The Mountain Whisperer by Jia Pingwa

Author:Jia Pingwa [Pingwa, Jia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Liu Xueren had worked in Guofenglou for seven years, mainly as committee member for the commune. Lao Pi was his superior, as he was for everyone else, but Liu Xueren had no one beneath him, so he brought up the rear. If Lao Pi was the head of the dragon, then Liu was most definitely the tail. However, that didn’t stop him from wagging his tongue: “I might be the lowest-ranking cadre, but for every festival, you can’t have a dragon’s head without the tail!”

On this matter, he was right, and in truth, whenever Lao Pi issued new directives or made new promulgations, Liu Xueren was the only cadre across nearly the entire area to fully carry out the orders. No one else quite possessed his zeal. Indeed, if nothing else, he went through shoes unlike any other member of the commune; it was as though you’d never see him in a pair of new shoes since the soles of the ones he had on his feet were always worn through. He spoke more quickly than anyone else, too. Most people would inhale after a sentence, but he could spill out at least three before needing to take a breath. Once, he joined other comrades in mobilising to work on water conservation in Zhaojiabao. The team leader invited Liu to say a few words before he delivered his own report, and Liu ended up speaking for well over half an hour, and even then he wasn’t finished, assuring the comrades he still had five additional points to cover. Once he completed his oratory and it fell to the team leader to speak, all the leader could say was that Liu Xueren had already mentioned everything he’d planned to utter, so there was nothing more to add. Of course, Liu Xueren knew he’d wronged the team leader, so at dinner that evening he decided to raise a glass and toast his commander. He began by relating how much he respected the team leader and how he’d been made incredibly welcome. He also volunteered additional thoughts, noting some minor aspects of the initiative that needed correction, and on and on without end.

Those who stood to toast began to feel an ache in their arms, until finally the team commander interrupted him: “Cadre Liu, it’s all there in the glass. Drink.”

Liu Xueren felt he’d committed yet another offence, and so he felt obliged to offer a few more words to try and excuse himself. Finally, he stopped.

Naturally enough, these events became a humorous story told more than once, and soon everyone described Liu Xueren’s mouth as like a roof tile, one that was thoroughly rotten. But Lao Pi approved of him, and, evidently, his mouth. The only criticism he had was with regard to Liu Xueren’s manner of walking. Lao Pi said he was much too hurried, bounding across the road as though he were constantly trying to dodge this or that.

“You flitter about like a sparrow, you know, and let me tell you, that’s the sole reason it’s remained such a small little bird.

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