2009-04-29

Who cares ...

甚矣吾衰矣!悵平生、交游零落,只今餘幾?
白髮空垂三千丈,一笑人間萬事,問何物能令公喜?
我見青山多嫵媚,料青山見我應如是。

情與貌,略相似。
一尊搔首東窗裡,想淵明『停雲』詩就,此時風味。
江左沈酣求名者,豈識濁醪妙理!

回首叫雲飛風起。
不恨古人吾不見,恨古人不見吾狂耳。
知我者,二三子。

摘自『辛棄疾‧賀新郎』

辛棄疾寫此詞時已五十九歲,又謫居多年,故交零落,因此發出這樣的慨嘆,敘自己徒傷老大而一事無成,又找不到稱心朋友,道出了世態與此時的落寞,只好將深情傾注於自然,不僅覺得青山「嫵媚」,而且覺得似乎青山也以詞人為「嫵媚」了。情、貌,二者有許多相似之處,人與青山互觀互賞,互猜互解。既然在人世找不到知音,或者,青山能洞悉詩人的心事吧。情與青山相比,自己寧願落寞,決不與奸人同流合污的高潔之志。用以想像陶淵明當年詩成時的風味,意在以陶自況,實際是諷刺南宋已無陶淵明式的飲酒高士,而只有一些醉生夢死的統治者,既然自己把一切看透,曲高和寡又有什麼可在乎的呢?寂寞只是人生際遇的一種,若能及時自我開解,也就無所謂寂寞了。辛棄疾慨嘆當時志同道合的朋友不多,而他的閒居鉛山,與陶淵明居「南山」之情境也多少有點類似,只要有二、三子能知我心也就夠了。

又或者只需想像著『驀然回首,那人卻在燈火闌珊處』也已不錯:



青玉案 - 元夕(辛棄疾‧宋)

Thousand trees release blossoms in the east wind
As fireworks soar, explode and fall like rain

Majestic horses and ornate carriages leave a fragrant path east
Phoenix plays the flute in the light breeze
As the pod of jade illumines under full moon
Fish-dragon lanterns dancing in the night

Women adorned like caterpillars weaving gold threads in the snowy willow
Laughter fills the darkness and the gloom fades

Desperately trying to seek my love in the endless crowd
When I suddenly turn around
And found that the one was there
Flickering in the coral hued lanterns fade
  

2009-04-24

The Excalibur

King Arthur's history and legend is intimately linked to the magic and mysterious sword Excalibur. As Merling the wizard and the protector of Arthur, has proclaimed, only the one able to put the sword out of the stone would be the king. Arthur, knelt in front of the stone fulfilled this deed, took the sword, went with it to the cathedral and offered it in the altar. Arthur was anointed with the Sacred Oil and in presence of all the barons and common people, he solemnly swore to be a loyal king and to defend Truth and Justice all the days of his life.

King Arthur was guided by Merlin and the sword. Excalibur brought a new rule to Britain. Arthur won twelve great battles and brought twelve years of peace to Britain. Arthur had a round table to seat over 150 knights in his castle - Camelot. The table was made of very valuable wood and magic. It was created by Merlin as a wedding present when Arthur married Guinevere. There are rumors that said that Merlin enchanted the table to make it invincible when Arthur was alive. The round table was a majestic and powerful table. With the knights of the round table, King Arthur had many adventures. But eventually, he was mortally wounded in a rebellion led by his nephew Mordred.



When King Arthur approaching death, he asked Sir Bedivere to return the Excalibur to Lady of the Lake who was the owner of the sword. Nonetheless, Bedivere believed the sword was too precious to throw into a lake so he only pretended to discard the sword into the lake. When he returned to King Arthur, Arthur asked him what he saw when he tossed the sword into the lake. He replied that the sword just vanished under the water. He did this on two occasions and King Arthur reprimanded him both times and ordered him to the lake with Excalibur the third time. This time, Bedivere listened to the wish of King Arthur and tossed Excalibur into the lake. A hand belonging to the Lady of the Lake came from the depths of the lake, grabbed the sword and pulled it under. King Arthur then passed away.

