Since I left China 25 years ago, this is the first Mid-autumn Festival that I got to spend in China, and with my mom and brother. At the close of the "Cultural Revolution" headed by Mao and his "Gang of Four", there was one "Mid-autumn Festival" when "moon cakes" were taken off store shelves because the festival was labeled as an "old tradition". After Mao died and his gang arrested, the tradition was restored, but moon cakes were in short supply one year when I had to use one of my student connections to buy one set of moon cakes.

That, of course, is history. Mid-autumn Festival is now a national holiday, and moon cakes are abundant. We received three boxed sets as gifts, all beautifully made and laboriously packaged. To mark the day, we--mother, brother and me, sat down to play the "competing for cakes", or Bo Bing, game, and threw our dices. But it was quiet elsewhere, except loud firecrackers early morning (5 AM) and late night (11 PM) heard over the balcony. They must have come from nearby villages where there is no noise ordinance in existence.

Or even there is one (noise ordinance), there is nobody to enforce it. Sewage flows freely into a nearby small river and turns it into a swelling and smelling water reservoir. Along the banks of Nine Dragon River, pipes sent pungent untreated sewage directly into the river. Streets are overcrowded and are in disrepair. People smoke too much, cough a lot, and spit often. It may take another 25 years or so to see real improvement in infrastructure and quality of life. Outside the elementary school I attended 60 years ago, I see and hear school kids ever so often. I even heard a group of youngsters shouting, in English, "WiFi", "WiFi", as they sped by. Their youthful faces and their accented Mandarin often made me smile, connect and wonder. In them, I see hope.

Yesterday (9-23-2013) I took another trip to the banks of the Nine Dragon River, this time toward the east, where the river would eventually join the sea. The river is now as crowded as the streets, almost to the point of choking for life, with garbage everywhere and boats covering the waters. In one section of the bank, there were nine tall stone pillars overlooking the river, each bearing a dragon. They all looked awesome and condescending, the opposite of people resting on the benches below them. Most people of this small town look unassuming and unassertive. They are contented with any progress in their life, from a bike to a motorbike, from two-room to three-room, and an addition of a toilet. They are patient, and they will wait, for another 25 years or more.

出国25年来，这是第一次在中国，而且跟妈妈弟弟一道过中秋。老毛和他的四人帮在政时，有一年的中秋节整个石码街都没有中秋饼卖，因为中秋节被说成是旧传统。老毛死后，四人帮倒后，中秋饼没有人为的禁，但有一年供不应求，我只好请学生帮忙去买了一盒。

现在，中秋节已经成了法定假日，中秋饼也到处都是了。我们今年收到的礼就包括三套中秋饼，都做得极好而且包装得很精致。我和妈妈弟弟还坐下来掷骰子 玩博饼。四周到没有什么动静，除了很早（五点）和很晚（十一点）从阳台外传来的炮仗巨响。问了问，弟弟说是附近的村落。市民不许做的，他们可以。

或许也不可以，但没有人去管或管得着。我们老家附近的一条小河，我小时候是可以下去玩水的。现在是垃圾杂物堆积，臭味熏天。在江畔散步，到处可见污水直接排入九龙江。这里的街道拥挤，路面残破。人们到处抽烟、咳嗽、吐痰。或许，还得再过25年才能看到基础设施和生活品质的真正改善。我的老家附近是一所小学。六十年前我读书时叫西湖，后来改称实小。我现在几乎天天见到这些小学弟小学妹们，熙熙攘攘，蹦蹦跳跳，操着带石码口音的普通话。那一天还听到两三个小孩用英语边喊WiFi （无线网络）边飞车而过。看到他们，看着他们，我看到希望。

昨天（2013年9月23日），我又往九龙江畔走了一趟。这一回往东，往厦门那个方向。九龙江水比以前更浑浊了。垃圾到处可见，大小船只布满了江面。2007年回国看到了江上新添的跨江大桥。今年看到了新添的“九龙柱”。每根石柱雕了一条龙，居高临下，气势威武。“九龙柱”下方的条椅上坐着一些市民。他们是我所熟悉的石码人：安分、谦恭。他们为每一个进步而高兴：脚踏车换电动车，两房换三房，或许再加个厕所。对他们来说，再等25年的耐心是有的。

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(will switch to part 8 of China Trip in 20 minutes; 二十分钟后自动转到 燕南故国行第八集)