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Yoko Sano returned to Beijing in May 2007 to look for her former residence
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Remember that beautiful white cat?
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Cover of The Cat Who Lived a Million Times
Time: 2:00 PM — 4:00 PM, May 27, 2007
Location: Room 2305, Capital Library, Beijing
Sponsor: Relay Press, Capital Library Red Mud Reading Club
Speakers: Yoko Sano, Tang Yaming
Main guests: Bai Bing, Huang Jiwei, Yang Suyin, Peng Yi, A Jia, Ikuko Ishikawa, Fuminori Nakanishi
Recording: Argentine Primera División
(Note: The following speeches by Yoko Sano and Ikuko Ishikawa were translated and relayed by Tang Yaming.)
Yoko Sano and Tang Yaming recite “The Cat Who Lived a Million Times.” (Click to listen, RM format)
Yoko Sano: Beijing is my hometown, I am a Beijinger! (Said in Chinese)
Tang Yaming: I just introduced it. Ms. Sano Yoko was born and raised in Beijing until she was seven years old, so she has a deep affection for the city. Eight years ago, she returned to Beijing for the first time in over 50 years. I accompanied her that time to look for her old house. This time, I returned to Beijing again to look for her old place, as well as to visit Shunyi County, where her father once worked and conducted research in the countryside.
Sano: I’m older than everyone here. Beijing has become a brand new city, but I know the old Beijing of the past. In my mind, Beijing is the most beautiful city in the world. I was incredibly happy to come to the new China, the brand new Beijing. Back then, although Beijing was incredibly beautiful, people often froze to death and beggars were found outside the Imperial City and at the doorsteps of shops. Now, these are gone. I’m incredibly happy. I love the new China, the new Beijing.
When I was a child, I lived in a courtyard house at No. 16, Koudai Hutong, Xicheng District. Playing in the courtyard, I would squat on the ground and look at the sky. It was square, so my memory of the sky has always been square. I loved Beijing so much that we would watch the moon on the 15th of every lunar month, and many people would gather at my house to watch the moon. The beauty of Beijing’s sky and moon from that time is something I will never forget.
My memory is very clear and vivid. I remember that water was very scarce in Beijing at the time. Every day, water sellers came to sell water in wooden barrels, carted to every household. One day, when I was a child, I was playing on the side of the road and pulled the cork out of the barrel. The water spilled out. The seller got angry and chased me, following me wherever I went. I was terrified. I remember it very clearly.
At that time, our Chinese neighbor had a duck, and it would often chase me in the alley. The duck’s beak was just at the height of my ear, so I was very scared when it chased me.
My childhood memories are all about Beijing, nothing else. Back then, my parents often took us to the Temple of Heaven. I remembered the roofs of the buildings there as green, but later, Tang Yaming said they weren’t, that they were blue or purple. I insisted they were green. Why the difference? I finally understood. One day, we went to the Temple of Heaven, and I discovered that the blue roofs actually looked green from below. My world was so low then. From a child’s perspective, the roofs of the Temple of Heaven looked green. If you don’t believe me, go and see. It’s green from below, blue from above.
Tang Yaming told me the correct color, thank you very much!
My father loved China dearly. He studied Chinese history in college and always wanted to visit. He came to China before the war. He joined the Manchurian Railway’s Research Department to learn about rural China, a career he devoted almost his entire life to. However, he passed away shortly after the war. For various reasons, I never made it to China. But I’ve always dreamed of visiting the rural areas of China where my father once worked.
This time, I was particularly eager to visit the rural area of those days. We made detailed preparations, gathering photos from that time, pictures of rural families, and all the information on everyone we had interviewed. We went to Shajing Village in Shunyi County. When we arrived, it was already a sea of buildings! But after some searching, we unexpectedly found the people my father had interviewed. Some of them were still alive. Someone who was 18 years old back then is now over 80 and still very much alive. We met two people who had seen my father back then, and also met an old woman with bound feet who had cooked for him back then. She was his 20-year-old daughter-in-law back then. I was deeply surprised and delighted to see them.
So I have a very deep affection for China, but it is a pity that I cannot speak Chinese. If I could speak Chinese, I would be Chinese now.
