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今年2月25日，一位日本中年盲人捧着一大束白玫瑰走进位于杭州小营巷的著名画家顾生岳的住宅，在顾先生夫人蒋格非的遗像前深深地三鞠躬，虔诚地将那束白净圣洁的玫瑰花献给逝者的在天之灵。
春雨霏霏，天人同悲。盲人两眶盈泪，泣高谊忽难通，哀缘情而来宅，一段与逝者和工笔名画《红衣少女》相关的感人往事在脑海里一幕幕地闪现出来……
千里有缘
这位名叫菅野芳亘的中年盲人，原是目光炯炯、神采飞扬的日本教师，赫赫有名的少林拳师。1985年4月，33岁的菅野突然双目失明，在迷惘与绝望中挣扎了一段时日，菅野毅然决定飞到自己一直仰慕的中国寻找治疗奇迹。
湖南中医学院附属医院的中医疗程漫长，菅野以聆听日本作家井上靖的录音小说《敦煌》排解寂寞。灿烂辉煌的敦煌文化、神奇美妙的神话故事、美丽动人的飞天形象，滋润着菅野孤寂落寞的心田，燃烈了他早就萌生的求索中国传统文化的火苗。
幸运之神向他走来，中医药让他重新看到了模糊却是真切的世界，久违了的书籍像老友一样回到眼前。一天，翻译送来一本中国美术院校高考指南画册，首页赫然出现一幅艺术造诣高超的工笔画《红衣少女》。菅野眼前一亮：啊，这美丽动人的维吾尔族少女，不就是在倾听录音小说《敦煌》的过程中反复浮现在脑海里的飞天形象吗?他欣喜若狂，倾心向往：如能得到这幅杰作，将是终生最大的幸福。
可是，画册上隐去了所有画家的姓名。菅野恳请翻译查找《红衣少女》的作者，然而，中国画家成千上万，人海茫茫，在十几亿人口中寻找无异于大海捞针。不想后来天从人愿，翻译费尽周折，终于查觅到了《红衣少女》的作者：浙江美术学院(现中国美术学院)国画系主任、浙江画院副院长顾生岳教授。
日思夜想、寝食无味的菅野怀着忐忑不安的心情给顾教授写了一封厚厚的求画信，他用好几张信纸谈了一个日本半盲人对中国传统文化的挚爱，对《红衣少女》的深切艺术理解和对它近乎热恋的倾倒心情，并委婉地诉说了对它的渴望获得之情。
收到菅野的长函，顾生岳当即交给夫人蒋格非阅读。夫妇俩是美术学院的同学，丈夫生性内向而才气横溢，妻子美丽大方优雅热情，两人相濡以沫几十年，始终心心相印，灵犀互通。两颗善良的心都为菅野的不幸遭遇而揪心，都被菅野对中国文化的钟爱和对艺术的痴迷而震撼。
可是，《红衣少女》是顾生岳的精心之作，是夫妇俩拥有的掌上明珠，他们拒绝过权势者的欲求，谢绝过多位藏家的高价索购。然而，这位日本青年的精神十分难能可贵，他并未因突遭不幸而沉沦，又对中国文化如此热爱，对《红衣少女》的艺术理解如此深刻，能忍心扑灭这位半盲人的希望吗?
经过几天的思想斗争，夫妇俩最终决定忍痛割爱，将《红衣少女》亲自送往长沙，无偿赠予这位艺术知音。
不料，行前顾生岳因要务不能脱身，只好让蒋格非只身前往，把夫妇俩的深情厚谊带到了菅野的病房。
千里友谊一画牵。菅野展开梦寐以求的《红衣少女》画卷，只见一位维吾尔族少女脂腮玉颜，容华绰约，蛾眉双翠羽，明眸发清光，头披轻纱，身着红衣，外罩玄色背心，浑身透出青春气息。啊，就是她!菅野如获至宝，喜极而泣：“太感谢了!太珍贵了!”
