Postscript

I　Am　Sorry　For　the　True　Words　to　the　U.S.

My　last　book　Getting　Closer　to　the　Famous　Chinese　Nationals　in　the　U.S.has　left　me　with　many　emotional　thoughts,so　I　decided　to　write　down　my　feelings.My　sentimental　attachment　to　the　U.S.has　cultivated　my　passion　to　write,as　the　people　I　know　in　the　U.S.gave　me　so　much　love　and　made　me　always　care　about　them.When　I　was　on　the　way　of　the　journey,I　was　so　eager　to　share　my　feelings　with　other　people.When　I　was　taking　a　walk　with　Mrs.Yue-Sai　Kan　in　her　garden,I　was　suddenly　touched　by　what　I　saw.It　was　Mr.Kofi　Annan's　wife,who　was　knitting　a　Chinese　style　ornament　beside　the　window.The　affect　in　that　moment　has　brought　me　back　home.All　this　has　triggered　my　writing　interest　and　laid　down　a　solid　cognition　foundation　for　the　book.But　I　am　still　sorry　that　I　have　said　so　many　true　words　in　the　preface.I　don't　know　since　when　I　have　realized　that　the　best　sound　is　gentle　uttering.I　used　to　read　aloud　my　poems　on　some　public　occasions,feeling　like　more　audience　would　make　me　more　passionate.But　now　when　I　see　people　read　aloud　something,I　would　rather　run　away.Probably　it　is　because　I　have　put　on　some　age,and　like　to　speak　to　myself,some　dream-like　words　from　the　tip　of　a　pen.It　is　just　like　sitting　beside　a　river　in　the　autumn,and　you　see　the　river　is　flowing.It　is　flowing　not　because　of　its　beauty；rather,the　flowing　itself　is　the　beauty.

I　have　published　18　books　since　I　hit　on　writing,among　which　16　were　for　the　readers　and　only　2　for　my　own　feelings.These　two　books　are　The　Plait　of　Love　and　Lovers,Good　Horses.The　former　one　forced　me　to　quit　the　job　in　military　and　say　goodbye　to　my　18-year　army　life.The　latter　had　been　forbidden　to　sell　before　it　came　out.And　this　book,The　Last　48　Hours　in　Manhattan,is　full　of　personal　feelings　and　just　like　a　real　diary　of　my　heart.

I　have　accumulated　materials　for　a　long　time　and　started　writing　in　two　long　holidays:Spring　Festival　and　Labor　Day　Holiday.In　this　crowded　and　busy　city,I　wrote　down　my　real　thoughts.The　book　may　not　be　very　logical　in　compiling,and　it　is　full　of　stream　of　consciousness　and　pieces　of　thoughts　about　the　American　society.

When　I　was　writing　the　book,I　met　an　architecture　PhD　by　chance,and　I　mixed　some　space　concept　in　the　writing　skills　therefore.Both　his　ideas　about　urban　planning　and　my　criticizing　on　poems　have　been　in　another　stage　of　so-called“post-modernism　in　tradition”.When　I　was　to　finish　the　book,I　accompanied　a　French　art　master　to　visit　Guangzhou　Sculpture　Park.He　walked　around　the　park　without　saying　a　word.And　finally　he　did　not　talk　about　art　itself　but　said　that　if　an　artist　had　never　thought　to　be　a　master,then　the　city　would　not　look　greater　out　of　his　works.Having　heard　this,I　seem　to　have　the　certain　sense　of　guilty　for　this　book.

The　stories　in　the　book　are　just　part　of　my　selections　on　the　feelings　of　American　value.I　don't　know　whether　it　would　show　my　perspectives　of　taste,but　I　believe　I　won't　be　intoxicated　too　much　by　this　country　and　nor　would　I　be　totally　unaffected　by　it.The　world　is　large.When　you　bring　back　sands　in　the　cold　water　or　gold　in　the　warm　sun,and　when　you　are　fascinated　by　the　essence　of　life　as　a　patient　gold　digger　and　an　anxious　gold　craftsman,you　would　be　able　to　reach　a　higher　level　in　life　and　accomplish　achievements.

Not　all　writings　show　free　minds,but　women　writers　have　more　mystic　and　harmonious　power　from　nature　and　society.

Strictly　speaking,it　is　not　a　book　about　the　U.S.,rather　it　is　full　of　shattered　pieces　of　thoughts　from　a　woman's　lonely　journey.

So　you　would　show　indulgence　on　the　writer's　writing　flaws,wouldn't　you?Today　is　Mother　Day　in　2005,and　I　went　down　the　street　and　bought　a　bunch　of　carnations　for　myself.I　love　myself　in　the　tough　world　and,I　love　the　world...

Yours　Sincerely

Xiaoye　Xiuzi

May　8th,2005

Baiyun　Apartment