Bei Dao Interview by David Huang (Singtao USA)

Q=Question from reporter A=Answer from Bei Dao

Q: You once said this about American poetry: “Poetry has become the middle-class’ dessert, it’s a game of the brain, it has nothing to do with the heart.” However, a lot of contemporary poetry is intergraded into rap music, and has become very popular among the younger generation. What do you think about that phenomenon? With consideration of this trend, where lies “the game of the heart”?

A: I know very little about rap music. Generally speaking, poetry and music are two different things. Occasionally their spheres intersect, as with the case of Bob Dylan, who is both a singer and an important poet.
The main difference between poetry and song is its medium. Poetry is about language, songs are about melody. Rap music is more about language, but this type of language is more outward, spontaneous, current and kind of critical; poetry is completely different, it’s inward, hidden and private, most of time above or outside of reality.

Q. Poet or poetry, which is more interesting?
A:It’s hard to use the word “interesting” about poet or poetry. I am afraid this standard is irrelevant in the examination of something inherently subjective.

Q: Your early poetry seems to be more rebellious and angry, your recent prose and poetry are more vicissitudinous and peaceful. Is creativity something very personal? Is it necessary to communicate?
A: Based on the structure of creative writing, the substance of poetry and prose is different from each other, and is hard to make a comparison. Literature certainly needs communication, and poetry and prose are two different ways to convey an idea. While one may be a bridge, the other could be a road.

Q: You once said, “I drift around with nothing, Chinese is my only luggage”. The Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco strives to explore the issue of cultural assimilation and culture identity under the background of globalization and migration. Having drifted outside of China for many years, what kind of impact does being in exile have on your thinking and writing? Does it change your conception of territory, borders and homeland? And finally, how do you view the “World citizen”generation, which your daughter is a part of?
A: You combined the two sentences I said into one, which is kind of dangerous. In terms of cultural assimilation and identity, it is a constant changing concept following the continual expansion of horizon. We are the generation of exile. We were sent to the countryside as teenagers, went far away and flew high, since then, home is no longer home. Later on we went further, too far to go back home, even no longer wanting to go back home. Incidentally, this coincided with the trend of worldwide migration. After these many years of drifting, I went from homeless to feeling the world is my home. It seems to be some kind of destiny. My daughter inherited my destiny of drifting, crossing through multiple cultures, and thus she has a vision that is different from her peers. I worried about her when she was young, and now I am really proud of her. Because she has grown strong wings, that will enable her to balance the danger in flying.

Q: You mentioned you like the American jazz music, and long for the America in the 30’s. What are you listening to currently? What do you long for now?
A: I still like jazz, but I don’t listen to it as much as I used to. Now I mainly listen to classical music, especially solo. It’s like a dialogue between two hearts.

Q: You mentioned many poets in your new books, and it seems that you have established a friendship that is above language. For an art form like poetry, can we establish a communication above language?
A: Friendship is friendship. Poetry must be translated, this is the dilemma the human being has as described in the collapse of Babel tower in the Bible.

Q: Does China still need poetry? What kind of poetry do we need for China nowadays?
A: As long as there is human being, we need poetry. Poetry is the spirit of a nation (ethnic group). Without it, we became walking soulless corpses. Regretfully, we are failing in our own humanity. I don’t expect everyone to read and understand poetry, but they should at least understand the importance of poetry in the ethnic spirit.

Q: Facing commercialization of everything, what kind of role should the poet play?
A: Poet should always be a poet, this is a life calling and a profession. If you ask poet to be a business man and vice versa, it’s a huge mess.

Q: After 20 year, the readers in China have transformed quite a bit, maybe you can share your views on the matter?
A: Time changes, so do the readers. Sadly, the commercialization and the internet generates a class of predominantly tasteless writers and tasteless readers. A good writer will not follow the readers.

Q: You lived in seven countries in four years, moved 15 times, you said “I am grateful to all the turmoil these years, it takes me away from the center, the turbulence (of China), and lets my life really calm down.” After all these years, what did you gain? What did you lose?
A: Without the turmoil and drifting, it’s hard to imagine that I can still be myself in China’s turbulence. I probably don’t have the composure. Looking at many of my peers in China, I feel really fortunate. I feel like I’ve been to the sky’s edge, and took a very tough road. But I first needed to conquer myself.

Q: If time goes back to 1989, what would be your choice?
A: Of course what happened in 1989 is unfortunate. But in the long run, it was the incident that caused many people to flee their homes, which is not necessarily bad for the Chinese culture. Our ancient nation needs someone to be “away from home”, suffer a little, be punished a little, so that then they can gain some new understanding. I am very lucky to be one of them. To a certain extent, it’s a historical crusade, but the intention of the crusade is not to conquer the enemy, but for the person to conquer him/herself.

