Zheng Guanglu's lifelong thinking on Bashu culture

I first learned Mr. Zheng Guanglu's name in the mid-1980s, when "martial arts craze" was all the rage. I often read his articles in "Dragon Gate Array", "Wulin" and "Jason Wu", and he is also the "cover figure" of the first issue. Teacher Zheng's article, or recalling the deeds of his predecessors in Wulin, or combing the mysteries of Bashu culture, is vivid and vivid, and I still remember some plots in his article. We met in Chengdu in 2005. He is full of energy and has a calm Zhan Ran spirit.

After knowing Mr. Zheng, I serialized a group of his tens of thousands of words about Bashu culture in the newspaper, which was well received by readers. In the process of writing, I encountered problems involving the history of modern Sichuan, and I benefited a lot from asking him for advice. I remember when I was writing the book Historical Records of Chunxi Road, I was not clear about the distribution of Hakka Lane in the early years, and Mr. Zheng pointed it out one by one. He mentioned that in the process of building Chunxi Road, a woman who lived in the demolition lane must have had a lover or other reasons, and even murdered her husband, and was found to have turned it in to the newspaper. Warlord Yang Sen decided to kill the chicken to show the monkey that the opponents of road construction knew his thunderous tactics, so he ordered the woman to be "punished" in the demolished alley. This cruel torture not only failed to win the recognition of folk ethics, but also aroused public anger. As early as 1905, the Qing government abolished cruel punishments such as annual punishment, corpse killing and beheading. Yang Sen's move was denounced by Chinese and foreign people as "unheard of in Sichuan in the 20th century".

I asked him where he got this rare information. He said, one is notes from foreign books, and the other is notes from the book Sichuan Warlords and the National Government written by American Robert Cobb. This gave me a better understanding of his academic skills. After reading his "Old Events in Sichuan" and "Old Events in Chengdu", the narrative style of "writing literature to study history with a serious academic attitude and studying history with a literary method" will achieve a "great vulgarity": the perfect combination of academics, seriousness, storytelling and popularity. This reminds me of Sima Qian's "separation of literature and history".

It should be emphasized that the scenes, details and dialogues in his book are not fictional. In some historical materials, the author translated them into vernacular; Some just rewrite the boring narrative way of "the third party" in historical materials more vividly. But in the key part, the author pays more attention to the authenticity, originality and academic nature of historical materials, and will never change it because of "literary talent"

In order to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Chengdu Red Cross Society, Zheng Guanglu completed the publication of "Chengdu Centennial Red Cross Movement" with 300,000 words. This is a monographic historical work, which fills the gap in related research fields. Supposedly, not many people know, but the famous actor Sun not only read this book, but also left a message on his blog: "Thank you, Mr. Zheng Guanglu, for being right about the history of China Medical and Red Cross! Recommend this book: Pay tribute to foreign missionaries who gave their lives for the people of China! "

Zheng Guanglu said with a smile, I acted in martial arts films, but I didn't know Sun. Thank him. However, it should be noted that "Red Cross Movement" and "Red Cross Society" are two different concepts ... reading, writing, and constantly striving to be a man.

Reporter (hereinafter referred to as reporter): Teacher Zheng has lived in Chengdu since childhood. When did you become interested in writing?

Zheng Guanglu (hereinafter referred to as Zheng): 12 years old was admitted to Chengdu No.35 Middle School. Fang Shuijing, a wine baking place with a history of 700 years. The Chinese teacher is the head teacher. I remember that I attached a sentimental poem to the end of my composition Memories of Childhood Life: "No matter how much I miss it, my childhood is gone forever. No matter how I recall it, until my hair is full of spots. " The next day, the official teacher read it to everyone. He said excitedly: "Zheng Guanglu is not as backward as everyone thinks. This classmate is very literary. He can work hard in this direction and become a writer in the future! " This is one of the milestones in my life: from then on, I strive to realize the "writer's dream"!

After I graduated from junior high school, the regular teacher was labeled as "a typical white school" and suffered a great blow. One autumn night, my classmates and I went to visit him. His tone is sad: "My' writer's dream' can't come true ... You are still young, no matter what the world is like, you can't live without ideals-you must constantly strive for self-improvement!" Soon the formal teacher died with a resentment, only 33 years old and never got married.

