Countercurrent 1978 starts with the production team

The traditional concept of Chinese people is to return to their roots after falling leaves, especially when those who went to Taiwan are now older, this concept is even stronger.

Because the relationship was relatively tense before and communication was almost cut off, many people could only look at each other across the river even if they thought about it again.

As soon as the Mainland opened its policies, some people began to think about looking for and visiting relatives.

As early as last year, the "Message to Compatriots" was released, and the two sides finally began to normalize exchanges. At least business exchanges have gradually increased. This is a good start.

Hearing that Zhao Shizong came here for this reason, Chu Jianghe nodded and sighed: "It's been more than 30 years, I'm afraid things have changed and people have changed."

I remember Li Ao wrote this in "No. 70 Three Martyrs": The vast majority of them are farmers. They are hard-working, simple, loyal, and ignorant. They love the country, their mothers, their children and puppies, and the growing rice fields and wheat ears. ... Some of them went to the street to buy groceries and never returned; some were pulled out of bed on their wedding night. Since then, I have been far away from everything that belongs to me...

Many of them had a dream of returning home, and there was a mantra at that time: When you are alive, you are a wanderer, but when you die, you cannot be a wandering soul. You must go home when you are alive, and you must go home when you die.

In just 30 years, due to the changes in the world, their hometown may be completely different from the hometown they imagined. Many people in their hometown may have died like this.

For many years the foreign land has been like my homeland, and for a long time the foreign land has become my hometown.

When restrictions were truly relaxed, only a few of them would actually return to their homeland.

They shouldn't be in a foreign land, but they were forced to stay away from their homeland. Now they have the opportunity to return to their homeland, but they find that their homeland no longer has a place for them, and they can only stay in a foreign land.

Zhao Shizong also nodded heavily: "Yes, for 30 years, how many people have been isolated from their families due to historical reasons, without even a letter. It's just that blood is thicker than water. No matter what, this relationship cannot be broken. This is not I heard that the policy was beginning to be loosened, so I immediately went to my father’s head, hoping that my father would come forward to communicate with the mainland and get some information first.”

Chu Jianghe understood this very well. If people from the mainland had relations with Taiwan in the early years, they would definitely be implicated.

For so many years, the connection between Taiwan and the mainland has basically relied on Hong Kong Island.

"What's the relationship between the other party and Director Zhao? He's so interested in it that you even take action?"

"I can't tell you exactly. They are a clan member of our family, but the relationship is a bit distant and we don't have much contact with them."

"Oh." Hearing that the relationship was like this, Chu Jianghe didn't ask any more questions. It was not easy to get this person to take action. He just said, "Then you should be more careful. With comrades from the Overseas Chinese Federation here, this matter should not be a problem for you."

If Director Zhao is asked to come forward, the other party may not dare to face his hometown directly, because he is afraid that he will not be able to bear the bad news when the time comes.

"It's natural. I came in person without even looking. This in itself shows that my father attaches great importance to this matter."

Zhao Shizong still wanted to show off in front of his father, so he took the initiative to come to the mainland this time.

"Brother Chu, this is my first time coming to the mainland. How will you, the host, arrange this?"

Thinking of Mr. Zhao's hobbies, Chu Jianghe laughed dumbly: "Arrangement? How do you want me to arrange it?"

Zhao Shizong looked indifferent: "Of course it's a matter of course."

"Okay, how about I accompany you wherever you want to go?"

Zhao Shizong smiled slightly and was very satisfied with Chu Jianghe's attitude: "That's pretty much it. As for sightseeing, you don't have to worry about it. The staff of the Overseas Chinese Federation have already made arrangements. I'll tell them when the time comes, and you can just go with me." . I will also take a look at your collection when the time comes, so don’t be stingy."

Zhao Shizong has long been salivating over Chu Jianghe's collection.

I remember when I met this brother Chu, he told me that he only brought a Yuanqinghua piece in his hurry this time.

This time he wanted to see for himself how rich this old man Chu's collection was.

Chu Jianghe smiled freely and agreed: "Okay, just don't be dazzled by the time."

Next, the two of them talked for a while and had dinner together in the company of the Overseas Chinese Federation.

After dinner, Chu Jianghe was about to leave. Today, he was disturbed by Zhao Shizong, and he didn't go to class well today. He had to ask for leave in the next few days to accompany him around.

Before leaving, Chu Jianghe suddenly remembered something, followed Zhao Shizong back to the room, and finally returned to school with a bulging bag of things.

When they returned to the dormitory, Wang Jianye and the others were still asleep. After spending such a long time together, they had become as close as brothers.

Seeing Chu Jianghe coming back so late, Wang Jianye couldn't help but ask: "Jiang He, you came back so late, what's going on?"

Feng Yuhui and Sun Xiangdong also looked at him with concern. When Chu Jianghe went out in the afternoon, he didn't tell them the reason. They only knew that he was called out by someone from the Overseas Chinese Federation.

Facing the confused looks of several people, Chu Jianghe didn't explain too much. He threw the leather bag he was carrying on the table. After opening the bag, he took out wads of gray-black banknotes.

Chu Jianghe threw a bunch to each of them and said nonchalantly: "If you need anything, just buy it."

Wang Jianye and the others took the banknote and were a little surprised to see that the denomination was 100. The largest denomination they usually dealt with was Unity, which was 10 yuan a piece. This was their first time with a 100 yuan banknote. See.

Wang Jianye is worthy of being a native of Beijing and well-informed. After looking at the banknotes in his hand for a while, he suddenly exclaimed: "Jianghe?! Is this a foreign exchange coupon?!"

Feng Yuhui and Sun Xiangdong had also heard of the name of foreign exchange coupons. After hearing Wang Jianye call out the name of foreign exchange coupons, they looked at the banknotes in their hands with surprise.

Is this a foreign exchange coupon?

Foreign exchange coupons are a product of a special period. Due to the existence of foreign exchange controls in the mainland, the number of foreigners visiting China and returning overseas Chinese is increasing day by day. However, the foreign exchange in their hands is of all kinds, and the circulation in the mainland is prohibited.

So on April 1980, 4, the mainland began to issue foreign exchange coupons.

In the early days of reform and opening up, daily necessities were supplied in rationed quantities and had to be purchased with tickets.

Therefore, in order to meet the needs of foreigners coming to China and returned overseas Chinese, a number of hotels and shops were built in the mainland.

In order to facilitate the consumption of these foreigners and overseas Chinese, and to distinguish them from domestic residents, the state issued foreign exchange coupons.

Foreigners must exchange their foreign currencies into foreign exchange coupons, which can be used with the same value as RMB within a specified range.

At that time, people who owned foreign exchange certificates were even more powerful than those who owned RMB!

Because it has "privileges". Foreign exchange coupons can be directly exchanged for U.S. dollars and can also be used to buy items in short supply.

In the 80s, not just ordinary people could enter the Friendship Store and Overseas Chinese Store. Foreign exchange coupons were the only currency in circulation here, and they served as a passport.

In the store, you can buy grain and oil in unlimited quantities, as well as the most fashionable clothes, shoes, cosmetics, and even imported goods such as various home appliances, Marlboro cigarettes, and Swiss watches.

For example, in the 80s, refrigerators were definitely in short supply, but they were lined up in the Friendship Store, and you could buy them as long as you had foreign exchange coupons.

Some people even say: If money could talk, the voice of foreign exchange certificates would be 50% louder than that of RMB.

Indeed, according to the exchange rate at that time, the actual value of a foreign exchange certificate equivalent to the RMB was twice that of the RMB.