(蓝色部分附有中文注释。Chinese notes are added for the parts highlighted in blue)
5
Second floor was mainly for Canada's own artists. It was a pity that Alex Colville exhibition required a separate admission ticket. His work Horse and Train had entered China earlier than Miss Vaughan's birth.
Inasmuch as Mama Vaughan was a senior who theoretically didn't feel up to a long walk, I was thinking it would be better to let her have a good rest and a nice sip after her nearly three-hour visit, and then complete the tour to the second floor as well as the third where the exhibitions focused on Modern and Contemporary Arts. Coincidently, Miss Vaughan spoke out my mind that she would like to let her mom visit Galleria Italia which was actually the chic glass and wood front facade of AGO, and the reason was that we could sit there and enjoy watching the snow scene outside the building.
Galleria Italia had a powerful space, traversing a whole community block distance, from Beverley Street to McCaul Street, in downtown Toronto. It was the largest timber structure in Canada. 24 families from Italian community in Toronto supported the realization of this project. Viewing from either east or west end, the cross section inside the structure was like a sail. The whole space was handsomely light-filled. Right in the centre against the wall stood a cafe called Espresso Bar selling espresso, pastries, desserts, sodas, and other beverages.
In the front facing Dundas Street, almost each curved wood pillar had a donator family's name with it. I murmured the Italian names, feeling the taste of Italian language tone, trying to hear some opera from the pronunciation, holding out my right hand and bringing five finger tips together and upwards and then shaking them a bit as same as two disguised American commandos did in front of Christoph Waltz as SS Colonel in Inglourious Basterds. But bit by bit, I found that somehow I began to read those Italian donators' names into Antonio Margheriti and Dominick Decocco.
The moment was poetic when we were sitting on the exquisite wood sofa and watching, through the glass wall, the snowflakes flying in the air. I strongly felt there should be something potable holding in our hands and certain themes, around our ears, by the greatest contemparory musician Ennio Morricone as background music, especially Once Upon A Time In The West in vocal version of Susanna Rigacci.
I asked Mama Vaughan and Miss Vaughan what they would like to get. The answer was, the mother had no desire to get anything while the daughter thought espresso was way too strong for her and the beverage had too much sugar, which meant, I couldn't get anything either. Espresso was turbo. Miss Vaughan should drink it at least once a year. When asked again, she replied that she didn't want to drink hot chocolate for sure. A year before, I had tried once to persuade her to eat chocolate for fat reducing, and to eat them every day, all the time, and not to stop a single day until her weight got reduced to 180 catties if one day. At the same time, I had pointed out that success of the great cause of fat reducing would require all her willpower and perseverance and then some. But I hadn't even looked at her after these words because I had known angry eyes must be staring at me.
To my strangeness, I started to think if I could write a same topic essay beating Xue Fucheng's Visit to Paint Gallery of Paris. But for certain reason, I turned to deliberate how Xinhua News Agency would cover our tour if Mama Vaughan was someone like high official of Communist Party, for example, Xi Big Big. Unlike Reuters, AP,AFP, DPA, EFE, or Kyodo, Xinhua had an unparalleled style for news report and coverage. To take an example of news report on one of Xi Big Big's visits, Xinhua pattern went: On the morning of certain day, CPC General Secretary Xi braved wind and rain to hurry for Dalian and embark on CV Liaoning Aircraft Carrier docking in Dalian Harbour. Standards flew against the wind, sailors stood well-arrayed. CV Liaoning welcomed a solemn and glorious moment. Xi inspected the honor guards of sailors, and then climbed the gangway, got down the cabins, boarded the deck, and entered the (helicopter) cockpit. After that, he also came to the food court to have lunch together with the sailors. As he ate, he heartedly triggered a chit-chat with the sailors and recruits... I could never figure out that such kind of things belonged to news report or to lyric prose. Moreover, such pattern was never changed. During President Jiang's term of office, it was like this. Then over the successor President Hu's term, it was still like this. Every time it was "climbed the gangway, got down the cabins, boarded the deck, and entered the cockpit" or things alike. When Xi Big Big became the chief, the pattern stayed intact. There were de facto thousands of ways to report what went on. I wondered why our dear Xinhua reporters were this lazy. Copy and paste didn't make people to progress in gaining wits. Right now, the role switched to Mama Vaughan, so I, to quote Xinhua pattern, would go: This noon, Branch Secretary of Party Mama Vaughan braved wind and snow to come to Toronto from Vaughan. The Maple Leaf Flag flied high atop the mast in the wind. Art Gallery of Ontario welcomed a solemn and glorious moment. Mama Vaughan inspected her daughter's boy friend - me, and then she ate an apple, passed the court, used the bathroom, and entered the hall. After that, she came in person to Espresso Bar to have a rest. As she sat down, she zealously triggered a hearty chit-chat with the rank-and-file member of me... What an amazing yet sick stereotyped Xinhua report!
"Darn it, I'm sick of my sickness!" I whispered my mind out, blaming myself for weird fantasy.
"What did you say?" asked Mama Vaughan sitting between Miss Vaughan and myself.
