Although this place is in Inner Mongolia, it is not far from Heilongjiang and close to the border with Outer Mongolia. The residents are mostly Han Chinese, with only a few Manchu and Mongolian people. Our group consists of six people: four men and two women. When we arrived, we were stunned by the endless mountains and vast, untouched forests. Even after walking a hundred miles from the village, we hardly saw a soul.
There were no roads here, let alone electricity. Lighting an oil lamp was a luxury reserved for officials, and using a flashlight felt like staying in a presidential suite—something unimaginable in the city. Back then, we thought every part of the country had buildings, electric lights, and telephones.
However, it was also a refreshing experience. I had never seen such towering mountains before, and many of the local foods were new to me. The nearby mountains were rich in resources, and we could catch fish from the rivers, so we didn’t have to worry about going hungry. Later, when I returned to the city, I heard stories from those who went to Shaanxi to work. They truly had it tough, as they hadn’t seen a decent grain in years.
The work for the us was not too hard here because the locals relied on the mountains for their livelihood, and there weren’t many crops grown. On summer nights, we took turns watching over the fields to protect the crops from wild animals. Each night, one or two of us had to stay in the fields.
The farmland in the mountains was different from the vast, flat fields of the North China Plain. Instead, there were small plots scattered here and there, so we often had to walk around at night. One night, I was paired with my friend, Wang Kaixuan, I always call him Fatty. He was sleeping in a grass hut while I took a stroll around the area. I didn’t see anything unusual, so I decided to head back to sleep.
As I approached the hut, I noticed a large, round white shape not far away. I rubbed my eyes and looked again, and I was sure I wasn’t imagining things. However, it was too dark to see what it really was. At that time, I didn’t believe in ghosts and thought it might be an animal. So, I picked up a stick, ready to scare it away.
In the pitch darkness, I saw a white, fluffy shape that was slightly swaying. What could it be? It didn’t look like an animal, but if it wasn’t an animal, why was it moving?
Although I wasn’t afraid of ghosts, I still felt a bit of fear when facing the unknown. I hesitated to swing the stick directly at it. The stick I had was just a thick branch I had picked up from the ground. I gently poked the white mass with the branch, and it felt soft… Suddenly, I heard Fatty shout from the darkness, “Ah… what are you doing? Hu Bayi, why are you poking my butt with that stick?”
It turned out to be a false alarm. Fatty had eaten some bad fruit during the day and was having stomach issues, so he was squatting there in the dark. His big white backside was quite noticeable in the night!
The next morning, Fatty wouldn’t let it go. He insisted that I owe him compensation, claiming that I had scared away over a million brain cells from him last night. I replied, “With your brain, do you really have that many brain cells? We’re both broke, sent here for necessary re-education by the poor and lower-middle peasants. What do you expect me to use to compensate you? Just so you know, as your close revolutionary comrade, all I have left is the pair of pants I’m wearing. You don’t expect me to give you those, do you?”
Fatty grinned mischievously and said, “No need for that. I saw a huge beehive in the old forest at Tuan Mountain yesterday. Come with me to poke it, and we can get some honey to mix with water. We can also trade the honey with Yan Zi’s dad for some rabbit meat.”
Yan Zi is a girl, and her father is a well-known old hunter in the village. Both Fatty and I stayed at their home as educated youth. The father and daughter often went hunting in the mountains and occasionally invited us to enjoy their game. We always felt a bit guilty about eating their good food, but we were too poor to offer anything in return.
So, we decided to bring back some honey as a gift for Yan Zi. Both of us were impulsive and ready to act. Back in the city, Fatty and I were known as the troublemakers of the entire military district, and poking a beehive was nothing compared to the wild things we used to do.
To avoid getting lost, I borrowed Yan Zi’s hunting dog, a young pup she had raised herself. She named the dog Li Zi Huang, means the color of chestnut yellow, and had never taken it hunting. When she saw we were going to Tuan Mountain for fun, she happily lent us the dog.
Tuan Mountain was not far from our village in a straight line, but without any paths, it took us half a day to climb over the hills to get there. The forest was vast, and the villagers had warned us not to go in, saying that there were bears lurking inside. We had heard about a man in the village who had only half a face because he encountered a bear here when he was a child. Fortunately, Yan Zi’s father arrived just in time and scared the bear away with his gun, saving him. However, the bear had licked his face, and its tongue was covered in sharp, backward-facing spines, which had taken a large chunk of flesh.
Now, the man was in his forties, with no eye or ear on the left side of his face, and his nose and mouth were crooked. He still not married, and the village elders would tear up when they talked about his story.
