【胡宗锋英译专栏】贾平凹：西安这座城
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西安这座城
文/贾平凹 译/胡宗锋
本文经两位老师授权在“微风读书会”首发
我住在西安城里已经20年了，我不敢说这座城就是我的，或我给了这座城什么，但20年前我还在陕南的乡下，确实是做过一个梦的，梦见了一棵不高大却很老的树，树上有一个洞。
在现实的生活里，老家有满山的林子，但我没有觅寻到这样的树；而在初做城里人的那年，于街头却发现了，真的，和梦境中的树丝毫不差。这棵树现在还长着，年年我总是看它一次，死去的枝柯变得僵硬，新生的梢条软和如柳。
TheCity of Xi’an
JiaPingwa
Translated from theChinese by Hu Zongfeng & Robin Gilbank
have been living in the city of Xi’an fortwenty years; I dare not say that this city belongs to me or what I contributeto this city; but twenty years ago, when I was still in the countryside ofsouthern Shaanxi, I dreamt about a tree which was not so tall but very old.There was a hole in the tree.
In real life, there areforests all over the mountains in my hometown, though I have not been able tofind such a tree. When I first lived in the city as one of its residents, Idiscovered that very tree on the street. It was true. This tree was completelyidentical to the one in my dream. This tree continues to grow. Every year Ialways inspect it once. Its deadbranches stiffen, yet the new growth is as supple as a willow.
我就常常盯着还趴在树干上的裂着背已去了实质的蝉壳，发许久的迷瞪，不知道这蝉是蜕了几多回壳，生命在如此转换，真的是无生无灭，可那飞来的蝉又始于何时，又该终于何地呢？于是在近晚的夕阳中驻脚南城楼下，听岁月腐蚀得并不完整的砖块缝里，一群蟋蟀在唱着一部繁乐，恍惚间就觉得哪一块砖是我吧，或者，我是蟋蟀的一只，夜夜在望着万里的长空，迎接着每一次新来的明月而欢歌了。
我庆幸这座城在中国的西部，在苍茫的关中平原上，其实只能在中国西部的关中平原上才会有这样的城，我忍不住就唱起关于这个地方的一段民谣：八百里秦川黄土飞扬，三千万人民吼叫秦腔，调一碗黏面喜气洋洋，没有辣子嘟嘟囔囔。
I often stare at the emptycicada shell which has been cast off on the cracked surface of the trunk, andspend a long time feeling puzzled. I wonder how many times one cicada can shedits shell. A life which entails such a metamorphosis is really fascinatingbecause there can be no birth without death. But where are the flying cicadasborn and where do they die? At dusk beneath the setting sun to the south of theCity Wall, I listen to a group of crickets sing intricate melodies in thetime-worn crevices within the bricks. In a trance, I feel that this brick is meor that I am one of the crickets, staring up at the expansive sky every night,singing as I greet every bright moon.
I am glad that Xi’an lies inthe west of China, on the vast Guanzhong Plain. In fact, only on such a plainin the west of China could a city like this exist. I cannot help but break intoa folk ballad about this place:
Loessdrifts over the Qin land of eight hundred li,
Thirty million Qin folk roarout local opera,
A bowl of sticky noodlesfills them with glee,
But having no pepper makesthem complain.
这样的民谣，描绘的或许缺乏现代气息，但落后并不等于愚昧，它所透发的一种气势，没有矫情和虚浮，是冷的幽默，是对旧的生存状态的自审。我唱着它的时候，唱不出声的却常常是想到了夸父逐日渴死在去海的路上的悲壮。正是这样，数年前南方的几个城市来人，以优越异常的生活待遇招募我去，我谢绝了。我不去，我爱陕西，我爱西安这座城。
我生不在此，死却必定在此，当百年之后躯体焚烧于火葬场，我的灵魂随同黑烟爬出了高高的烟囱，我也会变成一朵云游荡在这座城的上空的。
Such a folk ballad may lackmodern ambience, but backwardness in itself is not tantamount to ignorance. Thepower it radiates, however, is neither hypocritical nor superficial. Throughits scrutiny of how people used to live it generates a cold humour. What Icannot communicate by merely singing the ballad is the moving and tragic storybehind it——Kua Fu chased after the sun and ended up dying from thirst on theway to the sea. With this thought in mind, a few years ago I felt I had torefuse an invitation extended to me by several people from the south of China.They head-hunted me using offers of luxurious and superlative hospitality. I turnedthem down and would not go because I love Shaanxi; I love the city of Xi’an.
I was not born in Xi’an butI shall die here. After my eventual passing, my corpse will be incinerated inthe crematorium; my soul will climb out of the high chimney riding on the blacksmoke; I will become a cloud wandering over the city.
