Memories Worth Revisiting
About 828 wordsAbout 3 min
2023-04-02
Author: Zhu Anfeng
Website: https://zhuanfeng.netlify.app/
Jingde Football Memories Series
The Football Memories of Jingde series, originally published on QQ Zone around 2008, records the many small moments in which football accompanied me from childhood into adulthood, and shows how deeply the game shaped my life and relationships.
In Football Memories of Jingde (I), I look back on how my earliest interest in football was influenced by my mother. In third grade, after I kicked a basketball out of shape, I was scolded by her and did not touch football again until I moved into town for school.
Football Memories of Jingde (II) tells the story of my school years after moving into town. Although I became fascinated with arcade games, football memories still ran deep. In junior high, the school lacked proper sports facilities, so we kicked mineral-water bottles around as makeshift footballs. In high school, my classmates and I enjoyed the game as much as we could with very limited resources.
By Football Memories of Jingde (III), I was in my senior year of high school and had become deeply interested in both football and Winning Eleven. I remember the time spent gaming and playing football with classmates, as well as the competition and friendship between classes, especially our match against Class 1 and two especially gifted players, He Jinwei and Wang Zhengqiang.
In Football Memories of Jingde (IV), I describe Wang Zhengqiang's skill and personality. He was not much of a drinker, but he was superb on the pitch and a key figure in our football circle. I also write about the regret of never really getting the chance to play alongside him more deeply.
Finally, Football Memories of Jingde (V) is a heartfelt remembrance of Zhang Qipei, my friend of seventeen years. Football brought us together, and we shared many unforgettable years. I write there about his nickname, "Tractor," his unique style on the pitch, and the literary talent and sensitivity that left a lasting impression on me. He passed away on November 17, 2021, and that piece is written in his memory.
The whole series is not only about football, but also about youth, friendship, and growing up. Through football, I built deep bonds with my friends, and those memories became an indispensable part of our lives.
Scattered Sparks of Memory
These pieces record many scenes and reflections from student life through adulthood, revealing personal growth, friendship, a love of football, and a deeper way of thinking about life.
Memories of the 5460 China Alumni Directory: I revisit a message I left on the 5460 alumni site in 2000, one of the oldest traces of myself I can still find on the internet. It makes me reflect on how the online world has changed and how time has flowed by.
Football Memories of Anzi: Li Yu recalls the friendship we shared in college and our football experiences together. The piece captures my personality, playing style, and the joy of university life shaped by football.
The 2003 Peking University Graduation Farewell Match: Li Yu offers a detailed recollection of the CS99 team's farewell match in 2003, full of vivid moments from the game and the emotions among teammates. It stands as a symbol of youth and friendship as much as of football itself.
May Day Odds and Ends: A record of the small moments of my May Day holiday in 2008, including gatherings with friends, expectations for the future, and scattered details of ordinary life.
The Sea, Endless Drifting: Written on May 19, 2008, this piece reflects on a drifting life through the metaphor of travel, exploring uncertainty and the instability of the future.
Early Spring, 2009: A short reflection from March 9, 2009 on a new year, the future, and a quietly positive attitude toward life and growth.
Standing at the North Pole: Written on June 26, 2009, this piece uses the metaphor of standing at the North Pole to express confusion about direction in work and life, while still holding on.
My 2011: A reflection on the passing of time, on 2011, and on hopes for what comes next.
In the Tall Birch Forest, My Youth Wanders: A poetic remembrance of youth and wandering, full of nostalgia for the past and longing for the future.