Back to 80: My Literary Life

Fang Minghua had been to Tianhan ten years ago. That time, he and Lu Yao were invited to interview. Although more than ten years have passed, the transportation from Xijing to Tianhan area is still inconvenient. Just like last time, we set off from Xijing at nine o'clock in the evening and took a train for twelve hours to cross the Qinling Mountains to reach Tianhan area.

Entering the Tianhan Basin, the surrounding environment changed. There were green wheat seedlings and blooming rape flowers everywhere, which made people feel relaxed and happy.

Fang Minghua felt that the sky here was bluer than Xijing.

The 9th meeting of the 4th Presidium of the Provincial Writers Association and the 7th meeting of the Council were held at Hanyuan Hotel. Fang Minghua, chairman and vice chairman of the Provincial Writers Association, presided over the meeting, and Chen Zhongshi, chairman of the Writers Association, made a work report on behalf of the presidium.

All directors of the 4th Council of the Provincial Writers Association, leaders of the writers associations of various cities and industries, and some employees of the Provincial Writers Association, totaling more than 100 people, attended the meeting.

At the meeting, members of the presidium of the Writers Association sat on the rostrum. Chen Zhongshi made a work report on behalf of the presidium, reported the main work since 1998, deployed the next key tasks, and proposed to strengthen the self-esteem and self-confidence of literature in the new era, and tell Chinese stories with heart, emotion and strength; to stick to the original intention and responsibility of writers in the new era, to maintain integrity, promote virtue and keep a good reputation in the pursuit of both virtue and art; to adhere to the integrity and innovation of the Writers Association in the new era, and continuously enhance the attractiveness, cohesion, influence and activity of the Writers Association.

"Comrades, this year is the last year of the 20th century. We are about to usher in the 50th anniversary of the founding of the motherland, and Macau is about to return to the embrace of the motherland. At this time of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, the Shaanxi literary army must continue the fine traditions, strive to write a new chapter of high-quality development of Qin Province literature in the new era, and welcome the arrival of the new century!"

Warm applause broke out at the venue.

Of course, it is not just talk. The National Writers Association has issued a document requiring writers' associations in various provinces to call on and encourage writers to go deep into rural areas, enterprises, schools, and military camps to write excellent literary works that reflect the times and are down-to-earth.

The document has been studied internally by the Writers Association, so everyone knows it very well.

The meeting lasted for three days, and then, under the arrangement of the local government, a tour of the scenic spots in the Tianhan area was organized.

Ancient Han Terrace, Baohe Plank Road, Wuhou Temple

But Fang Minghua did not go.

He had visited once ten years ago and wrote a collection of essays "Fragments of Civilization", most of which described the historical and cultural relics in the Tianhan area, opening the prelude to cultural essays.

He now wants to see where his brother-in-law Liu Jianjun is on a business trip.

After Liu Jianjun returned from studying abroad last year, he was promoted to deputy director of the 618th Institute and immediately devoted himself to the early warning aircraft research and development project. He is the project leader of the surveillance radar subsystem. Recently, he has been on business trips to Factory 182, and Factory 182 is in the Tianhan area.

Fang Minghua wanted to go and take a look, and by the way, he went around and collected folk songs. He is very interested in enterprises in the third-line areas.

The so-called third-line enterprises, also known as "third-line factories", originated in the 1960s. In order to cope with the worsening international situation at that time, the country decided to strengthen the construction of the national defense industry in the central and western regions. Since 1964, large-scale military industrial enterprises have been built in the third-tier regions of the central and western regions.

Among them, the 012 base was built in the Tianhan area, and the 182 factory was the largest aircraft assembly enterprise in the base.

In the evening, Fang Minghua called Liu Jianjun's mobile phone number, and the other party answered, but unfortunately: "Brother, I am not in the 182 factory now. I came to Nanjing on a business trip. It's work."

