A journey would occasionally have an end...having read the observation of 余秋雨 in the 5-month journey in Europe for a Phoenix TV programme could be a way to conclude mine on the continent. Reading from chapters to chapters, it was like a road track to the scenery of my left-behind. Worshiping the exotic wide open space, the observation and thoughts of the author clicked my motor of memory. The book was not a perfect one to me. The author contemplated from the identity of being a Chinese and his way to look for inspiration for the modern development in China, both infrastructural and mentally, was a good incentive. There was not much in depth conclusion developed at last though. A longer journey in Europe is usually inspirational. In a sense, it is a utopia of multiplicity as I always label the land. Diversity of people and history and culture and environment can never be diluted by the EU unity momentum. In the last two millenniums, this piece of land with emblems and marks accommodated countless quarrels and fights. People remembered and forgot. When the people search their utopia, they already have one.
I the group where I belong to is a further minority. We are the Chinese of Hong Kong, and I trust that it would not be strange not to have the same way of thinking as the author, as least I can fully understand the concern (and probably the necessary tagline for a book to be commercialised) of the author living in Shanghai (or Shenzhen) about the current Chinese development.
The perspective of seeing a city in Europe varies from time and experience. One of my friends told me before that he felt dull visiting the cities in Europe as time went by. He said that every city was more or less the same. I do not agree with him. It is dull because the visit lacks an insight about the place and the people. The very complex (or better called chaotic) development of Europe after various forms of exchange from wars and recognition engraves a very unique yet interesting story for each city. The author was experienced in travelling and perhaps knowledgeable in European history, but his self-devoted reasoning and explanation are sometimes unsound and often exaggerated. This was the feeling I had when reading the second part of the book. Nature is a good phrase, and here I learn about the world of nature, added to the human nature. Nadja of André Breton started with the question of 'who am I'. This is the same. Putting oneself into a strange environment drives you to question your identity. It's self-learning and it is powerful. I have done some travel in Europe and I opened up my world. It is a growth. Human vision is often shortly focused, and the spacious sky above here allows you to extend your sight. I am reaching the last mile of this journey. I learnt at least how to decide, if I am lucky to have the choice. Reading the last part of the book on the voyage to the Northern Europe was like combining the heaven and the humankind. I chose to pair the albums of Sigur Ros to correspond the end of the world the author reached. The landscape was harmonically stunning.
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The writing style of the author demonstrates a modern approach of the pop culture in China. Definitely, people in China are very much interested in knowing about the world, and this kind of writing on journey is no wonder a typical type of hot picks in the Chinese book market at present.
