紅樹?阿友
為實現(xiàn)少時夢想,他成了第一個徒步走完中國明長城的外國人。因為愛長城,他用筆追蹤長城的悠久歷史,出版過五種專著;他用鏡頭展示長城的滄桑面貌,舉辦過多次圖片展。30年專攻,他計劃將長城課程開進(jìn)大學(xué)。他叫威廉·林賽,是60歲的英國老頭,更是頗具影響力的長城學(xué)者和世界文化遺產(chǎn)保護(hù)的倡導(dǎo)者。
去跑中國長城的全程
2015年12月,林賽的第五種長城專著《虛擬長城展:50件長城文物》由企鵝澳大利亞出版集團(tuán)出版。稍后,在北京舉行的新書首發(fā)式上,英國駐華大使吳百納女士對該書高度評價:“林賽先生的這本新書給予了中英兩國人民通過世界文化遺產(chǎn)——萬里長城感受文化交流成果的一個良機(jī)?!?/p>
一個英國老外何以對中國長城這般著迷研究?
1956年10月,林賽出生于英國利物浦市一個普通家庭。1967年,林賽就讀的班上來了一位新老師,老師對同學(xué)們說:你們床邊應(yīng)該放三本書,其中最重要的一本是地圖冊。就在地圖冊上,林賽看到了橫亙于中國北部的萬里長城,讓他產(chǎn)生了莫大的興趣,充滿了游歷的向往。因為這種向往,林賽高中畢業(yè)后選擇攻讀利物浦大學(xué)的地理和地質(zhì)專業(yè)。畢業(yè)后,林賽曾去埃及、挪威工作,但沒有機(jī)會到中國。1984年,林賽和二哥參加了橫穿英格蘭北部的哈德良長城越野跑。二哥說:如果有一天能去跑中國長城的全程那才是真正的長跑——哈德良長城只有區(qū)區(qū)百多公里,而中國長城有數(shù)千公里。
二哥的感嘆加上少時的夢想,點燃起林賽來中國跑長城的愿望。于是,林賽去圖書館查找資料,作進(jìn)一步了解準(zhǔn)備,同時開始了體能訓(xùn)練,每天堅持跑步或遠(yuǎn)足。1986年夏,林賽找到了贊助商,辭去工作,背上簡單的行囊來到中國。
林賽前兩次從山海關(guān)往嘉峪關(guān)徒步長城,由于天氣炎熱、路上缺水,再加上痢疾纏身、腳趾骨裂等原因,沒行進(jìn)多遠(yuǎn)就被迫終止。1987年4月,林賽再一次徒步長城。他從嘉峪關(guān)出發(fā),因為沿途的種種誤會耽擱了不少時日,但終于到達(dá)山海關(guān),完成了夙愿。
在這次徒步長城的中斷期間,林賽在北京認(rèn)識了西安女孩吳琪,兩人成了戀人。1988年,林賽攜吳琪回英國。一個青年徒步跑完萬里長城,又抱得美人歸,在英國引起極大轟動,BBC電視臺采訪了林賽和吳琪,一時間他倆成了家喻戶曉的人物。1989年,林賽出版了他的第一種有關(guān)長城的著作《獨步長城》。這書在英國、德國和美國非常暢銷。
除了腳印,什么都不要留下
帶著對長城的特殊情感,1994年4月,林賽和吳琪又來到中國生活、工作。那時,一到周末他大都要和一個美國朋友去北京周邊爬長城,而每次回來都會為在長城上見到垃圾而苦惱,說:真不明白人們?yōu)槭裁磿L城上丟垃圾而不帶走,長城是有感情的,它身上臟了是會哭的。吳琪說:你光說有什么用,看不慣就去撿呀!一語驚醒,林賽和那個美國朋友再去爬長城時,真的開始動手撿拾垃圾了。隔了一段時間,吳琪又給林賽出主意,讓他動員更多的人去長城上撿垃圾,從而造成影響,讓游人注意環(huán)保、愛護(hù)風(fēng)景。林賽和吳琪住在北京的友誼賓館,那是一個外國人聚集的地方,林賽將倡議貼在賓館院里的宣傳欄上,沒想到響應(yīng)者日眾,很快就有36個國家120多人報名參加。林賽為這次活動拉來了贊助:北京的長城飯店提供車輛、垃圾袋、手套、午餐等。
