[ZT]白岩松在耶鲁大学的演讲实录(中英文)
作者:Leon 日期:2012-06-05
注:2009年3月30日,中央电视台主持人白岩松和央视摄制组赴美国拍摄专题片《岩松看美国》,3月31日白岩松及摄制组从纽约赶往耶鲁大学,白岩松向耶鲁师生发表了题为《我的故事以及背后的中国梦》的演讲。如下为全文以及问答。
过去的二十年,中国一直在跟美国的三任总统打交道,但是今天到了耶鲁我才知道,其实他只跟一所学校打交道。(笑)但是透过这三位总统我也明白了,耶鲁大学的毕业生的水准也并不很平均。接下来就进入我们这个主题,或许要起个题目的话应该叫《我的故事以及背后的中国梦》。
我要讲五个年份,第一要讲的年份是1968年。那一年我出生了。(众笑)但是那一年世界非常乱,在法国有它的这个,巨大的街头的骚乱……在美国也有,然后美国的总统肯尼迪遇刺了……但是的确这一切的原因都与我无关。(哄堂大笑)但是那一年我们更应该记住的是马丁路德金先生遇刺,虽然那一年他倒下了,但是“我有一个梦想”的这句话却真正地站了起来,不仅在美国站起来,也在全世界站起来。但是当时很遗憾,不仅仅是我,几乎很多的中国人并不知道这个梦想,因为当时中国人,每一个个人很难说拥有自己的梦想。因为梦想变成了一个国家的梦想甚至是领袖的一个梦想。中国与美国的距离非常遥远,不亚于月亮与地球之间的距离。但是我并不关心这一切,我只关系我是否可以吃饱。因为我刚出生两个月就跟随父母被关进了wxdgm特有的一种牛棚。因此我的爷爷为了给我送进牛奶吃要跟看守进行非常激烈的搏斗。(众笑)
很显然,我的出生非常不是时候,不仅对于当时的中国来说,对于世界来说,似乎都有些问题。(众笑)1978年,十年之后。我十岁,我依然生活在我出生的时候,那个只有二十万人的,你要知道,在中国的话它是一个非常非常小的城市里。它离北京的距离有两千公里,它要想了解北京出的报纸的话,要在三天之后才能看见,所以对于我们来说,是不存在新闻这个说法。(众笑)那一年我的爷爷去世了,而在两年前的时候我的父亲去世了,所以只剩下我母亲一个人要抚养我们哥儿俩,她一个月的工资不到十美元。因此即使十岁了,梦想这个词对我来说,依然是一个非常陌生的词汇,我从来不会去想它。我母亲一直到现在也没有建立新的婚姻,是她一个人把我们哥俩抚养大。我看不到这个家庭的希望,只是会感觉,那个时候的每一个冬天都很寒冷,因为我所生活的那个城市离苏联更近。(众笑)
但是就在我看不到希望的1978年的时候,不管是中国这个国家,还有中国与美国这两个国家之间,发生了非常巨大的变化,那是一个我们在座的所有人,今天都该记住的年份。1978年的12月16号,中国与美国正式建交,那是一个大事件。而在中美建交两天之后,12月18号,中国的十一届三中全会召开了,今天你们知道,那是中国改革开放三十一年的开始。历史,两个伟大的国家,一个非常可怜的家庭,就如此戏剧性地交织在一起,不管是小的家庭,还是大的国家,其实当时谁都没有把握知道未来是什么样的。接下来的年份该讲1988年了,那一年我二十岁。这个时候我已经从边疆的小城市来到了北京,成为一个大学生。虽然我们今天在中国依然有很多的人在抨击中国的高考的制度,认为它有很多很多的缺陷,但是必须承认正是高考的存在,让我们这样一个又一个非常普通的孩子,拥有了改变命运的机会。当然,这个时候美国已经不再是一个很遥远的国家,它变得很具体,它也不再是那个过去口号当中的“美帝国主义”(众笑,鼓掌),而是变成了生活中很多的细节。这个时候我已经第一次地尝试过可口可乐,而且喝完可口可乐之后会觉得中美两个国家真的是如此接近(众笑),因为它几乎就跟中国的中药是一样的。(众笑)那个时候我已经开始非常狂热地去喜欢摇滚乐。那个时候正是迈克尔杰克逊还长得比较漂亮的时候。(哄堂大笑)