Since then, I have been reading and writing, whether it is the educated youth under the lonely lamp in the broken grass shed in the countryside on a cold night or the little carpenter in the small building shed on a summer night. Because I know how to be a self-reliant person.

Reporter: From your million-word articles, we can find that you attach great importance to data collection, which is generally a scholar's "childlike innocence". How did you start to pay attention to history when you wanted to be a writer?

Zheng: It should be said that I noticed this problem before and after I became an educated youth. I can't be the kind of writer who says nothing. Bashu culture is actually very specific. We have lived in this space since childhood. The legend of teahouse, storytelling, dragon gate array, bell string of Zhang Jinjiang, the story of Wangjianglou in Xue Tao, the allusions of Sima Xiangru and Sima Qiao, the plum play in the imperial city, the entrance of the courtyard and the fortune-telling of the Chenghuang Temple all attracted me deeply. If you want to find out, you can only turn to historical materials. At that time, there were not many publications, but "Breaking the Four Classics" dug up many old books. I traded my sweet potato for rice, made friends with people at the waste collection station, and traded my sweet potato ticket or rice ticket for old books. At that time, there were five places in Chengdu where tickets could be exchanged for books: Chunxi Road Tongrenba, Mengzhuiwan, Chengbei Garden Road, Qingyang Palace and Caotang Road. I am not only a frequent visitor, but also a visionary advocate. After I returned to the city, I joined the provincial construction company as a carpenter, with a monthly salary of 18 yuan, and I dug out four or five dollars from my teeth every month to buy books.

Reporter: I heard that you were beaten for studying. ...

Zheng: Yes! After coming back from the countryside, it is difficult for my mother to cope with "mixed eating". How can I afford books? I rummaged through everything, took out more than twenty pieces of Chairman Mao's badge and an old cotton-padded jacket, sold them for more than ten dollars on the "black market" of Chunxi Road, and bought a set of China Literature History, Hongyan and Surprise. Suddenly, I saw a large group of "paper fire shop" militia wearing tea and holding 79 rifles, viciously flanking from both ends of the street, shouting: "Fight!

A stout man saw the book in my hand and flew into a rage: "Your crime is worse than speculation!" " ! You see, all you bought were pornographic novels and' sealed' goods! "Before I speak, I have got two heavy slap in the face. A fire broke out in the middle of the dam, and all the seized books were thrown into the fire.

Combination of literature and history, both refined and popular.

Reporter: You have devoted yourself to the research and writing of history and culture for more than 30 years, focusing on the major historical events in Sichuan that have had a great impact on the historical process of China. For example, the truth about the Sichuan People's Congress's Anti-Japanese War and Zhang Chuan's suppression. ...

Zheng: To sum up my academic style, there are roughly three points-

First, I try to study history from the unique perspective of "grand historical view". The so-called "grand view of history" means to have awe of history and to reflect the real history in a long, long-distance, multi-angle and panoramic way. We should insist on restoring history with historical truth, instead of discussing history with "air-to-air" theory or subjective criticism. Only in this way can we stand the test of history.

Second, efforts should be made to make the writings highly authentic, historic and academic. Adhere to first-hand materials (original files, eyewitness memories, newspapers at that time, diplomatic historical materials, etc.). ) to reproduce history, never use the simple narrative method of "talking about history" to avoid the common fault that historical writings are thinner than historical facts and more important than comments.

While restoring history with real historical materials (including historical details that have been ignored by people), many new academic viewpoints are expounded according to real historical materials. Based on the historical spirit of "love does not add beauty, evil does not add ugliness" and real historical materials, we should restore all aspects of historical events and historical figures as objectively and fairly as possible. All kinds of historical facts strictly follow the principle of "there is a reason for it, and there is evidence for it", and in strict accordance with the requirements of academic works, notes are attached to the text, indicating the historical basis and data sources. For some controversial historical facts, we should never choose one based on subjective likes and dislikes, but various theories coexist for readers and researchers to verify and further explore.