"It's nice to be seated HERE." I answered.
"It's different here." She said.
"Right, and the place is different from you guys' Jiangxi too," said I, trying not to sit too stiffened and straight like a soldier.
"Our home is currently in Yingtan."
"I know the city. There's a railway from there all the way to Amoy. It was constructed long long ago for the purpose of urgent transporting of PLA to repel any possible invasion of KMT troops across Taiwan Straits."
"Yes. There is also a mount called Mount Dragon-Tiger in the region of Yingtan. You've heard of that?" She asked.
"I have. Actually, it's so famous that all we Chinese would know it."
"Oh yah?"
"Yah," I explained, "because the first chapter in Water Margin describes 108 spirits are accidentally released from Mount Dragon-Tiger. The mount is where the book Water Margin starts. In China, who else hasn't read Water Margin? Therefore, I would think Mount Dragon-Tiger should be well known to a genuine Chinese."
"Before, I was in Hengfeng and Yiyang. Fang Zhimin and his Red Army had established a revolutionary base there."
Mama Vaughan was talking about the places. I sat there, listening. But my mind went adrift.
"What did you say?" asked Mama Vaughan sitting between Miss Vaughan and myself.
"It's nice to be seated HERE." I answered.
"It's different here." She said.
"Right, and the place is different from you guys' Jiangxi too," said I, trying not to sit too stiffened and straight like a soldier.
"Our home is currently in Yingtan."
"I know the city. There's a railway from there all the way to Amoy. It was constructed long long ago for the purpose of urgent transporting of PLA to repel any possible invasion of KMT troops across Taiwan Straits."
"Yes. There is also a mount called Mount Dragon-Tiger in the region of Yingtan. You've heard of that?" She asked.
"I have. Actually, it's so famous that all we Chinese would know it."
"Oh yah?"
"Yah," I explained, "because the first chapter in Water Margin describes 108 spirits are accidentally released from Mount Dragon-Tiger. The mount is where the book Water Margin starts. In China, who else hasn't read Water Margin? Therefore, I would think Mount Dragon-Tiger should be well known to a genuine Chinese."
"Before, I was in Hengfeng and Yiyang. Fang Zhimin and his Red Army had established a revolutionary base there."
Mama Vaughan was talking about the places. I sat there, listening. But my mind went adrift.
Miss Vaughan had told me her mother's experience before. Yiyang was located close to the border between Jiangxi province and Fujian province while Hengfeng was not far away from the border between Jiangxi province and Zhejiang province. The area of Yiyang-Hengfeng was virtually like somewhere under nobody's jurisdiction in the past. During the days of the 1930's, Communist Red Army had established many bases purposely in the border areas between provinces in southern China. Today, there was a place called Jade Dragonfly Bridge located on the border between Chongwen District and Fengtai District in Beijing. Under the bridge, there often were a bunch of unlicensed peddlers and vendors selling snacks and stuffs every day. When the urban management law enforcement unit staff from Chongwen came, they ran into Fengtai; when the Fengtai staff came, they fled to Chongwen. A reporter from a TV station of Beijing interviewed them and asked why they could still survive in this area after so many years. The answer was - flexible application of Red Army's theory of 'enemies-advance-I-retreat, enemies-retreat-I-advance'. Back to the 30's, when the Nationalists of Jiangxi came, the Communists retreated to Fujian; when Fujian Nationalist army attacked, they withdrew to Zhejiang; when Zhejiang's KMT troops advanced, Red Army went back to Jiangxi whereas the main intention of the Nationalists in each province was only to expel the commies out of their own precinct. As long as the commies got out, they didn't care where the commies went. Yesterday's Communist revolutionary bases were nothing more than today's Jade Dragonfly Bridge. Those places were usually mountainous, poor in everything, but rich in gangster-prevailing history. Nevertheless, all these negative characteristics were considered as 'solid mass foundation' by Communists trying to run the application of Marxism theory there. They even had established a separate and independent country and even had used a foreign name called "China Soviet Republic" in Jiangxi, fighting against Republic of China. What the hell did Soviet has to do with our Cathay in orthodox of Confucism-Buddhism-Taoism? Once, a peasant from "China Soviet Republic" was captured by Republic of China's troops and was asked by a few curious but less educated soldiers what was Soviet, what Soviet meant, and how to write Soviet. The peasant couldn't write it down, but told the soldiers that the meaning of Soviet might be something like Monkey King's Flower-Fruit Mountain. Yes, later on, he further explained that Su Wei Ai (苏维埃, Soviet in Chinese language) might be the younger brother of a very important Communist leader called Su Zhao Zheng (苏兆征). I wasn't sure if Stalin would agree on that though, just not sure.
"Fang Zhimin had written many articles. In fact, he was hailing from Yiyang." Mama Vaughan was continuing.
