作 者：龔如仲（美國）
海外頭條總編審 王 在 軍 （中國）
海外頭條副編審 Wendy溫迪 （英國）
海 外 頭 條總 編 火 鳳 凰 （海外）
圖片選自百度
令人難忘的魏老太太
文/龔如仲（美國）
五年的新聞職業(yè)生涯讓我接觸了許多新聞界的“名嘴”、專家、權(quán)威和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。在這些我所熟悉的精英中，有不少人給我留下了深刻的印象，而其中最讓我難忘的是魏琳女士。
魏琳女士是我的頂頭上司，也是我職業(yè)生涯里的良師益友。魏女士為人低調(diào)、舉止謙遜，對(duì)同事和部下熱情、寬厚。所以，我們電臺(tái)英語部的同仁們從不叫她“魏組長”或“魏主任”，而是親切地稱呼她為魏老太太。
提起魏琳女士，電臺(tái)上下幾乎無人不知、無人不曉，算得上是個(gè)大名鼎鼎的人物了。魏女士出身于上海一個(gè)大資本家家庭，稱得上是一位豪門千金。就是這位豪門千金，早年毅然背離家庭，冒險(xiǎn)從十里洋場(chǎng)的大上海奔赴紅色根據(jù)地延安，投向了共產(chǎn)黨領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的紅色政權(quán)。由于畢業(yè)于名牌大學(xué)，而且在英語方面造詣極深，因此到延安后不久，魏女士便被上司選中，成了中國紅色政權(quán)對(duì)外英語廣播的第一人。之后，她就追隨毛澤東轉(zhuǎn)戰(zhàn)南北，從陜西延安的土窯洞到河北平山縣的西柏坡村，最后抵達(dá)解放了的北京城。
多少年來，魏女士都以她那地道純正的英語、甜美有力的聲音向全世界報(bào)導(dǎo)著毛澤東所率領(lǐng)的紅軍和解放軍所經(jīng)歷過的艱難歷程。1949年新中國成立，魏女士自然而然地成為了中國對(duì)外廣播的喉舌?英語播音的掌門人。
論資格，魏女士是位“老革命”；論級(jí)別，魏女士足可以登上中國任何一個(gè)地級(jí)市市長大人的寶座；論學(xué)問，魏女士對(duì)英語播音爐火純青的理解功力，英語部無人可望其項(xiàng)背；論家庭，魏女士的第一位丈夫是著名的美國學(xué)者、老資格新聞專家李敦白（SIDNEY RITTENBURG）先生。李敦白先生早年來華投身于毛澤東的紅色政權(quán)，是中國共產(chǎn)黨歷史上絕無僅有的外籍黨員。他還與魏女士齊心協(xié)力，共同創(chuàng)建了紅色政權(quán)下“新華廣播電臺(tái)”對(duì)外播音部。但沒過幾年，李敦白先生與魏琳女士解除了婚約，后來他又娶了一位王女士為妻。魏女士后來與其終身相伴的第二位丈夫是一位朝鮮族大學(xué)者崔先生，一個(gè)在其業(yè)界頗具名聲的大教授。
按常理，魏女士既然是一位各方面都堪稱完美的新聞界名流，在她的身上一定會(huì)有一種與眾不同的強(qiáng)力氣場(chǎng)。然而，當(dāng)我頭一次見到這位極具傳奇色彩的魏女士時(shí)，她給我的印象卻像是一位鄰家大媽。只見她穿一身撲素的藍(lán)布衣褲，剪一個(gè)不長不短的平直頭型，腳上蹬一雙半新半舊的黑布鞋，既不像個(gè)“大領(lǐng)導(dǎo)”，也不顯露出任何“大權(quán)威”的氣勢(shì)。然而就是這么一位看上去普普通通、略有點(diǎn)不修邊幅的老太太，在國際臺(tái)、乃至整個(gè)廣播事業(yè)局，都是一位受人尊敬的大人物。
魏老太太的良好口碑不但來自于她那無私而真誠的品行，同時(shí)也起因于她那種勤奮而敬業(yè)的精神，更重要的是因?yàn)槲豪咸珜?duì)部下既嚴(yán)格又富有人性的要求。
在當(dāng)時(shí)那個(gè)年代，人們工資普遍較低，物資供應(yīng)也不充裕。這位薪水相對(duì)而言比較豐厚的魏領(lǐng)導(dǎo)，經(jīng)常會(huì)拿出自己的部分工資買些糖果或點(diǎn)心帶到辦公室供大家享用。當(dāng)時(shí)我們播音員每人每月有六元人民幣的特殊津貼，用來保養(yǎng)嗓子。這份津貼用作家庭開支的補(bǔ)貼是相當(dāng)不錯(cuò)的。然而魏老太太卻從未領(lǐng)取過這筆津貼。用她自己的話來說：“我工資不低，夠花了，何必再拿公家發(fā)給我的播音員津貼”？
我們上夜班時(shí)都有一點(diǎn)加班費(fèi)，這自然也使我們感到相當(dāng)開心。然而更開心的是和魏老太太共上夜班，因?yàn)槲豪咸ǔ６紩?huì)把她的那份加班費(fèi)“貢獻(xiàn)”出來，給大家買夜宵吃。
在平日里，無論是張三家病了，還是李四家里有難處了，只要魏讓老太太知道了，她一定會(huì)拿自己的錢給生病的同事買些水果，給有難處的家庭送上一點(diǎn)資助?？梢赃@么說，魏老太太是我自參加工作以來所遇到過的最無私、最熱心的好領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。
