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2006年7月，北京世界知识出版社出版了胡明刚和史壹可所著的《北漂者心声》一书，这是一本别具一格的纪实文学作品，它如同投石激浪，在平静的读书界引起很大的反响，这本仅仅20余万字的书，受到了广大读者的瞩目和关注。
胡明刚和史壹可在谈到这本书的写作感受时说，这是他们花费精力最大的一本书，我们将它定位为中国第一部北漂文化的口述实录，相信这本书独特的形式和自然真切的表述，能让每一个文化北漂人士和读者在内心产生共鸣。
文化北漂群体发轫于上个世纪80年代，这是改革开放以来北京呈现的一道独特的社会人文风景线。在新旧两个世纪交替的转型时期、在中国的首都，这个国际性大都会聚集了上百万来自各地的有志之士，他们从事教育、影视、文学、绘画、音乐、出版、文物等各个领域的工作，为实现自己的文化理想和生活目标，展开了艰苦卓绝的奋斗拼搏。在漂泊的岁月里，留存下刻骨铭心的情感记忆。胡明刚和史壹可身为文化北漂的一员，经过了一番抉择后，决定在这个特殊的群落里行走，他们提着录音机，拿起笔杆和本子，倾听和记录了来自文化北漂最真切的心声。
文化北漂“三人帮”
《北漂者心声》这本书的简介写道：这是一本新旧世纪交替时期特殊年代、特殊地点中的特殊人群情感史、生命史和生活史。书里的一些文化北漂人士，尽管社会文化背景不同，生活态势各异，但他们带着失败的创痛和悲伤、带着成功的喜悦和欢愉，都在努力地拼搏着。文化北漂人士不同的生命传奇、人生的遭际与沉浮、生活的体验砥砺以及漂泊中对历史社会文化的追溯和探寻，胡明刚和史壹可感同身受，他们在记录整理这本书稿的时候，时常激动得不能自持。
来自浙江天台的《北漂者心声》作者之一的胡明刚，是个富有传奇色彩的人物，2002年他来到北京从事编辑工作。他老家在天台华顶山麓最偏僻的外胡村，因为家境贫寒，读到高中毕业就在家务农，但他依然爱好读书写作，经年不辍，因此认识了文化馆的老师。后来他父母双亡，就进入城市扛铁水、做售货员，在学校打字和在舞厅播放音乐，也在企业里做过文秘。随着年岁的增长和生活阅历的丰富，他的文学创作渐渐崭露头角，他的作品得到小说家钱国丹的关注，经钱的推荐，胡明刚被聘为市文联文学杂志的编辑，后来随着生活的好转，胡明刚的创作更上一层楼，不少散文随笔在《中华散文》《文学报》《文艺报》《江南》《读者》等报发刊表，并赢得许多奖项，2000年，他出版了《蛤蟆居随笔》作品集，《文学报》把胡明刚当作“每月一星”作了重点推介。
胡明刚在生活最困难的时候遇到了爱人王慧勤。王慧勤与他一样来自天台乡村，因为酷爱文学写作两个人走到一起。1997年王慧勤到鲁迅文学院影视班进修，学业长进，老师为她介绍了一个很好的工作，而她毅然回到天台，不计胡明刚的贫穷，与他缔结婚姻。他们没有婚礼、没有宴席，只是在天台街上携着手到面馆里吃了9元9角的两碗面条，听了一场二胡演奏会，然后胡明刚用自行车驮着她回家。尔后他们来到北京勉力工作，尽管生活不富裕，但依然过得有滋有味。王慧勤现在中国少年作家班从事文学教学辅导工作，业余从事儿童散文、童话和戏剧创作，先后创作童话剧《98点》以及《曼曼》《追鱼》等电影剧本和散文集《山坡书》等。
与胡明刚合著《北漂者心声》的史壹可，她的原名史迪可，来自山东青岛，毕业于中央戏剧学院戏剧文学专业，她与王慧勤最为知己。胡明刚策划这本书并请史壹可合作，她欣然同意。在北京史壹可有许多北漂朋友，她了解他们的内心感受，她觉得写这么一部书非常值得，非常有意义。
胡明刚说，在这本书里他与王慧勤、史壹可是很独特的“三人帮”，虽然名不见经传，但在这本书里各自都焕发了风采。
讲述与倾听是心灵的交会
《北漂者心声》作为中国第一本文化北漂的口述实录文学，此书的形式是独特的。他们先根据实地采访录音整理成“采访实录”，完全保持了叙述者的个人讲述风格，接着加上“采访手记”，详细记述采访时的细节以及片断感受，最后以“相关链接”配上有关讲述者的照片以及相关的文学艺术作品，这样就可以体现出本书的“货真价实”特性。在这本书里，采访者和讲述者都处于一种最松弛、最自然的状态，也许这种说话方式是漫无边际的，但它拥有强烈的原声效果，透露出真正的人文关怀。
文化北漂这个特殊的群体，每个人的表述各不相同，然而他们对自身的解释是最真切、最透彻的。他们接受采录时不需要提纲，只要找一个安静的酒吧间或者一个小小的斗室，他们就打开话匣子海阔天空地闲聊，这种自由自在放纵的表达，体现了最真实本质的情感世界。这种采访，避免了一问一答的机械式对话。
《北漂者心声》的头条人物是宋方金，他策划过《动什么别动感情》和《猜心妙手》等很有影响的电视连续剧，他描写山东农民造飞机的电视电影《飞》，获得了2006年的全国性大奖。他向史壹可谈起在北京搬家的故事，从南四环搬到西五环，从八大处搬到琉璃厂，然后又搬到北四环，搬家的过程就是翻来覆去的电影。他也回忆在老家两个最让他心灵震撼的故事：一个是想娶中央电视台播音员为妻子的牧羊人；一个是因为没有摩托车娶不到心爱姑娘喝老鼠药自尽的小伙子，这一切都成了他剧本的素材。
现在供职于中央电视台的傅鹏，热衷于影视创作，所以到电视台里当摄像师。中央电视台的《百家姓》就是他参与拍摄的，他向史壹可讲述了当下影视剧界的内幕以及空中拍摄罗布泊汽车越野赛的情景。在丝路文物展中，史壹可遇到了一位从事文物考古工作的老前辈宝世宜先生，宝先生向她谈文物的收藏流徙以及北京城的变迁，让她懂得了漂泊的不仅是人，还包括文物以及传统文化的传承。如此，一下子使北漂的内涵更富有深度和力度。此外，一对从事绘画设计的兄妹曾权和曾海英，一个负责装修，一个从事绘画，两个人相依为命，胼手胝足，更让人有一种深深的感动。这些都是《北漂者心声》的独特亮点。
