Maung Tun Thu - Beijing (Part 1)

A message from a Myanmar returnee

1

The translation of "Peking" began on May 7, 2006. It was determined that it would be completed within six months, and it was estimated that it would be completed around the end of October 2006. However...

2

I first met the author Anthony Grey in 1983. That year, I received his masterpiece, Saigon, which is considered by international literary scholars to be his best work.

The novel "The Vietnam War" is a story about the political, economic, religious, social, and military lives of four families over three generations, set in the backdrop of Vietnam.

When I read that great novel, I felt the joys, the delights, the heart-warming, the sorrows, the joy

It is evident that the tragic, heartbreaking, shocking, and melancholic stories are beautifully and vividly written with great skill.

The main characters of this play are the Vietnamese people, along with many other characters from different nationalities, including the British, Americans, Japanese, and Vietnamese. "The past is the beginning of the present," which opens the story with a line from William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," is considered by critics to be the best work.

I made a mental note that it was in harmony with...

From my life experience, I have learned that in every aspect of my life, the past cannot be left in the past. I have to reflect on the events that I have experienced in the past and distinguish between right and wrong. I have to work hard to correct whatever went wrong in my present life.

I believe that the life of an individual and the life of a people collectively are the same. Therefore, the life of the people is the same as the life of the country they live in. Therefore, I do not know whether today's Vietnam can reject or correct the mistakes of the past and make their present life better and more prosperous.

They are making great efforts to develop it further.

This is the lesson I took away from reading Anthony Gray's Saigon. It is not just for me. It is a lesson that all of us, as a people, will find very good or very valuable.

3

It came into my hands in 1985. I started translating Saigon in October 1989. At that time, I bought a piece of land on China Hill Road in Taungthugone Ward, Insein Township, and built a house.

I am living in a house. Don't think of it as a house. It is just a small house built on a small plot of land with a fence and thatch roof. I live in a small house on my own land of about sixty feet, so I can say that I am comfortable, but I have no electricity, so I can say that I live in a very primitive life.

At that time, I first translated the novel "Saigon" by battery light. It was not very convenient in the long run, so I continued to write with two large candles. Thus, "Saigon was completed on April 23, 1990. It took me about seven months to complete Saigon.

During that time, I often stopped because I was worried about the book being too thick and having to publish it in many volumes, and because I was exhausted from working with only two large candles every night. However, my wife, who was reading the manuscript of Saigon from the sidelines, said, “Myint kept urging me to continue, and Saigon had to be finished. For this reason, I have to record my gratitude to my wife, ‘Myint.

Thus, the 'Saigon Manuscript', which had more than 4,000 blank pages, was published in eight volumes in October 1993 by the Life University Press with a beautiful and majestic cover by Tin Maung. The readers "loved and accepted Saigon and supported it, so in August 2005

It was published for the second time in May as book number (19) of Myananda Bookstore.

When it was published for the second time, "Saigon" was divided into two volumes of ten volumes, totaling 1,236 pages. The magnificent book "Saigon" also

It must be said that it was a success. I, who had longed for the interest of most Burmese readers in Saigon, also felt happy and satisfied.

4

I still can't forget.

It was August 19, 2000. That day, a visitor who had just returned from a work trip to Singapore came to my house. He had brought a gift from my friend Ko U ​​Khin (who worked with the visitor). Ko U ​​Khin’s gift was a book, Tokyo Bay, by my favorite author Anthony Nay. I don’t know when it will be published. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been filming a movie. I’m still working on a song called ‘I Can’t Stop Hoping’.”

5

I received the novel Peking by author Anthony Gray on July 21, 1993. I ordered it through my daughter.

It was not until a year or two later that I received it. The cover featured a picture of the Great Wall of China, one of the wonders of the world, in the foreground, with a backdrop of mountains.

Peking is one of two books (the other being Saigon) that have been considered the best of Anthony Gray's eight novels. In fact, "Peking is a dramatic novel about modern China, set over a period of 60 years, from the 1920s to the 1980s."

Beijing is a novel that records many events that are so great that it is worth writing a book. In Beijing, you can see the political, economic, religious, social and military life of the Chinese people in detail. You can also catch a glimpse of the lives of the world-famous leaders of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-shek.

For these reasons, we will also see in detail the "Great March," which was recognized as one of the most remarkable events in world history. In addition, we will see in detail the conflicts and conflicts within the party that occur naturally in human nature, the egoism of leaders, the lust for power and its abuse, the narrow-mindedness and the big-mindedness, the narrow-mindedness and the broad-mindedness, the narrow-mindedness and the big-mindedness, the greatness and the lack of sympathy, the cult of personality, etc.

