Chapter 592: It’s a joy to have friends come from far away.
Butler is really coming.
One month later, he received a letter from the organizing committee of the World Chinese Literature Award. The article "The Fragrance of Strange Mountains" was shortlisted for the Best Short Story Award of the First Chinese Literature Award. He hoped that he could come to China. Xijing attended the awards night held on April 19th.
Of course it was a great pleasure to have his novel shortlisted. Butler also wanted to see this somewhat mysterious Eastern country, so he agreed to the invitation.
But he was worried about one thing.
I don’t understand Chinese.
There is no direct flight from San Francisco to Xijing. I heard that I have to transfer to Yanjing or take a train. I am worried that something might happen if I don’t understand the language or the place I am unfamiliar with.
So he thought of Li Li, who had translated works for him, and went to Li Li specifically to express his concerns.
Li Li told him, don’t worry, Chinese people are very friendly to foreigners. If you are still not at ease, I can ask my classmates in Yanjing to pick you up and arrange for you to go to Xijing. When you arrive at the Xijing Organizing Committee The staff will naturally give you the necessary help.
Butler expressed his gratitude and quickly applied for the visa.
These days, it is very troublesome for Chinese people to go to the United States. They have to check their qualifications, and it is common for them to take a year and a half to apply for a visa. However, it is very simple for Americans to apply for a visa in China, not to mention Butler coming to China. It was considered an academic invitation and it didn’t take long.
Today, Butler departed from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco and flew to Yanjing. Li Li also drove to the airport to see him off.
"Mr. Butler, I wish you a pleasant journey and a safe journey."
"Thank you, Ms. Li, for your help." Butler looked grateful.
In this way, Butler embarked on a journey to China.
At the same time, Luofu and Qijun from Taiwan and Xixi from Xiangjiang also rushed to Xijing through various means.
For the organizing committee, arranging vehicles and personnel to welcome authors from all over the country, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas, has become the most important task these days.
Especially for Butler from the United States, Fang Minghua arranged for Zhang Yanqian to hire an English major from Xiwai University to accompany him during this period.
"Look for boys, not girls." Fang Minghua also specifically warned.
Fang Minghua himself did not arrange to pick up these authors at the station or airport, but today he took the initiative to pick them up at the train station.
Because Shi Tiesheng came this afternoon.
You should welcome it both emotionally and rationally.
Fang Minghua stood at the exit of the train station, watching the passengers pouring out. Until fewer and fewer people came out, he finally saw a young woman pushing a wheelchair out. Sitting in the wheelchair was a man wearing a helmet. The man in glasses, with a travel bag on his knees, was Shi Tiesheng and his wife Chen Ximi.
Shi Tiesheng had a leg problem and it was very inconvenient to go out. It was natural for his wife to take care of things together.
Fang Minghua walked over with a smile, said hello, and picked up the travel bag placed on Shi Tiesheng's lap.
"Minghua, I originally didn't want to come. The way I am, I just cause trouble to others when I go out." Shi Tiiesheng said.
"Look at what you said. I'm still not happy if you don't come." Fang Minghua said with a smile: "Besides, Western University is my sister-in-law's alma mater. Don't you want to come back with her to visit?"
"I think so too. Since Ximi was transferred to Yanjing, he has been taking care of me and has almost never left Yanjing. This time I came to Xijing, not only to attend the ceremony, but more importantly to relax with Ximi. "
"Okay. I remember that I came to Xijing in 1984 and visited the Big Wild Goose Pagoda but didn't climb up to see it." Fang Minghua said.
“How can I still climb the Big Wild Goose Pagoda like this?!”
"Of course you can. When the time comes, I'll find a few friends to take turns carrying you on my back!"
The three of them were chatting and laughing. When they arrived at the parking lot, Fang Minghua carried Shi Tiiesheng on his back and slowly put him in the back row. Then he folded the wheelchair and put it in the trunk again, and drove to the hotel this time.