Even though we were bold, we didn’t dare to rush into the primeval forest. The beehive that Fatty mentioned was found at the edge of the forest, near a big tree by a small stream, when he went with some villagers to collect pine seed oil.
To our surprise, the beehive was enormous—much larger than any we had poked before. From a distance, it looked like a small calf hanging from the tree, with dark, massive wasps buzzing around, creating a deafening hum.
I said to Fatty, “Are you kidding me? Is this really a beehive? It’s more like a giant wasp bomb! If we poke that, we’ll be in big trouble!” Fatty replied, “Exactly! If it were a regular beehive, I wouldn’t need you. I could handle it myself. So, what do you say? Are you still up for it?”
I responded, “What’s the big deal? Our team is invincible! We’re not afraid of American imperialist planes or tanks, so why should we fear a few little bees? They’re just paper tigers! Damn it, we’re definitely getting honey today!”
That said, we couldn’t act recklessly. A small mistake could get us stung to death by the wasps. These insects were huge and likely poisonous; just a couple of stings could be fatal. Luckily, there was a small river nearby, which felt like a blessing.
I took out a piece of flatbread, broke off two pieces, and fed them to the dog Li Zi Huang, sending the dog far away. Then we put on our military coats, dog-skin hats, and scarves, and wore gloves. I covered my face with a transparent scarf I borrowed from a female educated youth, making sure there was no exposed skin. Fatty found two hollow reeds nearby, one for each of us, to use for breathing when we jumped into the river to escape the wasp attack.
Once we were ready, we waddled over to the tree like two clumsy bears. I held a bundle of winter grass and some matches, while Fatty counted, “One, two, three.” On three, he jabbed the long pole at the spot where the beehive connected to the tree trunk. After just a few jabs, the massive beehive fell to the ground with a thud, and countless large wasps erupted from it, filling the air like a dark cloud, buzzing ominously above us.
I had prepared well for the attack. Ignoring the swarm, I lit the winter grass with a match and placed it at the upwind side of the hive. The smoke disoriented the giant wasps, causing them to fly chaotically. Fatty and I quickly piled up some dirt around the burning grass to create a firebreak, preventing a forest fire from starting.
At that moment, the wasps that hadn’t been affected by the smoke recognized their target and began to swarm toward us. It felt like hail was pelting down on my head, and I knew we couldn’t stay any longer. We hurriedly ran toward the nearby stream. The water was shallow, less than a meter deep, and we dove in, submerging ourselves. The rushing water washed away the wasps clinging to us. I held onto my dog-skin hat with one hand to keep it from being swept away, while I used the other hand to hold the reed for breathing.
After a long while, we finally surfaced and found that the wasps were either drowned in the water or disoriented by the smoke. The danger had passed. Although it was midsummer, the stream in the mountains was cold, and I was shivering all over. It took me a while to climb back onto the shore, where I lay on a rock, gasping for air. The sunlight warmed my body, and I felt an indescribable sense of comfort.
Before long, Fatty could no longer hold on and staggered up onto the bank. Just as he was halfway up, he suddenly yelped, raising his arm abruptly. I saw that he had a deep cut on his hand, and blood was flowing freely.
I quickly jumped back into the stream to help him. Fatty, gripping his wound tightly, said, “Be careful! It feels like there’s a broken bowl in this river. Damn it, it almost cut me worse!”
There were no people living nearby, so how could there be a broken bowl? My curiosity piqued, I stripped down and waded into the stream to search. In the spot where Fatty had been cut, I found half of a broken porcelain bowl. The style and the blue-and-white patterns reminded me of the Northern Song dynasty blue-and-white porcelain that my grandfather used to collect.
During the Cultural Revolution, all of my grandfather’s antiques and paintings were destroyed by the Red Guards, so finding this piece in the depths of the mountains felt oddly nostalgic. However, it was of no use to me, so I simply lifted my hand and tossed the broken bowl far into the woods.
Fatty also stripped off his soaked clothes, wrapped his hand with a makeshift bandage, and jumped back into the stream. We both took a bath, then hung our clothes, shoes, and socks on the smooth pebbles by the water. I whistled to call Li Zi Huang back.
Soon, Li Zi Huang came running from a distance, proudly carrying a plump gray wild rabbit in its mouth. I couldn’t believe my eyes—how did this unfortunate rabbit end up in the mouth of a rookie hunting dog like Li Zi Huang? Overjoyed at the sight of the rabbit, I hugged Li Zi Huang and rolled around on the ground with it. What a good dog! I broke off a large piece of the honeycomb from the beehive as a reward for it.
Fatty said, “When we get back, we should ask for a few puppies to raise. Then we can have rabbit meat every day!”