更重要的是,这个时候的中国,已经开始发生了非常大的变化,因为改革已经进行了十年。那一年中国开始尝试放开很多商品的价格。这在你们觉得是非常不可思议的事情,但是在中国当时是一个很大的迈进,因为过去的价格都是由政府来决定的。但是,就在那一年,因为放开了价格,引起了全国疯狂地抢购,大家都觉得这个时候会有多久,于是要把一辈子都用的食品和用品,买回到家里头。这一年也就标志之着中国离市场经济越来越近了。当然那个时候没有人知道市场经济也会有次贷危机。(众笑)
当然我知道那一年1988年对于耶鲁大学来说格外的重要,因为你们耶鲁的校友又一次成为美国的总统。好,接下来又是一个新的年份,1998年,那一年我三十岁。我已经成为中央电视台的一个新闻节目主持人。更重要的是,我已经成为一个一岁孩子的父亲。我开始明白我所做的许多事情不仅要考虑我自己,还要考虑孩子及他们的未来。那一年在中美之间发生了一个非常重要的事件,因为那一年的主角就是克林顿。也许在美国你记住的是性丑闻。但是在中国记住的,是他那一年访问了中国。在六月份的时候,他访问中国的时候,在人民大会堂和jzm主席进行了一个开放的记者招待会,然后又在北京大学进行了一个开放的演讲,这两场活动的直播主持人都是我。当克林顿总统即将离开中国在上海的时候,记者问道:“这次访问中国,您印象最深的是什么?”他说:“我最想不到的是这两场讲座居然都直播了”(笑),不过直播让中国受到了表扬,而美国却受到了批评。(众笑)。当然只是一个很小的批评。在北大的克林顿的演讲当中,由于整个克林顿总统的演讲,用的全是美方所提供的翻译,因此他翻译的那个水准远远达不到今天我们翻译的水准,(众大笑并鼓掌表示对现场翻译的感谢)。我猜想有很多的中国观众,是一直知道克林顿的确,在说话,但是说的是什么,不太清楚。(众笑)所以我在直播结束的时候,说了这样的一番话,我说“看样子美国需要对中国有更多的了解,有的时候要从语言开始”,美国包括美联社在内的很多媒体都报道了我的这句话,但是我说的另外一句话不知道他们有没有报道,我说了这样的一句话,“对于中美这两个国家来说,面对面永远要好过背对背”。当然也是在这一年年初,我开上了我人生的第一辆车。这是我在我过去从来不会想到的,中国人有一天也可以开自己的车。个人的喜悦,也会让你印象很久,因为往往第一次才是最难忘的。
接下来我要讲述的是2008这一年,这一年我四十岁。很多年大家不再谈论的“我有一个梦想”这句话,在这一年我听到太多的美国人在讲。看样子奥巴马的确不想再接受耶鲁占领美国二十年这样的事实了(注:耶鲁大学一直盛产总统,而出身哈佛大学的奥巴马终结了这一事实)。他用“改变”以及“梦想”这样的词汇,甚至让耶鲁大学的师生在为他当选总统之后,听说你们举行了游戏,甚至庆祝。在这个细节中让我看到了耶鲁师生的超越。而这一年也是中国梦非常明显的一年。它就像全世界所有的伟大的梦想都要注定要遭受很多的挫折一样,显现出来。