楊可安
“你好,我是老楊?!泵看蜗蛑袊暮献骰锇樽鬟@樣的自我介紹時,我都感覺自己真的就是中國人。更準(zhǔn)確地說,我是來自奧地利的中國人。
與浙江廣電集團(tuán)合作5年之后,我更為深切地感受到“海內(nèi)存知己,天涯若比鄰”這句唐詩確實所言不虛。就像西方人之間的友情那樣,中國朋友之間的友情也不是千山萬水可以阻隔的。兩人之間一旦締結(jié)友誼,即使遠(yuǎn)在天涯海角,他們也會彼此懷念。
我是奧地利人,在家鄉(xiāng)有親朋好友,這使得我能更好地欣賞中國和奧地利這兩個國家以及她們的文化,尤其是風(fēng)姿多彩的兩國人民。我想借此機(jī)會,將奧地利和中國的相似之處作一些比較和分析,雖然兩個國家表面上看起來頗為不同。
全世界都知道中國近些年發(fā)生了翻天覆地的變化。我多次訪問中國,也親眼見證了這些變化。比如,與你們很多人一樣,我觀看過杭州灣跨海大橋的視頻和照片,但后來當(dāng)我親眼看見宏偉壯觀的大橋時,我仍深感震撼。另一個例子是杭州人工智能小鎮(zhèn),技術(shù)先鋒前衛(wèi),讓我有種跨越時空的錯覺。在那個小鎮(zhèn),我一時不知自己身在何處,突然有種感覺,仿佛遇到了比我們的文明要高級很多的外星文明。
每次回家,我在中國生活的照片特別受親朋好友的歡迎,我似乎總有講不完的故事。奧地利,這個地處歐洲山地的小國家,對有著14億人口和遠(yuǎn)大未來的中國感到好奇。每當(dāng)我將自己在中國的見聞告訴奧地利同事和親朋好友時,他們頓感好奇,并將中國作為未來旅行的首選之地。
同樣,奧地利的自然美景、精致的傳統(tǒng)鄉(xiāng)村,以及保存完好的傳統(tǒng)文化,也讓中國人無限著迷。中國人對相比之下小很多的奧利地也不僅僅是有所耳聞,而是迫不及待地想要加深了解,前來親眼看一看。
我覺得,兩國彼此感興趣的原因就在于彼此有不少相似之處,盡管這似乎令人不可思議。
維也納以世界音樂之都而享譽全球,每年都會吸引無數(shù)音樂學(xué)院學(xué)生和旅游者來訪。那么我們就以音樂為例。在我看來,奧地利音樂和中國音樂的相似之處,簡要來說有以下這些——
中國朋友將受世人尊敬的貝多芬和莫扎特與奧地利音樂緊密聯(lián)系在一起;而奧地利人一提到中國音樂,首先聯(lián)想到是古箏、二胡、京劇鑼鼓這些樂器,它們演奏出來的旋律如詩如畫。然而,古典音樂的代表人物和典型符號讓兩國精彩絕倫的內(nèi)涵彰顯于世界,卻也限制了這兩個國家向世界推送質(zhì)量極高的現(xiàn)代作品。中國擁有的不僅僅是古箏和二胡,同時還有天賦過人的現(xiàn)代藝術(shù)家和歌唱家;而奧利地?fù)碛械囊膊粌H僅是貝多芬和莫扎特,還有先鋒電子音樂、現(xiàn)代舞、先鋒繪畫。對這兩個國家來說,地位顯赫的古典傳統(tǒng)藝術(shù)是兩國人民各自的世界觀和自我形象的天然組成部分,因此,他們很難把新潮的和令人激動的新藝術(shù)放到相當(dāng)?shù)母叨葋韺Υ?。從這個意義上看,也可以說奧地利和中國都是繁榮的古典文化的“受害者”。
讓我們再看看大家都喜歡的美食。奧地利與中國也有相似與不同之處,但相似大于不同。
奧地利食譜上最受歡迎的菜肴是油炸豬肉片和燉牛肉,而中國則有紅燒肉和水煮牛肉。奧中兩國都喜歡這些實實在在、能大快朵頤的傳統(tǒng)美食。當(dāng)然,奧中兩國都有現(xiàn)代都市大廚,但人們似乎都偏愛媽媽做的拿手菜。兩國民眾最喜愛的都是肉菜。與中國民眾的喜好相似,奧利地人對豬肉也情有獨鐘。兩國民眾都喜歡吃肉喝酒。啤酒和葡萄酒的銷量都很大。奧地利國產(chǎn)美酒產(chǎn)量不大。目前,奧地利和中國的美酒主要還是在國內(nèi)消費,在國外難覓蹤跡。兩國都在努力地讓自己的酒類產(chǎn)品獲得更廣闊的市場,得到更多消費者青睞。也許,兩國在這方面聯(lián)手會更見成效。
接下來,再看大眾媒體。自從我對中國有更多的了解后,經(jīng)常聽朋友講起一些極具中國特色的浪漫愛情故事。在中國,很多愛情源于青梅竹馬、兩小無猜的時候,往往經(jīng)歷各種坎坷,然后有情人終成眷屬,白頭偕老。對這樣的故事,我內(nèi)心是有點嫉妒有點羨慕的。我簡要說說奧地利的愛情故事。
奧地利地處中歐,我覺得這個地理特點對本國人民的性格有某種影響。傳統(tǒng)男女在選擇“完美伴侶”時頗為保守,這樣使得有些人抱憾終生,有些人孤獨終老。奧地利國家廣播公司在1997年開播了一檔叫做《愛情故事和婚姻問題》的電視節(jié)目,至今仍在播出。節(jié)目中的受訪者都期待相親。節(jié)目組采訪這些希望找到終身伴侶的單身人士,盡可能讓觀眾全面了解他們的個性。這檔節(jié)目迄今已播出23季,每集最初時長25分鐘,現(xiàn)已延長至48分鐘。作為一檔傳統(tǒng)的電視相親節(jié)目,不僅未因網(wǎng)絡(luò)約會相親的沖擊而被取代,反而受到更多觀眾的喜愛。這檔節(jié)目之所以長盛不衰,主要是得到廣大觀眾的認(rèn)可。
