澄清《弯而不折》的事实 傅平# WaterWorld - 未名水世界
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澄清《弯而不折》的事实
傅平
一篇关于我的书《弯曲，不会折断》，由“福布斯”发布，并且在ForbesChina.com（
这个链接是谷歌的英文翻译）上被翻译成中文。这个翻译在措辞上有几处不准确。之后
，这些错误在新的发布告示中已经得到纠正。与此同时，中国的博客方舟子发布了一个
故事，他质疑我的信誉。约翰•肯尼迪也在中国南方早报的博客中给予回应。虽
然方及肯尼迪的评论正确地引用了“福布斯”文章的原始版本，但这篇原始版本所提供
的信息却是不准确的。实际上他们应该以我的书（指《弯曲，不会折断》）为准。我很
愿意回应他们和其他批评者的意见，这些意见来自各个网站，都攻击我的故事的真实性。
问：为什么你说你在“文革”期间被劳教？
我并没有说或写，我是被劳教，我说，我住了10年的南京航空航天大学校园在大学宿舍
。中国儿童不会在劳教所。我也没有说我是一个工厂的工人。我说毛泽东要我们向工农
兵学习。
问：如果你在10年的“文化大革命”中，被剥夺了接受教育的权利，那么大学恢复招生
以后，你是如何被录取的？当时的录取率低于5％。你是个天才吗？
1972年以后，学校（应指中学）恢复（第128页）。我的学校位于南京的一个工业区边
缘，那儿给我们开设少量的正规课程。我不间断地学习（页229-231）。我的家人，称
我是“永远不知道熄灯的女孩。” （第231页）
至到１９８２年，都没有重新开设苏州大学。你怎么能在１９７７年上那所学校？
答：这是一个错字（第232页）。我参加了1977年和1978年的高考，并于1978年被录取
。我进去的时候，这所学校被称为江苏技术师范学院。我离开之前，它的名称后来变更
为苏州大学，它是在同一地点同一所大学。
问：在2010年的全国公共广播电台采访时，你说你看见红卫兵处决一个老师，把她的每
个肢体捆绑到一个单独的马上，然后同时驱使每匹马向不同的方向运动，以肢解她的身
体。在“文化大革命”期间，大卸八块，用四匹马是闻所未闻的，而且实施起来将是相
当困难。这是一个几百年前的传说。
答：对这一天，在我的脑海里，我觉得是我看到了它。这是我的情感记忆。阅读方舟子
的文章后，我觉得在这种特殊情况下，他的分析比我的记忆更加合理和准确。那时我只
有８岁，而且刚刚（被迫）离开我的亲生父母和我的养父母，受到了巨大的创伤。在中
国，（五马分尸）是个著名的成语，我成天做恶梦。
问：你声称你惨遭轮奸。轮奸不会在中国发生。
答：强奸是一件非常私人的事情，这肯定是发生了。我知道这是不是一场幻觉。我有疤
痕。我的身体上有伤痕。
问：在“福布斯”，你说你在苏州大学写的本科论文是关于“在中国农村地区的溺杀女
婴的做法”。你的研究得到全国性的新闻报道，然后你被判处流放的结果。
注：这是“福布斯”的编辑纠错告示已经指明：我发表了我的论文“在中国农村地区溺
杀女婴”已得到纠正。
答：我的意思是我是悄然离开（中国？）。我并没有说我的研究被发表，它从来也没有
出版。（只是）有人告诉我，我被逮捕的原因是因为我的研究（本书第257页）。
问：在在2005年ＩＮＣ杂志的文章中，您描述您的研究结果“溺杀女婴”由文汇报和人
民日报发表，导致来自世界各地（对中国政府的）谴责，联合国也实行制裁。结果你被
扔进了监狱。但检索当时的人民日报，没有任何关于在中国农村地区的溺杀女婴报道。
答：我记得以前看过一篇报纸社论，在1982年，呼吁性别平等。这不是一个新闻文章，
也不是我写的，我不知道它和我的研究有什么关系（页253-255）。在写这本书时，我
没有写关于这篇论文的事，因为我不能确定。不过，我认为这就是我读的社论（文章）
，因为它登在最公众和最官方报纸上。没有看过我的书的人假设我向报社提交了研究（
论文），或我发表了论文，实际我在书中并没有提及此事。
＊译者注，这一段傅平似乎有点前言不答后语，很难翻。
问：为什么没有人在中国知道，联合国将在1981年对中国制裁？你是怎么知道的？
A：我等待护照时，听说联合国制裁的消息。有人告诉我，联合国对这个问题感到不满
。一个简单的Web搜索显示：美国的记者史蒂文W.毛思迪在1981年写了关于在中国溺杀
女婴的报道。他的书于1984年出版，被称为《破碎的地球》。这一年，我正好在等我的
护照。认识到这一点，就能明白我悄然离开（中国是合情合理的。还有什么比这个问题
吸引更多的关注？据洛杉矶时报，，毛思迪成功地游说乔治•W•布什对中
国削减联合国经费。我的经历和他的故事和时间表是一致的。
问：你说你走在校园里时，突然一个黑色的头套扔在你的头上，然后你被塞进一辆汽车
逮捕了？
答：是的，是这么回事。我再也没有回到课堂，也没有毕业。当局告诉我的同学：我精
神崩溃。在我被释放后，我被告知，在家呆着，不许乱说乱动（书，第255页，第258-
259）。我原本打算去南京读比较文学的研究生，在那种情况下当然不可能。
问：你说你被扣押了3天，差点被判处劳教。幸亏（当局）决定把您流放（出国）。
答：（当局）要求我悄然离开，再也不能回来（本书第258页）。
问：你（当时）并不出名，却被驱逐出境而且驱逐到美国读书。一般只有非常突出的持
不同政见者才有这种待遇。为什么？
答：正如我在书中（第257-261）描述，我被告知，我不得不离开中国，但没有具体的
目标。我得到了学生签证，这是通过一个家在新墨西哥大学的朋友做担保，在第258-
259页，我详细介绍我的申请过程，到国外生活，最后在美国定居。
问：很多中国留学生为了能够留在美国，想了各种办法。其中一个就是编造离奇的故事
：在中国面临迫害，并申请政治避难。不管你的经历多奇特，美国人仍然相信它们是真
实的。
答：我并没有申请政治庇护，我被明确告知不能引起人们的注意。
问：根据ＩＮＣ，你想在苏州大学学习工程或经济，但党分配给你学习英语。
答：我收到录取通知书是在1978年的秋天（这是一个错误，在那里写做1977年第232页
）。通知我被分配到苏州大学中文系。Inc.magazine进行了编辑错误，我在中国的专业
是中国文学，而不是英语。 （第99页）
问：“福布斯”说：你来到美国知道只知道三个英语单词的，但也有好些不同的组合：
公司，请，谢谢，帮助弯折，不易断裂：你好，谢谢你，帮助; NPR：谢谢你，帮，对
不起。
答：在大学里，提供了英语学习班，但不是必修课的。我之前没有学过英语。英语水平
为零，就像大多数美国人都知道几个西班牙语或法语单词。当我知道我要去美国后，我