无论是期待了很久的北京奥运会,还是神舟七号中国人第一次在太空当中行走,那都是很多年前我们期待了很久的一个梦想。但是,突如其来的四川大地震,让这一切都变得没有我们期待中的那么美好。这个时候中国人对于生命的看待,我相信跟美国人和世界上一切善待生命的民族都是一样的。八万个生命的离开,让整个2008年,中国人度日如年。不说我都猜得到在耶鲁校园里头,在每一个网页、电视以及报纸的前面,也有很多的来自中国的人,以及世界各地的人们,为这些生命流下眼泪。但是就像四十年前马丁路德金先生倒下,却让“我有一个梦想”这句话站得更高,站得更久,站得更加让人觉得极其有价值一样,更多的中国人,也明白了,梦想很重要,但是生命更重要。在北京奥运会期间,我度过了自己的四十岁的生日。那一天我感慨万千,虽然周围的人不会知道。(众笑) 因为时间进入到我的生日那一天的时候,我在直播精彩的比赛。二十四小时之后,当这个时间要走出我生日这一天的时候,我也依然在直播。但是这一天我觉得我非常的幸运。因为正是这样一个特殊的,在北京奥运会期间的四十岁,让我意识到了我的故事背后的中国梦。正是在这样的四十年的时间里头,我从一个根本不可能有梦想的,一个遥远边疆的一个小城市里的孩子,变成了一个可以在全人类欢聚的一个大的节日里头,分享以及传播这种快乐(的新闻人),这是一个在中国发生的故事。
而在这一年,中国和美国相距并不遥远,你中有我,我中有你,彼此需要。布什总统据说度过了他作为总统以来在国外,一个国家,呆的最长的一段时间,就是在北京奥运会期间。菲尔普斯在那儿拿到了八块金牌,而他的家人都陪伴在他的身边,所有的中国人都为这样一个特殊的家庭祝福。当然,任何一个这样的梦想都会转眼过去。在这样的一个年份里头,中美两国历史上几乎是第一次同时发出了“我有一个新的梦想”,这样的时候,如此的巧合,如此的应该。美国面临了一次非常非常艰难的金融危机,当然不仅仅是美国的事情,也对全世界有重大的影响。昨天我到达纽约,刚下了飞机,我去的第一站就是华尔街,我看到了华盛顿总统的雕像,他的视线是那么永久不变地在盯着证券交易所上那面巨大的美国国旗。(众笑)。而非常奇妙的是,在这个雕像后面的展览馆里正在举行“林肯总统在纽约”这样的一个展览,因此林肯总统的大幅的画像也挂在那上面,他也在看那面国旗。(众笑)。我读出了非常悲壮的一种历史感。
在离开那个地方的时候,我对我的同事说了这样一句话。“我说,很多很多年前如果美国发生了这样状况的时候,也许中国人会感到很开心”,因为(大家会说)“你看,美国又糟糕了”。(众大笑)但是今天中国人会格外地希望美国尽早地好起来,因为我们有几千亿的钱在美国。(鼓掌,众大笑)我们还有大量的产品等待着装上货船,送到美国来,如果美国的经济进一步好的话,在这些货品的背后,就是一个又一个中国人增长的工资,是他重新拥有的就业岗位,以及家庭的幸福。因此,你明白,这不是一个口号的宣传。
