1980 My Literary Era.

Chapter 531
"Good works deserve to be introduced." Lin Weimin said indifferently.

"I heard that Richard Yates wrote you a letter?" Christian Salmon asked again.

"Your news is really well-informed! He did write me a letter, and he was very happy that his work could be introduced to China. I think you should also understand how important it is to him to be recognized. "

Christian Salmon nodded slightly, fully understanding what Lin Weimin meant.

The manuscript fee is still second. Richard Yates has created so many works since the 50s, but there is not a single work that can be accepted and familiar to American readers.

After all, the highest sales volume is 12000 copies, which is too shabby for a writer who has been engaged in writing for more than 30 years and has a great reputation in the American literary world.

"Before I came here, I went to some second-hand bookstores to find his works. Sometimes I really doubt whether such a writer really existed in the history of American literature. Deliberately erased the same."

Lin Weimin smiled, "Maybe he was born 20 years earlier, or..."

"Or born in China, right?" Christian Salmon raised an eyebrow at Lin Weimin.

"Yes."

"Speaking of which, I like China's policy towards writers very much, but here is a question, won't writers get too close to politics?"

"It's up to the writer himself."

After chatting for a while, Christian Salmon turned the topic to creation.

"Are you writing any new works recently?"

"The English version of "The Hunt" I just sent to Roger Strauss some time ago, and I am currently writing a novel about children in poor areas going to school."

Christian Salmon suddenly became interested, "Why do you want to write such a novel? Where does the inspiration come from?"

"The reason why I wrote this novel is mainly because I initiated the establishment of a foundation before..."

Lin Weimin told Christian Salmon about the China Youth Education Development Foundation and Project Hope.

"China's economic reform has just started, and the income of ordinary people is generally not high. It is not easy to do charity. I hope that the name of the Foundation and Project Hope will be more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people through this novel. Let more people be able to participate in this charity event.”

Christian Salmon looked a little surprised, "Great vision! But, don't you think this kind of utilitarian writing will affect the purity of creation?"

"The purity of creation is not the same as the purity of people, or the purity of the purpose of creation. Doesn't the manuscript fee affect the writer's creation? In the final analysis, it depends on whether the quality of the work can move people's hearts."

Christian Salmon looked at Lin Weimin and said, "Lin, your attitude towards literature is different from many writers I have met."

"What's the difference?"

"Literature doesn't seem to be sacred to you." Christian Salmon said after deliberation.

"Holy? Literature is for people to read, why should it be sacred? Only things placed on the altar need to be sacred.

I have always believed that we should be wary of this kind of thinking. Once we hold literature high and limit literature to something that only a small number of people can appreciate, then literature will lose its most basic soil, and the decline of literature will be inevitable. become inevitable. "

After Lin Weimin said these words, Christian Salmon fell into deep thought, and he said after a while: "You are right, there is indeed such a trend now."

The atmosphere was slightly heavy, and Christian Salmon changed the subject again, "Can you tell me about your novel in detail?"

Lin Weimin simply told him the plot of the novel, and Christian Salmon frowned, "Don't you think this plot is a bit false?"

"Is something beyond the knowledge of you Americans a falsehood?"

Lin Weimin's rhetorical question made Christian Salmon a little uncomfortable, "You mean these things are true?"

"Of course there is a certain drama to the plot of my novel. But if you have time, you can walk around those places."

Seeing Lin Weimin's natural expression and firm tone, Christian Salmon stopped worrying about the authenticity of the plot, and asked again: "Aren't you afraid of being praised by others for writing such a plot?"

"There are many writers who stubbornly believe that the role of literature should be to criticize and expose, and are very disgusted with praise and praise. You can't say that their ideas are wrong, but we must distinguish the difference between beautiful reality and praise and praise.

Since literature can criticize and expose, it can also sing and praise. This is not only the function of literature, but also the freedom of creation.

Don't classify literary creation into the ranks of political correctness, that is also very dangerous! "

When Lin Weimin said this, his face was serious, and Christian Salmon faintly saw a master's demeanor from him.

Christian Salmon once again asked to photograph the manuscript of the novel, and Lin Weimin readily agreed.

The interview, which lasted for more than half a day, is over. This is the third time that Christian Salmon has interviewed Lin Weimin. After finally coming to China, his interview will not end so hastily.

The next day, he went to the Guowen Society again and visited the environment where Lin Weimin worked.

Hearing that a foreign reporter came to interview Lin Weimin, his colleagues were very curious. Christian Salmon chatted with everyone by the way, and the content of the chat was of course about Lin Weimin.

Through everyone's words, Christian Salmon gradually pieced together a complete impression of Lin Weimin in his mind.

Young, talented, capable, sincere and friendly, well-connected, generous...

In summary, at the end, Christian Salmon was in a trance. Is he a person?

Inexplicably, he thought of discussing the sanctity of literature with Lin Weimin. Yes, literature is not sacred anymore, but you are.