She was right. Yiyang was Fang's hometown and Fang could have been a talented writer if he hadn't chosen to be a Communist general. His most famous work was called 'Ode to Poverty'. Fang was executed half year later after he had been captured by the Nationalist troops although quite a number of Nationalist generals had tried to save his life because they were Fang's classmates and schoolmates in Huangpu Military Academy. However, Fang was charged guilty for the death of John Stam and his wife Betty Stam, two missionaries from the United States, who had been kidnapped for a ransom of $20,000 and then beheaded along with a Christian storekeeper by Red 19th Division although Fang himself hadn't got involved in the execution, but unfortunately he was the top leader for Communists in that area and the army commander.
At thought of all these, I tried to express my discontent with what Communists had done in Jiangxi. "Yes, Fang might be one of the greatest leaders for Communists. But Communists in Jiangxi overdid."
"Did they?" Mama Vaughan frowned disagreement.
"Look, as we all know, Taiwan is a province in China. Lee Teng-hui and his ilk tried to fabricate 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'. They conspired to establish another country in China so as to split our motherland. Lee is a goddamn traitor and collaborator. Likewise, Jiangxi is a province in China. Communists there established a separate country called 'China Soviet Republic' with a so-called capital in Ruijin, with its own national flag,
and with its own national money
to fight against Republic of China while Nanjing was the capital. Two Chinas! Two capitals! What a typical conduct of splitting our motherland. They even used a foreign name to entitle an area in China or even entitle China. Why did our China have to be called 'Soviet'? Why? Who helped them behind? Isn't that what we currently call 'foreign hostile forces'? And the person on the note money of so-called 'China Soviet Republic' is not even Chinese, but a foreign devil, and his name is Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin. So who on earth is 'foreign devil's running dog' after all? To me, Lee Teng-hui and those commies in Jiangxi are no different from each other, just a bunch of traitors and collaborators!"
Mama Vaughan turned silence. I knew, through Miss Vaughan, that Mama Vaughan always kept herself in line with Party's policies and directions. I myself also supported Xi Big Big's anti-corruption storm as much as Mama Vaughan did. But to think independently was another matter.
"Look," I added, "'united, we stand; divided, we fall.' Any one who wants to split China or make any part divided from China, Jiangxi or Taiwan, Xinjiang or Tibet, would be a public enemy to the people of China. Good thing is, Anti-Secession Law has been passed and has come into effect. Anyway, it's just my personal opinion. In terms of how to view the past, if Communist Party would like to consult me, that's what I would tell."
Miss Vaughan was quiet all the time.
I wasn't intended to displease Mama Vaughan, but at least it was necessary to express our young generation's point of view to a veteran Communist Party member like her.
She was right. Yiyang was Fang's hometown and Fang could have been a talented writer if he hadn't chosen to be a Communist general. His most famous work was called 'Ode to Poverty'. Fang was executed half year later after he had been captured by the Nationalist troops although quite a number of Nationalist generals had tried to save his life because they were Fang's classmates and schoolmates in Huangpu Military Academy. However, Fang was charged guilty for the death of John Stam and his wife Betty Stam, two missionaries from the United States, who had been kidnapped for a ransom of $20,000 and then beheaded along with a Christian storekeeper by Red 19th Division although Fang himself hadn't got involved in the execution, but unfortunately he was the top leader for Communists in that area and the army commander.
At thought of all these, I tried to express my discontent with what Communists had done in Jiangxi. "Yes, Fang might be one of the greatest leaders for Communists. But Communists in Jiangxi overdid."
"Did they?" Mama Vaughan frowned disagreement.
"Look, as we all know, Taiwan is a province in China. Lee Teng-hui and his ilk tried to fabricate 'two Chinas' or 'one China, one Taiwan'. They conspired to establish another country in China so as to split our motherland. Lee is a goddamn traitor and collaborator. Likewise, Jiangxi is a province in China. Communists there established a separate country called 'China Soviet Republic' with a so-called capital in Ruijin, with its own national flag,
and with its own national money to fight against Republic of China while Nanjing was the capital. Two Chinas! Two capitals! What a typical conduct of splitting our motherland. They even used a foreign name to entitle an area in China or even entitle China. Why did our China have to be called 'Soviet'? Why? Who helped them behind? Isn't that what we currently call 'foreign hostile forces'? And the person on the note money of so-called 'China Soviet Republic' is not even Chinese, but a foreign devil, and his name is Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin. So who on earth is 'foreign devil's running dog' after all? To me, Lee Teng-hui and those commies in Jiangxi are no different from each other, just a bunch of traitors and collaborators!"Mama Vaughan turned silence. I knew, through Miss Vaughan, that Mama Vaughan always kept herself in line with Party's policies and directions. I myself also supported Xi Big Big's anti-corruption storm as much as Mama Vaughan did. But to think independently was another matter.
"Look," I added, "'united, we stand; divided, we fall.' Any one who wants to split China or make any part divided from China, Jiangxi or Taiwan, Xinjiang or Tibet, would be a public enemy to the people of China. Good thing is, Anti-Secession Law has been passed and has come into effect. Anyway, it's just my personal opinion. In terms of how to view the past, if Communist Party would like to consult me, that's what I would tell."
Miss Vaughan was quiet all the time.
I wasn't intended to displease Mama Vaughan, but at least it was necessary to express our young generation's point of view to a veteran Communist Party member like her.
