.Herlasttendaysthereshelivedonsnailsthatalittlegirlgatheredforherfromapond.
Therewasnocommunitydininghall.Everybodyqueuedupwithcanstogetthericeandwhatwentwithit,servedthroughtwoholesduginthekennel-sizedtempleoftheearthgod.Whentheygothomethefoodwascold,ofcourse.
Everydayatfourinthemorningamanbeatagongtosummoneverybodytothefields.Breakfastatnine.Workatten.Lunchattwelve.Workagainatone.Supperatsix.Workagainatseven.Butnotinthefieldsthistime?ausuallyitwascarryingcoalormud.Quitattenatnight.Sometimes"leapforward"totwelvemidnight.NoSundaysorholidays,onlyafewdaysoffattheNewYear.Thisdespitetheslogan"Letthefarmersrest."WagesvariedfromadollarsomethingtofiftyorsixtycentsJenMingPiaoamonth.Medicineshadbeenfreebutnowyoubuyyourown.Herddoctorswereavailablebutherbsarescarce.
WeChinesehavealwaysbeenatourbestwithinarigidframe,eveninpoetrywriting.It'swhenwearemosthemmedinthatweseemabletoriseaboveourselves.Aftertwentycenturiesofrulebythefamilywehavebeenfreeforperhapstwentyyears,andithasnotbeenapleasanttimeformanyofus,fullofconflictsandself-doubts.Nowthestatehastakentheplaceofthebigfamily,comingintoeverymomentandaspectoflifewithitsfamiliarpersuasivepressure.Thesheephasreturnedtothefold.Evenhungercanfeelright?auptoapoint.
ThosewholivenearMacaoswimamileorescapebysampaninbandssometimesasbigasahundred,fightingthemachinegunsofpursuinmotorboatswithsharpenedbamboopoles.Buttheywillnotstayputandfight.ThetroublewithusChineseisthatwearetoosensible.SixtythousandcrashedthelandbordertoHongKonglastMay.Theborderguardswhohadshotatsmallernumbersevidentlyheldbackbecausethecrowdsweretoobig,thegovernmenthavingalwaysavoidedmassacresifpossible.Afterthisthecommunesweremodifiedbutnotabandoned.ThereisalreadytalknowoftheirbeingrevivedintheareaaroundCanton.
Advancetwosteps,retreatsastep?aMaoTse-tunghassaidthisishiswayofmakingprogress.Whetherdanceormarch,thepeopledragon,hopingtooutlivetheirtormentors.
(1963)
本文摘自網易