the madness year
china , 1967
the red union have be attack the headquarters of the april twenty-eighth brigade for two day .
they red flag flutter restlessly around the brigade building like flame yearning for firewood .
the red union commander be anxious , though not because of the defender he face .
the more than two hundred red guards of the april twenty-eighth brigade be mere greenhorn compare with the veteran red guard of the red union , which be form at the start of the great proletarian cultural revolution in early 1966 .
the red union have be temper by the tumultuous experience of revolutionary tour around the country and see chairman mao in the great rally in tiananmen square .
but the commander be afraid of the dozen or so iron stove inside the building , fill with explosive and connect to each other by electric detonator .
he could not see they , but he could feel they presence like iron sense the pull of a nearby magnet .
if a defender flip the switch , revolutionary and counter-revolutionary alike would all die in one giant ball of fire .
and the young red guards of the april twenty-eighth brigade be indeed capable of such madness .
compare with the weathered man and woman of the first generation of red guards , the new rebel be a pack of wolf on hot coal , crazier than crazy .
the slender figure of a beautiful young girl emerge at the top of the building , wave the giant red banner of the april twenty-eighth brigade .
she appearance be greet immediately by a cacophony of gunshot .
the weapon attack she be a diverse mix : antique such as american carbine , czech-style machine gun , japanese type-38 rifle ; newer weapon such as standard-issue people 's liberation army rifle and submachine gun , steal from the plum after the publication of the " august editorial " ; and even a few chinese dadao sword and spear .
together , they form a condensed version of modern history .
numerous member of the april twenty-eighth brigade have engage in similar display before .
they would stand on top of the building , wave a flag , shout slogan through megaphone , and scatter flyer at the attacker below .
every time , the courageous man or woman have be able to retreat safely from the hailstorm of bullet and earn glory for they valor .
the new girl clearly think she would be just as lucky .
she wave the battle banner as though brandish she burning youth , trust that the enemy would be burn to ash in the revolutionary flame , imagine that a ideal world would be bear tomorrow from the ardor and zeal course through she blood ....
she be intoxicate by she brilliant , crimson dream until a bullet pierce she chest .
she fifteen-year-old body be so soft that the bullet hardly slow down as it pass through it and whistle in the air behind she .
the young red guard tumble down along with she flag , she light form descend even more slowly than the piece of red fabric , like a little bird unwilling to leave the sky .
the red union warrior shout in joy .
a few rush to the foot of the building , tear away the battle banner of the april twenty-eighth brigade , and seize the slender , lifeless body .
they raise they trophy overhead and flaunt it for a while before toss it toward the top of the metal gate of the compound .
most of the gate 's metal bar , cap with sharp tip , have be pull down at the beginning of the factional civil war to be use as spear , but two still remain .
as they sharp tip catch the girl , life seem to return momentarily to she body .
the red guards back up some distance and begin to use the impale body for target practice .
for she , the dense storm of bullet be now no different from a gentle rain , as she could no longer feel anything .
from time to time , she vinelike arm jerk across she body softly , as though she be flick off drop of rain .
and then half of she young head be blow away , and only a single , beautiful eye remain to stare at the blue sky of 1967 .
there be no pain in that gaze , only solidify devotion and yearning .
and yet , compare to some other , she be fortunate .
at least she die in the throe of passionately sacrifice herself for a ideal .
battle like this one rage across beijing like a multitude of cpus work in parallel , they combined output , the cultural revolution .
a flood of madness drown the city and seep into every nook and cranny .
at the edge of the city , on the exercise grounds of tsinghua university , a mass " struggle session " attend by thousand have be go on for nearly two hour .
this be a public rally intend to humiliate and break down the enemy of the revolution through verbal and physical abuse until they confess to they crime before the crowd .
as the revolutionary have splintered into numerous faction , oppose force everywhere engage in complex maneuver and contest .
within the university , intense conflict erupt between the red guards , the cultural revolution working group , the worker ' propaganda team , and the military propaganda team .
