本帖最后由 萍庭鹤 于 2025-3-13 15:23 编辑
奇人背后的世相百态与人性幽微
——读姜贻斌中篇小说新作《最后的铜像》感发
文/萍庭鹤
图片来自《长城》杂志2025第2期
在文学的广袤天地里，总有一些故事如璀璨星辰，以独特的魅力吸引着读者的目光。《最后的铜像》便是这样一篇佳作，它宛如一面多棱镜，折射出生活的丰富色彩与人性的复杂光辉，细细品味，其中蕴含的精妙之处令人拍案叫绝。
故事起始于上世纪八十年代中期，这个充满变革与机遇的时代，为整个故事奠定了独特的基调。“我”调入省城新办的《生活》杂志，该杂志专注于奇闻逸事类人物特写，仿佛一个精心搭建的舞台，只等奇人登场。刘露明，最初以“刘光头”的形象，借卖鱼大嫂口中“能与十几个人对打且打赢”的传奇传闻，如一阵旋风般闯入“我”的视野。这种侧面引入的手法，犹如在读者心间种下一颗好奇的种子，急切地渴望知晓这位神秘人物的真实模样与超凡能力。他居住在人员混杂小巷尽头的108号，这一设定巧妙地暗合水浒一百零八将，为其披上了一层神秘的面纱，也让人不禁揣测，他究竟有着怎样波澜壮阔的过往。
刘露明的成长经历，宛如一部跌宕起伏的传奇史诗。出身贫苦的他，在讲述往昔时眼含泪花，这一细微的情感流露，瞬间拉近了与读者的距离，为整个故事奠定了质朴而真实的底色。其拜师学艺的情节更是充满戏剧性，贵人起初对他并不看好，拒绝收其为徒。然而，刘露明展现出超乎常人的决心，在贵人必经之路跪地三天三夜，这份坚韧不拔的毅力，着实令人动容。这一情节不仅凸显了他性格中的坚毅，也为他后续的人生发展埋下了关键伏笔。而面对家乡恶霸刘朝天的恶行，他的表现更是将人物性格的复杂性展现得淋漓尽致。他谨遵师傅“三忍”教诲，一直隐忍不发，但当同学被奸污这一严重事件发生后，他内心的正义之火终于熊熊燃烧，毅然出手教训恶霸。这一情节既展现了他正义勇敢的高尚品质，又揭示出他因武艺高强而难以控制出手轻重的无奈，让人物形象跃然纸上，真实而丰满。
文中刘露明在杂志社的技能展示环节，堪称故事的高潮华彩乐章。他先是以看似神秘莫测的方式，将王主编的双狮牌手表从手中变到锁着的抽屉里，尽管观众对此心存疑虑，怀疑是魔术手法，但这恰恰营造出一种紧张好奇的氛围，紧紧揪住读者的心。随后，用图钉将指定的红桃8扑克牌钉在远处小黑板上的表演，更是充满了视觉冲击力。他洗牌时的娴熟动作、切削扑克牌时的干脆利落以及吐图钉时的精准无误，一系列连贯动作如行云流水，让观众目不暇接，进一步将故事的吸引力推向高潮。而最后用右掌劈开五块红砖的表演，更是将气氛烘托到了顶点。他运气时的神态专注、动作沉稳有力，断裂的红砖成为他惊人力量的直观见证，不仅让现场观众欢呼雀跃，也使读者对他的“奇”有了更为深刻的认知。这一系列表演不仅推动了刊物因相关报道大卖，也让刘露明完成了从平凡到知名的华丽转身，情节发展跌宕起伏，扣人心弦。
在叙述视角方面，故事采用第一人称“我”的视角展开，这一选择可谓独具匠心。“我”既是《生活》杂志的记者，又是刘露明故事的发现者与记录者，宛如一条无形的纽带，将读者与故事紧密相连。从听闻刘光头的传闻，到提着礼物上门拜访，再到深入采访、组织表演等一系列情节，皆通过“我”的所见、所闻、所感徐徐展开。比如“我”对刘露明租屋的细致描写，屋内的哑铃、沙袋、旧书等，这些细节皆是“我”亲眼所见，让读者仿佛身临其境，极大地增强了对故事场景和人物的感知。“我”在故事中并非消极的旁观者，而是积极推动情节发展的核心动力。为挖掘有价值的写作素材，“我”主动出击，打听刘光头的信息，与之深入交流。在了解其经历后，又迫不及待地向王主编汇报，促成刘露明在杂志社的表演，进而推动稿件的创作与发表。“我”的每一个决定和行动都如同多米诺骨牌，直接影响着故事的走向，使情节连贯自然，读者也在“我”的引领下，逐步深入故事核心，真切感受情节发展的起伏节奏。同时，通过“我”的视角，读者能清晰洞察“我”对刘露明情感的微妙变化。从最初因传闻产生的好奇，到采访过程中对其正义、坚韧品质的钦佩，再到表演时对其技能的惊叹，“我”的情感随着情节推进不断深化，并如涟漪般传递给读者，引发强烈的共鸣。此外，“我”在叙述中还不时对刘露明的行为、刊物的运作等进行思考，如对刊物刊登奇人奇事定位的思考，这些思考犹如繁星，丰富了故事的层次，引导读者从多个维度审视故事中的人物与事件，使故事具有更为深刻的内涵。
从可读性来看，《最后的铜像》宛如一幅细腻的社会生活画卷，充满了浓郁的生活气息。杂志《生活》的内容设置，涵盖美食旅游、宠物花草、征婚启事等，无一不反映出那个时代人们的生活百态。省城小巷杂乱的居住环境、街边卖鱼大嫂的惊叹、人们茶余饭后的闲聊等场景，生动地勾勒出八十年代社会生活的真实风貌。刘露明与“我”初次见面时，在租屋内边喝酒边谈宝庆风土人情的画面，更是将那个时代人与人之间质朴纯真的情感交流展现得淋漓尽致。这种对生活细节的精心雕琢，让读者能够轻而易举地融入故事所设定的时代背景，增添了阅读的亲切感与趣味性。在情节节奏的把控上，文章堪称典范。在讲述刘露明的成长经历和来省城的缘由时，采用娓娓道来的方式，如同潺潺流水，详细叙述关键事件与细节，让读者得以深入了解人物性格形成的根源，节奏相对舒缓，给予读者充分的时间去品味和思考。而在描写刘露明在杂志社的表演时，节奏陡然加快，对表演过程的动作、神态、声音等进行细致且紧凑的描写，如扑克牌飞舞、图钉飞射、右掌劈砖等场景，营造出紧张刺激的氛围，如同一曲激昂的乐章，紧紧抓住读者的注意力。读者在快慢节奏的交替变换中，始终保持着浓厚的阅读兴趣，沉浸在故事的精彩世界里无法自拔。更为重要的是，故事不仅仅局限于展现刘露明个人的奇特经历，还深入挖掘了人性与社会现象。刘露明面对恶霸刘朝天恶行时的内心挣扎与最终反抗，深刻反映出人性中正义与善良的熠熠光辉，同时也无情地揭示出社会中存在的恶势力横行、百姓敢怒不敢言的现实困境。刊物通过报道奇人奇事大受欢迎这一现象，巧妙地暗示了当时社会大众对新奇事物的强烈追求以及在精神文化相对匮乏时期的消遣需求。这种对人性和社会现象的深度挖掘，使故事摆脱了简单的奇人叙事框架，具有了一定的思想深度，宛如一把锐利的手术刀，剖析着社会与人性的复杂本质，引发读者对社会、人性等多方面的深入思考，极大地提升了故事的可读性与文学价值。
《最后的铜像》以其独特的情节架构、精妙的叙述视角和深刻的内涵，为读者呈现了一个精彩纷呈的文学世界。它让我们在领略奇人故事的同时，也得以一窥那个时代的社会风貌与人性百态，宛如一颗璀璨的明珠，在文学的长河中熠熠生辉，值得我们反复品味与深思。
最后解读一下小说标题的吸人含义吧： 文章标题《最后的铜像》在得名原因和含义上都与小说情节、主题紧密相连，其得名原因源于小说中的关键情节，而含义则从多个层面展现了小说的深层意蕴。 得名原因：小说中刘露明因杂志报道而声名大噪，在社会上取得一定地位。他在饭店前摆放自己的铜像，这一行为在省城较为罕见。“最后的铜像”直接来源于这一具体情节，是对刘露明人生经历中这一具有标志性和独特性事件的提炼。从故事发展来看，这尊铜像见证了他从名不见经传的民间艺人到名声大震的转变，也是他在省城闯荡的一个重要象征，因此成为标题的关键来源。 含义 人物命运的象征：“最后的铜像”象征着刘露明曾经的辉煌。他凭借自身的技能和杂志报道，在省城风生水起，铜像就是他成功的标志。但“最后”二字又暗示了这种辉煌的短暂性，预示着他和他的公司最终被时代淘汰的命运。这尊铜像如同他人生的一个节点，是他过去荣耀的凝结，却也走向了终结，体现出命运的无常。 时代变迁的见证：铜像不仅是刘露明个人的象征，也见证了时代的发展。刘露明所处的时代，人们对新奇事物充满好奇，他的奇人故事和表演受到欢迎，反映出当时社会的文化氛围和大众的消遣需求。然而，随着时代的变化，他的经营管理问题逐渐凸显，最终被时代抛弃，铜像成为了那个特定时代的产物和见证，暗示着社会发展对个体命运的影响。 引发思考的载体：标题“最后的铜像”蕴含着作者对刘露明以及类似人物在社会中生存状态的思考。作者通过描写刘露明的经历，思考了在社会变革中，个人如何适应时代发展，以及在成功后如何面对管理和人际关系等问题。同时，也引发读者对社会现象、人性等方面的思考，如刘露明好心将亲戚接到省城却导致管理混乱，反映出人性的复杂和社会关系的微妙，而“最后的铜像”就成为了引发这些思考的重要载体。
正文英文版：
The Multifaceted World and Subtle Human Nature Behind the Extraordinary Man In the vast expanse of literature, there are always some stories that, like brilliant stars, attract readers with their unique charm. The Last Bronze Statue is such a masterpiece. It is like a multifaceted prism, reflecting the rich colors of life and the complex radiance of human nature. When savored carefully, the exquisite details within it are truly astonishing. The story begins in the mid - 1980s, an era full of transformation and opportunities, which sets a distinctive tone for the entire narrative. "I" transferred to a newly - established magazine named Life in the provincial capital. This magazine focused on feature stories about extraordinary people and their anecdotes, as if it were a well - constructed stage, waiting for extraordinary figures to make their appearance. Liu Luming first emerged in "my" field of vision as "Bald Liu." Through the legendary rumor from the fish - selling 大嫂 (elder sister - in - law) that he could fight against and defeat more than a dozen people, he burst into "my" view like a whirlwind. This side - introduced technique is like planting a seed of curiosity in the hearts of readers, making them eager to know the true appearance and extraordinary abilities of this mysterious figure. He lived at No. 108 at the end of a lane filled with a mixed population. This setting cleverly echoed the 108 heroes in Water Margin, casting a mysterious veil over him and making people wonder what kind of eventful past he had. Liu Luming's growth experience is like an epic full of ups and downs. Born into poverty, when he recounted his past, tears welled up in his eyes. This subtle emotional outburst instantly narrowed the distance between him and the readers, laying a simple and real foundation for the entire story. The plot of him seeking a master to learn martial arts was full of drama. At first, the noble - man didn't think highly of him and refused to accept him as a disciple. However, Liu Luming showed extraordinary determination. He knelt by the roadside where the noble - man passed for three days and three nights. This unyielding perseverance was truly moving. This plot not only highlighted his resolute character but also laid a crucial foreshadowing for his subsequent life development. When facing the 恶行 (evil deeds) of the local bully Liu Chaotian in his hometown, his performance fully demonstrated the complexity of his character. He strictly followed his master's teachings of "Three Forbearances" and remained patient. But when his classmate was raped, the fire of justice in his heart finally ignited, and he resolutely took action to teach the bully a lesson. This plot not only showed his noble qualities of being just and brave but also revealed his helplessness in being unable to control the force of his strikes due to his high - level martial arts skills, making the character vivid and full - fledged. The skill - demonstration segment of Liu Luming in the magazine office is the climax of the story. First, he mysteriously moved the Shuangshi - brand watch of Chief Editor Wang from his hand into the locked drawer. Although the audience suspected it was a magic trick, this precisely created an atmosphere of tension and curiosity, gripping the readers' hearts tightly. Subsequently, the performance of nailing the designated Eight of Hearts playing card onto the distant small blackboard with a thumbtack was full of visual impact. His skillful shuffling, crisp card - cutting, and precise thumbtack - spitting were like a seamless flowing river, making the audience dazzled and further pushing the attractiveness of the story to a climax. The final performance of splitting five red bricks with his right palm pushed the atmosphere to its peak. His focused expression and steady and powerful movements while gathering energy, and the broken red bricks were direct evidence of his astonishing strength. This not only made the on - site audience cheer but also made the readers have a deeper understanding of his "extraordinariness." This series of performances not only promoted the great sales of the magazine due to the related reports but also enabled Liu Luming to complete a magnificent transformation from an unknown folk artist to a well - known figure. The plot development was full of twists and turns, extremely exciting. In terms of the narrative perspective, the story is told from the first - person "I" perspective, which is a masterstroke. "I" am not only a reporter of Life magazine but also the discoverer and recorder of Liu Luming's story. Like an invisible bond, "I" closely connect the readers with the story. A series of plots, from hearing the rumors about Bald Liu, to visiting him with gifts, to in - depth interviews and organizing performances, are all presented through "my" sights, sounds, and feelings. For example, "my" detailed description of Liu Luming's rented house, including the dumbbells, sandbags, and old books in the room, are all things "I" saw with my own eyes, making the readers feel as if they were on the scene and greatly enhancing their perception of the story scenes and characters. "I" am not a passive bystander in the story but the core driving force actively promoting the plot. In order to dig out valuable writing materials, "I" take the initiative to inquire about information about Bald Liu and communicate with him in depth. After learning about his experiences, "I" can't wait to report to Chief Editor Wang, facilitating Liu Luming's performance in the magazine office and then promoting the creation and publication of the manuscript. Every decision and action of "mine" is like a domino, directly affecting the direction of the story, making the plot coherent and natural. The readers, led by "me," gradually penetrate into the core of the story and truly feel the ups and downs of the plot. At the same time, through the "I" perspective, readers can clearly observe the subtle changes in "my" feelings towards Liu Luming. From the initial curiosity due to the rumors, to the admiration for his just and persevering qualities during the interview, and then to the amazement at his skills during the performance, "my" emotions deepen with the advancement of the plot and spread to the readers like ripples, triggering a strong resonance. In addition, "I" also think about Liu Luming's actions and the operation of the magazine from time to time in the narrative. For example, the thinking about the positioning of the magazine in publishing stories about extraordinary people is like stars, enriching the layers of the story and guiding the readers to examine the characters and events in the story from multiple dimensions, making the story have a more profound connotation. In terms of readability, The Last Bronze Statue is like a delicate social - life scroll, full of a strong flavor of life. The content of the magazine Life, covering food and travel, pets and flowers, furniture decoration, and marriage - seeking announcements, reflects the various aspects of people's lives in that era. The chaotic living environment of the provincial - capital lane, the exclamation of the fish - selling 大嫂 by the street, and the casual chats of people during their leisure time vividly outline the real features of social life in the 1980s. The scene of Liu Luming and "I" chatting about the local customs, historical celebrities, and landscapes of Baoqing while drinking in the rented house vividly shows the simple and sincere emotional exchanges between people in that era. This meticulous carving of life details allows readers to easily integrate into the story's set time background, adding a sense of intimacy and interest to reading. In terms of plot rhythm control, the article is a model. When telling Liu Luming's growth experience and the reasons for coming to the provincial capital, it uses a gentle and unhurried way, like a gurgling stream, elaborating on key events and details in detail, allowing readers to deeply understand the root causes of the formation of his character. The rhythm is relatively slow, giving readers sufficient time to savor and think. When describing Liu Luming's performance in the magazine office, the rhythm suddenly speeds up. The detailed and compact description of the actions, expressions, and sounds during the performance, such as the flying playing cards, the shooting thumbtack, and the palm - splitting of red bricks, creates a tense and exciting atmosphere, like a passionate movement, firmly grasping the readers' attention. Readers remain highly interested in reading during the alternating rhythm of fast and slow, immersed in the wonderful world of the story. More importantly, the story does not merely focus on showing Liu Luming's personal extraordinary experiences but also deeply explores human nature and social phenomena. Liu Luming's inner struggle and final resistance in the face of the evil deeds of the bully Liu Chaotian profoundly reflect the shining light of justice and kindness in human nature. At the same time, it also mercilessly reveals the real - world dilemma of the prevalence of evil forces and the people's fear of speaking out. The popularity of the magazine's reports on extraordinary people and their anecdotes subtly implies the strong pursuit of novel things by the public in that era and their 消遣需求 (recreational needs) during a relatively scarce spiritual and cultural period. This in - depth exploration of human nature and social phenomena enables the story to break away from the simple framework of extraordinary - person narration, endowing it with a certain ideological depth. It is like a sharp scalpel, dissecting the complex nature of society and human nature, triggering readers' in - depth thinking about society, human nature, and other aspects, and greatly enhancing the readability and literary value of the story. The Last Bronze Statue, with its unique plot structure, exquisite narrative perspective, and profound connotations, presents a wonderful literary world to readers. It allows us to glimpse the social features and the various aspects of human nature in that era while enjoying the story of the extraordinary person. Just like a bright pearl, it shines brightly in the long river of literature and is worthy of our repeated savoring and deep thinking. Finally, let's interpret the fascinating meaning of the novel's title: The title of the article, The Last Bronze Statue, is closely related to the plot and theme of the novel in terms of its origin and