开始努力学习英语。但是我到达美国时，只记得几个单词。
问：在快速公司的故事图像里，你和其他的孩子都戴着红卫兵袖章，但你声称你不是一
个红卫兵。
如果你放大该图片，仔细看看，就可以发现我的手臂上没有红色条带。这张照片是70年
代末，我在学校的红卫兵旗帜前面照的。我在书中写道，1972年以后，环境变得比较宽
松，但我也从来没加入红卫兵。
我的一个同学也回应了方舟子的文章。在他的博客中，他所说的与我书中写的是一致的
。他肯定是我的同班同学。他对方的文章提出了意见，假设方的依据是在我的书中。这
当然不对。我愿意回应。
问：你没有被劳教？
答：没有。我在本书中，没有说我在劳教所呆过。
问：你没有在1977年上大学。
答：说真的，我是在1978年，这是一个错字书。
问：如何能劳改营10年之久的吗？
他问这个问题的是以方舟子先生的博客为基础。这是一个错误的表述。我从来没有说我
是在劳教所。 “福布斯”纠正了这个错误。
问：您没有公布你的研究，而且从未出版。
答：正确;我没有公布我的研究，也从来没有出版。我离开了学校。我和妈妈去学校，
声称我是精神崩溃，以便我不会被发送到遥远的中国（第258页）（这是很有意思的回
答，译者特将原文列在这里，以备有误。I left school; my mother and I went to
the school and declared I had a mental breakdown so I would not be sent to
remote China (page 258)）。你只是不知道我离开的真正原因。
我想说的是：我尊重“福布斯”，方舟子先生，和某同学（对不起，我不知道这个名字
，因为他用了一个笔名）。民主意味着每个人都享有言论自由。批评不是诽谤，它是（
坦诚）说话或寻求真理的一种形式。我欢迎建设性的批评。
Clarifying the Facts in Bend, Not Break
Ping Fu
Author, 'Bend, Not Break'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ping-fu/clarifying-the-facts-in-b
An article about my book, Bend, Not Break, which appeared in Forbes and was
translated into Chinese for ForbesChina.com (this link is to a Google
English translation), contained several inaccuracies in wording. The posts
have since been corrected. Meanwhile, Chinese blogger Fang Zhouzi posted a
story in which he questioned my credibility, and John Kennedy reacted to
that blog in the South China Morning Post. Though factually correct based on
the original version of the Forbes article, both Fang and Kennedy made
comments based on inaccurate information, rather than on material actually
printed in the book. I would like to respond to their comments, as well as
the comments of other critics who have since posted to various websites
attacking the authenticity of my story.
Why did you say you were in a labor camp during the Cultural Revolution?
I did not say or write that I was in a labor camp; I stated that I lived for
10 years in a university dormitory on the NUAA campus. Chinese children don
't get put in labor camps. I also did not say I was a factory worker. I said
Mao wanted us to study and learn from farmers, soldiers and workers.
If you were deprived of an education for those 10 years of the Cultural
Revolution, and less than 5 percent of applicants were accepted when
universities reopened, how did you get in? Were you a prodigy?
After 1972, school resumed (p. 128). We had few formal classes at my school
at the edge of Nanjing in an industrial area. I studied nonstop (pp. 229-231
) and was known by my family as "the girl who never turns off her lights." (
p. 231)
Suzhou University did not reopen until 1982. How could you go there in 1977?
A: This is a typo in the book (p. 232). I took the college entrance exams in
1977 and 1978, and was admitted in 1978. When I entered, I believe it was