1998年4月,林賽和吳琪第一次組織國際友人登上長城撿垃圾。那次公益活動搞得聲勢浩大,環(huán)保使者分乘兩輛大巴、一輛中巴去往金山嶺長城。林賽給這個垃圾撿拾團(tuán)取名為“迷你共和國”,要求每個參與者都要舉著自己國家的旗幟,使這場清潔長城活動產(chǎn)生廣泛而深遠(yuǎn)的影響。此后,雖然林賽時不時會組織“迷你共和國”去長城撿垃圾,但為了倡導(dǎo)更多人參與進(jìn)來,2001年,這名“長城上的洋清道夫”到香港注冊成立了一個民間保護(hù)長城組織——“國際長城之友”。同年,林賽還建立了長城環(huán)保站,做了許多塊寫有“除了照片,什么都不要帶走;除了腳印,什么都不要留下”的宣傳牌豎立在長城上。與此同時,林賽還雇了6個農(nóng)民常年在箭扣長城上撿垃圾,費用由林賽從挪威海德魯公司和澳大利亞必和必拓公司拉來的贊助中解決。雖然雇了專人在長城上撿拾垃圾,但問題并未一勞永逸,林賽發(fā)現(xiàn)游客越多垃圾越多、自己要做的事也就越多。
新舊圖片凸顯長城變遷
愛長城就要挖掘其文化、賦予其生命。2003年初,林賽準(zhǔn)備實施舉辦長城新舊照片對比展的創(chuàng)意,這個想法早在1987年他徒步走完中國長城后就有了。當(dāng)時BBC采訪林賽和吳琪的專題播出后,一個英國老太太找到林賽,送他一本1908年一個也叫威廉的美國人走完中國長城后寫的書。在那本書中,老威廉詳細(xì)描述了他所見的長城,并配有多幅照片,清晰地記錄了當(dāng)年的景象。在這些舊影中,有一幅是老威廉坐在羅文峪長城的特寫,背景有烽火樓,而在林賽的記憶中,烽火樓已經(jīng)不見。敏銳的林賽發(fā)現(xiàn),類似的現(xiàn)象還有很多很多,他要舉辦長城新舊圖片對比展,目的是告訴人們,長城在歲月的風(fēng)煙中、在人類的損毀中,珍貴的遺存消失得有多快,亟須保護(hù)。
從2003年起,林賽一直在努力收集老照片。期間,林賽又一次徒步長城,一個一個尋找老照片中的鏡頭,然后重新拍攝,不僅為長城研究提供了大量資料,而且還發(fā)現(xiàn)了歷史上未被記載的西夏長城。2005年2月,林賽在英國駐華使館舉辦了一個小型展覽,限于一晚、先期展出15處對比照片。觀展的人層次很高,震撼了國家文物局和北京市文物局領(lǐng)導(dǎo)。之后,林賽與文物部門合作,在“殼牌”的資金支持下,于2007年1月在首都博物館舉行了第一次展覽“萬里長城百年回望展”,共設(shè)立120塊展板,其中84塊為一幅歷史舊圖片和一幅林賽拍攝的新圖片對比。
這些新舊圖片的對比非常鮮明、深刻。比如,在1930年的舊照中,古北口長城上曾有一大一小的姊妹敵樓,如今卻不在;據(jù)林賽介紹,他去拍攝時,找到了一個叫呂文財?shù)睦洗鬆?,老大爺作為證人,講述了日軍侵略中國時是怎樣扔炸彈炸壞了姊妹樓,解放后修鐵路時,又是怎樣把殘存的姊妹樓拆除的。展出在社會上引起了強(qiáng)烈反響,人們保護(hù)長城意識得到了很大提高。
2007年7月,同樣的展出在榆林和嘉峪關(guān)分別舉辦了一次,展出中,林賽將幾經(jīng)輾轉(zhuǎn)找到的老威廉的日記和遺物融合進(jìn)去。2008年和2012年,這一展出又在北京和山海關(guān)舉辦。至此,林賽完成了在長城這條巨龍的龍頭、龍心和龍尾各舉辦一次萬里長城新舊圖片展的夙愿。
期待大學(xué)開設(shè)長城課
林賽和吳琪在收集長城老照片時,對相關(guān)文物也進(jìn)行研究。林賽認(rèn)為,長城歷史固然雄渾厚重,但解構(gòu)其在不同時期、不同地域的特點,探索文化內(nèi)涵更為緊迫。為此,從2012年9月到2014年9月,林賽陸續(xù)在專業(yè)媒體上發(fā)表長城文物文化圖片50幅,接著依據(jù)圖片舉辦了“50件長城文物虛擬展”,他表示:“作為一座建筑來說,萬里長城是百分之百的中國制造,但長城的故事則是長城兩側(cè)的故事,而且逐漸成為世界性的故事。這個‘長城文物虛擬展的文物就是來自長城兩旁,來自世界各地?!?/p>