meaning. Its origin stems from the key plot in the novel, and its meaning reveals the deep - level implications of the novel from multiple levels. Origin: In the novel, Liu Luming became famous due to the magazine's report and achieved a certain status in society. He placed his bronze statue in front of a restaurant, which was a rare behavior in the provincial capital. "The Last Bronze Statue" directly comes from this specific plot. It is a refinement of this iconic and unique event in Liu Luming's life experience. From the perspective of the story's development, this bronze statue witnessed his transformation from an unknown folk artist to a well - known figure. It was also an important symbol of his struggle in the provincial capital, so it became the key source of the title. Meaning: Symbol of the character's fate: "The Last Bronze Statue" symbolizes Liu Luming's past glory. Relying on his own skills and the magazine's reports, he thrived in the provincial capital, and the bronze statue was a symbol of his success. However, the word "last" implies the transience of this glory, foreshadowing the fate that he and his company would eventually be phased out by the times. This bronze statue is like a node in his life, condensing his past glory but also heading towards the end, reflecting the unpredictability of fate. Witness of the times' change: The bronze statue is not only a symbol of Liu Luming as an individual but also a witness to the development of the times. In the era when Liu Luming lived, people were full of curiosity about novel things. His stories and performances of extraordinary people were well - received, reflecting the cultural atmosphere of society and the public's recreational needs at that time. However, with the changes of the times, his management problems gradually emerged, and he was finally abandoned by the times. The bronze statue became the product and witness of that specific era, hinting at the influence of social development on the fate of individuals. Carrier for triggering thinking: The title "The Last Bronze Statue" contains the author's thoughts on Liu Luming and similar people's survival status in society. By describing Liu Luming's experiences, the author reflects on how individuals adapt to the development of the times during social changes and how to face management and interpersonal relationship problems after achieving success. At the same time, it also triggers readers' thinking about social phenomena, human nature, and other aspects. For example, Liu Luming's act of bringing his relatives to the provincial capital with good intentions but resulting in management chaos reflects the complexity of human nature and the subtlety of social relations. "The Last Bronze Statue" thus becomes an important carrier for triggering these thoughts.
注解原文来自《长城》杂志（经作者许可后转载） 《长城》佳作欣赏‖姜贻斌：最后的铜像（中篇小说） 原创姜贻斌长城杂志 2025年03月13日09:30河北 △点击上方蓝色字关注“长城杂志” 姜贻斌，湖南邵阳人。出版有长篇小说《左邻右舍》《火鲤鱼》《酒歌》，中短篇小说集《窑祭》《你会不会出事》等多种。现为湖南省作协名誉主席。 上个世纪八十年代中期，我有幸调入省城的一家杂志社，永远跳出了那个偏远的小县城。 那家杂志是新办的，需要人手，我便调进来了。杂志叫《生活》，为月刊，内容包括生活中的许多方面，美食旅游、宠物花草、家具装修、征婚启事等七七八八，很受读者欢迎。其实吧，最受欢迎的还是人物特写，而且，这些人不是一般人物，都有其突出的特点，不是某人吞吃十年野草终于战胜癌症，便是养蛇专业户一举镇压大量毒蛇的逃逸，不是某人揭露一指禅的天大秘密，便是刊登狐狸精半夜压身之谜。当然，还有接子娘娘的辉煌传奇（专治不育症）、民间散打冠军的异样人生等等。反正都是奇闻逸事，却又有事实依据，故事精彩绝伦，一波三折，十分吸引读者。故而，它们无疑是我们刊物的重头戏。我们深知，这些东西既无益，又无害，权当消遣罢了，对读者来说，却很有吸引力。当时，杂志的发行量竟高达五十多万份，很了不起。当然，我们有时也打点擦边球。比如说，刊发的《狐狸精半夜压身之谜》，我们不仅采访了当事人，让他述说当夜那惊心动魄、似真似幻的故事，我们还在文章后面，组织几篇批判性的短文，指出这是封建迷信，世上绝无狐狸精。 刊物人手不多，要采写这些传奇人物，主要是需要线索，更需要作者供稿。因此，刊物每期都要告知读者，有线索请提供，有关稿件请寄给本刊。所以，我们这些记者很少在省城逗留，一旦有了线索，便在省内外马不停蹄奔波。当然，刊物影响出去了，省内外许多作者会给我们供稿，稿源扩大了，这对于我们来说，真是求之不得，至少不需要马不停蹄了。 2 刘露明，这个本不见经传的人物，就是因为我们刊物，居然成了赫赫有名的人物。 而他的出名，又是由于我的原因。 刊物主编姓王，跟我一样，也是工人出身，他是铁匠，我是木匠，我们因为喜欢舞文弄墨，终于改变了自己的命运。他主张刊物要办得有趣味，充满生活气息，不要板着一张寡妇脸，因为读者是我们的衣食父母。他对所有同仁态度和蔼，说话轻言细语，高高的个子，跟人说话时，则要俯下身子，笑眯眯地看着你，而且，总是以鼓励为主，从不随便批评人。王主编对我说得最多的一句话就是，你要采写一些有意思的人物，因为这是我们刊物的主打菜。我当然也采写过两篇有影响的稿子，而这远远不够，想要做刊物的金牌记者，我还需要继续努力。 刊物不垮，写稿不止——这是我们当时充满激情的口号。 那个时候，刘露明还不知在哪个角落，肯定属于三教九流之徒。我调来省城，一时没有房子，便住出租房。租房离杂志社不远，仅仅五分钟距离，却深嵌在一条百十米长的小巷中，那里人员混杂，鸡鸣狗盗之类也是有的。那天晚上，我行走在这条黑暗的小街上，准备回租房睡觉，忽然，听见长年在街边卖鱼的大嫂，在大声惊叹，何得了啰，他竟敢在下河街跟十几个人对打，武功真是了得。有人在黑暗中问道，哪个？卖鱼大嫂告之，还有谁？就是小街那头的刘光头。 我并不认识刘光头，听说他能与十来个人对打，而且打赢了，想必其武功了得。如果能有特别的功夫，加上有特殊的人生轨迹，可能也会写出一篇吸引读者的文章。刊物曾经刊出过的揭露一指禅的文章，还被读者投票评为一等奖。我便留心打听，这才得知，刘光头大名为刘露明，宝庆人氏，竟是家乡人。我还打听到，他就住在小街顶头的108号。我暗暗发笑，这大概暗合水浒一百零八将吧。况且，他也是个习武之人，想必身手不凡。 为了挖掘刘光头，我不惜花费，提上白沙香烟一条、邵阳大曲两瓶，趁着月黑风高之时，轻轻地敲响108号，却未见有人开门。我耐心等待，或许他正在练功也说不定。果然，不出五分钟，有人打开房门，伸出一盘肥肉大脸，说，找我么？我谦恭地笑着说，正是，刘师傅。刘露明警惕地看我一眼，还以为我是打架对方的探子，只是这种警惕性很快就消失了，不热不冷地说，请进。 卖鱼大嫂称他为刘光头不假，他那个大光头，在昏暗的灯光下闪闪发亮。正值热天，天花板上的白色风扇呜呜转动，风叶像千军万马在墙壁上奔腾不息。刘光头三十五六岁，比我大十来岁。他打着赤膊，穿灰色短裤，如果说句不尊敬的话，可称之为肥头大耳，浑身肥膘，实在看不出是个习武之人。我想，如此身段，又如何能够击败对手？ 刘光头的租屋跟我的不同，我是一室一厅，他的租房是那种有客厅的房子，两室一厅。我估猜，这是方便练功吧。小街上的房子十分杂乱，不像现在很有规划性，所以，什么乱七八糟的房子都有，简直是五花八门。地板上摆着一对哑铃，半空中吊着肥肠样的沙袋，木椅子上摆放着几本发黄的旧书，好像是堪舆学之类。 刘光头递来一杯茶，我把礼物放在地板上。 刘光头惊讶地说，哎呀，我们素不相识，不知你有何事相求？ 我也直来直去，说自己是《生活》杂志的记者，姓张，张才华，也住在这条街上，听说刘师傅是宝庆人，所以，我就来认老乡了。 刘光头听罢，击掌大笑，说，好，缘分，缘分。 接着，刘光头从地板上拿起一瓶酒，打开，各倒一杯，又拿来花生米，举起杯子跟我碰一下，说，张老师，喝起。 我很羞愧地说，不要叫我老师，叫老乡即可。 那天晚上，我们虽是一面之交，却谈得很愉快，谈宝庆的风土人情，谈宝庆的历史名人，谈宝庆的山山水水。我估猜，这是因为老乡的缘故吧，也估猜，这是他处于人生的低谷状态，需要有人倾吐吧。 当我直爽地问及他与别人在下河街打架之事，并说此事闹得很大，派出所已经抓了对方一些人，你呢，却连根汗毛都没掉。 刘光头哈哈笑起来，说，哎呀，那也是帮个忙而已。 帮谁的忙？我问。 不认得。刘光头说。 我很惊讶，不认得，你也帮忙么？ 刘光头气愤地说，那明显是欺侮人么，七八个后生暴打一个中年男人，打得人家鲜血四流。我正好路过，问旁人他们为何打架。旁人告诉我，那几个后生吃霸王餐。我明白是怎么回事了，便冲上去扯架。那几个后生看见我扯架，很愤怒，拳头都朝我打来。其实，这几个嫩秧子，哪是我的对手，我只需三拳五脚，就把他们打个落花流水，鬼喊鬼叫的。对方不服气，又立即叫来几个人，我估计已有十来个人了。当然，他们也不在我的话下。我也见好就收，赶紧跑掉了，不然，肯定会进局子。 刘光头仗义执言，充满一身正气，令我佩服，因此，我们谈得更投机了。刘光头喝得极其尽兴，居然坐着开始表演节目（我认为肯定是魔术），只见他双手往丹田处缓缓下压，然后，双手又慢慢往上抬升，竟然让桌子上那个透明的空酒杯里装满了酒。他担心我不相信，让我尝一口，果然是酒。而且，桌子上突然又出现两束色彩艳丽的花，像是山上生长的。我以为是鲜花，伸手一摸，竟是塑料花。 我大呼惊讶，放肆拍手叫好。 他摇头说，不足挂齿，不足挂齿。似有几分羞涩。 在我看来，这很富有刺激性，也富有观赏性，虽然是小试牛刀，心里便萌发写关于他的文章的打算，当然，还需要进一步了解他的生活道路，挖掘素材以及细节，如果故事曲折复杂，则更加有味道了。因此，接连两天我都在认真地采访他。刘光头并不故作谦虚，而是侃侃而谈，真诚对我，这让我的采访十分顺利。我们甚至是边喝酒边聊天，我呢，记性历来不错，只是在关键的地方，才做些笔记而已。 刘光头从他小时候说起，一路滔滔说来。说到家里贫苦时，竟然眼含泪花。我发现他很会选择重点事件，尤其在他的每个成长阶段，或人生的转折时期，都会说出一些关键性的细节，而这些细节，又是那样感人，它们丰满、细腻，简直令人难忘，这正是我所需要的东西。尤其是，说起他遇见的那个贵人时，更是让人动容。其实，那位贵人起先并不看好他，觉得他不可能有恒心修炼，所以，他故意找个借口，说他不收弟子。怎料刘光头下了大决心，明白碰到了大贵人，也明白自己还没有立世的本事，如果不抓紧这个千载难逢的机会，以后很可能再也遇不到了。那个贵人并没有打算收他为徒，丢下他便走，一下子就消失在莽莽大山之中。刘光头没有紧追上去，他明白，即使追上去，也是枉然。他却清楚，眼下这条崎岖小路，是贵人的必经之路。他狠下心来，当即跪拜在山路边上，决心跪到贵人出现。这真是考验他的意志。他不吃不喝，双膝跪地，两手直垂，双目低视，一动不动。可怜他连续跪拜了三天三夜，才终于碰到贵人下山。贵人见他三天三夜跪拜于此，内心不由大为震撼，当即答应收他为徒。 这些生动、丰富且罕见的细节，让我觉得这篇文章已成功一大半。但我却认为，他身上应该还有秘密。那就是，他为何来到省城，来到省城又为何暂栖此地？我认为，这些内幕也是可以挖掘的。我趁着他高兴之时，终于问起这个问题。这个问题不弄清楚，似乎故事缺少了开头。 刘光头怔了怔，突然朝天哈哈大笑，露出满口黄牙，说，问得好，问得好。我在省城跟那些人打架，那是出于打抱不平，根本就不值一提。我之所以来到省城，是因为在家乡惹了大祸，就来这里躲风的。 什么大祸？我很好奇，觉得有东西可挖。 刘光头搔了搔光脑壳，搔出一片沙沙之声，像蚕吃桑叶。他似乎有点腼腆，我感觉他是不好意思说吧。 刘光头说，老乡，不瞒你说吧，我家乡有个“五不烂”（烂仔）叫刘朝天，三十岁不到，正事不做，懒得出奇，居然天天偷鸡摸狗，还欺侮许多妇人。周边的人都恨死他了，巴不得将他碎尸八块，丢于野外喂狗，却又不敢打他，害怕他报复。刘朝天曾经放出话来，如果有人打他，他要烧掉人家的屋子，毒死一家老小，以及猪牛羊鸡。因此，没有人敢报复他，任随他称霸于乡间。有人曾经暗地里怂恿我，叫我去教训他一下。我想，我虽有武艺在身，却不能随便出手，担心伤人。因为我们的拳脚，一旦打起人来，是没有轻重的。况且，师傅也教育过我，千万不能乱出手，要一忍，二忍，三忍。这是我每天早晨必须要念一百遍的“三忍”经。因为动手打人，很可能会将对方置于死地。因此，我没有答应，而且，我故意说我打不过他。师傅说，像我们这类人，一定要低调，要把功夫隐藏起来。只是有件事情终于激怒了我，刘朝天竟然奸污了我的同学，那是班花，长得很乖态，四里八乡都有名。班花居然忍气吞声，不敢报案，因为刘朝天警告过她，如果报案，要杀她一家人。班花无处诉苦，只是悄悄地告诉我。我当时怒火冲天，却也没有答应要替她教训刘朝天。等到事情过去了三个月，我才起心要教训这个家伙。