Fang Minghua was a little disappointed, but Liu Jianjun said on the phone: "It doesn't matter. If you want to go, I will contact my college classmate, his name is Ke Bing, who works in the design institute of the 182 factory and is now the director of the special office of the institute. We went to school and lived in the same dormitory. We have a good relationship. Let him take you around."

"Okay." Fang Minghua agreed.

The next morning, everyone was excited to take a bus tour. Fang Minghua told Chen Zhongshi about this matter and asked for leave by the way. As a result, the deputy director of the municipal government office who organized the meeting knew about it.

The deputy director's surname was Wang, and he was very enthusiastic. When he heard that Fang Minghua was going to Factory 182, he immediately said, "Chairman Fang, I will contact the leaders of the base and ask them to send a car to take you there."

"Then trouble Director Wang."

Fang Minghua did not refuse. He heard from Liu Jianjun that he had to go to the city bus station to take a minibus from the city to Factory 182. It was troublesome to take a bus with few cars and many people.

It is of course convenient to have a car to take you.

Secretary Wang took out his mobile phone and made a call. He told Fang Minghua that the base would send someone to pick you up soon, and you should wait in the room for a while.

Half an hour later, a black Santana drove into the hotel. A middle-aged man got out of the car and found Fang Minghua. He introduced himself as the deputy director of the base office, surnamed Zhang, and would accompany him to Factory 182.

Fang Minghua packed his luggage and followed Director Zhang to get on the Santana. The car went out of the city and went east along National Highway 108, and finally turned north, and soon arrived at a market town.

Unlike other local towns, there are rows of red brick family buildings on both sides of the road, many of which are still the tube buildings that were common in the 1960s and 1970s.

On the way, Fang Minghua also saw people wearing factory uniforms.

"Part of the 182 factory is located here, we generally call it "down the mountain." Director Zhang introduced Fang Minghua.

"Isn't there still a mountain?" Fang Minghua asked.

"Yes, most of the 182 factory is still on the mountain, but not inside the mountain but at the foot of the mountain, 20 kilometers away from here"

"Is the design located on the mountain or above?"

"Except for the structural room, the rest are at the foot of the mountain." Director Zhang said.

"Then we are almost there." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"No, Chairman Fang, I will take you to the mountain, because General Manager Wang is waiting for you on the mountain."

This?

"You are a famous writer. General Manager Wang and his team will definitely receive you when you come to the factory. I have already made an agreement with General Manager Wang that they will give you the greatest support when you collect folk songs in the factory."

Private matters have become official matters again?

But Fang Minghua is used to it.

We passed through the market town and headed north for about 20 kilometers to another market town, which is the mountain mentioned by Director Zhang.

We are already at the foot of the Qinling Mountains. Through the car window, we can see that many family buildings are built on the slope.

Fang Minghua and his team arrived at the factory, and General Manager Wang received him. There was also a man in his fifties, who General Manager Liu introduced as their union chairman named Zheng Yuanchao.

"Chairman Fang, let's arrange your accommodation first. We have a guesthouse in our factory. We will welcome you at noon after that. Is the classmate of Director Liu of the 618th Institute you mentioned called Ke Bing?"

"Yes, the director of the special office of the design institute of the factory."

"I know, he was just promoted last year. OK, call him too. If there is no emergency, let him come up to accompany you!"

Soon, Fang Minghua was arranged to stay in the guesthouse of the factory, which was not far from the factory headquarters, just down the slope. After settling in, he also had lunch in the guesthouse.

Fang Minghua also saw Ke Bing who came all the way from the foot of the mountain. He was wearing a blue factory uniform, glasses and was gentle and refined.

There were not many people eating. In addition to the few people just now, General Manager Wang called two deputy general managers to accompany them. They drank the local Chenggu wine, which Fang Minghua was very familiar with.

As everyone ate and talked, Fang Minghua was surprised to find that three of the four leaders, three general managers and a union chairman, spoke with Northeastern accents!