我经历的一次国庆游行

文/艾德文·马厄 译/艾博

我经历的一次国庆游行

文/艾德文·马厄 译/艾博

On Parade

2009年10月1日国庆群众游行也是一道亮丽的风景

2009年，是中华人民共和国成立60周年的日子，届时将举国欢庆，有两个主要庆祝内容：10月1日国庆节当天上午的阅兵游行仪式和晚间盛大的烟火表演。

当我知道2009年会有阅兵式的时候，我非常希望能够登上天安门的观礼台，看坦克开过，看飞机从天空飞过。我到处打听，所有的回答都是：阅兵式不向公众开放。那是因为管理人群非常麻烦，更不用说安全问题了。

我最后试着给北京市政府打了个电话，跟一位办事人员通了话。他认出我的名字，也知道我是央视的播音员。但是，我还是不太可能作为被邀请的嘉宾上观礼台，所以我放弃了，打算在电视上看。不过，这可是在中国，什么事情都可能发生，而且还真的经常发生。两天之后，我上班时接到一个电话，是个叫李中洲的人打来的，他是北京外事办的。我的心开始怦怦直跳，然后我问，我是不是可以被邀请去观礼台观看阅兵式？“观看？”李中洲回答道，“我们希望你能参加游行。”

2009 marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the country was going to celebrate big time.Two major events were planned - a military parade on the morning of National Day, October 1 leading up to a grand fireworks display at night.

When it became clear a parade would take place in 2009, I wondered if I might be lucky enough to reach the main viewing point in Tiananmen Square to see the tanks go past and the planes fly overhead. All my enquiries came to nothing, and as those in the know pointed out, the parade would not be open to the public because crowd control - let alone security - would be a nightmare.

My last attempt was a call to the Beijing Municipal Government where I spoke to a staff member who recognized my name and relationship with CCTV. But it seemed unlikely I would be among the invited guests and I resigned myself to watching it on television. But this is China, where anything can - and often does -happen. Just two days later I received a phone call at work from Li Zhongzhou, an officer in the local government’s Foreign Affairs Office.My heart started beating as I wondered - then asked - if I was going to be invited to watch the parade after all. “Watch it?”

我扶住身边的椅子坐了下来，我不是听错了吧？还没等我回答，李中洲说：“游行队伍当中会有几辆彩车，分别展示60年来中国人生活和成就的各个方面，从太空探险到体育项目都有。有一辆彩车是给外国朋友乘坐的，我们想让你也上去。”我立刻回答：“当然愿意。”他一听，笑了，说：“你会出名的。”

以前的游行主要都是军用车辆和装备的展示，外国人从没有在国庆阅兵游行队伍里出现过！这又将是一个新的改变。李中洲说：“会有两三次彩排，时间很长，而且得提前几小时到场。”

我们的彩车名叫“同一个世界”，造型像个上面撒着糖霜的大生日蛋糕。李中洲给每个人都发了一张站立位置示意图，我看到我得站在前排右边。李中洲还说：“右边可是风水宝地。站在右边意味着经过天安门广场的时候，领导人和观众能看得到你。”我们彩车的下面，有一组年轻人，他们的工作非常重要。“同一个世界”彩车是内燃机车，万一机车坏了，他们5个人就得跳下去，用手推动彩车前进。虽然他们离排气管很近，但是不管是坐车还是推车，这都是千载难逢的机会。

这次星期五的夜间彩排气氛独特，比接下来那周的正式游行气氛轻松许多。因为不是军事彩排是花车彩排，所以人们可以在马路旁观看，节日气氛很浓。成千上万的人挤在游行路线的两旁，照相机闪个不停，人们还向我们热情地挥手，出于好奇，也出于支持。

路过居民区前往长安街的时候，我们这辆彩车上的外国专家引起了人们的欢呼，特别是在人行道上的外国朋友和来中国玩的外国游客。彩车上的不少人都认为，仅这次的彩排就已经让人心满意足了，场面够热烈，节日气氛够浓。跟在彩车两旁的中国人和外国人也形成了一道风景线，为这次彩排增添了色彩和活力。