called Jiangsu Teachers College or Jiangsu Teachers University. Its name
changed to Suzhou University before I left; it was the same university in
the same location.
In a 2010 NPR interview, you say you saw Red Guards execute one teacher by
tying each limb to a separate horse and dismembering her by having each
horse run simultaneously in a separate outward direction. During the
Cultural Revolution, dismemberment using four horses was unheard of and
would have been quite difficult. This was a legend from several hundred
years ago.
To this day, in my mind, I think I saw it. That is my emotional memory of it
. After reading Fang's post, I think in this particular case that his
analysis is more rational and accurate than my memory. Those first weeks
after having been separated from both my birth parents and my adoptive
parents were so traumatic, and I was only eight years old. There is a famous
phrase in China for this killing; I had many nightmares about it.
You claim you were brutally gang-raped. Gang rape doesn't happen in China.
A: Rape is a very private matter and this definitely happened. I know this
was not a hallucination. I have scars. My body was broken.
In the Forbes piece, you say you wrote your undergrad thesis at Suzhou
University on the practice of female infanticide in rural China. Your
research received nationwide press coverage at the time, and you were
sentenced to exile as a result.
NOTE: The Forbes editorial mistake noting that I "published my thesis" on
female infanticide in rural China has been corrected.
I said I was asked to leave quietly. I did not say my research was published
; it was never published. I was told that the reason I was arrested was
because of my research (book p. 257).
In the 2005 Inc. Magazine article, you explained that your findings on
female infanticide were later covered by Shanghai's Wen Hui Bao newspaper
and later then by People's Daily, resulting in condemnation from around the
world, sanctions imposed by the UN, and you getting tossed into prison.
People's Daily archives for the period when your research would've been
published have nothing regarding female infanticide in rural China.
I remember reading an editorial in a newspaper in 1982 that called for
gender equality. It was not a news article and not written by me, and I didn
't know it had anything to do with my research (pp. 253-255). When writing
the book, I did not name the paper, since I wasn't certain. However, I think
that is where I read the editorial because it was the most popular and
official newspaper. People who have not read my book made assumptions that I
submitted the research to the newspaper, or I published the thesis, but
that was not how I described it in the book.
