Hao's Blog

昨天参加了一个拍卖，里面的物件是一位刚过世的老者的，所有东西必须卖掉。老人家应该是英格兰移民或者后裔，许多物件来自英格兰；且生活应颇为精致，家具非常多，都是上好木材；众多水晶器皿，英格兰骨瓷茶杯和手工制收藏级别的洋娃娃、泰迪熊（Gund bears）；甚至有两个雪橇，老人家应是爱玩之人吧。

拍卖官首先报出一个起拍价，因为必须卖掉，如果无人应答，拍卖官会打对折，直到有人举牌为止。因着这个规律，大部分拍品都是在一个不可思议的低价才有人举牌。到场的人举牌大多数是为实用价值或被其外观吸引，只有很少一部分是来买古董的。尤其是一个古董如果不那么讨喜，往往会受到冷落，懂行的人就可以用一个很低的价格买到。在会场就有那么一位老妇人，拍卖公司的人都尊敬她，我问关于我拍得物件的时候，他们都让我去咨询她的。她举牌也很有意思，一个漂亮的物件，价格攀升速度惊人，她却意兴阑珊；但对一个不起眼的碟子或烛台，却坐直身子，严阵以待；因为只有她举牌，她总是能以10块以下的价格拍得，也不起身去取，像在说“还有很多东西要买呢”。在我问过她问题之后，算是认得了，拍卖官举起一个破旧的钢琴形状音乐盒的时候，她对我狡黠一笑，嘴形在说"Nice"，结果她10块钱就买到了。认得她之后，我一度颇为挣扎，她看中的物件应是上品，但又不忍争其所爱因为她很详细的跟我解释了我拍得物件的价值、年份。

我拍得了六套茶杯、一套镀银茶具、一台柯达Vigilant Six-20老式折叠相机、Cassell & Co1948年第一版的丘吉尔二战回忆录的第一、二卷。镀银茶具是上个世纪40年代生产的一套18世纪茶具的复制品，精致厚重，爱不释手。六套茶杯皆为英格兰出品，图案精细，手感甚好，年代尚未考究。唯一遗憾是未能坚决拍得泰迪熊或洋娃娃，后来上网查阅得知它们价值斐然。

Profound historic knowledge on Eastern Europe of 15th century, I am looking forward to reading the textbook about this part in human history, Ottoman, Vlad, Byzantine, etc. I am also looking forward to our trip (hopefully in near future) to eastern european countries, like Romania, Hungary and Turkey. They are so temping to me now. But first I should finish Stoker's Dracula.

The Historian's theme is 'search', it's quite agreeable to my PhD background. You know, all PhDs are more or less having a compulsive need to dig into interested things. But this dangerous search is more about love, love for father, love for mentor, love for lovers.

The process of search is quite 'gripping', but the ending is a little bit dry and plain. I think the ending should lift the reader to the climax and let him/her savour a little bit longer the bitterness of the tragedy to her family after their victory over the Drakulya.

Most items in my booklist are mysteries/ detectives stories, because they are meant to be read leisurely and I can free my mind from real-world pressure by indulging myself in those turns/suspenses.

But this book, by the first chinese (educated in China) who won the Nobel prize for literature, has been a totally new reading experience and changed part of my belief in some subtle way (that I don't know how to express).

I came across this book at the Coles and bought it instantly. The author's intro really surprised me with mixture of happiness and sadness. Before this book I didn't knew that a Chinese had already won the Nobel prize in 2000. The news has been blocked by the China mainland mass media because Gao told stories about oppression during the Chinese Cultural Revolution which is against the government's propaganda. But years ago fierce discussions have stirred up among literature professionals: "the soul mountain is good, but one man's bible is a mess"; "Gao is not the best writer concerning Chinese literature; too much focus on Nobel prize means concession to the forceful western culture and allowing invasion to our own great tradition". Ironically, much earlier in 1966 Nobel prize committee would have given the prize to another Chinese literature master, Lao She, if he hadn't committed suicide (after he was bullied by red guards) two months before the announcement. Anyway, I am proud that a novel that was written in Chinese characters finally won the Nobel prize (several classics in modern chinese literature before Gao's had great chances of winning).

One man's bible is about author's experiences (I rather see them as true stories of his or his friends) in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The narration is like reluctant exposure to his lover, frequently interrupted by the pain from re-peeling the ever-healing wounds; or like murmuring to himself, accompanied with repeatitious self-confirmations of his complete freedom. I felt oppressed and hurt for many tragedies of people around him, especially the one of his student, Sun Huirong, who was raped multiple times and accused for seducing the rapist. Young girls were raped physically but many more others got raped spiritually and politically.

Anyway, this era of chaos has long gone, the situation in China mainland is much better now. Be patient, our government need a little bit more time to be confident enough to talk about this part of history. I am blessed to be born at the end of cultural revolution, so I did, do and will proudly say that this country is my motherland.

We got married on Aug.11,2006. I am still feeling I am the luckiest guy in the world.

Now I am alone in this office again

 

C U in halifax, Badal and Tanay~ and to Tanay, best wishes to your wedding in Halifax, Toronto and India.