而對(duì)我個(gè)人而言，我也曾受惠于這位熱心的老太太。那還是發(fā)生在1979年春天的事情。一次偶而體檢，醫(yī)生發(fā)現(xiàn)我的直腸與膀胱外壁之間有一硬塊，后經(jīng)若干其它醫(yī)生的反復(fù)檢查，一位當(dāng)時(shí)在中國國內(nèi)首屈一指的泌尿科專家竟懷疑我的直腸與膀胱外壁處長了一塊癌腫。這無疑是晴天霹靂，一下子將我擊暈了。家人知道后也亂了方寸，甚至連同事也為我擔(dān)憂。
魏老太太聞?dòng)嵑?，便立刻?duì)我及我妻加以安慰，同時(shí)她提議我到北京一家著名的軍人醫(yī)院去作一次復(fù)查，因?yàn)槟羌裔t(yī)院的外科主任就是她的親弟弟。經(jīng)過這位少壯派名醫(yī)的仔細(xì)檢查后斷定，他認(rèn)為“那不可能是癌癥”。他告訴我：“根本不用去理會(huì)它，待過一陣后再作一次徹查”。然而遺憾的是，我那時(shí)太迷信權(quán)威了，所以最終辜負(fù)了這位年輕醫(yī)生的正確診斷，而是聽從了那位在當(dāng)時(shí)醫(yī)學(xué)界的泌尿科方面最頗具權(quán)威的專家的安排，并住進(jìn)醫(yī)院并進(jìn)行了“剖腹探查”。手術(shù)時(shí)才發(fā)現(xiàn)，那腫塊只是個(gè)肌肉鈣化點(diǎn)，根本不是什么癌變，完全是虛驚一場(chǎng)。然而迷信權(quán)威的我白白地遭受了一場(chǎng)開膛破肚的痛楚。
這期間多虧了妻子的百般照顧，白天照常上班的她，下班后得給我老父親及女兒做飯、做家務(wù)，到了夜里就匆匆趕到醫(yī)院照看護(hù)我這個(gè)病號(hào)。那段時(shí)間，她幾乎徹夜無眠。
然而就在我開刀后的第三天早上，天剛蒙蒙亮，我就看到走進(jìn)我病房的魏老太太。她當(dāng)時(shí)手里端著一個(gè)用衣服包好的大沙鍋，沙鍋里是她剛剛燉好的雞肉和雞湯。她囑咐我好好享用，說是雞湯不僅對(duì)我身體有補(bǔ)，而且有助于我的傷口愈合。要知道，在那個(gè)歲月里，人們要買到一只活雞，必須半夜里就到菜市場(chǎng)排隊(duì)守候到清晨。想到魏老太太為了我排隊(duì)買雞、一夜未睡、又費(fèi)力耗時(shí)地為我燉雞湯，瞧瞧面前冒著騰騰熱氣的沙鍋，再看看魏老太太那疲倦的面容，我禁不住熱淚盈眶。這就是我的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)魏老太太！
魏老太太不但在生活上關(guān)心部下，而且在大是大非的關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻敢于站出來仗義執(zhí)言，為維護(hù)部下的名聲和前程盡心竭力。記得那是1976年的夏天，中國唐山發(fā)生了大地震，幾百公里外的北京城也被那場(chǎng)歷史上罕見的大地震攪得天翻地覆。北京的市民們不允許待在家中，妻和我就帶著剛剛六個(gè)月大的小女兒露宿在住家附近的菜市場(chǎng)。和鄰居們一樣，我們找來幾個(gè)空菜筐翻過來底朝上，然后在拼起來的菜筐上面鋪個(gè)床單，一家三口就在這種臨時(shí)“床”上夜宿了二十余日（我的大女兒到上海父親家去避難了）。
在那個(gè)災(zāi)難時(shí)刻，家家忙著抗震，北京人可以不用上班。然而，作為中國政府喉舌的對(duì)外廣播電臺(tái)是不能休息的。尤其是我們這些電臺(tái)的關(guān)鍵人物播音員必須和平日一樣，堅(jiān)守在工作崗位上。用我們電臺(tái)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的話來說：“那怕廣播大樓被震塌了，播音員也不能離開播音室”！于是我們這些播音員及編輯、監(jiān)聽等搭檔無一例外地照常上班。
當(dāng)時(shí)我的家離廣播大樓很遠(yuǎn)，一來一回騎自行車近四十公里，平時(shí)我上夜班時(shí)住在大樓的單身宿舍里。可面對(duì)地震的特殊時(shí)期，我真的犯了難：想到別的家庭都是“夫妻雙雙、齊心協(xié)力”，而我家只有妻子一人在忙活：她既要帶孩子，又要參加街道安排的抗震活動(dòng)，那么我該怎么辦？考慮再三，我決定每天一等到工作結(jié)束，就馬上偷偷地溜出廣播大樓，騎上自行車一路狂奔，給妻子和女兒送飯，然后立即騎車快快趕回辦公室。也虧得我當(dāng)時(shí)年輕體力好，盡力做到了“工作家庭兩不誤”。
可是就在地震過后英語部召開抗震救災(zāi)總結(jié)會(huì)時(shí)，我的麻煩來了，有一位在部里頗有權(quán)勢(shì)的人認(rèn)為我是“落后分子”的典型，他指責(zé)我在抗震斗爭中當(dāng)了“逃兵”。在那個(gè)年代，背負(fù)起這種批評(píng)和指責(zé)可能是致命的，對(duì)我的前程會(huì)有很壞的影響。就是在這個(gè)關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻，魏老太太挺身而出。她在會(huì)上向全體與會(huì)人員說明了我家中的實(shí)際困難，也肯定了我來回奔波并未影響工作的事實(shí)。就這樣，一場(chǎng)風(fēng)波消于無形，我對(duì)魏老太太的感佩之情又增添了幾分。
