Chapter 483 I will never criticize in a foreign country

"Lin, these writers in your country are too perverse and too self-righteous. I heard others describe the situation on the scene to me. Isn't this just a re-enactment of the past? Others just said a few different opinions, which is simply terrible!

This group of people has completely shattered the perfect image you have created for Chinese writers in France. It is so disappointing.”

The person who was talking to Lin Weimin on the phone was André, the editor-in-chief of Gallimard Publishing House. He called mainly to inform Lin Weimin about the publication of the French version of "Life is Beautiful Anyway".

Because Lin Weimin wrote in English, Gallimard Publishing House had to translate the manuscript after receiving it.

Gallimard attaches great importance to the latest work of Lin Weimin, the writer who just won the Prix Goncourt. It just completed the translation of the manuscript a few days ago. The novel has been bound and has a cover designed. It is now being printed and will soon be available in major bookstores in France and the French-speaking areas covered by Gallimard.

After telling the story of the novel, Andre couldn't help but complain to Lin Weimin.

Some time ago, a group of Chinese writers visited France. Because of the pleasant and smooth communication with Lin Weimin before, many people in the French cultural circle were looking forward to this visit, including Andre and many of his friends.

But the reality is quite different from what everyone imagines. This group of people seem to be here just to vent, and they don’t have the character and responsibility of a writer at all.

"Andre, I've heard about the situation. I feel helpless, but I understand their resentment about what happened in the past few years.

Because of that tragedy, from 1976 to today, more than ten years have passed, and both the country and the people have shown unprecedented courtesy to cultural figures, because everyone feels that this group suffered the most damage in that tragedy.

But Andre, you have to know that no one in our country escaped that tragedy, including me.

What they accused only represents their own standpoint, and I cannot comment on it.

But I want to tell you that this group of people cannot represent Chinese writers, they cannot even represent the Chinese people, they can only represent themselves.

Our country and nation have suffered enough. Now we are finally embarking on the path of peace, stable economic development, and everyone hopes that our lives will get better.

As writers, we are responsible to some extent for sculpting the soul of this nation.

Perhaps one day they will realize that their complaints are of no use. Constant complaints and grumbling will only make them more detached from the people, and they will eventually be abandoned by the people. "

After saying all this, Lin Weimin sighed helplessly and said, "I was also very angry when I heard about their actions before, and I protested to our country's Writers Association. But this is their freedom after all, and the Writers Association cannot interfere too much. I respect the decision of the Writers Association, and I have personally decided to withdraw from the Writers Association."

Andre said: "My friend, compared with your mind and character, what these people did is far inferior. I hope this will not have any adverse effect on you."

Lin Weimin smiled and said, "How does this affect me? I am just quitting an association."

Less than a day after I ended the call with Andre, Li Xiangyang from Yenching Youth Daily came to my door.

"Weimin, I heard that you have quit the China Writers Association?"

When asking this question, Li Xiangyang's eyes were full of curiosity, like a hyena that has found its prey.

Lin Weimin smiled bitterly and asked, "Where did you get the news?"

Li Xiangyang became excited when he saw his expression. "Don't worry about where you got the news from. Just tell me if this is true or not."

When Lin Weimin was criticized by the cultural community for "The Lover", it was Li Xiangyang who spoke up for him in the beginning. The relationship between the two has been very good over the years.

Lin Weimin hesitated for a moment and said, "That's true."

Li Xiangyang's eyes brightened, "Why?"

He looked at Lin Weimin expectantly, hoping to hear some explosive news from him.

But Lin Weimin shook his head and said, "There's nothing to say."

Seeing that Lin Weimin didn't want to talk more, Li Xiangyang felt like his heart was crawling with ants, and he was anxious and worried.

He rolled his eyes and said, "Actually, even if you don't tell me, I know what's going on."

Lin Weimin said unhappily, "You know what happened, and you're still asking me?"

"I have first-hand information!" Li Xiangyang thought for a moment and asked Lin Weimin, "If I interview you about your opinion on the comments of those writers in France..."

Before Li Xiangyang could finish his question, Lin Weimin interrupted him and said, "No comment!"

Li Xiangyang seduced, "Don't you want to scold me?"

"What are you scolding? Are you just like them, nagging like a nagging woman? Are you just starting a quarrel that won't end?

The Cultural Association didn't say anything, so what can I say? Just stay away from these people."

Li Xiangyang seized on Lin Weimin's words and said, "So, you were really dissatisfied with the speeches of those writers in France, and you were also dissatisfied with the inaction of the Writers Association, so you quit the Writers Association in anger, right?"

Lin Weimin said angrily: "Xiangyang, if you do this, we can no longer be friends!"

Li Xiangyang finally calmed down a bit, "Okay, I won't ask anymore, I won't ask anymore!"

