Everything is reborn (from "Talking About 1984")
/ Flowing Clouds
Rebirth is a sudden enlightenment, the pinnacle of cultivation, the vitality that cannot be extinguished by wildfire, the stubbornness in the face of a turbulent fate, and a brand new beginning after purifying everything after experiencing all the splendor.
For mosquito coils, rebirth is not just hitting rock bottom, but a rebirth from the ashes.
Everyone makes mistakes in their life, and often, missing a step can change the course of one's destiny. The passage of time and family responsibilities inevitably wear down youthful vigor and the persistence in pursuing dreams. Many people try to break free from their predicaments by making desperate attempts to change their lives, but most end up battered and bruised. Then, many settle down and choose to accept their fate.
But who would truly accept their fate?
Today's society lacks faith, which has led to the decline of martial arts and chivalry. This lack of chivalry makes friendships that withstand the test of time all the more precious. In such turbulent times, being able to calm down and live peacefully is, while perhaps a compromise with one's past life in middle age, also a kind of wisdom born from seeing through things.
If someone falls in love with words, it's a lifelong, almost tragic, bond. Now that he's started writing again, as his friend, I'm very happy. The name "Mosquito Coil" will likely accompany his new book, "Rebirth." What I most hope to see is the blossoming of Mosquito Coil's perseverance after this rebirth.
Mosquito Coil's novels are captivating, with detailed descriptions that are thorough yet concise—in his words, they control the pacing and avoid padding. I wholeheartedly believe this. His previous special forces novel, *Dark War Madman*, also had me write the preface. The few chapters he sent me were already incredibly engaging. His immersive writing style makes you feel like you're the protagonist, embarking on an adventure from his perspective—it's thrilling and exhilarating. If he had continued writing in his own style, with his expansive scope and incredibly detailed psychological and emotional portrayal, it would likely have become another highly popular work. Unfortunately, to avoid income uncertainty, he compromised with his editor. This meant he had to write according to the editor's vision, his carefully crafted drafts were distorted and fragmented, the soul of the work was lost, and his motivation to write vanished. This compromise was a sacrifice of his own pursuits, a sacrifice for his family—a tragic but poignant act. The unfinished work is truly a great regret.
Later, I asked him to help with the screenwriting for my self-written, self-directed, and self-acted online film, *Redemption*. From the moment the idea of filming *Redemption* popped into my head, I began to conceive the entire story. The story fragments of several main characters gradually became clear, but I lacked a main thread to connect all the characters' relationships. When I was stuck, I thought of mosquito coils. At that time, he still had two weeks before going to Singapore, and he was busy dealing with the embassy's return visit. A lot of trivial preparations had him overwhelmed, but he still agreed. In order not to take up too much of his time, I went to his house to talk to him, and then directly forced him to work through the night, working all night long. Surprisingly, he actually agreed without drinking. Watching him take out his antique computer (the laptop he had used for many years when writing) and bury himself in perfecting the whole story, I lay down on the sofa with satisfaction. At first, I responded to him intermittently, but later I fell into a deep sleep. I got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and vaguely saw him pacing back and forth at the door, puffing out smoke, his face serious, muttering to himself...
"Redemption" is my self-redemption, and also my rebirth with him. So when he named his new book "Rebirth," I understood his thoughts perfectly and fully supported his writing. That's why when he asked me to write the preface, I immediately agreed. Although my skills are limited, this is the only way I can try to be on par with him in terms of writing. There's nothing I can do; he's like a mosquito coil.
I remember the title of my last preface was "Blood Still Is Not Cold". Since the blood is still not cold and the passion is still surging, let everything be "Reborn".
As the mosquito coil rises, all things are reborn.
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