I replied, “You’re dreaming! No matter how many rabbits are in the mountains, they can’t keep up with your big appetite. I’m actually a bit hungry. Hurry up and clean the rabbit while I gather some firewood to start a fire.”
Fatty cleaned and skinned the rabbit by the stream while I gathered a bundle of dry pine branches and started a campfire. I coated the skinned wild rabbit with a thick layer of honey and placed it over the fire to roast. Before long, the sweet aroma of honey-glazed rabbit meat filled the air. I cut off the rabbit’s head to feed to Li Zi Huang, and we split the rest of the meat in half, enjoying it to our heart’s content. I had never tasted anything so delicious in my life; I almost swallowed my own fingers! Even without oil or salt, the wild rabbit roasted with wild honey and pine branches had a unique, natural flavor that I could never have imagined in the city.
After we finished eating, I noticed it was getting late, and our clothes were almost dry. We decided to take the massive beehive with us, threading it onto a thick branch. Singing songs, we made our way back to the village. Our voices rang out in harmony, creating a triumphant atmosphere. The only thing that felt a bit out of place was the excited barking of Li Zi Huang mixed in with our songs, which made it feel a bit like a scene from a movie where the enemy invades a village.
When we returned to the village, I noticed that a large number of people were missing. I asked Yan Zi, “Where did your father and the others go?”
As she helped us carry the beehive, Yan Zi replied, “There was a flood in the Chaganha River, and the timber in the forest was soaked. Everyone from the village went over there to help move the woods. The party secretary asked me to tell you to keep an eye on the crops and not to cause any trouble. They won’t be back for seven or eight days.”
I really disliked hearing people tell me not to cause trouble, as if I was naturally a troublemaker. So, I said to Yan Zi, “The party secretary must have had too much to drink! What trouble could we possibly cause? We’re all good children of Chairman Mao!”
Yan Zi laughed and said, “You think you won’t cause trouble? Ever since you city folks came to the village, the hens have stopped laying eggs because of all the commotion you’ve caused!”
The other two male educated youth from our group had also gone to the forest, leaving just Fatty, me, and the two female. Since we had gone out to play, we hadn’t been assigned to work in the forest, and we felt quite lucky. We poured the honey into jars, filling more than ten large clay pots. Yan Zi mentioned that the remaining honeycomb could be used in cooking, and we planned to stir-fry the roe deer meat with the honeycomb for dinner.
As soon as food was mentioned, Fatty perked up, saying, “Today’s meals are almost like a feast! We had roasted rabbit meat for lunch, and now we’ll have roe deer meat with honeycomb for dinner. I can’t help but drool!” Yan Zi asked where we had roasted the rabbit. I explained what had happened. Yan Zi exclaimed, “Oh no! You shouldn’t have roasted the wild rabbit near the old forest. The smell of the meat could attract bears!”
Hearing her, we realized how dangerous it had been. Luckily, the bears were probably sleeping today and hadn’t caught the scent of the roasted meat. While I helped Yan Zi start a fire, I told her about how Fatty had cut his hand on the broken bowl in the stream. I wondered how a Song dynasty blue-and-white porcelain bowl could end up in such a remote area.
Yan Zi replied, “That’s nothing new. When the girls in our village get married, every family has a few jars and bottles as part of the dowry, all of which are fished out from the river.”
I was increasingly puzzled. “You can actually find antiques in the river?”
Yan Zi pulled out two porcelain vases from under the bed for me to see. “They didn’t grow in the river; they were washed down from upstream. The sources of the rivers near our village are all in the Niu Xin (means cow’s heart) Mountain of Lama Valley. According to the elders, there’s a tomb of some unknown empress from the Liao or Jin dynasty buried in that mountain, filled with valuable items. Many people have tried to find that tomb, but either they didn’t succeed or they entered Lama Valley and never came back. The forest there is very dense. My father once saw wild people in the valley, and some say that Niu Xin Mountain is haunted. No one has dared to go there in recent years.”
As we spoke, night fell, and Yan Zi finished preparing the meal. Fatty went to call the other two female educated youth to eat. However, he returned panting, along with one of them named Wang Juan. I quickly asked what had happened.
Wang Juan took a while to catch her breath before explaining. It turned out that her companion, Tian Xiaomeng, had received a letter from home saying that her mother had been hospitalized with severe asthma. Hearing that the Bodhisattva fruit found in Lama Valley was said to be very effective for asthma, Tian Xiaomeng had gone to the valley alone to gather the fruit. She had left in the morning and hadn’t returned even as it got dark.
