即时行乐

Here’s a book ad for the WEAR Journal published by Elaine Ho’s 家作坊 (Homeshop). I will be helping her with her overseas project sponsored by Swiss Art Council in the years to come.  Well, as you wil see below, this is an interesting and inconventional journal that you’d seldom seen in Mainland. I’m honored to be one of the contributors of this journal, most of whom famous and intelligent and include - CAI Kai (蔡凯), Beatrice LEANZA, Jeroen de KLOET(高伟云), Angie BAECKER etc.

Some snapshots of the journal:

 Cover.

Left: my page; Right: drawings by Elaine Ho & Jocko Weland

Left: Nelly’s page; Right: the making of Chinese pulm juice

If any of you are interested in buying this journal, please visit Timezone 8 (798), Onewaystreet Library, Spoon House, or cotact me @ kcreedluk@gmail.com.

如有对此书感兴趣，可从东八时区书店(798)、单向街书店或勺子家购得，或通过我的电子邮件联系我：kcreedluk@gmail.com。

It is a nice weekend. The weather is nice enough, and we also have Chow Yiu-fai, who have indeed made this weekend even nicer. If you like Hong Kong pops back in the 1990s, or you happen to be the fans of Anthony Yiu Ming Wong and Tat Ming, you must have known Chow, the lyrics writer who was born in the 1960s and has played an active role in the late 1980s and 1990s even till now.

At the Wang Ze Sheng Hall of Tsinghua University, the crowds are cheering and laughing, amused so much by the talks given by Chow, the man of 1960s.

“How many of you belong to the ‘Ba Ling Hou’ generation (Chinese expression for ‘Post-80s’, people who are born in the 1980s)?” Chow asks. Most of the audiences raise their hands, joyfully. Chow was most active in Hong Kong of the 1990s, but as it seems to be, he is also welcomed by the new generation in the Mainland. Among those who are born in the late 1960s, Chow is one of those who remain active and popular.

“Have you come to the wrong place? This talk is supposed for elder people…” Chow asks, making fun of himself.

“No!” the heightened crowd shouts. They do know Chow well as he is one the finest lyrics writer in Hong Kong and maybe China. As he says, he is old enough to be the Daddy of most of his fans down there, but he is far from being alienated to them.

At this moment, the distance between the ‘Post-60s’ (Liu Ling Hou) and the ‘Post-80s’ (Ba Ling Hou) could never be any closer. Unlike the ‘Post-70s’ (Qi Ling Hou) who tend to regard themselves responsible and accountable since they all felt that they had so much to fulfill, the 60s and 80s enjoy a relatively peaceful period when they are old enough to embrace the society. When the 60s grew as old as 18, they have enjoyed a short however memorable age of passions and ideals. When the 80s turn 18, they have enjoyed a similar enthusiastic time, though in a different way.

Many have said that the 70s were a generation of sadness since they have been carrying too many hopes, responsibilities, and perhaps pains. They were born in an age of chaos, and they while they grew up and was just about to do something real, they were faced with equally great challenges. They place the needs of their country upon the dreams of themselves. They are always thinking and discussing. The think they have formed a generation that is capable of restoring the country. The ‘missions’ they are bound to achieved, either distributed by their nation or themselves, have made them doubtful of everything they have seen because they ‘knew’ that there were no bright side ahead, only obstacles. Time goes by, but this skepticism they had remains.

Unlike the 70s who are always linked to collectivism, the 60s may have understood individualism much better, well, simply because they were more able to do so.

In his newly published book “Get Away, Let me Sing for the Eighties” Lao Liu wrote, “There have been quite a few memorial ages in men’s history,  the French Revolutionary, for instance… But there is few that could match the college days in China of 1980s…” The 1980s is an age when the ‘Post-60s’ studied in universities where they openly read the world; when people work with low payment and high passion; when few people had their own cars while their hearts traveled far; when idealism outnumbered realism… The story of “84 Charring Cross Road” would actually have happened. There was few effective ways for communication, but people were much well connected. Things happened in the movie “Jane Austin Book Club” which seems fake and posy to us today were ordinary by then, and it was just what Lao Liu would do with his intimates. In the 1980s, even “Love is interpreted in another way”, Lao Liu wrote.

When the majority are celebrating the 30 anniversary of the grand ‘Openness’ of China, the 60s could not help memorizing the age of 1980s.

The 80s, however, were far too young to enjoy the glorious age of 1980s. Many of them just born, some hardly speak, were totally ignorant to the fact that they were living in such a vibrant age with great freedom. And when they grow old enough, they are lost, only to find the once-in-a-blue-moon age has already past.