My son often says I’m very headstrong, that I always do what I want, no matter what anyone says. He says that the Japanese have the impression that Chinese people always act according to their own ideas. I don’t see this impression as a flaw at all; I think it’s a strength, so I’ve always followed my own path and done things my way.
Tang: Ms. Sano has created numerous excellent works. She is arguably one of Japan’s most celebrated picture book writers. Besides “The Cat Who Lived a Million Times,” she has many other excellent books. She is also one of Japan’s best-selling picture book authors. Let’s change the subject and ask her to talk about picture books and children’s literature. She is also an exceptional prose writer and has written numerous books for adults.
Sano: I’ve done a lot of work and created a lot of works in my life. From now on, I don’t want to create anymore. I want to rest and sleep well. Because Japanese people work too much. I want to enjoy life slowly.
Peng Yi: Let me start with a more relaxed question. In Shanghai, there was a two-year-old child who seemed barely able to speak. He could only say “no, no, no,” meaning “no.” He had been reading this picture book (“The Cat Who Lived a Million Times”). One day, he turned to this page (the one with the close-up of the white cat) with his mother, and asked her to speak. Then he turned to the next page, and he started saying “no, no, no, no,” (turning another page), “no, no, no, no.” Do you understand what I mean? Look, on this page, the white cat has whiskers, but after the white cat and the black cat successfully marry, the white cat loses its whiskers. They wondered if the white cat became gentler after the marriage and lost its whiskers? But if you look closely, you see, the whiskers are back! But when it dies, it’s whiskerless. I know that children are more gifted at reading picture books than adults. But I’d like to ask Mr. Sano, has anyone in Japan noticed this? And what exactly is going on? We know that the book “Little Mouse’s Vest” had a flaw: the artist forgot to add whiskers, leaving the cat missing from the front and back. Later, this mistake became a famous one, but I’d like to ask, why doesn’t the white cat have whiskers? Is it because after marriage, when white cats find love, they become more gentle?
Sano: Shortly after the book was published in Japan, some children pointed out the lack of a beard. But honestly, I didn’t notice it, nor did the editor, and no adults noticed. By the time anyone noticed, it was too late. This child is incredibly bright and more observant than adults. I believe the child I mentioned will surely become a genius. So, just as there are no perfect people, no work is perfect. I’m truly sorry!
Peng Yi: So this has become a famous mistake—or rather, a famous act of tenderness! I have another question. I often give picture book presentations across the country. A few days ago, when I was giving a talk on this picture book in Hangzhou, I told everyone: Married women, make sure your husband reads this book to you in front of you! I originally meant it as a joke, but there was actually a university professor, a very beautiful woman, who had her husband read the book aloud in front of her. After the reading, she sent me a text message saying, “My husband never reads, let alone picture books, but he cried after reading this book. He was so moved.” She said, “Picture books really do have such tremendous power.” I’d like to ask, are there any married women in Japan who have their husbands read this book to them?
Sano: I’m sorry, I don’t know if there is (laughs)… But I heard that lovers often give each other this book as a gift.
Ajia: I’m Ajia from Hongniba. I was so happy to hear you were coming to Beijing. I told my daughter, who’s seven years old, that the artist who painted “The Cat Who Lived a Million Times” is coming to Beijing. She’s here today too. She asked, “What did the artist look like?” I think many of us, after reading this book, are very curious about this question. In my mind, Yoko Sano is a woman as beautiful as that gorgeous white cat. Isn’t that right? (Yoko Sano smiles and says, “I’m so sorry!”) This question concerns my daughter. I’ve read about your life. You left Beijing around the age of seven, right? That’s about the age my daughter is now. And after reading your work, I’ve been wondering: to what extent do childhood memories influence the creation of children’s literature, especially picture books? Or, for you, how much influence do these childhood memories have on your creative process? We are also here today with some Chinese writers and painters who are creating picture books. I also hope you can introduce what we should do if we want to create the best works. Thank you!