有人说：“不知道电视直播上能不能看到我们？”我相信，大多数人都在想着同样的问题。不过，摄影镜头得在受邀人群、国家领导人、军车和彩车之间不断切换，路过观礼台时，我们能不能被家人认出来，那全得靠运气。每个人都接到通知，告知要穿颜色鲜艳、代表各自文化的衣服。我为这次游行特地买了一件大红衬衫，配了一条印有毛利图案的领带，以示我的出生地——新西兰。李中洲和其他工作人员都说：“你们看上去都非常精神。”印度的沙丽、非洲的传统长袍、还有其他各国的服饰给这个盛大的活动增添了新的活力。

我们的巴士在天亮前到达工体，但是迟迟不见日

出，空中浓云密布，似乎要下雨，证明天气预报准确无误。在正式出发之前，我们都忙着拍照，互相合影留念。虽然我们也惦记着天气，不过我们的心情越来越激动。我们跟新朋友合影，多是刚刚认识的，可能今后再也不会见面了，但是随着照相机快门的迅速按下，这些珍贵的时刻被保留了下来。

Li responded , “we want you to be in it.”

I grabbed the nearest chair and sat down in case I was imagining what he had just said. Before I had time to answer, he explained,“the parade will incorporate a number of floats in a pageant depicting all aspects of China’s life and achievements over the past six decades - from space exploration to sport. One float will contain foreigners and we would like you to be one of them.”I gave him a quick “of course I would” to which he laughed and added, “you will become famous.”

More important was that foreigners had never appeared in the anniversary parade before, marking a new turn in the traditional composition of mainly military vehicles and hardware. Li pointed out, “two or three rehearsals will be very long and involve having to arrive at the meeting point several hours early.”

Our float, bearing its name, ‘One World’ was shaped like a giant birthday cake topped with white icing. Li gave us each a sheet of paper showing where we would stand. I was to be in front on the right side. “Right not just in direction,” he said, “but right to be seen by the crowd when the parade passed the leaders and audience in Tienanmen Square.”Below us in the depths of the float was a team of young men whose job would be even more crucial. While the diesel motor of the truck which carried ‘One World’ moved slowly along, the five man crew were on standby ready to drop into open sections to physically push the vehicle if it broke down. Though close to the exhaust fumes, this would also be their chance of a lifetime whether they just rode or pushed.

The Friday night rehearsal had an atmosphere all its own, and one much more informal than the real parade the following week. People were able to come out and look because this was a rehearsal not for the military, but the floats.There was a festive atmosphere as thousands of visitors made their way to the edge of the parade route, their camera flashlights popping and hands waving in a genuine show of curiosity and support.

Making our way around the residential streets leading towards Chang’an Jie,our float of foreigners drew special cheers from the many expats and foreign visitors standing on the footpath. Many on the float agreed this one appearance would have been satisfying enough, the buzz so intense, and a real carnival atmosphere.More than one hundred Chinese and foreigners chosen to walk beside the float added another splash of color and vitality.

Some were saying, “ I wonder if we’ll be seen on the telecast?” I am sure most were thinking the same question but with cameras changing shots between the invited crowd, the senior leaders, military vehicles and the floats, it would be more luck than design if any of our faces were recognized by the home audience as we passed the main viewing platform. Everyone had been asked to wear bright colored clothing and something of our own culture. I had bought a bright red shirt for the occasion and combined it with a flag bearing Maori motifs representing my birth country, New Zealand. Li and his fellow organizers agreed “you all look great.”

