歌聲人生 / Songs of My Life

歌 聲 人 生	Songs of My Life
電台節目「品味黃昏」訪談節錄 郭位	Interviews with “Flavours of Dusk” on RTHK (Synopsis) Way Kuo
去年8月31日至9月4日一連五天，我接受香港電台訪問，在「品味黃昏」的「驛動人生」環節選了五首喜愛的歌曲，同時分享我的成長經歷，心路歷程，還有我對本港大學發展的期望等，以下謹與各位網誌上的朋友分享訪談的摘要。	FROM August 31 to September 4 last year, I gave RTHK a round of five daily interviews during the “Pulse of Life” section of “Flavours of Dusk”, a regular programme on the local Radio. I shared with the listeners five of my favourite songs in life and how I felt about them while growing up as a young student. Also, I talked about what I expect of today’s university students in Hong Kong. Here’s a synopsis of those interviews, which I’d like to share with fellow bloggers.
我在台灣長大，台灣的雨季很長，春天、夏天、秋天都有雨，所以我對雨特別有感觸，也喜歡跟雨有關的歌曲。	I grew up in Taiwan, where a lengthy rainy season almost spans spring, summer, and autumn. So, scenes in rainy days would stir up some special feelings in me, making me a lover of songs about rains.
在國立清華大學，我讀的是理工科目。同學大多偏向於理性，所以對瓊瑤小說談論不多，倒是對歷史、哲學談論得較多。我不怎麼看瓊瑤小說，可是取材或取意於這類小說的歌曲，我覺得都很羅曼蒂克，令人回味再三。《煙雨斜陽》就是一首非常羅曼蒂克的歌曲。	I studied science and engineering subjects at the National Tsing Hua University of Taiwan. Psychologically, most of us students there had more sense than sensibility, and so we didn’t talk much about those sentimental stories by Ms Chiung Yao, a famous novelist then. Instead, we discussed topics of history and philosophy more often. I didn’t read much of the romances by the authoress, but I came to find many of the songs based on her stories were quite romantic and would bring up sweet memories long afterwards. One of such romantic songs is “Drizzles in the Setting Sun”.
如果是雨天，特別是春雨綿綿的季節，一邊聽著《煙雨斜陽》，一邊讀書，或是聊聊天，我都覺得很好。聽著這首歌，讓人產生很多感觸。讀書時如果能有這樣的歌曲伴隨，是一點也不會感到寂寞的。	Through rains, especially fine drizzles during those lingering wet days of spring, that song became a great companion to me while I was either reading a book or having a chat. The soothing tune evoked lots of thoughts in me. You would never feel lonely even when studying alone so long as there were songs around like this to keep you company.
我還喜歡另一首傾訴雨天情懷的歌，那就是《濛濛細雨憶當年》。即使今天想起這首歌，我就會憶起年輕時在台北的歲月。	Another lovely song I enjoyed, which also put me in a cheerful mood in rainy days, has been “Misty Rains in Bygone Days ”. Even to this day, the very melody of it would bring me back again to the happy youthful years I spent in Taiwan.
台灣和香港一樣，都被海包圍，也可以說海被我們包圍。其實，我們與大海已融為一體；所以我還喜歡一首歌《聽海》，由張惠妹用她原住民清新響亮的歌喉唱出來，特別美，這也會令我懷念台灣，回憶當年。	Like Hong Kong, Taiwan is surrounded by seas or – you might say – the two places embrace the seas between them. In reality, both places have become merged with the seas around them. That’s why I’ve loved yet another song – “Listening to the Seas”, which is all the more touching when sung by Ah Mei in her aborigine’s fresh and clear voice typical of the native Taiwanese. It makes me think of Taiwan, of my years there.
