Like many colonial past events, on the previous page of history, Myanmar's old capital Yangon was once a very prosperous city.
This is the center of Southeast Asia, located at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
It borders Dongxia to the north, India to the west, the Chao Phraya River Delta that produces strategic materials such as rubber and grains to the east, and the bustling international waterways to the south.
Beautiful treasures will naturally attract robbers.
So, the colonists came.
European troops occupied the country, and to the passionate melody of the Grenadier March, the red-coated musketeers under Edward VII beat the last monarch of the Burmese feudal dynasty to the point of peeing, and fled to another country.
For Myanmar, this is the final end of a thousand-year feudal dynasty. For the Empire, which was at its peak of glory, this was just an ordinary victory.
Whether it is in India, the Qing Dynasty, Malaysia, from East Asia to the Middle East and then to Africa, they have repeated similar things countless times.
Wars, colonization, plunder
Flying and domineering, one dynasty comes again and again.
"Yangon is a fallen noble city."
Chen Shenglin smiled, "I have heard countless times from partners or inspection groups from Europe who came here to tell me had similar comments.”
“A hundred years ago, if you looked at this city from a high altitude, the bright lights at night were no weaker than the Lion City, Tokyo and Osaka at that time. Compared to this, it is just a slum made up of sailors and porters."
Chen Shenglin said softly, "They always miss the Yangon in the diaries of the past colonists more."
Honest. In terms of.
The colonists did not plunder the place in an attempt to catch all the land, but carried out chessboard-style grid urban planning and industrial transformation of Yangon, thus completely changing the city's appearance.
It is not the goodwill of Europeans.
It is the British's ambitious hope to build Yangon into the "New Port of Liverpool in East Asia."
As early as the Victorian era, in the design of the British House of Representatives, Myanmar would be connected with the Indian colonies in the Far East to hinder the expansion of the French in Indochina on the Asian territory.
They have transformed Yangon with the same investment in local construction.
They brought imported religions and British life.
This is the first place in East Asia to have electricity, railways, cold beer and frozen steaks.
A large number of Europeans came to this land.
Maugham once settled here. George Orwell was discussing the polo match at Eton School 12,000 miles away with colonial officials while drinking beer and writing down his practice notes. The Burmese Years.
And in the French colony just a stone's throw away, the greatest female homemaker of the 20th century, Marguerite DurasJust born.
Decades later, she will write a landmark work in the history of literature, My Lover and the Love of Hiroshima, based on her childhood experiences in Southeast Asia.
To this day, Yangon still retains the largest group of British-style buildings in Southeast Asia.
St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Governor’s Town Hall, and the High Court Building are in Yangon. Yangon No. 1 Middle School, which is as famous as Dulwich International School where Gu Weijing attended, was formerly a European-style missionary school.
"They say that under the glory of the British Empire, this city once gave birth to great writers such as Orwell and Maugham, and it is the most prosperous city in Southeast Asia."
Chen Shenglin whispered, "Then he asked me. Mr. Chen, what have you left in Yangon more than half a century after the British left?"
"Has the city's business card here become the sea?" The heroin, methamphetamine in the Golden Triangle, the corrupt and incompetent police bureaucrats, the arrogant warlords and gangsters were all described by the erotic service escorts as being cheap and high-quality, which made people feel very aftertasteful."
Everyone was silent.
"What do you think?" Chen Shenglin turned around and asked.
Gu Weijing listened quietly.
He has never thought about what kind of city Yangon is from the perspective of a big entrepreneur.
European business partners told you that after the colonists left, your city was useless, but the girls of your compatriots are very beautiful, and they are memorable when you sleep.
Even if it was most likely an unintentional joke, it was actually quite humiliating to think about.
However, Gu Weijing did not answer the call.
The person was asking about Kou Kou’s father.
On such a serious topic, a middle school student like me has no room to interrupt.
"Well, Yangon does have a very glorious past."
When Father Koko heard "corrupt and incompetent police bureaucrats", his face became a little embarrassed.
At this time, he could only bite the bullet and say, "It is our incompetence that failed to manage this city well, which embarrassed Mr. Chen."
"I don't think so about the glory. ”
Mr. Chen smiled mockingly.
"Don't get me wrong, it's not against you, but you are really incompetent to manage the city like this." He glanced at Kou Kou's father.