Mama Vaughan turned to talk about her experience in the countryside. Also, Miss Vaughan had told me a lot about that.
Like many others in her generation, Mama Vaughan had rusticated for quite a number of years. Such act was usually explained as 'respond to call from Chairman Mao'. But in fact, that call was a scheme Mao had waged because he couldn't handle economy situation and solve the unemployment problem of tens of millions of city youth, so every one had been made to believe Mao's slogan - it's good for youngsters to go to the broad countryside where they can fight the sky and battle the earth so as to get forged in storms and billows. At the beginning, it sounded simply like a choice or a will as per propaganda. Then later on, Rustication Movement turned to be something compulsory. Every one would get out of the cities for youth and teenagers whereas schools had been long closed, factories half dead, universities shut down, professors and teachers dismissed and sent to gulags or May 7th cadre schools, which were not much better than a gulag, for the purpose of so-called 'thought reforming' through harsh labouring. I never understood how a person could get his thought reformed through labouring. Once upon a time when I was a kid, I failed to steal the cookie and got caught. Instead of telling me that eating many cookies only would not do me good and a kid should eat healthy meals properly and timely, Mom ordered me to sweep the floor as thought reforming through labouring. But after sweeping, I still wanted that cookie and masterminded another action that night. Pre-labouring and post-labouring, my 'thought' had been focusing on the cookie all the time, nothing had changed in my mind at all. Those days during Mama Vaughan's era, radios had been broadcasting non-stop the songs like "father is caring, mother is caring, comparing to Chairman Mao's caring, those are nothing" or "father is close, mother is close, but no one is as close as Chairman Mao is". But in the meantime, tens of millions of people were being cruelly denounced and persecuted to death, teachers, professors, doctors, engineers, technicians, writers, painters, musicians, actors, factory workers, peasants, whosoever, and even a nightman like Shi Chuanxiang. What the hell did Capitalist Roader or Comeback of Bourgeoisie have to do with a nightman? This was Mao's China, this was yesterday's China and China's yesterday.
Like many others in her generation, Mama Vaughan had rusticated for quite a number of years. Such act was usually explained as 'respond to call from Chairman Mao'. But in fact, that call was a scheme Mao had waged because he couldn't handle economy situation and solve the unemployment problem of tens of millions of city youth, so every one had been made to believe Mao's slogan - it's good for youngsters to go to the broad countryside where they can fight the sky and battle the earth so as to get forged in storms and billows. At the beginning, it sounded simply like a choice or a will as per propaganda. Then later on, Rustication Movement turned to be something compulsory. Every one would get out of the cities for youth and teenagers whereas schools had been long closed, factories half dead, universities shut down, professors and teachers dismissed and sent to gulags or May 7th cadre schools, which were not much better than a gulag, for the purpose of so-called 'thought reforming' through harsh labouring. I never understood how a person could get his thought reformed through labouring. Once upon a time when I was a kid, I failed to steal the cookie and got caught. Instead of telling me that eating many cookies only would not do me good and a kid should eat healthy meals properly and timely, Mom ordered me to sweep the floor as thought reforming through labouring. But after sweeping, I still wanted that cookie and masterminded another action that night. Pre-labouring and post-labouring, my 'thought' had been focusing on the cookie all the time, nothing had changed in my mind at all. Those days during Mama Vaughan's era, radios had been broadcasting non-stop the songs like "father is caring, mother is caring, comparing to Chairman Mao's caring, those are nothing" or "father is close, mother is close, but no one is as close as Chairman Mao is". But in the meantime, tens of millions of people were being cruelly denounced and persecuted to death, teachers, professors, doctors, engineers, technicians, writers, painters, musicians, actors, factory workers, peasants, whosoever, and even a nightman like Shi Chuanxiang. What the hell did Capitalist Roader or Comeback of Bourgeoisie have to do with a nightman? This was Mao's China, this was yesterday's China and China's yesterday.
White snowflakes were dancing and swinging before our eyes. But the picturesque view didn't match Mama Vaughan's topic.
In patience, I listened and thought, thought and listened as Mama Vaughan's talk went on.
During those days, agricultural machinery like rice transplanters were hardly used or hardly seen. The work had to be done manually. Mama Vaughan, as a rusticated youth, had become one of those peasants engaged in manual rice transplanting. Hardship was beyond imagination of any young girls living with iPod, iPad, iPhone, weibo, wechat, web games, or Hello Kitty in China today. Once, Mama Vaughan had even found a leech passionately enjoying human being's blood on her leg while transplanting rice shoots. How would it possibly not make a girl like the then Mama Vaughan faint, fall, and feel back-broken bending down to work in the paddy field under poisonously strong sunshine and unbearable heat hours and hours? Needless to mention those stings from mosquitoes and gnats. To stand with a straightened back for a while would even be a luxury.
The topic was heavy, but she spoke in a way as though she was talking about a light one.
"So, I still like Chinese food here, though I have tried the western one." Mama Vaughan switched the topic and turned to ask the daughter, "what did we have last time with Xiao Jian? Italian food?"