魏老太太除了在工作和生活上樂于助人外，在業(yè)務(wù)上也是誨人不倦、盡力相幫。想當(dāng)初如果不是魏老太太點(diǎn)頭，我也進(jìn)不了廣播電臺(tái)；倘若不是她的精心指點(diǎn)及鞭策鼓勵(lì)，我也不可能在短短半年時(shí)間里從一名翻譯成了一位合格的英語播音員。我在心里一直把魏老太太當(dāng)做我的老師。
隨著時(shí)間的推移，漸漸地魏老太太也成了我和我家人的朋友。即便后來我告別電臺(tái)、轉(zhuǎn)而經(jīng)商，我和魏老太太也一直保持著密切聯(lián)系。
我記得魏老太太曾經(jīng)對(duì)我說過，她一生中最愛的美食就是紅燒牛肉和水煮花生米。所以逢年過節(jié)，我會(huì)時(shí)不時(shí)地、盡可能抽空去看望她，有時(shí)就請(qǐng)她去飯館享受一頓土豆燒牛肉加油炸花生米的“大餐”。
直到幾年前兩個(gè)女兒為妻和我安排的生日大慶時(shí)，我還專門把魏老太太和她的丈夫崔先生請(qǐng)了過來。令人嘆息的是魏老太太已經(jīng)得了老年癡呆癥，見面時(shí)她已認(rèn)不出我是誰了。然而就在生日慶典活動(dòng)達(dá)到高潮時(shí)，魏老太太突然從席間起身走向舞臺(tái)，主動(dòng)要求給大家唱一首歌。當(dāng)魏老太太往舞臺(tái)中央一站，她立即恢復(fù)了當(dāng)年的英姿。她用她那甜美而純正的聲調(diào)為大家唱了一首英文歌。一曲唱罷，滿座皆驚，接著便爆發(fā)出一陣熱烈的掌聲。
從那以后，我和魏老太太便失去了聯(lián)系。好幾年過去了，不知她老人家一切可好？我將此文獻(xiàn)給她老人家，也祝愿她老人家身體安好、快樂長壽！
題外的話
說到這里，加一段題外的話。文中說到的第一個(gè)加入中國共產(chǎn)黨的美國人李敦白先生，曾在一九四九到一九五五年在中國以“間諜”罪名關(guān)了六年；一九六八年到一九七八年受文革牽連被關(guān)了十年。一九八年底回到美國。一九九三年出版【紅幕后的洋人】（THE MAN WHO STAYED BEHIND），并于2012年9月3日出席在紐約發(fā)表紀(jì)錄他在中國經(jīng)歷的影片【革命者】(THE REVOLUTIOANRY)回答現(xiàn)場(chǎng)觀眾提問。報(bào)導(dǎo)上說：“如今九十一歲高齡的他，依然精神矍鑠，思路清晰，和媒體侃侃而談時(shí)，彷佛歲月只是彈指一揮間”。
***本文選自拙作【歲月如重---兼談華國鋒】之第四章“無冕之王”
Chapter 13 Unforgettable Madam Wei
Posted By Ralph Gong
My five-year journalism profession made me get acquainted with quite a few popular radio and TV presenters, mass media experts, Radio Beijing’s authoritative seniors and even a couple of decisive and powerful leading personnel. Some of the above-mentioned VIPs left deep impression on me because of their excellent work ethics and graceful manners. But among all those VIPs, no one else but Madam Wei, our English Department Director, who has left such impression unforgettable. As a matter of fact, I always show my great respect to this beloved lady.
(1)
Madam Wei Lin was my direct superiorwhen I worked for the English Department under Radio Beijing. Madam Wei was also my good teacher and helpful friend. She behaved in low profile, and was modest in dealing with people. In our English Department, the people, including me, who were under her leadership, never called her as “Director” or“Superior”or “Boss”, we all cordially called her Madam Wei or Lao Wei (meaning “Old Wei”).
