林巧儿[中国] 真与善——《花门坊八号》的主题【中英对照】

林巧儿[中国]

   真与善——《花门坊八号》的主题

  《花门坊八号》，是三十一万字的纪实文字，具有史书的分量与价值。

   这些比较详实的可感的镜头，说出了当时的社会状态，带出了温岭和国内国际的重大历史事件，历史运动，以及它们对社会对个体的影响，这本书对温岭历史、浙江历史乃至那个时期的中国历史、世界历史作出了补充。

  它以写实手法，主要按照时间顺序来写作，众多人物穿插其中，辅助以众多的旧照片，包括人物的风景的，情节非常有条理，叙述非常清晰。以“花门坊八号”主人、作者的外公外婆为主线，写出了这个家族近百年来的沧桑变化，他们互亲互爱、努力、适应、变通、创造。

      描写有侧重点也有着墨较少的“配角”，语言很接地气而且非常流畅，没有使用本地特色的方言，整本书通俗好懂。对人物的刻画比较深刻，写出了中国人的性格特点：隐忍、勤奋、上进、真诚、友爱互助、真实细节化，读起来既有小说的味道，更有一种书中人物是身边人的写实感觉，可以看出作者有深厚的写作功底和文化底蕴。

      作者对书中绝大多数人物的去向都有交待。首先说，外公的大家庭是非常令人羡慕的，正统的中国人家庭，有典型的中国人的性格，外公外婆及其子女，都很奋进，坚韧地活着。最突出的人物是外公、三姨、小姨、大姨。当然了，舅舅、表哥保利、表弟维克等人，都先后在社会中找到了自己的位置，各有个性各有奋斗，也各有苦难各有成就。

  作者笔下的外公做人做事认真，有生意头脑，是当年的风云人物。乐于扶贫济困，慈温勤劳、公正，不愿委曲求全，不愿见风使舵，以致于在两个不同的时期都被抓被“看守”。后一次，因为不低头不检讨，“坚持己见”，自己严重撞伤了自己的头，半年就去世了，一个耿直本我之人，让人叹息。外公固执，有家长制的一面，但是他开明通达，支持子女同等接受教育，家里充满了温馨，家庭民主气氛比较浓厚，所以孩子们个个有文化有主见，个个都很自信。

  外婆隐忍，尊重丈夫，能享富贵也能坦然面对落魄之境，对子女百般爱护、包容。经常调解孩子与父亲的不同意见，劝解丈夫或者孩子。

  大姨调皮不好好读书，年轻时很率真，有一股“蛮劲”、一种“青春的躁动”，曾经不问青红皂白直接唆使佣人偷家里谷子送穷人，加上之前的种种“反骨”行为，结果那段时间父女关系闹翻了。她有自己的追求，自己的选择，愿意为爱情付出。意外收获很纯真的爱情，成了守岛司令的“压寨夫人”， “司令官”大姨夫对大姨百般宠爱，她从此收心，专注于自己的小家。

   我认为本书最感人最值得关注的是主角三姨，虽然六个兄弟姐妹，她不是活得最长的。儿子一样的角色，土改时与工作队种种周旋，分担了家里的一些压力、开解父母。她因为照顾大姐与部队飞行员张梦正的新生儿子张保利，而与被大姐“踢走”的张梦正日久生情，几年后，张去了香港，她带着小保利在“逃港”途中被父亲知道并被他“押解”回家，从此心门闭锁，只为等待恋人。然后去小妹家帮忙带孩子、做各种家务，有时也外出工作，匆忙二十几年，一直是小妹家里的得力主将，真真是“任劳任怨”。那个时代对个体的影响，以及个体对出路的选择之难，令人感同身受，尊敬她又怜惜她。

   到了八十年代初，却传来张梦正已经不在人世的消息，三十多年的等待瞬间变为幻影，这个打击过于沉重，她伤心欲绝，令人唏嘘，感叹！张梦正，也可惜了，英俊有为的飞行员，专注于爱情。后来在香港再婚，也是有苦衷的，只能说那是“时势弄人”，是历史车轮对个体的碾压。三姨五十岁后碰到了真诚的爱情，与老同学幸福生活了八年，这个情节这对于读者是一种安慰。

