Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A180-W87
魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A180-W87
Release Date: January 28, 2006
发布日：2006年1月28日
Topic: In Commemoration of Liu Binyan Who Had His Stance of Fighting for Victims of Injustices -- by Wei Jingsheng
标题：纪念为弱势百姓打抱不平的刘宾雁 -- 魏京生
Original Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)
此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
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In Commemoration of Liu Binyan Who Had His Stance of Fighting for Victims of Injustices
-- by Wei Jingsheng
Not long ago, Mr. Liu Binyan, the well-known writer and journalist, passed away. Many of our friends both inside and outside of China commemorated him in various ways. As an elder statesman whose stances transcended beliefs and politics, he received widespread respect. Because of his honest and upright character, his stance of fighting for victims of injustices, and his courage to speak truth to power, Mr. Liu won the love and respect of the people. Judged by China's traditional standards, he is a true man, one with a genuine disposition. Judged by modern Western standards, he is a true intellectual, a man with independent thought and spirit instead of be controlled by money or power. The Liu Binyan I knew was such a role model both from Western and Eastern traditional and modern standards, and an elder statesman whom I respected.
I got to know Mr. Liu Binyan very late, but knew of his name very early on. A few decades ago, I was still a young student. Seeing a group of communists being condemned into "rightists" brought the first doubts into my mind. Mr. Liu Binyan's name was among the list of these famous "rightists". When I reached middle age, in the only one publication we were allowed to read in jail, I saw Liu Binyan's name again in a list of people criticized as being "polluting spiritually". I chuckled to myself. It seemed as if this "second-type loyalty" [1] communist member was in fact a member of the opposition faction all along. A few years later, this spiritual pollution led to a change in colors. During the 1989 democracy movement, Liu Binyan enthusiastically returned to China to act as a vanguard of the movement, once again drawing my attention. I began to research him to see exactly what kind of person of opposition with this "second-type loyalty" kind communist party member was. I wanted to understand Liu Binyan from a human perspective, not from that of a famed writer and journalist. Regrettably, I was too busy at the time, and did not have the opportunity to research this. I could only stand as a bystander from afar and come to understand a little bit.
The first time I met Mr. Liu was at a diner party in 1997 welcoming me to the United States. There were so many people that we had no opportunity to get into deep discussions. Only a few months later, when I went to visit Mr. Liu, did I have the opportunity to sit down with him and delve into deep conversation. I remember that Mr. Liu invited me to his house, and ordered from a restaurant my favorite dish: pork shoulder braised in soy sauce. After we finished eating, we drank tea together. In that contented atmosphere, Mr. Liu showed his stern side - he criticized me for not obtaining the help of the right people and not fully utilizing the enthusiasm I received when first coming to the United States to do more for the democracy movement. At that time, he acted in the old communist style: first say a few words in praise, and then when the other party is contented, take the opportunity to unleash a hailstorm of criticism. I hurriedly explained, saying that I was jailed for over a decade and do not know anyone in the United States but Liu Qing. So I have limited options; beggars cannot be choosers. Mr. Liu expressed his understanding of what I said, but continued to complain that I had not fully utilized my opportunity. His deeply sincere heart towards the suffering people truly moved me for a long time. Even facing such criticism, I was still touched; for an obstinate person like me, this rarely happens.
One or two years later, I had the opportunity to be a guest at Long Yingtai's house. She made me attend a lecture at Heidelberg University in Germany, saying that I was to give support to Liu Binyan and Zheng Yi. It was hard to turn down, so I went. As it turned out, Liu Binyan began to argue with the students. Not only did he argue with the pro-communist students and scholars, he even argued with the anti-communist students and scholars. This was because Liu Binyan believed that the ideals of communism were good, but that the Chinese communist party wrongfully implemented them. His obstinate stance made the other speakers angry. They said that they should convene a small meeting to fix this confused old man who still speaks well of the Chinese Communist Party. At that point I saw Liu Binyan's sincere side. This was not a false sincerity put on for display, but instead was a concretely existing loyalty to one's beliefs. My parents and many of the old communists from their generation were like this, so I can understand Liu's frame of mind. The bad deeds that the Communist party did deserve a scolding, but we cannot profane the beautiful idea of Communism. Those old folks were confused; not understanding Marxism-Leninism is combining the most beautiful fantasies and the most evil methods together, which can only bring disasters to mankind. Now the fantasies have been discarded, leaving only the evil methods, so things are even worse than they were during Mao Zedong's time. Those old folks are too naive and do not understand this. Thus, their loyalty can only become untimely "second-type loyalty". But even though they made lovable, sincere mistakes, they still are respectable. Thus, Mr. Liu's frank and honest character is far above that of those hypocrites. This is why I bickered with Liu whenever I met with him but still like him. On the other hand, I have difficulty making friends with those hypocrites.
I hope that young folks can take Liu Binyan to be their role model, instead of take those hypocrites as role models. This is the essence of our Chinese culture. We were in prospects over thousands of years by relying on intellectuals with independent character. Let us not lost this tradition.
[1] - This refers to a type of person Liu Binyan described in one of his most well-known reports, "The Second Type Loyalty" - the type of persons who were treated unjustly by the Chinese Communist Party but foolishly remained loyal to it.