At Radio Beijing, Madam Wei was so famous that nobody was unfamiliar with her. Born in a big capitalist family in Shanghai, Ms. Wei Lin was really a “wealthy daughter” who had been spoiled by her rich parents ever since she was a child. But in the year 1941 when she was only 22 years old, this “wealthy daughter”resolutely gave up her extravagant life and betrayed her rich family by secretly fleeing from Shanghai to YanAn, Shanxi Province. For your information, in the late 1940s, China was still under a cruel struggle between the Kumingtang (KMT, meaning “National Party” also the ruling Party) and the Chinese Communist Party(CCP, the opposition Party). And the Chinese Communist Party’s head quarters was located in YanAn. It was due to Ms. Wei’s high educational background (she graduated from a very prestigious missionary university in Shanghai) and excellent English, she was selected by the Party Authority to be an English announcer for Radio Xinhua (“Xinhua”means “new China”), which was the first broadcasting organization set up by CCP. As the only English announcer, Ms Wei was well-known through out YanAn. A few years later, the Chinese Communist Party moved its head quarters to PingShan County, Hebei Province, and Radio Xinhua also followed thisrelocation. From the year of 1941 when Ms. Wei first got to YanAn, to the year of 1949 when new China was established(CCP took over the political power from KMT), Ms. Wei resorted to her pure and enthetic English, plus using a sweet and powerful voice, to keep reporting to the whole world on how the Chinese Communist Party had been growing and developing, and how the final liberation ofthe whole country. In the year of 1949 when the People’s Republic of China was established, Ms. Wei was naturally appointed as the Head of English Department under Radio Beijing, China’s only foreign-language broadcasting station (after new China came into being, Radio Xinhua was divided into two parts, one was for the China’s nationalbroadcasting, which was called as “China Central People’s Broadcasting Station”, and the other was for the international announcing, which was named as “Radio Peking ” first, and subsequently re-named as “Radio Beijing”).