《北漂者心声》的连环画家李志武来自陕西乡村，他是唯一将陈忠实的《白鹿原》和路遥的《平凡的世界》改编成连环画的画家。李志武向胡明刚讲述了陕西的乡土风物以及他创作这两部连环画的生命艺术感念。尽管漂泊北京，但他对故乡的黄土高原一往情深。文艺创作应该是有根的，北漂者也离不开这个根。北京民间教育公益机构“一耽学堂”的总干事逄飞先生来自沈阳，他组织义工在北京几个大中院校和社区开展传统文化普及工作，举办传统文化经典读诵等活动，成绩显著，中央电视台对此给予广泛的报道。为体验义工的生活，胡明刚做采录时还特意跟着逄飞以及义工一大清早上香山，对着太阳诵读《大学》，感觉到一种文字与阳光融合在一起的氛围，并拥有超然欲飞的心境。另外，从事图文制作和电影研究的黄文莱，从事美术教学和创作的魏尚河和刘军、王晖迪，在酒吧歌唱的李东，从事报纸美术编辑的薄卉，搞装置艺术的易力，在琉璃厂治印的天台老乡朱宏伟等，他们都是年轻人，内心丰富充满激情，他们在讲述自己故事的同时，更多地展示出内心的隐秘世界。
文化北漂访谈录在继续
《北漂者心声》这本书让许多读者认识了非常真诚坦率的北漂朋友。这本书没有回避、矫饰、渲染，也没有世故、虚伪和造作。有朋友曾经提议采访一些成功名人，但胡明刚他们认为，成功是没有一个固定标准的，所谓的成功人士难免会在谈话中竭力遮蔽一些东西，难免要掩饰自己，这是违背《北漂者心声》的选择标准和初衷的。胡明刚说，他和史壹可记录的只是过程而不是结果，过程比结果更重要。该书在采录倾听的过程中并不是一帆风顺的，比如设备故障、录音效果不清晰等等，再加上叙说者乡音浓重以及混乱和重复，这都加重了整理中的困难和耗费精力。
王慧勤曾经在童话剧《98点》中写了一只提着录音机的狼，它在森林里采录世界上最美好的声音。在二十多年前胡明刚也做这样的狼，他提着录音机在天台山野搜集民歌童谣，现在这几条狼从原始的乡野到达北京，面对的是钢筋水泥森林和匆匆擦肩而过的人群。他觉得无论歌唱还是说话，都是人们内心的一种表达。他们进一步倾听和搜录文化北漂的声音，希望在不久的将来出版《北漂者心声》系列。他们十分珍惜北漂的生活和北漂的声音，因为这是社会、时代的风雅颂，这是一笔宝贵的物质财富和精神财富。
Oral Histories of Cultural Drifters in Beijing
Nothing is new about this piece of news: July 2006 saw the release of The Aspirations of Drifters in Beijing coauthored by Hu Minggang and Shi Yike and published by the World Culture Publishing House.
The so-called drifters have been a cultural phenomenon in the country’s capital for more than 2 decades. Since the reform and opening-up, probably a million of aspirants have uprooted themselves from wherever they previously resided in the country and moved to Beijing to try their luck in the fields of education, film and television, literature, arts, music, press, and cultural relics in the hope of realizing their dreams. The phenomenon became noticed and the term “drifters in Beijing”has been coined.
So what’s new about the book? Well, it is the first documentation of oral histories of some cultural drifters in Beijing. It is new for the two authors. It is their first book. And the way the two authors put together the book was special, though it was not that original. They recorded the interviews and produced transcripts which maintain individual styles. Then they added interviewers?notes to offer brief comments and give detailed accounts of some interesting details that occurred during specific interviews. The last touch is photographs of these drifters and a list of their cultural works, recognized or otherwise, if there is any. Now and then some narrations appear discursive, but the way they go keeps the original emotions and reveals the narrators?focuses.