当世界上的新型城市愈来愈变成了一堆水泥，我该怎样来叙说西安这座城呢？是的，没必要夸耀曾经是13个王朝国都的历史，也不自得八水环绕的地理风水，承认中国的政治、经济、文化的中心已不在这里了。但可爱的是，时至今日，气派不倒的、风范犹存的、在全世界的范围内最具古城魅力的，也只有西安了。它的城墙赫然完整，独身站定在护城河的吊板桥上，仰观那城楼、角楼、女墙垛口，再怯弱的人也要豪情长啸了。
As the new cities in theworld resemble increasingly a heap of cement, how can I describe the city ofXi’an? There is no need to boast about how Xi’an was the capital city ofthirteen historical dynasties the eight waterways which wove around Chang’an endowedit with an enviable feng-shui. As time has gone by, it is true that Xi’an nolonger formed the political, economic and cultural centre of China. And yet themost sublime thing is that to date, the city of Xi’an still allures with itsancient charm and elegance. Across the entire world, Xi’an alone retains thefinest atmosphere of any classical metropolis. The City Wall is outstanding forits state of completeness. When one stands alone on the drawbridge above themoat and raise your head to survey the gate-tower, turrets and crenellations,even the most timid of people cannot help but burst into loud, passionaterhapsodies.
大街小巷方正对称，排列有序的四合院和四合院砖雕门楼下已经黝黑如铁的花石门墩，可以让你立即坠入古昔里高头大马驾驶木制的大车开过来的境界里去。如果有机会收集一下全城的数千个街巷名称：贡院门、书院门、竹笆市、琉璃街、教场门、端履门、炭市街、麦苋街、车家巷、北油巷……
The streets and lanes aregeometrical and symmetrical; the neatly and decently appointed squareresidential courtyards together with the iron-complexioned gate piers beneaththe carved eaves of their entrances transport one into an ancient world. Thatworld is populated with stately and strong horses pulling large big woodencarts. Given the opportunity, one could begin to note thousands of streetsnames from within the city: Examination Hall Gate (Gongyuanmen), Scholars’Academy Gate (Shuyuanmen), Bamboo-ware Market (Zhubashi), Glazed-ware Street(Liulijie), Military Training Ground Gate (Jiaochangmen), Imperial AttireInspection Gate (Duanlimen), Charcoal Street (Tanshijie), Wheat Straw Street(Maixianjie), Carters’ Inn Lane (Chejiaxiang), Northern Oil Lane (Beiyouxiang)...
著名作家贾平凹。（摄影：魏锋）
你突然感到历史并不遥远，以至眼前飞过一只并不卫生的苍蝇，也忍不住怀疑这苍蝇的身上有着汉时的模样或是唐时的标记。现代的艺术在大型的豪华的剧院、影院、歌舞厅日夜上演着，但爬满青苔的如古钱一样的城墙根下，总是有人在观赏着中国最古老的属于这个地方的秦腔或者皮影、木偶。他们不是正规的演艺人，他们是工余后的娱乐。有人演，就有人看，演和看都宣泄的是一种自豪，生命里涌动的是一种历史的追忆，所以你也便明白了街头饭馆里的餐具，碗是那么粗的瓷，大得称之为海碗。
One suddenly feels thathistory is not so distant from you. Even when an insanitary fly zooms beforeyour face it is tempting to suspect that it too bears the imprint of the Han orTang dynasties. Modern entertainments are customarily staged in large deluxe theatres,cinemas, and song and dance halls. At the foot of the City Wall, where mossesform a carpet like ancient coins, there will always be spectators watching themost ancient local Qin opera, shadow displays, and puppet shows. These folksare not professional actors or artists; they simply do this for pleasure intheir spare time. Someone puts on a performance; someone else is sure toappreciate it. Both the performers and the audience find an outlet forunburdening their pent-up pride. A seam of historical memory surges through thedaily lives of Xi’an people. You may, therefore, be able to understand whyamong those utensils used in street restaurants the porcelain bowl which is sobig and thick-sided is referred to as Haiwan (“bowl as vast as the sea”).
逢年过节，你见过哪里的城市的街巷表演着社戏，踩起了高跷，扛着杏黄色的幡旗放火铳，敲纯粹的鼓乐？最是那土得掉渣的土话里，如果依音写出来，竟然是文言文中极典雅的词语：抱孩子不说“抱”，说“携”；口中没味不说“没味”，说“寡”；即使骂人滚开也不说“滚”，说“避”。
Whenfestivals come around, have you ever seen any other city where people willperform folk opera and walk on stilts about the streets? They carry apricotyellow flags and banners and blunderbusses, and beat out drum music without anyother instrumental accompaniment. The most intriguing thing is the localdialect. If written out phonetically, this is revealed to consist of veryelegant words from classical Chinese: folks do not speak of “carrying” (bao) achild, but “conveying” (xie) it; where their mouths cannot detect flavour theydo not say “tasteless” (mei wei), but “numbed senseless” (gua); even when theyspew curses they do not say “bugger off” (gun), but “skedaddle” (bi).