蒋格非被菅野对此画的独到见解和对艺术的痴迷深受感染，当晚激动地打电话把这难忘的一幕报告了丈夫。顾生岳也极为感动，当即决定将《红衣少女》的姐妹作《白衣少女》一并赠给这位艺术知音。三日后，蒋格非返杭取画，然后取道长沙，把《白衣少女》郑重交到菅野手中。
顾生岳、蒋格非的慷慨与无私胸怀，感动得菅野热泪滚滚。蒋格非像给自己的孩子拭泪一样，用纸巾轻轻擦去菅野脸上的泪珠。
相见时难
自从在画册上邂逅《红衣少女》之后，菅野就一直渴望见到这艺术珍品的作者顾生岳教授。可是阴错阳差，他们错失了一次又一次相逢的机会。
头一次，1988年5月，顾生岳正要与夫人携画共赴长沙，却因一项紧急公务而取消行程，让夫人蒋格非代劳前往；数日后，顾生岳打算亲自去奉送《白衣少女》，又因公务突来而让夫人再度独行，翘首盼望一晤恩人的菅野又一次愿望落空；1992年秋，正在美国探亲的顾生岳获悉菅野将去内蒙古大学考察，然后到杭州与顾生岳谋面。顾生岳不顾初来乍到，立即启程飞回杭州，不料菅野突因眼疾恶化而住院，相见的事再次失之交臂；1994年秋，菅野为报答恩人，筹划在日本广岛为顾先生举办个人画展，几经奔走，万事俱备，连七日的行程都已排妥，却因顾生岳疝气手术，第四次错失了相会的机缘。
幸好，上苍终究会眷顾友善的人们。1997年4月15日，已经是日中综合交流事业研究所所长的菅野芳亘，通过日本三洋公司在中国美术学院工业设计与陶瓷系举办了一次“产品设计大奖赛”，他作为三洋公司的特邀代表专程飞到杭州颁奖。十年等待，十年期盼，十年的梦求即将变成现实。
坐落在美丽的西子湖畔的宾馆，鲜花盛开，芳香醉人。身着西装的顾生岳和夫人蒋格非急切地等待着日本知音的到来。
菅野更是心潮起伏，在人们的引领下，他扔掉手中的白手杖，张开双臂，浑身颤抖着朝顾先生夫妇的方向扑了过去：“顾先生，您好!夫人，您好!”
一向沉稳的顾生岳也心旌激荡：“菅野先生，我是顾生岳，我们终于见面了!”
三双温热的手紧紧握在一起，排遣着十年的苦等与期盼，两行热泪从菅野失明的双目中流淌下来。
倍受鼓舞
《红衣少女》和《白衣少女》像两位光明使者，引导和鼓舞着双目失明的菅野始终保持与不幸抗争的雄心。他在给顾生岳夫妇的信中深情写道：“我虽然完全丧失了视力，但两幅杰作的美丽形象却始终清晰地浮现在我的眼前，它们成了我一家的珍贵宝物，给了我生活下去的勇气和力量。”
菅野曾因双目突然失明而绝望，甚至一度萌生跳楼的念头。而现在，他说：“不可思议地邂逅《红衣少女》，让我感受到人的本质竟是如此美好。只要一息尚存，就要以自己的意志驾驭自己的生命。”
从此，菅野更加热心地从事日中的交流活动，不但在日中综合交流事业研究所任职，还在大专学校讲学，介绍有关中国的各种知识和成就。他积极参加各种救助活动和体育项目，挑战滑雪、高尔夫球，并获得残疾人奥运会游泳金牌。
他依靠听力和电脑，在键盘上完成了《大地和白手杖》《美国在亚洲的经济策略》等著作，并在2003年写出了十多万字的自传体纪实小说《红衣少女》。此书曾以新闻报道的形式刊登在《朝日新闻》《读卖新闻》《每日新闻》等各大报纸上，引起了读者强烈的反响和广泛的共鸣。2005年4月，《红衣少女》一书的中文版首发式在北京举行，正在中央美术学院举办“顾生岳速写展”的顾生岳特地前去祝贺。
知音重逢，格外激动。菅野说：“您和贵夫人的博大胸怀和慷慨馈赠，让我一直沉浸在友谊的海洋中，我要通过这本书把您和夫人的高风亮节告诉世人!”顾生岳说：“我们的友谊从一张画开始，但它所具有的意义远远超过了一张画的价值。我们的友谊必将和中日两国人民的友谊一样亘古而常青。”
临别前，菅野一再感谢顾夫人蒋格非不时寄去药用菊花和枸杞子，祝愿抱病在身的顾夫人早日康复。然而，天不假年，2005年11月3日，病魔无情地阻绝了蒋格非的人生旅程。
水天相隔的菅野惊闻噩耗，十分悲恸，因而专程扶杖捧花，前来祭奠几度送画到病房的蒋格非女士。他默诵着蒋格非说过的许多友善话语，浮想着有如飞天一般的蒋格非的音容笑貌，反复祈祷：“安息吧，夫人!我们虽然已经天人相隔，但凝结在《红衣少女》的深厚友谊将与日月同在!”