(2)
As far as Madam Wei’s qualification was concerned, she was a veteran revolutionary. In terms of her position or ranking, it could be compared to the appointment of mayor of a big city. If we value her profound understanding towards English, she could be regarded as NO. One English announcer in new China. What was more, she married Mr. Sidney Rittenberg, who was a very famous journalist and the first American who joined the Chinese Communist Party in YanAn when he worked together with Ms. Wei. It was Mr. Rittenburg who made joint efforts with Ms Wei, and helped the Chinese Communist Party establish the first Foreign Language Broadcasting Department under Radio XinHua in China. Unfortunately their marriage did not last long and it ended in divorce. A few years later after the separation, Wei Lin met another outstanding man -- Mr. Cui who was of Korean origin, as well as a celebrated scholar in Beijing’s cultural field. Ever since Wei Lin’s remarriage, she had been enjoying a very happy life together with her husband, Lao Cui (Old Cui).
It has commonly believed that people like Madam Wei who had such a good background plus her reputation in the broadcasting industry, she must be out of the ordinary. In other words, she should be graceful, distinctive and even a little bit arrogant. She ought to be making high profile appearance in the public. But when I met with her for the first time, she looked just like one of the aunts who wereliving in my neighborhood. She wore a plain blue cotton coat and a pair of black cotton shoes. She did not look like a “VIP” at all.
But this middle-aged and ordinary-looking lady did enjoy a very high reputation all around Radio Beijing. Her tremendous prestige was not only earned by her hard working and excellent performance in broadcasting capability, but also by her unselfish and warm-hearted deeds. Also, she always expressedher sincere concern and offered timely help to her subordinates should there be any need.
(3)
In 1970s, a common problem in Chinawas that people’s living condition was still poor, and the average income was low. As compared to some other countries, the material supply was in shortage. But as a leading personnel at Radio Beijing, Madam Wei’s salary was considered rather high. Almost every month after her monthly salary was paid, she always spenta part of her income to the purchase of some candies, biscuits or cakes. And then she would bring those decent food to the office invite her colleagues and subordinates to enjoy.
At that time, Radio Beijing had a very special rule stating that each announcer would have the privilege allowance of RMB 6 Yuan per month. And this amount of RMB 6 Yuan was supposed to be used for buying some nutritious food for nourishing their voice. For your information, RMB 6 Yuan was really a good amount of money in the 1970s. As a university graduate who had several yearsof working experience, one could only get RMB 56 monthly pay (the new university graduates could only have RMB 46 per month for the first year of working). But Madam Wei never and ever took this RMB 6 allowance because she said: “I have already got a high monthly pay.
Why should I still want this RMB 6 allowance? And I should save this money for our country”.
When we served Radio Beijing as announcers, we were requested to be onnight-shifts quite frequently. As a result,there were also extra allowance paid after we finished our night shift working. To be honest with you, each month after I got the night shift allowance, I would happily give the money to my wife for our familyexpense. But Madam Wei always contributed the allowance to buying and sharing the midnight snack with her colleagues who were on the same shiftwith her.
What was more, Madam Wei was a very warm-hearted lady who was always ready to help others financially. Whenever someone was sick or short of money for urgent needs, it was always Madam Wei who came forward to offer some money for help. In my memory, Madam Wei was the most unselfish and zealous superior I had ever met with in my work career. I can never forget how generous she was when I needed her help.
(4)
It was about something which happened in the Spring of the year of 1979. I was requested to have a regular physical examination that day, and the X-ray photo showed there was a drop shadow between my rectum and bladder. Naturally, I was urged to have further examinations in order to make sure whether it was a cancer or just a benign tumor. I took this matter very seriously and therefore I visited almost all famous hospitals in Beijing to find out the result. After repeated examination by a few experienced doctors, one of the most authoritative medical experts strongly suggested me to have an abdominal examination as soon as possible because he doubted there might be cancer in development. I was shocked after hearing what the expert said, and I felt very upset and helpless afterwards. My low sprit also affected my family members and my wife in particular. They also became very nervous and uneasy. The news was so unexpected that even my colleagues at our English Department had begun to worry about my health condition,
At that critical moment, it was Madam Wei who first came to my house to put my wife and me comfort. She also made a suggestion to me that I should go to see a well-known doctor at a very famous military hospital in Beijing for an additional check-up. “This doctor is my younger brother”, Madam Wei said to me. As per Madam Wei’s instruction, I went to see this young and experienceddoctor. After his careful and professionalexamination, he immediately came to aconclusion that it would be impossible to have cancer on the space between a rectum and bladder. He let me forget about this matter and go back to work normally. If I still had some doubts about that drop shadow, I could come back to him a few months later to repeat the test.
