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Great Wall of China


goldenlangur

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goldenlangur

Great Wall of China

 

Ramparts darken under low rain clouds. The sun is aloft the other side of the valley and streaks clumps of peony in glistening red and green.

Through and through empty passages the wind churns whorls of dust and a wail of voices. Headless and without bodies, an army of fingers clasped around Mao’s Little Red Book advance towards sun-hatted visitors. Mobile and digital cameras whirr:

 

Live History!

 

But Mao is not to be upstaged, Overhead, wings flap frantically. There he sits on a giant crane in electric blue, brocade suit. His lips not eyes smile. He leans over and flings us sheets. The crumbling parapets are no hindrance in our scramble.

 

Each is a page from the Da Vinci Code. Long Live Dan Brown!

 

 

goldenlangur

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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You have an interesting mix of metaphors in this well-written prose piece. The past meets the present: a monstrous wall and dictator (seems both are linked to the deaths of millions) are juxtaposed with tourists (who most likely also number in the millions) and a present day author (whose earnings and civil judgements are in the millions).

 

I love the line His lips, not eyes, smile. It shows an insincerity.

 

There seems to be something rumbling below the surface. Is it indignation? Does it rise to the level of resentment? I would love to know more background information -- not that I want more added into the work (which is complete) but because I am privileged enough to know the author.

 

Tony

Here is a link to an index of my works on this site: tonyv's Member Archive topic

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goldenlangur

Hi Tony,

 

A million thanks for your considered reading of this piece. I've enjoyed the way you've linked the images and particularly appreciate this perceptive comment:

 

"The past meets the present: a monstrous wall and dictator (seems both are linked to the deaths of millions) are juxtaposed with tourists (who most likely also number in the millions) and a present day author (whose earnings and civil judgements are in the millions).

 

Tony"

 

It is indeed about "millions" - $$$ or money in any currency. This piece was inspired by the recent politically correct hand-wringing in sections of the Western Press, about "Why hate China? Why Now?" in connection with the Free Tibet protests which marked the journey of the Olympic Flame. Some writers like Russell Berman contend that the West afraid of Chinese economic muscles are critical of it, completely overlooking that fact that since 1959, Tibet has been forcibly occupied by China and that the protests in the cities across the globe were to awaken some understanding of the Tibetans' plight. He feels that China should not be singled for such criticism of human rights as there are other countries equally guilty of such crimes. But where does that leave Tibetans? When is a good time to protest about being culturally and racially wiped out by an occupying power?? All these years Tibet has suffered in silence. Does it matter? Ironically, China has seduced people like Berman into believing its myths about how "foreign interference in its internal matters (human rights abuse)" is unacceptable.

 

So this was a kind of parody of China which attracts unquestionable interest and admiration in some quarters. Mao was as greedy and materialist ( contrary to his communist manifesto) and gave away much of the economic and political powers to his nepotic circle ( re: The Gang of Four trials post- Mao). His quashing of religion was to create his own mythology and religion centered on him and his Little Red Book, which as you rightly observe caused havoc in the lives of millions of people (Wild Swan).

 

 

Forgive my long waffle - one feels quite overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness about our neighbor, Tibet.

 

goldenlangur

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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Aleksandra

Dear Goldenlangur. I have read this prose piece while ago, but I did not commented yet because of my absence. I am sorry for that, you know how much I love your work.

 

This piece is provoking in many ways and catches the readers, especially the ones who are familiar or like to get busy with politic events, what have surrender the all sides of life and world. I have read and working with some problematics in this field before and still I do ( the professional manna icon_rolleyes.gif ) And I can feel the angriness in your lines

 

Headless and without bodies, an army of fingers clasped around Mao’s Little Red Book advance towards sun-hatted visitors. Mobile and digital cameras whirr:

 

Live History!

 

The using of real names as Mao, then Dan, gives more power and makes this job more real and worth to write.

 

The destiny of Tibet ... so hard but just voiceless around. You know, on some way I know how that feels. When somebody doesn't accepts you as a identity as nation with a name and surname, it gives such of hate. But I think somebody hold the strings about everything what is going on here.

 

And about millions what you talk my dear friend, yes those are HARD millions on every way.

 

Wonderful expressed and so clear and very powerful. So it means that the provocation by that politically article worked good icon_smile.gif for to write I think something better than that.