Another thing to see in Beijing is the Cultural Revolution led by Mao Zedong and his wife, Madam Chen Qing. The suffering that emerged from that revolution not only caused great suffering to the people and the leaders, but also caused the loss of interests.

Another is Mao Zedong's wife, actress Madam Chen Chai, President Liu Shaoqi, General Te, Mao Zedong's successor Hua Kuo-feng, Prime Minister

It is possible to see and understand the attitudes and behaviors of people like Ding Shuangping, who caught Zhou Enlai's eye.

Beijing is a country based on facts and facts about China. China is a country that is closely related to our country. Our people must try to understand their country. We must study and analyze the love, goodwill and attitudes that their leaders have towards their country and their people.

In my opinion, the essence of Beijing is none other than the mentality and character of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. It is the mentality and attitude of people like Ding Shuangping who inherited their legacy. If we are to please them,

6

The author of this novel, "Peking," is an English writer, Anthony Gray. He is a writer who lived in Eastern Europe.

He is a writer who has traveled and lived as a foreign correspondent for Reuters, not only in Asian countries, South Africa, Australia, and the United States, but also in China.

"Peking is a best-selling book by Anthony Gray and has become a bestseller throughout Eastern Europe. Other titles include E:opsuptys Hostage in Peking, The Prime Minister Was A Spy, The German Stratagem, The Bulgarian Exclusives, The Chinese Assassin, The Bangkok Secret, The Naked Angles, and Tokyo Bay.

While he was working as a journalist in China, the Cultural Revolution broke out in China. He was arrested by the Red Army security forces and imprisoned for two years. His book, "Hostage in Peking," which documented the hardships he faced during that time, became widely known as his "personal memoir."

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“I would like to share some of my experiences with the translation of the Peking Opera. I have been writing since 1962. At that time, my work required me to travel to various parts of the country and do local tours.

I wrote long articles. "The Circle of the King", "Those who are trying to write a new history", "The Blue Sea and the Seagull", "The Life of a Happy Worker on the River" were articles that were well received by readers at that time. At that time, I spent my time translating articles, local news, foreign news, and articles.

Then I returned to the Mekhin Social Welfare Department from the Myanmar Information Department. It would be an understatement to say that I had drifted away from literature, but I, who had been the editor of the school magazine since my student days, had developed a mental illness that made me unable to live without writing. Thus, I began writing articles in magazines and newspapers.

The articles I wrote were mostly social-related, such as 'Social workers are "youth training schools," 'Young delinquents are bad youths," 'Juvenile law," 'Juvenile court," and "Juvenile justice is a young judge."

Then, in 1978, I started my first novel, "Wingless Birds" (a collection of short stories), to change the direction of my life. Then, I translated The Citadel, a novel by Dr. A. Cronin, a writer I had really liked in my third year of university, as my first translated novel under the title "The Citadel".

After finishing The Castle, I translated other novels such as The Inn of the Sixth Happiness and Camille "Tess". Then my The Castle was published in 1983 and won the "1983 National Literary Translation Award (Ratha)"...

Since then, I have been writing continuously for over forty years. I have published 87 books. If I include my translations of "Tokyo Ban" and "Peking Park", the total number of books published would be 89.

It will be finished and only one more volume will be needed to complete the ninety volumes.

8

The translation of “Peking” began on May 7, 2006. It was determined to complete the work within six months, and it was estimated that it would be completed by the end of October 2006. However,

As I said somewhere above, it is true that I have shown a strong desire to translate the novel 'Peking'. It is also true that I have decided to return. But now that I have actually done it, I feel like I have exhausted my desire to write. I don't know if it is because I have been writing continuously for about forty years, but I don't feel like thinking or writing. Instead of writing, I feel more eager to listen and listen.

Meanwhile, a specialist doctor told me that I did not have any lung disease (while giving me the medicine, he said, "I do not have TB, but I have been seeing spots because of my smoking in the past, so take this medicine. Then open your eyes.") and I was prescribed AKT4 for 6 months, but my lungs were damaged and I was suffering from severe asthma again.

A TB specialist with a lot of experience in this problem examined me and was very disappointed. He even said that it was a mistake for the doctor to give this medicine to an elderly person who did not have TB. Three or four doctors insisted that if the elderly were given this medicine for a long time, they would not only lose their eyesight but also their lives.

In any case, I don't know if it's because of that boredom or because of my obsession, but I don't feel like writing. Every time I sit down at my desk like before, I feel unmotivated. Instead of writing, I want to travel. I want to talk.

At that time, I had about a third of the Peking translation manuscript in my hands. My wife, knowing that Peking is good, didn't want me to leave it alone and kept urging me to keep going. She didn't neglect my health and always encouraged me to continue translating Peking.