總感覺 King Arthur 在臨死前,會有著袁崇煥這首詩的感慨:

戰守逶迤不自由,偏因勝地重深愁。
榮華我已知莊夢,忠憤人將謂杞憂。
邊釁久開終是定,室戈方操幾時休?
片雲孤月應腸斷,樁樹凋零又一秋。

摘自《袁崇煥.偕諸將遊海島》

是戰是守的方略苦受朝廷牽制,不能自由,見到大好河山,更加深了憂愁。對榮華富貴我早已看得極淡,滿腔忠憤,卻只怕別人要說是杞人憂天。外敵的侵犯最後總是能平定的,但朝廷中爭權奪利的鬥爭卻實是大患,不知幾時方能停止?看到天上浮雲,冷清清的月亮,又想到我父親逝世,傷心得腸也要斷了。
  

2009-04-18

A Secular Religion ...

It's not what they don't know that hurts them.
It is what they know that just ain't so.


Anonymous

A book that was written in 1841 by Charles Mackay. Titled Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, it remains a worthwhile chronicle – at least through the mid-nineteenth century – of some of the consequences of mankind’s periodic collapses into mass-mindedness. If Mackay was around today, he would be able to devote a chapter to the emergence of the latest secular religion: Environmentalism.

It is a common mistake for people to assume that religious faith and fervor are qualities to be found only within institutionally-structured churches with formal doctrines and rituals. They are to be found, in varying degrees, within all belief systems, be they secular or theistic in nature. The polar opposite philosophies of Marxism and Ayn Rand’s Objectivism – both of which openly condemned traditional religion – are, themselves, grounded in a faith in various central propositions. True-believers of these doctrines who voiced doubt as to any of the underlying premises, have been subjected to purges as enthusiastically conducted as medieval trials for heresy.

Perhaps it is the engineer-side of me that insists upon people presenting evidence for their allegedly empirical statements. Using such a standard has led me to conclude that the Earth is, indeed, currently undergoing global warming; and that it has undergone fluctuations between periods of “cooling” and “warming” since long before humans appeared on the planet. Indeed, astronomers report that other planets – particularly Mars – are experiencing similar climate changes as those of Earth. Unless the apostles of the global warming orthodoxy are prepared to lay the blame for Mars’ increased temperatures and melting ice caps on a transmigration of human-generated entropic wastes, factual evidence would suggest looking beyond Earth, itself, for explanations.

The study of “chaos” and complexity also reminds that complex systems are influenced by far too many variables of unknown and incalculable factors to permit reliable predictions. Nowhere is this more evident than in efforts to predict local weather. Indeed, the study of chaos was precipitated when MIT professor, Edward Lorenz, used computers to experiment with weather forecasting in the early 1960s. Lorenz discovered what all of us who have tried to make long-term plans for picnics have learned: predicting the weather is quite unreliable beyond two to three days time. There are simply too many unknown and unknowable factors influencing the weather.

The religious nature of the global warming cult also finds expression in the purchase of “carbon offsets,” with which to compensate for excessive CO2 production. This practice has been likened, by some, to the medieval church practice of selling “indulgences.” And like many other religions, this emerging sect has its own version of an apocalypse, with mankind facing a cosmic cataclysm unless we humans end our sinful ways and embrace the secular theology.



現今的左翼環保運動,便集合了一切宗教的元素﹕環保團體變成了可以預言「生態大災難」的「先知」,宣揚以電腦模擬推算出來的「全球暖化」末日論,個人消費行被視為「破壞大自然的原罪」,「救贖」的方法則是透過政府的干預和禁制,「淨化」我們的浪費習慣,為下一代 (來世) 創造一個「大自然伊甸園」。更往往會狂妄自大到荒謬的地步﹕例如認為人類的力量可以「拯救全球氣候變化」,把氣溫變化「控制在攝氏兩度之內」﹔他們更不相信自然界的災害是「上帝的意旨」(Act of God),於是把風暴、乾旱、水浸等天災通通歸咎於人們「不環保」的消費行為。在這種教義之下,人類反而變成了一種令「地球先生」生病的病毒。

話說回來,上帝是否信得過?這的確不能以科學解釋,不過,歷史經驗卻告訴我們,一個沒有上帝的社會,往往會變成一個「大政府幻覺」的温床,培養出大批迷信政府干預的信徒。這些「大政府」信徒亦不會像上帝般仁慈,等待我們死後才審判我們的罪過。他們要的是政府從速立法,馬上就要懲罰我們「褻瀆大自然」的原罪。