趁一个夜晚，他从别人家里偷鸡出来，被我好一顿暴打，造成手脚骨折。因有灯光，不幸地被他看见了，他竟然报了案。村里人纷纷为我叫好，而我毕竟伤了人，因此，派出所要抓我，我就逃了出来，一直不敢回去，还是躲过这个风头再说吧。 我说，你这是替村里人打抱不平，也是为民除害。 他说，看来，打抱不平还是打不得，如果打出人命来，我自己这条小命也保不住了。 我说，那你的手脚也可以放轻点呀。 刘光头说，我们这种人，一旦动起手来，就不晓得轻重了，是难以控制的。说罢，他伸出右拳让我看。我一看，天啊，这哪里是拳头，简直就是紫红色的花岗岩，与左拳有天地之别。他解释说，因此，我一般只用左拳击打，右拳不敢随便出手的。 我估猜，刘光头不想继续纠缠这个话题了，似乎担心泄露什么秘密。他忽然换个话题说，你信不？我坐着不动，可以把那个酒瓶子变到桌子上来。 我望着墙角那个酒瓶子，瓶子里估计还有二两酒，我怀疑地说，你不是用的障眼法吧？或是玩魔术吧？ 他没有肯定，也没有否定，只是谦虚地笑了笑，说，雕虫小技而已。 我欣喜不已，心想，这篇稿子如果发出来，肯定会有很大的影响。只是我感觉到，刘光头脸上似乎隐藏着某种忧虑。 第二天上班，我迫不及待地说给王主编听，说我要写这个稿子，一写此人具有正义感，二写此人的确有三板斧。王主编也很有兴趣，说你这个稿子，一定会产生影响的。又叮嘱说，为慎重起见，你跟他商量一下，看是否能来我们杂志社当场表演，看他能否经得起检验，反正他的住地又不远。 我把王主编的意思告诉刘光头，他居然满口答应，说，没问题，由你们定时间吧。又说，我不能表演太多，最多不超过三个节目。他举起红萝卜样的手指。 说实话，杂志社虽然编发过好些奇人奇事的稿件，却从来也没有把他们请到杂志社来当场表演（来往太不方便），刘光头竟是第一个，当然，也是近在咫尺的原因。杂志社的同仁们听说有个奇人要来当场表演，个个都很兴奋，倒要亲眼看看这个人的真实本事。 3 那天晚上，杂志社的同仁都来了，各自还把家属也叫了来，都想看个热闹，共计有二三十人。刘小英也要跟着来。我们坐在坪里，坪里还残留着白天的一丝温热，观众前面留下一块空地，怕有三四十平米，那是给刘光头表演的。 八点钟，刘光头如约而至。他空着双手，没有任何行头，穿着白色和尚领汗衫，灰色短裤，塑料凉鞋，真是朴实无华。刘光头微笑地站在前面，礼貌地作个揖，说，各位老师好，今天晚上，我给大家表演几个小把戏，让各位笑话，务必请各位原谅。又对我说，老乡，请给我准备一张书桌，两副扑克牌，一颗图钉，一块小黑板，五块红砖。说罢，将汗衫脱下来，放在一边，露出浑身肥硕的身体。 我是召集人，因此，这些物件都由我安排，其他人不必操心。况且，表演的场所就在办公室前面，拿点东西不成问题，仅仅一步路。我和刘小英将书桌搬到观众们前面，再准备去拿扑克牌、图钉、小黑板和红砖。 刘光头却说，那些东西等下再拿不迟。接着，他把书桌的两个抽屉拿出来，给大家看，说，这里面没有什么秘密吧？ 下面一致呼应，没有。刘小英又补一句，没有—— 刘光头对我说，老乡，请拿一把锁和钥匙来吧。 我返回办公室，迅速地拿来一把江山牌锁和钥匙。 刘光头似乎为了避嫌，后退一步，说，请你把抽屉锁上。 我锁上抽屉——那是两个抽屉共一把锁的——然后，将钥匙放入自己裤袋。 刘光头又朝着观众们说，请哪位老师取下手表借我一用。 我看了看坐在下面的人们，便说，王主编，请把你的手表拿来一用。 王主编马上取下手表递给我。 刘光头对我说，你看是什么牌子的。 我仔细一看，竟是双狮牌的。这个牌子比较少见，在那个年月，人们一般戴上海牌或北京牌手表。刘光头将手表握在左手掌心里，让大家看清楚，又对我说，请你用手帕把我的左手紧紧地捆绑起来。我便从裤袋里抽出一块方形手帕，将他的左手包扎起来。 刘光头举着被手帕包扎的左手，像个战场上下来的伤员，说，老乡，你可以去坐了。 我跟王主编坐在第一排，当然还有刘小英，主要是为了随叫随到，方便些。当然，也不排除有某些优越感的意思。 刘光头往后退两步，距离桌子约两米远。我们都很迷茫，不知他究竟耍什么名堂，心里头不由好奇和紧张，当时全场一片静默，唯有天上的星星，在沉默地关注着这一切。刘光头稳稳地站立着，面对书桌，左手平伸，像个刚出笼的馒头，呼吸忽然加剧急迫起来。这时，只听见噗通一声闷响，响声似乎是从书桌内部发出来的。刘光头缓缓地吐口粗气，一招手说，老乡，请你来帮我解开手帕吧。 我起身快步上前，解开手帕。他把大手张开，手里竟然没有了手表。他让我拿钥匙打开抽屉上的锁，说，你看看抽屉里有什么东西。我打开锁，只见一块手表躺在里面，我拿起来仔细看，竟是双狮牌。又拿给王主编验证，王主编站起来对大家说，这的确是我的手表。人们又是一片惊呼，不用说，刘小英的声音最大。 我们明白这肯定是魔术，大家不难辨别。我却有种不好的感觉，因为这在别人看来，似乎会怀疑我和王主编是刘光头的托。 下一个节目的动静大些，刘光头叫我把小黑板挂在墙壁上，水泥坪的前方，是一堵不高的围墙。墙脚下是断断续续的青苔，上面是张牙舞爪的爬山虎。他把图钉叼在嘴边，然后，让我把两副扑克放在桌子上，任意洗牌。我担心他玩鬼名堂，便将扑克洗过来，又洗过去，翻来覆去，恨不得把它们洗烂。然后，我才把扑克交给他。 刘光头把扑克牌全部正面朝着我们，然后，随意从中抽出一张牌，说，请大家记住这张牌，我并不晓得它是张什么牌。还问大家记住了没有，大家兴奋地说记住了。我们都晓得，那是一张红桃8。然后，刘光头把它插进牌里面，像粒沙子没入大海，又让我放肆洗牌，还说，随便你怎样洗。我笑起来，自己简直成了洗牌客，又将扑克一顿好洗，然后才交给他。 刘光头将两副扑克抓在手里，面对着小黑板，足有四米之远。这时候，他左手抓着扑克，右手就像刀削萝卜，哗哗地切削起来，只见扑克牌像雪花飞舞，在空中漫飞，煞是好看。 我们不明白他到底玩耍什么鬼名堂，个个睁大眼睛，警惕他玩花招。刘小英的眼睛鼓得尤其大。我们还来不及识破他的破绽，便看到其中有张牌背着面，急速地向小黑板飞去，霎时间，他将嘴里的图钉用力吐出，图钉像飞镖，直逼扑克牌而去，最终将那张扑克牌牢牢地钉在小黑板上。因为那张扑克是反面的，我们都不晓得它是张什么牌。 刘光头舒口气，抹一把额头上晶莹的汗水，说，老乡，请你去把它取下来，给大家看看吧。 我激动地走过去，有一种揭穿谜底的兴奋，从小黑板上把扑克牌取下来，亮给大家看。人们又是一阵惊叹，因为它的确是红桃8。刘小英似乎不相信，将红桃8看来看去，然后，极其钦佩地望着刘光头，带头鼓起掌来。 接着表演第三个节目。 刘光头让我将五块红砖拿上来，他把红砖相互撞击，红砖发出当当的清脆声，以此证明红砖是真的，然后，把它们堆积于桌上，像五张大麻将牌。然后，他站在距离红砖不到一米远的地方，先是双手往肚子下面慢慢压，似乎要把一肚子下水压到小腹，脸色也渐渐紫涨，汗水在灯光下像熟透的、细小的白葡萄。然后，刘光头左手叉腰，右掌抬起，双目逼视红砖，似乎要用目光推翻它们。然后，伸出右掌。现场一片静默，观众的心似乎都提起来了，似乎都跟着他在运气。刘小英紧握双拳。 静默终究是有限度的。只见刘光头冲着红砖的右掌，微微颤动，铮铮有力，忽听一声大吼，嘿——，右掌向五块砖头飞速劈去，只见红砖齐齐从中断裂，生生地被切成了十块。观众们站起来欢呼，纷纷说，真是太神了。刘小英的欢呼声，更是显得辽阔，并且走上前去，一一拿起断砖举起来，给观众们看。 刘光头就是这么有力气，这么让人惊讶不已。他的动作简单、利落，绝不拖泥带水，又极具观赏性，而且，所有的表演，能够迅速地把人带进去，看到令人不可思议的奇异效果——这确是他的成功之处。 回到家里，刘小英兴奋不已，没有丝毫睡意，不停地跟我说起刘光头。她竟然像个伟大的预言家，说，刘师傅以后一定会出大名的，能够赚到大钱。 刘光头这次表演的直接结果是，我写完稿子后，王主编痛快地签发了这个稿件，他还在稿签上龙飞凤舞地写着“发头条”，并叫美编把封面上的标题打上大号字——最后的铜像，并附上他肥硕头部的相片。 可以想见，这期刊物十分畅销，提前发出的订单，从各地纷至沓来，这是个多么令人兴奋的事情。刘小英晓得刊物的印数，说，才华，你们要发财了，你们要发财了。王主编高兴得像个细把戏，见到我就挥舞着拳头，说，一炮打响，一炮打响。 刘光头对我的感情日益加深，脸上隐藏的忧虑也一扫而光，变得明丽而洁净，似乎年轻了几岁。我写的这个稿子，不瞒你说，让本期刊物加印了十万本，让他名声大震，由一个名不见经传的民间艺人，摇身一变，竟然名扬天下。许多读者写信到杂志社要转给刘露明，纷纷钦佩他刻苦练功，意志坚强，在逆境中创造奇迹，于健身中为国争光。 …… 全文请阅读《长城》2025年第2期 《长城》·创作谈|姜贻斌：留下的不仅仅是铜像 原创姜贻斌长城杂志 2025年03月13日09:30河北 《留下的不仅仅是铜像》 □姜贻斌 小说中的人物有点生活中的影子。 某天，我突然想起了这个人。 其实，当年我跟他的交道并不多，仔细想来，总共见过两次面吧。无非是当时他来我们杂志社表演节目时，我帮过他而已，比如拿道具（扑克、图钉、黑板），以及搬桌子等等，却绝不是他请的托。这一点，我可以对天发誓。这个人的确很神，不知是玩魔术，还是运用其它什么手段，竟然把几个节目玩得出神入化，精彩绝伦，让我们大开眼界，放肆鼓掌。他是因为我当年所在的那个杂志发表的一篇人物特写而名声大噪的，一时被传得神乎其神。为他写东西的是另外一个记者。 后来，我们当然就很少接触了，几乎没有了什么来往，只是听说他在省城搞得风声水起，他表演的节目，很受人们欢迎。他摆在饭店前面的那尊铜像，我是见过的，而这种做法是比较罕见的，我估计省城他是唯一摆自己铜像的。它就摆在离我们杂志社不远的中山路上，我间常经过那里，却从未进去过。当然啰，关于他的点点滴滴，还是时有耳闻。听说他心肠很软，甚至把乡下的七大姑八大姨、三舅五叔，全部搞到省城的公司，一齐吃着他这个大户。因为他疏于管理，难免人浮于事、明争暗斗，挑拨离间、惹是生非，这弄得他很是烦躁，心力交瘁。这也够难为他的了，既要操心众人的生计，又要练功表演。 我想写写这个有点武功、玩点魔术的男人，是如何在社会上生存的，而他同他的公司，又是怎样被时代所淘汰。 是的，留下的不仅仅是铜像，它还有让我们有更多的思考。 谢谢《长城》！ 2025年2月28号于长沙 注解英文版：
Masterpiece Appreciation in The Great Wall ‖ Jiang Yibin: The Last Bronze Statue (Novella) Original by Jiang Yibin, published by The Great Wall Magazine 09:30, March 13, 2025, Hebei △ Click the blue text above to follow "The Great Wall Magazine" Jiang Yibin is from Shaoyang, Hunan. He has published novels such as Nei**ors, Fire Carp, Wine Song, and collections of short and medium - length stories like Kiln Sacrifice, Will You Have an Accident, etc. He is currently the Honorary Chairman of the Hunan Writers Association. In the mid - 1980s, I was fortunate enough to be transferred to a magazine in the provincial capital, finally getting out of that remote small county. The magazine was newly established and in need of staff, so I joined. It was called Life, a monthly magazine covering many aspects of life, including food and travel, pets and flowers, furniture decoration, marriage - seeking announcements, and more. It was very popular among readers. In fact, the most popular part was the feature stories about people. These people were extraordinary, with remarkable characteristics. Some had overcome cancer by eating wild grass for ten years, some were snake - breeding experts who had suppressed the escape of numerous venomous snakes, some had exposed the great secret of "One - Finger Zen," and some stories were about the mystery of a fox - spirit pressing on people at midnight. There were also the glorious legends of the "Child - Giving Goddess" (specializing in treating infertility) and the extraordinary lives of folk Sanda champions. Anyway, they were all strange and interesting stories based on facts, with wonderful and twisty plots that attracted readers greatly. Therefore, they were undoubtedly the highlight of our magazine. We knew that these stories were neither beneficial nor harmful, just for entertainment. But for readers, they were very attractive. At that time, the magazine's circulation reached as high as over 500,000 copies, which was quite remarkable. Of course, we sometimes pushed the boundaries a bit. For example, when publishing "The Mystery of the Fox - Spirit Pressing on People at Midnight," we not only interviewed the person involved and let him tell the thrilling, dream - like story of that night but also organized several critical short essays at the end of the article, pointing out that it was feudal superstition and there was no such thing as a fox - spirit in the world. The magazine had a small staff. To write about these legendary people, we mainly needed leads and contributions from authors. So, each issue of the magazine would inform readers to provide leads and send relevant manuscripts to us. As a result, we reporters seldom stayed in the provincial capital. Once we had a lead, we would rush around