在过去的三十年里头,你们是否注意到了,与一个又一个普通的中国人紧密相关的中国梦。我不知道世界上还有哪个国家,在过去这三十年的时间里头,让个人的命运发生了这么大的变化。一个边远小城市里的孩子,一个绝望中的孩子,今天有机会在耶鲁跟各位同学交流,当然也包括很多老师和教授。中国经历了这三十年,有无数个这样的家庭。他们的爷爷奶奶依然守候在土地上,仅微薄的收入,千辛万苦。他们的父亲母亲,已经离开了农村,通过考大学,在城市里已经有了很好的工作,而这个家庭的孙子孙女也许此刻就在美国留学,三代人,就像经历了三个时代。但是在中国,你随时可以看到这样的家庭。如果我没有说错的话,现场的很多个中国留学生,他们的家庭也许就是这样。对么?(鼓掌)那么,在我们去观察中国的时候,也许你经常关注的是“主义”、“社会主义”或其他庞大的政治词汇,或许该换一个视角。去看十三亿个非常普通的中国人。他们并不宏大的梦想、改变命运的那种冲动、依然善良的性格和勤奋的那种品质。今天的中国是由刚才的这些词汇构成。在过去的很多年里头,中国人看美国,似乎在用望远镜看。美国所有的美好的东西,都被这个望远镜给放大了。经常有人说美国怎么怎么样,美国怎么怎么样,你看我们这儿什么时候能这样。(众大笑)
在过去的好多年里头,美国人似乎也在用望远镜在看中国,但是我猜测可能拿反了。(哄堂大笑热烈鼓掌)因为他们看到的是一个缩小了的、错误不断的、有众多问题的一个中国。他们忽视了十三亿非常普通的中国人,改变命运的这种冲动和欲望,使这个国家发生了如此巨大的变化。(鼓掌)
但是我也一直有一个梦想。为什么要用望远镜来看彼此?我相信现场在座的很多个来自中国的留学生,他们会用自己的眼睛看到了最真实的美国,用自己的耳朵去了解最真实的来自美国人内心的想法。无论再用什么样的文字也很难再改变他们对美国的看法,因为这来自他们内心的感受。当然我也希望非常多的美国人,有机会去看看中国。而不是在媒体当中去看到中国。
你知道我并不太信任我的所有的同行。(众笑,鼓掌)开一个玩笑。其实美国的同行是我非常尊敬的同行。我只是希望越来越多的美国的朋友去看一个真实的中国。因为我起码敢确定一件事情:即使在美国你吃到的被公认为最好的中国菜,在中国都很难卖出好价钱(众笑)。
就像很多很多年之前,在中国所有的城市里流行着一种叫加州牛肉面,加利福尼亚牛肉面。相当多的中国人都认为,美国来的东西一定非常非常好吃。所以他们都去吃了。即使没那么好吃的话由于觉得这是美国来的也没有批评(大笑)。
这个连锁的快餐店在中国存在了很多年,直到有越来越多的中国人来到美国,在加州四处寻找加州牛肉面(众笑)。
但是一家都没有找到的时候,越来越多的中国人知道,加州是没有这种牛肉面的(笑)。于是这个连锁店在中国,现在处于陆续消失的过程当中。你看这就是一种差异。但是当人来人往之后,这样的一种误读就会越来越少。所以最后我只想再说一句。四十年前,当马丁路德金先生倒下的时候,他的那句话“我有一个梦想”传遍了全世界。但是,一定要知道,不仅仅有一个英文版的“我有一个梦想”。在遥远的东方,在一个几千年延续下来的中国,也有一个梦想。它不是宏大的口号,并不是在政府那里存在,它是属于每一个非常普通的中国人。而它用中文写成 “我有一个梦想”。
好,谢谢各位!(鼓掌)
【问答环节】
白:大家的掌声,大家的掌声大约持续了40秒,头5秒钟是属于我的,后35秒是属于她的(指着翻译),呵呵呵。。。。(热烈鼓掌)呵呵呵。。。。
好,接下来随意,大家可以提任何的问题,如果哪个回答不满意的话你也可以扔鞋。(众笑,热烈鼓掌)但是我必须告诉你,我的鞋号是43,(众笑)你要是扔的话最好是两只一起扔。 (众笑)呵呵呵。。。。
OKOK(举左手示意左边二楼上提问者可以提问)
男亚裔听众A:问一下,就是最后总结说,中国人的梦想和美国人的梦想,是同样一个梦想吗?
