Historians have said that the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) in China is the foremost catastrophe in the span of a few thousand years. Yet the term “foremost catastrophe” is hardly qualified to describe its magnitude. To recall its occurrences and history, words are lost and tears are drained. The tz’u poet Mr. Soong Hsün-leng did not witness the Cultural Revolution in person during his sojourn in Hong Kong, but being in such close proximity, what he knew and what he felt were equally laden with sorrow and heartbreak. Old friend’s farewell, cultural artefacts adrift, soulmate’s longings, were all engraved by sadness. Traces outside mainland China can equally capture a glimpse of the Cultural Revolution. After incessant cycles of spring and autumns, even a thousand years from now, our enduring anguish will linger.

Curatorial and Editorial Department