Turn Your Fire Outward

Seeing that he was about to speak, everyone perked up. Some even flipped open their notebooks, preparing to take notes—not to record any golden words of wisdom from Chen Qi, but to jot down his remarks and quickly seize on loopholes to refute him. In the eyes of ninety-nine percent of the literary and art establishment, this young punk seemed like a lunatic, a troublemaker, and a guy who had merely stepped in dumb luck. In short, none of them could figure him out. "First, allow me to ask a question: the Japanese did establish concentration camps in China, didn't they?" Chen Qi began. "Of course they did!" "And Unit 731 existed as well, right?" "What are you trying to say?" "I want to ask: do you gentlemen want to sweep these Japanese war crimes under the rug, or do you want people to know about them?" "Let people know, of course!" No one dared be careless with this issue, nor did anyone dare show the slightest hint of denial. One of them said, "Comrade Chen Qi, you were asked to discuss the creative rationale behind the project. Why are you bringing up these irrelevant matters?" "I am discussing it right now!" Chen Qi pressed on, "If that's the case, why shouldn't we make it into a film, send it overseas, and let more people see it? Film is such an incredible propaganda tool, perfectly suited for spreading a message." "..." He waited a few seconds, then said, "Nobody's answering, so I'll answer for you. Because even if we made them, we couldn't get them out there! Why couldn't we? Too heavily laden with overt politics, boycotted by the Western bloc, virtually no commercial market—all factors you know very well in your hearts. "If we don't want to engage with the world, fine, we don't have to do anything. But since we've opened up and want to engage with the world, we must find a way to communicate. "If we want to express something, shouldn't people be able to understand it first? "If they can't even understand it, what's the point of expressing it? "The core of *Life Is Beautiful* is very simple: it's a story of parents protecting their child. Family affection and sacrifice—these are universal to all humanity, transcending race, culture, and language. The whole world can understand that. "Only after they understand it is it possible for them to like it. Only after they like it is it possible for them to remember it. Remember what? Remember that the Japanese ran concentration camps in China and committed so many damned atrocities! "We can't always rely on the fighting and killing in *Tai Chi*. Other genres have to be sent abroad as well. Only when they gain attention overseas will it be possible to further elevate our international influence! "That is my creative rationale!" "..." Dead silence fell over the room. Every pair of eyes in the room stared at him. This had caught everyone off guard. In the ordinary course of things, whenever someone discussed creative intentions, they would approach it from angles like characterization, ideology, artistic merit, or literary depth. Chen Qi hadn't touched on a single one of those; he talked about distribution. Distributing this type of film to the Western world. Chen Huangmei, wearing reading glasses, was taking notes in earnest. He was genuinely writing it all down, finding the speech exceptionally valuable. Meanwhile, some attendees looked baffled, genuinely unable to comprehend it or wrap their minds around the concept. Others had disliked him from the start and felt he was merely twisting logic with sophistry. Yet they didn't understand distribution and couldn't debate it, so they dragged the discussion back to the turf they knew best. "Comrade Chen Qi, you've said so much, and on the surface it might seem plausible. But from an artistic standpoint, *Life Is Beautiful* is still ill-advised. One shouldn't use comedic methods to portray a concentration camp. It's too frivolous, too entertainment-driven. It ought to adhere strictly to historical facts..." "Let me emphasize one point! *Life Is Beautiful* is not an entertainment film. With such a tragic ending and such an oppressive tone, calling it an entertainment flick makes me seriously question your critical faculties." Chen Qi interrupted him bluntly, launching into an all-out broadside: "You keep bringing up comedy at the drop of a hat. Then let me ask you: is *La Grande Vadrouille* a comedy? Is it a classic? In that film, the Germans are portrayed like utter buffoons. Does that conform to historical fact? "And some of our own Anti-Japanese War films have similar issues—why don't you talk about adhering strictly to historical facts then?" "That is reasonable artistic dramatization!" "Mine is artistic dramatization as well. Artistic license is permissible for you, but forbidden for me? What's more, did I glorify the Japanese anywhere in my script? Is there a problem with my stance? There isn't! So what are you all howling about? You certainly play the double-standard game like pros!" Chen Qi even took the trouble to explain: "A double standard means having one standard for yourself and a completely different one for everyone else." So-called ridiculous anti-Japanese dramas weren't invented in later generations; some old wartime films contained similar