今年四月二十九日，是林昭一九六八年在上海被秘密處決的四十週年，她死後第二天，官方派人向她母親收取五分錢的子彈費。我們有一組文章紀念她，並發表她的長篇詩作《普羅米修士受難的一日》。
林昭是北京大學的高材生，因不滿反右運動而被打成右派，並兩次被關押。她天資敏慧，獨立思考，看透從反右到整個毛澤東專制體制的殘暴性質，在獄中書寫大量批判共產極權主義的文字，包括數十萬字的血書，根據胡杰《尋找林昭的靈魂》紀錄片和可以看到的材料，林昭的批判力度與深度無與倫比，而且顯示她卓越的文學才華，那些用鮮血和美麗情思寫成的遺言和詩詞，將永遠是我們民族的瑰寶。終有一天，她那「生命似嘉樹，愛情若麗花，自由昭臨處，欣欣迎日華」的詩句，會像古代精華一般被人傳誦。
和古希臘英雄普羅米修士盜取天火給人類不惜自我犧牲一樣，林昭也是當代中國的普羅米修士，她不只是慷慨就義，而且在長達十年極端艱困的歲月裡（長期監禁和短期釋放），不斷地用筆用血和一頭巨無霸的惡魔鬥爭，揭露卑鄙黑暗，呼喚自由光明。她是那樣純真而無畏，完全置生死於度外。她的寫作、她的精神和她的獻身，是給後人留下的火種，成為新世紀中國人無價的思想資源。
林昭對於今天中國人意義何在？大陸學者艾曉明說得好，她說：「多少年政治鬥爭的殘酷，不僅摧殘了人的生命，而且培養了根深蒂固的犬儒哲學，讓我們活著不像個人，不說實話，還自以為聰明得計。雙重人格、雙重面具、雙重話語，被看作合情合理的生存策略。」她指出這種內化的恐懼，幫助極權政治實現了最終的多方位全國性監控。林昭的故事挑戰了我們的生活態度和道德底線，昭示了一條追求人格完整的自由之路。
中國的民族精神，歷來崇尚「富貴不能淫、貧窮不能移、威武不能屈」。讚美士大夫千山獨行擇善固執的情操，胡適一句話「寧鳴而死，不默而生」，成為多少知識分子的座右銘。林昭同時代的諸賢中，有遇羅克、張志新及其他不知名的烈士，他們之後有鄭南榕，今天有王千源、陳巧文這樣的大學女生。盡管他們的理念、貢獻和遭遇都與林昭有時代的落差，但是他們都是勇敢的人，明知山有虎，偏向虎山行，都是忠於自己理念的人。都用熱血和行動批判了那種「不可能實現的事，就不必想不必做」的庸俗人生觀，而不計得失毀譽。他們在那追求富貴、安於溫飽的世俗大海中，只是幾葉孤舟，卻實現了生命的自我價值，他們是林昭精神的傳人。
Lin Zhao: The Great Fire Stealer
◎ Jin Zhong
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Lin Zhao’s secret execution in Shanghai on 29 April 1968. On the day after her death, the authorities demanded reimbursement for the cost of the execution bullet from Lin’s mother. In this issue, we commemorate her with articles and the publication of her long poem－The Day Prometheus Suffered.
Lin Zhao, an outstanding student from Peking University, was labeled a rightist when she criticized the Anti-Rightist Campaign, and was imprisoned twice. This intelligent and thoughtful young woman comprehended the brutal nature of the campaign and Mao’s autocracy, and wrote a huge number of words criticizing the totalitarianism of the Communist Party, including an essay of thousands of words written in her own blood. Hu Jie’s documentary In Search of the Soul of Lin Zhao and other related materials reflect the unrivaled vigor and depth of Lin’s criticism and her excellent literary talent. Her last words and poetry written in blood remain a treasure of our civilization. One day, her lovely verses will be widely read along with the ancient classics.?
Ancient Greek hero Prometheus sacrificed himself to steal the fire of Zeus for mankind. What Lin Zhao did was essentially the same; she is the “Prometheus” of contemporary China. She not only sacrificed herself for righteousness, but also continuously fought evil with her pen and blood to reveal the ignobility and darkness, and to call for freedom and light during the ten years of her persecution (long-term imprisonment and short-term release). Lin was so innocent and bold that she paid no regard to life and death. Her writing, spirit and devotion passed down a flame to subsequent generations, a flame that has become a priceless intellectual resource for the Chinese people in the new Century.
What is the significance of Lin Zhao to the Chinese people today? Mainland scholar Ai Xiaoming has had a good answer to this question: “Years of cruel political struggle have not only devastated lives, but have also led to deep-rooted cynicism. As a result, even though we live inhuman and dishonest lives, we think we are smart. Dual personality, dual masks and dual words are seen as a reasonable strategy for life.” Ai points out that internalized fear helps the totalitarian government implement comprehensive monitoring and control. The story of Lin Zhao challenges our attitudes and our moral bottom line, blazing a path of freedom for the pursuit of personal wholeness.
Chinese nationalism has throughout history praised resolve that “neither riches nor honors can lead astray, that poverty cannot shake, nor threats nor force can bend.” It has approved of the arbitrary and obstinate sentiments of intellectuals, and Hu Shi’s declaration that “I would prefer death with sound to a silent life” has become the motto of many intellectuals. There have been other models of virtue such as Yu Luoke, Zhang Zhixin and other anonymous martyrs in Lin Zhao’s era, and subsequently others such as Zheng Nanrong. More recently, the female students Wang Qianyuan and Chen Qiaowen have also demonstrated bravery, for all that their contributions and encounters differ from Lin Zhao’s. They insist on their beliefs regardless of the difficulties they face, and criticize a vulgar view of life, heedless of the criticism of others. Fighting their lonely battles to put their personal values into practice, they are the inheritors of Lin Zhao’s spirit.
(2008-4-28 Hong Kong）
Translated by Isabella Lam