The two authors did not prepare specific outlines to guide themselves through interviews. A quiet bar or a small room would be ideal. The drifters had stories to tell. Once they started reminiscing, summarizing, analyzing, skipping or going into details, they just let themselves ramble about everything under the sun.
The first drifter in the book is Song Fangjin, a successful producer of television plays. The television feature film Flying won him a 2006 national award. In the interview, Song related the anecdotes of his moving from one place to the other in Beijing. Put together by the producer, these relocation stories were a film itself. He talked about two men in his hometown: a sheepherder, obsessed with the voice and look of a CCTV news anchoress, dreamed of marrying her one day; a young man killed himself with rat poison because he couldn’t afford to buy a motorcycle, the very precondition for marrying his sweetheart. The dream and the tragic suicide later appeared in his television productions.
The drifters that appear in the book are from different fields and different backgrounds. One thing they have in common is their youthful passion. Fu Peng, a cameraman at CCTV, talks about inside stories and his experience of shooting an auto relay across the dessert from the air. Zeng Quan and Zeng Haiying used to work together as a brother and sister team of art designers. Now the brother does decorating business and the sister engages herself in painting. They have shared life together in the years of drifting in Beijing. Li Zhiwu, an artist of picture-story books from northwestern Shanxi Province, converted two literary masterpieces by two writers of his home province into picture-story books. Huang Wenlai works as a graphic designer and film researcher. Wei Shanghe, Liu Jun, Wang Huidi are all art teachers and creative artists. Li Dong is a singer who tours bars and nightclubs. Bo Hui works as an art designer for a newspaper. Yi Li is an art decorator. Zhu Hongwei is a seal engraver.