Friendship
The Girl in Red Fosters Friendship
By Fu Tongxian
The friendship that Professor Gu Shengyue and his wife Jiang Gefei made with Yoshinbuo Sugano can originally trace back to April, 1985 when Sugano, a 33-year-old Japanese teacher and kongfu master, lost his eyesight. After a time of despair and confusion, Sugano decided to come to China in quest of a miraculous therapy. It would be a journey to discover friendship and find courage to live.
He was hospitalized in a hospital affiliated to Hunan TCM College, receiving traditional Chinese medicine treatment. During these days, he comforted himself with an audio book entitled Dunhuang by Inoue Yasushi (1907-1991), a Japanese writer who authored many novels on Chinese subjects.
After a period of treatment, he was able to see again, though his eyesight was getting better though still dim. He began to read. One day, his interpreter brought him an album of paintings designed for students to pass entrance examinations of arts academies. The painting on the first page instantly caught Sugano’s eyes. Created in a style of meticulous realism, The Girl in Red looked very vivid. Wasn’t the Uigur girl a character in the novel he had been listening to so many times? He yearned for it. What if he could own the painting? He asked the interpreter to find out who the painter was, for the album did not reveal any names. After much trouble, Sugano was able to learn that the artist was professor Gu Shengyue, then director of the Chinese Painting Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (today’s China Academy of Fine Arts) located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
Sugano wrote a long letter to the professor, talking about his passion for Chinese culture and his ardent appreciation of the painting, and politely expressing his desire for having the painting.
After receiving and reading the letter, Professor Gu handed it to his wife. They sympathized with young Sugano for his adversity and were both touched by his passion for Chinese culture in general and for this painting in particular. Yet, The Girl in Red was Gu’s most important masterpiece. The couple treasured it as if the girl in the painting had really been their daughter. They had said no to some dignitaries who asked for it as a gift. They had said no to some collectors who offered to pay a fortune for it. Now would they give it away to a foreigner they had never met before? After a few days of hesitation and consideration, the couple decided to say yes.
As Professor Gu was not able to disengage himself from work, he asked his wife to fly to Changsha and present the painting to Sugano. When Jiang Gefei appeared at Sugano’s ward and presented the painting, he burst into tears! ÒHow grateful I am! How precious the painting is!Ó
Jiang was deeply touched. That night, she phoned her husband from Changsha, telling him about the unforgettable scene in the ward. Gu was deeply touched too. He decided there and then that he would give Sugano another painting named The Girl in White he painted in pair with The Girl in Red. Three days later, Jiang Gefei was back in Hangzhou and pretty soon she went to Changsha again and gave the second painting to Sugano. Touched by the couple’s generosity and friendship, Sugano wept. Jiang brushed the tears away lightly with a piece of tissue from the face of the young man.
Sugano had wanted to meet Professor Gu in person since he first saw the painting. But it was not until ten years had passed before the two finally met.
