Sunday, June 21, 2009

A Show of Solidarity with Freedom Fighters Everywhere

This post was inspired by a conversation I had with Sepiru Chris last week on his blog e-Cuneiform scratchings (http://e-cuneiform.blogspot.com). I told him that we all need to stand in solidarity to push back against the bullies and oppressors of the world. I applauded him for showing support for the memory of those who died at Tiananmen Square, even though his post came several days after June 4. Today I dedicate my post to the freedom fighters in Iran who are risking life and limb to demand fair elections and freedoms in their country. I cannot do more than post this in support of them, but I offer this poem by Chinese dissident poet Jiang Pinchao to show that sometimes the smallest of gestures means much to a suffering freedom fighter.

In his speech to students at Cal State Long Beach on April 13, 2009, Jiang Pianchao described his arrest and incarceration for taking part in the June Fourth student protests in China in 1989. Like most of the students, Jiang was sent back to his school to wait for the results of the government’s investigations. Many of the students did not believe that their government would retaliate against them with such cruel measures until after they were arrested, interrogated under torture, and imprisoned. Jiang was encouraged through his sufferings by his memories of a small gesture: a handshake from one of his teachers just prior to his arrest. The other speaker at CSULB that day, Bob Fu of China Aid Association was not so lucky. His blood-sworn brothers, who had demonstrated with him at Tiananmen, sold him out and placed all the blame squarely on him to save their own skins. The disillusionment that he felt from being sold out by his friends almost caused him to take his own life. These examples show that in the heat of the battle against injustice the smallest gesture of support can strengthen the combatants to stand firm to the bitter end.

Handshake

By Jiang Pinchao
Translated by Teresa Zimmerman-Liu
Edited by Brian E. Hansen
Published in June Fourth Tiananmen Massacre Twentieth Anniversary Memorial Booklet

In the tree-breaking storm
you cared for the flowers
among the thistles in my path.
You did not avoid the thorns but
threw petals before me.
In my difficulties
I was lonely,
I needed understanding and support.
Your handshake
gave me what I lacked.
We did not speak at our solemn parting but
your eyes brimmed with pity, love, sorrow.

High walls, electric fences, guard towers,
blocked the desolate road ahead,
machine guns aimed at my thoughts, but
I know my responsibility.
When I am lost
I will remember your eyes.
When I feel lazy,
I will recall your hand’s touch.
Friendless,
I will remember.
Suffering,
I will rejoice.
Lonely,
I will ponder.
Terrified,
I will fight.

In this desolate wilderness
when life gave me a bitter drink
you allowed me to taste sweetness.
On this precipitous mountain road
where some would cut off my freedom
you whispered, “They are evil.”
On a freezing winter night
when history would lock me in a cold prison
you gave me a flame for warmth.

At the end of my life
I will have a rich harvest.
On this glorious journey
history will see a new dawn.
My fatherland will see
a day of democracy, a day of freedom,
a day of prosperity, and
I know this new day
will come because of you
because of your handshake.
As a zealous patriot for my fatherland
I etch your name
into the corner of our memorial.

March 23, 1990, Hanyang, China

9 comments:

Sepiru Chris said...

Dear Teresa,

Wonderful post, and a moving poem.

Are you permitted to post the Chinese original, as some of us would be interested in that also...

Your translation produces a compelling poem, without knowing the original, the translation stands on its own.

Tschuess,
Chris

Teresa said...

Yes, I can post the Chinese. It is taken from 六四詩集, edited and in this case the poem was also written by 將品超. His work is in simplified characters.

沉沉的一握

永远忘不了
那沉沉的一握
虽是短暂
意却那样深浓
是寒风折枝的日子
你如此珍爱花朵
是荆榛丛生的岁月
你不避刺蔓
送来这情真意挚的爱河
坎坷中
我渴望看清自己所走的路
孤独时
我需要理解和支持
沉沉的一握
我知道
不只是道义的问候
更有真诚的相嘱
——无言是作别的沉重
对视里满含哀怜、厚爱和伤痛

这是一条悲凉的路
高墙、电网、荷枪实弹的哨岗
注射着窒息生命的思想
而我明白肩上的重任
迷途时,我会想起你的眼
懈怠了,我会摸一摸我的手
寂寞
我温馨
痛苦
我欢乐
孤独
我深沉
恐怖
我抗争
有了你这份真情
我会燃烧得更加赤诚

谢谢你,在一片凄凉的荒原
生命给了我一杯苦酒
你让我品出了甘甜
谢谢你,在一条崎岖的山路
有人想把自由阉割
你郑重诚挚告诉我,那是邪恶
谢谢你,在一个寒冷的冬夜
历史给了我一牢冷酷
你为我送来了取暖之火
——我
永远不会忘记

生命到了尽头
我会有饱满的收获
灿烂的行程
历史有了日出
祖国将日益民主日益自由
日益繁荣昌盛
而我将清楚地知道
这一次收获这一次日出
离不开你
我沉沉的真挚的一握
以一个祖国赤子的名义
在那激动人心的时刻
我将深深地深深地
刻你在纪念碑的一角
1990年3月23日,中国汉阳

Teresa said...

I have previously posted two other poems from Jiang Pinchao's anthology "June Fourth Poems". The Chinese original is now in each of the comments sections on those posts. If anyone is interested in obtaining the Chinese original anthology or in getting a copy of the English June Fourth Tiananmen Massacre Twentieth Anniversary Memorial Booklet with pictures, narrative of the 1989 student protests and what happened after from the point of view of ordinary student participants, four poems from the "June Fourth Poems" anthology and a discussion of the effect of dissident poetry in Chinese politics, you can e-mail Mr. Jiang at the June Fourth Heritage & Culture Association (wuhan1010@hotmail.com). I believe the Memorial Booklet costs less than 10 USD including shipping.

Here are the links to my other posts with the poems:

http://wwwwhitechinese.blogspot.com/2009/04/twentieth-anniversary-of-1989-chinese.html

http://wwwwhitechinese.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-memoriam-4-june-1989.html

Cloudia said...

Thank you Teresa for this important, moving and inspiring post!!

Aloha

Comfort Spiral

murat11 said...

Teresa: Thank you, again, for pointing eyes and ears to wider vistas. The poem is beautiful, and how moving that this handshake was an anchor for Jiang Pinchao through all his dark days and nights.

but / I know my responsibility are haunting words, and what a beautiful affirmation in the last stanza.

I know this new day
will come because of you
because of your handshake.


The power of butterfly wings...

Thank you for posting the Chinese characters, too. Further evidence of poetry as a visual art, too.

Teresa said...

Good Morning Cloudia,

Thanks for your words of encouragement.

Murat: Chinese poetry is definitely visual, aural, and meaningful. There are shades and nuances of meaning the Chinese that are impossible to capture in English unless you forget about making it sound like poetry.

I again have to thank my cousin Brian E. Hansen for his excellent job of editing the poems and making them real poetry.

Teresa

Cloudia said...

Masterful Moving!!!!!!!!!!
Chris is right; great poetic translation!

Cloudia said...

Dear Teresa:
I am posting this posem Friday with a link back to you and of course full credit and citations.

I love it an want to spread it!
Aloha
Let me know if you object so I can comply with your wishes...Aloha

Teresa said...

Go ahead Cloudia, the poet is Jiang Pinchao, I translated it, and my cousin Brian E. Hansen edited it and shaped it into poetry. I am much better at prose than poetry. But I guess I have that info under the title, so with those attributions, go ahead. I agree that these sentiments need to be spread.