汉语世界 （2014年01期） 总第44期汉语世界（The World of Chinese）

2014年第一期是“红色”主题刊，内容包括中国人对于“红色”和“革命”的态度。主题文章关注中国的新“左派”，了解这些热切怀念过去红色年代的人们；探访坚守共产梦的南街村，展现他们的光荣和梦想；追溯历史，访谈忏悔文革的人们；体现文化，讲述国歌创作者聂耳和田汉的故事。

China’s New Left
Modern leftists have a new dream for contemporary China, and everyone from academics to bloggers want to be heard
中国的新“左派”
Confession Culture
The turbulent era of the Cultural Revolution saw atrocities and loss; all these years later many are still looking for a kind ear to ease their guilt
拒绝沉默和遗忘的人
Maoist Vocation
The Mao era is mercifully over, but one Chinese village in particular relies on the legacy of revolution and socialism to survive
坚守共产梦的南街村
National Anthem Martyrs
The tale behind China’s national anthem is one of tragedy and loss, a story that runs through the history of modern China
国歌的悲伤
Gallery
Thicker than Water
Zhang Xiaogang uses old family photos—combined with his surrealistic point of view—to create a world of cruelty and anonymity
血缘：大家庭
On the Road
Hip to be Square
Square dancing pros and amateurs travel through China on a mission to spread the art of the do-si-do throughout the Middle Kingdom.
在中国教四方舞
Kaleidoscope
Frozen Falls
Photographer Alice Carfrae journeys to the ice falls festival in Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan Province to take a closer look at the frozen natural beauty of this unique landscape
冰雪九寨沟
Made in China
Chinese Labor Corps
James Palmer looks at the legacy of Chinese laborers in WWI and the complex history of China in a world at war
一战中的华人劳工营
Saving China
The Hazy World of Coal
Winter means one thing to Beijingers: smog. Take a look at the role coal plays in the haze that is choking China.
建在煤炭上的雾霾之城
Group Think
A Gilded China
The golden world of the tuhou is often the butt of jokes, but they’re a growing segment of society—one many want to join
土豪归来
Zoetrope
This is Sanlitun
Taking a break from the bleak arena of Chinese cinema, Terence Hsieh takes a look at our very own Carlos Ottery’s Sanlitun satire
《这是三里屯》

Editor’s Letter

 

Arise, Comrades!

Fuel yourselves with revolutionary spirit, and drive the glorious proletariat toward a brighter future against the imperialist Western dogs! Or, ya know, don’t; it’s up to you really. Either way, TWOC has done its level best to bring you a Revolutionary China issue—from red intellectuals to villages living in the age of Mao. China’s relationship with communism is beyond complex, with the competing ideology of market capitalism and its success in driving China’s reform and modern miracle. However, the dream of a socialist paradise is alive and well at the heart of modern China.

They’re the heart of the Party’s ideology and a thorn in its side; today’s Chinese left is a potent force in contemporary Chinese politics. They see themselves as a reminder of the past and the hope for China’s future, but they’re also often seen as a menace to the modern mass line. “China’s New Left” (see page 28) takes a look at how this dwindling group—obsessed with “historical nihilism” and wary of a market-oriented Middle Kingdom—hopes to change the course of the country.

“Confession Culture” (see page 36) studies the mores and importance of confessions from the Cultural Revolution. As one of the most turbulent times in China’s history, conversations about the sins and regrets of the period yo-yo between trendy and shameful. The era itself is cloaked in humiliation and pain, and the issue itself is mired in political sensitivity; those who choose to get on the agonizing road of the Cultural Revolution confession face fire on all fronts.

Deep in Henan Province there lies a city stuck in time. Ornate portraits of Marx, Lenin, and Trotsky dot the landscape, and slogans urging continual revolution are emblazoned on buildings, tenements built for the sole purpose of boasting the power of China’s socialist system. Today, tourists visit this modern Maoist Mecca for a taste of the past, but “Maoist Vacation” (see page 42) shows that this getaway isn’t as immune to the tribulations of the market Middle Kingdom as one might be led to believe.

In “A Martyrs’ Anthem” (see page 48) James Palmer gazes back through the decades of New China to study the history of “March of the Volunteers”, China’s national anthem. This well-known nationalist song has a past of success and pain that, in many ways, mirrors China’s own battles; on the way to becoming the nation’s iconic sons the creators suffered as China suffered. The intellects behind this song rose quickly and fell hard, casualties of China’s march.

If you’re still in the mood for the revolutionary spirit, you can always check out our “On the Character” (see page 92), which delves deep into the character革. Or, if art’s your thing, head on over to “Gallery” (see page 58) to learn how “We Have Betrayed the Revolution”. However, if you’re sick of all this proletarian piffle, read about how the other half lives in our new section “Group Think” (see page 70), which looks at the golden world of the tuhao in all their vulgar glory. If your tastes are even more bourgeois—hedging on the literary—check out “Pioneer” (see page 88) that hosts an interview with China’s short story master Jiang Yitan, or try our new section “Bookmark” (see page 86) for a study of the famous Fortress Besieged. It’s a new year, and you may notice some changes around these parts: new columns, new writers, and new ideas. But, we’re still the same old TWOC, and we wish you and yours a happy New Year.
Tyler Roney
Managing Editor