Why does nobody else in China know that the UN placed sanctions on China in
1981? And how do you know that?
A: I heard about the sanctions in China while awaiting my passport. I was
told that the UN was unhappy about this issue. A quick web search shows that
the American-based journalist Steven W. Mosher wrote about female
infanticide in China in 1981. His book, called Broken Earth, was published
in 1984 -- the same year I was waiting for my passport. Knowing this, it
makes sense that I was asked to leave quietly. Anything else would have
drawn more attention to the issue. According to the Los Angeles Times,
Mosher successfully lobbied George W. Bush to cut UN funding for China. His
story and the timeline are consistent with my experience.
You say you were walking on campus when a black bag was suddenly thrown over
your head and you were stuffed into a car before being arrested?
Yes, this is how it happened. I never returned to classes and I did not
graduate. My classmates were told that I had a mental breakdown. After my
release, I did what I was told and laid low at home (book, p. 255, pp. 258-
259). I originally had been planning to go to graduate school to study
comparative literature in Nanjing, but that could not happen due to the
circumstances.
You said you were held three days and narrowly avoided being sentenced to
reform through labor when authorities decided instead to send you into exile.
A: I was asked to leave quietly and never come back again (book p. 258).
Why would you, an unknown, be deported/expelled to study in the U.S., a
treatment reserved for very prominent dissidents?
As I describe in the book (pp. 257-261), I was told that I had to leave
China, but not given a specific destination. I got a student visa, which was
secured through a family friend at the University of New Mexico. On pages
258-259, I detail my application process to live abroad and how I ended up
in America.
Chinese international students had many ways of being able to stay in the
United States. One of those was to fabricate bizarre tales of having faced
persecution in China and apply for political asylum. It didn't matter how
fantastic you made your experiences, Americans would still believe them to
be true.
I didn't apply for political asylum; I was explicitly told not to attract
attention.
According to Inc., you arrived at Suzhou University wanting to study
engineering or business, but the Party assigned you to study English.
When the acceptance letter came in the fall of 1978 (this is a typo in the
book, where it reads 1977 on p 232), it said that I had been assigned to
study literature at Suzhou University. Inc.magazine made an editorial error
on my major in China; I majored in Chinese literature, not in English
literature. (p. 99)
Forbes said you arrived in the United States knowing only three words of
English, yet there are different sets of those first three words: Inc.:
Please, thank you, help; Bend, Not Break: Thank you, hello, help; NPR: Thank
you, help, excuse me.
In college, English language classes were offered, but not required. I did
not study English ever. I had "level zero" English, just like most Americans
know a few words of Spanish or French. I tried to learn more English when I
knew I was going to the U.S., but when I arrived, I only remembered a few.
In the Fast Company story image, you and other kids are wearing Red Guard
armbands under the Red Guard flag, yet you claim you were not a Red Guard.
If you zoom into that picture, you only need to look closely to see I have
no red band on my arm. The image was taken in front of a Red Guard flag at
the school that I attended in the late 70s. I wrote in the book that the
situation got better after 1972. Still, I was never a Red Guard.
One of my classmates also responded to Fang's article on his blog. What he
says is consistent with what I wrote in the book, so he must be a classmate.
He made comments based on Fang, assuming that what Fang said was in the
book, however it was not. I would like to respond.
You weren't in a labor camp.
A: True, I did not say I was in a labor camp in the book, or ever.
You did not go to college in 1977.
True, I went in 1978; that is a typo in the book.
How can the labor camp be 10 years long for you?
He asked this question based on Mr. Fang Zhouzi's blog, which was an
incorrect choice of words. I never said that I was at a labor camp. Forbes
corrected this error.
You did not publish your research and it was never published.
Correct; I did not publish my research and it was never published. I left
school; my mother and I went to the school and declared I had a mental
breakdown so I would not be sent to remote China (page 258). You just didn't
know the true reason I left.
I want to say that I respect Mr. Fang Zhouzi, Forbes, and the classmate (
sorry, I do not know the name since he used a pen name). Democracy means
everyone is entitled to freedom of expression. Criticism is not a form of
defamation; it is a form of speaking or seeking truth. I welcome
constructive criticism.
