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Forewords前言
I spent my Christmas & New Year holidays in watching TV series from China. Some are of 20, some 31 and even 36 series. I had to make choice to skim through the lousy one and pay full attention to some rare good ones. But after all these exhausting addictive practices, I somehow got held of an internet version of the controversial TV series of TVB entitled “When Heaven Burns” 天與地 which has been banned for viewing on 11 internet online TV sites in China. As making choice is one of the emphasis of this special series, I have to make a choice to watch it immediately, or take a good rest first. Obviously, you should have recognized by now that I chose to view it and could not wait to share it with our freeblog friends.
I was totally exhausted at the end to an extent that my much depleted immune system has betrayed me allowing Shingles to have emerged. But I can tell you, it proved worthwhile to watch it non-stop. I have chosen to write a reflection in English, partly because the Shingles has caused inconvenience for me in writing with the e-pen. But more so, I want to write for our next generation ABCs including my sons who have watched this series but their Chinese are mostly not good enough to understand its deep meaning with a lot of allegories 隱喻 and Montage 蒙太奇 involving the technique of crossing times & spaces平衡時空.
The INS 來龍
Let me first give a brief story line. It was about the life transformation of five good young fellows (4 guys and 1 girl) who chose to pursuit their ideals by forming a rock and roll band. They tried hard for two years or so with not much success and were on the verge of breaking up. The lead guitarist and singer 許家明suggested to go for a pilgrimage trip to Tien Mountain天山 in Shin Jiang新彊 to attend a Rock Fest before their formal breaking up. The girl friend of 許家明, the only lady or the de facto Manager of the band, Hazel 葉梓恩, had a trivial argument with許家明 and decided not to join the guys. It ended up in a tragedy that they encountered a snow storm on Tien Shan and the wounded 家明 was eaten by his buddies, Angus, 宋以朗the co-lead singer, Ronnie鄭振軒 the Base-guitarist and Joe 劉俊雄the Drummer for survival. This happened in 1992.
Ronnie lost his mind in a coma for a month and woke up with a blank memory after this shocking experience. He led a well off life as an actuary 精算師 in Canada and got married with a daughter and son. But he was forced into early retirement returning to HKG after being diagnosed with an inherited illness of the eyes which might cause him complete blindness at any unknown time in his later age. So, he has been trying to locate his friends to figure out what really happened on the mountain in 1992.
But for Angus and Joe who were conscious after that cannibalism experience for survival, both have carried this burden of guilt in the rest of their lives. Augus has chosen to become an aggressive person to make maximum gain in the black stock forwards market at all costs. Joe on the contrary has chosen to repay for his sin by serving as a labour movement leader to fight for the rights of grass root workers. Both agreed to keep the secret by lying that 許家明 had volunteered to look for rescue alone and eventually got lost and died in the snowy Tien Shan with body could not be recovered.
The girl friend of 許家明, Hazel has entered into a state of denial, refusing to accept the death of 家明. She got married with someone bearing the image of 家明but has also never stopped to have affairs with other 家明look-alike. She vented out her grievance by becoming a popular late night emotional talk show host. But the success in her career cannot earn her peace and joy in life.
She laid blame to her three band buddies as such she has chosen to cut off any communication with them, until an eventful date 18 years later, when her name was broadcast on the news as a missing person in a mountain fire peril where she went for a live sound recording trip for her late night program. Out of love of different kinds for Hazel, the five men in Hazel’s life, the then husband, the lover boy friend and the three band buddies all turned up at the hill fire scene to look for or check the safety of Hazel. Eventually Hazel was found safe but a fight was stirred up between the husband and the lover boy. Hazel has had enough and chosen to be true to herself and has got an immediate divorce with her husband so that she can become single again to continue with her life of grievance for 家明, alone.
On the other hands, the three buddies met without being noticed by Hazel. Only Ronnie was interested to ask for a reunion so that he could have his memory revived with the help of Angus and Joe. But both of them bluntly refused to revisit the cannibalism tragedy. But destiny has brought them back together with tension between Angus & Joe who wanted to keep the secret while Ronnie & Hazel wanted to know the truth.