還有一首歌會讓我想起舊日時光，那就是尤雅唱的《往事只能回味》。我在清華讀大學的四年，可以說是很豐富的四年，很多事情值得回味。我在大學有兩年是校刊主編，結識了很多好朋友；為着校刊的工作，我訪問了很多歷史上的重要人物，今天回想起來，好像對我後來的很多經歷都有啟發。	Then, there’s a song that never fails to bring back to mind my youthful years gone by – “What’s Past Just Lingers in Hearts”, which would be best if sung by Miss You Ya, a famous singer. It makes me recall the most rewarding four years I spent at Tsing Hua, where lots of things and events still linger in my heart. For two years there I was editor of the university journal, during which time I met many of my good friends. Then, as part of my editor’s work, I interviewed quite a few people who now hold their niches in history. Looking back on it, I see that period of my youth has inspired me greatly in my later years.
《往事只能回味》最早是尤雅唱出名的，後來成了她的招牌歌曲。正如許多流行曲，這首也是情歌，訴說少女如何懷念逝去的美好戀情。這首歌也讓我們懷念自己少年時代經歷過的事情，所以是有一點深度的。這首歌，經尤雅柔柔地唱出來，特別感人。	“What’s Past Just Lingers in Hearts” became popular as You Ya’s first hit, and it has remained her signature song. Like many pop songs, it is about love and romance, voicing a girl’s yearnings for her first lover long ago. Yet, to a listener, it also brings to mind whatever happened that’s worth cherishing in memory during his own early years. It goes deep down in one’s heart. The song is particularly moving when crooned gently in You Ya’s soft voice.
我如今跟城大的同學談天，常常勉勵年輕人珍惜在校園裏度過的歲月，多結識一些朋友，這其實比單純讀書本強過千百倍。廣交益友，可以彼此切磋，大家都有很多收益。	Nowadays, when chatting with students of CityU, I would urge them to treasure their university years, making more friends on the campus. That would prove to be much more valuable than merely learning from books. Good company of soulmates helps young people learn from one another, and everybody will benefit from it.
我一直認為，「讀書」不只有一個解釋，讀書不僅是從書本上學習。我們身邊無數的人、事、物，也都是書。一個學生讀了幾本書，只是學到千分之一、萬分之一的知識而已。回想當年同學中間，只做到成績好、把書讀得很精的人，事實上後來還真的不是很成功。	I’ve always believed that there’re more ways of “studying” than learning from books. All things, all events and all people around us can be our sources of learning. A student would get only a thousandth of knowledge available if he did nothing but reading. In retrospect, I can see that the smartest scholars among my fellow students, who managed to score terrific marks, have not turned out very successful in their later lives.
我常常說，香港有很多非常成功的人並沒有什麼學位；他們自謙沒有學問，其實不是沒有學問，只是沒有學位而已。有學位而不成功的人太多了，但是真有學問而不成功的恐怕很少。學問包括我們待人處事的能力，這不是一紙文憑所能夠衡量的。人的創意跟思考的活躍，要比只讀幾本書、獲得幾個分數更重要。	There are quite some successful Hongkongers who hold no academic degrees, as I’ve often mentioned. They would modestly admit to little learning, but in reality what they lack is degrees, not real learning. There are too many degree-holders who fail to succeed in life, but probably fewer people with real learning who end up nowhere. Genuine learning includes the ability to handle situations wisely and deal with people properly, which is more than a degree could bring or prove. Creative ideas and active thinking are worth far more than all the books read or marks scored.
即便是聽歌，也可以發揮創意。有一首歌，在華語世界有非常多的人喜歡，表面上聽來是情歌，但留心一下也可以聽出帶有政治意味。這就是《何日君再來》，尤其是由鄧麗君唱出來時。我倒是覺得，這首歌可以表達遊學海外的人期待回家的心情。這首歌可以有很多種解讀，聽歌的人可以有不同的感觸。	Creative thinking can play a role even when you’re enjoying songs. There’s one particular song widely popular among the ethnic Chinese everywhere, which seems to sing of love but can also carry a political message to the discerning ear. Here I’m referring to “What Day Will You Return?” – especially in the version sung by the late Teresa Teng. To me, that song could well speak the minds for young people studying abroad who’re longing to return home. So you see the same song is capable of multiple interpretations, as listeners can feel about it in various ways.