One day, at a tea shop I frequented, I met a girl about my daughter's age. She had seen and read some of my books, such as "The Test," "The Birds That Were Bound by Love," and "I Miss the Way I Came." From then on, the girl became friends with my family. Later, I learned that she was the daughter of a school friend who was very close to me.

9

"Uncle, have you finished translating the Pekingese?"

That's what I heard from that girl every time we met. At that time, I was focusing on Beijing. When she asked, Beijing came to mind. I kept holding on to Beijing without any hesitation. My wife, Myint, said, 'I am often angry and urge you to finish Beijing quickly, just like in Saigon.' After a while, that girl became like my wife and I.

“Auntie said the Peking novel is very good. Will you finish it, Uncle?”

"If you don't feel like writing, it's because you're depressed. If you clear your mind and do something, you'll feel better."

"I'm sure Auntie will be happy after Beijing is over, Uncle, keep going."

Those words became something I heard often from that girl. My wife said those words almost every day. I tried to write Peking, one or two pages a day. At the same time, my right hand "bited". Sometimes it would bite me so hard that I couldn't stand it.

When I was tired and my hands were sore, I had to ask for help from my eldest daughter, Ma Thita, my middle daughter, Manila (Tin Myat Myat Moe), my youngest daughter, Zin Mar Htun Thu, my son-in-law (Aung Aung), and my three grandchildren. I would call them by word of mouth and they would write, but they were not able to write because they were too lazy. Then, after writing two pages, they would complain that their hands were sore. They had no patience.

Meanwhile, at about 8:30 p.m., I slipped and fell in the house. I fell on the iron gate and injured the right side of my face. My right eyebrow was also broken. That day was October 1st, and I could not go near Beijing until November 5th. A total of 29 days passed.

This time, when I was still holding on to Beijing, the feeling of “I can’t do it if I don’t finish it” was pressing on me, so instead of getting discouraged about writing, I just kept working hard and persevering. “When Beijing is finished, I will stop writing,” I kept repeating to myself. Whether I would actually stop or not, I can’t say for sure.

Thus, the work of translating "Beijing" was completed at 9:45 pm on Sunday, November 26, 2006. In any case, since "Beijing" and I have had many people to thank,

The first person I would like to thank is my wife. She sometimes reads my manuscripts (The Castle, Kimilly, The Furious, etc.) in advance and

He used to criticize and review the manuscript as much as he could, and encourage and support me to finish it. Now, in "Beijing," he does the same thing, and the speed with which "Beijing" was completed was due to his encouragement. Therefore, I am very grateful to my wife for the timely completion of "Beijing."

The second person is the daughter of my schoolmate, Ko Htun Kyi, who was a comrade in the Student Police Corps. That girl didn't just talk to me superficially and talk about worldly things. She really told me to finish Beijing with love and sincerity. For this, I can't help but thank this girl, "Mathida." I am very grateful to this girl, "Mathida," who encouraged me to finish Beijing as soon as possible.

The third group I would like to thank is my daughter Mathira, Manila Zinmar Htun Thu and her husband (son and daughter-in-law Aung Aung), and my grandchildren (Maung Ye Lin, Ma Ei and Maung Min Ko). Aren't they the ones I used to call "the ones who gave Beijing their hands?"

"You might think that's all there is to say about Beijing. There are still two people who are not finished. They are:

While writing Beijing, I became exhausted due to the pressure of my damaged lungs. I had a constant cough and was having trouble sleeping. Both my legs were swollen. I couldn't eat properly. Then I went to see Dr. Daw Win Win Myint at Aung Yadana Clinic.

“I have known Anke since I was a medical student. Because of Uncle’s “castle,” I understood how to behave and live to be a good doctor. I have been wanting to see Anke since I was a student, but now that I see him again, he is not very happy because of his poor health, which makes me sad, Uncle.”

That was what he said. At that time, he and I were talking about “Peking.” I said, “I want to die after translating the great novel Peking, Doctor. For now, I want to live.” Then he gave me some words of encouragement. He also said, “I just want to live happily.”

I visited him once a week. "Is 'Peking' finished, Uncle?" he always asked. "Almost finished," he could only answer. Now, when I visit him, it will be one day in December, my birthday. * "The translation of 'Peking' is finished, Doctor," he could answer.

Dr. Daw Win Win Myint is a very well-read doctor. She is also a critic. If she loves a book, she seems to value the writer (regardless of his or her shortcomings as a human being).

“Let me say that I am very grateful to Dr. Daw Win Win Myint for Beijing.

Another one?

Daw Kyi Kyi Tin, the eldest daughter of U Pe Maung Tin, the principal of Yangon University and a professor of Burmese literature, is in America. I was able to translate “Peking” because I received the original book “Peking” from her as a gift, and I am very grateful to her.

Maung Tun Thu

December 1, 2006