展出之后,企鵝澳大利亞出版集團(tuán)馬上表示愿意出版成書。一家外國出版商為何看重長城文化?
原來,林賽攝制的這些圖片從滄桑風(fēng)煙中來,有石雷、瓷雷、手銃、弩機(jī)、狼煙、戚氏軍刀、關(guān)城門鎖、修筑工牌,有蒙古馬鬃旗矛狀旗頭和青銅馬蹬、契丹貴族銀質(zhì)喪葬面具、匈奴人面青銅革帶裝飾物等等。透過這些器物,人們真切地感受到,沒有入侵就不會有長城以及殺伐征戰(zhàn)。林賽的圖片中還包括英國探險家奧雷爾·斯坦因手繪于1907年的漢長城圖和首版于1570年的德國地理學(xué)家亞伯拉罕·奧特里斯的《寰宇全圖》——其中可以看到中國長城。
林賽在收集長城圖片中,也因為自己的發(fā)現(xiàn)而出過成果。2008年夏天,林賽和吳琪在嘉峪關(guān)長城博物館看到一支木觚,經(jīng)反復(fù)研究,認(rèn)為這支在玉門花海烽燧中發(fā)現(xiàn)、寫有212個漢字的木觚是一份簡牘,大致產(chǎn)生于漢武帝末期。當(dāng)林賽把研究結(jié)果告訴館長后,館長表示了感謝:這個解釋豐富了講解內(nèi)容。
林賽和吳琪差不多已成半個長城專家,他倆與許多長城學(xué)者進(jìn)行過交流和探討,并得到高度認(rèn)可。在完成了《虛擬長城展:50件長城文物》的出版后,林賽和吳琪正在全力做另一件大事:鑒于研究長城的現(xiàn)狀,林賽已經(jīng)和一所大學(xué)達(dá)成意向合作,開設(shè)長城學(xué)課程。屆時,林賽要把世界著名的長城專家、學(xué)者請來,給學(xué)子們講述長城的故事。
如今,林賽不再每周爬長城,但他的朋友、兩個兒子、兒子的同學(xué)已加入保護(hù)長城的隊伍。接下來,林賽計劃以自由研究者的身份,做些讓外國人通過認(rèn)識長城了解當(dāng)下中國的事。“現(xiàn)在許多外國人不明白,為什么中國發(fā)展如此迅速,甚至快要超過美國了。如果他們能了解長城,就可以明白在漫長的歷史中,中國長期都是最大的國家。”林賽如是說。
(本文圖片由受訪者與安娜提供)
William Lindesays
Great Wall
By Hong Shu, Ah You
William Lindesay loves the Great Wall of China so much that he is the first foreigner who covered the whole length of the Great Wall constructed in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), that he has published five books on the Great Wall, and he has held many photo exhibitions to show the Great Wall in his eyes. He is 60 years old now. He is a leading scholar of world renown on the Great Wall and a leading promoter of the ancient structure which is a world cultural heritage site.
