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After our ten-minute break for tea between the two hours, I decided to put away the textbook, and ask them to read aloud their latest compositions, entitled “My Happiest Moment.” They all thought this was a very good idea, but no one wanted to read first. Finally I called on Teacher Xu. He shrugged his shoulders with resignation and began.

“My happiest moment. When I was a young man I attended a dance at night.We were all very excited about this dance. The music was being played, and the stars shone brightly. I saw a girl standing, and wanted to ask her to dance, but as I am shy and full of fear I did not dare! But then I did, and then we danced. I did not know her name. We did not talk, we only danced. We danced in circles, around and around, and the stars went around and around, and my cheek touched hers. The room disappeared, the other people disappeared, and I could only see the stars dancing around and around. After that, I did not see her ever again. I wonder where she is.”

The rest of the class clicked their tongues in mock disapproval of his romantic story and teased him, asking if he had shown his essay to his wife. Teacher Xu smiled faintly, shrugged again and said, “She cannot read English.”

I called on Teacher Cai, famed in our college for his beautiful wife, to read next.

“In the 1950's, many Russians come to our country. These so-called advisors. How terrible it was! They were not friendly as the Americans, dear Teacher Mark. No! They drove in large, black cars and would not be friends of common people like us. They were not happy to be in China, I think. They held big dances, drank vodka and danced with our Chinese girls, and often tried to kiss them! We hated the advisors very much, but at that time we cannot say this, we can only be silent.”

Everyone began to speak at once, confirming his account, but Teacher Cai said “Shhhh!” and continued. “One day there was a wonderful news – I was helping my wife to cooking the – the Leaders of our country told the Russian hegemonists to go home. When I heard this, I am sure this was my happiest moment.”

Fatty Du, beaming in memory of the Russians’ expulsion, volunteered to go next.

“Although I live in Changsha, I did not always live here. I was born in the eastern part of our country, in a little village. During the war it was terrible. We often had to run into the mountains to escape the Japanese soldiers. Many times our village was destroyed, and we were always filled with sorrow in our hearts. After 1945, the life of our village did not improve much. Everyone was very poor and the government of the Kuomintang was not helping the people. All of us felt hopeless. Then we began to hear about the liberation of villages by the Communists, and we were full of hope. When the Communists came and liberated our village, I remember our village welcoming the soldiers. How proud and strong they were! How gay and joyous we were! I remember that we found everything read in color, even pieces of paper, and held them in our hands to wave as the soldiers marched. Around my neck I wore a red piece of cloth. This was my happiest moment.”

Next I called on Teacher Zhang, known for his fear of Fatty Du. At first he declined to read; sitting sideways in his chair and shaking his head, he said he was a sad man and could not remember a happy moment. But his colleagues insisted that he had written an essay and coaxed him into reading it aloud.

“I love my parents and my brother and sister very much. I think of them every day. After I graduated from college I felt proudly and my family was happy for me. But then I received the news: I was assigned to Hunan Medical College. I am from Beijing, far away from here. Beijing is a wonderful place and Hunan is a terrible place.The weather and general situation is terrible.

“I tried to convince the Leaders to change it so I could stay with my family but it was impossible, and I must go where the Party sends me. When I got on the train, my whole family was at the station to meet me. I had so much to tell them, I had planned on the whole train ride all the stories I would tell them, but when I saw them, no words came out from my mouth. I only stood there and tears fell out of my eyes like rain. This was my happiest moment.”

Techer Zhu read last.

“My story is very common, because I am a very common man. In the winter of 1975 I traveled to Beijing. My relative in Beijing invited me to a restaurant famous for its Beijing duck. On a cold day we walked in the restaurant. Inside was warm and comfortable! We sat down and the banquet started . First we ate cold dishes, such as marinated pig stomach and sea slugs.Then we had steamed fish, then at last the duck arrived! The skin was brown and crisp and shiny, in my mouth it was like clouds disappearing. The sauces were various and delicious, and each piece of skin we put in a bing.”

–Teacher Mark, how do you say bing in English?”

"We call them pancakes."

“Pancakes. Each piece of skin we put in a ‘pancakes’ with sauce and scallions. Afterwards we had the duck meat with vegetables.After that we had duck bone soup and fruits.”

He seemed to be finished, but the he put his composition down and smiled sheepishly at me.

“Teacher Mark. I have to tell you something. Actually this story is true, but actually I have never been to Beijing. Can you guess? My wife went to Beijing and had this duck. But she often tells me about it again and again, and I think, even though I was not there, it is my happiest moment.”