Gu’s wife visited Sugano twice in Changsha in 1988, bringing him the two paintings. Gu wanted to go and visit Sugano on both occasions but had to cancel the trips at the last minute because of some urgent businesses. In 1992, Gu was visiting with his relatives in USA when he learned that Sugano would visit Hangzhou after a short stay at a university in Inner Mongolia. Gu cut short his visit and flew back to Hangzhou to wait for Sugano. However, Sugano was not able to come to Hangzhou because he was hospitalized again for his deteriorating eyesight. In 1994, they had another opportunity to meet, but again they missed it. During this time, Sugano had totally lost his eyesight. It was not until 1998 that Sugano had an opportunity to come to Hangzhou and meet Gu and Jiang. Sanyo Corporation sponsored a design competition at the Porcelain Department at the China Academy of Fine Arts. Sugano was invited as a VIP guest to attend the award-issuing ceremony. When the couple and Sugano finally met, their hands were warmly and tightly held together.
The two paintings have been like angels guiding Sugano to navigate in a world of total darkness. Using his ears and a computer, he has finished writing some books and academic papers. And in 2003, he published an autobiographical novel entitled The Girl in Red. It was serialized in Japan’s major newspapers and received warm responses from readers.
In April 2005, the Chinese version of the book was published in Beijing. When the releasing ceremony was held in Beijing, Professor Gu went out of his way to attend it while he was holding a solo exhibition of his sketches at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
They were overjoyed to see each other. They said their personal friendship started with a painting, but the friendship was more valuable than the painting itself. Sugano asked Gu to say thanks to Jiang for the herbal medicines she had sent to him over years and wished her fast recovery from illness.
Sugano has been active in cultural exchanges between China and Japan. He works at a research institute for China-Japan relations. He frequently gives lectures at colleges and universities on China and its achievements. And he works as a relief worker and takes active part in sports. He is able to ski and play golf. He was a gold medalist at a swimming competition at Paralympics Games.
Gu’s wife Jiang Gefei passed away on November 3, 2005. Sugano made a special trip to Hangzhou to attend the memorial ceremony.
(Translated by David)
春雨霏霏，天人同悲。盲人两眶盈泪，泣高谊忽难通，哀缘情而来宅，一段与逝者和工笔名画《红衣少女》相关的感人往事在脑海里一幕幕地闪现出来……
千里有缘
这位名叫菅野芳亘的中年盲人，原是目光炯炯、神采飞扬的日本教师，赫赫有名的少林拳师。1985年4月，33岁的菅野突然双目失明，在迷惘与绝望中挣扎了一段时日，菅野毅然决定飞到自己一直仰慕的中国寻找治疗奇迹。
湖南中医学院附属医院的中医疗程漫长，菅野以聆听日本作家井上靖的录音小说《敦煌》排解寂寞。灿烂辉煌的敦煌文化、神奇美妙的神话故事、美丽动人的飞天形象，滋润着菅野孤寂落寞的心田，燃烈了他早就萌生的求索中国传统文化的火苗。
幸运之神向他走来，中医药让他重新看到了模糊却是真切的世界，久违了的书籍像老友一样回到眼前。一天，翻译送来一本中国美术院校高考指南画册，首页赫然出现一幅艺术造诣高超的工笔画《红衣少女》。菅野眼前一亮：啊，这美丽动人的维吾尔族少女，不就是在倾听录音小说《敦煌》的过程中反复浮现在脑海里的飞天形象吗?他欣喜若狂，倾心向往：如能得到这幅杰作，将是终生最大的幸福。
可是，画册上隐去了所有画家的姓名。菅野恳请翻译查找《红衣少女》的作者，然而，中国画家成千上万，人海茫茫，在十几亿人口中寻找无异于大海捞针。不想后来天从人愿，翻译费尽周折，终于查觅到了《红衣少女》的作者：浙江美术学院(现中国美术学院)国画系主任、浙江画院副院长顾生岳教授。
日思夜想、寝食无味的菅野怀着忐忑不安的心情给顾教授写了一封厚厚的求画信，他用好几张信纸谈了一个日本半盲人对中国传统文化的挚爱，对《红衣少女》的深切艺术理解和对它近乎热恋的倾倒心情，并委婉地诉说了对它的渴望获得之情。
收到菅野的长函，顾生岳当即交给夫人蒋格非阅读。夫妇俩是美术学院的同学，丈夫生性内向而才气横溢，妻子美丽大方优雅热情，两人相濡以沫几十年，始终心心相印，灵犀互通。两颗善良的心都为菅野的不幸遭遇而揪心，都被菅野对中国文化的钟爱和对艺术的痴迷而震撼。
可是，《红衣少女》是顾生岳的精心之作，是夫妇俩拥有的掌上明珠，他们拒绝过权势者的欲求，谢绝过多位藏家的高价索购。然而，这位日本青年的精神十分难能可贵，他并未因突遭不幸而沉沦，又对中国文化如此热爱，对《红衣少女》的艺术理解如此深刻，能忍心扑灭这位半盲人的希望吗?