Sano: I don’t have many brilliant theories to share or teach others; I’m not qualified to do so. Furthermore, I don’t know how or why these memories and experiences from my childhood directly influence my work. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. However, I can only say that I pour everything in my life into my work, burning with it. I believe that people don’t live to work, but work to live. You could say I had a very happy childhood, or you could say I had a very unhappy one. Both have influenced me. Everyone has different experiences, and life is unique. As long as you live and work with all your might and dedication, it will be meaningful. No one is exactly the same. No matter what life you find yourself in, you are different, and every difference has value.
A‑League: I find your memories of your childhood in Beijing so beautiful. Do you plan to express these memories in the form of a picture book? Is there an opportunity for us to enjoy such a work?
Sano: I’m currently thinking of writing what will be my final book. It’s about the square sky I saw as a child in my Beijing courtyard house. It’s about finally stepping out of the courtyard for the first time and seeing the outside world. I want to capture that feeling in picture book form.
Ikuko Ishikawa: I’m Ishikawa from the Beijing office of Baiyangshe and Beijing Poplar Company. Poplar has also published books by Ms. Sano. I’ve loved her picture books since I was a child, like “My Hat.” Ms. Sano’s books often feature cats, but I’ve heard she says she doesn’t like cats. Is that true?
Sano: The book “My Hat” that Ms. Ishikawa mentioned earlier hasn’t been translated and published in China yet, but it’s actually based on the childhood memories of my brother and I playing at the Beijing Zoo. Based on photos from those days, it’s a very important work for me, and I hope it can be translated and published in China. You also asked about cats. Nowadays, everyone calls me a cat painter, but that’s mainly because my cat paintings sell well. If I had painted dogs back then, everyone would have called me a dog painter. Honestly, I don’t like cats, but why do I paint them even though I don’t like them? Because I think cats are easier to draw than dogs. I’m not a good dog painter, so I just paint cats. It’s simple.
Ishikawa: Ms. Sano’s answer just now was very humorous and modest. She may not have directly addressed her situation, but I really like her way of speaking. I know her works contain many messages for children, which can be interpreted from many perspectives. She also illustrated many books about elderly women. Sometimes these women seem a bit domineering and annoying, but they are also very human and interesting. After reading these books, I can’t let them go, and I keep thinking about them. Both children and adults can gain deep feelings from them. Picture book publishing in China may be just beginning, and many authors are creating excellent books for children. So, I’d like to ask, when you draw books, do you think about children or adults? I’d really like to hear your insights from a writer’s perspective and from a creative standpoint.
Sano: All of my children’s picture books are designed for children, never for adults. While many adults have been moved by them and praised them, I didn’t create them for adults simply to impress them. That’s never been the case. For example, some people say that children can’t understand the illustrations in our work, but adults can. However, I can say that, like reading Grimm’s Fairy Tales, there are many stories and plots in them that I still don’t understand. For example, why the frog turned into a prince, and why the princess married the frog prince—I still don’t understand why. Just because “children don’t understand” doesn’t mean it’s not a children’s book. If children don’t understand, adults don’t understand either. It doesn’t mean that books that children don’t understand are suitable for adults. Children’s books shouldn’t be judged by that standard.
Bai Bing: I had a long conversation with Mr. Sano the night before yesterday, so I don’t have any questions myself today. We have many children’s literature writers and illustrators here today, and I’d like to ask a question on their behalf. Mr. Sano, for children’s literature writers, if we want to create a masterpiece like “The Cat Who Lived a Million Times,” what preparations should we make? Or, in other words, what areas should we focus on? Also, could you please share a few words with young Chinese children’s literature writers?
Sano: The era I lived in is different from the present. I had my past, and today’s young people have their own. I hope Chinese painters don’t just repeat our work, but instead create newer, more challenging works. I’m a person of the past, and I hope young artists will create new works that will be loved by Chinese children.
Reader 1: I have two questions. I’m an elementary school teacher, and I’d like to ask a question about the book first. Teacher Peng Yi just asked about whiskers, and I just saw a question about eyes. In the book, when the cat transforms into a wildcat, its eyes are green. What’s the special meaning of this? Everything else is blue, and yes, the cover is green.
Sano: Because a cat’s eye color changes depending on the light, time, day or night.
Reader 1: Children’s Day is coming soon. I would like to ask Mr. Sano to say a few words and give some advice to Chinese children.