Christian Salmon was a bit suspicious in his heart. It stands to reason that this interview with Lin Weimin is over, but the doubt in his heart is driving him to have a deeper understanding of Lin Weimin.

"Lin, I want to visit people around you again, is that okay?" Christian Salmon made a request.

Lin Weimin was slightly surprised, "Of course, I can take you there, or can I just give you their information?"

Christian Salmon said: "Just give me their information. I want to visit them personally."

"it is good."

Another day later, Christian Salmon knocked on the door of Shichahai Courtyard with an interpreter, and it was Cheng Ximi who opened the door.

Seeing Christian Salmon, a foreigner, Cheng Ximi was not surprised. Lin Weimin had already called them last night to inform them.

Seeing Shi Tiesheng coming out of the wheelchair, Christian Salmon was a little moved. There are many disabled and strong writers in the history of literature, but Shi Tiesheng was the first one he came into close contact with.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Christian Salmon's interview style is always used to start with small talk. He asked Shi Tiesheng and Lin Weimin's acquaintance experience, and Shi Tiesheng said it with a smile on his face.

"The year Weimin and I met, he was still studying at the Institute of Literature. I wanted to go to the Institute of Literature to take classes. Another friend, Qu Xiaowei, brought him to pick me up..."

"It seems to be the winter of 81, right? He bought the first motorcycle in his life, and he couldn't wait to show it off to me. leather pants.

It was really cold that day, I was sitting on the back seat of his motorcycle, the north wind was blowing..."

"In the summer of 83, "Contemporary" held a pen meeting in Yantai. He carried me on the train. At that time, he was quite famous in China. Maybe he was overheard while chatting, and everyone gathered around to see him..."

"There is an open-air basketball court in the Dongshan Hotel. During that time, we would play basketball when we had nothing to do at night. Don't look at my bad legs, Weimin pushed me on the court, but I was invincible, haha!

However, we were also criticized afterwards, and everyone nicknamed me, Weimin and my wheelchair, 'The Stadium Death Squad'..."

"The Los Angeles Olympics in 84 was the first time that our country had an organized delegation to participate in the Olympics. That day Xu Haifeng won his first gold medal and just bought his first car for the people..."

"When did you visit Xiangjiang? By the way, in 85, we visited many writers together. Weimin bought me a wheelchair at that time, and I still use it to this day. The quality is really good. His vision for choosing things Good, cheap..."

"He made great contributions to the love between Simi and me. Once we established a relationship, and once we got married. The wedding was because Weimin had a bad idea to trick Simi to Yanjing. Afterwards, Simi told me that he is really a bad person, but one good thing is that he is very kind to his friends..."

Listening to his narration, Christian Salmon couldn't help showing an expression of longing on his face.

"What an enviable friendship! The years you spent together were so wonderful!"

Shi Tiesheng smiled, "Knowing Weimin is a blessing in my life."

"I think he thinks so too."

Christian Salmon asked again: "I heard from you just now that he missed your sister's wedding before, and later gave him a big red envelope. He should be the richest group of writers in China, right?" ?”

"It's not a group, it should be the richest one. Every year, his income from various overseas publications is several million dollars, and he also earns income from drama adaptations. In the past few years, everyone called him Lin Wanwan. It became Lin Wanwan. Last year he initiated the Hope Project and donated 1000 million dollars to him, and everyone gave him another nickname, Lin Bancheng."

"Donated 1000 million meters?"

Christian Salmon's face was full of astonishment. When interviewing Lin Weimin before, he only mentioned that he had donated some money, but did not say the specific number.

"This number is astronomical even in the United States. I can't imagine that a writer can donate so much money!" Christian Salmon's tone was somewhat amazed.

He asked again: "Does he like doing charity very much?"

"The word charity is still a new term in China, but this is indeed not the first time that this kind of thing has been done for the people.

I remember that a few years ago, the Literary Association wanted to set up a foundation and asked Weimin to ask for alms. He not only donated 10,000+ himself, but also went to Xiangjiang to find those wealthy businessmen to raise several million Hong Kong dollars. For this matter, he He also helped people make a TV series.

By the way, it was the year we visited Xiangjiang. "

Speaking of this, Shi Tiesheng sighed: "There is an old saying in our China: If you are successful, you can benefit the world at the same time, and you are talking about people who are for the people."

After listening to the translation, Christian Salmon showed admiration on his face, "His deeds are worthy of praise and be remembered!"

"He is destined to leave his name in the history of Chinese literature. The reputation of doing good deeds is nothing to him."

Christian Salmon couldn't help recalling his interview with Lin Weimin. When talking about certain issues, he occasionally felt that Lin Weimin was talking big. According to Shi Tiesheng's words, Lin Weimin has been practicing his words.

Thinking about it, Christian Salmon's heart was covered with another layer of question marks.

Doesn't he have any shortcomings?

(End of this chapter)