 

BW, I am wondering on the end, because you have:

 

Each is a page from the Da Vinci Code. Long Live Dan Brown!

 

- is that mean that you like Brown and the book?

And I am wondering also about connection with the piece. I can get just generally now, Da Vinci book and the subject of this prose piece.

 

I would like to know GL.

 

Thank you goldenlagur for such a interesting job

 

Well done

 

Aleksandra

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth - Jean Cocteau

History of Macedonia

 

 

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goldenlangur

Thank you Aleksandra for giving this a thorough read.

 

Please don't apologize for not reading this earlier - it's perfectly understandable that work and family commitments involve absence from the forum. I too wish I had more time and a good internet connection to visit as often as I would like.

 

You're quite right - there is some strength of feeling here primarily for the tragic consequences of Maoism on the ordinary citizens of China and yes also for the continuing atrocities in Tibet.

 

The reference to Dan Brown is somewhat intended as an irony in that a writer of the most powerful symbol of Christianity in recent times should be hijacked by Mao, an atheist. Also as Tony noted (which is a bonus interpretation for me) Dan Brown is a best seller.

 

 

I appreciate your trouble in taking the time to post a review.

 

goldenlangur

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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Larsen M. Callirhoe

hi goldenlangur,

 

like aleks i missed this story until about two weeks ago because of bad connection i guess i have posted a response to you twice on your prose work twice and it got lost in the ethernet i assume.

 

thanks for the detailed expression. i know the great wall of china is now an egnigma in the present world. i enjoyed your account concerning the present and this enormous wall. tibet is going to some hard time because of china. some want the usa to boycott the olympics in 2008 because of china's harness on tibet and the deli lamas in general and particular.

 

i don't know if religious veiw points even matter in today's world because it causes strife because everyone believes differently about god's ways. all that matters is love i would say to myself and think personally. you give an account of the sacrifice it took to build this great wall and all those who died in bloodshed because of it. and now it is a tourist attraction that the whole world wants to see. it is amazing how people worship monuments such as this. dont they realize this was built to prevent oh i forget the invaders names and know i should have studied the history books better in school but it was built to keep these invaders and others out of china. china was isolated for a very long time before they opened there borders in the late 19th century and this wall helped contribute to this fact.

 

you expressed your sentiments well in this prose work of yours. how you involved the author dan brown impresses me. well done my friend.

 

victor

Larsen M. Callirhoe

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Aleksandra

Hello goldenlangur again. Thank you for your replay back. And yes work and family ( family more than a work icon_biggrin.png bc there is no work ) makes me sometimes away from everything and now especially bc we wait in any moment a new member in my family.

 

Ok. About the reference to Dan Brown. I know he is a best seller but still I can't get how you mean that as an irony in that a writer of the most powerful symbol of Christianity in recent times should be hijacked by Mao, an atheist? Sorry icon_scratch.png but I can't connect. Sounds so mystical the same as Dan's works. I know what about writes Dan, and Da Vinci book, also Angels & Demonswhere he talks about the conflict between the Illuminati, and the Roman Catholic Church, now the The Solomon Key...

 

Ah sorry GL don't get trouble about my ignorance icon_redface.gif

But thank you anyway for trying to help me.

 

Aleksandra

The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth - Jean Cocteau

History of Macedonia

 

 

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goldenlangur

Hi again Aleksandra,

 

It's no trouble at all responding to your query. If you find this piece and my explanation incomprehensible, the fault may well lie with my writing rather than with you. So please don't apologize.

 

You have the answer here:

I know what about writes Dan, and
Da Vinci
book, also
Angels & Demons
where he talks about the conflict between the Illuminati, and the Roman Catholic Church, now the
The Solomon Key
...

 

 

Aleksandra

 

Dan Brown writes about religion (no matter how questioning his stance is) and religion was banned in China under Mao. But I thought it would be a swipe/dig at Mao to show him trying to regain the centre stage through any means, including distributing (Mao used pamphlets extensively in his propaganda) pages of Dan Brown's book on a religious theme. I was just playing around with images of Mao with a twist.

icon_wink.gif

 

 

I appreciate your interest and trouble in trying to make sense of my writing - it's very helpful to get such feedback.

 

Thank you,

 

goldenlangur

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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It's too late today. Will be back to it tomorrow. Interested in reading other people's thoughts.

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