Synopsis:
Meng Weiguang was once a department-level cadre at the Institute of Economics of the S Municipal Academy of Social Sciences, and his wife Shu Liping was originally an associate professor of the piano department of the S Municipal Conservatory of Music. The family immigrated to Argentina in March 1990 and earned several times more money in a year than their total income at home. His son Zheyu could not keep up with the love rhythm of the Azu girl Emma's South American mood, and also realized that their culture, customs, and personalities were too incompatible, and finally gave up this relationship. In 2008, Zheyu returned to China and successfully applied for a job at Spousal Development Bank in S City. More than half a year later, the old Meng erdi, who was opening a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistan, was shot and injured by robbers. The two families quickly sold all their assets and returned to their homeland to settle down. The old Meng couple did not approve of the marriage between their son and Xiaolian, a Sichuan sister born in a remote village, believing that the door was not right. Despite his parents' resolute opposition, Zheyu simply married Xiaolian and resigned to come to M City, Sichuan Province.
The old Meng couple could not suppress their thoughts and worries, and came to M City every year for the Spring Festival. Unexpectedly, Shu Liping suddenly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was admitted to the neurosurgery ward of M People's Hospital. Old Meng met me when he visited his father in the hospital and told the twisty story of their family. They regret going abroad. Although I have obtained a residence permit for foreigners for a period of 4 years, I always want to restore my Chinese nationality and make a real Chinese.
Zheyu consulted with Xiaolian and decided to return to S City for development. Xiaolian opened a Huawei mobile phone store, and the old Meng couple subsidized most of the money. Xiao Lian said that if she earned money, she must pay it back, and Zhe Yu helped: Repaying the money is the same as Yu Gong said - there is no end to the children and grandchildren. This leads to an in-depth analysis of Yugong Moving Mountain and Lao Meng's introspection.
Son of filial piety! Spending more money did not buy peace of mind... (Documentary Reportage)
Seeing Old Meng again, it was the early summer of 2018. According to the agreement that existed more than 4 years ago, we met in the Vista Building on the shore of Dongpo Lake in M City.
Majestic and spectacular vista building
The Yuanjing Building was first built by Li Xisheng of Zhizhou in Meizhou (present-day Meishan City) of the Northern Song Dynasty during the Yuanfeng Period. It took 6 years and was completed in the seventh year of YuanFeng (1084 AD). He specially invited Meizhou Renjie and the great literary hero Su Shi to write a record for the "Meizhou Vista Lou Record".
Portrait of Su Shi
Su Shi's "Meizhou Vista Lou" inkblot
Excerpts from the vernacular translation of Meizhou Vista Lou:
There are three customs in my hometown of Meizhou that are close to the ancient style. The scholars there valued the study of scriptures and the clan relatives; The people there respected the government and feared breaking the law; Farmers there work together to help each other. These are the relics of the three generations, the Han Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty, and the other counties are not comparable.
...... The scholar of Meizhou, who was well versed in scriptures and studied ancient texts, took the articles of the Western Han Dynasty as a model... Every family has a national law, and it is not considered wrong to recite it regularly. Even some minor transgressions are a lifelong failure to violate.
Every year in February, the farming begins. In early April, when the seedlings were tender and the weeds were everywhere, the cultivators all went out... By the middle of July, when the rice is ripe and the weeds are decaying... I bought pig and sheep liquor to sacrifice to Tian Zu. Then eat happily, eat a full meal of wine and food. Every year...
The people there were very intelligent, they worked hard, they were easy to govern with courtesy, but it was difficult to subdue them with coercive orders. As soon as the state order arrived, people often had to observe his words and deeds and understand his personality from all aspects. For those who are clear and talented, they will no longer test him with other things, and the people will be safe and sound every day. If the state shouxian order does not rule the people according to the king's way, people will reason with him and even refute him with the provisions of the decree, so people who do not understand the customs of this place think that the people here are difficult to govern...
Su Shi has been away from his hometown for a long time... Today, meizhou's customs that are close to the ancients can be maintained for so long without changing, because of the example of mutual respect and mutual love of the elders of the older generation, and the result of the tireless care and teachings of the virtuous state guards and county commanders... Like the pleasure of ascending to the horizon, the beauty of the mountains and rivers is (fascinating). After Su Shi returned to his hometown in the future, he put on coarse cloth clothes and wrapped in a green turban, and followed the governor of the prefecture to this building; It is not too late to drink until it is not too late to drink and accompany the music to praise the love of Li Min.
