Dear Friends, Comrades, Citizens of the People’s Republic of China, (the almost Republic of) Flanders, Fellow Citizens of the World, Dear Aliens Lost in Space, May Peace Be Upon You!
The People’s Republic of China turns 57 today. Looks like an auspicious day to start my blog! So first things first: Happy Birthday PRC!
Let’s count: it’s my twenty-second October First in the PRC. The first time (yeah, right, everything has a first time) was in 1978. I must confess I don’t remember much about that day, but I do remember my first visit to Tian’anmen Square. That must have been even before October First ‘78. I had just started my Chinese studies at the Language Institute and took a bus together with a Belgian tongxue (classmate) to Xidan. Map in hand, we started walking in the direction of Tian’anmen Square. My friend was getting tired and didn’t really understand why I was so mesmerized by Tian’anmen Square. Well, can’t we put this off and return to the campus?”, he lamented. “Well, no, the hell you don’t! I want to see Tian’anmen Square!” The center of the Chinese Universe, where our Beloved Chairman Mao in 1949 proudly proclaimed that the Chinese people had stood up!
Well, that’s now 57 years ago. China, Beijing, Tian’anmen Square has changed beyond recognition. In 1949, China emerged from civil war, the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, decades of warlordism and centuries of empire. The ancient culture of China got a new dress on October First 1949! No, not only a dress, a new soul. She was young and skinny. 57 years later, well, if she would be a lady, she would approach middle age, graying hair and a bit plump.
At 57, China is full of vitality, no graying hair, just growing tall…
Standing tall on the world stage, becoming a ’stake-holder’, whatever that American-inspired invention means.
But also getting a bit fat. Getting rich is glorious! Remember the famous dictum of (hmmm he never got a decent title, once he was secretary-general of the CCP, vice-premier, or ‘Patriarch’ if you believe the Western media), well, Deng Xiaoping wanted China to get fat. Like a Peking duck…
Plump baby’s are the eye-apples of every grandmother. And China is adding weight.
Well, at 57, don’t get too plump, dear PRC! Keep up your fighting spirit, dear Comrade Soldiers! The Evil Empire of George W. is targeting Osama, Hugo, Mahmoud, Jong lI, and anybody who is not dancing to the tune of American Imperialism (well, that’s a very useful concept dating from the halcyon days of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution).
Dear PRC, once again, Happy Birthday! Keep lean and mean! I will also try to trim my beer belly!
But on this October First: CHEERS! A double Maotai to the health, prosperity and longevity of the PRC!
And more than ever, to the Red Sun in Our Hearts: Chairman Mao!
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