(Written on December 24, 2005. Partially broadcasted by Radio Free Asia. The Wei Jingsheng Foundation is responsible for the accuracy of this version of the English translation.)
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中文版
Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A180-W87
魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A180-W87
Release Date: January 28, 2006
发布日：2006年1月28日
Topic: In Commemoration of Liu Binyan Who Had His Stance of Fighting for Victims of Injustices -- by Wei Jingsheng
标题：纪念为弱势百姓打抱不平的刘宾雁 -- 魏京生
Original Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)
此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
如有中文乱码问题，请与我们联系或访问:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2006/report2006-1/WeiJS060128LBYA180-W87.htm
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纪念为弱势百姓打抱不平的刘宾雁
-- 魏京生
不久前，著名作家和记者刘宾雁先生去世了。国内外许许多多的朋友，以各种方式纪念他。因为他是一位超越了信仰和政治立场而受到广泛尊敬的老前辈。刘宾雁先生以他耿直的性格，替弱势百姓打抱不平的立场，讲真话而不畏权贵的勇气，赢得了人们的爱戴与尊敬。用中国的传统标准来衡量，这是一位真人，真实性情中人。用西方的现代标准来衡量，这是一位正真的知识分子，具有独立思考精神而不为金钱权势所左右。我认识的刘宾雁，就是这么一个符合东西方传统和现代标准的楷模 -- 做人的楷模，我所尊敬的前辈。
我认识刘宾雁先生很晚，知道刘宾雁的大名却很早。几十年前我还是年轻学生的时候，一批被打成右派分子的忠诚的共产党人的遭遇，引起了我最初的不解与疑惑。刘宾雁先生的大名，就列在这批著名的右派分子之中。当我从青年步入中年之时，在监狱中唯一准许阅读的报刊上，被批判为精神污染分子的名单中又发现了刘宾雁的大名。当时心中暗笑，看来这种第二种忠诚的老共产党人，是个天生的反对派了。又过了几年，精神污染终于引起了颜色的改变。89年民主运动中，刘宾雁那兴冲冲返国充当急先锋的身影，再次引起了我的主意。我开始想研究一下，这第二种忠诚的反对派，到底是个什么样的人物。想从人的角度而不是什么文学家名记者的角度去了解刘宾雁这个人。遗憾的是，我太忙了，没有太多的机会，至今也不过是作为旁观者远远地了解一点而已。
认识刘先生很晚，是在97年欢迎我到美国的宴会上。人很多，你一言我一语的，没机会深谈。几个月之后我拜访刘先生的时候，才有机会坐下来深谈。记得那次刘先生请我去他家，还特意从餐馆订了一个我最喜欢吃的菜---红烧肘子。酒足饭饱后喝着茶，在这惬意而又放松的气氛中，刘先生露出了他的本色。他上来就批评我用人不当--没有充分利用我刚出来的热乎劲儿为民运做更多的工作。当然，像老共产党的作风一样，先表扬几句，趁你得意之时才开始暴风骤雨般的批评。我赶紧解释说，我蹲监狱十几年，乍一到美国谁也不认识，只认识刘青一个人。我只能是有什么就用什么，没法儿挑挑捡捡。刘先生表示理解之余，仍不停地抱怨我没能充分利用机会。他对受苦受难的百姓们的赤诚之心，着实让我感动了不少日子。挨了批评还很感动，在我这种顽固性格的人来说，真不多见。
过了不知一年还是两年。有一次我在龙应台家做客，她非得拉我去参加海德堡大学的一场演讲，说是让我去给刘宾雁和郑义助阵。盛情难却我就去了。结果刘宾雁和学生们吵起来了。不但和亲共的学生学者吵，而且跟反共的学生学者吵。因为刘宾雁认为共产主义的理想是好的，只是中共这上上下下一群歪嘴和尚把经给念坏了。其顽固的态度使几位共同讲演者大为光火，说是得开个小会修理修理这糊涂老头儿，都什么时候还替共产党说好话。我倒是认清了刘先生真诚的一面。这不是伪装出来表忠心的假真诚。而是实实在在地忠诚于自己的信仰。我父母和他们那一代的老共产党，有许多人就是这种人。所以我理解老刘的心情。共产党坏事做尽是该骂，但不能亵渎了那美好的理想。那也是人类共同的美好理想呀！老头儿们糊涂就糊涂在，不理解马列主义是把最漂亮的空想和最丑恶的手段结合起来，只能给人类带来灾难。现在没有什么理想了，只剩下最丑恶的手段，所以比毛泽东时代还坏。老头儿们太天真，不懂这些，所以他们的忠诚，只能是不合时宜的第二种忠诚。但是即使是错了，也错得可爱，错得真诚，错得仍然让人尊敬。比起那些很时宜地骗共产党饭吃的伪君子，刘先生这样的真君子的人格，要高出一大截子。这就是为什么我和老刘见面就抬杠，但却喜欢他的原因。和那些伪君子，我很难成为朋友。
我希望年轻人要以刘宾雁为做人的楷模。不要以很合时宜而且到处吃得开的伪君子为榜样。这是我们中华文化的精粹。靠这种知识分子的独立人格，我们过去发达过几千年，别丢了这个传统。
（写于2005年12月24日）
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