The interactions amongst their much changed lives 18 years after the 1992 incident has become the main story line of this TV series involving a wider group of people affiliated with them. The common plot of this drama is made extraordinary by means of a number of out of the box presentation techniques: -
1. The tension and pace of development of the acts are built by inter play of dialogues amongst those main figures in different times and spaces, 時空交錯 which is somehow difficult for ordinary women audiences to piece the puzzles together. Classical examples are the dialogues between 家明 and the adult as well as the young Hazels in Series one. Then the dialogues between Dr Dylan again with the adult as well as the young Hazels in the last Series. It magically opens and closes the curtain of this drama depicting the life journeys of all the five members of this Rock and Roll band.
2. The technique of Stream of consciousness意識流 is frequently applied to express the inner feeling of the main figures. A classical example is a 3 minutes shot of Joe chopping meat in silence to prepare dinner for his shift working wife as a nurse while he himself has become a vegan. It reflects the inner struggle of avoidance of the cannibalism nightmare while facing reality of the need to cater for his wife need.
3. The expression of the dark sides of human nature人性陰暗 in the form of lies, cheating, abuse of powers, hypocrisy and political stunts are mingled with acts of righteousness, pursuit for justice, genuine love and care amongst friends. No one figure in this TV series acts can be classified as the good guys or bad guys all the times, they all have multiple faces in different social and family context.
4. The seriousness of production is witnessed by a lot of live shooting like movie. The sound and back ground music is superb to reflect the inner emotion of actors.
All the above factors have made the series extraordinary in contrast to normal soap opera. But no matter how intriguing the program is, in theory, there is no ground for it to be banned, which has never happened in the HKG TV drama production history.
The OUTS 去脈
Without a whistle blower, I am sure no one can de-code the hidden messages of this drama of master stroke. But once it is banned, there is no doubt that this drama has irritated the nerve of the Chinese Communist Party amidst the growing trend of upheaval from the grass root level to fight for their right of survival typified by the Wu Kan Village Protest 烏坎村. What is the number one fear factor of the autocrat regime? Without doubt, it is the vindication of the June 4th Event. Let me walk you through all the allegorical signs pointing towards the cry out for giving the June 4th victims their deserved justice.
1. First the name of the series in English, “When Heaven Burns”, when prompted, would draw direct association to the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing, or in Chinese Tiananmen 天安門.
2. The names of the two key characters, Hazel 葉梓恩and 許家明. 葉梓恩Yip Ji Yan in Cantonese rhymed with Yao Ji Yau要自由, or “go for freedom”. In the same token, 許家明Hui Kar Ming rhymed with Hui Gaoh Ming去革命, or “go for revolution”. The names of the other band members may also have hidden meaning, but certainly these two stands out loud enough to qualify the Rock and Roll band as the Democratic Movement in 1989. Actually, this Band was formed also around 1989 as such after 2 years or so efforts in vain, they broke up in 1992 and went for the break up party in Tian Shan, Shin Jiang新彊天山. Another name for association with the Heavenly Gate or Tiananmen incidents. The script writers undoubtedly made explicit emphasis on the year of 1992, using the life changing events for two葉梓恩Yip Ji Yan. So the year is crucial, except that it points us to the year of the formation of the Rock and Roll band which is 1989.
3. So what does The Rock and Roll Band represent? In the seventh series, Dr Dylan a long time DJ shared his thought with Hazel. He exclaimed “This City is dying!” Everybody has got lost in the pursuit of money, fame and power by adhering to the only view of the Communist Government. All other views and values are marginalized. Thus Dr. Dylan lamented that his appeal for a real independent Rock and Roll Fest has been ignored and forgotten despite his 30 years of dream and promotional efforts. See, it is referring to the appeal for direct election of a democratic government for HKG and hence forth for China. He went further on in the same series in his farewell speech as a DJ to give Rock and Roll a definition: 「獨立的精神 ，抗拒建制、自由、愛、勇往直前, 其實何止喺Rock and Roll 吖! 不過 我們做人不是本來應該這樣嗎? 」It is a spirit of independence, resisting the institutional force to chase for freedom and love without fear. Actually, it is more than Rock and Roll, should it be the fundamental values for us to live as a dignified human being?
