沈嫻
《中國詩詞大會》“賞中華詩詞、尋文化基因、品生活之美”。我們讀古詩詞,在于追循詩性語言的金線,找到“興發(fā)感動”的細膩情愫,讓語言之外的美感和深意得以展現(xiàn)。
中國古詩詞也曾有一條西漸之路,在西方世界廣受歡迎。我們在此回顧、評說,意在一窺人類的共通之情是如何在詩歌中復興并流轉(zhuǎn)的,去印證110年前魯迅先生所言“人生誠理,直籠其辭句中,使聞其聲者,靈府郎然,與人生即會”。
用自然之力重構(gòu)詩性
20世紀初,美國新詩運動(1912—1922)興起。其中最引人矚目的,首推意象派運動。意象派詩人從中國古典詩歌中找到了理論支撐點,掀起了一場翻譯和闡釋的熱潮。作為意象派執(zhí)牛耳者,龐德與中國古典詩歌有著不解之緣。
1912年年底,東方學家費諾羅薩的妻子瑪麗在倫敦遇上了二十郎當、意氣風發(fā)的龐德,可能是龐德對歐洲中心主義的不屑、對異國文化的博聞和熱情,讓她決定把亡夫全部的中日文學筆記寄給龐德。
費諾羅薩主要研究日本美術(shù),1896年至1900年他再赴日本常住,并向有賀永雄等著名漢學家學習中國詩,留有大量筆記。1908年他去世后,妻子瑪麗整理出版了其東方美術(shù)史著作,但對其中國詩筆記卻一籌莫展,一直思忖尋找一名詩人與亡靈“合作翻譯”。
龐德得到遺稿時,驚異于漢字作為詩歌語言的偉大創(chuàng)舉,他讓中文開始作為詩性語言進入了西方美學視域。
其實,早在1912年之前,龐德發(fā)起意象運動時,就有自己的詩學主張,而費諾羅薩的筆記與之不謀而合。筆記強調(diào),漢字不像字母文字,是約定俗成的符號,是大自然活動的生動速寫畫;而當時的西方文字“為了求快求準,我們被迫把每個詞的意義銼到最狹小的邊緣”,因此越來越抽象,就如涂香料的木乃伊,只有學者和詩人痛苦地沿著詞源學摸索回去。
在費諾羅薩和龐德看來,漢字天然擁有詩性,是因為它保留著創(chuàng)造的沖動和過程,具體、真實而生動?!霸姷恼Z言永遠振動著一層層的陪音和自然的親和力,但在中文里,比喻的可見性把這種品質(zhì)提高到最強的力度”。他將這種“盡可能返回自然物”的詩學帶入了西方文學界。
1914年,龐德從費諾羅薩遺稿中整理翻譯出十九首中文詩,包括《詩經(jīng)》一首、古樂府兩首、陶潛詩一首、盧照鄰詩一首、王維詩一首、李白詩十二首,結(jié)為《華夏集》。除了禮拜《長干行》以外,與其說是翻譯,毋寧說是改寫。不太懂中文的龐德自然沒有原詩掣肘,他用自由詩體再創(chuàng)作,也符合意象派詩人用口語與節(jié)奏創(chuàng)造詩歌意象的原則。
《華夏集》甫一出版,即引起轟動。語言簡練流暢,文字無一贅述,意象簡潔易懂,讓T.S.艾略特盛贊龐德為“中國詩歌的發(fā)明者”。
龐德領(lǐng)會了中國古詩的意象在于含蓄而形象地表達“人生微妙之剎那”,比如馬致遠的《天凈沙·秋思》:“枯藤老樹昏鴉,小橋流水人家,古道西風瘦馬。夕陽西下,斷腸人在天涯?!倍覀冊倏待嫷轮摹兜紫萝囌尽罚ㄧ婗H譯):
人群中幻影般浮現(xiàn)的臉
潮濕的,黑色樹枝上的花瓣
這首龐德最著名的詩起初有三十行,龐德在一年時間內(nèi)做減法,最終只剩兩行。它在句法、意象表達上充分繼承了中國詩意象的衣缽,草草幾筆將巴黎協(xié)和廣場地鐵站人潮浮動的一瞬定格在了文字的畫布上。龐德從漢字和最能體現(xiàn)“漢字詩學”的古詩中找到了適合表達自己情思之法,并在此基礎(chǔ)上提出了自己的詩學主張,通過學習、借鑒、模仿中國古詩意象的創(chuàng)造和獨特的句法結(jié)構(gòu),使自己的意象日臻成熟。
我們在荒原上跳舞
時人見寒山,各謂是風顛。
貌不起人目,身唯布裘纏。
我語他不會,他語我不言。
為報往來者,可來向寒山。
20世紀四五十年代,一位在中國鮮有人問津的詩人之詩在大洋彼岸被廣為傳頌,詩人本人也被嬉皮士們奉為精神偶像,那名詩人乃浙江天臺寒山子。
寒山子,唐代人士,不知原名,更不知何處來。他居住天臺寒巖,喜于山林間吟詩嘯歌。在中國詩歌史上,這個瘋瘋癲癲的老頭子被冷落了一千多年,學術(shù)界大凡認為因其徹底不仕,歸隱山林,且作品多為白話詩,在當時不登大雅之堂,但這兩個特點使他的作品為時所拘,也為時所興。