But I was such a stupid man who had blind faith in authority that I followed that old and famous expert’s judgment and ignored the assessment made by that young and experienced doctor. As per the old expert’s arrangement, I was hospitalized. A few days later, the hospital gave me an abdominal operation for confirming the nature of that “drop shadow”. After the hospital lab ran a test against a biopsy which was taken from that “spot”, they came to a conclusion that the “drop shadow” was only a calcification left over by the previous repeated injections for the hemorrhoidstreatments. It was not a cancer at all. What a false alarm!
During my recovering time period at the hospital, my wife took a very good care of me. She even spent several sleepless nights at the in-patient ward to care and serve me. But it was early morning on just the second day after the surgical operation, I was surprised to see Madam Wei coming to my room, carrying a big marmite with her two arms (the marmite was wrapped with a piece of cotton coat). After expressing her sincere concern to me, she sat down and then opened up the big marmite by taking the lid off. To my great surprise, the casserole was full of hot chicken soup plus a whole piece of chicken. She told me to drink more chicken soup because it would do my physical recovery good. I came to know later that in order to buy a live hen for soup making (For your information, the Chinese do believe that chicken soup made from a hen is the most nourishingsoup for the patient who had just had a surgical operation), Madam Wei went to the market very early morning that day. Since live hens were so badly needed, Madam Wei had to be in a long queue to wait for her turn to purchase the hen. After she got the hen, she went back home and then spent hours finishing the whole process of making the chicken soup. After the chicken soup was cooked well in a big marmite, she took the marmite with her for going to the hospital to see me. It was just for this marmite of chicken soup, Madam Wei sacrificed her whole night’s sleeping! I was deeply touched after I heard of all this. I thanked this warm-heated lady from the bottom of my heart.
(5)
As a matter of fact, Madam Wei not only showed her great concern for her colleagues and subordinates in daily life, but also dared to step forward bravely and speak up with sense of justice when the people were in need. I still remember that in Summer of the year of 1976, a very serious earthquake attacked TangShang City of Hebei Province. The earthquake was so disastrous that the whole city of TangShan was almost leveled to ground and hundreds of thousands of people were killed. Even the residents in Beijing City, who were further away from TangShan, had a strong earthquake sensation. No one living in Beijing was allowed to stayat home, and we (my family members and I) were forced to spend nights in a tent shelter outside. We lived in thattemporary tent shelter for almost two weeks before the remaining earthquake warning was dismissed. But there were no bed available in the shelter. In order to have a “bed” for my family members to sleep at night, I found six pieces of big empty vegetable baskets at our next door vegetable market, and I then set the baskets up-side-down and made those six pieces of baskets (with their bottoms facing up) a “bed”. After the “bed” was formed, I put a piece of quilt with cotton wadding on the top of the “baskets bed”. Finally, I placed a big piece of bed sheet on the quilt surface. That was the “bed”which was used for my family members for spending the nights in the shelter (For your information, during that special period of time, only my wife, my younger daughter and I used this “basket-bed”while my elder daughter was sent to Shanghai just after the earthquake. And she was living together temporarily withher grandfather). Since everyone was busy with the earthquake relief work in Beijing, and therefore no one was required to go to work unless otherwise instructed. But Radio Beijing was one of the country’s most important “mouthpieces”, and therefore we were required to go to work every day no matter how seriously the earthquake might be. One of our top leaders at Radio Beijing even openly announced: “Even if the entire Broadcasting Building had collapsed due to the earthquake, the announcers concerned must continue on working inside the building. No one is allowed to escape because we are taking on the heavy responsibilities for the country”.
