Translator: Elijah Yang Reviewer: Leonard Ryunosuke
(Music)
(Applause)
My name is Xiao Erkang.
As the host just said, I’m a poet, an author ...
... and a city recluse.
Most of you may wonder what a city recluse is.
It is someone who speaks to himself,
who speaks to himself with no one else.
My slogan is: Let love flow. Heaven is where love flows.
I take walks on the first day of the second lunar month every year,
walking from one place to another as spring begins.
Between the land and sky I’m with the land.
Anyone between the land and sky would, little by little, feel lowly,
irrespective of where they are.
I have 15 such journeys every year.
Once I set a goal,
I will make it to the end.
Walking is my life work, and also my job.
During these walking experiences,
I have a lot of stories.
among which there is one that is
very common but also unique.
It gave me an impressive guidance.
It’s about a bowl of hot water.
About 10 years ago, I paid a visit to
Mount Zhongnan, Xi’an.
It took 5 or 6 hours to walk from Dayukou
to Zhongnan Mountain’s thatch shed.
I was carrying 10 kilos of flour
and Red Bull drinks for 20 days.
After 2 hours' walk,
I saw there was a plaque
on the little shabby house on the hillside
which read”Snack Booth”.
There sit a white-haired old lady.
She was sitting there
with benevolent countenance
when she noticed me in a distance.
I saw a table, two chairs
and sat down. She asked me
"where did u come from?" I said, "Nanjing."
She asked, " For visit?" I said, "Yeah."
"Where are you going to?" "The shed."
"That’s two more hours’ walk.
Have a another drink."
So she went indoor,got me a bowl of water.
At that time, I was exhausted.
So I finished it up without hesitation.
It was great.
Then there urged my gratefulness.
I was trying to take out five yuan
when she said, "No, you are my guest."
Then I thought, she is such a
person with sincerity and benevolence.
And I should give something in return.
So the future visitors there
could have a good rest
and receive better treats.
Therefore, I said, "Could you please
give me a another bowl of water?"
She was delighted to do that.
During her absence, I took out 20 yuan
folded them and held them in my palm.
After she came back with water,
I hide the money under the bowl.
And I just waved goodbye.
About half a month later,
I was coming down the mountain
when I encountered with the old lady.
She saw me, then smiled,
with mild sunlight covered on her face.
That scene was incredible.
She said, "Hi." I said, "Hi."
She asked, "Where you heading to?"
I said, "Downhill."
"Have a seat, will you?"
I was also delighted,
so I sat down.
I thought that if she gave me
a bowl of water again,
I would also give her 20.
At that moment, the lady was coming out,
with a bowl of water.
She was holding a note
which was exactly
the one I gave her last time.
I was a bit of shocked
and we pushed the note to each another
again and again.
And she was getting mad at me.
She said, "If you insist,
don’t come here next time."
This kind of pure
and true kindness got me moved.
I felt abashed. Then it reminded me
of my grandfather.
My grandfather used to tell me
"one shall never forget his root."
As a kid, I just wondered
what did that mean.
And now I think, that lady, she is the one
who always worships her root.
My grandpa was always ready to help.
Some young couples in the village
did not have enough to eat.
He would always help them.
He gave them some noodles, rice,
sometimes seeds,
and tell them how to grow crops.
He often encouraged youngsters that
it’s okay and everything will be okay.
So he was also esteemed by people
from many other villages.
He was happy everyday with pleasant smile.
I could finally now understand
what he meant.
He shared his love, his sympathy,
so he felt delighted.
He got a deep root in his heart.
And I misunderstood the lady
at Zhongnan Mountains,
misunderstood the wisdom of her.
Although she lives in remote areas,
she got her independent personality
and her independent mindset.
The story of a bowl of water
gave me great inspirations.
When I was in college, there was a girl
who also processes this kind of wisdom.
At that time, there was 7 people
in one dorm.
This girl got on fairly well with others.
They helped each other,
learnt from each other
sometimes they did the laundry together,
and borrow each other’s notebooks.
They were like sisters and
they were known as Seven Goddesses.
But one day, something happened.
Our main character, Xiaohong,
received scholarship of 3000 yuan,
which caused a mess in the dorm.
Dormmates all shouted
"You gotta take us out
for something to eat."
Xiaowei was the one
who is most supportive to this propose.
But Xiaohong was happy,
and she rushed to the store.
She shared some sunflower seeds
and pastries which cost her 30.
Xiaowei was from a well-off family
and she lived a pretty glamorous life.
Seeing Xiaohong only spent 30,
she said, "You are so mean."
And gradually she made
everybody in the dorm
isolate her and ignore her.
Overtime, the past laughter
no longer existed.
One day, Xiaowei was sick
so she was lying in the bed.
Feeling bored, she got up,
Cleaning the desks in the dorm.
Suddenly she noticed a notebook.
Whose notebook it was? Xiaohong.
Driven by curiosity, she thought that
would she write something bad about me?
She opened it and read
"I know my friends are isolating me.
They think I am too mean.
Generally, having received scholarship,
I should invite them for supper
and spend up all the money.
But what they did’t know is that
my mum is sick
and we cannot afford doctors.
She sent me a letter saying that
my brother had already dropped school.
If I tell them so,
will they understand me?
They will think I’m making excuses.
Who will know
what a girl from mountains is thinking?
What does 3000 mean to my family?
So I sent the money back home.
Mum went to hospital and
brother went to school.
But my friends, they don’t understand.
I could just wait till I have a job.
Then, I can share and complain."
Reading this, Xiaohui cried.
She felt she was a truly mean girl
compared to Xiaohong.
So that night, she with other dormmates
apologized to her.
They said sorry for their misunderstanding
This story tells me that
whichever situation a person is in
one should always have a settled heart.
If one can keep calm, there will be
a silent hill in one’s heart.
Whatever happens, as long as
one has a settled heart,
he will have his independent thinking
and be creative.
Haizi has a poetry goes like
"Facing the ocean, feeling warth and aroma."
When one is quiet, he would feel passion.
I have a story.
In college, I loved books.
I often walked from St. Shaolin to Xinjie.
It was like 7 km.
That morning,
Xinhua Bookstore just opened.
So I stayed there for whole day.
And I got back in the evening.
When I was walking,
I could hear my footsteps.
Under the parasol trees, I could hear
wind blowing in the leaves.
It was as beautiful as a poetry.
One day I looked up and found that
there was no moon.
So I later wrote a poem entitled
City Sky Without Moon.
When one goes into one’s own heart,
his mind would be very calm.
He will lose the distinction of
reality and self imagination.
Today, several people made it
to be as one with life and work.
Once, Zhuangzi described
this kind of feeling as
heart being dissolved with the sky and earth,
independently like the trees breathing.
He said, "Behaving like a haggard tree,
being depressed like the burned dust."
Many people would say it is negative.
But actually, it’s motivating.
He said, one has to have a settled heart
which is connected to sky and earth
and to be with himself,
having independent thoughts and soul.
Just like trees do when sun’s setting down
Wonderful.
Today, I’ve told three stories.
Overall, I argue that life’s meaning
is having a purpose.
When you got a goal, you just make it.
When you focus, you will have
a settled heart.
When you devote yourself,
your mind would be cleaned,
which is too impeccable
to be depicted literally.
Last, I would like to use
one of my poems to summarize.
The light envisaged in the darkness,
shines on me.
Tonight, we will take a walk together.
And I am standing in the predestination,
waiting for myself.
Thank you.
(Applause).