因為是白話入詩,所以在翻譯上,寒山詩比李杜的舊體詩更簡單,也更生動,自然更易流傳。寒山詩中背離社會、縱情自然的態(tài)度,正唱和“垮掉的一代”的嬉皮士對工業(yè)文明的抗爭方式。于是,寒山在現(xiàn)代主義中被復活了。
寒山詩是經(jīng)由日本傳入美國的:亞瑟·韋利(Arthur Waley)于1954年出版譯作《寒山詩27首》;加里·斯奈德(Gary Snyder)于1958年發(fā)表《寒山詩》一文;波頓·沃森(Burton Watson)于1963年據(jù)入矢義高所編寒山詩,翻譯出版了百首詩集。
然而,真正讓寒山子嬉皮士形象深入人心的,是凱魯亞克于1958年出版的小說《法丐》。這部自傳體小說描寫了作者與斯奈德的一段友誼。書中描寫斯奈德宣講寒山精神、翻譯寒山詩,把美國人的理解闡發(fā)到極致。而斯奈德這個在俄勒岡大山里長大的野孩子,不守常規(guī),對東方語言情有獨鐘并考入加州大學伯克利分校學習東方語言文化。他側(cè)重選擇寒山詩歌中有關(guān)隱居寒巖和“禪定”的詩句進行翻譯。小說最后,斯奈德赴日本修行,作者來到山上,看見一名小小的中國乞丐站在靜穆的晨霧中,枯槁的面容帶著一種不可名狀的幽默。他發(fā)現(xiàn)這正是他夢中的斯奈德。至此,斯奈德和寒山成了一體,或者說,“垮掉的一代”的文學流浪者形象和中國瘋僧已不可分割。凱魯亞克在《法丐》開頭題上“獻給寒山子”,就是獻給自身。
嬉皮士們學著寒山子,也在深山奔跑蹦跳,高聲呼喊,佯狂似顛。寒山子與塵俗決裂,“我向前溪照碧流,或向巖邊坐盤石。心似孤云無所依,悠悠世事何須覓”。嬉皮士們也背離現(xiàn)代文明,甚至解除與家庭的聯(lián)系,把自己放逐到大路上、荒林中。如凱魯亞克的《在路上》就是寫他浪跡天涯的生活的——從加州到墨西哥,從紐約到丹佛,從洛杉磯到舊金山,凱魯亞克稱之為“一種逃遁”“對一切世俗觀念的厭倦”。
工業(yè)文明對人的壓迫與異化,信仰缺失與物欲橫流,讓嬉皮士們對靈魂自主有著近乎慘烈的渴求,為此,他們甘愿忍受痛苦和困頓。寒山詩中所表現(xiàn)的詩人身處寒巖而心情僻靜泰然,為嬉皮士們供給了一條自我救贖的道路。此外,不可忽視的是,寒山子集儒、釋、道于一身,這無疑給海外研究中國傳統(tǒng)文化提供了一條捷徑。
“人問寒山道,寒山路不通。夏天冰未釋,日出霧朦朧。似我何由屆,與君心不同。君心若似我,還得到其中。”在現(xiàn)代主義荒原上,寒山子與“垮掉的一代”心意相通。
詩歌與巴別塔
電影《冷山》(也許譯為《寒山》更合適)是由查爾斯·弗雷澤同名長篇小說改編而成。小說以美國南北戰(zhàn)爭為背景,描寫人與土地的羈絆,并控訴了戰(zhàn)爭。小說起始便引用了《寒山詩注》第九首中“人問寒山道,寒山路不通”一句,此處的“寒山”應為雙關(guān),既說明了男主人公逃離戰(zhàn)爭、回鄉(xiāng)之路的艱難,畢竟要打通“寒山道”;又暗指了男女主人公背離社會,隱居山林的超脫與叛逆,與寒山子的精神不謀而合。
詩歌是人類語言的巔峰。中國古詩詞作為漢語言所特有的一種有韻律、能含蓄凝練表達思想情感的文體之一,翻譯的難度非一般文字翻譯所可比肩。由于以英文為代表的西方語言的“形合語”與中文的“意合語”之間的巨大差異,中國古詩詞走出東亞的儒家文化圈,保留自身的神韻進入西方文化,在許多人眼里,似乎成了不可能完成的任務(wù)。誠如弗羅斯特說:“詩乃翻譯中失去的東西?!?/p>
不能否認古詩詞翻譯之難,需要譯者具有極高的雙語文學造詣,但比之中國古典名著的翻譯,詩詞的翻譯卻有著其相對優(yōu)勢。前者如《紅樓夢》,由于文化差異太大,在翻譯成英文過程中,許多內(nèi)容根本無法找到對等詞。鑒于浩繁的典故與社會歷史背景細節(jié),或需要補充大量注釋,然而累累的注解必然導致閱讀的艱澀與詩性的喪失。而詩歌則不同。華茲華斯說,“詩是強烈情感的自然流露”,尤其中文古詩詞,多天人合一,意象具體簡潔,情感真摯率性,在情感共通的基礎(chǔ)上,若能找到符合原詩的譯文措辭及韻律,有“信達雅”的譯文也非登天之事。我們可以看許淵沖對李清照《聲聲慢》首句“尋尋覓覓,冷冷清清,凄凄慘慘戚戚”的翻譯:
I look for what I miss; I know what I miss;
I feel so sad, so drear, so lonely, without cheer.