The Inspector's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
I want to get angry but don’t dare.
Given the business environment in Yangon, most businessmen would not be too fawning over an important military and police official like him.
However, as the saying goes, money can make all the difference.
If you can reach Mr. Chen's level in business, your status will be reversed.
Chen Shenglin faced a Yangon police inspector and was not the mayor of Yangon, so he didn't need to care about the mood of Kou Kou's father.
When you are in a good mood, you call him brother. When you are in a bad mood, you tell his face that Myanmar’s official system is incompetent, and you can only pretend that you don’t hear it.
“I just don’t agree with thisJust saying. The glory of the colonists, what can be said about the glory of the colonies? Just like the steaks and beer specially provided to the second-class British civil servants, what does it have to do with the laborers who died beside the railway?"
< p>Mr. Chen's tone was as deep as that of a philosopher.Things will never have only one bright side, and the colonists will never be angels.
In the glorious Queen Victoria. Behind the shining portrait of the great Edward VII, Britain, France and Japan were playing the Great Game of East Asia. Millions of people were displaced, hundreds of thousands of local soldiers died in the war, and several times that number of workers died in transforming the primitive jungle. The sweltering heat, mud and plague.
Countless families were broken up and countless orphans wandered the streets.
“Some sociologists like to call this situation a developed society. "Mr. Chen held out five fingers.
"I have never understood the thoughts of these Europeans, just like I don't understand the thoughts of those who think Mandela made a mess of South Africa. What is the same. ”
“South Africa was indeed once a developed country, but only 5% of the elite white people have the welfare and life of a developed society. Such development has nothing to do with the remaining ordinary people living in apartheid zones. Similarly, the prosperity of Yangon is just a castle-like fantasy of the colonists and has nothing to do with the land itself. "
Chen Shenglin looked at Gu Weijing this time.
"Young man, have you seen the boats on the Yangon River? ”
“Those tourist cruise ships coming and going” Gu Weijing nodded.
Their home is on the bank of the Yangon River, facing the boats that come and go on the river every day. Luxury cruise ships carrying various foreign sightseeing tour groups are naturally no strangers.
“I once read an interesting saying that every large sightseeing cruise ship is like a microcosm of Yangon’s past one hundred years. "Chen Shenglin clapped his hands lightly." A dozen European tourists stood at the top of the Tower of Power, while one hundred and fifty locals were working hard at their feet. All the meaning of labor is to provide the best service to the rights holders on the top deck. ”
“Very vivid. ”
Gu Weijing recalled the large tourist cruises he had seen.
These luxury cruises charge high fees, and most of the tourists are wealthy people from Europe. They occupy the sunshine On the deck, enjoy champagne under the sun loungers and enjoy the city scenery.
Hundreds of boatmen are spinning around like ants, providing them with everything from shining shoes to lifting the slipper after disembarking.
p>
The rich only remember the scenery of the city, but no one takes a moment to pay attention to the feelings of these boatmen.
They are just worker ants that no one cares about.
"Xiao Gu, if you really want to paint a moving work, please compose it like this. "
The entrepreneur stroked the drawing paper in front of Gu Weijing, "The almighty Virgin Mary may be omnipotent, but she has neither helped these children nor has she ever done anything.lit up the city. ”
“Thank you, Mr. Chen. ”
Gu Wei nodded sincerely and thanked him.
He tried to follow the collector’s suggestion, moving the towering Madonna to the corner of the picture and redesigning the composition.
As soon as he started writing,
Gu Weijing felt the difference.
The design of the picture was very bold, and the oblique triangle pattern also broke through the rigidity of traditional composition rules. Although it is restricted, the picture is still basically stable.
More importantly, even if it is just a draft, Gu Weijing can clearly feel that the picture has become more vivid. /p>
From the expression style of a rigid quasi-religious moral preaching painting, it has become more dynamic.
This kind of rural composition idea and hearty inspiration analysis, even if it is Mr. Cao may not be able to tell.
It is difficult for a great artist to have such a profound insight into the urban temperament without having lived in this land.
Hegel. Once commented that the temperament of painting art is "a spiritual reflection of a city, reflecting the spiritual life that is freed from the shackles." ”
Gu Weijing once felt the old Paris from the dance in Renoir’s Moulin de la Pancake, and heard the ethereal hymns in the old church during thunderstorms from the writings of the female painter Carroll.