白:首先如果世界上只有不管是什么样的人都只有一个梦想的话,我们的梦想显得有些单调,但是,请注意,但凡被记入历史的梦想,最基础的部分一定是相同的。每一个生命该被尊重,民主自由的权利该得以保障,任何一个个体都可能在制度的保障下,创造一种想象不到的奇迹,最后所有个体的梦想汇集在一起,让一个民族,让一个国家变得更加强大。但是强大了之后也能够不伤害别人。(众笑,鼓掌)
(男)耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:好,我也有个问题,我是耶鲁大学中亚系的中文老师,也就是说,开始语言教学的,从语言开始从事这样工作的人。呃,首先我先感谢你这个讲话,我觉得帮助我们回忆了过去四十年的历史和个人的生命走过来,呃,我想补充一个,68年你出生的时候,耶鲁大学当时也作了一个决定,从第二年开始。。。。。
白抢答:招收女生,哈哈哈哈。。。。
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:一半的学生我想和您的诞生联系在一起(众笑,鼓掌)
第二个问题是78年,您讲到中美建交,还有这个克林顿。。。。。
白:不是,是中国改革开放开始
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:两天之后的十一届三中全会,我想再补充一点,1978年,有两届学生走进了第一次走进了大学,77级,78级,
白:(鼻音)唔唔,中国文革之后又有了大学生,对 www.junshijia.com 军情第一站
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:对,就是您常说的,因为我是77级的,
白:哈哈哈哈。。。。(鼓掌)
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:我当时在农村劳动的时候,1976年,听到毛泽东的逝世,您的十年把这一段给跃过去了。
白:不,我只讲每一个十年。
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:我想补充一点儿,让您的梦更丰富一点。(笑,鼓掌)我当时在地里劳动的时候,听到哀乐,毛泽东去世了,那天晚上,我爸爸说,你可能有希望了。(众笑,鼓掌)因为当时我被农村那地方派回去买一面国旗,给毛泽东准备葬礼。
白:(鼻音)唔唔
耶鲁大学中亚系的中文老师:所以当时我能记得这个梦,我的梦是从那时候开始,当时我不相信我爸爸的话,但是两年之后,变成了现实,这是78年。到了88年,你刚才讲物价飞涨,我的问题是,88年,您那时候已经成为一个大学生,
白:对
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:当然89年我们暂时不提了,更敏感一些,
白:也可以提,呵呵。。。
耶鲁大学中亚系的中文老师:88年(你)进入电视台的时候,大学毕业之后进入电视台,当时是自己找工作还是分配?
白:唔唔,(用英语)非常感谢你的提问
耶鲁大学中亚系中文老师:再提最后一个问题,一块儿回答。就是刚才你说也可以提的89年这个历史。当时已经有你的十年又跃过去了,能不能简单谈一谈这一段历史。中央电视台什么时候能够公开的。
白:呵呵呵呵,很高兴你给我这样的一个问题。可以让我补充我的梦。我在北京没有任何的亲属,我也不认识中央电视台以及北京任何有权势的人。我没有因为我的工作或者说进入中央电视台送过任何礼。(鼓掌)我是1989年离开大学校园毕业,然后分到了广播电台,在四年之后,进入到中央电视台,都是朋友推荐的。而为了离开电台进入中央电视台,我当时决定辞职,这在中国是非常重要的事情,后来我如愿了,实现了自己的愿望。(众笑)
你也注意到了,我刚才说1989年我离开大学校园,也就意味着1989年的陆4事件的时候,我正作为一个大学生在校园里头,请注意我当时在北京读的大学,我当然知道,作为一个大学生参与到这样一个运动当中去的时候,我的内心充满了最单纯的对这个国家的热爱和对这个国家未来的一种期待,我也知道我身边的同学也都是这样的,但是1989年这个事情结束之后,当时我是失去了所有的希望,我不知道这个国家还有没有希望。
但是十几年过后,你突然发现,这一个事件没有终止中国的改革的进程,这可能是中国最幸运的地方,但是我非常相信,在89年的时候我们所有的人对这个国家改革的期待,它也会一步一步地变成现实,包括政治体制改革,包括民主的进程。我想对此我们彼此可以共同去期待。(热烈鼓掌)
白:(举左手示意左边二楼上听众提问者可以提问)
男亚裔听众C:刚才讲到您对美国的同行特别地尊敬,所以我想问一下,您认为中国的新闻工作者可以从美国的同行那儿学到什么呢?反之,美国的新闻工作者了解中国的同行而中国的同行了不了解美国同行呢?
