从陶渊明到梭罗

 

陈义海

 

在我与新英格兰地区的田园诗人认识之前，我对田园诗并不陌生；它其实也是中国诗歌在主题上的一个分支。事实上，有着三千多年历史的中国传统诗歌，其田园诗写作极其丰富。这也是中国的农业文明注定的。

《诗经》（公元前11-6世纪）是中国最古老的诗歌总集。几乎可以说，其中所包括的诗歌基本上都是关于乡村生活的，只有一小部分是关于贵族生活的。那时的所谓贵族，他们也是生活在乡间而非宫殿里的。这就跟美国文学和新英格兰地区的田园文化背景不一样了。当早期的移民，“五月花号”之前或之后的，移民到新英格兰地区时，出现在他们面前的是一个纯粹的自然世界；然而，他们在文明上并不是一切都从头开始，因为在他们的身后是伟大的“两希”传统。所以，我们或许可以说，新英格兰地区的田园诗歌，是美丽、独特的北美自然与欧洲传统之间的融合，这传统包括亚历山大·蒲伯、托马斯·格雷、爱德华·杨、华兹华斯等。但在中国，在田园诗歌出现之前，中国几乎可以说并不存在诗歌；换言之，中国诗歌天生就是“田园的”。不过，随着文明的进化，社会风尚的改变，所谓田园诗歌最终只是总体中国诗歌主题上的一个分支。

在早期阶段，中国的田园诗往往是出于无名氏之手。其中很多诗作是通过《诗经》流传到后世。陶潜（公元352 or 365—427），在中国通常称他陶渊明，是中国第一位最为典型的田园诗人。他的创作以及他的社会活动，也构成了中国文人隐士之传统。在我们了解陶渊明及其田园诗歌创作之前，我们有必要先了解一下中国古代的价值系统。孔子的《论语》中说：“学而优则仕”。意思是，把书读好了就可以（应该）做官。在古代中国的历史和文化语境中，作为一个文人，陶渊明最终当上了地方长官。很多文人大抵走的都是这个路径。但是，并不是所有的文人都能成为最高封建统治者所期望的那种官员。事实上，他们当中的很多人并不能与封建的社会体系相安无事，于是，他们便遭到迫害，被放逐到边远的地方。你相信也好，不相信也罢，在被迫害和放逐后，他们的诗写得更好了，更加出类拔萃了。如果陶渊明没有退出官场，或许中国的文学史便少了一位伟大的田园诗人。陶渊明的后来者李白和杜甫，大致上也是这样一种情形。于是，这里便有了一个悖论：学而优，则仕之；身遭贬，诗则工。所以，中国古代就有了这样一个古语：国家不幸诗家幸。

总之，作为一个失败的地方长官的陶渊明，最终成为一位成功的田园诗人。这里我们不妨欣赏他那段最有名的诗歌：

 

采菊东篱下，悠然见南山。

山气日夕佳，飞鸟相与还。

此中有真意，欲辨已忘言。

 

当我们讨论陶渊明时，总会不自觉地将他与美国新英格兰地区的亨利·大卫·梭罗(1817-1862) 相提并论。虽然他们隔着广阔的时间和空间，但他们之间有着很多相似性。他们都纵情于湖光山色之间，大自然不仅改变了他们的生活态度，甚至改变了他们的人格。但他们之间的差异又是显而易见的：梭罗及其他后来的忠实信徒们，往往是自觉自愿地、意识明确地，甚至是自然自动地走向自然，而非因为某种特别的原因，比如生活上的挫折，或者命运的坎坷，或者对社会的失望。至于陶渊明，以及中国古代与他的命运相近的其他中国文人，在生涯初期还是指望在世俗世界能功成名就的，还是非常入世的，都希望有个一官半职，但是，遭遇挫折后，他们的人生便出现了一个一百八十度的大转弯：遁隐江湖，终成隐士，甚至后悔误入尘网，而寻山水以求慰藉。总之，他们之所以回归山林，多是出于被迫。

不过，我并不打算在这里从学术的层面讨论梭罗，倒是乐于谈谈梭罗的一批后世信徒们。他们也是我曾经在新罕布什尔州的基恩州立大学举办“诺山之魅”田园诗歌研讨会上认识的一些诗人，比如苏珊·罗尼·奥布莱恩、罗杰·马丁、亨利·沃特斯。基恩州立大学之行，不仅圆了我谒见瓦尔登湖的梦想，也让我认识了新英格兰地区的新田园诗歌，以及仍然在这个地区活跃着的“男梭罗们”、“女梭罗们”。