I felt a surge of frustration; Tian Xiaomeng was being reckless. That place was full of primeval forest, and even experienced hunters from the village wouldn’t dare to go there casually. How could she go alone?
Wang Juan cried, “I couldn’t stop her! We need to hurry and find her. What if something happens?”
But with most of the village’s labor force gone to the forest, the only ones left were the elderly and children. It was just Fatty and me who could go. Yan Zi decided to join us, bringing Li Zi Huang and her hunting rifle, while Wang Juan stayed behind to watch over the crops.
With a dog, we wouldn’t get lost in the mountains. We couldn’t afford to waste any time, so we lit torches and led Li Zi Huang into the mountains that night. There were no paths in the deep forest, and I couldn’t understand how Tian Xiaomeng, a girl, had the courage to venture so deep into the mountains alone. Fatty said she was probably just panicking; who wouldn’t be anxious if their mother was sick?
Since it was dark, we let the dog track the scent. Li Zi Huang hadn’t received any professional tracking training, so it often lost the trail and had to backtrack. As a result, we moved slowly, taking an entire night to cover what usually took four or five hours.
As dawn broke in the east, the morning breeze in the forest sent chills down our spines, and the fresh air invigorated us. Yan Zi pointed to the west and said, “Look, that big mountain is Niu Xin Mountain.”
As Fatty and I looked to the west, we saw a peculiar, towering peak rising above the vast sea of trees. The mountain resembled the shape of a cow’s heart, with nine majestic waterfalls cascading down like white silk ribbons. The porcelain pieces the villagers had found were washed down from these waterfalls, and it seemed that the legendary tomb of the Liao Dynasty empress might be hidden within the mountain. However, no one had ever found the entrance over the years.
Seeing this magnificent peak, I suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, as if I had seen such a mountain before. Then it struck me; I remembered a passage from the old book my grandfather had left behind. This kind of mountain and water formation was considered an excellent Feng Shui site, with a view in front and support behind. The nine waterfalls resembled nine dragons drawing water, dividing the hill like a blooming lotus flower. Yes, it was referred to as “Nine Dragons Surrounding the Lotus.”
If the mountain had more or fewer than nine waterfalls, or if the water flow wasn’t strong enough, it wouldn’t fit the “Nine Dragons Surrounding the Lotus” pattern. The number nine is the largest single-digit number, symbolizing supremacy; it also sounds like “long-lasting”, representing eternity, and is regarded as the most auspicious number. Additionally, if the waterfalls were small, they wouldn’t be considered dragons; they would be snakes instead.
This Feng Shui site also had another name, “Luo Shen Nian”, which according to the book, was most suitable for burying women. If a man were buried there, his family would face great misfortune.
At that moment, I had a vague feeling that my grandfather’s book, “The Sixteen Character Yin-Yang Feng Shui Secrets”, was not just some random old text. The content within it was indeed meaningful, and I resolved to read it more thoroughly when I returned.
However, I didn’t see much practical value in Feng Shui. Throughout Chinese history, there have been countless emperors and generals, and none of them were buried just anywhere. The tides of history, with their rise and fall, surely couldn’t be influenced by how well a family tomb was placed.
Yan Zi pointed to the valley in front of Niu Xin Mountain and said, “This is the famous Lama Valley, where it’s said that wild people live, and it’s haunted at night.”
Fatty looked at the dense, towering forest in the valley, frowning as he said, “If Tian Xiaomeng went into Lama Valley, she would definitely get lost. With just the three of us and a dog, finding her won’t be easy.”
Seeing them a bit discouraged, I encouraged them, saying, “As communist materialists, we shouldn’t believe in ghosts. Whether it’s ghosts or wild people, if I encounter them, it’ll be their bad luck! I’ll catch a few and take them to Beijing to show Chairman Mao. He’ll be surprised for sure!”
Fatty, coming from a military family like me, had that innate fearlessness in his blood. Hearing my words, he perked up, rubbing his hands together in preparation to enter the valley.
Only Yan Zi looked worried. As a native, she had heard countless terrifying tales about Lama Valley since childhood, which naturally instilled a sense of fear in her. But now, saving someone was the priority, so she pushed those fears aside.
The three of us sat down to eat some dry rations and gather our gear. We had two hunting rifles, which belonged to Yan Zi and her father. One was a three-barreled shotgun, and the other was a type commonly used by the Oroqen people. Both were outdated, muzzle-loading guns. They had great stopping power at close range, but their effectiveness and accuracy beyond thirty-five meters were questionable, making them suitable mainly for hunting rabbits and roe deer.