傅平
一篇关于我的书《弯曲，不会折断》，由“福布斯”发布，并且在ForbesChina.com（
这个链接是谷歌的英文翻译）上被翻译成中文。这个翻译在措辞上有几处不准确。之后
，这些错误在新的发布告示中已经得到纠正。与此同时，中国的博客方舟子发布了一个
故事，他质疑我的信誉。约翰•肯尼迪也在中国南方早报的博客中给予回应。虽
然方及肯尼迪的评论正确地引用了“福布斯”文章的原始版本，但这篇原始版本所提供
的信息却是不准确的。实际上他们应该以我的书（指《弯曲，不会折断》）为准。我很
愿意回应他们和其他批评者的意见，这些意见来自各个网站，都攻击我的故事的真实性。
问：为什么你说你在“文革”期间被劳教？
我并没有说或写，我是被劳教，我说，我住了10年的南京航空航天大学校园在大学宿舍
。中国儿童不会在劳教所。我也没有说我是一个工厂的工人。我说毛泽东要我们向工农
兵学习。
问：如果你在10年的“文化大革命”中，被剥夺了接受教育的权利，那么大学恢复招生
以后，你是如何被录取的？当时的录取率低于5％。你是个天才吗？
1972年以后，学校（应指中学）恢复（第128页）。我的学校位于南京的一个工业区边
缘，那儿给我们开设少量的正规课程。我不间断地学习（页229-231）。我的家人，称
我是“永远不知道熄灯的女孩。” （第231页）
至到１９８２年，都没有重新开设苏州大学。你怎么能在１９７７年上那所学校？
答：这是一个错字（第232页）。我参加了1977年和1978年的高考，并于1978年被录取
。我进去的时候，这所学校被称为江苏技术师范学院。我离开之前，它的名称后来变更
为苏州大学，它是在同一地点同一所大学。
问：在2010年的全国公共广播电台采访时，你说你看见红卫兵处决一个老师，把她的每
个肢体捆绑到一个单独的马上，然后同时驱使每匹马向不同的方向运动，以肢解她的身
体。在“文化大革命”期间，大卸八块，用四匹马是闻所未闻的，而且实施起来将是相
当困难。这是一个几百年前的传说。
答：对这一天，在我的脑海里，我觉得是我看到了它。这是我的情感记忆。阅读方舟子
的文章后，我觉得在这种特殊情况下，他的分析比我的记忆更加合理和准确。那时我只
有８岁，而且刚刚（被迫）离开我的亲生父母和我的养父母，受到了巨大的创伤。在中
国，（五马分尸）是个著名的成语，我成天做恶梦。
问：你声称你惨遭轮奸。轮奸不会在中国发生。
答：强奸是一件非常私人的事情，这肯定是发生了。我知道这是不是一场幻觉。我有疤
痕。我的身体上有伤痕。
问：在“福布斯”，你说你在苏州大学写的本科论文是关于“在中国农村地区的溺杀女
婴的做法”。你的研究得到全国性的新闻报道，然后你被判处流放的结果。
注：这是“福布斯”的编辑纠错告示已经指明：我发表了我的论文“在中国农村地区溺
杀女婴”已得到纠正。
答：我的意思是我是悄然离开（中国？）。我并没有说我的研究被发表，它从来也没有
出版。（只是）有人告诉我，我被逮捕的原因是因为我的研究（本书第257页）。
问：在在2005年ＩＮＣ杂志的文章中，您描述您的研究结果“溺杀女婴”由文汇报和人
民日报发表，导致来自世界各地（对中国政府的）谴责，联合国也实行制裁。结果你被
扔进了监狱。但检索当时的人民日报，没有任何关于在中国农村地区的溺杀女婴报道。
答：我记得以前看过一篇报纸社论，在1982年，呼吁性别平等。这不是一个新闻文章，
也不是我写的，我不知道它和我的研究有什么关系（页253-255）。在写这本书时，我
没有写关于这篇论文的事，因为我不能确定。不过，我认为这就是我读的社论（文章）
，因为它登在最公众和最官方报纸上。没有看过我的书的人假设我向报社提交了研究（
论文），或我发表了论文，实际我在书中并没有提及此事。
＊译者注，这一段傅平似乎有点前言不答后语，很难翻。
问：为什么没有人在中国知道，联合国将在1981年对中国制裁？你是怎么知道的？
A：我等待护照时，听说联合国制裁的消息。有人告诉我，联合国对这个问题感到不满
。一个简单的Web搜索显示：美国的记者史蒂文W.毛思迪在1981年写了关于在中国溺杀
女婴的报道。他的书于1984年出版，被称为《破碎的地球》。这一年，我正好在等我的
护照。认识到这一点，就能明白我悄然离开（中国是合情合理的。还有什么比这个问题
吸引更多的关注？据洛杉矶时报，，毛思迪成功地游说乔治•W•布什对中
国削减联合国经费。我的经历和他的故事和时间表是一致的。
问：你说你走在校园里时，突然一个黑色的头套扔在你的头上，然后你被塞进一辆汽车
逮捕了？
答：是的，是这么回事。我再也没有回到课堂，也没有毕业。当局告诉我的同学：我精
神崩溃。在我被释放后，我被告知，在家呆着，不许乱说乱动（书，第255页，第258-
259）。我原本打算去南京读比较文学的研究生，在那种情况下当然不可能。
问：你说你被扣押了3天，差点被判处劳教。幸亏（当局）决定把您流放（出国）。
答：（当局）要求我悄然离开，再也不能回来（本书第258页）。
问：你（当时）并不出名，却被驱逐出境而且驱逐到美国读书。一般只有非常突出的持
不同政见者才有这种待遇。为什么？
答：正如我在书中（第257-261）描述，我被告知，我不得不离开中国，但没有具体的