 

苏珊·罗尼·奥布莱恩

在基恩学院朗诵期间，子川、苏珊和我作为受邀客人，被安排在东山农场客栈。每天早晨，我们听着各种不知名的小鸟的和鸣醒来，听着鸡的啼鸣和小马驹哒哒的蹄声、闻着新鲜的牛粪味醒来。不过牛粪的气味并没有让我觉得反感，毕竟我是来到了梭罗所生活的那片土地。早饭后，都是由苏珊开车，带我们去大学校园，一路上穿行于色彩斑斓的枫树林。穿过无边的林地，谈论着田园诗歌，分享着彼此对自然的认识，我们仿佛从一个梦进入了另一个梦。苏珊不仅车开得好，故事也讲得精彩。她的确是一个自然的真爱者。当谈到她和丈夫在马萨诸塞州那片五英亩的农场时，她的脸上便开始大放异彩。我在芝加哥时认识了一个朋友，也叫苏珊；那个苏珊跟这个苏珊一样也爱笑。于是我便觉得：凡是名字叫“苏珊”的都爱笑。

罗杰·马丁

我认识新英格兰地区的当代诗人，并不是通过阅读而是通过罗杰。作为“诺山之魅”：诗歌连接大洲活动的组织者，活动期间他特别安排一个“中国茶环节”，将他收藏的中国茶与所有到会者分享。罗杰似乎觉得，不仅仅诗歌可以连接大洲，中国茶同样可以连接大洲。

结束了在校园内诗意的四天后，罗杰邀请我们到他家去烧烤。我在向新英格兰地区一些朋友问起他们的邻居时，他们经常把眼睛瞪得有鸡蛋那么大：“对不起，我家没有邻居。”这就是新罕布什尔州；这就是新英格兰。很多人家的房子都是建在树林或森林里，自然也就不会有邻居。以刚才我们讲到的苏珊为例，她是住在一个有五英亩地（约等于中国的30亩地）农场上，而在中国，极少人家房子周围有30亩地的。是的，田园诗人罗杰便是新罕布什尔州的一个把家安在丛林里的、没有邻居的居民。

我真的非常喜欢罗杰林中房子的晚景。斜射下来的阳光穿过高大的树木，使得他的房子显得格外谦卑；如此之谦卑，以至于觉得它是林间空地上长出来的植物。是的，像新罕布什尔州的很多居民那样，罗杰没有邻居。他的房子是建在一处斜坡上，从南面看它是两层楼，但从北面看，便只有一层。时节虽然已是秋天，房子周围的草依然蓬蓬勃勃，一直蔓延到门槛边。置身于罗杰的私人空间，我禁不住唏嘘连连。一瞬间，我忽然明白，为什么新英格兰富产田园诗，并因此悟出，为什么住在这个房子里的人能写出田园诗歌。

 

亨利·沃特斯

的确，新英格兰有很多“男梭罗”、“女梭罗”。 亨利·沃特斯便是他们当中的一个。

亨利1984年出生在芝加哥。他曾在哈佛大学学习拉丁文和希腊文，后来又到意大利的西西里学习养蜂，再后来又到爱尔兰学习驯鹰术。他既是一位自然学者，也是一位田园诗人。我第一次见到他时，觉得他很腼腆、矜持。他说话很少，更多的时候是在倾听。我不知道他是在什么时候移居到新罕布什尔州的，但从我的朋友那里得知，在该州他是一个非常独特，甚至有点古怪的人物。

众所周知，《瓦尔登湖》的作者亨利·大卫·梭罗曾经在瓦尔登湖畔为自己建造了一座小木屋，并在那里独居了两年多。我们现在这位也叫“亨利”的朋友，在新罕布什尔州的都柏林的丛林中，也为自己建造了一座小木屋。而且，他在那里已经独居了3年多。

一天下午，我们去看亨利·沃特斯，其实我早就迫不及待地要去看看他在林中的那座小木屋究竟是什么样子。按照事先的约定，亨利来到山脚下接我们。不知在丛林中迂回曲折走了多少路，我们终于来到了他的小木屋前面。是的，除了高大的、无边的树木，以及各种唱着歌的小鸟，亨利跟这个州的很多居民一样，没有任何邻居。