and each faction divide into new rebel group from time to time , each base on different background and agenda , lead to even more ruthless fighting .
but for this mass struggle session , the victim be the reactionary bourgeois academic authority .
these be the enemy of every faction , and they have no choice but to endure cruel attack from every side .
compare to other " monster and demon , " reactionary academic authority be special :
during the earliest struggle session , they have be both arrogant and stubborn .
that be also the stage in which they have die in the largest number .
over a period of forty day , in beijing alone , more than seventeen hundred victim of struggle session be beat to death .
many other pick a easier path to avoid the madness :
lao she , wu han , jian bozan , fu lei , zhao jiuzhang , yi qun , wen jie , hai mo , and other once-respected intellectual have all choose to end they life .
those who survive that initial period gradually become numb as the ruthless struggle session continue .
the protective mental shell help they avoid total breakdown .
they often seem to be half asleep during the session and would only startle awake when someone scream in they face to make they mechanically recite they confession , already repeat countless time .
then , some of they enter a third stage .
the constant , unceasing struggle session inject vivid political image into they consciousness like mercury , until they mind , erect upon knowledge and rationality , collapse under the assault .
they begin to really believe that they be guilty , to see how they have harm the great cause of the revolution .
they cry , and they repentance be far deeper and more sincere than that of those monster and demon who be not intellectual .
for the red guards , heap abuse upon victim in those two latter mental stage be utterly boring .
only those monster and demon who be still in the initial stage could give they overstimulated brain the thrill they crave , like the red cape of the matador .
but such desirable victim have grow scarce .
in tsinghua there be probably only one left .
because he be so rare , he be reserve for the very end of the struggle session .
ye zhetai have survive the cultural revolution so far , but he remain in the first mental stage .
he refuse to repent , to kill himself , or to become numb .
when this physics professor walk onto the stage in front of the crowd , he expression clearly say :
let the cross i bear be even heavier .
the red guards do indeed have he carry a burden , but it be not a cross .
other victim wear tall hat make from bamboo frame , but he be weld from thick steel bar .
and the plaque he wear around he neck be not wooden , like the other , but a iron door take from a laboratory oven .
he name be write on the door in striking black character , and two red diagonal be draw across they in a large x.
twice the number of red guards use for other victim escort ye onto the stage : two man and four woman .
the two young man stride with confidence and purpose , the very image of mature bolshevik youth .
they be both fourth-year student major in theoretical physics , and ye be they professor .
the woman , really girl , be much younger , second-year student from the junior high school attach to the university . dress in military uniform and equip with bandolier , they exude youthful vigor and surround ye zhetai like four green flame .
he appearance excite the crowd .
the shouting of slogan , which have slacken a bit , now pick up with renew force and drown out everything else like a resurgent tide .
after wait patiently for the noise to subside , one of the male red guards turn to the victim .
" ye zhetai , you be a expert in mechanic .
you should see how strong the great unified force you be resist be .
to remain so stubborn will lead only to you death !
today , we will continue the agenda from the last time .
there be no need to waste word .
answer the follow question without you typical deceit :
between the year of 1962 and 1965 , do you not decide on you own to add relativity to the intro physics course ? "
" relativity be part of the fundamental theory of physics , " ye answer .
" how can a basic survey course not teach it ? "
" you lie ! " a female red guard by he side shout .
" einstein be a reactionary academic authority .
he would serve any master who dangle money in front of he .
he even go to the american imperialist and help they build the atom bomb !
to develop a revolutionary science , we must overthrow the black banner of capitalism represent by the theory of relativity ! "
ye remain silent .
endure the pain bring by the heavy iron hat and the iron plaque hang from he neck , he have no energy to answer question that be not worth answer .
behind he , one of he student also frown .
the girl who have speak be the most intelligent of the four female red guard , and she be clearly prepare , as she have be see memorize the struggle session script before come onstage .
but against someone like ye zhetai , a few slogan like that be insufficient .
the red guards decide to bring out the new weapon they have prepare against they teacher .
one of they wave to someone offstage .
ye 's wife , physics professor shao lin , stand up from the crowd 's front row .
she walk onto the stage dress in a ill-fitting green outfit , clearly intend to imitate the military uniform of the red guards .
those who know she remember that she have often teach class in a elegant qipao , and she current appearance feel forced and awkward .
