LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE
Do you take delight in watching films or
listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one
of the most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your
favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and
oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.
#18. To Live (活着/
Huózhe) (film, 1994)
“Town
Chief: You participated in the revolution.
Xu
Fugui: I just dragged a cannon and sang opera.
Town
Chief: That's taking part.”
ð This
conversation highlights that during the early Communist period, survival often
required individuals to align themselves with the prevailing political
ideology. By acknowledging that he “participated,” Fugui validates his identity
as a loyal citizen, which helps shield him and his family from being labeled as
political enemies.
It
illustrates how ordinary individuals were swept up in large-scale political
movements, such as the revolution, and had their lives reshaped by forces
beyond their control. Ironically enough, although Fugui was compelled to
perform for the army, doing so earned him a “certificate” that functioned as a
form of protection. This document later in the film contributes to his
survival, despite the fact that he never truly supported the cause.
“Xu
Fugui: Are you sure we're just townsfolk?
Xu
Jiazhen: Of course. Poor townspeople.
Xu
Fugui: It's good to be poor. Nothing like it.”
ð Fugui
and Jiazhen have come to understand that being ordinary and poor allows them to
remain unnoticed during the violent political turmoil and purges of the time.
People with wealth or former social status were frequently targeted and killed
during the revolution, whereas the poor were generally overlooked and sometimes
even favored by the new government.
After
losing his wealth, home, and previous posh lifestyle, Fugui transforms from a
reckless and privileged man—once made extremely rich through gambling—into
someone modest and diligent. When he says, “It’s good to be poor,” he is
ironically recognizing that his lack of wealth has protected him from the
political upheavals that destroyed others, such as Long Er, who later occupies
his house and is eventually executed.
Through
this line, the director reflects the idea that during periods of intense
political instability, having little but staying alive is better than
possessing everything and facing death. Fugui and Jiazhen accept their simple
status in order to avoid the dangers that come with visibility and power. The
conversation also reveals a paradox in which the very hardships that caused
them to lose their wealth ultimately ensured their survival. What once seemed
like devastating loss later becomes the reason they endure, turning a life full
of suffering into the one defined by perseverance.
**Jean’s Small Thoughts:
In Buddhism, human life is often described as containing
108 afflictions and illusions, or as existing within a vast sea of suffering.
This idea suggests that once we are born into the world, we inevitably face
many kinds of hardships and challenges. In this Zhang Yimou’s film “To Live”,
the audience follows the turbulent journey of a couple whose lives shift
repeatedly between prosperity and poverty, extravagance and frugality,
frustration and gratitude.
As someone who tends to worry constantly—often imagining
both major and minor problems that might take place—I try to ask myself during
anxious moments, “Will worrying actually help?” Many of the overwhelming
difficulties we encounter in life eventually reveal themselves as hidden
blessings in disguise. When you find yourself trapped in a quagmire of misfortune,
perhaps it is worth creating your own guiding mantra to help you look forward
to a brighter tomorrow.
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