Thirdly, in terms of research methods and writing skills, we insist on "unifying rigorous academic research with vivid forms of expression", hoping that the works can objectively, truly, comprehensively and vividly reproduce the vivid flesh-and-blood history and become a reference book for readers to understand the historical truth and have research value for experts and scholars at home and abroad.

Reporter: Please talk about the book "Sichuan People's Congress Anti-Japanese War" which has attracted attention at home and abroad. ...

Zheng: Sichuan People's Congress Anti-Japanese War was published by Sichuan People's Publishing House in 2005. As a key bibliography recommended by China to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the book has been abridged or reprinted by hundreds of newspapers and periodicals at home and abroad, and has been reprinted five times so far. On the marble of the Monument to the Soldiers of Sichuan Army killed in the Anti-Japanese War in People's Park, there is a description of Sichuan's great contribution to the Anti-Japanese War, which was recorded from War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, a Sichuan National People's Congress. Restore a real picture of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Sichuan, and show the feelings of three million enthusiastic soldiers in Sichuan to serve the country. In the process of writing, I often shed tears because of their actions of destroying my family and relieving difficulties and sacrificing my life.

Reporter: Did you find many interesting things in the process of consulting materials?

Zheng: What is the relationship between Lu Xun and Wushu and Qigong? I consulted a lot of materials and wrote a long article "Lu Xun and Wushu and Qigong-an important historical fact that is little known". In my opinion, Lu Xun wrote an article against martial arts because he did not break away from the secular prejudice and could not objectively realize that "martial arts is a discipline in which good people learn chivalry and bad people learn from the strong." Wushu is just a traditional form of expression in China. Should we completely deny it because of "boxing chaos" and because some authoritative people advocate martial arts?

Bashu history and culture are too rich.

Reporter: Two years ago, after the publication of The Truth of Zhang Tuchuan, it attracted the attention of academic circles at home and abroad. You offered a reward of 6.5438+10,000 yuan to collect evidence to refute your point of view. ...

Zheng: Yes. Zhang was previously portrayed as a "hero". Looking back, the fact that Zhang slaughtered Sichuanese cannot be changed. I have dozens of historical materials here. The story of Shintoism entering Sichuan was adapted from the original records of foreign missionaries Li Leisi and An in Zhang's Tianxue. It accurately recorded the exact date of the massacre, namely1645165438+1October 23rd (one year before Zhang's death). So far, no one has dared to accept this bonus from me. Although Zhang ignored human life, the history of Huguang filling Sichuan cannot be entirely attributed to Zhang.

Reporter: Your Historical Truth of Sichuan Road Protection Movement truly interprets the whole process of Sichuan Road Protection Movement, and it is a masterpiece that studies the Revolution of 1911 from a unique perspective.

Zheng: The "Road Protection Movement" is not only the most important and brilliant period in Sichuan's modern history, but also the most colorful page in China's modern history. Although there are different opinions about this history, it is still vague and ambiguous. This book has four characteristics: first, it is of great historical and academic value. This book mainly reproduces history with first-hand materials (original files, eyewitness memories, newspapers at that time, diplomatic historical materials, etc.). ). Second, stick to your own writing style, which makes this book extremely readable, academic, informative and story-telling, and fascinating. Third, this book expounds some new academic viewpoints. For historical events (such as the state-owned railway policy in the late Qing Dynasty) and historical figures (such as Sheng Xuanhuai and Zhao Erfeng), we don't use habitual extreme comments such as "traitorous", "reactionary", "lackeys" and "foreign slaves", but objectively describe them according to real historical materials, so that readers can easily draw the correct conclusions they deserve. Fourthly, this book is accompanied by hundreds of old photos of Zhang Zhengui, which is quite "illustrated".

Reporter: What is Mr. Zheng's writing plan at present?

Zheng: The writing of two books has been put on the agenda: one is Sichuan by 1966- 1976, which may exceed one million words; The other is the History of Bashu Martial Arts, which is also the first-hand historical materials I have painstakingly collected for many years. Bashu culture is so rich that I spent my whole life thinking about it.