Naturally, the two authors are drifters themselves. Hu Minggang, a native of Tiantai, Zhejiang, is a legendary figure himself. He grew up in the remotest mountain village in the region. After graduation from high school, he came home to farm. But the young man kept his writer’s dream alive. After his parents passed away, he did various jobs in Tiantai and kept writing. An established novelist noticed him and recommended him to work as an editor. Gradually he began to publish essays. His wife Wang Huiqin also came from a mountain village. The two came together for their shared passion for literature. Wang studied film and television production in Beijing in 1997 and got a good job offer. But she came back to Tiantai and married Hu. They got married by taking a stroll hand in hand in the town and having a noodle celebration for 9.90 yuan at a noodle restaurant and then the groom carried the bride home on a bike. The couple came to Beijing in 2002. Hu now works as an editor and Wang works as a teacher of literature for talented teenage writers.
Shi Yike, the other author of the book, is a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama. A native of Qingdao, she is an intimate friend of Wang Huiqin. When Hu Minggang suggested they collaborate in writing a book about drifters in Beijing, she agreed with pleasure. Some drifters in the book are actually her friends or acquaintances.
At first, it was suggested to the writers that they could focus on the successes of some drifters. But they disagreed. They thought so-called successful people would hide something in face-to-face talks, which would go against the authors?intention and standards. The book would highlight the drifting process, not the end result of the drifting. They conquered some difficulties in authoring the book. The recorder did not work now and then. The quality of some recordings was poor. Some heavily accented words were hard to catch in playing back. Some disordered and redundant parts in narrations needed straightening out.