艾德文（左）、杜大卫（中）等外国专家在“同一个世界”彩车上

我们被告知不要远离彩车。到了10点钟，大家都回来聆听最后的指示，各就各位等待一小时之后游行正式开始。几星期之前，我还在四下打听自己是否可以观看游行。现如今，我竟然出现在游行队伍之中，但这并不意味着我能看到全部，因为彩车在坦克和其他军用装备车辆之后进场。

但是我们仍能听到扬声器里中国国家主席兼中央军委主席胡锦涛宣布阅兵式开始。他的命令似乎使现场的气氛达到新的高潮。恰在这个时候，北京灰蒙蒙的天空奇迹般变成湛蓝色。云层不见了，雨也不会下了，日近正午，阳光如此强烈，以致有人被轻微晒黑了。

阅兵式开始了。我们的彩车似乎落在千里之外。我们等啊等，听着中国自制的战斗机从我们头顶飞过。它们再返回来，施放彩色烟雾。这时，我们的彩车终于行进到紫禁城外正对着天安门广场的观礼台前。

站在我身边的是个高个子美国人，大卫·杜尔，中国人都叫他“杜大卫”。他因为自愿给北京的英语标识纠错而受到认可与褒奖。他以前是陆军上校，手臂特别长。在队伍行进时，他靠我太近，让我觉得不舒服。我一直站在指定的位置——前排

靠右，而他的右手臂一直在我面前挥来挥去，有时候还两手一起挥，他的身体的右侧挡住了我的视线。我不想让朋友们和同事们失望，因为他们都知道我会参加这次游行，我得赶紧想个办法。于是我决定不挥右手，而是举起了左手挥舞起来。这样一来，我把他的手管住了，同时我也有活动的空间了。这可是个公开亮相的机会，谁想错过啊。

Indian saris, traditional African robes and other flowing outfits from a wide spectrum of countries, gave the float new life for this most lively event.

Our bus arrived at the Workers Stadium just before dawn.But there was no sign of the rising sun, heavy clouds threatening to produce the forecast showers. The hours until we moved off at the official starting time were occupied taking pictures with others also waiting and wondering about the weather, but happy on the ‘high’ of the buildup. People posed with new friends they had just made among the participants and may not see again, but preserving the precious moments as their cameras clicked at high speed.

We were told not to move far from our floats, and by 10 a.m. all were back to get the final commands and be in position for the parade leaving one hour later.After my initial enquiries weeks earlier to see if I could watch the parade, the fact that I was now in it didn’t mean I could see everything with the naked eye. The floats which formed the pageant would make their entrance after the tanks and other military hardware.

Still we could hear the sound on huge loudspeakers as Hu Jintao in his dual role of Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission called for the parade to begin. His commands seemed to have reached a new peak. As if on cue, Beijing’s grey sky miraculously turned bright blue. The clouds were gone, there was no sign of rain, and the late morning sun was so bright, some of us later revealed mild sunburn. As the parade started, our place in the line seemed a lifetime away as we waited and waited, hearing the domestically made fighter jets fly ahead of us. They would return, releasing their multi-colored smoke trails once we finally approached the main reviewing stand outside the Forbidden City which faces Tiananmen Square.

Standing next to me was a tall American, David Tool, known locally by his Chinese name, Du Dawei and mentioned earlier as being recognized and awarded for his volunteer work correcting English signs in Beijing. A former army colonel, Tool possessed long arms which came too close for my comfort zone in China’s big parade. Retaining my assigned position very close to the front on the right hand side of the float, his right arm kept waving in front of my face. Sometimes he would wave both hands, but his right was still obscuring me.Not wanting to dash the expectations of friends and colleagues who knew I was taking part, I had to think quickly.Instead of waving my own right hand, I decided to put the left into action and this way I kept his wave in check and my own space clear. Talk about publicity seekers - none of us wanted to miss this camera opportunity.