  小姨，参加志愿军，在朝鲜战场被白老虎吓得失眠严重，由此认为自己身体不好，为男朋友、朝鲜战场上的副师长王超着想，主动提出分手。复员后在医院工作，认识“游方郎中”孔德森，从而结为夫妻，回山东生活。日子紧巴巴的，自己因为失眠头晕眼花，无法干家务也照顾孩子，三姨就是这样来到小姨家里的。

   还有没有展开叙说的小事件：作者父母经济窘迫时，卖手表、卖蚊帐、卖高帮套鞋（雨鞋）。看似微小的事情在那个年代并不微小，当然，类似的“苦楚”还有，都是那时的无奈之举，历史的脉络如此之清晰、真实，生活艰难并没有击倒他们。

  “善”，则是这个家族的基本价值。作者没有刻意渲染抬高书中人物，而是自然道来，“含而不露”。读起来能感受到他们的苦、痛、无奈、也知道他们的善良、仁爱、坚毅。

  外公目光超前，是个实业家。三十年代的中国是非常落后的，他创办了温岭第一家电力公司，使得温岭率先实现了“楼上楼下，电灯电话”的现代生活。后来，诸多原因导致电力公司无法继续经营、将要关闭之际，外公筹集资金发放工资，绝不拖欠员工薪水，这完全是一种现代企业法人责任、社会责任的表现，有一种侠义之气度，与传统士人“不愿我负人”的高贵心胸相应合，也是一种“善”。

   “善”与“真”始终贯穿于张家人及其亲友们身上，那发自内心的自然秉性，说出了中国人骨子里的品格：纯朴，勤劳，善良。读者能深深地感受到：在刚刚解放时，张家需要遣散家里的所有帮工，它从前的厨子，没有趁机偷拿张家的任何财物，白天离开时只拿了自己的衣服。他知道张家从此生活不会很如意的，特意在晚上返回来，宽慰老东家“流年不好”，也要“珍重”，还带来一只鸡给老东家，这真是”善来善往”，颇为感人。

  人的质朴之本与人性之善，处处闪现。三姨一直“为他人做嫁衣”，被父母当“男孩子”使用，维持着家，对外甥保利无限照顾抚养，对小妹一家的尽心尽力。在外地的小舅、作者的父母、小姨等亲友，无不尽心尽力抚养父母、帮助亲人，以寄钱寄物的方式等献出真情。

   建筑物会消失，人也会老去，而文化成果文化精髓，名士风貌将会留存于各种资料记录中、人们的口碑中。正如外公在温岭留下的形象、名声，我认为这本书也会给当地、浙江乃至中国、世界留下温岭的真切过往、中国村镇的真切过往。

  相较于一些专门挖掘阴暗面、通篇陈述苦难、气韵沉闷的文字，我认为这本书的内容“苦中有乐”，有暗淡也有光明，更多的是自然描述的平常生活，是一种饱含希望的笔触，一种向上的气场，这样的文字更容易让人读下去，也可以看出作者是心存阳光的人。

Lina moon [China]

Actuality and Kindness—the Theme of the Book No. 8 Huamen Street

  The book No. 8 Huamen Street is a Chinese documentary text with 310,000 words., it has the weight and value of a historical book.

   These more detailed and perceivable scenes tell the social state at that time, bring out the major historical events, historical movements in Wenling, China and even the world, as well as their impact on society and individuals, the book complement the history of Wenling, Zhejiang and even the history of China and the world in that period.

  It is written in a realistic way, mainly in chronological order, with many characters interspersed, supplemented by many old photos, including some scene and characters. The plot is very organized and the narrative is very clear. It takes the grandpa and grandma of the author, the owner of No. 8 Huamen Street, as the main line, the author tells us about the vicissitudes of the family in the past hundred years. They loved each other, worked hard, adapted to the environment, adjusted themselves and created.

