Arthur Wan

Just watched Four Springs by LU Qingyi. Deeply touched and moved to tears a couple of times. It is about family, parents, siblings, the beautiful bygone days, the far and remote hometown, and all things and people both close to and away from us. It is actually about departure, departing from all our nearest and dearest no matter how bitter it is. It pains to bid farewell to things and beings so dear to me, but you have no other choice rather than to face it. We are all bound to part with all we have and it is just a matter of time. Parting will gnaw and consume our heart and bend our soul, but after parting we have to fare forward with all the bitterness. We even need to be cheerful, just like the mom and dad in the film who start to grow vegetables, to sing and dance besides their daughter's grave after the second spring of her departure. Life consits of many chapters and channels. When one chapter has to be turned over, we cannot choose to linger, but we can choose to remember what we have read and felt. It is not that we forget the past of betray the past; instead, we have digested the past and live with it. The past has become part of us. The director LU Qingyi is an unusual person, for he kept recording even when his elder sister was suffering hellish sickness in hospital and still did not cease recording when his lovely and lively sister ceased to be lovely and lively. I know his heart was broken and his soul was torn at those moments. I can feel that from numerous subtleties throughout the film. But he persevered and proceeded with life, and finally, he prospered. By prosper, I donot mean he made great wealth--maybe he did do that. I mean he reached a comprise and coexistence with his past and intergreted it into his present and imprint it on his future. Yes, this is what I mean: I married his past with his present and engage it with his future. His life is becoming complete and consumate. I cannot use the abused vague word happiness. Mr. LU made it but he may not be happy. But there is nothing wrong with not being happy. Fullness and fulfillment are more important than happiness. Mr. LU'a aim is higher and his ambition is greater. I can see the connection between Mr. LU and his family. He inherited invaluable spiritual wealth from his father, his mother, his sister and brother. He sucked sufficient nutrition from his brithplace. Those are pure natural flour and yeast, which interact with his present and produces premium bread that will nurish his and may of his audience's future. It also spurs his audiences, at least including me, to reexamine and chew my past and present, and then better plan for my future. My LU's parents are admirable and respectable. They are decent insignificant people who are far more significant than those indecent somebodies. They are also more real, happy and full than the latter, becasue they are the overwhelming majority of our world. The parents are admirable and respectable not just because of this. Their attitude toward life, toward each other, toward other family members, toward other fellow creatures and toward all around them is decent, respectable and admirable. There is a tranquil, peaceful but deep and powerful river flowing deep inside them. The river is full of pure water and lively fishes of life. They are gentle, kind and interesting creatures. Gentle, kind and interesting creatures delight in each other and engender more similar creatures. This may be a little overgeneralizing and idealizing; however, the merits and virtues radiated by them suffice to earn them sufficient admiration, respect and love. This is not just a film for parents and family. This is a film for all who are in diaspera and may be struggling between the past, the present and the future. This is a film that hurts. This is also a film that cures. This is the function of love.