There is no doubt that Zhao is the first writer I know. I remember that it was more than 20 years ago when I was studying in a medical university. On behalf of the student union, I invite Mr. Li Hong to give a literature lecture. Li Hong's home is not far from the school, and it is hidden in an old-fashioned alley on Shaoxing Road. Push open the mottled back door and follow the steep and dark stairs to the "four-step fast" between the second and third floors. Although the author describes learning as "four steps", in my opinion, this is already a literary exaggeration. A room of only seven or eight square meters is surrounded by "book walls" and books are piled up to the ceiling. There is a small bookcase by the window, and opposite it is a small sofa that can only seat two people. In such a cramped space, let alone "four steps", even turning around may be difficult. However, the study is arranged in perfect order, and the paintings and calligraphy of Shen Congwen, Zhang Xixi and Zhou Huijun on the wall are even more elegant. At that time, Li Hong was already famous for his poems, but he didn't put on airs in the face of a reckless request from a college student. There is not much expression on his broad square face, but his tone is gentle and sincere. After listening to my story, he readily agreed without hesitation. When he left, he also presented two collections of his own essays. Leehom and I formed a literary bond from this. Because of geographical convenience, in my spare time, I often talk to myself and go to the "four-step fast" for advice. Leehom never thinks too much. She always receives warmly and listens patiently. Sometimes she will take the trouble to help me revise some papers written secretly in my spare time. Looking back now, I still feel blushing. I wonder how much precious creative time Leehom wasted in those years.
It didn't take long for me to "abandon medicine and join literature" and become a TV host. As a friend, Leehom looks at me like a brother, reminding me to keep a clear head at all times, because the dazzling lights can easily make people have illusions, thus losing the goal of progress. He often warned me that the host "should have something in his stomach". The so-called "thing" actually refers to the spiritual connotation of the host, that is, the quantity and quality of cultivation, self-restraint and knowledge. A good host should have a certain understanding of literature and art, history and politics, and social customs. " In those years, Leehom was happy with my little progress. Sometimes when he saw some short articles about art published in the newspaper, he also praised them in time: "This shows that your hobbies and interests are rich and varied. This kind of exploration and accumulation is of great benefit to your screen host. Your program has always been bookish. I hope you won't let this bookish spirit fade, but it doesn't hurt to be thicker. " However, Leehom does not blindly and unprincipled sing "praises". Once problems are found, he will point them out rudely.
Over the years, under the influence of Leehom, I have been fascinated by writing, and it is difficult to collect it, and several books have been published one after another. Although words are inevitably naive, Leehom has always encouraged my "cross-border" behavior. He said humorously, "What is more valuable to an artist than constantly exploring new realms?" His strength macro himself has been expanding in the field of literature and art. In addition to literature, he also dabbled in painting and calligraphy, which is full of elegance and interest. What is even more amazing is that after writing poems and essays for most of his life, he turned to writing children's novels. The Children's River, published last year, tells in a poetic style all kinds of seemingly trivial but unforgettable childhood fun stories that Xuedi and his cows, bees, Tang and other friends experienced, as well as the deep friendship between Xuedi and his parents for their grandchildren. There is a simple and innocent emotion between the lines, and there is a touch of sadness that makes people move. Recently, his novel The Fisherman was born again. If Children's River is a gentle and slow trickle, Fisherman is like a river of soup rolling up thousands of snows. Based on a Ming Dynasty Dehua porcelain "Fisherman", the novel describes the friendship between a boy and a professor in danger. I finished reading The Fisherman in one breath. I wanted to read a few pages before going to bed. I didn't want to watch it at first, but I couldn't stop watching it, and I was all sleepy. I followed the protagonist to heaven and earth, crossed disasters, fears and dangers, and experienced the warmth and coldness of human feelings in the absurd era. Tong Dalu, the hero, was attracted by two pieces of Dehua porcelain from his classmate Han Jiting's house, especially the "fisherman", which made him even more emotional. However, a catastrophe mercilessly destroyed the lifelong collection of Professor Han, the "father of graceful demeanour", and the "fisherman" was miraculously hidden and preserved by Tongda Road. Professor Han was already desperate and wanted to express his resistance to the dark age when human nature was distorted by death, but the friendship between the fisherman and Tong Dalu made him find the light of life again. The fisherman reminds me of Li Hong's Notes on the Islanders, which is a collection of essays reflecting the national tragedy. Li Hong once said: "When the land is surrounded by floods, it becomes an island. If you want to be self-enclosed, the island is the ideal venue. In the decade of Cultural Revolution, China was an isolated island, and numerous absurd farce appeared in the sacred atmosphere. The director is not ashamed, the actors are not ashamed, and the audience is not surprised, which eventually leads to a national disaster. Looking back now, it is ridiculous, sad, terrible and even more thought-provoking. What I remember is not a trivial matter. I hope that readers can look at the overall situation from a small perspective, remember this disaster, reflect on this disaster, and never allow our country to become an' island' again. " In this sense, The Fisherman's Boy can be called an upgraded version of The Islander's Notes.