Since I was six, my father had taken me to the shooting range, and I was familiar with the standard firearms of the People’s Liberation Army. However, I had no confidence in handling these muzzle-loading flintlock rifles. Fatty had similar experience, so we decided that Yan Zi and I would each take a rifle, while Fatty would carry a machete for chopping wood. Once we were ready, the three of us plunged into the dense forest of Lama Valley.
In Lama Valley, the most real and immediate threat came not from the legendary wild people or mountain ghosts, but from the human bear. Although human bears are bears like black bears, they are known for walking upright, which is how they got their name. Human bears are massive, with tough skin and thick flesh. Hunters only dared to attack them in groups, accompanied by a pack of hunting dogs. If a person encountered a human bear in the primeval forest with just a broken gun, it was almost a death sentence.
After walking through the forest for most of the day, the sound of the nine waterfalls on Niu Xin Mountain grew louder and louder. We could see that we were nearing the end of Lama Valley, close to the foot of the mountain.
We hadn’t encountered any wild people or human bears, nor had we seen any sign of Tian Xiaomeng. Fatty, exhausted, plopped down on the ground, saying, “I can’t go on… I’m really… out of energy.”
Yan Zi suggested, “Then let’s take a break. Li Zi Huang seems to have lost the scent of Tian Xiaomeng. What are we going to do? If we can’t find her, the party secretary and my father will definitely scold me when they return.”
I was equally tired. I picked up my water bottle and took a few big gulps, then said to them, “What if Tian Xiaomeng was eaten by a human bear? Or maybe she was captured by wild people to become their mountain wife.”
As we were resting and chatting, suddenly, Li Zi Huang began barking furiously at the depths of the forest. A well-bred hunting dog wouldn’t bark like that unless it sensed extreme danger.
I asked Yan Zi, “What’s wrong with the dog? Did it find some wild animal?”
Yan Zi’s face turned pale. “Quick, climb a tree! It’s a human bear!”
Hearing that, I quickly scrambled up a large tree. Looking down, I saw Yan Zi struggling to lift Fatty’s backside. Fatty couldn’t climb trees and was slowly inching up the trunk. I hurriedly climbed back down to help Yan Zi support Fatty. After some effort, Fatty finally managed to reach the lowest branch, panting heavily as he said, “This tree is too damn high!”
The cries of Li Zi Huang grew more urgent. Before Yan Zi and I could climb the tree, a large black bear emerged from the bushes. Upon seeing us, it stood up and roared loudly.
Yan Zi had spent years hunting in the mountains with her father, so she was very experienced. Without thinking, she raised her rifle and fired at the bear. The shot rang out, and sparks flew as the bullet struck the bear’s belly.
Since we were so close, the bullet made a large hole in its soft abdomen, causing blood and intestines to spill out. The bear, furious from the injury, stuffed its own intestines back in with its massive paw and charged at Yan Zi. With no time to reload and surrounded by trees and thorns, she had nowhere to escape and could only brace for the worst.
Knowing I had to help, I quickly aimed my gun at the bear’s head. If I missed, Yan Zi would be in serious trouble. My hands trembled as I thought about it, but I gritted my teeth and pulled the trigger. The powerful recoil of the rifle nearly knocked me over, and I fell to the ground. I wasn’t sure if the gun lacked power or if I had aimed poorly, but while I did hit the bear in the head, I only managed to blind one of its eyes.
Although my shot wasn’t fatal, it saved Yanzi. The bear, now blind in one eye and covered in blood with part of its eyeball hanging out, became even more enraged. It ignored Yan Zi and charged straight at me.
At that moment, Li Zi Huang bit the bear’s hind leg. The bear turned to grab him, but Li Zi Huang was quick. Seeing the bear turn, he ran off a safe distance, baring his teeth in a taunting manner.
This gave Yan Zi and me a precious few seconds to climb up the tall tree for safety.
The bear was badly injured and, despite being a fearsome creature that even tigers avoided in the mountains, it was not used to such humiliation. It tried to catch Li Zi Huang but couldn’t run as fast without hunting dogs. With us both safely in the tree, it circled below, filled with rage but unsure of what to do. It roared loudly, shaking the valley.
I lay on a branch, watching the bear pace in frustration. Forgetting the danger I was in, I found it amusing and called out to the Fatty on another tree, “Hey, Fatty, why isn’t your uncle leaving? What’s he doing down there, just spinning in circles? Tell him not to lose his mind!”
Fatty wasn’t afraid of the bear; he was afraid of heights. To put it in modern terms, he might have had a bit of acrophobia. He trembled on the branch, but instead of backing down, he shouted back at me, “Hu Ba Yi, you’re just being mean! That’s not my uncle down there; are you blind? That’s your wife!”