I felt like asking who was that Xiao Jian. I might have misheard the name. But I held back my curiosity.
Mama Vaughan started to talk about different cuisines and cooking. But to my surprise, she didn't know Anhui Cuisine existed among Eight Cuisines of Chinese food culture whilst Anhui was her original homeland.
I really worried about the schedule because I would have a session late afternoon and I wanted to invite Mama Vaughan and Miss Vaughan for dinner, an early dinner, and they were one hour late for the scheduled visit. I found our rest was long. My schedule time turned tighter and tighter. I didn't know where to cut in and how I should propose that our rest and talk be discontinued and our tour be immediately continued, and then a dinner be extended in honor of Mama Vaughan quickly. But they might feel and even I myself felt I rush things up here, which was not polite in front of a senior.
"Well, you two haven't seen each other for one year. Hmm."
What did that 'hmm' mean?
Mama Vaughan moved the topic to the key one. "Last time I wrote you, but you didn't reply to me, which made me gloomy for quite a while."
How should I say now? She was still at loss to understand it would be really rude and wrong to put a nose into other people's private business, wasn't she? Mama Vaughan even had asked me my father's name, my mother's name, etc. through an indirect relative of hers. This was too far. In Canada or in any countries of law, no one was given right to come to people with all these at his or her own will. Her daughter had fallen in love with me and I had dated her daughter, not her. I had never touched Miss Vaughan a finger from our first dating to now. We had got along with each other like host and guest. Even for her own daughter, Mama Vaughan was not authorized to manipulate and interfere in Miss Vaughan's love, no matter whom Miss Vaughan fell in love with. That was an obvious and simple principle. It's not the era the arrangement marriage would dominate.
She took a look at her daughter and continued, "you see, your family is a weathy and influential one whilst ours is a small and humble one. Very different."
What was that? The so-called 'wealthy and influential family' and 'small and humble family' were the concepts of feudalism. Why were they still used by a communist today in the 21st century? Even some feudalist landlords and bureaucrats wouldn't say things like that.
"My family is not the one as you mentioned," I replied. "I believe equality stays between all families in China today."
Moreover, the fact was, nowadays, there's no big one, no small one, all the same virtually, after decades of Family Planning.
Mama Vaughan didn't seem to listen to me as she simply went on herself. "Art, is not what we, small and humble families, put our attention on. To us, what counts every day is firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea."
I felt like saying, "these hardly sound like something from the mouth of a communist while you communist guys claimed yourselves as avant-guarde of proletariat. I always think what count to you guys is to liberate the whole of us human beings. Like the famous saying of your party goes, all we proletariat could lose is nothing but chains, and gain everything of the whole world." But I dare not say these because I really worried that Mama Vaughan would say 'shut the f uc k up' to me if I mentioned the doctrine of her Party. In fact, what Mama Vaughan said had nothing much wrong to me. But still, I would like to say, "I'm not from a wealthy and influential family, but from a family wealthy in spirit and influential in thought. Also, isn't it your Communist Party who educated us Chinese people that all living beings equal? Mine is also a regular family though it's an intellectual family, like other hundreds of millions of families of which the working class consists. Monday, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. Tuesday, the same. Wednesday, the same. Seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, every day is the same. The main theme in most families nowadays is not Bach's Brandenburg Concerto, not Ennio Morricone's Cinema Paradiso, but the cling-clang, cling-clang symphony of pans, bowls, scoops, and pots every day..." But I couldn't speak these out to her this moment.
"You see," said Mama Vaughan, "in Lu Xun's Mourning, the reason that love failed between Juansheng and Zijun is lack of firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. Right?"
This was very funny. Even Juansheng and Zijun were with everything, tragedy would still be awaiting them ahead just like what happened in Cao Yu's Thunder Rain and Ba Jin's Family. She didn't seem to understand Lu Xun or see the light at all. In order not to embarass Mama Vaughan, I replied only in my mind, "feel free to read the book again. The key is, the reason for love tragedy of Juansheng and Zijun is not the problem of firewood, rice, oil, salt, or daily necessaties. It is partly because of their own shortcomings such as selfish, weak, short-sighted, and narrow-minded individualism, and mainly, it is because of the disruption and persecution from sinister forces as well as decadent and unreasonable society system which you communist guys called evil and man-eater and called on Chinese people to smash, to crush, to curse, and to spit on. In fact, this is where the meaning of Lu Xun's shoutout lies - to fight against the dark society and to topple it down."
Mama Vaughan seemed to be very talkative and she was still talking there. "So our two families are different. Different families pay attention to different things and think about different things in different ways."
What did that 'hmm' mean?
Mama Vaughan moved the topic to the key one. "Last time I wrote you, but you didn't reply to me, which made me gloomy for quite a while."