" ye zhetai ! "
she be clearly unused to such theater , and though she try to make she voice louder , the effort magnify the tremor in it .
" you do not think i would stand up and expose you , criticize you ?
yes , in the past , i be fool by you .
you cover my eye with you reactionary view of the world and science !
but now i be awake and alert .
with the help of the revolutionary youth , i want to stand on the side of the revolution , the side of the people ! "
she turn to face the crowd .
" comrade , revolutionary youth , revolutionary faculty and staff , we must clearly understand the reactionary nature of einstein 's theory of relativity .
this be most apparent in general relativity :
its static model of the universe negate the dynamic nature of matter .
it be anti-dialectical !
it treat the universe as limited , which be absolutely a form of reactionary idealism .... "
as he listen to he wife 's lecture , ye allow himself a wry smile .
lin , i fool you ?
indeed , in my heart you have always be a mystery .
one time , i praise you genius to you father — he be lucky to have die early and escape this catastrophe — and he shake he head , tell i that he do not think you would ever achieve much academically .
what he say next turn out to be so important to the second half of my life : " lin lin be too smart .
to work in fundamental theory , one must be stupid . "
in later year , i begin to understand he word more and more .
lin , you truly be too smart .
even a few year ago , you could feel the political wind shift in academia and prepared yourself .
for example , when you teach , you change the name of many physical law and constant : ohm 's law you call resistance law , maxwell 's equation you call electromagnetic equation , planck 's constant you call the quantum constant ....
you explain to you student that all scientific accomplishment result from the wisdom of the work mass , and those capitalist academic authority only steal these fruit and put they name on they .
but even so , you could not be accept by the revolutionary mainstream .
look at you now : you be not allow to wear the red armband of the " revolutionary faculty and staff " ; you have to come up here empty-handed , without the status to carry a little red book ....
you can not overcome the fault of be bear to a prominent family in pre-revolutionary china and of have such famous scholar as parent .
but you actually have more to confess about einstein than i do .
in the winter of 1922 , einstein visit shanghai .
because you father speak fluent german , he be ask to accompany einstein on he tour .
you tell i many time that you father go into physics because of einstein 's encouragement , and you choose physics because of you father 's influence .
so , in a way , einstein can be say to have indirectly be you teacher .
and you once feel so proud and lucky to have such a connection .
later , i find out that you father have tell you a white lie .
he and einstein have only one very brief conversation .
the morning of november 13 , 1922 , he accompany einstein on a walk along nanjing road .
other who go on the walk include yu youren , president of shanghai university , and cao gubing , general manager of the newspaper ta kung pao .
when they pass a maintenance site in the road bed , einstein stop next to a worker who be smash stone and silently observe this boy with tear clothes and dirty face and hand .
he ask you father how much the boy earn each day .
after ask the boy , he tell einstein : five cent .
this be the only time he speak with the great scientist who change the world .
there be no discussion of physics , of relativity , only cold , harsh reality .
accord to you father , einstein stand there for a long time after hear the answer , watch the boy 's mechanical movement , not even bother to smoke he pipe as the ember go out .
after you father recount this memory to i , he sigh and say , " in china , any idea that dare to take flight would only crash back to the ground .
the gravity of reality be too strong . "
" lower you head ! " one of the male red guards shout .
this may actually have be a gesture of mercy from he former student .
all victim be struggle against be suppose to lower they head .
if ye do lower he head , the tall , heavy iron hat would fall off , and if he keep he head lower , there would be no reason to put it back on he .
but ye refuse and hold he head high , support the heavy weight with he thin neck .
