Two Australians
| by Shang Zuo About 30 years ago, finding a foreigner who spoke Chinese was akin to a miracle. Now, the number of foreigners speaking Chinese is growing, as many people venture to China for study, work, or travel. Nearly 50 million tourists visit China every year. More than 50,000 Koreans live in Beijing. In the small commodity-wholesale city Yiwu, about 10,000 foreigners are doing business. Half of them are from the Middle East. I am not sure of the exact number of foreigners living in China; however, from the figures mentioned above, the total number is conceivably large. These people come to China for various reasons and have been a positive and constructive part of the society. I always feel grateful for their contribution. They are curious about the country, its history, and its people. In like manner, the Chinese are curious about them, too. I’ll talk about two such people. Coincidently, they are both Australians. People call the two best cinematographers in China “Northern Gu and Southern Du.” Northern Gu is Gu Changwei, who lives in Beijing and is a longtime partner of Zhang Yimou. Southern Du is Du Kefeng of Hong Kong, who has worked on a wide range of films and is most famous for his contribution to films directed by Wong Kar-wai, my favorite Hong Kong director. Du Kefeng, which means “like the wind” ( I wish I had a name like that) is the Chinese name of Christopher Doyle. I have long known Du Kefeng because I often saw his name listed as a cinematographer in movies. But I didn’t know he was White until I saw “Comrades, Almost a Love Story,” a movie in which he played a small role as a drunken English teacher. When I saw him on the screen, I was totally confused. “So, Du Kefeng is not Chinese?” Maybe Doyle himself is puzzled by his identity, too. He once joked about himself being “a Chinese with some skin disease” (referring to his white skin). Doyle spent much of his youth travelling the world. He was a cowherd in Israel, a well-digger in India, and a doctor of Chinese medicine in Thailand. He studied at the University of Hong Kong and then joined the art sphere. The shining list of directors he has worked with is enviable to any cinematographer: Edward Yang in Taiwan, Wong Kar-wai in Hong Kong, Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Zhang Yuan in Beijing. He partially defined, and is partially defined by, the films of Wong Kar-wai, which are distinguished for vanguard camera angles and movements, stylish colors, and manipulation of film speed.In Doyle’s camera, the city and people of Hong Kong, from the sixties to the nineties, are so charming and unforgettable. Another Australian who speaks fluent Chinese and caught my interest recently is the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd. An interesting exchange took place during the Boao Forum for Asia, a world leader- and- entrepreneur summit held annually in Boao. After the President of Kazakhstan gave a surprise speech in Chinese, the host of the meeting thanked him for the great speech. He then turned to Rudd, who had been an active and popular speaker because of his proficient Chinese. “Kevin, you’ve got a serious challenger this year,” the host warned. Rudd majored in Chinese language and history. Using Chinese concepts and vocabulary makes his speeches more influential among a Chinese audience. In his speech to students at Beijing University in April, Rudd suggested building a relationship of “zhengyou” between Australia and China. He said, “A true friend is one who can be a ‘zhengyou,’ that is, a partner who sees beyond immediate benefit to the broader and firm basis for continuing, profound and sincere friendship. In other words, a true friendship which ‘offers unflinching advice and counsels restraint’ to engage in principled dialogue about matters of contention. It is the kind of friendship that I know is treasured in China’s political tradition. It is the kind of friendship that I also offer China today.” People often judge outsiders with the question “Are you with us or against us?” They are unlikely to compromise under realistic or perceived pressures and threats. A genuine behavioral change can only be achieved through reason from within, rather than dictation from the outside. What Rudd meant was, “We’re with you in principle, but may disagree with you on many specific matters.” He appeared as a partner and a helper, not a lecturer. China needs help and has a lot to learn from other countries, especially developed countries. Rudd’s words, citing the tradition of zhengyou, are easier for his audience to understand, and help remove the doubts about the motives of criticisms from the West. Rudd’s effort to lay a foundation of mutual understanding and trust is a good step towards building a long-term, healthy relationship. The change may not be immediate, but the genuine tone of his speech will be remembered by officials and the public. (Shang Zuo will write on the Sichuan earthquake next month.) |