In China’s 1970s, the political atmosphere was still very strong that the personal interest was to be put aside. The reality I was encountering was that I was asked to go to work normally while my wife had to join the earthquake relief work as per the Community’s arrangement. Besides, she had to take care of our younger daughter who was only one-year old. She had no help and everything must be done by her and herself! It was obvious that she must need my help to take care of our family. “What shall I do? How can I achieve the goal of taking care of my routine work and family affairs simultaneously? Should I at least help my wife prepare daily lunches so that her heavy burdens could be reduced to some extent?” I asked myself. After my thoughtful thinking, I decided to do the following when I was placed on daytime shifts:
When noon time was approaching, I would try to leave out of the office, and then I must ride my bike as fast as possible from my office to my home. After I got home, I must count every minute and second for cooking the lunch for the family. After having my simple meal, I, again, must ride my bike as fast as I could from my house back to the office. The reason why I must do the bike-riding so fast was that the distance between my home place and the Broadcasting Building was more than 15 kilometer per single trip. Since I must cover a long distance of more than 30 kilometers for a round-trip, I could do nothing, but trying my best to save time in order not to affect my afternoon work. I must tell you that I really accomplished this plan during that special period of time!
One rule, which was stipulated by Radio Beijing, stated that announcers must work on night shifts from time to time. When my night shift turn came, I had to spend the night in a small dormitory room offered by Radio Beijing after my night-shift work was finished. If that was the case, it would be impossible for me to go back home for helping my wife. I would be very frustrated when I had to face such an awkward situation. It was really my burning desire that this anti-earthquake struggle would end as soon as possible! After the earthquake aftermath was under contral, I felt a sense of relief. I even thought that everything would be fine since the earthquake was gone!
But sometimes things happened beyond expectations. It was at a summary conference which was organized by English Department right after the anti-earthquake recovering efforts were over, a guy, who was the Deputy Director of our English Department, seriously criticizedme for my “being inactive in joining the Department’s anti-earthquake work”. He even said at the meeting that it was a serious mistake that I was absent from time to time while other people were working so hard at their office. His negative comments would definitely bring some bad consequences to my future announcer career. At that moment, I was facing a very difficult situation.
Just at this critical moment, Madam Wei came forward courageously, telling all the meeting participants about my realistic difficult situation in helping my family. She pointed out at the meeting that even though I sometimes left the office for home with the purpose of giving my wife a helping hand, still I did a good job at coming back to work in time. She even said with emotion: “The fact is that the distance between the Broadcasting Building and R.Z. Gong’s home is far away. An over-30-kilometer bike riding is no easy job. Even under such difficult situation, Gong’s work was not at all affected. It could prove that he was responsible taking his work seriously”! After hearing what Madam Wei stated, the meeting participants, including that guy, were finally convinced, and I was “saved”.
(6)
With time passing by, Madam Wei finally became my family’s private friend. Even after I got transferred from Radio Beijing to a foreign trading company a few years later, I still kept her as my close friend. We continued to be on good terms with each other. From time to time, I would go to see her or invited her to lunch or dinner. In my memory, Madam Wei’s most favorite foods were fried peanuts and stewed beef. In China’s 1970s and even early 1980s, it was not easy for us to enjoy those two delicious dishes. Besides, as an ordinary announcer whose monthly pay was limited, I could not afford to offer such good and expensive food to her. But after I began to work for a national company under the Foreign Trade Ministry, my living standards became much better. So, whenever I had a chance to visit Madam Wei, I would like to invite her to a good restaurant to enjoy the above-mentioned two delicious dishes together, which made her feel happy. This kind of practice for entertainment was lasted for a long time until one day Madam Wei became sick and could not come out for gathering with me.
One thing must be mentioned here: when my wife and I held a grand birthday celebration in the year of 2004, Madam Wei and her husband were specially invited as our honorable guests. The grand birthday celebration was being held at a five-star hotel in Beijing, and a lot of guests attended. When I met with Madam Wei and her husband at the entrance of the banquet hall, I was a little bit shocked because Madam Wei seemed to be very old, and also she looked haggard and tired. The more shocking thing was that she could not even recognize me because of her Alzheimer’s disease. So I did not expect much. When the celebration banquet started, some distinguished guests were invited to either deliver speeches or play participate in performance. I stepped to the table where Madam Wei and her husband were sitting at, and asked her whether she could saysomething at the banquet or sing an English song. To my surprise, Madam Wei understood what I meant and then she walked up to the stage and sang a famous English song. When she was singing, no one could believe that she was an old lady who was suffering from senile dementia because her voice was so sweet and her English pronunciation and tone were still so perfect! Her successful performance won a round of warm applause.