留學在海外，特別是在美國，容易有身處異鄉的感覺。當年，我除了讀書跟朋友聚會以外，就聽聽這些成了古典的舊時老歌，排解鄉思，調節心情。就是在那時聽《何日君再來》，聽出了特別的意味。	Chinese youths abroad, especially when studying alone in the US, would suffer from loneliness in a foreign land. In those years, when not studying or hanging around with friends, I would listen to some golden oldies like those I’ve just mentioned, to keep off the sad homesickness and stay in a happier mood. It was in such a milieu that I came to sense a different flavour in “What Day Will You Return?” when listening to it.
時代在進步，一代人比一代強，我覺得今天的青年非常多樣化、非常活潑，比我活潑多了。現代人也相當進步，但如果說有些不足，就是今日香港本地的學生，或者說兩岸三地的學生，對中華文化瞭解比較少，不如上一輩人。當然，他們對現代科技進步瞭解很多，很有活力。	Times are progressing, and each generation is sure to surpass the previous one. Young people today, as I find, are very active and diversified in their thinking, much more active than I was then. Young people today are advanced in many ways. One of their weaknesses, if any, is their lack of knowledge of Chinese culture, as found in students of Hong Kong or even those from mainland China and Taiwan as well. In this field, they know less than their parents do. Of course, the young are more active-minded and very knowledgeable about modern technology.
這一缺陷是教育、社會的偏差所造成的。一方面，教育體系對傳統文化的傳播鼓勵比較少；另一方面，社會強調現代科技、商業競爭，讓青年覺得那是唯一出路。所以，在熏陶人的文化素養方面，社會可以加強努力。	That weakness is caused by inadequacies in our education system and society in general. On one hand, our education system is not doing enough to impart or boost our cultural heritage. On the other hand, our society in general emphasises modern technology and business competition, apparently presenting these as the only way out for the young. So there is much to be done to bring up a young generation with stronger cultural awareness.
我在美國待了三十四年，但覺得還是應該保持中華文化。如果沒有中華文化，只學西方的文字或者科技，就像只披上一層虎皮，我會有另一種遺憾。	Despite my 34 years’ stay in the US, I remain sure that a Chinese heritage is well worth treasuring. Without our own heritage, knowledge of Western languages or technology alone would make us resemble sheep dressed in tiger’s skin. Loss of my heritage would make me feel regretful in an otherwise wonderful career.
我不擔心中華文化寶藏的光芒會失色。中國在「文化革命」時打倒孔老夫子，可是如今孔子在中國大陸又復活了。孔子講的話，其實還是有生命力的。我可以跟大家再舉個例子，美國很多官員或者高級行政官員（即CEO），都會讀《孫子兵法》，這已不是秘密。孫子也是中華文化的瑰寶。	I have no worry that Chinese culture would lose its charm and splendour. The so-called “Cultural Revolution” in mainland China in the 1960’s and 1970’s did overthrow Confucius and his teachings, but now these have come back to life in China. Many of Confucius’ teachings remain alive and valid today. One more example of Chinese culture’s value is the wisdom in The Art of War by Sun Tzu, an ancient military strategist. It is no secret now, I can assure you, that many government officials and CEO’s in the US would study the strategist’s treatise. Like Confucius, Sun Tzu is a gem in the treasury of Chinese culture.
我想，中華文化會慢慢回來。「何日君再來」呢？我們再聽這首歌時，也許會有不一樣的領悟，會以那歌聲來自勉，保持希望，多加努力。	Chinese culture, I’m sure, will gradually return to its glory. Perhaps, while listening to “What Day Will You Return?” today, we can get yet another fresh message – an urge for us to cheer up and exert ourselves further to revitalize our heritage. (Translated by Allen Zhuang)
[源文與英譯文刊於香港城市大學網頁之“校長網誌”(2010-02-08). / Source text along with its English version was posted on “Way to Kuo Blog” of City University of Hong Kong website (2010-02-08). ]