我第一次踏上中国正值1976 年10月初。我是1949年红色中国成立后,首位被允许进入中国留学的英国人。那年我刚到北京时正赶上庆祝粉碎“四人帮”,我们语言学院的留学生也被组织起来与百万北京市民一道,沿街游行至天安门广场,去“举国欢庆揪出四人帮反革命集团的伟大胜利”。至今我仍认为那是我所见识过的世界上最隆重、最壮观的游行场面,第一次也是生平惟一一次,使用了长安街上帐篷围起来的、数十个下水道铁盖 I first set foot on China in early October 1976. I was the first Englishman to be admitted to China after the founding of Red China in 1949. That year, when I first arrived in Beijing, I was catching up with the celebration of the smashing of the “Gang of Four,” and our language college students were also organized to march together with millions of Beijing citizens to march to Tiananmen Square to “celebrate the great victory of the Gang of Four against the revolutionary clique victory”. So far I still think that is the most solemn and spectacular parade I have ever seen in the world. For the first time in my life, I used it once again. I used dozens of sewer iron caps