From that day on, I lost contact with this respective old lady. Time flies like an arrow and so many more years have elapsed. I really do not know if she is getting on well with everything . But my sincere wish is always that she will beenjoying a happy and peaceful life together with her husband and daughter!
Note Outside the Title:
In the above article, I did mention a person’s name, which was Sidney Rittenburg. Mr. Rittenburg was Madam Wei’s ex-husband, and he was known in China as Li Dunbai – phonetic expression of Rittenburg.
During China’s Cultural Revolution, Sidney Ritternberg, an American citizen, became the most important foreigner in China since Marco Polo. He was the only American citizen to become a member of the Chinese Communist Party. And was an active participant in the Chinese communist revolution and its aftermath. He would later end up, twice, in communist prisons, ending long stretches in solitary sitting. In the year of 1980, Mr. Rittenburg returned to the United States.
When he turned 91 years old in 2012, a documentary “The Revolution” was released to the public. And this documentary described how a kid from Charleston, South Carolina, USA, ended up in a mountain cave playing gin rummy with Mao Zedong, the number one leader of the Chinese Communist Party.
When Mr. Rittenburg appeared at a Press Conference which was arranged after the documentary was released, this 91-year-old man looked as feisty as ever. In answering questions, which were raised by the reporters, he talked with fervour and assurance.
That is Mr. Sidney Rittenburg, a legendary American who was well-known to the Chinese people in 1970s and afterwards.
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About the Author:
Ruzhong Gong (Ralph Gong), born in Shanghai, China, now living in the USA.
Graduated From the English Department of University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China
Before retirement, President of an USA overseas company under China National Light Industrial Products Imp. & Exp. Corp.; President of a joint-venture company in USA, jointly owned by Australia’s Lief Group Company and China National Chemical Products Imp. & Exp. Corp.; President of an American Brach Corp. under China National Foreign Trade Bases Corp.; Chief Representative in Beijing Office under Trade Am, an American Carpets Wholesale Company.
Author of 7books, including “My Life—Family, Career & VIPs”(both Chinese & English), “How to Do Business in Mainland of China”, “My Leisure Time”, “My Leisure Time—Poems & Articles” , “Poems and Essays from Leisure Chamber” and “Flowers By My Side”.
Member of the Chinese Poetry Society (CPS), Free Lance Writer for Austrian Sinopress, and Senior Consultant for Taiwan Caiwei Publishing House.
龔如仲：生于上海，中國對(duì)外經(jīng)濟(jì)貿(mào)易大學(xué)英語系畢業(yè)，畢業(yè)后奔赴非洲任鐵道部援建坦贊鐵路工作組總部英語翻譯，中國國際廣播電臺(tái)英語部英語播音員、記者，外貿(mào)部中國輕工業(yè)品進(jìn)出口總公司出口二處業(yè)務(wù)員、副處長，外貿(mào)部輕工業(yè)品進(jìn)出口總公司駐美國公司總裁（處長）。
有關(guān)作品：
自2012年至2016年，臺(tái)灣采薇出版社出版自傳【歲月如重】（該書已被香港中文大學(xué)圖書館、美國紐約市立圖書館和澳大利亞國家圖書館作為自傳體作品正式收藏），【東西南北中國人---細(xì)談如何在大陸做生意】，【悠然時(shí)光】和【悠然時(shí)光---如仲詩語】。
2018年4月，中國國際廣播出版社出版【悠然齋詩文選】
2018年9月，中國國際廣播出版社出版【花兒在身邊開放】
2019年4月，臺(tái)灣采薇出版社出版英文書【My Life—Family, Career & VIPs】
作者現(xiàn)為中華詩詞學(xué)會(huì)會(huì)員、中國經(jīng)典文學(xué)網(wǎng)特約作家、臺(tái)灣采薇出版社資深顧問、奧地利英文網(wǎng)Sinopress特聘專欄作家、北美北斗星文學(xué)社副社長、副總編輯。
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