  The writing of the book has put an emphasis on “leading role” and less ink on “supporting role” in the description. The language is very grounded and fluent, dialect and local characteristics are not used, so the whole book is easy to understand. The portrayal of the characters is quite profound, which completely describes the Chinese characteristics: tolerance, diligence, ambition, sincerity, friendship and mutual assistance, with true details. Reading it has the flavor of reading novels, and the flavor of a kind of realism that the characters in the book are real people around us. It can be seen that the author has profound writing skills and a solid foundation of knowledge.

   It has explained the whereabouts of most of the characters in the book. First of all, “my” grandpa's family was very enviable, an orthodox Chinese family, with typical Chinese character. My grandpa, grandma and their children were struggling and living tenaciously. The most prominent figures were Grandpa, Third Aunt, Little Aunt and Oldest Aunt. Of course, Uncle, cousin Baoli, cousin Veike and others had all found their places in the society. Each had（has）his own personality, his own struggle, his own suffering and his own achievements.

In the author’s eyes, grandfather was serious and intelligent in business, and an outstanding man of his time, He was willing to help the poor, diligent and fair, unwilling to give up his principles for injustice, unwilling to behave like a snob for unfair advantage, so that he was caught and guarded by two different governments at different times. The second time, because he did not bow his head, and did not hand in a note of confession, and “insisting on his own opinion”, he seriously injured his head, and died half a year later. It’s a pity. He was straightforward, stubborn and patriarchal, but he was understanding and open-minded. He supported children to receive education equally. It meant he a was strict and loving father, his family was full of love and had a strong democratic atmosphere. Therefore, all children were educated, assertive and confident.

Grandma was patient, respected her husband, could enjoy wealth and could also face the situation of depression calmly, and took care of her children in every way. Often mediating the differences between children and their father, and comforted her husband or children.

Oldest auntie didn't study hard, she was naughty, young and frank, with a “ferocity” and a “youthful restlessness” in her directness. She once quietly instigated the servant to steal the millet from the barn at home and gave it to the poor without doing any investigation. In addition to all the previous “rebellious behaviors”, so her relation with her father fell apart during that time. She had her own pursuit, her own choice, and was willing to devote for love. She reaped pure love by accident and became the “wife of a robber”, the commander of an island. Her new husband doted on her in every way. From then on, she had concentrated on her own family.

I think the most touching and noteworthy thing is “my” third aunt, a main character of this book. Although among six brothers and sisters, she did not live the longest. She played the role as a son. During the movement of Land Reform, she deal with the Land Reform Work Team to share some of the family pressure and help her parents. She spent lots of energy and time to take care of Zhang Baoli, the newborn son of eldest sister and her lover Zhang Mengzheng, a military pilot. So she fell in love with Zhang Mengzheng, who had been “kicked away” by the eldest sister. A few years later, Zhang went to Hong Kong. Later on the way to “escape to Hong Kong” with little Baoli, she was known by her father and “escorted” home by him. From then on, she locked her heart just to wait for her lover Zhang Mengzheng. No long time later she went to youngest sister's home to help with the children, do all kinds of housework, and sometimes she got a job. Day by day helping younger sister for more than 20 years, she was busying with all household affairs and children’s affairs, acting like a loyal nanny in her siste’s home. As readers, we can feel her golden quality of sincerity and tenacity, her dedication to her sister and sister’s family, we also know the impact of that era on individuals, as well as the difficulty choice for individual to get a way out, we feel the same and respect her and pity her a lot.

In the early 1980s, a news came that Zhang Mengzheng was no longer alive. This blow was too heavy. More than thirty years of waiting suddenly was turned into a huge nothingness, she was heartbroken. It was really sad! Zhang Mengzheng, was a handsome pilot who focused on love. Later, he had another marriage in Hong Kong due to the situation at the time. The unfortunate, can only be said that “the time made the trick”, and the wheels of history crushed individuals. The third aunt met a sincere love after she was 50 years old and lived happily with her old classmate for eight years. This plot is a comfort to the readers.