Although Su Shi was exiled by degraded officials, died in Changzhou (present-day Jiangsu), and was buried in Ruzhou (汝州郏城, in present-day Yu County, Henan), and ultimately failed to fulfill his long-cherished wish of returning to his hometown of Meizhou to ascend to the Yuanjing Lou, people took the name of Lou and Lou took the name of the person. Since then, the Yuanjing Building has been famous, and is on a par with Yueyang Tower, Yellow Crane Tower and Tengwang Pavilion, collectively known as "China's Four Famous Buildings".
By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Yuanjing Building gradually decayed and was destroyed in the fire. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Cai Zongjian, who was then the governor of Zhizhou, repaired the Yuanjing Building, which was destroyed again not long after.
The current Yuanjing Building was built in 2004 in the style of Song Dynasty architecture. This is currently one of the largest antique building complexes in the country: the main building has 13 floors and is 80 meters high; Upstairs, green tiles, white eaves, brown columns are clearly colored, simple and solemn. The podiums on both sides have 5 floors each, which are elegant and elegant, stretching and charming. The main and secondary buildings are integrated and magnificent. With a total construction area of more than 30,000 square meters, it forms a magnificent picture that integrates clear water, blue sky, high-rise buildings, and a wide field of view and distant mountains. Tourists climb the tower and look far away, you can overlook the beautiful panorama of Dongpo Lake, overlook the vastness of the MinJiang River, and enjoy the "pleasure of climbing to see the scenery, the beauty of mountains and rivers" described by Su Shi in the "Meizhou Vista Tower".
The Vista Building with a wide view
We had lunch at the garden restaurant on the 12th floor of the main building and sat down at the café facing the window facing the lake. This time I wanted two cups of Emei Bamboo Leaf Green. Old Meng took a sip: "Fragrant! There is a fragrance that is characteristic of blandness. ”
"You have drunk the true taste of bamboo leaf green!" Seeking a life realm of indifference and tranquility, this pure green tea is indispensable. "I introduced: Emei bamboo leaf green belongs to the green tea category, produced in Sichuan Emei Mountain, the main production area is 800-1200 meters above sea level Qingyinge, Bailongjian, Wannian Temple, Heishui Temple area, made of fresh and tender tea buds refined. Although the tea produced in Mount Emei began in the Tang Dynasty, Zhuyeqing is a new tea created in the 1960s and named after Marshal Chen Yi. Its color, aroma, taste and shape are all excellent, which can be called the best in tea. Many people talk about Sichuan tea, and the most praised one is bamboo leaf green.
Emei bamboo leaf green tea
Old Meng sighed: Time flies really fast, the last time I came to M City was in 2013. We met in the hospital at that time, and wow!
"It's not the same at first sight, but at first you didn't like to answer." I quipped.
"Oh? Right, right, I'm a little wary and indifferent to people I'm not familiar with. The common virtue of intellectuals is to be high. I went abroad to do business, and I haven't changed much in nearly 20 years. Okay now, I like to talk to people. When encountering speculators, they also say things that dig out their hearts and lungs. Old Meng bowed his head and drank a small sip of tea, "People are afraid of loneliness when they are old, and they love to talk to people." Alone, it is easy to indulge in the past, and the sentimentality is endless. Alas, things are not human, and everywhere you touch the scene! ”
Old Meng's words triggered my association and sadness. At the beginning of the year, my father died. Last week, I also wrote a poem to commemorate:
Picking mulberries and turning sorrow into sorrow
The young man is noble and self-reliant, and he wants to rest in sorrow. Wanting to rest in sorrow, the boy has tears that do not flow lightly.
The father's sudden death broke the embankment, and tears flowed. Tears poured out and wept, but they trembled with sorrow.
P.S. On the afternoon of January 13, 2018, my most loving old father died suddenly. Grief is raging and it's hard to sleep. 4 months later, the pain is still there! Yi Yunxin abandoned the disease word "Picking Mulberry Shubo Mountain Road Middle Wall" ("The teenager does not know the taste of sorrow, and loves the upper floor." Fall in love with the upper floor, and worry about giving new words. And now I know all the sorrows, and I want to say goodbye. I wanted to say that I would like to rest, but I said that it was a cool autumn. "), poems with weeping, mourning and self-encouragement.
I drew a tissue from the paper box on the tea table and wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. Old Meng immediately knew the reason: "I'm sorry to make you sad! I have seen your father, what a kind old man, and he will go. I'm in S City and haven't been able to help you much. Mr. Lin, mourn! As written in the poem, the sorrow is shaken! ”
"The son wants to raise but the relatives are not there - it is not easy to turn into sorrow, and it is even more difficult to shake." I'll be honest.