inside and outside the province. Of course, as the magazine's influence grew, many authors inside and outside the province would contribute to us, expanding our source of manuscripts, which was a great thing for us. At least, we didn't have to rush around as much as before. Liu Luming, an unknown person originally, became a well - known figure because of our magazine. And his fame was due to me. The magazine's chief editor, surnamed Wang, like me, was from a working - class background. He was a blacksmith, and I was a carpenter. We changed our fates because we loved writing. He believed that the magazine should be interesting and full of the flavor of life, not be dull, because readers were our bread and butter. He was kind to all colleagues, speaking softly. With his tall figure, when talking to people, he would bend down and look at you with a smile, always encouraging rather than criticizing casually. The most frequent sentence Chief Editor Wang said to me was that I should write about some interesting people because that was the main attraction of our magazine. Of course, I had written two influential articles, but it was far from enough. If I wanted to be a top - notch reporter of the magazine, I still needed to work harder. "As long as the magazine exists, I'll keep writing" was our passionate slogan at that time. At that time, Liu Luming was nowhere to be found, probably among the people of all sorts. After moving to the provincial capital, I had no place to live for a while, so I rented a house. The rented house was not far from the magazine, only a five - minute walk, but it was deep in a lane about a hundred meters long, where the population was mixed, and there were even some thieves. One night, when I was walking back to the rented house to sleep, I suddenly heard the fish - selling aunt by the street exclaiming loudly, "Oh my god! He actually fought against more than a dozen people in Xiahe Street. His martial arts are amazing!" Someone in the dark asked, "Who?" The fish - selling aunt replied, "Who else? It's Bald Liu at the end of the street." I didn't know Bald Liu. Hearing that he could fight against and defeat more than a dozen people, I thought he must be highly skilled in martial arts. If he had special skills and a unique life story, it might be possible to write an article that would attract readers. The magazine had once published an article exposing "One - Finger Zen," which was voted the first - prize by readers. So, I started to pay attention and inquire. I found out that Bald Liu's real name was Liu Luming, from Baoqing, and he was actually from my hometown. I also learned that he lived at No. 108 at the end of the street. I secretly laughed, thinking it might be a coincidence with the 108 heroes in Water Margin. Moreover, since he was a martial artist, he must be very good at fighting. To dig deeper into Bald Liu's story, I didn't spare any expense. I bought a carton of Baisha cigarettes and two bottles of Shaoyang Daqu. Under the cover of night, I gently knocked on the door of No. 108. But no one opened the door at first. I waited patiently, thinking he might be practicing martial arts. Sure enough, within five minutes, someone opened the door and stuck out a fleshy face, asking, "Looking for me?" I smiled humbly and said, "Yes, Master Liu." Liu Luming gave me a wary look, thinking I might be a spy sent by his opponents in a fight. But his wariness soon disappeared, and he said indifferently, "Come in." The fish - selling aunt was right to call him Bald Liu. His big bald head shone brightly in the dim light. It was hot, and the white ceiling fan was whirring. The fan blades seemed like a mighty army galloping on the wall. Bald Liu was in his thirties, about ten years older than me. He was bare - chested, wearing gray shorts. To be honest, he looked chubby and didn't seem like a martial artist at all. I wondered how such a figure could defeat his opponents. Bald Liu's rented house was different from mine. I lived in a one - bedroom and one - living - room apartment, while his was a two - bedroom and one - living - room house with a living room. I guessed it was convenient for him to practice martial arts. The houses on the street were very messy, not as well - planned as they are now. There were all kinds of houses, a real mess. There was a pair of dumbbells on the floor, a sandbag like a fat intestine hanging in the air, and several yellowed old books on the wooden chair, which seemed to be about geomancy. Bald Liu handed me a cup of tea, and I put the gifts on the floor. He was surprised and said, "Oh, we don't know each other. What can I do for you?" I was straightforward and said I was a reporter from Life magazine, surnamed Zhang, Zhang Caihua, and I also lived on this street. I heard that he was from Baoqing, so I came to 认老乡 (acknowledge our hometown connection). Bald Liu clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "Good, what a coincidence." Then, he picked up a bottle of wine from the floor, opened it, poured a glass for each of us, and brought some peanuts. He raised his glass and clinked it with mine, saying, "Teacher Zhang, let's drink." I felt a bit ashamed and said, "Don't call me teacher. Just call me by our hometown connection." That night, although we had just met, we had a pleasant conversation. We talked about the local customs, historical celebrities, and landscapes of Baoqing. I guessed it was because of our hometown connection, or maybe he was at a low point in his life and needed someone to talk to. When I asked him directly about the fight in Xiahe Street and said it had caused a big stir and the police had arrested some of the opponents, but he hadn't even got a scratch, Bald Liu laughed and said, "Oh, that was just helping out." I asked, "Helping whom?" He replied, "I don't know." I was surprised and asked, "You helped even though you didn't know?" Bald Liu said angrily, "They were clearly bullying others. Seven or eight young men were beating up a middle - aged man until he was bleeding. I happened to pass by and asked others why they were fighting. They told me those young men had eaten a meal without paying. I understood what was going on and rushed to stop the fight. When those young men saw me interfering, they got angry and punched me. But these inexperienced guys were no match for me. I only needed a few punches and kicks to beat them until they were howling. The opponents were not convinced and immediately called in a few more people. I estimated there were about a dozen in total. Of course, they were still no match for me. I knew when to stop and quickly ran away. Otherwise, I would definitely have been taken to the police station." I admired Bald Liu's sense of justice and uprightness. So, we talked even more congenially. Bald Liu was so happy that he even started performing a show while sitting (I thought it was definitely magic). He slowly pressed his hands down towards his dantian and then slowly lifted them up. Amazingly, the