I burst out laughing and pointed at the bear, saying, “Oh, I see now! My mistake, that’s your old aunt! I’m not going to be your uncle!”
Fatty, furious, wanted to throw a pine cone at me, but both hands were tightly gripping the branch, afraid that if he let go, he would fall. He could only glare at me in frustration.
Seeing Fatty’s expression made me laugh even more, but my smile quickly faded. The bear below was recklessly climbing up the tree we were in.
Despite its size, the bear was incredibly strong. Injured and in pain, it had completely lost its mind. All it could see were the three of us and one dog. With its blood-red eyes fixed on us, its massive paws gripped the trunk tightly, and with each leap, it climbed over a meter high. I cursed under my breath, “Who the hell told me bears can’t climb trees? This is a trap!”
There’s an old saying among hunters: “Better to face a fierce tiger than a mad bear.” An injured bear in a frenzy can be incredibly destructive and powerful. I was terrified and had no time to joke with Fatty; my mind raced as I thought of how to escape.
Just then, Yan Zi reminded me, “Quick… load the iron sand and aim for its other eye!”
That snapped me back to reality. I cursed myself for being useless and climbed higher up the tree. I took off the strap I used for my pants and tied it to a sturdy branch that could support my weight. With one hand gripping the rifle to maintain my balance, I used the other to load gunpowder into the barrel, pouring in most of the remaining powder from the horn.
The bear was climbing quickly, getting closer and closer, and both Yan Zi and Fatty were sweating for me. I focused all my attention on loading the rifle, trying not to think about the bear below.
After loading the gunpowder, I had to pack in the iron sand, using a metal rod to press it down firmly. Sweat dripped down my forehead; this rifle was such a hassle. In the vast forests of Northeast China, how many hunters had lost their lives because they didn’t have a quick-firing gun? If only I had a semi-automatic rifle, I could handle two or three bears without a problem, or even a handgun would do.
Just as I finished loading the iron sand and replaced the flint, the bear’s claws reached my feet. I quickly pulled my foot back and, taking advantage of the movement, aimed the rifle down at the bear’s head and fired. I had put in too much gunpowder, and the explosion sent a cloud of smoke up, blackening my face.
The rifle relied on the force of the gunpowder to propel the iron sand, but my angle was too low, causing the sand packed in the barrel to loosen. As a result, it didn’t have the power it should have. Plus, I was shooting one-handed without any support, and at such a close distance, I still missed the bear’s head, only hitting its shoulder and turning it into a bloody mess. The bear fell from the height of the tree, crashing heavily to the ground, where deep layers of leaves and branches cushioned its fall. With its thick skin, the drop didn’t harm it much.
The bear got back up, and this time it didn’t try to climb the tree. Like a heavy tank, it charged at the tree, roaring and slamming its massive body against the trunk, causing pine needles and cones to rain down from above.
Fortunately, I had secured my arm with the strap, preventing me from being shaken off. I worried that the tree might not be sturdy enough; if the bear hit it a few more times, it could break at the base, and I might end up dead in this deep forest. Facing death, I couldn’t lose my face. I had to show some revolutionary spirit, so I shouted to Yan Zi and Fatty, “Looks like I’m off to meet Marx. Sorry, comrades, I’ll go ahead and save you a seat over there. If you have any messages for the revolutionary mentor, I’ll be sure to pass them along!”
Fatty, perched on another tree about ten meters away, shouted back, “Comrade Hu, don’t worry about it! The revolution doesn’t need you to carry on; it’ll be just fine without you. When you get to Old Marx’s place, make sure to study revolutionary theory well. I hear they eat potato stew with beef all the time—hope you can handle it!”
I replied, “When have we ever been picky about food in the revolution? Comrade Fatty, as long as the revolutionary cart doesn’t tip over, just keep pushing forward! The remaining two-thirds of the suffering masses are counting on you to liberate them, and I’ll just enjoy my potato stew every day!”
Yan Zi, in a panic, cried out, “What are you two doing at a time like this? We need to think of a way out!”
Just when we felt hopeless, the bear stopped trying to ram the tree. It sat down on the ground, panting heavily. It turned out the bear had lost a lot of blood and, despite its incredible strength, it had exhausted itself. Now, it had calmed down and was waiting for us to make a move.
Li Zi Huang, having witnessed the bear’s ferocity, didn’t dare to approach it anymore. He crouched at a distance, hungry but loyal to his owner, refusing to go find food on his own. Yan Zi, worried about her dog, whistled for Li Zi Huang to go look for something to eat, and only then it leave.