How should I say now? She was still at loss to understand it would be really rude and wrong to put a nose into other people's private business, wasn't she? Mama Vaughan even had asked me my father's name, my mother's name, etc. through an indirect relative of hers. This was too far. In Canada or in any countries of law, no one was given right to come to people with all these at his or her own will. Her daughter had fallen in love with me and I had dated her daughter, not her. I had never touched Miss Vaughan a finger from our first dating to now. We had got along with each other like host and guest. Even for her own daughter, Mama Vaughan was not authorized to manipulate and interfere in Miss Vaughan's love, no matter whom Miss Vaughan fell in love with. That was an obvious and simple principle. It's not the era the arrangement marriage would dominate.
She took a look at her daughter and continued, "you see, your family is a weathy and influential one whilst ours is a small and humble one. Very different."
What was that? The so-called 'wealthy and influential family' and 'small and humble family' were the concepts of feudalism. Why were they still used by a communist today in the 21st century? Even some feudalist landlords and bureaucrats wouldn't say things like that.
"My family is not the one as you mentioned," I replied. "I believe equality stays between all families in China today."
Moreover, the fact was, nowadays, there's no big one, no small one, all the same virtually, after decades of Family Planning.
Mama Vaughan didn't seem to listen to me as she simply went on herself. "Art, is not what we, small and humble families, put our attention on. To us, what counts every day is firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea."
I felt like saying, "these hardly sound like something from the mouth of a communist while you communist guys claimed yourselves as avant-guarde of proletariat. I always think what count to you guys is to liberate the whole of us human beings. Like the famous saying of your party goes, all we proletariat could lose is nothing but chains, and gain everything of the whole world." But I dare not say these because I really worried that Mama Vaughan would say 'shut the f uc k up' to me if I mentioned the doctrine of her Party. In fact, what Mama Vaughan said had nothing much wrong to me. But still, I would like to say, "I'm not from a wealthy and influential family, but from a family wealthy in spirit and influential in thought. Also, isn't it your Communist Party who educated us Chinese people that all living beings equal? Mine is also a regular family though it's an intellectual family, like other hundreds of millions of families of which the working class consists. Monday, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. Tuesday, the same. Wednesday, the same. Seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, every day is the same. The main theme in most families nowadays is not Bach's Brandenburg Concerto, not Ennio Morricone's Cinema Paradiso, but the cling-clang, cling-clang symphony of pans, bowls, scoops, and pots every day..." But I couldn't speak these out to her this moment.
"You see," said Mama Vaughan, "in Lu Xun's Mourning, the reason that love failed between Juansheng and Zijun is lack of firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. Right?"
This was very funny. Even Juansheng and Zijun were with everything, tragedy would still be awaiting them ahead just like what happened in Cao Yu's Thunder Rain and Ba Jin's Family. She didn't seem to understand Lu Xun or see the light at all. In order not to embarass Mama Vaughan, I replied only in my mind, "feel free to read the book again. The key is, the reason for love tragedy of Juansheng and Zijun is not the problem of firewood, rice, oil, salt, or daily necessaties. It is partly because of their own shortcomings such as selfish, weak, short-sighted, and narrow-minded individualism, and mainly, it is because of the disruption and persecution from sinister forces as well as decadent and unreasonable society system which you communist guys called evil and man-eater and called on Chinese people to smash, to crush, to curse, and to spit on. In fact, this is where the meaning of Lu Xun's shoutout lies - to fight against the dark society and to topple it down."
Mama Vaughan seemed to be very talkative and she was still talking there. "So our two families are different. Different families pay attention to different things and think about different things in different ways."
But couldn't people from different families be together? Being from an intellectual or a cultured family was not my fault or a shame. What was she doing there on earth? Trying to separate me and her daughter?
"Right, I know." I poked out my head and looked at Miss Vaughan who wasn't looking my way. But she shouldn't choose silence this moment. She should say something, unless... I took a look at her again. Nothing. Nothing at all.
"Right, I know." I poked out my head and looked at Miss Vaughan who wasn't looking my way. But she shouldn't choose silence this moment. She should say something, unless... I took a look at her again. Nothing. Nothing at all.
"Erh, well," I summoned up courage and said to the mother, "she and I are only intimates."
Mama Vaughan didn't say a word any more. But I was shocked by my own words that brought myself with pain instantly. I wasn't sure how much Miss Vaughan got hurt.
Mama Vaughan didn't say a word any more. But I was shocked by my own words that brought myself with pain instantly. I wasn't sure how much Miss Vaughan got hurt.
Checking the time again, I couldn't wait any more.
"Well, as you mentioned just now, you are not quite much into the western cuisine, so I would like to invite you ladies for dinner at a very popular Chinese cuisine restaurant called Asia Legend. It's right beside Bank of China on Dundas Street West, only one minute's walk apart."
Mama Vaughan didn't answer, but turned to look at her daughter for decision.
"Actually, I have a session this afternoon. So I don't have enough time to join you for the dinner. But," I took out a hundred dollars and my credit card, stood up and walked to Miss Vaughan, "here's the money. Go there with your mom after the tour. And here's my Visa if the cash won't suffice."
But Miss Vaughan flattened her face immediately. "No, no, no, we don't want that. We are leaving." Then she pulled her mother up.
"You are leaving?" I asked, wondering why she looked so teed off.
"Yah, we are leaving."