4. So the breaking up of the Band of the Five represents the compromises that individuals have made as a result of in-fighting. They succumbed to pressure of family for a normal comfortable life. It reflected the aftermath of the1989 democratic moments that the in-fighting amongst the dissidents of the democratic camps fled overseas have caused this world wide movement virtually drained dry and died by 1992. This cruel fact is symbolized by the cannibalism incident on Tian Shan, echoing with the nightmare of the Tiananmen Massacre that the revolution for democracy and freedom was slaughtered by first the bloody hands of the regime, then the infighting of the democratic camp.
5. The script writer added many seemingly unrelated blood shedding scenes to reinforce the memory of the cannibalism incident as well as the Tiananmen massacre. First the bloody bruised face of Angus after his Thai boxing practice, the car accidents, the robbery of Ronnie and eventually the death of Joe because of an attempt to save a child who bears the same name of家明. The most obvious referral to the June 4th Massacre is a casual conversation with Angus by Ronnie that, he was not afraid of blood shedding scene as he had seen it before at the age of six. 「我六歲 (六四)時見過死屍」 So age of six rhymed with the Cantonese of Lok Sei (June 4th.)
6. The script writer intends to resurrect this dying city with an attempt to revive the hope brought forth by the renaissance of the Independent Rock and Roll Spirit. So, a Rock Fest was organized 18 years after 1992, which is 2010. The year that this TV drama series was originally intended to be released for worldwide screening. But due to the intervention of interests group within and without TVB Board, it was delayed for 2 years till 21/11/2011. A timing that it was ensured missing the annual TV award to reduce the possible embarrassment to the regime if it would have won any award. But it doesn’t matter, it has won the hearts of all the Rock music lovers.
According to Dr Dylan, Rock music resembles life, a life born of freedom and equality. The 30 Series Drama climaxed at the revival of the banned Rock Fest by the people power and was signed off by the declaration of freedom by Hazel, 葉梓恩Yip Ji Yan 要自由, or “go for freedom” as follows:
- 當所有人都說，我們的城市被邊緣化之後，我們會覺得沮喪、失望、悲哀，但是我們從來都沒去想，所謂的邊緣化，是因為我們依附在一個主流的價值觀裡面，為何我們不能有自己的一套價值觀，為何我們不能有自己一套關於生存意義的解釋方法？When everybody says our city has been marginalized, we all feel dejected, disappointed and sorrowful. But haven’t we reflected ourselves the so called marginalization happens because we have chosen to succumb to the main stream value system. Why can’t we have our own set of values? Why can’t we have our own method of explanation for the purpose of life?
今晚，我和台下面大部分的人談過，他們有因為不知道取消的消息而來，有湊熱鬧的而來，但是有更多更多的是因為他們不甘心而來，他們不甘心，為什麽一個獨立的音樂活動，會因為一些莫名其妙的商業理由而無疾而終，他們更加不甘心的是，在一個七百萬人的城市，為什麽文化觸覺會如此單寡，而他們最不甘心的是，為何要去承認自己要做一個隨波逐流的人。I have chatted with many who have come to night. Some are not aware of the original cancellation. Some are just drawn to come out of curiosity. But majority come because of the sense of unwillingness. They feel unwilling how come an independent Rock Fest can be cancelled out of the blue for commercial reasons that do not make sense. They feel more so unwilling why a city of 7 million people can have such mono tone sensor of literature. Above all, they are most unwilling to be forced into a person with character of going with the flow.
今晚在這裡，我呼籲警方、外面的市民、所有傳媒，不需要恐懼我們的聚集，因為在這裡，每一個追求和支持獨立音樂的人，他們都代表著每一種獨立和自主的做人方法，這些並不是不和諧的表現，和諧不是一百個人說同一番話，和諧是一百個人，有一百句不同的一番話之余，而又互相尊重。Tonight, I stand here to appeal to the Police, the community out there and the Media. Please don’t be panic fearing about this spontaneous gathering. Because everyone present here chasing and supporting for music of independence, they all represent a kind of independent and autonomy way of living as a human being. This is not a display of dissonant. Harmony does not mean a hundred people saying the same thing; rather, harmony is when a hundred people making a hundred different statements but still have mutual respect for each other different views.
