Joseph Yam revisits the Tongleyuan

inSight

06 Dec 2001

Joseph Yam revisits the Tongleyuan

As I walked across the short stone bridge over the narrow moat and headed towards the entrance, it struck me that I had been there before. There they were, the two stone lions guarding the doors and the few stone steps up the entrance. The traditional wooden plaque prominently affixed on the door beam clearly read Tongleyuanword_c2). It was indeed the same place. But, somehow, on this occasion, the lions looked a lot more docile than when I last subjected myself to their scrutiny, and the steps were a lot shorter too. It is interesting how your perspectives of the same things can be so different when you are in a different mood.

I had been there six years before with a heavy task on my shoulders, weighing me down, and fearing the worst for the monetary stability of Hong Kong in transition if the mission was not accomplished. No wonder the lions had appeared intimidating then and the steps too tall to climb. On this occasion, I did not even bother to wait for their silent approval to enter and I quickly strode over the steps into the courtyard, leaving my friends from the Committee of the Hong Kong Association of Banks behind. Once in the square courtyard, I slowly surveyed the surroundings again. Everything was still there, the small pavilion snug beside the rock mountain on the left, the meeting room on the opposite side of the courtyard and the four old trees on the right, behind which were the steps to the Yangyuanzhaiword_c3), the dinning room.

It was a much more relaxed wait this time in the courtyard - the Hong Kong bankers were hosting a lunch for our friends of the financial sector in Beijing, and as hosts we arrived there early. Although I was the honorary head of the Hong Kong delegation, I gladly left the ceremonial welcoming speech for the occasion to the Chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Banks. I was thankful that I did not even have to think of what to say or how to say it in putonghua. So instead of practising how to circle my tongue to pronounce "shi" and "zhi", I circled the old tree farthest from the meeting room, under which I had waited with trepidation the last time I was there, silently recalling the events of the previous occasion. I was brought to this exclusive place six years ago for an "unscheduled" meeting at an undisclosed location, although I did realise that it was somewhere in Diaoyutai word_c4) , reserved for the conduct of state affairs in privacy. In fact I had been back to Diaoyutai many times since, but never had a chance to venture into that secluded corner which I now know is located somewhere beyond villa number 12. It is interesting that, with the economic reform and liberalisation of the Mainland, the forces of the market have embraced it so soon, releasing it for hire as a venue for private functions.

The doors to the meeting room in the far side of the courtyard were open and so I eagerly went in to take a look. The chairs were still lined in the same manner as before, close to the walls, leaving whoever was sitting there exposed to the large space in the middle of the room, without the reliable conference table for hiding the fidgeting and the nervous crossing of your legs. I sat myself down again in the same chair reserved for the principal guest on the right hand side of that of the principal host, quietly feeling relieved this time that all had gone well on the monetary and banking fronts throughout the political transition. I also managed to gain a better appreciation of what was in the room, something that I had no time or mood for on the previous occasion. There was, somewhat concealed in the inadequate lighting and the lack of cataloguing, quite a collection of antiques in the cabinets on the main wall facing the doors. But it was the huge painting of six flying storks hanging on the wall on the right that impressed me. The cranes were almost coming alive, taking off from the paper. The accompanying calligraphy was as vibrant, and the characters danced with the message: "as spring returns to the great land, a joyous ascent into the long sky", ( word_c5) an apt description, I thought, of China's economy under market reform.

The Mainland guests were arriving, and so I hurried back to the courtyard to greet them, and we were ushered quickly into Yangyuanzhai for lunch. The lonely table six years ago now had lively company. The stiff atmosphere then was now replaced by free and enthusiastic exchange of views on financial developments and co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong. The food this time was also tastier and I managed to eat a lot more, even under the strong nostalgic spell.

 

Joseph Yam

6 December 2001

 

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