当讲解员宣布我们进场，说这是外国人士第一次参加中国国庆游行，人群开始鼓掌欢呼，一浪高过一浪，声音几乎盖过了嘹亮的军乐演奏。我体内的肾上腺激素也不断喷放。与夜间彩排相比，这次的游行有条不紊，也让我终身难忘。

彩车的左边，数千位群众身穿色彩缤纷的中国传统服装，动作优美，我们头上方的投影仪不断旋转着，好像是没有采取安全措施的荡秋千的杂耍艺人在翻转着。在右边，我站的位置，有巨大的电视屏幕，播放我们的彩车经过时的图像。我们所在的“同一个世界”彩车由100位外国人士簇拥着，走过中国首都的政治中心，彩车周围的外国人边走边挥舞着手里的彩旗。我使劲地挥手，左手也没有打到杜大卫的右手。我们下方的那些人最终是轻松搭乘彩车，司机也因彩车没有出故障而松了一口气。

游行持续了两个多小时，而经过天安门城楼主看台却用了不到半分钟。当我们从长安街拐入一条小路，远离身后欢呼的人群时，我听到手机的声响，短信如潮水般涌来。我从口袋里拿出手机一看，已经有16条短信，接着第17条，接着是更多的短信。一条短信是这样写的：“刚才在电视上看到你了。”另一条更简单：“看到你了。红衬衫很漂亮。”彩车上的每个人都在跟家人和朋友们通电话，说看到谁谁了，或者说好像是看到了。

有一段录像使我个人对这次的游行感觉分外珍贵。阿德里安在墨尔本的家里看CNN的转播。在我们刚进入天安门广场之前，他给我发了一条短信，说他很可能看不到我，因为CNN已经中断这次直播，报道印尼地震的情况。

但是在游行结束后我查看短信时，阿德里安又发了一条：“回家后查邮件，你绝对想不到。”他用自己的摄像机对着电视一直拍，以备CNN随时继续转播游行。就在“同一个世界”彩车进入镜头的那一刻，CNN又开始继续转播北京的实况了。阿德里安原以为在电视上看不到我了，现在竟然看到他爸爸在向他挥手，他高兴地叫了起来，这一叫声也被他的摄像机录了下来。摄像机里保留了他的声音。这是我们两个人的意外收获。难忘的一天！

As the commentator announced our approach pointing out that foreigners were taking part in China’s National Day parade for the first time, clapping and cheering from the crowd increased, almost drowning out the band playing its rousing selection of Chinese military marches. The adrenalin was really pumping now and while a very controlled atmosphere compared with the nighttime rehearsal, the scene was unforgettable.

To our left, thousands of Chinese in traditional costumes provided a gymnastic routine of color and movement, while the overhead projector swung and whizzed above us like a mechanical trapeze artist without the aid of a safety net. On the right where I was standing, giant television screens showed our progress. Accompanied by the 100 foreigners chosen to walk around the float waving flags, we were now in our ‘One World’ passing through the political heart of China’s capital. I waved as hard as I could and there were no collisions between my left hand and Tool’s right. As it turned out our below deck crew went along literally for the ride, the driver relieved his job was completed without incident.

While the parade and pageant lasted more than two hours, the climax of passing the main viewing area was over in less than half a minute. But as we turned off Chang An Jie into a side street to park away from the crowds cheering floats behind us, I could hear by mobile phone receiving a flood messages. Lifting it from my pocket I could see 16, then 17, and still more. ‘Just saw you on TV’one said while another simply read, ‘saw you, loved the red shirt’. Everyone from the float was on the phone getting reports from family and friends and discussing who had been seen, or almost. I treasure one extra video which made the occasion even more personal. Adrian was watching the telecast at his home in Melbourne, via CNN. Just before we entered Tiananmen Square, he sent me a message saying it was unlikely he would see me because CNN had interrupted its coverage to report an earthquake in Indonesia. But when I checked my phone as the parade ended, Adrian had sent another message: ‘Check your email when you get home. You’ll never believe it’. He had kept his personal video camera running in front of the TV set in case CNN resumed its coverage of the parade. At precisely the point where ‘One World’ came into view, the network switched back to Beijing.After thinking my appearance had been lost, Adrian saw his Dad waving to him, letting out an exclamation of joy picked up on his own camera, and providing a bonus for us both. What a day!