環保宗教分子認為現代科技破壞了「人類和大自然的和諧共處」,卻忘記了人類的歷史正是一頁頁與大自然搏鬥、不斷忍受各種大自然災害煎熬的紀錄。其實,清新空氣、潔淨環境,原本就是人類與生俱來的偏好,節儉向來亦是一種傳統美德,又哪需要環保分子去「教導」?不過,正如剛才說過,現今的環保運動是一種精英主義,他們不信任羣眾,認為只有環保精英才知道甚麼才是「環保」、甚麼才是「浪費」﹔其所針對的,其實都是一些價錢低廉、廣受羣眾歡迎的大眾化消費。所以,你會看見環保分子不會介意富豪買一瓶沒有包上花紙的數萬元紅酒,卻會認為我們一兩盒包上花紙的數十元糖果是「浪費」這種荒謬現象。

環保的大祭司們,以粗疏的科學假設立教,向信眾宣揚生態大災難的末日論,拒絕一切合理的懷疑和理性的討論,叫大家「只要信、不要問」。可能,他們聲稱帶領信眾重返的「大自然伊甸園」,實際上從來都未曾在地球出現過。
  

2009-04-14

飄逝的花頭巾

闌外落花池上絮,年年苦怨春風,
繁華如夢易成空,
斜陽情脈脈,流水淚溶溶。

春自難留人自老,不須更覓歡縱,
可憐憔悴與誰同?
獨將無限意,明鏡對愁紅。



花房姑娘 - 崔建

我獨自走過你身旁 並沒有話要對你講
我不敢抬頭看著你 噢......臉龐

你問我要去向何方 我指著大海的方向
你的驚奇像是給我 噢......讚揚

你問我要去向何方 我指著大海的方向
你問我要去向何方 我指著大海的方向

你帶我走進你的花房 我無法逃脫花的迷香
我不知不覺忘記了 噢......方向

你說我世上最堅強 我說你世上最善良
我不知不覺已和花兒 噢......一樣

你說我世上最堅強 我說你世上最善良
你說我世上最堅強 我說你世上最善良

你要我留在這地方 你要我和它們一樣
我看著你默默地說 噢......不能這樣

我就要回到老地方 我就要走在老路上
這時我才知離不開你 噢......姑娘

我就要回到老地方 我就要走在老路上
這時我才知離不開你 噢......姑娘



能夠勾留下來較長久時間的,往往也是與情感連繫較深的舊事。男女之間,一個舊日夢寐難忘的戀人,罡風吹至,各自分張。驀地重逢,『一種溫柔如昔,添多少週旋痕跡』。這時候,尚想舊情,產生陣陣的愴然,不斷將自己帶回失去了的舊夢之中,不但嘆息於逝者如斯,也覺得那一段過去的日子是如何甜蜜。於是會覺得,一生之中,只有一段歲月最美,卻是尋也無蹤、覓也無處,只是在腦海中泛起一片幻影,又無法不加以追尋。

飄逝的花頭巾
作者:陳建功
選自《北京文學》一九八一年第六期

小說《飄逝的花頭巾》描述了當代兩個青年人不同的生活道路
以及對事業、愛情、人生的不同理解和追求。沈萍 — 一個四川江邊小鎮上土生土長的姑娘,因為不認命,不認熊,發奮努力考上了北京 S 大學中文系。

在新的環境中,由於自己既不是名門之後,也沒有學術界的關係,將來很可能又回到鄉下去當教書匠而自輕自賤。為附庸風雅,她背「人名辭典」,讀藝術家傳記,拜見學者名流,甚至不惜以青春作賭注結交「名門之後」的男朋友,最終落入陷阱。她的虛榮心鼓動著她去「闖人生」,以鑽進「上層社會」的小圈子為榮。另一位青年秦江,原是個在北京上層社會長大的高幹子弟,十年動亂中隨父親的沉浮而沉浮,或得意或沮喪,從未找到自己在生活中的位置。終於有一天,他感到被生活淘汰的恐慌,於是想換一種活法兒 ....