This is the temperament of painting.
When composing a painting, a great painter always incorporates his own understanding into it so that he can better achieve emotional sublimation.
p>Gu Weijing is still far from the level of a great painter, but Mr. Chen’s understanding of Yangon is very skillful and makes up for the shortcomings in his own composition.
Going out to collect styles. This is the advantage.
If he had been bored in the school studio, he would not have been able to understand the importance of empathy, nor would he have been able to meet interesting people like Mr. Chen.
When Gu Weijing redesigned the sketch, the collector never left.
The secretary reminded him of the schedule, and no one said anything else after he waved his hand. Mr. Chen, the distinguished guest, had the leisure to look at the paintings, so the others had no choice but to keep company.
On the other hand, the reporter Du Wen on the other side was like. Like the little mouse who saw the rice vat, he was excited and wanted to chat with Chen Shenglin, but he was quickly "invited" away by Kou Kou's men.
"Hey, this is for me. The uncle who washes the girl's hair is Lieutenant Colonel Alai"
Kou Kou's father suddenly said "Hey".
"Lieutenant Colonel Alai"
Gu Weijing was confused, and even the female dean on the side was a little shocked.
The gatekeeper is indeed called Alai, and he has a military temperament.
But he is already a lieutenant colonel in the army. He is a senior officer in the rank, not far behind the rank of general.
Uncle Alai was once a lieutenant colonel.
“This is awesome.He was a legendary figure in the past, and now he is one of the founders and instructors of the VIP Security Force. If I hadn't been involved in a factional war, I would have been a general by now. Even if I were transferred to the police force, I would still be at the level of my superior. I heard that he was kicked out of the army, but I didn't expect that he would be here guarding the gate now. ”
Miss Kou Kou’s “eighth mother-in-law” temperament is obviously hereditary.
Mr. Police Inspector, who has always been rigid and serious, looked much more energetic when he mentioned high-level gossip. . Unfortunately, due to discipline, it was difficult to spread the word, so he could only hesitate to speak.
After a long time, he sighed, "It's a pity that the factions are fighting." ”
Gu Weijing, who had not heard any breaking news, shook his head and continued painting.
The political situation in Myanmar is chaotic, and various factional struggles often occur.
The world of adults is much more complicated and cruel than that of children.
The former lieutenant colonel is now the cripple guarding the door. Similar things happen
Gu. We originally planned to come to the orphanage today, just to interview the profile of the caretaker, Uncle Alai.
That Quasimodo-like silent caretaker looks like a model with a lot of stories. .
Unfortunately, his arrival was not a coincidence.
After arriving at the orphanage today, Gu Weijing learned from the director that the uncle had taken little Jasmine to look after him. I went to Guang General Hospital for medical treatment.
Jasmine has AIDS. In order to prevent the virus from eroding her immune system, the number of viral vectors in her blood needs to be checked regularly according to the course of treatment.
Not touched. I didn't encounter it, anyway, there are plenty of opportunities.
Gu Weijing secretly wrote down the news and continued to draw. After a while, the new draft was completed. /p>
“Even though it was just a draft, I still saw the painting come to life. ”
Mr. Chen looked at Gu Weijing’s draft, nodded and affirmed softly, “When this painting is completed in the future, it will definitely be a beautiful work.” "
He patted Gu Weijing's shoulder.
"Such energetic young painters are our hope for getting out of the colonial era. If you are willing, please give me this painting after you finish it. "
The collector stopped the secretary from asking the female dean for Gu Weijing's contact information. He personally took out a business card from his arms and handed it to Gu Weijing.
"You can Just call my cell phone. ”
Gu Weijing took the business card with both hands.
The business card was plain.
There were no rich people as vividly depicted in street stall literature as he imagined. I like the look of a gorgeous business card inlaid with gold foil and platinum.
It’s just a piece of paper. There’s not even a title on it, just the name “Chen Shenglin”. , and a string of phone numbers.
It seems that the weight of this name alone is enough to explain everything.
The other onlookers may be shocked.An unclear look of surprise or astonishment can indicate that the weight of this business card is not as frivolous as it appears.
Even Kou Kou’s father was surprised. Please remember to collect it, the latest and fastest website is free to read without anti-theft