書法義工 / Volunteers with Brushes

書法義工 金雨田	Volunteers with Brushes Jin Yu Tian
中華文化，是從竹管裏流出來的，這裏說的是毛筆。	CHINESE culture stems from a little bamboo shaft, by which I mean the writing brush.
前些時候，高信疆來訪，談起在台灣發起文化義工的事。他說反應奇佳，一批批愛寫書法的人士，帶着筆墨，到各地去免費教授書法。	Not long ago, a friend came and told me about a “Learn calligraphy” drive in Taiwan. The appeal for volunteers, he said, had evoked such a warm response that groups of calligraphy enthusiasts, bringing along their brushes and ink, went around giving free lessons in Chinese penmanship.
難得的是，參與的人男女老幼都有，地點不計，學校工廠皆行，有些人還是平生第一次握這管子呢。	And remarkable crowds of learners they did draw – old and young, male and female, in schools, factories, or any other venues. Some of them came and had a try at writing with a brush for the first time in their lives.
他們還到雛妓收容所，教導這些肉體與靈魂曾經備受摧殘的人，運用筆墨，治療心靈的創傷。	The volunteers went to the halfway house for child prostitutes, too. They taught calligraphy to the girls who had been badly abused in body and mind so that, working with the brush and ink, they could expect to recover from the trauma sooner.
毛筆，長長時間曾是最為一般的書寫工具，更是文人不可或離的創作工具。時不我與，讓位給現代用筆和電腦鍵盤，但它的使轉順遂，也最經得起時間考驗。歷史上多少的藝術精靈，就依附在這管竹尾的毫毛而流芳百世。	For a long, long time, the Chinese brush has been the most ordinary tool for writing or, for the literati, the indispensable medium in their creative work. Then, with the passing of years, it has given way to various modern pens and pencils, and recently to the computer keyboard. Yet, it is the simple brush that has stood the test of time best. Gliding on paper with ease and freedom, the fine long hair attached to a bamboo shaft has rendered numerous literary and art geniuses immortal for posterity.
明人陳繼儒說：“筆有四德，銳齊健圓”，借用這句話形容那些書法義工，由銳而至圓，不也是人生追求的一種可貴的精神體現？著力，用心 —— 至性的嚮往。	Like humans, the brush has virtues. A worthy specimen, remarked a scholar centuries ago, must have a writing tip that is keen, neat, resilient, and well-rounded. The same could be said, I think, to describe those volunteers with brushes. Keen to render help, they devote themselves to noble pursuits until they themselves become well-rounded through experiences in life. Men’s hand and heart act in unison towards perfection in penmanship – and in humanity.
	(Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[原載新加坡《聯合早報》(2000)；收入《不著地族 / A Lift-Off People》(潘正鐳著、Allen Zhuang 英譯；Singapore: All Publishing House, 2002)]