Chinese Writer Wang Meng

I found the following excerpts by Chinese writer and former Culture Minister Wang Meng (王蒙) in his book 我是王蒙 (or I am Wang Meng) truly inspirational.

"我写作，因为我爱生活。我叹息一切美好的瞬间的短促，只有文学才能使美好的瞬间与永恒连接起来。”

"I write, because I love life. I sigh at the momentary briefness of everything that is good and beautiful. Only literature is capable of joining good and beautiful moments together with eternity."

“至少我有理由指望，我的作品会比我自己更长久。我已经不在的时候，也许有一个青年会为我的某一篇散文而微笑，也许有一个少女会为我的某一篇诗歌而动容，也许有一位长者会为我的某一篇小说而煎熬。单是这样想一想已经够让人激动的了。”

"At least I have reasons to believe that my works will last longer than myself. When I am not around, perhaps a young man will smile after reading one of my prose. Perhaps a young girl might be moved after reading one of my poems. Or perhaps an elderly will put up with the difficulties and hardships in life after reading one of my novels. Just thinking of these is enough to excite me."

“文学是一种快乐。文学是一种疾病。文学是一种手段。文学是一种交际。文学是一段浪漫。文学是一种冒险。文学是一种休息。文学是上帝。文学是奴婢。文学是天使。文学是娼妓。文学是鲜艳的花朵。文学是一剂不治病的药。文学是一锅稀粥。文学什么都是也什么都不是。”

"Literature is a form of happiness. Literature is a form of illness. Literature is a type of tactic. Literature is a type of socializing. Literature is a period of romance. Literature is a form of adventure. Literature is a type of recreation. Literature is God. Literature is a slave girl. Literature is an angel. Literature is a prostitute. Literature is a bright flower. Literature is a type of medicine that does not cure diseases. Literature is a pot of porridge. Literature is everything, and yet is nothing."