亨利的小木屋大约有15-20平米的样子。这木屋是他亲自设计并亲手建造的。在这远离人烟的丛林里，亨利用水箱积水，电源则来自太阳能。他在发给我的一封电子邮件中曾经说过，他起初的梦想就是要建一座小木屋，一座他能在其中享受阳光与月光并能听见风唱歌的小木屋。这也是为什么他给他的小木屋有那么多的窗户。我们可以想象，春天时这里会有多美丽。可是，从木屋前成堆的劈好的柴火，简直难以想象他是如何度过三个严冬的。

从外面看，亨利的木屋且小且谦卑。走进小木屋，我们发现里面并没有床，只有一张长沙发。除了数千册图书，在木屋的一角，有一架钢琴；钢琴的上面是一个窗户，窗户的旁边是亨利·大卫·梭罗的一幅肖像。

亨利的世界令我惊叹，而他却把这一切当作再自然不过。他还是像往常一样沉默寡言，嘴角总是挂着一丝不易觉察的微笑。

约莫一个钟头后，我们起身告辞。这时，亨利忽然说，你们可以再坐一会儿吗？我希望我能有幸给大家弹一首德国古典钢琴曲。

于是，我们便都坐了下来，在布拉姆斯的音乐中，在小木屋里，我们仿佛融化了。跟一位自然学者兼田园诗人在小木屋中相处的这两个小时，我们产生了一种错觉，仿佛我们是身处19世纪。我们没有机会见到亨利·梭罗其人，但我们有机会跟他的忠实信徒在一起。亨利·沃特斯——一个21世纪的梭罗。

 

我一直在思考一个问题：是梭罗使瓦尔登湖家喻户晓，还是瓦尔登湖使梭罗名扬寰宇？我个人的认识是，假如梭罗没有遇见瓦尔登湖，他也会发现另一处跟瓦尔登一样美的湖。因为，在广阔的新英格兰的大地上，跟瓦尔登同样美的湖，其实比比皆是。因为这个地区的湖多是“冰穴湖”，而形成于10000到12000年之前的瓦尔登湖正是冰穴湖的一个典型体现。

所以，当我的朋友扎克里从基恩市开车送我去康科德，每当我看到一处湖时，我都要请他把车停下。因为每一处湖似乎都会让我联想到梭罗，我会在那里流连难返，想入非非：梭罗当年到过这里吗？我想，这是有可能的。于是，我便得出一个大胆的结论：亚利桑那州、犹他州、纽约城都不可能造就梭罗，正像陶渊明是中国古代农业文明语境与官僚体制不可避免的产物一样。

梭罗早在1862年就已离开了这个世界，但是，在他的身后却有更多的梭罗涌现。陶渊明427年就已离开了我们，但在之后同样是更多的陶渊明。我很高兴的是，在中国，在盐城，一些梭罗正与一些陶渊明相遇。他们会一起努力，写出新的田园诗歌。

 

                                          英译汉：作者

 

 

 

From Tao Qian to Thoreau

 

Chen Yihai

 

Before I got acquainted with the New England pastoral poets, I had not been unfamiliar with pastoral poetry is a sub-branch of Chinese poetry. In fact, the traditional Chinese poetry, with a history of about three thousand years, is rich in pastoral poetry writing. This is quite determined by the Chinese agricultural civilization.

The Book of Songs is regarded as the earliest collection of Chinese poetry (11th century to 6th century BC). It would be safe to say almost all the poems included in this collection are about rural life, with only few about the aristocrats’ life. Even the aristocrats themselves lived in the countryside instead of palaces in the city. This is quite different from American literature and New England pastoral culture. When the early immigrants, before or after May Flower, moved to the New England region, what appeared before them was a totally natural world; However, they in fact did not start from the very beginning period of human civilizations, because behind them was the great Hellenic and Hebraic tradition. So we might say that the pastoral poetry in New England region is the combination of the beautiful and unique north America nature with the European tradition, a tradition of Alexander Pope, Thomas Gray, Edward Young, William Wordsworth, etc. While in China, there was almost no poetry before pastoral poetry appeared; in other words, Chinese poetry was born pastoral. But with the evolution of civilization and the changes of social fashion, pastoral poetry became one branch of Chinese poetry in general.

