Netizens recall Deng with simple, hearty language
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-20 14:36
"To glide with thee, Oh Soul, overall, in all, as a ship over the waters."
These words from the translated edition of "Warble for Lilac-Time" by the
nineteenth century American poet Walt Whitman are quoted by a Chinese netizen on
a popular website: www.tianyaclub.com, recalling China's greatest revolutionist
and reformist Deng Xiaoping.
"I clearly remember in February 1997, when lilacs were burgeoning under the
sunshine, we heard of the news Deng's passing," said the 26-year-old netizen
surnamed Zhang.
"A strong sadness immediately fell upon me," she recalled.
"Hong Kong was bound to return to China in several months, but the giant who
fulfilled the saga would never witness it. He led China into a vibrant season
yet left his beloved people in a warm spring," Zhang said, finding it difficult
to control her emotions.
With his 100th birthday is around the corner on Aug. 22, people have been
paying tributes to Deng in various ways.
"I am a technician, and I feel grateful to Deng though my earning is not
high. He is a great person who brought benefits to all Chinese," said netizen Xu
Xuejiang.
His uneven political life, great talents on battlefields and the well-known
diplomatic wisdom make Deng the irreplaceable idol of a great many Chinese
today.
Xu said the it was Deng's noble personality and tough characters chastened in
the long-term war and political fights that enabled him to mount the political
stage again in the late 1970s, steering China out of chaos to a bright path.
"Deng is an honorable man," writes a netizen by the name "Mr. Courageous."
"His military strategies, his penetrating judgment to the democratic revolution,
his theories on socialist construction and his unprecedented thoughts of 'one
country, two systems' all showed his unparalleled greatness."
"He is also a kindly old man in many people's eyes. He loves kids, loves
flowers, and loves playing cards, swimming and mountain climbing. He has a large
warm family," the netizen said. "Deng is an ordinary man."
To boost the reform and opening policy, Deng said China should permit a small
group of people to get rich before the rest majority, which inevitably incurred
complaints. Some even ascribe the social problems such as corruption to his
decision.
However, even the complaining netizens agreed that without Deng and his
advanced policies, they could not have an access to the Internet, where they
acquired information and exchanged opinions.
"All the great leaders are controversial," said a netizen called "nice back
of little fox." "And we would prefer a good system rather than a great leader."
She writes, "Deng's feats not only lie in introducing China to the world, but
also in awakening Chinese from the original isolation and blindness, which will
exert influence on generations of people."
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