transparent empty wine glass on the table was filled with wine. He was afraid I wouldn't believe it and asked me to taste it. It was really wine. And suddenly, two bunches of brightly - colored flowers appeared on the table, looking like they grew in the mountains. I thought they were real flowers, but when I touched them, they were plastic. I was extremely surprised and clapped loudly. He shook his head and said, "It's nothing, really." He seemed a bit shy. In my opinion, this was very exciting and entertaining. Although it was just a small display, I had the idea of writing an article about him. Of course, I still needed to learn more about his life, dig out more materials and details. The more twists and turns the story had, the better. So, I interviewed him seriously for two consecutive days. Bald Liu didn't pretend to be modest. He talked freely and sincerely, which made my interview go smoothly. We even chatted while drinking. I had a good memory and only took notes at key points. Bald Liu started talking about his childhood. When he talked about his poor family, he even had tears in his eyes. I found that he was good at choosing key events. Especially at each stage of his growth or turning points in his life, he would tell some crucial details. These details were so touching, full - bodied, and delicate that they were unforgettable, which was exactly what I needed. Especially when he talked about the noble person he met, it was really moving. At first, that noble person didn't think highly of him, believing he couldn't persevere in his training. So, he deliberately made an excuse and said he wouldn't accept disciples. But Bald Liu was determined. He knew he had met an important person and that he didn't have the skills to make a living yet. If he didn't seize this once - in - a - lifetime opportunity, he might never have such a chance again. The noble person didn't intend to accept him as a disciple and left, disappearing into the vast mountains. Bald Liu didn't chase after him. He knew it would be in vain. But he knew that the rugged path in front of him was the noble person's 必经之路 (necessary route). He made up his mind and knelt down by the roadside, determined to kneel until the noble person appeared. This was really a test of his will. He didn't eat or drink, knelt with his knees on the ground, his hands hanging straight down, his eyes looking down, and didn't move at all. After kneeling for three days and three nights, he finally met the noble person coming down the mountain. The noble person was deeply shocked when he saw Bald Liu kneeling there for three days and three nights and immediately agreed to accept him as a disciple. These vivid, rich, and rare details made me feel that the article was already half - done. But I thought there must be more secrets about him. That is, why did he come to the provincial capital and why did he stay here temporarily? I thought these inside stories were also worth digging into. When he was happy, I finally asked him this question. Without clarifying this, the story seemed to lack a beginning. Bald Liu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed loudly towards the sky, showing his yellow teeth, and said, "Good question, good question. The fights I had in the provincial capital were just to stand up for the weak. It's not worth mentioning. I came to the provincial capital because I got into big trouble in my hometown and came here to lie low." I was curious and asked, "What kind of big trouble?" Bald Liu scratched his bald head, making a rustling sound like silkworms eating mulberry leaves. He seemed a bit shy. Bald Liu said, "To be honest with you, 老乡. There's a good - for - nothing in my hometown named Liu Chaotian. He's less than 30 years old, doesn't do anything decent, and is incredibly lazy. He steals chickens and dogs every day and bullies many women. The people around hate him to the core. They wish they could tear him to pieces and throw him to the wild dogs. But no one dares to fight him because they're afraid of his revenge. Liu Chaotian once threatened that if anyone hit him, he would burn down their house, poison their whole family, and their pigs, cows, sheep, and chickens. So, no one dared to retaliate. He dominated the countryside. Someone once secretly encouraged me to teach him a lesson. I thought that although I knew martial arts, I couldn't act rashly for fear of hurting others. Because when we martial artists fight, we can't control the force well. Moreover, my master had taught me never to fight casually. I had to be patient, patient, and patient again. This was the 'Three Patience' scripture I had to recite a hundred times every morning. Because hitting someone might kill them. So, I refused and even pretended that I couldn't beat him. My master said that people like us should keep a low profile and hide our skills. But one thing finally made me angry. Liu Chaotian raped my classmate, who was the class beauty and well - known in the surrounding areas. My classmate endured the humiliation and didn't dare to report it to the police because Liu Chaotian had warned her that if she did, he would kill her whole family. She had nowhere to complain and secretly told me. I was furious at that time but still didn't promise to teach Liu Chaotian a lesson. Three months later, I decided to teach this guy a lesson. One night, when he was stealing a chicken from someone else's house, I gave him a good beating, breaking his hands and feet. Unfortunately, because of the light, he saw me. He reported it to the police. The villagers cheered for me, but after all, I had hurt someone. So, the police wanted to arrest me. I had to escape and haven't dared to go back. I'm just waiting for the heat to die down." I said, "You were standing up for the villagers and ridding the people of a scourge." He said, "It seems that standing up for others can be dangerous. If I had killed someone, I would have lost my life too." I said, "You could have been gentler." Bald Liu said, "Once we martial artists start fighting, we can't control the force. It's hard to control." Then, he showed me his right fist. I was shocked. It was like a purple - red granite, completely different from his left fist. He explained that he usually only used his left fist to fight and didn't dare to use his right fist casually. I guessed that Bald Liu didn't want to dwell on this topic, probably because he was afraid of revealing some secrets. He suddenly changed the topic and said, "Do you believe that I can move that wine bottle to the table without moving?" I looked at the wine bottle in the corner, which probably still had two ounces of wine left, and said suspiciously, "Are you using a sleight of hand or performing magic?" He neither confirmed nor denied it, just smiled modestly and said, "It's just a trifling skill." I was very excited and thought that if this article was published, it would definitely have a great impact. But I felt that there seemed to be some hidden