The two authors are pleased with the book. And they plan to publish sequences. After all, there are nearly a million drifters in Beijing they have not yet interviewed.
(Translated by David)
胡明刚和史壹可在谈到这本书的写作感受时说，这是他们花费精力最大的一本书，我们将它定位为中国第一部北漂文化的口述实录，相信这本书独特的形式和自然真切的表述，能让每一个文化北漂人士和读者在内心产生共鸣。
文化北漂群体发轫于上个世纪80年代，这是改革开放以来北京呈现的一道独特的社会人文风景线。在新旧两个世纪交替的转型时期、在中国的首都，这个国际性大都会聚集了上百万来自各地的有志之士，他们从事教育、影视、文学、绘画、音乐、出版、文物等各个领域的工作，为实现自己的文化理想和生活目标，展开了艰苦卓绝的奋斗拼搏。在漂泊的岁月里，留存下刻骨铭心的情感记忆。胡明刚和史壹可身为文化北漂的一员，经过了一番抉择后，决定在这个特殊的群落里行走，他们提着录音机，拿起笔杆和本子，倾听和记录了来自文化北漂最真切的心声。
文化北漂“三人帮”
《北漂者心声》这本书的简介写道：这是一本新旧世纪交替时期特殊年代、特殊地点中的特殊人群情感史、生命史和生活史。书里的一些文化北漂人士，尽管社会文化背景不同，生活态势各异，但他们带着失败的创痛和悲伤、带着成功的喜悦和欢愉，都在努力地拼搏着。文化北漂人士不同的生命传奇、人生的遭际与沉浮、生活的体验砥砺以及漂泊中对历史社会文化的追溯和探寻，胡明刚和史壹可感同身受，他们在记录整理这本书稿的时候，时常激动得不能自持。
来自浙江天台的《北漂者心声》作者之一的胡明刚，是个富有传奇色彩的人物，2002年他来到北京从事编辑工作。他老家在天台华顶山麓最偏僻的外胡村，因为家境贫寒，读到高中毕业就在家务农，但他依然爱好读书写作，经年不辍，因此认识了文化馆的老师。后来他父母双亡，就进入城市扛铁水、做售货员，在学校打字和在舞厅播放音乐，也在企业里做过文秘。随着年岁的增长和生活阅历的丰富，他的文学创作渐渐崭露头角，他的作品得到小说家钱国丹的关注，经钱的推荐，胡明刚被聘为市文联文学杂志的编辑，后来随着生活的好转，胡明刚的创作更上一层楼，不少散文随笔在《中华散文》《文学报》《文艺报》《江南》《读者》等报发刊表，并赢得许多奖项，2000年，他出版了《蛤蟆居随笔》作品集，《文学报》把胡明刚当作“每月一星”作了重点推介。
胡明刚在生活最困难的时候遇到了爱人王慧勤。王慧勤与他一样来自天台乡村，因为酷爱文学写作两个人走到一起。1997年王慧勤到鲁迅文学院影视班进修，学业长进，老师为她介绍了一个很好的工作，而她毅然回到天台，不计胡明刚的贫穷，与他缔结婚姻。他们没有婚礼、没有宴席，只是在天台街上携着手到面馆里吃了9元9角的两碗面条，听了一场二胡演奏会，然后胡明刚用自行车驮着她回家。尔后他们来到北京勉力工作，尽管生活不富裕，但依然过得有滋有味。王慧勤现在中国少年作家班从事文学教学辅导工作，业余从事儿童散文、童话和戏剧创作，先后创作童话剧《98点》以及《曼曼》《追鱼》等电影剧本和散文集《山坡书》等。
与胡明刚合著《北漂者心声》的史壹可，她的原名史迪可，来自山东青岛，毕业于中央戏剧学院戏剧文学专业，她与王慧勤最为知己。胡明刚策划这本书并请史壹可合作，她欣然同意。在北京史壹可有许多北漂朋友，她了解他们的内心感受，她觉得写这么一部书非常值得，非常有意义。
胡明刚说，在这本书里他与王慧勤、史壹可是很独特的“三人帮”，虽然名不见经传，但在这本书里各自都焕发了风采。
讲述与倾听是心灵的交会
《北漂者心声》作为中国第一本文化北漂的口述实录文学，此书的形式是独特的。他们先根据实地采访录音整理成“采访实录”，完全保持了叙述者的个人讲述风格，接着加上“采访手记”，详细记述采访时的细节以及片断感受，最后以“相关链接”配上有关讲述者的照片以及相关的文学艺术作品，这样就可以体现出本书的“货真价实”特性。在这本书里，采访者和讲述者都处于一种最松弛、最自然的状态，也许这种说话方式是漫无边际的，但它拥有强烈的原声效果，透露出真正的人文关怀。
文化北漂这个特殊的群体，每个人的表述各不相同，然而他们对自身的解释是最真切、最透彻的。他们接受采录时不需要提纲，只要找一个安静的酒吧间或者一个小小的斗室，他们就打开话匣子海阔天空地闲聊，这种自由自在放纵的表达，体现了最真实本质的情感世界。这种采访，避免了一问一答的机械式对话。
《北漂者心声》的头条人物是宋方金，他策划过《动什么别动感情》和《猜心妙手》等很有影响的电视连续剧，他描写山东农民造飞机的电视电影《飞》，获得了2006年的全国性大奖。他向史壹可谈起在北京搬家的故事，从南四环搬到西五环，从八大处搬到琉璃厂，然后又搬到北四环，搬家的过程就是翻来覆去的电影。他也回忆在老家两个最让他心灵震撼的故事：一个是想娶中央电视台播音员为妻子的牧羊人；一个是因为没有摩托车娶不到心爱姑娘喝老鼠药自尽的小伙子，这一切都成了他剧本的素材。