In its early stage, Chinese pastoral poetry was mostly written anonymously. Many poems were handed down through the Book of Songs. Tao Qian (352 or 365—427AD), usually we call him Tao Yuanming is the first most typical pastoral poet in China. His writing and activities also formed the culture of literary hermits in China. Before we understand Tao Yuanming and his pastoral writing, we have to be acquainted with one value system in ancient China. According to the Analects, the quotations of Confucius, as a learned intellectual, he should strive to be an official, or he will naturally become an official. As a literatus, Tao Yuanming eventually became a local magistrate in such a historical and cultural context in ancient China. Many literati followed same path. However, not all literati could become good officials as expected by the supreme feudal rulers. In fact, many of them could not get along well with the feudalistic social system, and thus were persecuted or banished to faraway, deserted regions. Believe it or not, after they were banished or persecuted, their writing turned to be better and more outstanding. If Tao Yuanming did not resign himself from his post, there might not be the famous pastoral poet in Chinese literary history. It’s the same with his successors Li Po and Du Fu. Therefore, a paradox occurred here: To be well learned, to be an official; to be demoted, to be more brilliant in writing. Therefore, there goes another famous saying that when the country was in the miserable state, the poetry flourished.

To be brief, the unsuccessful magistrate Tao Yuanming became a successful pastoral poet. And we have his most splendid lines:

 

I pluck chrysanthemums under the eastern hedge,

Then gaze long at the distant summer hills.

The mountain air is fresh at the dusk of day:

The flying birds two by two return.

In these things there lies a deep meaning;

Yet when we would express it, words suddenly fail us.

 

When talking about Tao Yuanming, we cannot help associating him with his American counterpart, Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) from New England area. There’s much similarity between them though there is a great distance between the ages of their lives. They both indulge themselves between mountains and lakes, and nature changed their attitude toward life and even shaped their personality. But an obvious difference can also be seen between them: Thoreau and his many disciples go to the nature actively, voluntarily, consciously, and even automatically, not because of certain kinds of reasons, i.e. frustration in life, or being cheated by Fate, or being disappointed with society. While Tao Yuanming and his like in ancient China chose to establish themselves in society in the beginning of their career, with the utmost ambition to be one of the rulers (officials), but when their efforts failed them, an abrupt turn occurred in their life: they would choose to be an escapist, regretting their early choice and finding comfort in nature. In short, they went to the nature rather passively.

I won't discuss Henry Thoreau academically for the time being, but I'm happy to talk about a group of his disciples such as Susan Roney-O'brien, Rodger Martin, Henry Waters, and some others I met during “The Magic of Monadnock Colloquium” in Keene State College, New Hampshire. It is there that I not only had a chance to realize my dream of visiting Walden Pond but also began to learn about what new pastoral poetry in the New England region is through these “men Thoreaus” and “women Thoreaus” active nowadays.

 

Susan Roney-O'brien

Zi Chuan, Susan and I were the three guest poets arranged to stay in the Eastern Hill Farm Inn. Every morning I woke up between the chirps of unknown birds, the trotting sound from the ponies, roosters’ crows, and the fresh smell from the cow’s dung, which did not offend me at all because I dwelt in Thoreau’s land. After breakfast, Susan would take us to the campus in her car, driving through colorful maple trees. Endless forests were waking up from their dreams, and we were seemed to enter another dream, talking about pastoral poetry and sharing each other’s understanding of nature. Susan is not only a good a driver but an excellent story teller. She was really a lover of nature. Her face began to shine when she was talked about her and her husband’s five-acre farm in Massachusetts state forest. I once got acquainted with another friend in Chicago, whose name was also Susan. She likes smiling as this Susan. So I come to know: people whose names are “Susan” all like smiling.

 

Rodger Martin

It is not through books but Rodger that I come to know about contemporary New England poets. As the organizer of the Magic of Monadnock: Poetry Bridges Continents, he specifically arranged a “Chinese Tea Session” during the colloquium He shared his precious “treasure” of Chinese tea with all the participants. It seems to Rodger that not only poetry can bridge the continents but the Chinese tea can also bridge continents.

