Friday, 9 February

Today is my fifty-sixth birthday. Xie Baoqiao invited me to have dinner at À L’Escalope Milanaise, 9 bis Blvd Montparnasse, 6eme, Paris. I went first to Paris with Kitty.  At noon, Duan Guanhai fetched me and Weng Wenhao to have lunch at the Embassy.  Duan Guanhai had invited us to have lunch: on the one hand it was for my birthday, on the other, it was for Kang Liwu. I could consider it also as a return visit to Kang Liwu. The tone, when Mr. Weng spoke, was not of one inclined towards the Chinese Communists. Duan Guanhai and Kang Liwu both felt that it was perhaps a rumor that Weng was going to join the CCP side. Kang Liwu said i) Chiang Kai-shek had completely broke up with Sun Liren. ii) The United States is gradually understanding Taiwan, and General MacArthur treats Taiwan particularly well. iii) Kang Liwu visited Britain because he wants to improve the Kuomintang’s relations with Britain.

After lunch, we talked for a while then I left to go shopping with Kitty at various shops. At six we went to Baoqiao’s place. He had asked Liang Lipun and Huang Qigong to eat dinner at eight. The restaurant had been started by Italians but it did not really live up to its reputation. After dinner, we went to Dumesil Café (Gare Montparnasse). At the café there was singing and various performances, which were very nice. It was not until twelve midnight before Huang Qigong accompanied us to return home.