In <On Revolution>, I said that different people want different kinds of freedom. In <On Democracy>, I said that democracy/rule-of-law is a negotiation process. No matter how much Christmas is discounted, the gifts won't be for nothing. So I am going to start my negotiations now.
First of all, as a member of the culturati, I ask to be able to write more freely in the new year. I have not said this as XX freedom or YY freedom, because those two terms may make you subconsciously afraid and wary. Even though those freedoms are guaranteed under the constitution, they have not been implemented. At the same time, I ask on behalf of my colleagues -- media workers also need some freedom of press. The press has been strictly controlled. Also there are my friends in the film industry. You cannot understand their pain and sorrow. Everybody is conducting cultural activities like as if they are stepping through a minefield. If they step on a mine, they are blown to pieces; if they want to avoid the mines, they have to tread slowly and indirectly.
These freedoms are the trends of the times. You have previously made promises for them. I know that you must have studied the case of Soviet Russia. You believe that the breakdown of Soviet Russia was largely due to Gorbachev opening up the press as well as following the constitution to return the highest powers from the Party to the people's delegates. Therefore, you become especially cautious about the press and constitutional politics.
But the times have changed. Modern information communication has rendered censorship useless. The restriction on cultural activities makes it impossible for China to influence literature and cinema on a global basis or for us culturati to raise our heads up proud. At the same time, China does not have any media with global influence. Many things just cannot be bought with money. Cultural prosperity is actually the least costly to attain. The lesser the restrictions, the great the prosperity. But if you insist that there are no restrictions on cultural activities in China, you are being disingenuous. In the new year, I earnestly ask the authorities to be let culture, publishing, press and cinema be freer.
If this can be done, then I personally make these promises in the freer cultural environment: I will not try to settle old scores; I will look ahead; I will not discuss the sensitive issues in history; I will not discuss or criticize the senior-level groups or their families and their relevant interests; I will only criticize and comment on current social issues. It would be better for all if the culturati and the authorities can both take a step back and observe a pre-determined bottom line in order to create more space.
But if things do not improve in two or three years, I will personally attend or stand outside the annual Writers Association and China Federation of Literary and Art Circles meetings to protest. This effort may be like an ant trying to rock a tree, but this is what I can do. Of course, I will go alone and I will not incite my readers. I will not exploit others to pad up my resumé. At the same time, I believe in the character of our generation and therefore I believe that these freedoms will arrive sooner or later. I am only hoping that they will arrive sooner. I believe that I can write even better. I don't want to wait until I am old, so please let me be there in time.
These are my personal demands in my area of professional expertise. In this very useful discussion, I feel that we should pay more attention to how to get there as opposed to what it should be. It is said that a man can only make one wish at one time. My wish has been used up. As for the other issues (fairness, justice, law, political reform and everything else), they will have to be brought up by those friends who need them. Although I don't think that freedom is the top priority for everyone, I believe that nobody wants to be constantly fearful and anxious.
I wish that those without money can become wealthy in a just society, and those who with money will not still feel that they are inferior to foreigners in spite of their money. I wish that all young people this Christmas can fearlessly discuss revolution, reform, and democracy; stay concerned about the future of our nation; regard it as our brothers and sisters. Politics is not dirty, politics is not uninteresting, politics is not dangerous. Dangerous, uninteresting or dirty politics are not true politics. Chinese medicine, gunpowder, silk and pandas cannot win us glory; the 100 LV bags of the county mayor's wife cannot win respect for our people. I wish the ruling party can march boldly ahead and become immortal in the history annals that they write themselves.
From EastSouthWestNorth: http://zonaeuropa.com/201112a.brief.htm#011
