读书笔记 The courtyards of Peace ( The Good Deed)

I read the article “ The Courtyards of Peace ”, the first article of book “ The Good Deed”, written by Pearl.S.Buck. It tells a love story of a US soldier in China during the Anti-Japanese War。

1） Walt is a US military pilot, his home is Virginia, supporting China's anti-Japanese war, come to China. During a scouting mission in a mountain (Long Dragon) area,three Japanese aircraft were encountered. He shot down one aircraft, but was injured by two other aircraft. his aircraft wing was injured and had to land in a field。    

There were many farmers around. When they knew that he was an American pilot, they were very happy and friendly. They led him into the city，an ancient city．The city was very calm, people seemed don’t to know about war.  

People led him into a family courtyard which was very quiet. Then came out the master of the family, an elderly man, his name is Chen Shih, but they can’t understand   language. Then a white girl who can speak a little English, came out to talk with him. Tell him to have a good rest and then go back, and her name is Ai-Ian, the old man is her father.

There was a servant who took care of his life, eating, bathing and sleeping. They communicated with each other through gestures. He went to see his plane and said that the wing of the plane was cracked and needed to be repaired. The servant found a blacksmith and repaired it in two days, but the gasoline was not enough.So Walt still live at Mr. Chen's home, life is very good, but the girl was hiding.

He kept thinking: Who is this white girl? One day, Ai-Ian and Mr. Chen's wife, and two sisters came to see Walt, Ai-Ian told Walt that her original white parents were killed in a local warlord war when she was a child, she can’t remember her English name, Mr. Chen was her white parents’s friend and adopted her. Now Mrs. Chen is willing to marry her to him but ask him to stay China after marriage. Walt said there was still war. But Ai-Ian said that she hated war and asked Walt not to consider war. Walt agreed, he thought Ai-Ian is so beautiful.

2) According to Chinese custom, they couldn't meet for three days and got married three days later. The ceremony was grand, and many people came to celebrate for three days. Walt is addicted to a happy life.

One day, Walt remembered his plane. He went to see the plane with Ai-Ian, although she was reluctant to go. The aircraft is well protected. Ai-Ian said she hated planes. Walt went back to Mr. Chen and asked for the plane to be destroyed. But Mr. Chen disagreed. Mr. Chen did not think Walt should stay! He thought it’s not God’s will.

In the days to come, Walt often thought of the war, the Japanese, and who is doing his work now. There was some estrangement between him and Ai-Ian, Mr. Chen found out and told him that he should go back to the army, and Ai-Ian went with him. And told him that the plane was full of fuel.

Walt was a little reluctant to leave. He felt their leaving as if Adam and Eve were leaving the garden of eden. Ai-Ian wished to leave with him now. Finally, they and Mr. Chen parted and the plane took off. He gave Ai-Ian a new name: Eve.

3）

A) I think: war is cruel, people do not want war, people want to live a peaceful and happy life. But in the face of war of aggression, people should face up to the reality and should not hide from it. In the past, Japan invaded China and now Russia invaded Ukraine.

B) The author described the courtyard, life and wedding at that time of China in detail in the article! I still have some impression on the courtyard in the past. The courtyard in the past is completely different from the high-rise buildings in the present, and is also different from the residential houses in the United States.