Lin Weimin warned him, "Don't write nonsense!"

"What are you talking about? We journalists all seek truth from facts. How can we write about things that don't exist?" Li Xiangyang said this with confidence and righteousness.

You won’t write blindly, but you will report selectively, Lin Weimin complained in his heart.

"Weimin, don't you have anything to say?" Li Xiangyang acted like a caring older brother again and continued to seduce Lin Weimin.

Lin Weimin held it in for a long time, but couldn't help but say, "I would criticize my own country, and I would never criticize it in a foreign country!"

Li Xiangyang immediately became excited upon hearing this. He was waiting for Lin Weimin to continue his long speech, but he remained silent.

After waiting for a long time, Li Xiangyang couldn't help but ask, "Just this one sentence?"

"How much do you want?"

Li Xiangyang smacked his lips. This sentence was enough to show Lin Weimin's attitude, and also clarified the most shameful thing about the group of writers' remarks in France this time.

You can criticize if you want to, but why didn't you say anything when you were in China? Why did you have to go abroad to criticize?

Backstabbing is the most shameful thing about this group of people.

Two days later, the Yenching Youth Daily published an article on its front page titled "Chinese Writers' Group in France", which detailed the public case caused by the Chinese Writers' Group in France.

"In April 1988, at a gathering in Paris, France, a group of Chinese writers visiting France had a heated argument and debate with the attendees on issues concerning Chinese history and reality.

This fact has been widely reported by the media in Paris, and has especially attracted close attention and discussion from the Chinese, ethnic Chinese and Chinese institutions in France..."

Li Xiangyang is truly worthy of being the top writer of the Yenching Youth Daily. The day before yesterday he came to Lin Weimin to find out about the situation, and the report was published today.

Obviously he must have done a lot of research and interviews beforehand, and his visit to Lin Weimin the day before yesterday was just to verify the facts.

The full report is 6,000 words long and takes up almost an entire page, which shows how much importance the Yenching Youth Daily attaches to this report.

After reading to the end, Lin Weimin found that it basically matched what he knew. He was very curious about where Li Xiangyang got this information from.

"A reporter once interviewed a writer who had visited many countries abroad. He said: I would criticize my own country, but I would never criticize it in a foreign country!"

At the end of the report, Li Xiangyang concluded with what Lin Weimin said to him, which was quite appropriate.

After reading the entire report, Lin Weimin couldn't help but sigh. He wondered how much more trouble this report from the Yanjing Youth Daily would stir up.

The facts were pretty much as he expected. As more and more people saw the report, it caused a huge uproar in Yanjing in just a few days. The news continued to spread as time went by, and many newspapers in various places reprinted the report.

In the past, when encountering such news, many newspapers with high political sensitivity would usually avoid it. But this time it was a little different. The first to report it was the media in Yanjing, and for several days no competent department came out to refute the rumors or suppress the situation. Many local media also became bolder.

Originally, this case happened abroad, and due to the backward information transmission at that time, most Chinese people might not know about it at all. However, due to the report of "Yanjing Metropolis Daily", this incident became the biggest news in China in May 1988.

Countless people who read the report scolded these visiting writers for forgetting their roots. These writers, who had just returned from France, were feeling good about themselves and were planning to write a few interesting stories about their visit to France as a reward for their writing, but they did not expect that the newspaper report would expose their background completely.

The overwhelming coverage soon attracted the attention of relevant departments. Seeing that the matter was getting bigger and bigger, although the relevant departments were very dissatisfied with the actions of this group of writers, they had to hold their noses and step in to put out the fire.

In any case, if the situation is allowed to continue, it will damage the image of the entire cultural community in the hearts of the people and cause social divisions.

After half a month of widespread coverage, the incident finally disappeared from newspapers due to strong intervention.

However, the impact of this incident is difficult to make up for, and it has also caused an ideological split between ordinary people and the writer group.

Lin Weimin heard some rumors in Yanjing that a writer visiting France specifically found Li Xiangyang and kindly advised him in the manner of an elder: "You are still young, so take care of yourself."

Everyone who heard about this shook their heads. It was simply incomprehensible!

The Cultural Association, which had played a deaf and dumb role in the whole incident, was now in a very bad state, being scolded by people above and below, and even by its own members.

The Writers Association is not a monolithic entity. When there are writers visiting France, there are naturally people who oppose them. There has been no movement in the media, but it does not mean that the matter is completely over.

What the writers' group did in France had already been reported on NC through the internal channels of various news agencies in France.

At this time, a rumor suddenly spread in the domestic literary circles.

Lin Weimin withdrew from the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

The news was vague, but it was like a bombshell that detonated the domestic literary and public opinion circles which had just calmed down.

(End of this chapter)