目标。我得到了学生签证，这是通过一个家在新墨西哥大学的朋友做担保，在第258-
259页，我详细介绍我的申请过程，到国外生活，最后在美国定居。
问：很多中国留学生为了能够留在美国，想了各种办法。其中一个就是编造离奇的故事
：在中国面临迫害，并申请政治避难。不管你的经历多奇特，美国人仍然相信它们是真
实的。
答：我并没有申请政治庇护，我被明确告知不能引起人们的注意。
问：根据ＩＮＣ，你想在苏州大学学习工程或经济，但党分配给你学习英语。
答：我收到录取通知书是在1978年的秋天（这是一个错误，在那里写做1977年第232页
）。通知我被分配到苏州大学中文系。Inc.magazine进行了编辑错误，我在中国的专业
是中国文学，而不是英语。 （第99页）
问：“福布斯”说：你来到美国知道只知道三个英语单词的，但也有好些不同的组合：
公司，请，谢谢，帮助弯折，不易断裂：你好，谢谢你，帮助; NPR：谢谢你，帮，对
不起。
答：在大学里，提供了英语学习班，但不是必修课的。我之前没有学过英语。英语水平
为零，就像大多数美国人都知道几个西班牙语或法语单词。当我知道我要去美国后，我
开始努力学习英语。但是我到达美国时，只记得几个单词。
问：在快速公司的故事图像里，你和其他的孩子都戴着红卫兵袖章，但你声称你不是一
个红卫兵。
如果你放大该图片，仔细看看，就可以发现我的手臂上没有红色条带。这张照片是70年
代末，我在学校的红卫兵旗帜前面照的。我在书中写道，1972年以后，环境变得比较宽
松，但我也从来没加入红卫兵。
我的一个同学也回应了方舟子的文章。在他的博客中，他所说的与我书中写的是一致的
。他肯定是我的同班同学。他对方的文章提出了意见，假设方的依据是在我的书中。这
当然不对。我愿意回应。
问：你没有被劳教？
答：没有。我在本书中，没有说我在劳教所呆过。
问：你没有在1977年上大学。
答：说真的，我是在1978年，这是一个错字书。
问：如何能劳改营10年之久的吗？
他问这个问题的是以方舟子先生的博客为基础。这是一个错误的表述。我从来没有说我
是在劳教所。 “福布斯”纠正了这个错误。
问：您没有公布你的研究，而且从未出版。
答：正确;我没有公布我的研究，也从来没有出版。我离开了学校。我和妈妈去学校，
声称我是精神崩溃，以便我不会被发送到遥远的中国（第258页）（这是很有意思的回
答，译者特将原文列在这里，以备有误。I left school; my mother and I went to
the school and declared I had a mental breakdown so I would not be sent to
remote China (page 258)）。你只是不知道我离开的真正原因。
我想说的是：我尊重“福布斯”，方舟子先生，和某同学（对不起，我不知道这个名字
，因为他用了一个笔名）。民主意味着每个人都享有言论自由。批评不是诽谤，它是（
坦诚）说话或寻求真理的一种形式。我欢迎建设性的批评。
Clarifying the Facts in Bend, Not Break
Ping Fu
Author, 'Bend, Not Break'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ping-fu/clarifying-the-facts-in-b
An article about my book, Bend, Not Break, which appeared in Forbes and was
translated into Chinese for ForbesChina.com (this link is to a Google
English translation), contained several inaccuracies in wording. The posts
have since been corrected. Meanwhile, Chinese blogger Fang Zhouzi posted a
story in which he questioned my credibility, and John Kennedy reacted to
that blog in the South China Morning Post. Though factually correct based on
the original version of the Forbes article, both Fang and Kennedy made
comments based on inaccurate information, rather than on material actually
printed in the book. I would like to respond to their comments, as well as
the comments of other critics who have since posted to various websites
attacking the authenticity of my story.