沒錯，大家現在聽到的砰砰聲，就是強權和制度下的代表，在建制下的當權者，他們最恐懼的就是他們管治的人不聽話，外面的人有自己的想法，有自己的主張，但是Rock&Roll（搖滾）的精神，就是獨立的精神，我們每一個人都是自己的主人，我們每一個人都有權主宰自己的路來走，雖然今晚這個表演可能是非法進行，但我們不會就此屈服，Rock&Roll never die（搖滾永遠不死）!…… It is right! The loud banding noise we are hearing now is the representative of the autocrat regime and system. The number one fear of the ruling class within the institution is the disobedience of the people they are ruling. They don’t want people outside of their ruling circle to have their own thought and ideas. But the spirit of Rock and Roll is rightly the spirit of independence! We are the master of our own life. Each and every one of us has the right to choose our own journey of life. Although the performance of tonight may be classified as illegal, but we won’t surrender just yet, for Rock & Roll never die.
7. To add oil on this fire of independent spirit, the two theme songs especially the one sang at the end of each series年少無知 would certainly be considered as subversive to stir up rebellion mood against the regime. This is also the song performed on the stage of the 2010 Hong Kong Rock Fest. For the sake of English speaking people, let me try to translate it into English.
年少無知 The Young Age of Ignorance 歌詞 Lyric
林：年少多好 頑劣多好 Joe: So good to be young, So free to be naughty and rebellion.
不甘安於封建制度裡迷信上街真理會達到 Unwilling to put up with feudalism, hoping to fight for the truth by street rallying
旗幟高舉 群眾聲討 Holding up high the banners to voice our condemnation as a crowd.
不惜犧牲一切去上訴權貴的想法太俗套 Making all the sacrifices to protest against the outdated thought of the rich and powerful groups.
只可惜生活是一堆挫折 只可惜生命是必須妥協 It is a pity life is just a heap of failures. What a shame life must live with compromise.
陳：年少多好 貧困多好 Angus: : So good to be young, So care free to be poor
一蚊積蓄足以快樂到廉價結他抒發我暴躁 A saving of one dollar is enough for happiness, and a cheap Guitar can vent out my anger.
財富得到 年歲不保 Wealth can be earned but life cannot be kept to enjoy it.
捐輸不必講究有回報人世間總會有異數 Expecting no reward for donation, there are always unexpected happenings in life.
只可惜生活是一聲發洩只可惜生命是一聲抱歉怕追討 It is a pity life is a voice of letting off. What a shame life is a just a saying of sorry. Fearing for pursuing.
合：如果命運能選擇十字街口你我踏出的每步更瀟灑 Unison: If destiny can be chosen, every step we put forth at the cross road can be made more free and at ease.
如果活著能坦白舊日所相信價值不必接受時代的糟蹋 If we can live honestly to ourselves, the old values we have professed need not be watered down by the trend of time.
黃：年少多好 朋友多好 Ronnie: So good to be young, So good to have friends
一番爭執不會有被告遊戲競爭不會記入腦 There is never a defendant after confrontation, and the competitive games will cause no grudges.
年歲增長 無法修補 Aging is a process, no one can stop or replay.
青春的詩總會老 時間多恐怖 The poem of youth will grow old, how horrible is the elapsing of time
合：如果命運能選擇十字街口你我踏出的每步無用困惑Unison: If destiny can be chosen, every step we put forth at the cross road can be made without fear and regret.
如果活著能坦白舊日所相信價值今天發現還未老If we can live honestly to ourselves, the old values we have professed will still not be found out of dated.
如果命運能演習現實中不致接納一生每步殘酷抉擇 If destiny can be rehearsed, we do not need to accept the cruelty of making choice at every step of our life.
留守過去的想法我會否好像這樣生於世上無目的鞭撻 Keeping hold to the past ideas, will I then be free from the lashing of leading a purposeless life.
8. The room for the hope of a better alternative ending hinged from the choice that Hazel made 18 years ago when she had a lover quarrel with 家明. It is also a suggestion for the regime that if an alternative decision was made in 1989, our country may still become prosperous and stable, in a more peaceful route without the unnecessary sacrifices of lives of the many freedom fighters like家明.
Conclusion:
This is an epic master piece the TV Broadcast organization has ever made. This is a most thorough reflection and remembrance of the tragic event happened in 1992 as well as 1989. Rock and Roll never die!! For reference, the remarks and notes jot down for each series are attached below.