" lower you head , you stubborn reactionary ! "
one of the girl red guards take off she belt and swing it at ye .
the copper belt buckle strike he forehead and leave a clear impression that be quickly blur by ooze blood .
he sway unsteadily for a few moment , then stand straight and firm again .
one of the male red guards say , " when you teach quantum mechanic , you also mix in many reactionary idea . "
then he nod at shao lin , indicate that she should continue .
shao be happy to oblige .
she have to keep on talk , otherwise she fragile mind , already hang on only by a thin thread , would collapse completely .
" ye zhetai , you can not deny this charge !
you have often lecture student on the reactionary copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanic . "
" it be , after all , the explanation recognize to be most in line with experimental result . "
he tone , so calm and collect , surprised and frightened shao lin .
" this explanation posit that external observation lead to the collapse of the quantum wave function .
this be another expression of reactionary idealism , and it be indeed the most brazen expression . "
" should philosophy guide experiment , or should experiment guide philosophy ? "
ye 's sudden counterattack shock those lead the struggle session .
for a moment they do not know what to do .
" of course it should be the correct philosophy of marxism that guide scientific experiment ! " one of the male red guards finally say .
" then that be equivalent to say that the correct philosophy fall out of the sky .
this be against the idea that the truth emerge from experience .
it be counter to the principle of how marxism seek to understand nature . "
shao lin and the two college student red guard have no answer for this .
unlike the red guards who be still in junior high school , they could not completely ignore logic .
but the four junior high girl have they own revolutionary method that they believe be invincible .
the girl who have hit ye before take out she belt and whip ye again .
the other three girl also take off they belt to strike at ye .
with they companion display such revolutionary fervor , they have to display even more , or at least the same amount .
the two male red guards do not interfere .
if they try to intervene now , they would be suspect of be insufficiently revolutionary .
" you also teach the big bang theory .
this be the most reactionary of all scientific theory . "
one of the male red guards speak up , try to change the subject .
" maybe in the future this theory will be disproven .
but two great cosmological discovery of this century —
hubble 's law , and observation of the cosmic microwave background – show that the big bang theory be currently the most plausible explanation for the origin of the universe . "
" lie ! "
shao lin shout .
then she begin a long lecture about the big bang theory , remember to splice in insightful critique of the theory 's extremely reactionary nature .
but the freshness of the theory attract the most intelligent of the four girl , who could not help but ask , " time begin with the singularity ?
so what be there before the singularity ? "
" nothing , " ye say , the way he would answer a question from any curious young person .
he turn to look at the girl kindly .
with he injury and the tall iron hat , the motion be very difficult .
" no ... nothing ?
that be reactionary !
completely reactionary ! " the frightened girl shout .
she turn to shao lin , who gladly come to she aid .
" the theory leave open a place to be fill by god . "
shao nod at the girl .
the young red guard , confuse by these new thought , finally find she footing .
she raise she hand , still hold the belt , and point at ye .
" you : you be try to say that god exist ? "
" i do not know . "
" what ? "
" i be say i do not know .
if by ' god ' you mean some kind of superconsciousness outside the universe , i do not know if it exist or not .
science have give no evidence either way . "
actually , in this nightmarish moment , ye be lean toward believe that god do not exist .
this extremely reactionary statement cause a commotion in the crowd .
lead by one of the red guards on stage , another tide of slogan-shouting explode .
" down with reactionary academic authority ye zhetai ! "
" down with all reactionary academic authority ! "
" down with all reactionary doctrine ! "
once the slogan die down , the girl shout , " god do not exist .
all religion be tool concoct by the ruling class to paralyze the spirit of the people ! "
" that be a very one-sided view , " ye say calmly .
the young red guard , embarrassed and angry , reach the conclusion that , against this dangerous enemy , all talk be useless .
she pick up she belt and rush at ye , and she three companion follow .
ye be tall , and the four fourteen-year-old have to swing they belt upward to reach he head , still hold high .
after a few strike , the tall iron hat , which have protect he a little , fall off .
the continue barrage of strike by the metal buckle finally make he fall down .
the young red guards , encourage by they success , become even more devoted to this glorious struggle .
they be fight for faith , for ideal .
they be intoxicate by the bright light cast on they by history , proud of they own bravery ....
ye 's two student have finally have enough .
