"Xiaonong and 'Calling from the East Coast' " - 1975
「东岸的呼声」是小农去纽约后第一篇的来稿。当我仔细的把这幕短剧看完了之后，觉得非常感动，不由不兴奋起来。这并不是说小农的写作已经达到了炉火纯青的地步，相反的， 他距离成熟的阶段还很遥远。 但是「东岸的呼声」可能是小农写作的一个重要的里程碑，是他从环境影响个人伤感的窄小范围，转进了建立个人关怀社会人群的关系的开始。
小农是一个华侨青年「准」作家，二十多岁的年纪，虽然不是出生此地，但是接受此地的生活教育，也生长在华埠少青活得不快乐的时代中。他的中文和文学的修练也是在此地的旧金山省立大学学习出来的，所以我要说他是我们华人社会的产物。
小农替我们写稿的时候还是在大学里念着书。 我认识他的时候，他刚从访问中国大陆回来。 大概访问中国比许多人都早些， 不过他回来后，却没有到处去显示「高贵」，因为我知道小农去中国的动机，他不但是求知欲很强，而且富有体验和尝试的勇气。 当时，我还不知道他是一个爱好文学的学生。 后来，在华埠少年大闹帮党杀案之后，他给我写了一首用英文写的诗，语气十分沈痛，题材异常关切。自此，我就鼓励他替我们写起稿来。
以小农对人事的敏感和对社会改进的关怀，在我们这个腐朽和麻木的环境里，不免会有消沈和苦恼的感觉。这多年来小农深深的摸索着他自己的人生道路。 他要知道的，是怎样去做人，怎样去生活才有意义。 所以在他还差一个学期快要毕业的时候，他却放弃了学业，流浪到法国去，希望在那边文艺特别浓厚的地方，多点见识，多点体验，从而能够找到一个满意的答案来。 结果，当然是找不到的。 一年后他回来这里，迷途般茫然的心情继续缠绕着他。
他把学业结束以后，曾告诉我说： 「我不要作昨天躲在屋里头不问世事的书生，也不要作只管为赚钱而亡命的人」，所以，他决定再次漂流，到纽约去。
我是个不得不为钱而亡命的人，所以我们见面谈话的机会很少，时间又短。小农临走前来看我，谈谈他渺茫而说不清楚目标的前程。 我知道他是要找寻自己，所以我预约他给我们写些「流浪日记」之类的体验新环境和发掘人性的文章。
可是，小农到达纽约后，竟发现了一个新的天地，他结识了许多不甘愿逃避和亡命的新朋友。他参加了新艺剧社和中文电视的工作。他很兴奋地来信说：「我知道要深入地认识一个人很不容易，更何况一大群人，一个社会呢？我要在这边生活，目前我不要流浪，「流浪日记」也不要写了。」
好！活的生活把他过去消沈和伤感的气氛驱散了。 而事实上，也只要从活的生活中才能够写出活的文章来。「东岸的呼声」是这样从生活的觉悟中产生出来的。
「东岸的呼声」虽然仅是一幕象征性的短短剧，但是它的主题却能够深深地把握着社会动荡中的历史和时代转变中的精神。 我们华侨正是处在这样的一个社会和时代中。
老青少是我们共存的三代。 未来的一代不但富有好奇心，还有更大的进取心。 他们不愿意迷恋在「有蚱蜢，小花蝶，也有斑雀儿，小松鼠，顶好玩的」小丘里，他们要听那铜锣「在沉寂的荒野」里震荡的响声。 他们不但要消极的去听，还要积极的跟着青年人一般热情的去敲。 未来的一代在锣声的鼓舞下，坚持要向前走。
老的一代，在青年人的到临和少年人的催速下，把他从不知不觉的梦中唤醒了。 老的一代因为很久已经听不到锣声，满以为前面的人已经走光了，死了， 前面不过是「一片荒野，莽丛」，一个没有希望的地方。但是老的一代，过去的确有过一个灿烂的时代。（是三四十年代的救亡活动吗？ 是五十年代初期反压迫的行动？ 还是更早更早的社会发展？）老的一代给这很熟的锣声唤起了过去光荣的记忆来：「那时代，不单止有敲铜锣的，还有打鼓的，吹笛的，唱歌的，跳舞的」。 他们醒来了，还预告着： 「打锣的既然来啦，热闹的日子还会远吗？」醒觉了老的一代， 肯定明天一定是个有希望的好日子。
年青的一代，负上了敲锣的使命， 抱着乐观的精神，迈步向前，要打破过去一代放弃了希望的寂静。在他边走边打的时候，深信着「前面一定有响应的。」
「东岸的呼声」一剧的文字十分简洁，毫无虚浮和装饰的笔法。没有废话，也没有口号。 主角是老人，因为态度转变的是他。 他的转变有着自己过去的历史和认识。 是的，我们承认是青年人的志气和活动唤醒了他，使他从消极的沉寂中觉悟过来，朝向着光明的明天。 无疑的，他曾经有过怀疑和不信，但是他为了生长中的下一代的前途，不得不变。
小农的来信说： 「华埠这文化的沙漠实在干枯得太久了。」
我们为什么不愿意把我们上了尘埃的锣鼓拿出来？
“Calling from the East Coast” is Xiaonong’s first contributed article after he went to New York. After I closely read this short play, I was deeply moved and couldn’t help getting excited. This is not to say Xiaonong’s writing has reached a high degree like a pure blue flame. On the contrary, he is quite far from the stage of being developed. But “Calling from the East Coast” could be a milestone of his writing in which he shifted from the narrow scope of individual sentimentality that was influenced by the environment into the beginning of his established concern for society and human relationships.