worry on Bald Liu's face. The next day at work, I couldn't wait to tell Chief Editor Wang about it and said I wanted to write this article, highlighting his sense of justice and his skills. Chief Editor Wang was also very interested and said that my article would definitely have an impact. He also told me that for the sake of caution, I should discuss with Bald Liu whether he could come to the magazine to perform on the spot to see if he could pass the test. After all, his place was not far. I told Bald Liu what Chief Editor Wang meant. He readily agreed and said, "No problem. You can set the time." He also said that he couldn't perform too many shows, at most no more than three. He raised his carrot - like finger. To be honest, although the magazine had published many articles about strange people and their strange stories, we had never invited them to perform on the spot in the magazine (it was too inconvenient). Bald Liu was the first one, probably because he lived nearby. When the colleagues in the magazine heard that a strange person was coming to perform, they were all very excited and wanted to see his real skills. That night, all the colleagues in the magazine came, and they even brought their families. There were about twenty or thirty people in total. Liu Xiaoying also came. We sat in the yard. There was still a trace of warmth from the day in the yard. An open space of about thirty or forty square meters was left in front of the audience for Bald Liu to perform. At eight o'clock, Bald Liu arrived as promised. He came empty -handed, without any props. He was wearing a white monk - collar undershirt, gray shorts, and plastic sandals, looking extremely plain. Liu Guangtou (Bald Liu) stood in front with a smile, politely bowed, and said, "Hello, teachers. Tonight, I'll perform a few small tricks for everyone. Please don't laugh at me and forgive me." Then he said to me, "Lao Xiang (fellow villager), please prepare a desk, two decks of playing cards, a thumbtack, a small blackboard, and five red bricks for me." After that, he took off his undershirt and put it aside, revealing his plump body. I was the organizer of this event, so I was in charge of arranging these items, and others didn't need to worry. Moreover, the performance venue was right in front of the office. It was very easy to get these things, just a step away. Liu Xiaoying and I moved the desk in front of the audience and were about to get the playing cards, thumbtack, small blackboard, and red bricks. Liu Guangtou said, "It's not too late to get those things later." Then, he took out the two drawers of the desk and showed them to everyone, asking, "There's no secret in here, right?" The people below responded in unison, "No." Liu Xiaoying added, "No ——" Liu Guangtou said to me, "Lao Xiang, go get a lock and a key." I went back to the office and quickly brought back a Jiangshan - brand lock and a key. Liu Guangtou, seemingly to avoid suspicion, took a step back and said, "Lock the drawers." I locked the drawers - - the two drawers were locked with one lock - - and then put the key in my trouser pocket. Liu Guangtou then said to the audience, "Could any teacher lend me your watch for a moment?" I looked at the people sitting below and said, "Chief Editor Wang, please lend me your watch." Chief Editor Wang immediately took off his watch and handed it to me. Liu Guangtou said to me, "Check what brand it is." I took a closer look and found that it was a Shuangshi - brand watch. This brand was relatively rare. In those days, people usually wore Shanghai - brand or Beijing - brand watches. Liu Guangtou held the watch in the palm of his left hand, let everyone see it clearly, and then said to me, "Tie up my left hand tightly with a handkerchief." I took out a square handkerchief from my trouser pocket and tied up his left hand. Liu Guangtou held up his left hand, which was tied with a handkerchief, like a wounded soldier just off the battlefield, and said, "Lao Xiang, you can go and sit down." I sat in the first row with Chief Editor Wang and Liu Xiaoying. Mainly, it was for convenience, so that we could be at his beck and call. Of course, there might also be a bit of a sense of superiority. Liu Guangtou took two steps back, about two meters away from the table. We were all very confused, not knowing what tricks he was going to play. We were curious and nervous. At that time, the whole place was silent, and only the stars in the sky were watching in silence. Liu Guangtou stood steadily, facing the desk, with his left hand stretched out flat, like a freshly - steamed bun. His breathing suddenly became rapid. At this moment, there was a dull thud, and the sound seemed to come from inside the desk. Liu Guangtou slowly exhaled a breath of air, waved his hand, and said, "Lao Xiang, come and untie the handkerchief for me." I got up and walked over quickly to untie the handkerchief. He opened his big hand, and the watch in his hand was gone. He asked me to take the key to unlock the drawer on the desk and said, "Check what's in the drawer." I opened the lock and saw a watch lying inside. I picked it up and took a closer look. It was indeed the Shuangshi - brand watch. I showed it to Chief Editor Wang for verification. Chief Editor Wang stood up and said to everyone, "This is indeed my watch." People exclaimed again. Needless to say, Liu Xiaoying's voice was the loudest. We all knew that this was definitely a magic trick, and everyone could tell. But I had a bad feeling because, in the eyes of others, it might seem that Chief Editor Wang and I were Liu Guangtou's accomplices. The next show was more exciting. Liu Guangtou asked me to hang the small blackboard on the wall. In front of the cement yard, there was a low wall. There were intermittent moss at the foot of the wall, and there were overgrown creepers on it. He held the thumbtack in his mouth and then asked me to put two decks of playing cards on the table and shuffle them randomly. Worried that he might play tricks, I shuffled the cards over and over again, wishing I could wash them to pieces before handing them to him. Liu Guangtou turned all the playing cards face - up towards us. Then, he randomly drew a card and said, "Everyone, remember this card. I don't know what it is either." He also asked if everyone remembered, and everyone excitedly replied that they did. We all knew it was the Eight of Hearts. Then, Liu Guangtou inserted the card into the deck, like a grain of sand disappearing into the sea. He asked me to shuffle the cards vigorously again and said, "Shuffle them however you like." I laughed. I felt like I had become a professional card - shuffler. I shuffled the cards thoroughly again before giving them back to him. Liu Guangtou held the two decks of cards in his hands and faced the small blackboard, which was about four meters away. At this time, he held the cards in his left hand, and his right hand cut the cards quickly like a knife cutting a radish. The playing cards flew