1集：Yan對家明講：「點解人大嗰咗之後，就要妥協，就要咁多考慮，先至係正常呀！」
2集：鼓吹工運，遊行、抗議、絕食抗爭，和六四学生絕食扯得近了一點！
3集：十多年前吃死友人肉事件，暗喻六四屠城，一个人孤軍堅持要回顧，其他人用种种理由‧公運，做生意來去忘記背後，努力面前！
3集：用打拳來轉移心中怒火，流鼻血表徵六四創傷未癒合！
3集：播音員慨嘆人很容易「習以為常」諷刺對六四這樣的八號风球，也变得冷漠了！
3集：為良心好過一點而投身工運，也是為己的私利的一种！
4集: 家明代表六四死難者, 梓恩是死難者至愛親人，劉俊雄是工運人士，黑仔以朗是唯利是圖 之商家，振軒是講良心之普羅大众，代表毋忘六四的百姓，在十五至二十年內會失明，表示 2046 - 2011即趨近50年不變之大限，港人會喪失言論、知情權的自由！
7集:(24m) 一邊講夾Ban，( 組織民選發声機制) 一边病人已病入膏肓而在弥留狀態(dying) ，像徵民主的追求瀕死的現況!
7集: (32m) Chat outside a rock concert at a youth centre: 戲中Dr. Dylan（Joe Junior飾）爆出金 句:「你望吓呢个世界， 我們這城市是怎麽模样? 除了錢這个字之外(中國大陸官商一味向錢看 )，我們己經分辨不出是非黑白，我們每个人都被訓練到像倒模出來一樣(一言堂，一黨專政) ，喜歡吃同一樣的東西，喜歡同一樣的电視節目，支持同一种政治立場，信奉一种生老病死的 做人方式，「This city is dying，you know？」，算了，我講到自己好像是很權威似的，這麽 多年來，我成日都希望攪一个真真正正屬於香港人的獨立音樂搖滾音樂會Rock Festival，( 普選 的政府) 到头來，我快要退休了，重係得个講字，一事無成!
7集: (41M) Dr Dylan臨別贈言:「到了今時今日，依然會有人來問我，何謂Rock and Roll精神？ 呢个問題，我答咗三十幾年，回想起來，來來去去都是那幾句， 不難去講的話，獨立的精神 ，抗拒建制、自由、愛、勇往直前, 其實何止喺Rock and Roll吖! 過我們做人不是本來應該這 樣嗎? 今日這節目又到尾声了，剛才播的歌是我最後一首，也是我在這電台工作最後一首歌， 謝謝大家多年來的支持，希望能和大家再見」
8集: (34m) 本集從多看似毫無關聯的血腥揚面, 撞車後見滿身染血的車禍死者，乃提起六歲 (六四) 見過死屍，有影射之嫌；開場講牙痛，最後引痛拔牙，也有影射 六四創傷之嫌，黑仔流鼻血，也叫人联想六四內傷淌血的實况！
10集: (42m) 競選立法會議員的街頭宣言，以獨立身份参選，為民請命，叫弄權專制者知道， 誰才是国家社 會的真正主人，就是人民！
13集: (14m) 振軒女兒與母誤會，父親一席話﹕「家人彼此的關心是肯定的，表達方式各異 ，時起冲突，當中沒有誰全對或全錯，要緊是要彼此諒解，一家人吵架難免，只要保持溝通」
13集: (2nd half) 何謂忠誠?振軒並無越軌行為，但有越軌的暗戀之情，叫妻子牽手帶路，在 裝盲之餘，更想像妻子為所暗戀的梓恩，故亦有思想上的越軌不忠！
13集: (6m) 用一个又一个慌話來掩飾真相，自我摧眠，集体失憶，這是用來諷刺中共官方對六 四的取態！
14集: (35m) 至目前為止最劇力万鈞的剖白，以真誠和自我鍳察，去拒抗虛偽和慌言卸責，將 人性美善一面盡現，將政客掩飾真相的醜惡比下去了！(後來方知此也演戲，是墮落之端)
15集: (40m) Should we lie for the benefit of protecting others? A very difficult decision!