The three of us huddled in the tree, discussing our options. After thinking it over, we realized there was really no feasible plan. Climbing down to fight the bear with only an old rifle would be a sure way to get ourselves killed. Most of the villagers were away, so we couldn’t count on anyone to come to our rescue. To avoid falling, we each tied ourselves securely to the trunk with our belts, waiting to see who would outlast whom.
This created a stalemate, which was most unfavorable for the three of us in the tree. The earlier struggle with the bear had drained our energy, and it was getting close to evening. We hadn’t slept in two days and nights, and we had only eaten a few cornmeal pancakes during the day. We were both hungry and exhausted, and if we didn’t make it to morning, we might faint and fall from the tree.
In this situation, I recalled a line from the Chairman’s poetry: “The enemy army surrounds me with countless layers, yet I remain steadfast.” But down below, there were no banners in sight, only the bear waiting for us.
Lost in my thoughts, I dozed off on the tree trunk without realizing it. I don’t know how long I slept, but I eventually woke up to a gnawing hunger in my stomach, which was starting to ache. Looking up, I saw the sky filled with stars and a crescent moon—it was already deep into the night. The entire forest was quiet, and when I glanced down, I noticed the bear was gone. I had no idea when it had left.
The branches were thick, so I couldn’t see if Yan Zi and Fatty were still up in the tree. I called out, “Yan Zi! Fatty! Are you still up there?”
I shouted several times, but my voice echoed in the silent valley without any response from them. Although I was usually brave, the thought of being alone in the wilderness made me uneasy. I couldn’t help but think that those two were really inconsiderate for forgetting me and leaving without calling out.
I shouted a couple more times, but still no answer. Growing anxious, I looked around and noticed a flickering light not far ahead. I was surprised to find that there were people living in such a remote place. Had they seen the lights and gone to find someone?
In the darkness, I couldn’t tell which way was which. I could only hear the roar of the water nearby. I looked up to find the North Star, and it seemed the lights were coming from the direction of Niu Xin Mountain. I carefully climbed down from the tree and made my way toward the flickering lights, stepping cautiously as I went.
I began to imagine that the source of the flickering lights belonged to an old hunter living in the mountains, with a white beard, kind and welcoming. He would surely greet me warmly, offering me a cup of hot tea and roasting a leg of deer for me to eat. The more I thought about it, the hungrier I became, and I wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth with my sleeve.
As I walked, dreaming of food, I soon arrived at the entrance of a massive cave. Inside, the lights shone brightly. It was strange; just a moment ago, the lights had seemed close, but now they appeared to be deep within the cave. Was I so hungry that I was seeing things?
Driven by the tantalizing thought of roasted deer meat, I stepped into the cave, quickly making my way down the dark, long passage. At the end, I found a spacious area that opened up before me. To my surprise, I saw five or six young girls walking together, chatting and laughing. It was clearly summer, yet they were dressed in luxurious fur coats, styled in a way that seemed out of place for modern times. Only one girl wore a season-appropriate blue khaki outfit. She had two braids in her hair and was carrying a military green canvas bag with the words “Serve the People” printed on it. Wait, wasn’t that Tian Xiaomeng?
Yes, it was definitely Tian Xiaomeng! She was a educated youth from Suzhou. Fatty and I were from Fujian, and although we were all from the south, we didn’t know each other very well. This was mainly because Fatty and I were quite mischievous, often getting into trouble, which made the more reserved and gentle girls hesitant to get close to us.
Seeing a familiar face in this strange cave gave me a sense of relief. I hurried over to Tian Xiaomeng and called out, Tian, what are you doing here? Is there any food?”
When Tian Xiaomeng turned to see me, she waved her hand, signaling me to come closer. I approached her and said, “You seem to be having a great time here! We almost got eaten by a bear while trying to find you. What is this place? Do you have any food? I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”
Tian Xiaomeng replied, “I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault. I got lost while collecting herbs in Lama Valley, and these kind sisters rescued me. They’re going to perform a shadow play soon, and you arrived just in time for us to watch it together before heading back.” She then introduced me to the young women beside her. They spoke with a local accent, were very polite, and even offered me some dried deer meat to eat, inviting me to join them for the show.
I followed them deeper into the cave and soon saw a large open area. In the center stood a magnificent structure, brightly lit, with beautiful pavilions. Surrounding it were piles of ancient artifacts and jade, creating a stunning sight.
In front of the city gate, a paper lantern and white cloth had been set up. Behind it, a dozen musicians played drums and suona horns. In front of them was an elegantly styled long table, adorned with exquisite tea sets and cups. A large red agate tray was piled high with fruits and snacks.