in the air like snowflakes, which was really beautiful. We didn't understand what he was up to. Everyone stared wide - eyed, alert for any tricks. Liu Xiaoying's eyes were especially wide. Before we could figure out his tricks, we saw a card flying towards the small blackboard with its back facing us. At the same time, he spat out the thumbtack in his mouth forcefully. The thumbtack flew towards the playing card like a dart and finally nailed the card firmly to the small blackboard. Since the card was facing backwards, we didn't know what it was. Liu Guangtou took a breath, wiped the glistening sweat from his forehead, and said, "Lao Xiang, go and take it down to show everyone." I walked over excitedly, feeling the excitement of uncovering the mystery. I took the playing card off the small blackboard and showed it to everyone. People exclaimed again because it was indeed the Eight of Hearts. Liu Xiaoying seemed not to believe it. She looked at the Eight of Hearts again and again, and then, with great admiration, she looked at Liu Guangtou and took the lead in applauding. Then, he performed the third show. Liu Guangtou asked me to bring up five red bricks. He knocked the red bricks against each other, and they made a clear "clang" sound to prove that they were real. Then, he stacked them on the table like five big mahjong tiles. Then, he stood less than a meter away from the red bricks. First, he slowly pressed his hands down towards his abdomen, as if trying to push all the air in his stomach to his lower abdomen. His face gradually turned purple, and the sweat on his face was like ripe, tiny white grapes under the light. Then, Liu Guangtou put his left hand on his hip, raised his right palm, and stared intently at the red bricks, as if trying to push them down with his eyes. Then, he stretched out his right palm. The scene was completely silent, and the hearts of the audience seemed to be in their throats. It seemed that everyone was holding their breath with him. Liu Xiaoying clenched her fists tightly. Silence couldn't last forever. We saw Liu Guangtou's right palm, which was facing the red bricks, tremble slightly, with great strength. Suddenly, he let out a loud shout, "Hey ——" and his right palm quickly chopped towards the five red bricks. The red bricks were neatly broken in the middle, cut into ten pieces. The audience stood up and cheered, shouting, "It's amazing!" Liu Xiaoying's cheers were especially loud. She even walked forward, picked up the broken bricks one by one, and showed them to the audience. Liu Guangtou was really strong and always amazed people. His movements were simple and neat, without any hesitation, and highly entertaining. Moreover, all his performances could quickly draw people in and present incredible and wonderful effects - - this was exactly his success. After returning home, Liu Xiaoying was so excited that she couldn't fall asleep. She kept talking about Liu Guangtou. She was like a great prophet, saying, "Master Liu will surely become famous and make a fortune in the future." The direct result of Liu Guangtou's performance this time was that after I finished writing the manuscript, Chief Editor Wang readily approved it for publication. He even wrote "Publish on the front page" in a flamboyant hand on the manuscript label and asked the art editor to use large - sized characters for the title on the cover - - "The Extraordinary Liu Luming", and attached a photo of his chubby head. It was imaginable that this issue of the magazine was very popular, and advance orders poured in from all over the place. What an exciting thing! Liu Xiaoying knew the print run of the magazine and said, "Caihua, you're going to get rich, you're going to get rich." Chief Editor Wang was as happy as a child. Whenever he saw me, he would wave his fists and say, "A big hit, a big hit!" Liu Guangtou and I became closer. The hidden worry on his face disappeared completely, and he became brighter and seemed several years younger. To be honest, the manuscript I wrote made this issue of the magazine reprint an additional 100,000 copies, making him famous. He transformed from an unknown folk artist into a well - known figure. Many readers wrote to the magazine asking to forward their letters to Liu Luming, admiring his hard - work in practicing martial arts, his strong will, his ability to create miracles in adversity, and his contribution to the country in the field of fitness. …… Please read the full text in the second issue of The Great Wall in 2025. The Great Wall · Creation Talk | Jiang Yibin: What Remains Is More Than Just a Bronze Statue Original by Jiang Yibin, The Great Wall Magazine 09:30, March 13, 2025, Hebei What Remains Is More Than Just a Bronze Statue □ Jiang Yibin The characters in the novel have some shadows from real life. One day, I suddenly thought of this person. In fact, I didn't have much interaction with him back then. Thinking carefully, we only met twice in total. I just helped him when he came to perform at our magazine, like getting props (playing cards, thumbtacks, blackboard) and moving the table. But I was definitely not his accomplice. I swear to God. This person was really amazing. I don't know if he was performing magic or using some other means, but he performed several shows superbly, which opened our eyes and made us couldn't help applauding. He became famous because of a feature story about him published in the magazine I worked for back then. For a while, he was talked about as something mysterious. It was another reporter who wrote that article about him. Later, naturally, we had fewer contacts. We almost had no communication. I only heard that he was doing well in the provincial capital, and his performances were very popular. I saw the bronze statue he placed in front of a restaurant. This kind of practice was quite rare. I guess he was the only one in the provincial capital who placed his own bronze statue in front of a restaurant. The bronze statue was on Zhongshan Road, not far from our magazine. I passed by there occasionally but never went in. Of course, I still heard some bits and pieces about him from time to time. I heard that he was very kind - hearted. He even brought all his relatives from the countryside, such as his aunts, uncles, and cousins, to work in his company in the provincial capital. Because of his poor management, there were problems like overstaffing, internal strife, and gossiping in the company, which made him very irritable and exhausted. It was really hard for him. He had to take care of everyone's livelihood while also practicing martial arts and performing. I wanted to write about this man who knew some martial arts and could perform some magic, to see how he survived in society and how he and his company were phased out by the times. Yes, what remains is more than just a bronze statue. It gives us more to think about. Thank you, The Great Wall! February 28, 2025, Changsha
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