There are probably thousands of words that could be used to ironically describe the age the ‘Post-80s’ are now living in: materialistic, superficial, fickle, fast-moving and full of seduction. True, the ‘Post-80s’ do understand individualism, but in a different way from the 60s. For some, individualism means selfishness. We have less to say about the society because they enjoy material success under this system, and therefore, we tend to care less about their independent thinking. Some 70s think we are the children of globalization rather than our nation. They think “we live the same life with our counterparts in New York and London”, but actually we have witnessed the distinctions between East and West have become even more evident. The world seems to be become more diverse, but we tend to think more alike. I am longing to sing for the 1980s, but after all, what are our lives? What lifestyle are we leading?

Wang Xiao Feng, an influential blogger, once quoted an interesting example in his blog：“…I was always consulted by young people for the path to success. I have never replied to any one of those emails as I am a very impatient person. But I can tell you this: If one man can only fill full by eating 6 buns, than I may have had 5. As for young people, you only start from the 1 or 2 buy you already start wondering what the feeling is to be full. I have nothing much to tell but only encourage you to have more…”This quote would perfectly end this blah-blah-blah article.

So, as for the 80s, we shall do nothing but to keep eating our buns. Good old days would never come again, and there is no time machine so far.

Here I sit in front of my laptop screen, trying to remeber every detail of my first Olympic day of the life time while listening to the theme song “You and Me” (from the official site, unfortunatey, since no downloadable version is by far available).

It was, what was it? Fanbulous and awesome. Arriving at the Entrance 210 just in time for the first qualitification round of Women Artistic Gymnastics at the Nation Indoors Stadium, I was immediately greeted by the professional smile and directing of the volunteer. People’s clapping were furious, mainly to Chinese team, though. A yellow-and-red crowd, each griping their little national flags in hand, were well seated there and now cheering for the 6 young girls who are embracing the hope of this nation.

 (The National Indoor Staduim, gymnasts playing.)

 (Professional volunteer guiding my way to my seat.)

I was soon immersed in the passion of the Chinese audiences as I had to sit down among this cheering crowd, and hightened as the prestigeous young gymnast DENG Lin-lin, who had just hit the stage thanks to her recent show-up in the movie “Dream Weaver 2008″, popped onto the balance beam. She did not finish it quite well, just as she did in the movie, but this seemed to have made the crowd even more exciting. They thought they had witnessed a star in reality - not perfect, but still charming. When the real star, Cheng Fei completed her moves with awesomeness, the Chinese fans went crazy.

“Amazing! Wonderful! Look at the Chinese girls, they are the best!” A middle-aged man, sitting right next to me, could not help to shout. In his hand, a little red flag was gripped firm.

Just next to Cheng Fei, a Romanian gymnast from the medal-winning team was performing on the central floor and ended her moves with a perfect pose. But few has yet noticed. All applause went to the Chinese young star. Later, when the Chinese team finally rotated to the center to practise their floor exercise, the whole stadium just went “red” as one of the most famous traditional theme was played. Older Chinese audiences were touched. They knew this rhythm, which was always played during Spring Festivals.

When the first subvision ended, “China seized every first place that the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics qualification phase can offer”. The Romania (238.425), scoring 10 points behind China (248.275),took the second place in the Team standings.

This was a happy ending for up to 95% of the on-site audiences who were, well, undoubtfully, Chinese. But not quite for me. 

For all time I consider the sport of Gymnastics to be something of appreciation, beauty of human figure and the pursuit of perfection, but it seems the audiences I sat with this morning tend to understand it from another perspective. Just as the whole Game, every sport seemed to link to national pride. The scattered applause of fans coming from Spain, Canada, and maybe me, was swallowed by the vast stadium and the enthusiastic home team fans who came all the way long, only to witness a moment of honor that they had long expected.

Luckily when I walked out of the gymnastic house, things turned much better. Different languages, accents, dressing styles as well as faces  and skins have all made this special Olympic venue much more internationalized than inside the stadiums where competitions were meant to be. Volunteers would guide you the way either with Chinese or English  (though a bit clumsy) with their expertise. Concept stores were fancily designed, welcoming guests who they usually didn’t expected - after all, I would not walk in an OMEGA store while shopping. The atmosphere (not the wheather, which was humid) was free, peaceful, and, I have to say, harmonious. Everything seemed to be perfectly organized with great orders, and though this was anticipated by many foreign journalists (who constantly accused Chinese to be over-ordered) and normally not very true in reality.

 (Dedicately designed and built “drums wall” at the exit of the Olympic Green.)

I spent a total of 5 hours wandering in the huge park of “Olympic Green” and never wanted to get out. I had a tasteful lunch at McDonald’s and chatted with the neighbour-table woman who wore a mascot hat and looked very much like Kate Winslate; I watched a live show at the Volkswagen House performed by a bunch of handsome young man and women; I took photos of all funny stuffs that I encountered alongside the main street including dancing mascots and I had never ever felt that Beijing could be this internationalized.

Only outside the stadiums, however.

When I finally had to leave, I stopped for a moment, looking at this dedicately built venue for the Olympic. It is very Chinese, but at the same time, it could be really international. But how could it be? Only if we all become more open-minded, I think.