现在供职于中央电视台的傅鹏，热衷于影视创作，所以到电视台里当摄像师。中央电视台的《百家姓》就是他参与拍摄的，他向史壹可讲述了当下影视剧界的内幕以及空中拍摄罗布泊汽车越野赛的情景。在丝路文物展中，史壹可遇到了一位从事文物考古工作的老前辈宝世宜先生，宝先生向她谈文物的收藏流徙以及北京城的变迁，让她懂得了漂泊的不仅是人，还包括文物以及传统文化的传承。如此，一下子使北漂的内涵更富有深度和力度。此外，一对从事绘画设计的兄妹曾权和曾海英，一个负责装修，一个从事绘画，两个人相依为命，胼手胝足，更让人有一种深深的感动。这些都是《北漂者心声》的独特亮点。
《北漂者心声》的连环画家李志武来自陕西乡村，他是唯一将陈忠实的《白鹿原》和路遥的《平凡的世界》改编成连环画的画家。李志武向胡明刚讲述了陕西的乡土风物以及他创作这两部连环画的生命艺术感念。尽管漂泊北京，但他对故乡的黄土高原一往情深。文艺创作应该是有根的，北漂者也离不开这个根。北京民间教育公益机构“一耽学堂”的总干事逄飞先生来自沈阳，他组织义工在北京几个大中院校和社区开展传统文化普及工作，举办传统文化经典读诵等活动，成绩显著，中央电视台对此给予广泛的报道。为体验义工的生活，胡明刚做采录时还特意跟着逄飞以及义工一大清早上香山，对着太阳诵读《大学》，感觉到一种文字与阳光融合在一起的氛围，并拥有超然欲飞的心境。另外，从事图文制作和电影研究的黄文莱，从事美术教学和创作的魏尚河和刘军、王晖迪，在酒吧歌唱的李东，从事报纸美术编辑的薄卉，搞装置艺术的易力，在琉璃厂治印的天台老乡朱宏伟等，他们都是年轻人，内心丰富充满激情，他们在讲述自己故事的同时，更多地展示出内心的隐秘世界。
文化北漂访谈录在继续
《北漂者心声》这本书让许多读者认识了非常真诚坦率的北漂朋友。这本书没有回避、矫饰、渲染，也没有世故、虚伪和造作。有朋友曾经提议采访一些成功名人，但胡明刚他们认为，成功是没有一个固定标准的，所谓的成功人士难免会在谈话中竭力遮蔽一些东西，难免要掩饰自己，这是违背《北漂者心声》的选择标准和初衷的。胡明刚说，他和史壹可记录的只是过程而不是结果，过程比结果更重要。该书在采录倾听的过程中并不是一帆风顺的，比如设备故障、录音效果不清晰等等，再加上叙说者乡音浓重以及混乱和重复，这都加重了整理中的困难和耗费精力。
王慧勤曾经在童话剧《98点》中写了一只提着录音机的狼，它在森林里采录世界上最美好的声音。在二十多年前胡明刚也做这样的狼，他提着录音机在天台山野搜集民歌童谣，现在这几条狼从原始的乡野到达北京，面对的是钢筋水泥森林和匆匆擦肩而过的人群。他觉得无论歌唱还是说话，都是人们内心的一种表达。他们进一步倾听和搜录文化北漂的声音，希望在不久的将来出版《北漂者心声》系列。他们十分珍惜北漂的生活和北漂的声音，因为这是社会、时代的风雅颂，这是一笔宝贵的物质财富和精神财富。
Oral Histories of Cultural Drifters in Beijing
Nothing is new about this piece of news: July 2006 saw the release of The Aspirations of Drifters in Beijing coauthored by Hu Minggang and Shi Yike and published by the World Culture Publishing House.
The so-called drifters have been a cultural phenomenon in the country’s capital for more than 2 decades. Since the reform and opening-up, probably a million of aspirants have uprooted themselves from wherever they previously resided in the country and moved to Beijing to try their luck in the fields of education, film and television, literature, arts, music, press, and cultural relics in the hope of realizing their dreams. The phenomenon became noticed and the term “drifters in Beijing”has been coined.