17集: (39m) & 18集: (1m)鼓佬的墜落，以一个謊言，遮蓋另一慌言，走上不歸路！
19集: 人心險惡，到了極點，貌似正义的劉俊鴻，反而要偽裝使奸行惡到底，不足取信的宋 以朗，反而有担認罪的勇氣！
20集: HKG people are forgetful, forgot about the slogan yelling while rallying (for 64) some are intentional, some are sub-conscious. But almost everybody try to justify the wrong doing with an excuse of preserving prosperity and stability. Sometimes, even the victim himself/herself are in denial.
22集: (40m)批評深圳打石民工的工作安全措施不足！
23集: 批評香港政府公務員做事避重就輕，非真為民請命！梓恩变得現實，和其他三人同樣迷 失，彼此地变成視而不見之陌路人！
24集: 劉俊雄的徹底墮落，威脅朋友，要振軒成為他的手下，自已卻出賣肉体和廉恥去換取權 勢和銀紙。梓恩也不復當年理想浪漫主义者，變得實際和計較，令Dr Dylan失望，以朗過著双 面人生活，晚間夾band，其他時間仍眷戀期指江湖，四〝生死之交〞，現成〝心死之交〞的陌 路人，這是一度具搖滾樂精神，獨立求真的一班人的悲哀！
25集: Dr Dylan勸勉以朗不要放棄音樂，就是寓意不要放棄民主自由獨立精神的追求，不能有 行動，心中懸念也足以將此訴求延續傳承！愛音樂，便能懷希望，有希望，便有信心，亦能有自信，方能自愛；反之，便連自己也信不過自己，人便完全迷失了！
25集: (27m)重題杜斯妥也夫斯基：〝當人面對很多可能性的時侯，便很難視而不見！〞Brenda 知自已患癌時日有限，乃選擇死前享受生命，返樸歸真，看电影、吃大排檔、坐巴士，在巴士上層的一不同高度看這城市，乃悟出生命多元化，不單限于名利的追逐。
25集: (30m) 两个葉梓恩，同樣在92年，經歷了人生最大傷痛，一个選擇自已处理了結，替 死去之兒子取回公道，另一葉梓恩選擇忘記和放棄，這92事件既以年份作標記，不難令人联想到89民運事件，劇本強調必須追究責任，乃成中共之大忌！
26集: (39m) 斉心攪Rock Fest，盡邀全球Rock band，( 追求民主之全球华人) 齐心便能成事。 對擋中央，這絕對帶煽動作用！
28集: (36m) 「年少多好」歌詞，鼓吹上街遊行抗議!Rock Band Fest 被Ban，不知是劇本原 來如此，還是因劇集被取締的反彈？
29集: (37m) Rock & Roll Fest 縱被人為理由取消，但民众仍不甘心在現塲出現，表示甘心 和支持，葉梓恩現場報導，亦可算是代表700万港人的爭取獨立音樂(声音) 的 宣言： (38m) 「和諧不是 一百个人，說一百句相同的話，而是一百个人，說一百句不相同的話之餘，卻仍 能彼此尊重！」，高姿態爭取人民言論自由和民選聲音，對擋中央當然被视為煽动性言論了！
30集: (5m) Rock & Roll Fest排除万難，在民众訴求下，三個已疏離，甚至彼此為敵的人再联 手用心夾band。Rock and roll never die的呼喊，劃破了強權的黑夜，喚醒了冷漠的心，為瀕死 的城市注入強心針。昔日的葉梓恩，對Dr Dylan 說，昔日的四人樂隊， 今日縱只得3人， 但卻一個也不少，許家明要自由去革命的獨立精神長存！
30集: (7m) Dr Dylan: 音樂就是生命， 獨立音 樂就是獨立生命！就是人生而天賦的人權，自 由意志的行使和表述！
30集: (32m) 两个梓恩‧两个家明！！两个人生的選擇，两條人生的路
30集: (39m) 最後回顧，原來昔曰的梓恩賭氣不回頭，讓家明不要去天山，故對他的死也有責任，這亦是她不願鑑別家明遺体，放棄追究的主因，因為她這抉擇，徹底改变了四挈友的人生和命運！這就是差天共地的人生抉擇！
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