Why did you say you were in a labor camp during the Cultural Revolution?
I did not say or write that I was in a labor camp; I stated that I lived for
10 years in a university dormitory on the NUAA campus. Chinese children don
't get put in labor camps. I also did not say I was a factory worker. I said
Mao wanted us to study and learn from farmers, soldiers and workers.
If you were deprived of an education for those 10 years of the Cultural
Revolution, and less than 5 percent of applicants were accepted when
universities reopened, how did you get in? Were you a prodigy?
After 1972, school resumed (p. 128). We had few formal classes at my school
at the edge of Nanjing in an industrial area. I studied nonstop (pp. 229-231
) and was known by my family as "the girl who never turns off her lights." (
p. 231)
Suzhou University did not reopen until 1982. How could you go there in 1977?
A: This is a typo in the book (p. 232). I took the college entrance exams in
1977 and 1978, and was admitted in 1978. When I entered, I believe it was
called Jiangsu Teachers College or Jiangsu Teachers University. Its name
changed to Suzhou University before I left; it was the same university in
the same location.
In a 2010 NPR interview, you say you saw Red Guards execute one teacher by
tying each limb to a separate horse and dismembering her by having each
horse run simultaneously in a separate outward direction. During the
Cultural Revolution, dismemberment using four horses was unheard of and
would have been quite difficult. This was a legend from several hundred
years ago.
To this day, in my mind, I think I saw it. That is my emotional memory of it
. After reading Fang's post, I think in this particular case that his
analysis is more rational and accurate than my memory. Those first weeks
after having been separated from both my birth parents and my adoptive
parents were so traumatic, and I was only eight years old. There is a famous
phrase in China for this killing; I had many nightmares about it.
You claim you were brutally gang-raped. Gang rape doesn't happen in China.
A: Rape is a very private matter and this definitely happened. I know this
was not a hallucination. I have scars. My body was broken.
In the Forbes piece, you say you wrote your undergrad thesis at Suzhou
University on the practice of female infanticide in rural China. Your
research received nationwide press coverage at the time, and you were
sentenced to exile as a result.
NOTE: The Forbes editorial mistake noting that I "published my thesis" on
female infanticide in rural China has been corrected.
I said I was asked to leave quietly. I did not say my research was published
; it was never published. I was told that the reason I was arrested was
because of my research (book p. 257).
In the 2005 Inc. Magazine article, you explained that your findings on
female infanticide were later covered by Shanghai's Wen Hui Bao newspaper
and later then by People's Daily, resulting in condemnation from around the
world, sanctions imposed by the UN, and you getting tossed into prison.
People's Daily archives for the period when your research would've been
published have nothing regarding female infanticide in rural China.
I remember reading an editorial in a newspaper in 1982 that called for
gender equality. It was not a news article and not written by me, and I didn
't know it had anything to do with my research (pp. 253-255). When writing
the book, I did not name the paper, since I wasn't certain. However, I think
that is where I read the editorial because it was the most popular and
official newspaper. People who have not read my book made assumptions that I
submitted the research to the newspaper, or I published the thesis, but
that was not how I described it in the book.