So what’s new about the book? Well, it is the first documentation of oral histories of some cultural drifters in Beijing. It is new for the two authors. It is their first book. And the way the two authors put together the book was special, though it was not that original. They recorded the interviews and produced transcripts which maintain individual styles. Then they added interviewers?notes to offer brief comments and give detailed accounts of some interesting details that occurred during specific interviews. The last touch is photographs of these drifters and a list of their cultural works, recognized or otherwise, if there is any. Now and then some narrations appear discursive, but the way they go keeps the original emotions and reveals the narrators?focuses.
The two authors did not prepare specific outlines to guide themselves through interviews. A quiet bar or a small room would be ideal. The drifters had stories to tell. Once they started reminiscing, summarizing, analyzing, skipping or going into details, they just let themselves ramble about everything under the sun.
The first drifter in the book is Song Fangjin, a successful producer of television plays. The television feature film Flying won him a 2006 national award. In the interview, Song related the anecdotes of his moving from one place to the other in Beijing. Put together by the producer, these relocation stories were a film itself. He talked about two men in his hometown: a sheepherder, obsessed with the voice and look of a CCTV news anchoress, dreamed of marrying her one day; a young man killed himself with rat poison because he couldn’t afford to buy a motorcycle, the very precondition for marrying his sweetheart. The dream and the tragic suicide later appeared in his television productions.
The drifters that appear in the book are from different fields and different backgrounds. One thing they have in common is their youthful passion. Fu Peng, a cameraman at CCTV, talks about inside stories and his experience of shooting an auto relay across the dessert from the air. Zeng Quan and Zeng Haiying used to work together as a brother and sister team of art designers. Now the brother does decorating business and the sister engages herself in painting. They have shared life together in the years of drifting in Beijing. Li Zhiwu, an artist of picture-story books from northwestern Shanxi Province, converted two literary masterpieces by two writers of his home province into picture-story books. Huang Wenlai works as a graphic designer and film researcher. Wei Shanghe, Liu Jun, Wang Huidi are all art teachers and creative artists. Li Dong is a singer who tours bars and nightclubs. Bo Hui works as an art designer for a newspaper. Yi Li is an art decorator. Zhu Hongwei is a seal engraver.
Naturally, the two authors are drifters themselves. Hu Minggang, a native of Tiantai, Zhejiang, is a legendary figure himself. He grew up in the remotest mountain village in the region. After graduation from high school, he came home to farm. But the young man kept his writer’s dream alive. After his parents passed away, he did various jobs in Tiantai and kept writing. An established novelist noticed him and recommended him to work as an editor. Gradually he began to publish essays. His wife Wang Huiqin also came from a mountain village. The two came together for their shared passion for literature. Wang studied film and television production in Beijing in 1997 and got a good job offer. But she came back to Tiantai and married Hu. They got married by taking a stroll hand in hand in the town and having a noodle celebration for 9.90 yuan at a noodle restaurant and then the groom carried the bride home on a bike. The couple came to Beijing in 2002. Hu now works as an editor and Wang works as a teacher of literature for talented teenage writers.
Shi Yike, the other author of the book, is a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama. A native of Qingdao, she is an intimate friend of Wang Huiqin. When Hu Minggang suggested they collaborate in writing a book about drifters in Beijing, she agreed with pleasure. Some drifters in the book are actually her friends or acquaintances.
At first, it was suggested to the writers that they could focus on the successes of some drifters. But they disagreed. They thought so-called successful people would hide something in face-to-face talks, which would go against the authors?intention and standards. The book would highlight the drifting process, not the end result of the drifting. They conquered some difficulties in authoring the book. The recorder did not work now and then. The quality of some recordings was poor. Some heavily accented words were hard to catch in playing back. Some disordered and redundant parts in narrations needed straightening out.
The two authors are pleased with the book. And they plan to publish sequences. After all, there are nearly a million drifters in Beijing they have not yet interviewed.
(Translated by David)