但從另一方面來說,奧地利時下的年輕人卻未必會循規(guī)蹈矩,他們更傾向于在社交平臺尋找相親機(jī)遇。在這一點上,他們與中國青年并沒什么不同。這樣的相親方式,特別適合當(dāng)代中國高強(qiáng)度工作環(huán)境下的年輕人尋求一種高效的生活方式。
時光飛逝。2019年已然結(jié)束。這一年,我最滿意的是我與浙江廣電集團(tuán)的友情進(jìn)一步加深。我以奧地利Okto國家電視臺的名義,將我的祝福送給浙江的老朋友們,祝福他們在2020年以及以后很多年萬事如意。我希望我們的友情天長地久。無論時間如何飛逝,我們的友情永遠(yuǎn)不變。我衷心祝愿中國繁榮富強(qiáng)!
(本文部分圖片來自CFP)
“Hello, Im Lao Yang.” These days, every time I introduce myself to my Chinese partners, I feel that while Im without doubt Chinese, Im more accurately Chinese-from-Austria. However especially after five years of working with ZRTG, I am compelled to recognize the truth in the old oriental aphorism of “a close friend far away brings a distant land near”, especially true in the traditional Chinese culture. Much like friendships among Westerners, there are no geographical boundaries between Chinese friends, and once two souls recognize each other, even if they are at the two ends of the earth, they will not stop reaching out and communicating frequently. And so my connections with Austria and my old friends back home have made it possible for me to appreciate both countries, their cultures and especially the fascinating peoples of both lands. Id like to take this opportunity to compare and examine the similarities between these two, on the face of it, quite different places.
The world knows well enough the major changes that have taken place in China in recent years, and I have personally witnessed them on my frequent visits. For example, like many of you, I had seen footage and images of Hangzhou Bay Sea-crossing Bridge, but it wasnt until I saw it with my own eyes, that the awe of immersion truly gripped me. Another example is the technological avant-garde across time and space of AI town in Hangzhou, which left me unable to define just where I was, and quite suddenly, I had the illusion of encountering an alien civilization much more advanced than our own.