经过几天的思想斗争，夫妇俩最终决定忍痛割爱，将《红衣少女》亲自送往长沙，无偿赠予这位艺术知音。
不料，行前顾生岳因要务不能脱身，只好让蒋格非只身前往，把夫妇俩的深情厚谊带到了菅野的病房。
千里友谊一画牵。菅野展开梦寐以求的《红衣少女》画卷，只见一位维吾尔族少女脂腮玉颜，容华绰约，蛾眉双翠羽，明眸发清光，头披轻纱，身着红衣，外罩玄色背心，浑身透出青春气息。啊，就是她!菅野如获至宝，喜极而泣：“太感谢了!太珍贵了!”
蒋格非被菅野对此画的独到见解和对艺术的痴迷深受感染，当晚激动地打电话把这难忘的一幕报告了丈夫。顾生岳也极为感动，当即决定将《红衣少女》的姐妹作《白衣少女》一并赠给这位艺术知音。三日后，蒋格非返杭取画，然后取道长沙，把《白衣少女》郑重交到菅野手中。
顾生岳、蒋格非的慷慨与无私胸怀，感动得菅野热泪滚滚。蒋格非像给自己的孩子拭泪一样，用纸巾轻轻擦去菅野脸上的泪珠。
相见时难
自从在画册上邂逅《红衣少女》之后，菅野就一直渴望见到这艺术珍品的作者顾生岳教授。可是阴错阳差，他们错失了一次又一次相逢的机会。
头一次，1988年5月，顾生岳正要与夫人携画共赴长沙，却因一项紧急公务而取消行程，让夫人蒋格非代劳前往；数日后，顾生岳打算亲自去奉送《白衣少女》，又因公务突来而让夫人再度独行，翘首盼望一晤恩人的菅野又一次愿望落空；1992年秋，正在美国探亲的顾生岳获悉菅野将去内蒙古大学考察，然后到杭州与顾生岳谋面。顾生岳不顾初来乍到，立即启程飞回杭州，不料菅野突因眼疾恶化而住院，相见的事再次失之交臂；1994年秋，菅野为报答恩人，筹划在日本广岛为顾先生举办个人画展，几经奔走，万事俱备，连七日的行程都已排妥，却因顾生岳疝气手术，第四次错失了相会的机缘。
幸好，上苍终究会眷顾友善的人们。1997年4月15日，已经是日中综合交流事业研究所所长的菅野芳亘，通过日本三洋公司在中国美术学院工业设计与陶瓷系举办了一次“产品设计大奖赛”，他作为三洋公司的特邀代表专程飞到杭州颁奖。十年等待，十年期盼，十年的梦求即将变成现实。
坐落在美丽的西子湖畔的宾馆，鲜花盛开，芳香醉人。身着西装的顾生岳和夫人蒋格非急切地等待着日本知音的到来。
菅野更是心潮起伏，在人们的引领下，他扔掉手中的白手杖，张开双臂，浑身颤抖着朝顾先生夫妇的方向扑了过去：“顾先生，您好!夫人，您好!”