"Tie Sheng, sister-in-law, I will arrange for you to stay in a room. I specially said hello to the guest room manager of the hotel. If sister-in-law has any difficulties, please call the room attendant. There are a lot of things these days. I guess there will be no problem. I’ll spend as much time with you as I can, and I’ll be free once the ceremony is over. Please come to my house as a guest.”
“Minghua, you’re busy with your business, we’re fine,” Chen Ximi said quickly, “You’ve been working hard lately. ."
"Haha, it's hard work, but wouldn't it be nice to have a friend come from afar?" Fang Minghua said with a smile: "To tell you the truth, I have to go to the station to pick up someone tonight. Friends from Yanjing”
"Who?"
"Haizi, and Xichuan who came with him." Fang Minghua said. Fang Minghua really wants to pick up Haizi.
Fang Minghua personally drove the 23 authors who came to Xijing to attend the party this time and picked them up.
After driving Shi Tiiesheng and his wife to the Tangcheng Hotel to make arrangements, they then drove to the People's Theater on North Street - where the first World Chinese Literature Awards Gala will be held.
I communicated with the staff of the party preparation team about the preparations, and then I found a restaurant on the street and had a bowl of Qishan Sauce Noodles. After checking that the time was about the same, I drove straight to the train station.
Soon, Fang Minghua saw two men walking out side by side in the crowd.
It is Haizi and Xichuan.
The first impression I had on Fang Minghua was: Haizi is fat.
Without the long hair and unshaven beard, I look much more energetic.
Nishikawa has not changed much, he is still gentle and elegant.
Fang Minghua walked up and gave the two of them a hug without saying a word.
Then he said with a smile: "It was a hard journey, wasn't it?"
"Why was it hard? This is the most comfortable time I have traveled so many times, sitting in a sleeper berth." Haizi said.
Ouch.
Haizi is introverted and rarely takes the initiative to talk even when he is with friends.
But today I took the initiative to speak.
At least it means that the mental state is better.
Fang Minghua led the two of them to the parking lot. This time he did not talk about his personal life, but took the initiative to talk about this award event, especially poetry.
When it comes to poetry, it is of course a topic that Haizi is interested in.
"I have read the five poetry collections that were shortlisted, and the one I admire most is Yang Lian's "The Sun and Man,"" Haizi said.
“Because it is a collection of long poems?” Fang Minghua asked rhetorically.
“Yes.”
Fang Minghua and Xi Chuan both laughed after hearing this.
Although among readers, the most widely circulated are Haizi's short poems, such as "Facing the Sea, Spring is Warm and Flowers are Blooming", "Spring, Ten Haizi", "Summer Sun" and so on. But what Haizi loves most is his own long poems.
"Sun", "But Water, Water", "Land", etc.
"Hey, Minghua, do you think Haizi's poetry collection can win the award?" Xi Chuan interjected and asked.
Fang Minghua did not answer, but Haizi said: "I guess not. Yang Lian's "The Sun and People" and Gu Cheng's "Gu Cheng's Selected New Poems" are also good."
This Except for Love, the authors of the five shortlisted poetry collections are seniors, and the rest are all poets who were active in the 1980s.
Haizi, Yang Lian, Gu Cheng and Yu Jian, the poetry collection he participated in was called "Naming a Crow".
It is said that Bei Dao, who is in the United States, originally planned to send the Chinese manuscript of his poetry collection "Old Snow" published in the United States. But I felt that I had already submitted the prose "Visitors from Poland", so I did not send this poetry collection again.
There are misty poems, and there are poems belonging to the third generation" (Yu Jian's "Naming a Crow"), and there are also poetry collections like Haizi that do not belong to any genre.
Fang Minghua smiled after hearing this.
“I think it’s okay. ”
On the evening of April 19, the first World Chinese Literature Award Ceremony began grandly at the Xijing People’s Theater.
(End of this chapter)