"You're better than me, and your mother, you can go home and visit." Old Meng comforted, "Parents are here, and there is still a place in life; When your parents go, there is only one way back in life. Both of my parents are gone, and there is really only a way back. ”
I nodded and quietly listened to Lao Meng's story:
Location map of Chongming Island
My hometown is Chongming Island in S City, and my parents are farmers in the village. When I was less than 4 years old, my mother died early, and it was difficult to give birth to my little sister. My father did not remarry, and he was both a father and a mother, pulling 4 of our brothers and sisters. The eldest brother drowned when he was 7 years old when he was playing in the river.
Farming cannot solve the livelihood of a family of 4. After the death of the eldest brother, my father went to the bathhouse in the city to give people a bath, pedicure, and did all the tiring and dirty work.
Give people a bath in the bathhouse
My second brother and younger sister followed my father into the city and lived in a cramped adobe house built in the corner of the bathhouse.
With my father's meager salary, we didn't go hungry and went to school. At that time, the tuition fee was not high, and the primary school and middle school only paid a few yuan and 10 yuan per person per semester, but it was a big expense for my family. For students from particularly poor families, the school has a tuition fee reduction policy. Poor students like me, who have excellent grades, are happy to help apply for tuition exemption. The tuition fees of the second brother and the younger sister have also been mostly reduced. Spend less money, spend no money, and still finish studying in primary and secondary schools in S City, it is difficult to have such a good thing now.
Then again, my academic performance is worthy of the teacher's hard work and school support. From elementary school to high school, the study certificates I received filled a cardboard box. There was no place at home where so many awards were posted, and they had to be put in old cardboard boxes.
Fill a cardboard box with learning awards
The cardboard box was tucked under the bed. It wasn't me who took out the award certificate and looked at it the most, it was my father. He was very proud of me and had high hopes for me. The grades of the second brother and the younger sister were not good, and my father decided that I had a big career, and I could help my younger sister not to be poor in the future, and also let him rely on him in the old age.
I did not live up to my father's expectations, and was successfully admitted to the key university in S City, and after graduating from university, I was assigned to the S City Academy of Social Sciences. Starting from a small officer, he gradually became a cadre at the department level of the Economic Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It was the beginning of 1990, and I was only 38 years old, and it was time to do a great job, and I also had the conditions and ability to honor my father. The second brother and I went to Argentina one after another, and the younger sister married to a foreign city, leaving her father alone and returning to her rural hometown.
My father returned to his rural hometown alone
As the old saying goes, parents are not far away. I traveled as far as Argentina, 22,000 kilometers away, and went for 18 years without returning. When I first returned to China in 2008, my father had been dead for 3 years.
Listening to the little sister, my father was a distant relative who took him back from the township hospital to his hometown to wait for death - he had advanced lung cancer, there was no cure, and he could not afford the high cost of medical treatment in the big hospital in the city.
When she and her brother-in-law arrived from the field, their father was lying on a creaky broken wooden bed, already tormented by the disease. He endured the severe pain of cancer and whispered from time to time the nicknames of my second brother and me. They also asked the little sister to take out the cardboard box under the bed and show him the study certificates that had been yellowed and moldy. He swallowed the last breath of my study award!
As for me, I only care about making money abroad, and I don't care about my old father. The funeral was handled by the little sister, brother-in-law and neighbors, and my second brother and I knew nothing about these, let alone wearing filial piety and supporting coffins. It is said that raising children to prevent aging, fathers with hard work to raise us what we get?
Hope er will not return
For our sake, my father served people in the bathhouse early and in the dark for most of his life, and when he was old, he did not have a single relative around to serve. When he was seriously ill, he was lonely and bitter, hoping that his children would not return. After his death, the family was surrounded by disciples, and it was only by the help of the little sister and brother-in-law and the help of the neighbors that they could be buried. I am truly a son of filial piety, and I have no loyalty to the country. I have lived a life of infidelity and filial piety, too sad, too failed!
In 2010, at the request of my younger sister and brother-in-law, my second brother and I spent nearly 3 million yuan to build a new cemetery for our parents. The burial chamber is all reinforced concrete casting, the tombstone is engraved with granite, and a variety of precious flowers and trees have been transplanted in the cemetery. My father was hastily buried without a decent coffin. It was iron nails that nailed a few discarded old wooden planks into wooden boxes, barely able to fit people in. The mother was even more miserable, wrapped in an old straw mat, dug a pit and "soft buried" - at that time, the poor wow, even the living people could not eat enough, who had the money to throw it to buy the coffin of the dead?
