Lady". In 1933, Xiao Qian was transferred from Fu Jen University to Yenching University to read journalism, and took a sociology class taught by Bingxin's husband, Wu Wenzao. At that time, Bing Xin was teaching at both Yanjing and Tsinghua universities, and Xiao Qian became a regular visitor to Yannanyuan Province.
Chang Xiaoqian's 10-year-old BingXin once envied Xiao Qian's "old age and strength", and even consulted with him, "Is it okay for you to give me a little energy?" She felt that Xiao Qian had been lonely all his life, a lifetime of hardship, and a wandering life, but he had entered his old age and "finally embarked on the most stable and happy life path in his life."
In Mr. Xiao Qian's eyes, Bing Xin was strong and sharp. "The greatness of the old man of Bingxin is first of all that although she is sometimes immersed in memories, her bright eyes are more awe-inspiring to stare at reality. She dared to touch any sharp question, and she would scream at anything uneven. She has a fiery sense of justice and a fearless heart. In December 1992, when the Ice Heart Research Association was established, Xiao Qian, who was elected as one of the vice presidents, sent a congratulatory message: "The old Ice Heart is braver and more brilliant." Her pen, which has always written about human love, wields the forces of evil and the atmosphere of decay, which is really radiant. ”
Lei Jieqiong: The story of Bingxin is a story of beauty and love
"We know each other and are our most beloved friends." When talking about the friendship with Bingxin, Lei Jieqiong, a famous sociologist on the mainland, one of the founders of the China Association for the Promotion of Democracy and an outstanding leader, often uses this sentence to describe it.
Lei Jieqiong and Bing Xin met in 1931. In this year, Lei Jieqiong returned from studying in the United States and was hired to teach in the Department of Sociology of Yenching University, the head of which was Mr. Wu Wenzao, Bingxin's husband, and Bingxin taught in the Department of Chinese of Yenching University. Lei Jieqiong is a Guangdong native, there is no home in Beiping, Bing Xin often invites Lei Jieqiong to her home, the relationship is very close.
In 1937, the Anti-Japanese War broke out, Peiping fell, Yenching University was forced to close its doors, and Lei Jieqiong and Bingxin left Beiping one after another. Lei Jieqiong went to Jiangxi to engage in anti-Japanese rescue activities. The Bingxin family went through all kinds of hardships and went to Kunming and Chongqing in the rear area to participate in the Chinese Literature and Art Anti-Enemy Association and engage in cultural rescue activities. After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Bing Xin went to Japan with Wu Wenzao for a social investigation, during which Bing Xin was invited to teach at the University of Tokyo. Lei Jieqiong once wrote in her article "Ice Heart, My Pride":
In the flames of the War of Resistance, Bingxin Tian and I were on the other side, and I didn't want to be separated from Beiping for 14 years! In 1951, Bingxin returned to China. Later, when she heard the news of the founding of New China in Japan, she felt a joy that she had never felt in her life. She returned to her heart like an arrow, and finally returned to the vibrant Beijing after several twists and turns. She excitedly told me about Premier Zhou Enlai receiving her and Wu Wenzao in Zhongnanhai.
It was an unforgettable time. Emerging countries, newborn people, and new types of life have inspired Bingxin's creation. Bing xin sang about new China, depicted new life, praised truth, goodness and beauty, and wrote a large number of works. In addition, Bingxin devotes herself to international exchange activities with strong energy, and as a cultural messenger of the Chinese people, she frequently visits Guangzhou to make friends and runs for world peace and the cause of human progress... In 1956, after my introduction, Bing Xin and Wu Wenzao joined the China Association for the Promotion of Democracy. In our dealings, new content has been added.
Ice Heart is the same age as the 20th century. Her 80-year writing career shows the great trajectory of the development of modern Chinese literature from the "May Fourth" literary revolution to the literature of the new period. Bingxin's broad love, with the pulse of the times, into more than 7 million words of works, has influenced and educated generations of people. Bing xin has a consistent sense of responsibility for the country, society, and the people, and for this reason, Lei Jieqiong called her a model for patriotic intellectuals:
When we woke up from the nightmare of the Cultural Revolution, Bing Xin said that "life began at the age of 80", and her creation showed a second climax, and hundreds of works came out, and I was very happy for her. Most of Bingxin's works in his later years are major social themes that cut to the shortcomings of the times and pay attention to the future and destiny of the country. Among them, "I Request" and "I Thank You" are even more deafening and inspiring, and the social response is great. This is a portrayal of Bingxin's sincere, upright, and courageous personality. In 1993, Bing Xin said in an article that "the century-old plan is based on education." Governing the country, in particular, must not forget to focus on education. ...... So in an article, I called for 'don't sit idly by as China, where 9.6 million square kilometers of fertile land will become a vast and boundless cultural desert in the 21st century'. Her heart of worrying about the country and the people has so far warned us that we must not slacken off in implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education.