白:我曾经在中国的一次新闻的同行聚会的时刻讲过这样一段话,我说我们过去讲述跟其他的包括美国在内的很多国家,在新闻方面不同的地方讲得太多了,我认为作为中国的新闻人和美国的新闻人,更多的地方是相同的地方,比如说必须尊重事实本身,一定要尊重事实,不能虚假,要关注新闻当中的人,对社会要承担责任,所以我认为这一切都是相同的,也因此正是在这些领域里头,很多先行一步的美国同行,给了我重要的启示。
在我的身上,在很多的中国新闻人的身上,你都能找到但丹*拉瑟、克朗*凯特、普利策、查普曼等等这些人的影子。所以这一切都是我觉得都是美国的同行我要学习的地方。但是美国的同行有没有向我们学习的的地方呢?我认为有,而且还不少。
美国的同行不会象我们这样面对一个如此复杂的国家,你用两百年所走过的道路,中国要用三十年,四十年,五十年这样非常短的时间也要把它走完。中国很多偏远的贫困的山区,可能更像非洲。上海、北京等很多城市甚至超过美国,我说的是硬件,(众笑)当然服务态度似乎更相像,都不是怎么好。(众笑)因此对于中国新闻人来说,在这么复杂的前进的过程当中,去做出很多的判断,美国的同行,恐怕要向我们学习,呵呵。
我们也会面对很多美国的同行可能不会遇到的限制,虽然这种限制越来越少,但是我依然有勇气有智慧地在向前走,并且有相当强的使命感,目标感和责任感。经常有受伤的时候,却依然要坚持继续向前走,而且工资要比你低很多,呵呵呵呵,恐怕这也是需要向我们学习的地方,呵呵呵呵,但是任何一个国度,新闻人,好与不好的,都非常非常的多,怎么说呢,都有。中国的新闻跟美国的新闻发展比较起来依然是一个小弟弟,我们要学习的地方还是更多一点。但是我们也希望这两个国家的同行之间能有更多的面对面的交流,因为我们是所在国家的国民了解对方国家的最重要的载体。
My Story and the Chinese Dream Behind It
By BAI Yan Song
Translation by Nimrod
Source: http://blog.foolsmountain.com/2009/04/17/my-story-and-the-chinese-dream-behind-it/
In the past twenty years, China has faced three American presidents, but till coming to Yale today, I never realized that China really just faced one university. Although, through these three presidents, I understand that the quality of Yale graduates is not so even.
Let me begin my main subject and let me give it a title, called “My Story and the Chinese Dream Behind It”. I want to talk about five particular years. The first is 1968. That year I was born. But it was also a chaotic year for the world. In France, there was this huge street disturbance, and in America, too. Then President Kennedy was assassinated. However, I really did not cause all of these! But that year what we remember more was the assassination of Mr. Martin Luther King. Although he fell that year, his words “I have a dream” stood up, not only stood up in America, but across the whole world.
But sadly, not only for me, but for almost all Chinese, we did not know such a dream. It was hard to describe each Chinese as having his or her own dream. China and America were so far apart, no less far apart than the Moon and the Earth. But I didn’t care about any of that. All I cared about was could I have a full meal. Clearly, I was born at a very inconvenient time, not only for China, but even for the world, there were problems.
In 1978, ten years later, I was 10. I still lived in the very little city that had only 200 thousand people at the time I was born. It was 2000 km from Beijing. If you wanted to read the newspaper from Beijing, you waited three days. So for us, there was no such thing as news. That year my grandfather passed away. Two years before that my father passed away. So there was just my mother left to take care of me and my brother. Her monthly salary was not even ten dollars. As a result, even though I was 10, the word “dream” was still not in my vocabulary, and I would never think of it. I could not see hope in this family, but only felt bitter cold every winter. Where we lived was close to the Soviet Union. Yet the 1978 in which I could not see hope was also the year that a huge change took place, whether for China or for the relationship between China and America. That is a date that everybody here today should remember.
