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《菩提田》

 

BODHI FIELD

陶淵明詩講錄 《續》
Lectures on Tao Yuan-ming’s Poems (continued)

葉嘉瑩教授 講 by Professor Yeh Chia-ying
劉年聰、楊維光 英譯 English Translation by Liew Yen Chong and Yong Wei Kwong of BBDC, Singapore

可是大家還記得嗎?在「結廬在人境」那一首詩裏他還說過,「飛鳥相與還」;在「歸去來兮辭」裏他也說過,「鳥倦飛而知還」。歸鳥的形象是陶淵明常用的,但他所要寫出來的,絕不只是外在的生活現實,而是包含了他自己一份幽微深細的內心感情在裏面。而且,這兩句還有一點值得注意:「日入群動息」,是所有那些有生之物的動作都停止了,到處都寂寞了,可是「歸鳥趨林鳴」的鳥鳴,又是寂寞中的一種聲音。這聲音所表現的,不是喧嘩也不是擾亂,而是一種歸來的歡喜。「  栖栖失群鳥」的那一隻鳥,當牠終於找到一棵孤生松時,牠是多麼歡喜地投向自己的落腳之處!而我,陶淵明,現在也找到了自己的一個安身立命之所在,我再也不會被外界的事物所左右,所迷惑了!

結尾他說:「嘯傲東軒下,聊復得此生。」剛才鳥不是在叫嗎?好,他說我陶淵明也要「嘯傲」。什麼是「嘯傲」? 我們先說這個「嘯」字。古代有人寫過一篇賦, 專門描寫怎麼樣「嘯」。總之,「嘯」就是從口中發出一種聲音來,有聲而無字。中國古人常常說「吟嘯」,這「吟」和「嘯」還不大一樣。吟是吟詩 ,不像我現在這樣一個字一個字地念,而是拖長了聲音「吟」,好像是唱歌但又不是唱歌,因為沒有一定的音樂和調子,只是憑你自己的體會。你對這首詩是怎麼感受的,把你的感情和詩句結合在一起表現出來,那就是「吟」了,所以,「吟」是有文字有內容的。你今天是歡喜還是悲哀,你就可以根據你的感情,選一首詩來吟。這是很妙的一件事情。  

比如杜甫還寫過一首《春望》,其中有名的兩句是,「國破山河在,城春草木深」。這是在唐朝「安史叛亂」中長安被叛軍佔領時所寫的。他說,國家已經殘破了,首都已經淪陷了,可是終南山的山色、曲江的流水還是跟從前一樣。春天,草木又茂盛起來了,但人的心情能和從前一樣嗎?

我當年在北平讀大學時,正是日本人佔領北平的時候,我是在淪陷區長大的。那時候我們到了頤和園、故宮這些地方,就止不住地要吟誦這首詩。吟誦的時候,我們的感情也就藉著古人的詩句表達出來了。不過,古人還有一種表達自己感情的方法,那就是「嘯」。嘯,就更妙了,就是說當你找不到什麼文字,或古人的詩,與你內心的感情相合,而你內心的感情又非常激動的時候,你就用聲音自己把它表現出來好了。

其實陶淵明的傳記上,還記載了一件很妙的事情,跟這種情況有點兒相似。《宋書‧陶潛傳》上說,陶淵明家裏收藏著一張無弦琴,「每有酒適,輒撫弄以寄其意。」陶淵明實在並不會彈琴,可是他弄了一張沒有弦的琴,高興時就像彈琴一樣撫弄它,腦子裏想像著它的聲音。所以你看,陶淵明他不一定非得要通過文字來表達他的感情,他有各種表達感情的方法,都是很有情趣的。

現在,他勞動了一天,傍晚回來,喝上一杯酒,聽到歸林的鳥鳴聲這麼可愛,所以他也發出一種長嘯的聲音,來表達自己的喜樂。「嘯傲」的這個「傲」字就是「驕傲」的「傲」。我們通常認為驕傲是不好的,但陶淵明的這個「傲」不是一般世俗的那種驕傲;他這個「傲」裏有一種不被別人迷惑,不被別人左右的自信和自得:這是一種人生的喜樂。 。