"But you guys don't want to check out the remaining?"
I tried to persuade her to take the money and the card and not to leave now because there were still many good things her mother might be interested in, such as the miniatures and models of ships and boats. Still, she refused and gave me a dirty face.
I sighed, wondering what would trigger their interest. I had an impression that AGO even had a miniature of Captain Haddock's HMS Unicorn in 'The Adventures of Tintin" in addition to barque, full rigged ship, U-boat, and China junk sampan, and maybe even Yamamoto, Bismark, or Akagi.
Mama Vaughan didn't answer, but turned to look at her daughter for decision.
"Actually, I have a session this afternoon. So I don't have enough time to join you for the dinner. But," I took out a hundred dollars and my credit card, stood up and walked to Miss Vaughan, "here's the money. Go there with your mom after the tour. And here's my Visa if the cash won't suffice."
But Miss Vaughan flattened her face immediately. "No, no, no, we don't want that. We are leaving." Then she pulled her mother up.
"You are leaving?" I asked, wondering why she looked so teed off.
"Yah, we are leaving."
"But you guys don't want to check out the remaining?"
I tried to persuade her to take the money and the card and not to leave now because there were still many good things her mother might be interested in, such as the miniatures and models of ships and boats. Still, she refused and gave me a dirty face.
I sighed, wondering what would trigger their interest. I had an impression that AGO even had a miniature of Captain Haddock's HMS Unicorn in 'The Adventures of Tintin" in addition to barque, full rigged ship, U-boat, and China junk sampan, and maybe even Yamamoto, Bismark, or Akagi.
Politely, I bade them goodbye with sorrow inside at the gate. All in a sudden, I found my scarf missing. I rushed back to check around and even went to the places we hadn't visited. The search went resultless, but I found the great, talented, but weird Chirico.
Fortunately, just on the way I went to the bathroom before leaving AGO, I saw my green scarf sleeping quietly on the services desk.
Fortunately, just on the way I went to the bathroom before leaving AGO, I saw my green scarf sleeping quietly on the services desk.Notes:
01. Alex Colville - 阿莱克斯·科尔维尔，出生于加拿大多伦多的二十世纪伟大画家、超现实主义与象征主义大师，2013年去世
02. Horse and Train - 阿莱克斯·科尔维尔画作《奔马与火车》
03. Galleria Italia - 意大利长廊，为安大略艺术馆改建后的正面结构建筑，为多伦多社区二十四家意大利裔居民捐资建造
04. Christoph Waltz - 克里斯托弗·瓦尔茨，奥地利影星，饰演《无耻浑蛋》、《被解救的姜戈》
05. Inglourious Basterds - 《无耻浑蛋》
06. Antonio Margheriti and Dominick Decocco - 《无耻浑蛋》中两个美国突击队员用的意大利人化名“安东尼奥·马伽利第”和“多米尼克·德扣扣”
07. Once upon a Time in the West - 《西部往事》
08. Susanna Rigacci - 苏珊娜·里伽琪，出生于瑞典的女歌唱家
09. eat chocolate for fat reducing, and to eat them every day, all the time, and not to stop a single day until her weight got reduced to 180 catties if one day - 吃巧克力减肥，天天吃，一直吃，坚持吃，一天不减到一百八十斤，一天不罢吃
10. Xue Fucheng - 薛福成，清朝散文家﹑外交家、洋务运动的主要领导者之一、资本主义工商业的发起者，曾国藩幕僚
11. Visit to Paint Gallery of Paris - 薛福成《观巴黎油画记》
12. Xinhua News Agency - 新华社
13. Reuters - 路透社
14. AP - 美联社 (The Associated Press)
15. AFP - 法新社 (L’Agence France-Presse)
16. DPA - 德通社 (Deutsche Presse Agentur)
17. EFE - 埃菲社 (Agencia EFE)
18. Kyodo - 共同社 (Kyodo Tsushinsha)
19. CPC General Secretary Xi braved wind and rain to hurry for Dalian and embark on CV Liaoning Aircraft Carrier docking in Dalian Harbour. Standards flew against the wind, sailors stood well-arrayed. CV Liaoning welcomed a solemn and glorious moment. Xi inspected the honor guards of sailors, and then climbed the gangway, got down the cabins, boarded the deck, and entered the (helicopter) cockpit. After that, he also came to the food court to have lunch together with the sailors. As he ate, he heartedly triggered a chit-chat with the sailors and recruits... - 总书记风雨兼程赶往大连，登上停泊在大连港的辽宁舰。军旗迎风飘扬，水兵整齐列队，辽宁舰迎来了一个庄严光荣的时刻。总书记检阅了水兵仪仗队，随后他攀舷梯、下舱室、登甲板、进（直升机）机舱，接着，他又来到餐厅和水兵们共进午餐，并且还热情洋溢地与普通战士们拉起了家常……