Three chairs were placed in front of the table. The women in luxurious fur coats invited me and Tian Xiaomeng to sit on either side, leaving the middle chair empty, as if a significant guest was yet to arrive.
Seeing only three seats and the rest of the people standing behind, Tian Xiaomeng felt a bit uncomfortable and wanted to decline. However, I was both tired and hungry, and I didn’t care about politeness. After all, it was the people’s stage, and since there was a seat available, it didn’t matter who sat where. I boldly took a seat and grabbed some food to eat.
Perhaps I was too hungry; although the food looked exquisite, it had no flavor at all, tasting like chewing wax. After a few bites, I found it increasingly strange.
At that moment, two young girls helped a richly dressed, white-haired old lady walk out from the gate and take the central seat.
Tian Xiaomeng and I both stood up to greet the host. Seeing the old lady, I felt even more puzzled. What era was this? How could there still be a landlady?
The old lady nodded slightly at us and settled into her seat, remaining silent as she waited for the performance to begin.
The young women standing behind us clapped their hands, and the musicians and puppeteers from the troupe sprang into action at the signal, putting on a lively performance. Shadow puppetry, which originated during the Han and Tang dynasties and is also known as “light shadow play,” is a popular folk art. It involves carving figures of characters and animals from donkey skin, which are then manipulated by artists behind a white screen, accompanied by the sounds of drums and instruments. Over the years, it has developed into a repertoire of hundreds of complete plays.
However, this art form was heavily affected during the Cultural Revolution, and few dared to perform it again. I never expected to witness it today, especially in a time when cultural life was virtually nonexistent. It was truly captivating. I became so engrossed in the performance that I completely forgot about everything else.
The shadow play featured several exciting stories. On the stage, the clash of swords and the dance of blades created a thrilling spectacle, and the lively music urged the audience to cheer. I was so captivated that I felt my heart racing. My mouth was dry, so I reached for the teacup on the table to take a sip. As I did, I glanced at the old lady beside me and saw her smiling broadly, enjoying the performance while munching on the snacks from the table. The way she chewed was quite strange; her cheeks puffed out like an old monkey, making odd sucking sounds.
My grandmother lost her teeth in her old age, but she didn’t eat like that! Was this old lady human or a monkey? My mind raced, and in my shock, I accidentally dropped the teacup, shattering it on the ground. To my horror, as the cup broke, the old lady’s head also fell off, yet it continued to stare at the shadow play, her mouth still chewing away.
The maidservants rushed over, respectfully picking up her head and placing it back on her body.
I was utterly stunned. Grabbing Tian Xiaomeng, I bolted toward the cave entrance. In the pitch darkness, I stumbled and dashed out of the cave, hearing a deafening roar behind me. The ground shook violently, and the cave entrance closed behind me, forming a massive stone wall. If I had been even half a minute later, I would have been crushed against that wall.
Outside, the sky was already bright. I pulled Tian Xiaomeng down to the stream at the foot of the mountain, but suddenly felt an intense pain in my stomach, causing cold sweat to bead on my forehead. I couldn’t help but squat down. I remembered my grandfather telling stories about ghosts inviting people to eat, where they would use stones, frogs, and maggots disguised as delicious food to trick unsuspecting victims. I wondered what kind of ghastly food I had just eaten, and the more I thought about it, the more nauseous I felt, leading me to vomit violently.
In my agony, I vaguely saw two figures approaching. The girl in front looked somewhat familiar—it was Yan Zi. Seeing her brought me a sense of relief, but then my vision went dark, and I fainted.
When I finally woke up, it was three days later. Yan Zi and Fatty had stayed in the tree until dawn, and the bear beneath had bled to death from its injuries. They searched everywhere for me but couldn’t find any trace until they discovered me and Tian Xiaomeng unconscious by the river.
I had been in a coma for three days, suffering from a high fever of over forty degrees Celsius. Fatty had run over a hundred miles of mountain roads to fetch a doctor from the county to treat me. Fortunately, I was strong enough to wake up, but Tian Xiaomeng remained unresponsive, so they had to notify her family to take her home for treatment. As for what happened to her afterward, we never found out.
I shared my experience with Yan Zi’s father, who told me about a legend in the mountains. He said that when the empress dowager died, many performers from the folk arts were buried alive as part of her burial. Some people had witnessed similar events on Niu Xin Mountain in the past.
However, these memories were hazy in my mind, and sometimes I wasn’t even sure if they had really happened. Perhaps it was all just a dream.
My time as educated youth lasted only a little over half a year, but the memories would never fade. When the Spring Festival of 1969 came around, it was my turn to return home for a visit, and my fate took another significant turn.