For this reason, Bingxin is even more practical. In recent years, Bingxin has donated nearly 200,000 yuan to the Sociology Scholarship of the Central University for Nationalities, the Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the Anhui Disaster Area, the Fujian Hometown School, the Rural Women's Education and Development Foundation, the National Hope Project, etc., and has donated nearly 200,000 yuan to her hard work. In order to give children a richer and more tasteful spiritual food, the "Bingxin Award" for children's books established in 1989 to promote the prosperity and development of children's literature is doubly cared for. In each selection, Bing Xin personally reviews the works and rewards the authors. She encouraged everyone to leave beautiful things to their children, caress the children around them, and look forward to the future of the motherland...
The interaction between Lei Jieqiong and Bingxin has been amazing for almost a century. In 1994, Bing Xin gladly wrote the preface to the Collected Works of Lei Jie qiong despite his illness. In the preface, she refers to Lei Jieqiong as her most beloved friend. Lei Jieqiong said that this was more suitable for me to say to her: "Bingxin, my most beloved friend. ”
Beloved friends have nothing to say. The story of Bingxin is a story of beauty and love.
Zang Kejia: Her innocent love for the sea and her mother deeply infected me
Mr. Wen Yiduo's disciple, Zang Kejia, a famous modern poet, said that Bing Xin was a literary predecessor whom he and his whole family respected. When Zang Kejia was in middle school, he loved new literature, and Bingxin's representative works such as "Stars", "Spring Water", and "Send a Little Reader" were one of his favorite readings. Bingxin's innocent love for the sea and his mother, that fresh writing, deeply infected the Zang Ke family. But it wasn't until February 1945 that Zang Kejia had the opportunity to meet Bingxin. Zang Kejia once recalled in his article "Leaving Love in the World":
It was an unusual meeting! On the eve of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the dictatorship of the Kuomintang authorities made the people miserable and the cultural circles were even more persecuted. Guo Moruo led the drafting of the "Introduction to the Current Situation in the Cultural Circles", which called for the convening of an extraordinary emergency meeting to discuss the wartime political program and organize a wartime national unified government. Cultural people responded. The poet Li Yang came from Downtown Chongqing to my residence in Gele Mountain with "Jinyan", and I signed it; he also asked me to go to the home of bingxin, a senior writer who lived in geleshan with me, and Bingxin thought about it a little and also signed his name on the "Jinyan". On February 22, Chongqing's Xinhua Daily published a front-page headline with the "Introduction to the Current Situation of the Cultural Circles" signed by more than 300 cultural people. The Kuomintang authorities panicked and sent people to mobilize certain signatories to make statements of remorse, and indeed a few people published statements saying that they had been deceived. When someone went to Bingxin's house, he asked her: Did you sign this name yourself? She replied sternly, "Yes." The man walked away sadly. This "yes" word, see the wind bone of the ice heart!
In 1956, the Chinese Writers Association established the Secretariat, and Zang Kejia and Bing Xintong were transferred to work. During the Cultural Revolution, more than a dozen of them were imprisoned in "cowsheds" and criticized for fighting, completely losing their personal freedom. Bingxin is open-minded and calm, never sighs, after work or lunch break, and sometimes knits woolen socks for comrades. Zang Kejia said that in Bingxin's heart, there is a firm confidence and courage that light will surely overcome darkness:
Later, we old and weak people successively went down to the 57 cadre school of the original Ministry of Culture in Xianning. Considered to be a care, I and Sister Bingxin once took turns to watch the vegetable garden. The vegetable garden is on a small dirt slope, looking around no one, we are like caged birds, free. After the shift, I always talk to her for a while before leaving. She is talkative and funny. When we talked about the signature we first met in Chongqing, I said: Your "yes" word is really a thousand words, and it is very loud! She told me about her feelings and experiences after the founding of the People's Republic of China after returning from Japan. She said that the Workers' Propaganda Team had told her: "Xie Bingxin, some of your materials we know, you don't know; some you know, we don't know." In that special political climate where right and wrong are reversed, Sister Bingxin knows very well in her heart that she never reveals Premier Zhou Enlai's care and love for her whole family.