The youngest sister, who joined the volunteer army, was so frightened by a white tiger in the North Korean battlefield that she suffered from insomnia. She thought she was in poor health, and took the initiative to break up for her boyfriend, Wang Chao, the deputy division commander in the North Korean battlefield. After she was demobilized, she worked in a hospital and knew Kong Desen, a “wandering folk doctor”, and married him ,they went back to his hometown Shandong and lived there. The days were bitter. She was dizzy because of insomnia and could not do housework well or take care of the children. That's why the third aunt came to her home.

 There are real incidents that have not been unfolded, such as when the author's parents were in financial distress, they sold a watch, a mosquito nets and a pair of high-class overshoes (rain shoes). The seemingly small things were not small actually at that time. Of course, similar “sufferings” and “helplessness” were so vivid in the book. The context of history was so clear though the life was difficult but it did not knock them down.

 “Goodness” was the basic value of this family. The author did not deliberately exaggerate and elevated all the characters in the book, but naturally telling us, “containing but not revealing”. I can feel Characters’ suffering, pain, helplessness, and also know their kindness, benevolence and perseverance.

 Grandpa was an industrialist with foresight. In the 1930s, China was very backward. He founded the first electric power company in Wenling, which made Wenling take the lead in realizing the modern life of “upstairs and downstairs, electric light and telephone”. Later, when grandpa’s Electric Power Company was unable to continue its operation and was about to close down for many reasons, he raised funds to pay wages and never defaulted on the wages of employees. This was a manifestation of modern corporate responsibility and social responsibility. It was a chivalrous tolerance. It was also a kind of “kindness” compared with the noble mind of traditional scholars who acts “I will not shirk my responsibility”.

 “Goodness” and “reality” have always ran through the Zhang family and their relatives and friends. The simple disposition and honest from the heart spoke of the Chinese character: simplicity, diligence and kindness. Readers can deeply feel that in the early liberation, the Zhang family needed to demobilize all their employees. The former cook of the Zhang family who had worked here for more than twenty years did not take the opportunity to take any of the Zhang family’s belongings, but only took his own clothes when he left in the daytime. He knew that the life of the Zhang family would be very hard from then on, so in the evening he came back to comfort his old hosts with words like “it is not a good time” and “cherish yourselves”. He also brought a chicken to his old hosts, what was really “goodness will return to you for your kindness”.

 The goodness was a man's simple nature that could be seen everywhere in the book. Third aunt had been “making wedding clothes for others”, and was used by her parents as a “boy” to help to maintain Zhang family. She took unlimited care of Baoly, her nephew, and did her best to her younger sister’s family. The author’ uncle,  parents, aunts and other relatives and friends in other places had all tried their best to raise their parents, help their relatives, and offered their true feelings by sending money and materials to family or relatives.

 Buildings will disappear and people will grow old. Cultural achievements, cultural essence, and the style of celebrities will be preserved in various data records and people's reputation. Just like “my” grandfather's image and reputation in Wenling, I think this book will also leave the real past of Wenling, or Chinese villages and towns and towns to the local, Zhejiang, China and the world.

 Compared with some writings that are dedicated to digging out the dark side and describing the suffering throughout, with depressing and gloomy language, I think the content of this book has “joy in suffering”, with both dark and bright. It is more about the life described by nature, which is a stroke of hope and an upward aura. Such writing is easier for people to read, and it can also be seen that the author is a sunny person.

     (Tr. Lina moon；林巧儿 译)

评论者简介：

   林巧儿，写格律诗词和现代诗，译诗评诗。她已在美国、中国等地刊物发表(出版）英文作品、英译（中译）作品约30万字，多次获得各类诗赛奖项，如“人祖山”杯（人祖山管委会与中国诗歌学会合办）等。

About the Critic:

   Lina moon,is mainly engaged in creation of tradition metrical poetry and modern poetry, poetry translation and comment on poetry. She has published three hundred thousand words in magazines and newspapers in the United States, China and other places, including English works, translation works between Chinese and English. She has won some awards in various poetry competitions, such as the “Renzu Mountain” Cup (Jointly organized by Renzu Mountain Management Committee and the Chinese Poetry Society).