一向沉稳的顾生岳也心旌激荡：“菅野先生，我是顾生岳，我们终于见面了!”
三双温热的手紧紧握在一起，排遣着十年的苦等与期盼，两行热泪从菅野失明的双目中流淌下来。
倍受鼓舞
《红衣少女》和《白衣少女》像两位光明使者，引导和鼓舞着双目失明的菅野始终保持与不幸抗争的雄心。他在给顾生岳夫妇的信中深情写道：“我虽然完全丧失了视力，但两幅杰作的美丽形象却始终清晰地浮现在我的眼前，它们成了我一家的珍贵宝物，给了我生活下去的勇气和力量。”
菅野曾因双目突然失明而绝望，甚至一度萌生跳楼的念头。而现在，他说：“不可思议地邂逅《红衣少女》，让我感受到人的本质竟是如此美好。只要一息尚存，就要以自己的意志驾驭自己的生命。”
从此，菅野更加热心地从事日中的交流活动，不但在日中综合交流事业研究所任职，还在大专学校讲学，介绍有关中国的各种知识和成就。他积极参加各种救助活动和体育项目，挑战滑雪、高尔夫球，并获得残疾人奥运会游泳金牌。
他依靠听力和电脑，在键盘上完成了《大地和白手杖》《美国在亚洲的经济策略》等著作，并在2003年写出了十多万字的自传体纪实小说《红衣少女》。此书曾以新闻报道的形式刊登在《朝日新闻》《读卖新闻》《每日新闻》等各大报纸上，引起了读者强烈的反响和广泛的共鸣。2005年4月，《红衣少女》一书的中文版首发式在北京举行，正在中央美术学院举办“顾生岳速写展”的顾生岳特地前去祝贺。
知音重逢，格外激动。菅野说：“您和贵夫人的博大胸怀和慷慨馈赠，让我一直沉浸在友谊的海洋中，我要通过这本书把您和夫人的高风亮节告诉世人!”顾生岳说：“我们的友谊从一张画开始，但它所具有的意义远远超过了一张画的价值。我们的友谊必将和中日两国人民的友谊一样亘古而常青。”
临别前，菅野一再感谢顾夫人蒋格非不时寄去药用菊花和枸杞子，祝愿抱病在身的顾夫人早日康复。然而，天不假年，2005年11月3日，病魔无情地阻绝了蒋格非的人生旅程。
水天相隔的菅野惊闻噩耗，十分悲恸，因而专程扶杖捧花，前来祭奠几度送画到病房的蒋格非女士。他默诵着蒋格非说过的许多友善话语，浮想着有如飞天一般的蒋格非的音容笑貌，反复祈祷：“安息吧，夫人!我们虽然已经天人相隔，但凝结在《红衣少女》的深厚友谊将与日月同在!”
Friendship
The Girl in Red Fosters Friendship
By Fu Tongxian
The friendship that Professor Gu Shengyue and his wife Jiang Gefei made with Yoshinbuo Sugano can originally trace back to April, 1985 when Sugano, a 33-year-old Japanese teacher and kongfu master, lost his eyesight. After a time of despair and confusion, Sugano decided to come to China in quest of a miraculous therapy. It would be a journey to discover friendship and find courage to live.
He was hospitalized in a hospital affiliated to Hunan TCM College, receiving traditional Chinese medicine treatment. During these days, he comforted himself with an audio book entitled Dunhuang by Inoue Yasushi (1907-1991), a Japanese writer who authored many novels on Chinese subjects.