After four days of poetic life on campus, Rodger invited us to barbecue in his house in the forest. When I asked some of my New England friends about their neighbors, they would open their eyes as big as eggs, “Sorry, I don’t have any neighbors.” This is New Hampshire; this is New England. Many of their houses are built in the forest or woods. For instance, Susan lives on a farm of five acres, which is about 30 mu. Very few of our Chinese has a house with land of 30 mu. Yes，Rodger, a pastoral poet, is such an inhabitant in New Hampshire， living in the woods without neighbors.

I do enjoy the dusk view of Rodger’s house in the woods. Slanting sunrays penetrate the lofty trees, making his house appear very humble. So humble that it seems to grow on a clearing of wood.  Yes, just like many habitants in New Hampshire, Rodger do not have any neighbors. His house is built on a slope, so the southern side of it has two floors, while its northern side has just one floor. Although it was autumn, grass around his house still flourished, spreading almost to the threshold. I could do nothing but “wowing” at  Rodger’s personal world. At that moment I understood why New England was rich in pastoral poetry. And I come to know why the person who dwells in this house writes pastoral poems.

 

Henry Waters

Yes, there are many “men Thoreaus” and “women Thoreuas” in New England. Henry Waters is one of them.

Henry was born in Chicago in 1984. He studied Latin and Greek at Harvard College, beekeeping in Sicily, and falconry in Ireland. He is a naturist and pastoral poet. When I first saw him I had the impression that he seemed reserved. He spoke less but listened more. I don’t know when he moved to New Hampshire, but I only know from my friends that Henry is a very typical even little bit strange a figure in New Hampshire.

We all know that Henry Thoreau built himself a cabin beside Walden Pond, and lived there for more than two years. But this Henry also built himself a cabin in the woods of Dublin, New Hampshire. He has lived there for more than three years.

One afternoon, we went to visit Henry Waters. I was impatient to see his cabin in the wood. As appointed, Henry came to the mountain foot to meet us. After many zigzags through the woods, we at last got to his cabin. Yes, Henry did not have any neighbors either, except the tall and endless trees, chirps from different birds.

His cabin was about 15-20 square meters. He was the designer and builder. Isolated from the outside world, he uses water tank and solar energy. He once wrote to me in a mail that his dream was to build a cabin that he could enjoy sunshine and moon light and could hear the song of the wind from inside. That’s why his cabin had many windows. We can imagine how beautiful it is in spring time. But from piles of chopped wood beside his cabin, I can hardly imagine he could survive three winters there.

Seen from outside, Henry’s cabin is small and humble. Entering his cabin, we found there was no bed but a couch. Apart from thousands of books, I found a piano at one corner, above it was a window beside which was a portrait of Henry David Thoreau.

I was amazed at Henry’s world, but he took all this very naturally. He was silent as ever with an unconceivable smile on the corners of his mouth.

About an hour later, we stood up to leave. Henry suddenly said, Can you stay for a while and I wish I had the honor to play a piece of German classic to you?

We all sat down again and in the music of Brahms we seem to be melted in the cabin. Two hours in the cabin with a naturalist and a pastoral poet, we had the illusion that we were in the 19^th century.  We had not the chance to see Henry Thoreau the person, but we were with his disciple, Henry Waters, a 21^st century Thoreau.

 

I have always been pondering such a question: It is Thoreau that made Walden Pond known to all? Or it is Walden Pond that made Thoreau famous all over the world? My understanding is that if Thoreau did encounter Walden Pond, he would find another pond as beautiful as Walden, because on the vast land of New England ponds like Walden are everywhere, and Walden is just a famous example of a “kettle hole” which was formed by retreating glaciers 10,000–12,000 years ago.

So when my friend Zachary took me from Keene to Concord in his car I would ask him to stop the car whenever I saw a pond. Because each of these ponds would remind me of Thoreau and I would linger there for a while, lost in a fantasy: is it possible that Thoreau had once been here? I think it is possible.  And I boldly conclude that Thoreau could not be produced by Arizona, Utah or New York City, just like Tao Yuanming was only an inevitable product of agricultural context and officialdom of ancient China.

Thoreau left the world in 1862. But behind him there are more Thoreaus. Tao Yuanming left us in 427. But there are more Tao Yuanmings behind him. I’m glad that some of Thoreaus have come to meet some of Yao Yuanmings in Yancheng City, China. They will work together to write a new pastoral poetry.

 

                      Translated into Chinese by the author

 

 

图为2017年访美期间，陈义海（左），华盛顿大学教授常昌富（中），子川三人聚餐举杯欢饮。