He was born into an ordinary family in Liverpool, UK. He first learned about the Great Wall of China in 1967 because of a teacher. The new teacher asked his students to have three bedside books and the most important should be an atlas. He had his own three bedside books. It was the atlas that gave him the first glimpse of the Great Wall stretching across the north of China. The glimpse also gave him a dream of seeing the mankinds most ambitious building project. He majored in geography at Liverpool University. After graduation he worked in Egypt and Norway. In 1984, he and his brother ran a super marathon along Hadrians Wall in UK. His brother commented that the wall was about 100 kilometers but the Great Wall of China was several thousand kilometers in length. That would be greater fun to run alone from one end to another of the Great Wall. William listened.
He got down seriously to the business of running along the Great Wall. He checked out books about the Great Wall to prepare for his super marathon in China. He also prepared physically by jogging or walking. In the summer of 1986, he arrived in China.
The first two efforts failed. Both journeys started from Jiayuguan Fortress in the northwest. It was too hot. He didnt have adequate water intake. He suffered from hemorrhages and bone fracture in his toes. He had to scratch the plan. In April 1987, he tried again. This time he successfully ran about 1,500 miles and arrived safely at Shanhaiguan Fortress.
And it was during his stay in China that he met Wu Qi, a native of Xian, the capital city of northwestern Chinas Shanxi Province. In 1988 Lindesay and Wu came back to UK. The couple became sensational headliners after BBC broadcast an interview with them. In 1989 Lindesay published his first book on the Great Wall, titled “Alone on the Great Wall”.
In April 1994, Lindesay and Wu came back to China to live and work. During that time, he and an American friend trekked along the Great Wall in the suburbs of Beijing on weekends. And he was upset at the sight of rubbish along the great building. He complained about the mess to his wife Wu. Wu replied, “What is the point of complaining? If you dont like what you see there, you can clean up the Great Wall yourself.” He listened. The next weekend Lindesay and his American friend picked up rubbish on the Great Wall. The cleaning project started. In 1998, Wu Qi made another important suggestion: why not organize a team to do the cleanup work? Back then they were staying at Friendship Hotel where a lot of foreigners working in Beijing stayed. Lindesay posted a notice on the public bulletin board at the hotel. More than 120 environmentalists from 36 countries signed up. Great Wall Hotel in Beijing endorsed the project and provided free vehicles, rubbish bags, gloves and lunch.
In April 1998, Lindesay and Wu Qi and his team cleaned up two sections of the Great Wall in Beijing. In 2001, Lindesay registered Friends of the Great Wall in Hong Kong so as to better protect the Great Wall. Signs featuring “Take Nothing but Pictures and leave nothing but footprints” were installed on the Great Wall and six locals were employed to clean up Jiankou Section of the Great Wall regularly, financed by two foreign companies.
Over years, Lindesay and Wu Qi have done quite a lot to enhance the public awareness of the Great Wall. With the financial support of many international businesses, the couple has held photo exhibitions to feature the ancient architectural wonder. As a result, the Chinese government has intensified efforts to protect the Great Wall.
Nowadays, Lindesay and Wu Qi are almost scholars on the Great Wall. They have collected a lot of old photos taken over the past 100 years and they have taken many photos on their trips along different sections of the Great Wall over years. After publishing The Great Wall in 50 Objects in 2015, Lindesay plans to give a series of lectures in a university.
Nowadays, Lindesay no longer goes regularly to the Great Wall on weekends. He gives more time to his research projects. His two sons and his sons friends have joined the team to continue the cleanup enterprise. Lindesay thinks the Great Wall may help people in the world know better about China, an oriental country growing at unexpectedly fast rate.