We inquired in all directions, and finally bought two large red gold silk nan wood coffins in the old warehouse of a coffin shop that had been closed more than 20 years ago, which was twice as large as ordinary coffins. We also invited Taoist priests in the countryside who specialize in funeral services to do a 5-day and 5-night dojo, and invited a drum band to hold a magnificent coffin removal and burial ceremony. Invite the villagers from all the villages in the township to participate, and when they come, they will take 50 yuan in red envelopes. On the day of the funeral, there were too many people to count, and the red envelope money was sent out to more than 100,000 yuan!
Who knows, the next year, the village encountered the construction of land acquisition, and my parents' cemetery was located in the compulsory area. Land ownership is state-owned, so how can we overcome the legal expropriation of large state-owned enterprises? The money for the cemetery is all lost!
According to the current policy, we can only send the bones of our parents to be cremated. The two urns are both gold-encrusted with jade, and the carved patterns on them are dragons and phoenixes, which mean that the dragon and phoenix are auspicious. The urn was moved to the best cemetery in S City. In this way, our brothers and sisters will have a place of remembrance in the future, so that the coffins of our parents will not be crushed underground by newly built buildings, factories and other buildings, and will be disturbed by the noise of traffic and the roar of machines...
Move your parents' urns to the best cemetery in S City
We know that filial piety and make up for it after death are tantamount to tossing and turning, and there is no point. But things always have to be shown to the living, and we only want to spend money to buy peace of mind. In fact, this is self-deception, and it is not at ease at all! I, as a son, am also the eldest of the brothers and sisters, and I still feel guilty and remorseful for my father...
Charitable donations
After returning home, the country accepted us. Five years ago, we regained our nationality and made us Chinese again. I am deeply grateful! For the rest of your life, you can only try your best to repay. I joined the S City Charitable Foundation and actively participated in the foundation's various charitable activities.
We adhere to the purpose of "taking care of the elderly, supporting children, assisting students, and helping the poor" and the belief that "everyone can be charitable, and doing what can be done is charitable", and rely on the society to run charity. Committed to exploring charitable resources, implementing charitable relief, and disseminating the concept of philanthropy. Organize various forms of charity activities, and widely mobilize the participation of the public, enterprises and groups. Doing my best to do charity activities is also my great spiritual sustenance!
Stepping out of the Vista Tower, night has fallen. We strolled from the solid wooden boardwalk of Lakeside Road to the beautiful Drunken Moon Bridge, and crossed the bridge to the wetland park on the other side of Dongpo Lake. Turning around and looking back, I saw that the vista building was brightly lit, and under the background of the twinkling stars in the sky, it was reflected in the mirror-like lake water, like a paradise on earth.
The Drunken Moon Bridge of Light and Shadow
Brightly lit vista building
Covering an area of 964 acres, Dongpo Wetland Park is the largest urban wetland park in southwest China. The scenery is full of tourists, laughter and laughter, a scene of peace and tranquility.
The wetland park is full of tourists
Wetland Park Musical Fountain
Old Meng said, "Mr. Lin, today I got an axe at the door of my class and gave you a poem: 'If you want to be sad and still have your relatives gone, your life will be shaken again.'" 'In two days, I invite you to visit Jiangshan Meidi Villa, don't forget to bring Madame Zun with you!' ”
"Okay." I promised. Deeply infected by the surrounding atmosphere and the enthusiasm of Lao Meng, my spirit unconsciously perked up.
Sequel Trailer:
On December 1, 2018, Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer (CFO) of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., was illegally detained by Canadian police at Vancouver International Airport in Canada, which attracted the world's attention and made Lao Meng indignant and worried. On September 25, 2021, Meng Wanzhou took a chartered flight from the Chinese government to return to the motherland, which made the Chinese people happy and proud, and made the old Meng excited and sighed. Meng Wanzhou's maternal grandfather, Meng Dongbo, was a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, who joined the Shanghai Professional Salvation Congress in his early years and later served as vice governor of Sichuan Province – the same surname Meng, what is the relationship between lao Meng and Meng Wanzhou? After the Spring Festival in late 2019 and 2020, the new crown epidemic broke out in Wuhan. On April 4, 2022, the number of new covid-19 infection cases (confirmed + asymptomatic) in S City exceeded 13,354, and the number of new cases per day exceeded 13,354, and the number of new cases per day was 26 consecutive days. On April 30, the number of new cases fell below 10,000 for the first time... Why did Lao Meng get tired and hospitalized when the epidemic was serious in S City? The answer will be revealed to you in the sequel.