收听部分朗诵和讨论Listen to the readingPart1

收听部分朗诵和讨论Listen to the Reading Part2 and discussion

北島接受星島日報記者黃偉江先生訪問全文
Interview in English by Singtao reporter David Huang
Reviews from the audience Read More »

Special Topic Presentation: How to Format Your Computer for Chinese Use

Chinese Culture Center and Chinatown Photographic Society are most happy to announce another joint program for the Chinatown community slated for Saturday, August 11, 2007 between 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Chinese Culture Center located at 750 Kearny Street, 3rd floor, San Francisco, Ca 94108. The event is open to the public and admission is free of charge. The guest speaker is computer expert-instructor, and Certified Microsoft Engineer, Mr. Joseph Lee. He hosts his most popular: “Computer World” talk show on KEST 1450 AM radio weekly on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. with audiences in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and Seattle.

His topic on how to format your computer for Chinese use is most timely as we no longer consider the use of a computer as a luxury. Computer is becoming a tool in our daily life in communication and at work. Many of us are versatile in the use of the computer, and yet, not many of us are as good in using the computer in Chinese. If you are interested in enhancing your skill and learn to use Chinese to input your computer for surfing the Internet, reading and writing your e-mail, following the Chinese newspapers locally and around the world and improving your photos digitally, this is the lecture for you. Mr. Lee is also going to talk about the advantages of the new Microsoft VISTA operating system. Do not miss this wonderful opportunity to learn about this topic of interest. Please bring a friend who may also enjoy this talk. For more information please contact Ben Lee 415-515-2744 or Johnny Lee 415-244-6572.

中文電腦介面和輸入法學術交流專題講座
(三藩市訊) 由中華文化中心與華藝攝影學會共同為了推廣及提升華人的電腦常識,現特邀請AM1450 中文電臺, 逢週五中午12:30時段的 “電腦世界” 節目主講人[李珈賢]電腦導師, 於8月11日, 星期六,下午2-4時, 到達華埠[文化中心]地址堅尼街750Kearny St. 3rd fl., 與灣區華人社區作[學術交流], 義務主講及示範:[如何設定中文電腦介面和和輸入法.]

今時今日, 很多人都知道電腦已經不再是奢侈品電腦已經成為每日工作或與人溝通不可缺少的必需品現今美國社會能懂得使用中文電腦的人並不普及身為華人如果能够了解如何操作中文電腦對人對事可謂事半功倍對於喜愛上綱找尋資料,電子郵訊,看新聞及攝影的朋友們就更加是錦上潻花

這次專題講座,免費入場. 想要了解中文電腦運作的朋友請把握這個難得的機會到時李先生還特別介绍微軟公司VISTA平臺和解答電腦常識問題. 詳情請電話415-515-2744李國柱或415-244-6572李良聯絡.

美西《星島日報〉〉記者黃偉江三藩市報道

在空中與北島的對話

中國當代朦朧詩歌的代表性詩人北島將於7 月29 日 （周日）下午2 ：00 ， 應舊金山中華文化中心邀請，舉行詩誦會（中英文）。我馬上擬定了採訪提綱，時間很短，正趕上北島搬家，我的提問只好通過電郵，請他在趕回加州的飛機上作答了。我在地上，他在雲端，或許，北島的答案會更加超然？
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8/16/07 7:00 PM: C4 is proud to co-host a Free to Members – Special screening of American Fusion – a comedy as diverse as love itself.

First 100 CCC member receive the special American Fusion Gift Basket! Sylvia Chang, Director Frank Lin and the crew will come to meet with the audience. 主演張艾嘉（專訪）與導演及主創將親臨首映現場與觀衆見面。 最先到場的100名中華文化中心會員將得到”融入美利堅的禮品袋”

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The Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco proudly presents an afternoon with the distinguished poet, Bei Dao. The Nobel Peace Prize for Literature nominee will be reading a selection of his own poems at the Center on Sunday, July 29, 2007 at 2:00pm. Admission is free, but a suggested donation of $5 would be greatly appreciated.

7月29日 （周日）下午2：00， 舊金山中華文化中心將有幸邀請到著名詩人北島進行詩誦會（中英文），免費入場，$5 建議捐贈， 座位有限，請從速報名並提早到達。

收听部分朗诵和讨论Listen to the readingPart1

收听部分朗诵和讨论Listen to the Reading Part2 and discussion

北島接受星島日報記者黃偉江先生訪問全文
Interview in English by Singtao reporter David Huang
Reviews from the audience Read More »

Book launch: August 17th, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. .

Chinese Culture Center is proud to co-present: Cheers to Muses （為繆斯喝彩）, an exhibit of art and writing from a soon-to-be-released anthology, by one of the nation’s leading Asian American arts organizations the Asian American Women Artists Association (AAWAA). The exhibit showcases the new anthology of contemporary visual and literary art entitled Cheers to Muses: Contemporary Works by Asian American Women (expected publication: August 2007).

WHEN: June 1st thru August 25th, 2007

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