After a period of treatment, he was able to see again, though his eyesight was getting better though still dim. He began to read. One day, his interpreter brought him an album of paintings designed for students to pass entrance examinations of arts academies. The painting on the first page instantly caught Sugano’s eyes. Created in a style of meticulous realism, The Girl in Red looked very vivid. Wasn’t the Uigur girl a character in the novel he had been listening to so many times? He yearned for it. What if he could own the painting? He asked the interpreter to find out who the painter was, for the album did not reveal any names. After much trouble, Sugano was able to learn that the artist was professor Gu Shengyue, then director of the Chinese Painting Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (today’s China Academy of Fine Arts) located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
Sugano wrote a long letter to the professor, talking about his passion for Chinese culture and his ardent appreciation of the painting, and politely expressing his desire for having the painting.
After receiving and reading the letter, Professor Gu handed it to his wife. They sympathized with young Sugano for his adversity and were both touched by his passion for Chinese culture in general and for this painting in particular. Yet, The Girl in Red was Gu’s most important masterpiece. The couple treasured it as if the girl in the painting had really been their daughter. They had said no to some dignitaries who asked for it as a gift. They had said no to some collectors who offered to pay a fortune for it. Now would they give it away to a foreigner they had never met before? After a few days of hesitation and consideration, the couple decided to say yes.
As Professor Gu was not able to disengage himself from work, he asked his wife to fly to Changsha and present the painting to Sugano. When Jiang Gefei appeared at Sugano’s ward and presented the painting, he burst into tears! ÒHow grateful I am! How precious the painting is!Ó
Jiang was deeply touched. That night, she phoned her husband from Changsha, telling him about the unforgettable scene in the ward. Gu was deeply touched too. He decided there and then that he would give Sugano another painting named The Girl in White he painted in pair with The Girl in Red. Three days later, Jiang Gefei was back in Hangzhou and pretty soon she went to Changsha again and gave the second painting to Sugano. Touched by the couple’s generosity and friendship, Sugano wept. Jiang brushed the tears away lightly with a piece of tissue from the face of the young man.
Sugano had wanted to meet Professor Gu in person since he first saw the painting. But it was not until ten years had passed before the two finally met.
Gu’s wife visited Sugano twice in Changsha in 1988, bringing him the two paintings. Gu wanted to go and visit Sugano on both occasions but had to cancel the trips at the last minute because of some urgent businesses. In 1992, Gu was visiting with his relatives in USA when he learned that Sugano would visit Hangzhou after a short stay at a university in Inner Mongolia. Gu cut short his visit and flew back to Hangzhou to wait for Sugano. However, Sugano was not able to come to Hangzhou because he was hospitalized again for his deteriorating eyesight. In 1994, they had another opportunity to meet, but again they missed it. During this time, Sugano had totally lost his eyesight. It was not until 1998 that Sugano had an opportunity to come to Hangzhou and meet Gu and Jiang. Sanyo Corporation sponsored a design competition at the Porcelain Department at the China Academy of Fine Arts. Sugano was invited as a VIP guest to attend the award-issuing ceremony. When the couple and Sugano finally met, their hands were warmly and tightly held together.
The two paintings have been like angels guiding Sugano to navigate in a world of total darkness. Using his ears and a computer, he has finished writing some books and academic papers. And in 2003, he published an autobiographical novel entitled The Girl in Red. It was serialized in Japan’s major newspapers and received warm responses from readers.
In April 2005, the Chinese version of the book was published in Beijing. When the releasing ceremony was held in Beijing, Professor Gu went out of his way to attend it while he was holding a solo exhibition of his sketches at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
They were overjoyed to see each other. They said their personal friendship started with a painting, but the friendship was more valuable than the painting itself. Sugano asked Gu to say thanks to Jiang for the herbal medicines she had sent to him over years and wished her fast recovery from illness.
Sugano has been active in cultural exchanges between China and Japan. He works at a research institute for China-Japan relations. He frequently gives lectures at colleges and universities on China and its achievements. And he works as a relief worker and takes active part in sports. He is able to ski and play golf. He was a gold medalist at a swimming competition at Paralympics Games.
Gu’s wife Jiang Gefei passed away on November 3, 2005. Sugano made a special trip to Hangzhou to attend the memorial ceremony.
(Translated by David)