elements. It was just that later productions went so absurdly over the top with zero baseline—soldiers sipping coffee, riding motorcycles, and wielding AKs while flying through the air—which was why people reviled them. There were plenty of ridiculous anti-German films as well, depicting the Nazi Germans as total idiots... There wasn't much to say about it—it was perfectly normal; the crucial thing was making a good film. Chen Qi's barrage tore through the room, battling the scholars single-handedly until their faces turned red and their necks flushed. Right at that moment, that same person popped up again to insist: "Even if what you say has merit, if you send a film like this abroad, aren't you afraid of damaging international relations?" Hm? Chen Qi cut him a sidelong glance, his voice suddenly spiking: "From what standpoint do you speak such nonsense? You've practically fallen to your knees and ground the martyrs' blood beneath your feet! 'A single movie will upset international relations, astonishing friendly foreign powers!' Are you the Nationalist Party or the Qing court?" "You! You...!" Shaking with rage, the man could hardly sputter out a word. "There is another factor behind why I'm making *Life Is Beautiful*!" With all guns blazing today, Chen Qi continued, "Japan built so many concentration camps in China and imprisoned so many foreigners. Plenty of them are still alive, and they've done quite well for themselves. "Back in Shanghai, I met a foreign-language teacher named Betty Barr. She is deeply attached to China, considers it her home, and is very willing to relocate to our country. She lived through the camps and is immensely representative. But who in our country has ever contacted her? Who has told her story? "And there's the current US Ambassador to China, Arthur W. Hummel Jr.! He was held captive in the Courtyard of the Happy Way concentration camp in Weixian, Shandong. With the help of partisans, he escaped, visited our Liberated Areas, was received by the commander of our New Fourth Army's Fourth Division, served as an aide to Kissinger, and became the first US Ambassador to China! "What an extraordinary representative figure!" Chen Qi slammed the table, infuriated by their ineptitude. "Has any of you ever contacted him? Who has gathered concentration camp materials from him? Who has interviewed him? Who has publicized it? You have a sharp blade right in your hands, yet you don't even know how to swing it! What on earth are you doing? "These foreigners from the concentration camps are our natural allies! Scattered across various countries, they represent a force that cannot be underestimated. "They all suffered Japanese mistreatment—it's a blood feud! If *Life Is Beautiful* is truly made, tell me, will they support it? Won't they speak out and rally behind us? Won't this film be able to screen in the United States? "We can seize the opportunity to invite them over to retrace their past steps, publish articles in newspapers, and broadcast it to the world. Once that happens, the historical fact of Japan's concentration camps will be nailed down! Do you understand? Nailed down, so they can never deny it! "This is called seizing discourse power! "If everyone behaves like that fellow who preaches Sino-Japanese friendship... and more and more people like that crop up, then in a few decades, China's accounts might be branded fabrications while the Japanese become the victims, whining, 'Two atomic bombs were dropped on us, so many people died, we are the victims!' "Do you think that can't happen? "You blather every day about the literary and artistic front line, but where is that front aimed? At our own people?" Chen Qi slammed the table at the crowd. "If you've got the guts, turn your fire outward!" "..." The conference room was like a boiling kettle, whistling and hissing steam, humming with intense discord, everyone scalded crimson. They had assumed today would be an artistic seminar, never expecting him to elevate it straight to this plane. From Chen Qi's eyes, they could read an attitude: he had only come to this meeting and offered an explanation out of sheer necessity; otherwise, he wouldn't even have bothered to speak. To be looked down upon so thoroughly by a mere junior naturally infuriated them, yet they were unable to tune in to his frequency, let alone refute him. "..." Chen Huangmei had filled two entire pages with notes. Emotions surged in his chest, feeling he had gained an immense deal. Sure enough, there was nothing like hearing the creator expound on it in person. Those who remained stubborn craned their necks and kept protesting, "You're twisting logic with sophistry!" "Confounding concepts, inverting right and wrong, utterly unfounded! You... you!" "All right, all right. What is this bickering and squabbling in the middle of a meeting? When people debate, each has their point of view. If your arguments hold water, speak up; if you're outargued, hold your tongue. Everyone is watching..." Chen Huangmei interrupted them, feeling things had gone far enough and continuing would yield nothing new. He declared decisively, "We'll stop here for today. The core issues are clear enough now. You may all be dismissed." "Xiao Chen, please stay behind for a moment!"