鄧永鏘（DavidTang）
中國會、上海灘創辦人
ItwasoneofthebeautifullestviewsIhadeverseen.Anoceanofcloudsspreadbeforeme.Inadistance,protrudingonlyslightly,wereotherpeaks.Nearby,thepinescontinuedalongtheridgesofthemountains.Theairwascrisp.Alightbreezeblewacrossthemistybluesky.Thecockwascrowing,gentlyatthebreakingdawn,asthesunbeamsbegantofillthecottoncloudswithashimmeringgoldensheen.IwasatoptheYellowMountains（黃山）.ItwasmyfirstvisittoChina,inl979.IwasfilledwithanenormoussenseofbeingChinese.IhadmetHoYin,whoseconversationswereasuperblessoninCantoneseswearing,andgoneclimbingwithhiswifeandson,Edmond,whoisnowablyinchargeofMacau.Wemadeawonderfuljourneyandlaughedwithfriends.Itwas,thankfully,intheaftermathofthedreadfulCulturalRevolution.Chinahadjustbeguntoloosen,ifonlyalittle,herirongriponpeoples'lives,liftingitsshadowoftotalitarianexcesses.
Eversince,IhavefeltdistinctlyChineseeventhoughIspentmyformativeyearsinEnglandforeducationandwork.Indeed,everythingIwantedtodoturnedtorevolvingroundthingsChinese.Iadoreourheritageandcultureandsincethatfirstvisit,IwantedtoliveinChina.ThisIdidinl983-84whenItaughtEnglish,andsomephilosophy,atPekingUniversity（北大）.IalsomarriedinaCatholicchurchatXuanwumen（宣武門）.Thatevening,fromthetremendousCentralrailwaystationthatloomedlikeaFascistmonument,mybrideandItookthenight-sleepertoHohhotinChineseMongoliaforhoneymoon.Wehadsomesortofstewfordinnerintherestaurantcarriage.AsitwasNovemberandbitterlycold,Iwasonlyconcernedwithhavingahotsquaremeal.Butitmighthavebeendog.Mindyou,theyakfoodanddrinkonwhichwewerefedexclusivelyontheMongoliangrasslandstastedconsiderablyworse!
AftermyyearlivinginChina,Icontinuedtotravelthere.IwentasfarasLhasaandUrumqi.ButIbestlovedsailingtoShanghaionSSShanghai,wakingonarrivalontheWhampoaRiveralongtheBundtothehootsoffunnels.IalsoworkedinChina,ondrillingseveraloilwellsofftheSouthChinaandYellowSeas.AndIbecameintimatelyinvolvedwiththetwocoastalcitiesofNingboandWenzhou.Theyweredifficultplacestogettothen.EvenforNingbo,IcouldonlygettherebycarfromShanghaiorHangzhou,andittookhours.Wenzhouwasworse.Thejourneytookatortuous8hourswiththecrossingoftworiversonraft!Everymantherehadhishairpermedandworechunkyhigh-heeledsandals.Alotofthemworkedattheirbiggestbuttonfactoryintheworld.Wenzhouwasaveryamusingplace.
HowIwishedmoreandmoreyoungChinesefromHongKongwouldgoandliveandtravelinChina.NotjustgotoPekingorShanghaiforsummerschool,orstayattheSheratonsorFourSeasonsontour,orjustcrossthebordertobuyfakedhandbagsandDVDs.Butactuallyliveamongstthelocals.Foritisonlywhenonelivedwitheverybodyelseinaplacewouldonebegintounderstandeverything.Wehavetoomany"patriots"inHongKongnothavingthefaintestideaofwhatitislikelivinginChina-oriftheyhadanyidea,nothavingtheslightestdesiretolivethere.It'salotofshallowpatriotism!SoIhopeouryoungergenerationwillgotoChinawithatruesenseofadventure.Justgoandseehowyoumanage.It'salreadyveryeasynowcomparedtotheeighties.Sonoexcuse.OnlywhenyouhavelivedthroughallthefrustrationsandprivationswouldyoubegintounderstandmodernChina,and,Ihope,thedifferencebetweenbeingChineseandbeingCommunist.Andthereliesthecommonconflation.Thetwoarepolesapart.
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Iwassnowedunderbyanavalancheofe-mailsfromreaders.Almostallofyouwhotookthetroubletowritewerecomplimentary.Ionlyhadacoupleofhate-mail.Therefore,Iwasonthewholemuchgratified.TherewasnodoubtthattheoverridinginterestwasEnglish.Iwillwriteacouplemorearticlesonthissubject,concentratingonthelanguage'sbeautyandwitandcleverness.