你随便走进一条巷的一户人家中，是艺术家或者是工人、小职员、个体的商贩，他们的客厅必是悬挂了装裱考究的字画，桌柜上必是摆设了几件古陶旧瓷。对于书法绘画的理解，对于文物古董的珍存，成为他们生活的基本要求。男人们崇尚的是黑与白的色调，女人们则喜欢穿大红大绿的衣裳，质朴大方，悲喜分明。他们少以言辞，多以行动；喜欢沉默，善于思考；崇拜的是智慧，鄙夷的是油滑；有整体雄浑，无琐碎甜腻。
Whenpeople casually drop in at a house in a lane, whether the householder is anartist, an ordinary worker, a small clerk, or a self-employed peddler, theliving room must have elaborately decorated scrolls and paintings hanging fromthe walls; tables must be festooned with choice specimens of ancient ceramics.In their daily lives it is expected of them that they should at least have abasic understanding of calligraphy and painting and how to preserve of culturalrelics. Men admire the colours black and white, while women prefer striking redand dazzling green. The people here are straightforward and honest, uninhibitedabout how they express joy and woe. They are taciturn, yet demonstrative,savour silence, are agile of thought, worship wisdom, and deplore wiliness;they have a collective heroism vigour untainted by trivia and affectionatedisplay.
西安的科技人才云集，产生了众多的全球著名的数学，物理学家，但民间却大量涌现着《易经》的研究家，观天象，识地理，搞预测，做遥控。你不敢轻视了静坐于酒馆一角独饮的老翁或巷头鸡皮鹤首的老妪，他们说不定就是身怀绝技的奇才异人。
Xi’annow abounds with high-tech personnel. Many world famous mathematicians andphysicists were born here. However, among the populace there are still plentywho are familiar with the Book of Changes. They can observe celestial phenomenaand discern the feng-shui of the landscape, foretelling the future andexercising telepathy. One should never underestimate an older man who drinkssilently alone in the corner of an inn or aged woman with white hair and awrinkled face. Maybe they masters possessing peerless gifts.
清晨的菜市场上，你会见到人手托着豆腐，三个两个地立在那里谈论着国内的新闻。关心国事，放眼全球，对于他们似乎是一种多余，但他们就有这种古都赋予的秉性。“杞人忧天”从来不是他们讥笑的名词，甚至有人庄严地提议，在城中造一尊巨大的杞人雕塑，与那巍然竖立的丝绸之路的开创人张骞的塑像相映生辉，成为一种城标。
In the early morning at the vegetable market, you willspot people holding blocks of tofu in their hands, chitchatting about domesticnews. The residents of Xi’an have no genuine need to bother about state andinternational affairs. However, they have an innate instinct which causes themto care. This has been passed onto them by the ancient capital. They do notmock the proverbial “man of Qi who feared the heavens would tumble down.” Somepeople even solemnly proposed that in city create a huge sculpture of himtogether with the statue of Zhang Qian, the pioneer of Silk Road. These couldbecome symbols of the city.
整个西安城，充溢着中国历史的古意，表现的是一种东方的神秘，囫囵囵是一个旧的文物，又鲜活活是一个新的象征。
The aura of ancientChinese history permeates Xi’an City. As a whole it appears to be an ancientrelic, but it simultaneously forms a lively and fresh symbol.
英译作者胡宗锋与著名作家贾平凹。
胡宗锋，西北大学外国语学院院长、陕西省翻译协会主席胡宗锋教授。自2008年以来，胡宗锋教授带领其翻译团队一直致力于陕西作家作品的英译工作。他们不仅翻译完成了贾平凹先生的《废都》《土门》《高兴》《白夜》《老生》外，还翻译了陈忠实、穆涛、方英文、红柯、吴克敬、叶广芩等陕西文坛名家作品。在胡宗锋教授的带领下，西北大学外国语学院已经形成了一支以青年教师为主力，以译介陕西作家作品传播中国文化为使命的工作团队。相信在胡院长的带领下，他们会让更多的优秀作家作品走出国门，让世界了解中国，不断增进相互的理解与沟通，为实现中西文化的共融共通助力！
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魏锋专访（微风读书会ID：weifeng279965337)