在節(jié)奏、尾韻和情感表達上,許淵沖的譯文皆為上乘,譯文讀者全然可以感受到詩人那種惆悵落寞之情。
回顧歷史,放眼今日,會發(fā)現(xiàn)不同民族、不同國家之間的文化交流從未停止過,任何一個民族的文化在其發(fā)展演進的過程中,都曾借鑒過其他民族文化的精華,以此來矯正或繁榮自身。不論中國古典詩歌對意象派的影響,還是寒山詩對嬉皮士的影響,都是在西方文明需要新鮮血液時,其主動汲取中國古詩詞精髓的結(jié)果。中國古典詩歌對世界的影響由此可見一斑。而中國古詩詞作為一種直抒胸臆、化繁為簡的語言形式,作為一種人類都能感同身受的情感與意志載體,難道不是讓世界理解中華文明的一個已打通的切入口、一扇敞開的小窗?對此,我們又能做些什么?
has become a poetical phenomenon. Launched in 2016, the television blockbuster aims to “promote Chinese poetry, seek cultural genes and interpret the beauty of life”.
Chinese poetry has long since gone international. It not only goes international, but also plays a part in showing the world how to express oneself in poems. In the early 20th century, a new poetry movement bloomed in USA from 1912 to 1922. The most eye-catching phenomenon of the movement was imagism. Technically, poets of this school learned a great deal from ancient Chinese poems. Ezra Pound, a leader of imagism, had close ties with ancient Chinese poetry.
Ezra Pound first accessed the Chinese poetry through the notes of Ernest Fenollosa (1853-1908), an American art historian of Japanese art, professor of philosophy and political economy at Tokyo Imperial University. During his stay in Japan from 1896 to 1900, he studied Chinese poetry under the tutelage of Japanese sinologists and jotted down quite a few notes. After he passed away, his wife published his book on the history of oriental art, but didnt know how to handle the notes he had taken. She pondered to find a poet who could interpret the notes and translate these notes into poems. Then she ran into Pound in London toward the end of 1912. In his 20s, Pound, tired of European centralism, was passionate about exotic countries. She sent all her husbands notes on Chinese and Japanese literature to Pound. Pound saw in Fenollosas notes what he had been trying to find. In 1914, he published , a book of translations based on the notes on 19 Chinese poems. With inadequate knowledge of Chinese, Pound didnt do translation word for word. The translations were actually rewriting in the free verse style. His approach coincided with imagism. caused a sensation in the west and further established Pounds fame as a poet.
In the 1950s, Hanshan, a fabled Chinese monk poet, was made widely known in the west. Hanshan or literarily Cold Mountain was a legendary person of the Tang (618-907). He lived in Tiantai Mountain in present-day Zhejiang. Where he came from and what his original name was before he converted to Buddhism isnt seen in written history. In the history of Chinese poetry, the seemingly crazy monk was ignored for more than a thousand years. It is widely agreed in China that the poems written in a simple and plain style are worthy. However, the poems respond to everyday events and situations the monk encounters. They are much easier to translate than those by Li Bai and Du Fu, two great poets of the Tang. The poems, which portray a person who breaks away from conventions and abandons himself to nature, touched the hearts of the “Beat Generation”. That explains why Hanshan appeals to some modernist poets.
Hanshans poems went to American readers via Japan. In 1954, Arthur Waley published 27 poems of Hanshan. Gary Snyder published an essay on Cold Mountain poems in Evergreen Review in 1958. Burton Watson published in 1962. In 1958, Jack Kerouac published . In this novel, a character based on the poet and essayist Gary Snyder talks about the Chinese monk and his poems in length. The book had a significant influence on the Hippie counterculture of the 1960s.
, a 1997 major fiction bestseller by Charles Frazier, has a translation of a line from a poem by Hanshan: Men ask the way to Cold Mountain. Cold Mountain: theres no through trail. The fact that Cold Mountain, a novel, quotes a line by a Chinese poet named Cold Mountain aka Hanshan is very interesting indeed.
Cultural exchanges have never really ceased in the history of our civilization. A culture absorbs from other cultures to improve and flourish. Ancient Chinese poetry is part of the literature wealth of the world. It affects the way people feel about themselves and the world.