起先,秦江是上流社會的「名門之後」,虛榮而膚淺;沈萍是下層鄉村普通的「小人物」。末了,秦江成了踏踏實實為民族振興奮鬥的「小人物」,沈萍卻正千方百計地往上流社會鑽擠,夢想成為「名門之媳」,留洋者的夫人。生活像個魔術師:當秦江陷在泥潭中不能自拔時,正是沈萍無意中向他投來了第一根繩子,並成為他奮鬥進取的激勵者;但後來,沈萍自己卻被人生濁流裹脅而去,又是秦江為之焦的痛心,極力告戒勸阻,為她敲響警鐘。秦江好不容易才掙脫了的生活圈子,卻又成了沈萍執意追逐的目標。

  

2009-04-13

You are all my memory ...

Jesteś wszystkie moja wspomnienia

Deszcz na wietrze, wiatr w deszczu
Twój cień migotanie w moim umyśle
Jak deszcz w wietrze nieprzerwy
Albo jak wietrze w padanie deszcz
Nawet wiatr przerywa i deszcz przerywa
Wciąż nie zdolny przerywać obmyślający o ty
Obserwowanie deszcz migotanie, ale nie zdolny widzieć ty
Słuchanie wiatru szumiący, ale nie zdolny słyszeć ty
Oczy nie widzę, uszy nie słuchać
Bo jesteś wszystkie moje wspomnienia




你是我所有的回憶
(李泰祥 曲﹐侯德建 詞)

雨在風中 風在雨裡
你的影子 在我腦海搖曳
雨下不停風 風吹不斷雨
風靜雨停 仍揮不去想念的你

看小雨搖曳 看不到你的身影
聽微風低吟 聽不到你的聲音
眼睛不看 耳朵不聽
你是我所有的回憶....

You are all my memory ...

Rain is in the wind, wind is in the rain
Your figure is flickering in my mind
As it rains in non stop wind, as it blows in un-breaking rain
Even the wind ceases and the rain stops
Still not able to stop thinking of you
Watching the drizzle whiffling, but not able to see you
Listening the wind humming, but not able to hear you
Not seeing, not hearing
Because you are all my memory .....


因為找一個人,所以飄泊。
Z powodu odnalezienia kogoś, więc dryfowanie.
因為愛一個人,所以執著。
Z powodu kochania kogoś, więc dedykowany.
因為想一個人,所以寂寞。
Z powodu tęsknoty za kimś, więc samotny.
因為要一個人,所以折磨。
Z powodu pragnienia kogoś, więc torturowani.

夢生夢滅,愛聚愛散,是否真是宇宙的一種定律?年有四季,日有晝夜,誰能違反自然?誰能扭轉坤乾?問世間情為何物?即使是生死相許,結果也是水月鏡花一場,悲傷嗎?哀怨嗎?生既無歡,死亦何苦。於是,一粒充滿了孤寂的浮塵,在喧囂沸沸的人間飄過,在荒野山嶺盪過,在無邊無際的海洋渡過 …… 除了孤獨寂寞,還有甚麼可以添這情感的行囊?
  

2009-04-07

回首難 ...

獨上江樓思渺然,月光如水水如天。
同來望月人何在,風景依稀似去年。

摘自『趙嘏‧江樓感舊』

人生是一條不歸路,你無法重頭來過,所以免不了頻頻回首。那些路和橋,你一步一步走過去,無論走好走壞,都要過去。然後,有那麼一天,或在一天中的某個時辰,你停步回眸昨天的留影和經歷,然後越來越困惑,不知道從前的選擇究竟是對還是錯?

記得姜育恆在八十年代唱紅過一首歌《再回首》:



曾經在幽幽暗暗反反复復中追問
才知道平平淡淡從從容容是最真
再回首恍然如夢
再回首我心依舊… …

然而,究竟有多少人回首的時候,心依舊?似乎很多人都有類似的遺憾和感嘆,假如可以重新來過,或許可以做得更好。每一次遺憾都讓你成熟一分,或許只有當你不再遺憾的時候,你才真正圓熟。對於男人來說,經過了千萬次的遺憾,終於可以把每一件事做得盡善盡美了,但如虎的精力卻悄然離你遠去,焦慮又如影隨形。