Wei Wei: Her radiance will forever remain in the hearts of generations of Chinese
"A good, beautiful star has fallen. And her radiance will forever remain in the hearts of generations of Chinese..." These are the words of the famous writer Wei Wei before the death of Bing Xin in 1999 to the old literary predecessor Bing Xin. It was this essayist and novelist who was famous for "Who is the Cutest Person", and later had the honor of becoming Bingxin's "little colleague".
Bingxin returned from Japan in 1951 and threw himself into the arms of the motherland. Later, in her articles of condolences to Chairman Mao, she described her mood on the eve of her return to China extremely vividly. In the autumn of 1949, she said, she sat alone in a precipice off the coast of Japan, without a voice, reading a pamphlet: Mao Zedong's "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship." As she read, the door of her heart suddenly opened, and tears like rain fell on this glorious pamphlet. She said that at this time she raised her head, and the brilliant morning sun had shrouded the sea, flashing a golden light of ten thousand points: "A bright light that shoots at my eyes has come to me, and a warm giant hand has reached out to me." The darkness has been swept away, the tiger ape has dispersed, and I am going to embark on a path of infinite light and happiness..."
Wei Wei said in his article "Mourning the Old Man of Bingxin" that Bingxin's return was warmly welcomed by the Chinese Writers Association and cordially received by Premier Zhou. Since then, she has gathered into the great ranks of the construction of new China. Soon after, she was elected as a deputy to the National People's Congress and was active in many affairs at home and abroad. She enthusiastically sang praises to the new life of the motherland and the footsteps of the motherland's galloping forward, to the great socialist cause led by the party, and to the industrious and courageous working people. "I have seen her thin figure also appear on the hot construction site of the Ming Tombs":
That's when I got to know her.
In the fifties and sixties, we were all members of the editorial board of the magazine People's Literature. At that time, Comrade Zhang Tianyi was the chief editor and Comrade Li Ji was the deputy editor-in-chief. There are also comrades such as Tuanmu Hongliang on the editorial board. Every year, the editorial board always opens several times, and whenever there is a meeting, Tianyi always has to find a restaurant for everyone to play the tooth festival. Although the editorial board includes generations of different ages, they can all get along as equals. Especially Comrade Bingxin, she is exactly 20 years older than me, and the age at which she entered the literary world is also the era when I was born. But I don't think she puts up a big writer's shelf. It was always so casual and casual, talking and laughing, it seemed that there was never any distance between us. Therefore, the editorial board seemed very close, like a family. I remember that at the dinner table, once Li Ji actually called Bingxin "Big Mother", Bingxin seemed to be surprised and asked busily: "Why do you call me like this?" Li Ji said, "You are much older than me!" Bing Xin smiled.
In 1958, when the volunteer army withdrew from the DPRK, I went to the DPRK for the third time and wrote "Relying on other deep feelings". This essay was honored to be favored by Comrade Bingxin. In 1960, in Language Learning, she published a long commentary and praise article, which inspired me. I have expressed my deep gratitude to my face. In recent years, she has often donated books to me. Whenever she has new books published, such as "Note Beads" and "About Men", she always signs and sends them personally. At the end of 1986, the three-volume Selected Translations of Bingxin was published. In February of the following year, I remember at a meeting, a person held a large stack of books and distributed them to Lin Mohan, He Jingzhi, Liu Baiyu and me. When I opened it, it was this set of "Selected Translations of Bingxin", which had Bingxin's signature on it.
Wang Meng: A clear, healthy and stable factor in literary and artistic life
Bingxin, who was the same age as century, was more than ten years older than my parents, and my father was already her readers. When I was in the third grade of elementary school, I bought an old version of the complete one-volume Ice Heart, and I still remember the excitement in my parents' eyes when they saw this book. Wang Meng, former minister of culture and honorary chairman of the Chinese Writers Association, said that at that time, I read "Send a Little Reader", "Yingshi Goes to China", "To Qinglong Bridge", "Stars" and "Spring Water". In the article "Missing Bingxin", Wang Meng called Bingxin "like Tagore, like Gibran, I really admire her erudition", and recalled his meeting with Bingxin:
It wasn't until the late '70s that I had the opportunity to get in touch with her elderly family. She was always so clear, so clear, so superb and humorous. She has lived and been educated abroad for many years, but she does not have a little "foreign spirit" in her, she is the most authentic Chinese little old lady. She was most disgusted with the kind of fake foreign devil who forgot her ancestors. In her novel "Empty Nest", written in the 80s, she expressed her eternal affection for her motherland. She cares about the country's major affairs and often has some doubts. She is more concerned about children and teenagers, the growth of female writers, and the creation of prose. She has both the heart of an intellectual who worries about the country and the people, but also knows her own characteristics, knows what she is suitable for doing, and she is not only a self-interested person who cherishes feathers, nor is she a talker who is not ashamed.