待續

 


Do you recall that in the poem, "I build a hut in the human realm," he mentioned, "Birds are flying home in groups." In 'Return', he said, "The birds, weary of flying, know when to return home." Tao Yuanming often used the image of the homing bird. What he wanted to convey was not only the external realities of life, but also the subtlety of his innermost feelings. Moreover, these two lines also contain an element that is worthy of attention. The line, "At sunset, everything quietens down," means that the activities of all living things have settled down and everything is quiet. However, the chirping sounds in the next line, "Chirping birds head back to the woods," mean that there is sound within the quietude. The meaning conveyed by this sound is not one of boisterousness or disturbance, but of happiness upon returning home. When that particular bird depicted in the line, "A distressed bird, strayed from the flock," had finally found a solitary pine tree, it flew happily towards its perch. What he meant was: "I, Tao Yuanming, have now found a place to settle down peacefully and I will never be influenced or confused by the outside world."

At the end, he said, "I whistle contentedly by the east window, for incidentally I have found my life again." Weren't the birds chirping earlier? Very well, for he decided that he also wanted to "whistle contentedly." What does 'xiao ao' mean? We'll first talk about the character 'xiao'. In ancient times, someone wrote a rhapsody that specifically described how to whistle [xiao]. In short, 'xiao' means to make a sound with the mouth, but without any words. The ancient Chinese often talked about 'yin xiao' [reciting]. In fact, there is a difference between 'yin' and 'xiao'. The former means to recite poetry, unlike how I am now reading word by word. 'Yin' is to drag the sound, which is akin to singing and yet unlike singing. This is because it is not accompanied by a musical tune and only goes according to one's own inclination. Depending on how you regard a particular poem, you portray your feelings through the words. 'Yin' conveys the words as well as their meaning. Whether you feel happy or sad today, you act accordingly by choosing the appropriate poem to suit your mood. This is a truly wonderful thing.  

For example, Du Fu once wrote a poem, "Spring View," that has two well-known lines that read: "Our country has been destroyed and only the mountains and rivers appear the same. The city in spring is covered with tall trees and high grass." This poem was composed in the Tang Dynasty at the time of the Revolt of An-Shi when the capital, Chang'an, was captured by rebel troops. He said that his country was completely destroyed and the capital had fallen. However, the Zhongnan Mountain and the Qu River remained the same. In springtime, the grasses and trees sprouted new shoots once again but could a person's frame of mind remain unchanged?  

When I was studying in the university in Beiping (Beijing now), that was the time when it was occupied by the Japanese. That's to say I grew up in enemy-occupied territory. Whenever we went to places like the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, we could not help but recite this poem. During the recital, our emotions were expressed through the poetry of the ancients. However, the ancients had another method of expressing their feelings and that was to whistle [xiao]. This is even more wonderful. When you can't find any words or ancient poems that strike a chord with your feelings, but at the same time you feel extremely emotional, then you can express yourself by whistling.

In fact, there is an interesting anecdote recorded in Tao Yuanming's biography that is similar to this. In Biography of Tao Qian in the Book of Song History, it is said that Tao Yuanming had a zither with no strings: "Whenever he had wine to drink, he would play this zither to express his feelings." Actually, Tao Yuanming didn't know how to play the zither but he obtained a stringless zither nonetheless. Whenever he was in a happy mood, he would play on it and imagine its sound. So you see, Tao Yuanming did not necessarily have to express himself through words; he had various ways to portray his feelings and they were all very interesting.

Now, after laboring for a whole day, he returned home in the evening and had a cup of wine. Then he heard the lovely tunes of the chirping birds that were returning to the woods. Thereupon, he also started to whistle to express his joy. The character 'ao' is the same as that in 'jiao ao' [proud]. Usually, we would regard the word 'proud' in a negative light, but Tao Yuanming's usage of 'ao' does not have the usual connotation of pride or arrogance. Here, it refers to his self-confidence and contentment that resulted from his indifference to others' influence and manipulation; and this is one of life's happinesses.  

 ~ To be continued

 

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