December 16, 1978, China and America officially established diplomatic relations. That was a big event. And two days after that, December 18 was when China opened the 3rd Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee. That was the beginning of thirty-one years of Reform and Opening. History, two great nations, and a very pitiful family all became intertwined in a theatrical way. Truthfully, from the small personal family, to the big family of the country, nobody then had any idea what the future would be like.
In 1988, I was 20. At this time I had already come out of the little border town to Beijing as a university student. Although we have many people in China today criticizing China’s university entrance exams and see many many deficiencies in it, it must be said that it is such a system that allowed very ordinary people like me to have the opportunity to change our lives. Of course, at that time, America was no longer a very distant country. It became very specific. It was no longer the “Imperialist America” of the past slogans, but it became the many details in our lives. This was the first time that I tasted Coca-Cola. When I finished drinking it I believed China and America were truly so close, because it tasted just like Chinese medicine.
That was a time when I took a crazy liking to rock’n’roll. That was a time when Michael Jackson still looked relatively handsome. More importantly, that was a time when China experienced very big transformations, as Reform and Opening had already gone on for ten years. That year, China began experimenting with market pricing for many goods. It may feel like something totally incomprehensible to you, but it was a big deal in China, a huge step, because before that the prices were decided by the government. But in that year, because price controls were relaxed, the whole country went on a crazy shopping spree. Everybody all thought, how long could this last, so they had to get a whole life’s worth of food and goods to bring home. That year symbolized that China marched closer and closer to a market economy.
Of course back then nobody knew that market economy could also have a subprime crisis. Anyway, I know that 1988 was an extra important year for Yale, because a Yale alum once again became an American President.
In 1998, I was 30. I had already become a news anchor at CCTV. More importantly, I had become the father of a one-year-old child. That year a very important thing happened between China and America, and the protagonist was Clinton. Perhaps you remember his sexual scandal in America, but in China what we remember is his visit to China that year. In June, when he visited China, he and President Jiang Zemin held an open press conference in the Great Hall of the People. Then he gave an open lecture at Peking University. The live anchor for both events was me.
During Clinton’s lecture at Peking University, because he used his own translator the whole time, I guessed that many Chinese viewers only knew that Clinton was definitely saying something, but what he said wasn’t all that clear. So near the end of my live broadcast, I remarked that it looked like for America to learn more about China, sometimes it needed to start with language, though for our two countries, face-to-face was always better than back-to-back. It was also at the beginning of that year that I drove the first car in my life. For me this was unimaginable before, that Chinese people one day would also drive their own cars. A personal delight can also make a lasting impression, because sometimes the first time is the most unforgettable.
In 2008, I was 40. The words “I have a dream” that haven’t been discussed for many years now were heard among so many Americans. It seemed like Obama really did not want to accept Yale’s 20-year occupation of America. Using words like “change” and “dream”, he even convinced Yale teachers and students to parade and celebrate his election to the Presidency, according to what I’ve heard.
But this was also a year in which the Chinese Dream showed clearly. After encountering many setbacks as any grand dream in the world is destined to, it came through. Whether it was the long-awaited Beijing Olympics, or the first spacewalk by a Chinese aboard the Shenzhou 7, these were all dreams which we have waited for a long time since a long time ago. But the sudden Sichuan Earthquake made all this not as magnificent as we had expected. Eighty-thousand lives departed, and made every day of 2008 seem like a year. I’m guessing that on Yale’s campus, on every web site, in front of television and newspapers, were also many people from China, and people in all parts of the world, who shed tears for these lost lives. Just like forty years ago when Mr. Martin Luther King fell but allowed the words “I have a dream” to stand higher, more enduring, and seem ever more valuable, more Chinese people also came to understand that dreams are important, but lives are even more so.
During the Olympics, I passed my own fortieth birthday. That day I was full of emotional thoughts, because when the day of my birthday approached, I was broadcasting an exciting competition. Twenty-four hours later, when my birthday was passing, I was still broadcasting. But that day I felt very fortunate. Because it was such a special fortieth birthday at the Beijng Olympics that made me realize the Chinese Dream behind my personal story.