Wang Meng said that Bingxin often commented on right and wrong with four or two strokes of confidence. She would confront some people in person and say something like, "What you say is repetition." She said that one thing to do is "immortality", and another approach is "immortality":
She is more willing to laugh at herself. She carved a seal "for thieves" – meaning "old and not dead". She described herself as "sitting and waiting for the coin", explaining that she was sitting at home waiting for the payment of the manuscript, the renminbi. After the death of her husband, Professor Wu Wenzao, she said she had been able to do the "five fears" advocated by Mao Zedong and not be afraid of divorce. In addition, she is over ninety years old, so she is not afraid to kill her head, and she has no official to resign and no party membership to be expelled. In 1994, when she was seriously ill, I went to see her, and she said, "Rest assured, this time I can't die, Confucius lived seventy-three, Mencius lived eighty-four, and Xie Zi (referring to herself) will live ninety-five." Nowadays, ninety-five has long been surpassed, which is the meaning of "benevolent life".
However, for the major national affairs, she is serious, she took out her small amount of manuscript fees to donate to the people in the disaster area, and she took out her own money to run prose awards.
Once I went to see her—she couldn't even open her eyes. However, she was awake at all times. Later, her body miraculously recovered. Once I went to see her again, she was being interviewed by a television station, and I advised her that she didn't have to meet all the journalists' demands, that you were tired and that you could close your eyes and recuperate. She replied, "Doesn't that amount to an eviction order?" So what's so funny? ”
No wonder Wang Meng has said many times: "Bingxin is a clear, healthy and stable factor in our social life and literary and artistic life. ”
Zhao Lihong: She showed the world the profound conscience of Chinese intellectuals
"In my impression, Bing Xin is a kind and wise old man, and when I think of her, my heart always ripples with an indescribable sense of intimacy." "My meeting with Bingxin, only this one, I will never forget. The words she said to me still haunt me to this day. "As a fellow minjin, a poet and a writer, Zhao Lihong is also full of reverence for Bingxin. In his article "The Unquenchable Warm Lights", he recalled the unforgettable meeting like this:
It was the afternoon of December 9, 1990, and I went to visit her at her house, and Bing Xin received me in her study. Before I met her, I was both excited and uneasy, lest I disturb her. When we met, she took my hand, smiled and said, "I've looked up to you for a long time, I've read your articles." I asked her how she was doing, and she smiled mischievously and replied, "Well, sit back and wait." Her humor dispelled my nervousness.
We talked for more than an hour, and she kept talking, talking about the current social climate from literature and history. The elderly have clear thinking, a very good understanding of social life, and have profound and unique insights into events and characters at home and abroad.
When I talked about the lessons I learned from her work, she said, "Have you read my shortest article?" Only fifty words. You won't see it, show it to you. As she spoke, she took out a book from the bookcase, entitled "Heaven on Earth", a book for which many people miss Zhou Enlai, and she wrote a very short preface to the book, the whole text of which was only three sentences: "I know deeply that every article in this collection, no matter what literary form it is, is written with blood and tears their most sincere call signs and whimpers." Because the mourning figure that these articles celebrate is Premier Zhou Enlai. Premier Zhou Enlai was the first perfect person in the minds of the 1 billion people of the mainland in the 20th century! Ice Heart Tear Book. She liked the short essay, written in early 1988, presumably because it also expressed her feelings for Zhou Enlai. She said to me: "Articles don't care about the length, as long as you tell the truth, short articles are also good articles." ”
Zhao Lihong said that the name Bingxin represents an era, she is one of the peaks of new Chinese literature in the 20th century, and her beautiful words full of broad love have influenced generations of Chinese readers. In the last 20 years of the 20th century, together with Ba Jin, she showed the world the profound conscience of Chinese intellectuals with her sincere and unique voice. They are the conscience of the times and the beacon in people's hearts.
On February 28, 1999, bingxin, who died at the age of 99, tenaciously completed her brilliant life course and reached the end of her life. As Min Jie said in the conclusion of the long article, among the "May Fourth" writers, Bingxin's long-distance life is the longest, during which the ups and downs, through the vicissitudes, and always on the road of literature, can be called exemplary.
(The author is director of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy)
Source of the article: "People's Political Consultative Conference Daily"
Reprinted with deletions
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