Xiaonong is a young overseas Chinese writer-to-be just over 20 years of age. Although he was not born here, he has experienced life here, received education in this land, and grew up in the period when the youngsters in Chinatown were not living happily. His Chinese and literary training were also from here in San Francisco State University, so I could say he is a product of our overseas Chinese society.
When Xiaonong first wrote for us, he was still studying in college. He just returned from visiting mainland China when I first met him. Perhaps he visited China earlier than many people, and after he returned he did not go around showing off his “privileged” status. I knew his motive for going to China. He has not only a strong desire to learn, but also the courage to try and to experience things in person. At the time I didn’t know he was a student fond of literature. Later, when the youngsters in Chinatown had a big gang warfare and killing, he wrote me an English poem with a heavy tone and a theme showing great concern. Thereafter, I encouraged him to write for us.
Considering Xiaonong’s keen observation of human affairs and his concern for the progress of the society, he can’t avoid the depressed and distressed feelings in our corrupt and apathetic environment. For many years he has been searching for his own path of life. What he wants to know is how to be a human being and what kind of a living one should have for a meaningful life. So, with only a semester from graduation, he abandoned his education and wandered into France. He hoped in the place with an especially rich literary aura he would see more and experience more, and in doing so he will find a satisfactory answer. Naturally the result was that he didn’t find it. He came back a year later, and that feeling of being lost of one’s way continued to enlace him.
After he finished college, he told me, “I don’t want to be a student hiding at home all day and not pay any attention to world affairs. And I don’t want to be a money-making desperado.” Therefore, he decided to wander again and went to New York.
I am a desperado who must make money, so we didn’t have many chances to meet and talk. Besides, there wasn’t much time before he went away. He came to see me just before he left and talked about his future that was uncertain and without a clear goal. I knew he wanted to find himself, so I asked him to agree to write a type of “Wandering Journal” about his experience in the new environment and his exploration of human nature.
However, after Xiaonong arrived in New York, he discovered a new world. He made many new friends who are not willing to escape or flee life. He joined the New Art Drama Club and works in Chinese television. With full excitement in his letter he writes, “I know it is not easy to truly understand a person, let alone a big group or the society. I want to settle my living here, and now I do not want to continue wandering. As to the “Wandering Journal” I also would not write it anymore.”
Great! The vigorous living has chased away the mood of his depression and sadness from the past. In fact, it is only from a spirited living that one is able to write stimulating articles. “Calling from the East Coast” is a product coming out of the awareness of life.
Although “Calling from the East Coast” is just a short one-act symbolic play, its theme is able to fully capture the history of an unrest society and the spirit in a transitional era. We overseas Chinese are indeed living in this society and in this era.
The old, the young, and the juvenile are three of our coexisting generations. The future generation will not only be full of curiosity, but would also have greater aspiration. They don’t want to be captivated by the little hill where there are “grasshoppers, little butterflies, little sparrows, and little squirrels that are all very amusing.” They want to hear the roaring resounding of the gong in the “silent wilderness.” They not only want to listen to it passively, but also want to actively strike the gong with the same enthusiasm as the young people. Encouraged by the sound of the gong, the future generation will persist in marching forward.
With the arrival of the young and the pressing of the juvenile, the elder generation is awakened unconsciously from their dreams. Because the old generation has not heard the sound of the gong for a long time, they assume that the people in front have all gone, or dead, and what is in front is just “a field of wilderness with wild grass,” a place without hope. But the old generation indeed had a splendid era in the past. (Was it the activities of saving the nation in the 40’s and 50’s? Was it the anti-oppression of the early 50’s? Or was it societal development in a much earlier time?) The old generation is awakened to the memory of their past glory by this familiar sound of the gong: “In that era, besides the banging of the gong, we also had beating of the drum, blowing of the horn, singing songs and dancing.” Being awakened, the old generation foresees that: “Since the ones banging on the gong are here, would the lively and exciting time be far away?” For the awakened old generation, tomorrow definitely will be a hopeful day.
The young generation takes on the mission of banging the gong. With an optimistic spirit they are taking big steps forward, as they want to break the silence left by the past generation after they gave up hope. While going forward and banging the gong, they deeply believe “there has to be a response ahead.”
The language in “Calling from the East Coast” is clean, simple, and without any superficial and flowery crafting. There are no superfluous talks nor slogans. The old man is the main character because he is the one whose attitude has changed. His change consists of his own past history and knowledge. Yes, we would admit that it was the young man’s aspiration and activity that woke the old man, bringing him to be awakened out of the pessimistic silence to face the brightness of tomorrow. Without doubt he had had distrust and disbelief, but he has to change for the future of the growing, next generation.
Xiao Nong said in his letter: “The cultural desert of Chinatown has really been dried for too long.”
Why are we not willing to take out our gongs and drums that have collected dust?