Leehom usually gives the impression that he is gentle and honest. In fact, under his gentle appearance, there is an unyielding heart of a warm-blooded man, beating the call for justice and kindness, as well as hatred and contempt for violence and betrayal. At the same time, he refused to forget and treat the "black hole" of human history in a "muddle" way. He said in the article "Forgotten Fragments": "For human history, history is a mirror and a fortune. The mirror can look at your face, so that your face will not be covered by old filth. Wealth can be future travel expenses. In the content of history, there are brilliant victories and humiliating failures; There are joys and sorrows, and there are disasters and difficulties. " It is precisely because of such a dialectical view of history that Li Hong gave up describing human tragedies in a naturalistic way and sought sensory stimulation in his novels, but issued an inspiring cry in a poetic way. For example, the chapter "Disaster in the Fire" describes Professor Han's endless sadness in the face of a mess: "When Teacher Han looks at the debris on the ground, the expression on her face begins with amazement, then anger, and finally grief. He stretched out his hands to pick up the debris on the ground, but he couldn't. I saw his hands trembling and reaching to the ground, wanting to cry without tears. " The "consternation-anger-grief" here seems to be Mr. Han's grief over the smashing of antiques, but in fact it is his silent protest against the trampling of civilization. Of course, that cry also contains the author's endless desire for beauty. There are villains like "squint Hu" in Fisherman, and good people like Tong Dalu's family, Director Wang and Teacher Liu. Although at that time, the power of "goodness" was not enough to overwhelm the momentum of "evil", the insignificant "goodness" could support all of us to walk through the dark tunnel, which is also the theme of Li Hong's Fisherman, namely: "In the Cultural Revolution, human nature was distorted, but it could not be eliminated; Knowledge is blocked, but it is still spreading; Art has been trampled on, but the life of art is still growing among people. Writing such a novel is to seek beauty in ugliness, to move towards light in darkness, to affirm goodness in evil, and to think about the meaning of existence in death. "
Li Hongping is usually inarticulate, and even hates to brag or show off herself, but her heart is full of richness, and she has some unshakable persistence. He writes, but he has something to say and feelings to vent. From "Tongnian River" to "Fisherman", although the story is fictional, the characters in the novel are not made up by painstaking efforts, but a literary reflection of their childhood memories. After reading it, the reader seems to have entered the character's heart or found traces of his own life. From my junior and the road, I can see what I looked like when I was a child. The images of the two girls, Tang and Han Pingting, seem to be familiar. Every character in the novel is flesh and blood, so when reading, he often can't tell which is true and which is fictional. This may be because Li Hong remembered Ba Jin's old man's teaching when he was creating: "Write what you are familiar with and what you feel most." Therefore, Li Hong's novels, like his name, have beautiful words but broad ideas. Even if you speak loudly, it is difficult to change the nature of the poet, so the power of literature is more powerful and lingering. Just as Wei Minglun, a "genius in Bashan", commented on Li Hong: "The poetic style is soft and beautiful, with beautiful quality; It is a grand move to act directly. "