It was in this kind of forty years that I went from a far-away border-town kid who had no possibility of having a dream, to a newsman who could be at a big festival celebrated with all of humanity and who could communicate and share the happiness with them. This was a life story that took place in China. And in this year, China and America were not far apart. There was a bit of me in you and a bit of you in me, we needed each other. It was said that President Bush spent the longest time in any country abroad as President, and that was during the Beijing Olympics. Phelps took eight medals there, and his family was there by his side. All Chinese wished that extraordinary family well. Of course, every dream will pass. In such a year, China and America almost simultaneously found their new “I havea dream” moment, and it was so coincidental, and so deserving.
America is facing a very very difficult financial crisis, and it isn’t only America, but it affects the whole world seriously. Yesterday I got to New York. As soon as I deplaned, I went to Wall Street. There I saw the statue of President Washington. His gaze was permanently fixed on the huge American flag on the stock exchange. Interestingly, the hall behind the statue was holding an exhibition on “President Lincoln in New York”, so President Lincoln’s huge portrait was also on it, and he also gazed at the flag. I felt the very solemn weight of history. When I left there, I told my colleague this. I said, many many years ago, if something like this befell America, perhaps Chinese people would have taken pleasure, because see, America is miserable again. But today, Chinese people would especially wish that America get better soon. Because we have hundreds of billions worth of money with America. We also have a huge quantity of products waiting to be put on freighters and sent to America. If America’s economy takes a step for the better, it means behind these products, another Chinese gets a raise, it means he regains his employment and happiness in the family.
In the past 30 years, I don’t know if you’ve noticed the Chinese Dream that is relevant to more and more ordinary Chinese people. I don’t know what other country in this world, in the past 30 years, has changed the individual fates at this magnitude. A kid from a remote small city on the periphery, a kid in despair, today has the chance to have an exchange with these Yale students. Maybe we can change the viewpoint, and look at 1.3 billion very ordinary Chinese, their down-to-earth dreams, their impulsive drive to change their fates, their still kindhearted temperament, and their diligent character. Today’s China is made up of these words I just spoke.
In the past many years, Chinese seemed to be looking at America through a telescope. So everything good that is in America was magnified by this telescope. Frequently people mentioned America was like this and like that, then look at us, when can we be like that. In the past many years, Americans also seemed to be looking at China through a telescope, but I am guessing they held it backwards. Because what they saw was a diminished, always-doing-wrong, full-of-problems China. They overlooked 1.3 billion very ordinary Chinese people and this impulsive drive and urge of theirs to change their fate, which caused such huge transformations in our country. But I also always had this dream: why do we need to use telescopes to look at each other?
Of course I hope very many Americans have a chance to go see China, and not to look at China through the media. You know I don’t really trust all of my colleagues. I’m just kidding. Actually I respect my American colleagues very much. I only hope that more and more American friends go to see a real China. Because I can at least guarantee one thing. Even if in America you ate what is deemed to be the best Chinese food, it won’t fetch a good price in China. Just like many many years ago, in every city of China there was this popular “California Beef Noodle” shop. Many Chinese all thought, anything from America was definitely very very tasty. So they all went to eat. Although it was not very tasty, they didn’t complain because they knew it was from America. This fast-food chain existed in China for many years, until more and more Chinese people came to America, and searched every corner of California for a California Beef Noodle shop, and could not find a single one. Only then did more and more Chinese know that California doesn’t have such beef noodle, so this chain store in China is in the process of disappearing. This is the kind of discrepancy I am talking about. As we come and go, such misunderstandings will be fewer and fewer.
So lastly I just want to say one thing again. Forty years ago, when Mr. Martin Luther King fell down, his words “I have a dream” spread across the world. But, you must know that there is not just an English version of “I have a dream.” In the distant East, in the China that has held on for thousands of years, there is also a dream. It isn’t a grandiose slogan, it doesn’t lie with the government. It belongs to every ordinary Chinese. It is “I have a dream” written in Chinese.
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[本日志由 Leon 于 2012-06-05 10:46 PM 更新]
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