Sano: I’ve had a lot of complaints and concerns about Japanese children in Japan. But when I see Chinese children on the streets and in various situations, I feel there’s nothing to worry about. They’re very happy and well-educated, so I hope Chinese children can grow up healthier. That’s what I say.
Reader 2: Hello, Mr. Sano! I just finished reading your book this afternoon. It felt like a novel, with vivid characters and a richly complex plot. I felt like there was so much to it, like watching a person grow from childhood to youth and then to old age. You mentioned that your picture books are written for children. I’d like to know, roughly what age group do you write for? Also, was there a direct inspiration for each of these books? For example, you mentioned that the inspiration for “My Hat” came from seeing a photo at the zoo. Was there a direct source of inspiration for this work?
Sano: Let’s answer the first question first. What age group would you say this book is intended for? Anyway, I think the concept of “designed for a certain age group” is wrong. Every child is different, with different upbringings, physical conditions, and so on. They all experience things differently, so I don’t think the concept of “designed for a certain age group” is correct.
I wrote this book when my children were still young. I’d always keep a pen and paper by my pillow, jotting down any inspiration I had. Then one day, the idea of a cat that survived a million attempts suddenly popped into my head, and I wrote the entire story down to the end. It was a seamless book. So, I’m a genius, too.
Reader 3: Hello, Mr. Sano. I’m a reporter for Publisher magazine, and I have a question for you. I read your book many years ago, and my first impression was, “How wonderful it would be if I could find the love of my life.” I’d like to ask you, have you found love? My second question is, I’ve also read your books “Five-Year-Old Grandma Goes Fishing” and “Grandpa’s Umbrella,” which depict the mindsets of many elderly people—some very endearing, some annoying, yet endearing. I wonder if you share the same confusion and reflections on aging. Finally, could you briefly introduce the artists and schools of thought that have influenced your artistic development?
Sano: Because love is often like this: when you first fall in love, you think it’s real love, but after three years, you realize it’s not. In that sense, I’ve experienced true love many times in my life. I only now understand that this book actually reflects a wish of mine—a personal wish.
When I wrote the book about the grandmother, I was actually in my 30s, and it reflects my thoughts at the time. But now that I’m truly elderly, I wonder why young people don’t understand the feelings of the elderly. Why are they so unreasonable? Why do they have such different ideas? The elderly I created back then were actually very idealistic images of the elderly. But after becoming an elderly myself, I realized that ideals and reality are often different. So, please respect the elderly and let them enjoy a good old age.
(Regarding the third question) I can honestly say that I haven’t been influenced by anyone. Perhaps this statement might come across as arrogance. In fact, some people have said that I don’t have the ability to be influenced by others. I don’t know whether this is good or bad, but the truth is, I haven’t been influenced by anyone. I haven’t been influenced by anyone.
Reader 4: I would like to ask Mr. Sano, who was your first reader? What were his feelings and reactions?
Sano: My book’s first reader was an editor, who gave it a very negative review. And initially, it didn’t sell at all. (Note: The book did sell only 5,000 copies in its first 10 years, and after 10 years, it was reprinted in batches of 50,000 copies each time.)
Reader 5: Hello, Mr. Sano! Besides “The Cat Who Lived a Million Times,” you have many other works. Do you have an overall evaluation of them now? Are you generally satisfied with them, or do you feel a little dissatisfied?
Sano: After I finish illustrating a book, I usually feel embarrassed and don’t want to read it again. Therefore, I usually don’t read the books that have been published.
Reader 6: I’ve heard that children’s literature writers all have a child in their hearts, a child who never grows up, and they create for this child. But children in real life face many challenges, and in real life, they encounter many things. So, do you deliberately protect the child in your heart, or do you let nature take its course and let things happen naturally?
Sano: I believe that people can never become someone else, or anything else. That’s how I feel about my own child. I’ve raised him, but I still don’t understand him, and I still can’t make him me. So, everyone has their own childhood, their own childhood, something only they can understand and possess. I’m not a kindergarten teacher, and I don’t often observe children, but in my heart, I do have my own child, my own little child.
2007–5‑28 sorted
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Taking a photo with a happy little reader