" the chairman instruct we to ' rely on eloquence rather than violence ' ! "
they rush over and pull the four semicrazed girl off ye .
but it be already too late .
the physicist lay quietly on the ground , he eye still open as blood ooze from he head .
the frenzied crowd sink into silence .
the only thing that move be a thin stream of blood .
like a red snake , it slowly meander across the stage , reach the edge , and drip onto a chest below .
the rhythmic sound make by the blood drop be like the step of someone walk away .
a cackle laugh break the silence .
the sound come from shao lin , whose mind have finally break .
the laughter frighten the attendee , who begin to leave the struggle session , first in trickle , and then in a flood .
the exercise grounds soon empty , leave only one young woman below the stage .
she be ye wenjie , ye zhetai 's daughter .
as the four girl be take she father 's life , she have try to rush onto the stage .
but two old university janitor hold she down and whisper into she ear that she would lose she own life if she go .
the mass struggle session have turn into a scene of madness , and she appearance would only incite more violence .
she have scream and scream , but she have be drown out by the frenzied wave of slogan and cheer .
when it be finally quiet again , she be no longer capable of make any sound .
she stare at she father 's lifeless body , and the thought she could not voice dissolve into she blood , where they would stay with she for the rest of she life .
after the crowd disperse , she remain like a stone statue , she body and limb in the position they be in when the two old janitor have hold she back .
after a long time , she finally let she arm down , walk slowly onto the stage , sit next to she father 's body , and hold one of he already-cold hand , she eye stare emptily into the distance .
when they finally come to carry away the body , she take something from she pocket and put it into she father 's hand : he pipe .
wenjie quietly leave the exercise grounds , empty save for the trash leave by the crowd , and head home .
when she reach the foot of the faculty housing apartment building , she hear peal of crazy laughter come out of the second-floor window of she home .
that be the woman she have once call mother .
wenjie turn around , not care where she foot would carry she .
finally , she find herself at the door of professor ruan wen .
throughout the four year of wenjie 's college life , professor ruan have be she advisor and she closest friend .
during the two year after that , when wenjie have be a graduate student in the astrophysics department , and through the subsequent chaos of the cultural revolution , professor ruan remain she closest confidante , other than she father .
ruan have study at cambridge university , and she home have once fascinate wenjie : refine book , painting , and record bring back from europe ; a piano ; a set of european-style pipe arrange on a delicate wooden stand , some make from mediterranean briar , some from turkish meerschaum .
each of they seem suffuse with the wisdom of the man who have once hold the bowl in he hand or clamp the stem between he tooth , deep in thought , though ruan have never mention the man 's name .
the pipe that have belong to wenjie 's father have in fact be a gift from ruan .
this elegant , warm home have once be a safe harbor for wenjie when she need to escape the storm of the larger world , but that be before ruan 's home have be search and she possession seize by the red guards .
like wenjie 's father , ruan have suffer greatly during the cultural revolution .
during she struggle session , the red guards have hang a pair of high heel around she neck and streak she face with lipstick to show how she have live the corrupt lifestyle of a capitalist .
wenjie push open the door to ruan 's home , and she see that the chaos leave by the red guards have be clean up : the tear oil painting have be glue back together and rehung on the wall ; the topple piano have be set upright and wipe clean , though it be break and could no longer be play ; the few book leave behind have be put back neatly on the shelf ....
ruan be sit on the chair before she desk , she eye close .
wenjie stand next to ruan and gently caress she professor 's forehead , face , and hand — all cold .
wenjie have notice the empty sleep pill bottle on the desk as soon as she come in .
she stand there for a while , silent .
then she turn and walk away .
she could no longer feel grief .
she be now like a geiger counter that have be subject to too much radiation , no longer capable of give any reaction , noiselessly display a reading of zero .
but as she be about to leave ruan 's home , wenjie turn around for a final look .
she notice that professor ruan have put on makeup .
she be wear a light coat of lipstick and a pair of high heel .