Stockowners Club—Lai Qingsong

Down to the Fields

【Yaru】We went to Uncle Lai Qingsong’s field, and played a game for an hour; we had to see who could get to the opposite side in order to win. When we first went in a field, the bottom of our feet felt prickly and painful, and our feet would sink down! I don't know how many channeled apple snails we stomped to death. Although we felt bad for them, we nevertheless were getting rid of pests for the people. When we climbed out of the field, the bottom of our feet were stained with mud. The first time I went to a field, my heart was filled with a type of inexpressible joy. Uncle Lai Qingsong told us to use three sentences to describe our feelings about going to a field. When I was thinking and writing, I suddenly smelled gusts of aromas; it turned out to be the mild aroma of red rice tea. Some say it is aromatic and sweet, some say it is both sweet and bitter; it is apparent that personal feelings and views are all different. After everyone finished writing and reading their thoughts out loud, Uncle Lai gave each of us a bag of red rice tea to encourage us.

【Hancheng】Uncle Lai Qingsong let us play a game, to see who could get to the other side of the field the fastest through the mud. Also, I felt that there were many forms of life in the field; it was like a “Museum of Water Life.” Next time we will certainly have to experience the field and look around again. And this completion was really fun….

【Weiman】Walking, walking, we came to a field. Uncle Lai said to compete with one another to see who could walk the fasted through the field. All of us started trudging, but then discovered that the mud was very sticky and contained many channeled apple snails that were gleaming black. When we stepped on them, we felt pain in the bottom of our feet like a pricking; as a result, I finished in last place.

【Xinui】We went to a field to play. The first time arriving at a field, I felt my feet sink down very deeply; soon I could not lift them up. The bottoms of my feet were filled with mud, so when stepping on them, I felt like I was walking on the tops of clouds, soft and cotton-like. I enjoyed feelings of happiness and delight that I had never felt before. Our footprints were stamped on the mud, as well as our tracks and the sounds of our noisy playing. This is something that I will never forget!

【Zuyuan】First of all, our teacher explained many interesting things about the season of lying fallow and cultivating rice; later on our teacher wanted us to experience the feeling of actually going to a field. The first time we went, the mud on our feet made us uncomfortable. Also, the channeled apple snails with black bodies made us dodge left and right, fearing that in a moment of carelessness we would step on them. After circling back to our teacher Lai Qingsong, he invited us to drink a cup of red rice tea. It tasted pleasant, with a type of indescribably sweet flavor!! When we were taking a break, our teacher Lai Qingsong wanted all of us to write several lines about our feelings being in the field. After we finished writing, our teacher Lai Qingsong presented each of us with a bag of “Qingsong Rice.” The muddy field, combined with my memories, made this an experience I will never forget for my entire life.

【Yaosheng】Next we went to the field that is being worked by Uncle Lai. Uncle Lai suggested that we go down to the field and play a bit. While there, he grabbed several channeled apple snails and let us look at them. Then he said to us, “Let’s see how long it will take to come across the field from the other side.” When it was my turn I charged ahead with all my strength, but almost slipped in the mud. I also felt like I had stepped on snails when I had run across the field; could it be that I was a murder of snails? I treated them poorly. Later on when resting in a pavilion, Uncle Lai told us all to write a few lines about our feelings of being in the field a few moments ago. He also brewed red rice tea for us to drink. It tasted pleasant and sweet. Uncle Lai told us that the red rice in this red rice tea had to be fried for an hour and a half before brewing. After writing and reading our lines to Uncle Lai, he presented each of us with a bag of rice in order to encourage us.