When I talked to my colleagues and friends in Austria about what I had seen in China, they were instantly curious and put it on top of their travel list in the future. Similarly, Chinese people are endlessly attracted by the natural beauty, quaint villages and unspoiled traditions Austria is home to. Showing pictures of my life here is a popular activity when I return home – it seems I can never tell enough stories about this, by comparison, tiny place in the mountains of Europe. Austrians are fascinated by a land of 1.4 billion people that often seems made of the future. Chinese in turn have not only heard of this much smaller land, they cant wait to hear more about it and come to visit. Perhaps the reason can be found in the similarities, however unlikely they might seem, between the two countries.
Consider Austrian and Chinese music. Vienna, the city known as the musical capital of the world, has attracted countless conservatory students andtourists to visit it over the years. In those overseas minds, the similarities between Austrian music and Chinese music boil down to the following. Chinese friends associate Austrian music with the venerable Beethoven and Mozart; likewise, when Austrians mention Chinese music, their associations are the poetic and picturesque charm of ?as well as , the gongs and drums of Beijing Opera. While these symbols of classical music help the two countries to promote their own national quintessence to the world, they also limit the opportunity of promoting the contemporary musical art both places undoubtedly produce in great quality and quantity. Just as there are not only ?and in China, but also talented contemporary artists and singers, there are not only Mozart and Beethoven in Austria, but also avant-garde electronic music, contemporary dance, and avant-garde painting. For both countries the “classical” artistic tradition is so dominant in the perception and self-image of their people, that it can be difficult to find the newer and exciting art that is being made. It could be said that both countries are ‘victims of their own historical success, in this way.
Let us turn our attention to another one of the great pleasures shared by both Austrians and Chinese: food. The food culture in Austria has both similarities and differences with China. The similarities seem to outweigh the differences, however. Just consider that where the most broadly available and celebrated dishes on the Austrian menu are Schnitzels (pork escalope) and Tafelspitz (stewed beef), China has Red braised pork belly, and chili cooked beef. Both countries enjoy what you might call traditional, honest and hearty fare. While there are of course modern, urban chefs working in both countries, the majority seems happy with ‘mothers cooking. The most popular dishes in both countries are meat-related. And similar to Chinese meat ingredients, Austria is also a country with a big veneration for pork as the main meat ingredient. Austrians, like their Chinese counterparts, enjoy a good drink with their porky delights. The beer and wine consumption is high in both countries, Austria is known for high wine quality from small production amounts. So far, Austrian and Chinese wines have both been sold mainly domestically, and they are hard to find overseas. Both countries are shifting gears to ensure their wines and beers are more broadly marketed and consumed. Perhaps a partnership amongst both countries could be fruitful here?
Next, lets look at popular media. I have been hearing some Chinese-styled romantic love stories from my friends since I began to know China better. Many of those stories began with the innocent friendships of childhood, and after numerous ups and downs, they develop into a stable couple, and their love will usually last a lifetime. While my heart is envious, I would also like to talk a bit about the Austrian-styled love story. In my opinion, the geographical location of Austria in central Europe has a certain influence on the character of the local people. Traditional Austrian women and men can be quite conservative in the selection of “the perfect partner”. This leads to occasional disappointments and lonely souls. For this, Austrian national broadcasting invented a TV format called “Love Stories and Marriage Matters”, which has been broadcasted since 1997. It is a program consisting of interviewing people with dating wishes. It visits those singles looking for their life partners, drawing as complete an image of the candidate's personality as possible for the audience. So far, 23 seasons have been produced, and the duration of each episode has been extended from the initial 25 minutes to the current 48 minutes. As a traditional TV dating program, it has not been replaced under the impact of online dating. On the contrary, it becomes more and more popular every year. It has something to do with the recognition of the strong audience of die-hard fans behind it. On the other hand, young Austrian generations wouldnt follow the traditional route—which is similar to those of China—it is also quite common for them to screen dating opportunities through online platforms. This is suitable for an efficient lifestyle under the high-intensity work conditions we must deal with in contemporary China.
How time flies! The end of 2019 is upon us. And my greatest satisfaction of this year should be my friendship with ZRTG becoming deeper. For the upcoming 2020 and the years to come, and, on behalf of Okto TV, Austria, Id like to send my dear old friends of ZRTG an Austrian greeting. And I hope our friendship will last forever—no matter how time flies, what remains changeless is our friendship. And I wish China have a more prosperous future!