Why does nobody else in China know that the UN placed sanctions on China in
1981? And how do you know that?
A: I heard about the sanctions in China while awaiting my passport. I was
told that the UN was unhappy about this issue. A quick web search shows that
the American-based journalist Steven W. Mosher wrote about female
infanticide in China in 1981. His book, called Broken Earth, was published
in 1984 -- the same year I was waiting for my passport. Knowing this, it
makes sense that I was asked to leave quietly. Anything else would have
drawn more attention to the issue. According to the Los Angeles Times,
Mosher successfully lobbied George W. Bush to cut UN funding for China. His
story and the timeline are consistent with my experience.
You say you were walking on campus when a black bag was suddenly thrown over
your head and you were stuffed into a car before being arrested?
Yes, this is how it happened. I never returned to classes and I did not
graduate. My classmates were told that I had a mental breakdown. After my
release, I did what I was told and laid low at home (book, p. 255, pp. 258-
259). I originally had been planning to go to graduate school to study
comparative literature in Nanjing, but that could not happen due to the
circumstances.
You said you were held three days and narrowly avoided being sentenced to
reform through labor when authorities decided instead to send you into exile.
A: I was asked to leave quietly and never come back again (book p. 258).
Why would you, an unknown, be deported/expelled to study in the U.S., a
treatment reserved for very prominent dissidents?
As I describe in the book (pp. 257-261), I was told that I had to leave
China, but not given a specific destination. I got a student visa, which was
secured through a family friend at the University of New Mexico. On pages
258-259, I detail my application process to live abroad and how I ended up
in America.
Chinese international students had many ways of being able to stay in the
United States. One of those was to fabricate bizarre tales of having faced
persecution in China and apply for political asylum. It didn't matter how
fantastic you made your experiences, Americans would still believe them to
be true.
I didn't apply for political asylum; I was explicitly told not to attract
attention.
According to Inc., you arrived at Suzhou University wanting to study
engineering or business, but the Party assigned you to study English.
When the acceptance letter came in the fall of 1978 (this is a typo in the
book, where it reads 1977 on p 232), it said that I had been assigned to
study literature at Suzhou University. Inc.magazine made an editorial error
on my major in China; I majored in Chinese literature, not in English
literature. (p. 99)
Forbes said you arrived in the United States knowing only three words of
English, yet there are different sets of those first three words: Inc.:
Please, thank you, help; Bend, Not Break: Thank you, hello, help; NPR: Thank
you, help, excuse me.
In college, English language classes were offered, but not required. I did
not study English ever. I had "level zero" English, just like most Americans
know a few words of Spanish or French. I tried to learn more English when I
knew I was going to the U.S., but when I arrived, I only remembered a few.
In the Fast Company story image, you and other kids are wearing Red Guard
armbands under the Red Guard flag, yet you claim you were not a Red Guard.
If you zoom into that picture, you only need to look closely to see I have
no red band on my arm. The image was taken in front of a Red Guard flag at
the school that I attended in the late 70s. I wrote in the book that the
situation got better after 1972. Still, I was never a Red Guard.
One of my classmates also responded to Fang's article on his blog. What he
says is consistent with what I wrote in the book, so he must be a classmate.
He made comments based on Fang, assuming that what Fang said was in the
book, however it was not. I would like to respond.
You weren't in a labor camp.
A: True, I did not say I was in a labor camp in the book, or ever.
You did not go to college in 1977.
True, I went in 1978; that is a typo in the book.
How can the labor camp be 10 years long for you?
He asked this question based on Mr. Fang Zhouzi's blog, which was an
incorrect choice of words. I never said that I was at a labor camp. Forbes
corrected this error.
You did not publish your research and it was never published.
Correct; I did not publish my research and it was never published. I left
school; my mother and I went to the school and declared I had a mental
breakdown so I would not be sent to remote China (page 258). You just didn't
know the true reason I left.
I want to say that I respect Mr. Fang Zhouzi, Forbes, and the classmate (
sorry, I do not know the name since he used a pen name). Democracy means
everyone is entitled to freedom of expression. Criticism is not a form of
defamation; it is a form of speaking or seeking truth. I welcome
constructive criticism.