20. I could never figure out that such kind of things belonged to news report or to lyric prose - 我一直就搞不清楚，这些东西到底属于新闻报导、还是属于抒情散文
21. Branch Secretary of Party Mama Vaughan braved wind and snow to come to Toronto from Vaughan. The Maple Leaf Flag flied high atop the mast in the wind. Art Gallery of Ontario welcomed a solemn and glorious moment. Mama Vaughan inspected her daughter's boy friend - me, and then she ate an apple, passed the court, used the bathroom, and entered the hall. After that, she came in person to Espresso Bar to have a rest. As she sat down, she zealously triggered a hearty chit-chat with the rank-and-file member of me... - 党支部书记汪嫲嫲冒着风雪，从汪市赶来多伦多。高杆上的枫叶旗迎风飘扬。安大略艺术馆迎来了一个庄严光荣的时刻！汪妈检阅了她女儿的男朋友——我。接着，她走过道、吃苹果、进展厅、上厕所。然后，她又亲自来到咖啡台，一边坐下，一边热情洋溢地和一个身为平头老百姓的我拉起了家常……
22. Amoy - 厦门
23. KMT - 国民党 (Kuomintang, Nationalist Party)
24. Water Margin - 《水浒》
25. Mount Dragon-Tiger - 龙虎山
26. Hengfeng - 横峰，靠近浙赣边界
27. Yiyang - 弋阳，靠近闽赣边界
28. Fang Zhimin - 方志敏，中共早期领导人、闽浙赣省委书记、闽浙赣军区司令员、红军主要将领，在横峰、弋阳建立红军根据地。
29. somewhere under nobody's jurisdiction - 三不管地区
30. Jade Dragonfly Bridge - 玉蜓桥，北京市崇文区与丰台区交界处的一座桥
31. Chongwen District - 崇文区
32. Fengtai District - 丰台区
33. unlicensed peddlers and vendors - 无证经营的小商小贩
34. urban management law enforcement unit staff - 城管
35. 'enemies-advance-I-retreat, enemies-retreat-I-advance' - “敌进我退、敌退我进”
36. gangster-prevailing - 盗匪横行
37. 'solid mass foundation' - “坚实的群众基础”
38. What the hell did Soviet has to do with our Cathay in orthodox of Confucism-Buddhism-Taoism - 那个什么苏维埃跟我们这个奉儒、释、道为正朔的华夏到底能扯得上哪门子关系
39. the meaning of Soviet might be something like Monkey King's Flower-Fruit Mountain - 苏维埃的意思可能是孙大圣的花果山
40. Ode to Poverty - 方志敏《清贫颂》
41. John Stam and his wife Betty Stam - 史达能、史文明夫妇，美国传教士，为方志敏红十军团红十九师所绑架和杀害
42. Red 19 Division - 红十九师
43. Lee Teng-hui - 李登辉，妄图制造“两个中国”或“一中一台”以及图谋将台湾从中国分裂出去的大汉奸
44. Ruijin - 瑞金，江西“中华苏维埃国”的“首都”
45. foreign hostile forces - 境外敌对势力
46. it's good for youngsters to go to the broad countryside where they can fight the sky and battle the earth so as to get forged in storms and billows - 年轻人需要到广褒的农村去，在那里战天斗地，在大风大浪中锻炼
47. Rustication Movement - 下乡运动
48. gulag - 劳改营
49. May 7th cadre schools - 五七干校
50. "father is caring, mother is caring, comparing to Chairman Mao's caring, those are nothing" or "father is close, mother is close, but no one is as close as Chairman Mao is" - “爹亲娘亲没有毛主席亲”
51. Shi Chuanxiang - 时传祥，掏粪工人，被打成“妄图搞资产阶级复辟的走资派”后惨遭迫害，死于文革期间
52. What the hell did Capitalist Roader or Comeback of Bourgeoisie have to do with a nightman - 走资派或者资产阶级复辟跟掏粪工能有啥关系
53. Anhui Cuisine - 徽菜
54. arrangement marriage - 包办婚姻
55. a wealthy and influential family - 大户人家
56. a small and humble family - 小户人家
57. firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea - 柴米油盐酱醋茶
58. avant-guarde of proletariat - 无产阶级先锋队
59. all we proletariat could lose is nothing but chains, and gain everything of the whole world - 我们无产阶级能够失去的只有锁链，而获得的将是整个世界
60. all living beings equal - 众生平等
61. the cling-clang, cling-clang symphony of pans, bowls, scoops, and pots - “锅碗瓢盆交响曲”
62. Mourning - 《伤逝》
63. Juansheng and Zijun - 涓生和子君，《伤逝》中的男女主人公
64. Cao Yu's Thunder Rain - 曹禺的《雷雨》
65. Ba Jin's Family - 巴金的《家》
66. Captain Haddock's HMS Unicorn in 'The Adventures of Tintin' - 《丁丁历险记》中阿道克船长的“独角兽号”
67. barque - 三桅帆
68. full-rigged ship - 全帆装船
69. U-boat - 德国潜水艇
70. China junk sampan - 中国舢板
71. Yamamoto - 大和号战列舰
72. Bismark - 俾斯麦号战列舰
73. Akagi - 赤城号航空母舰
74. Chirico - 契里柯，意大利画家、形而上画派大师
