09/28/99
煢煢
半圓形的天頂被一層月華光澤的膜緊緻地拉扯住,像一只充滿著水的氣球,虛擬著生腥的焦慮與一種無所事事的、完完全全脫離精神性的美與憂鬱。那個午后,是薄如蟬翼且裹上銀粉的新生的卵,適於討論命理與禪。雲以敏捷的腳步滑行於透明且虛弱的藍,泡沫似的溫順與漠然。青春其實是極度缺乏生命力的。在旺盛與浮躁之中貪慕假象的匱乏,而後需索從不曾或缺的旺盛;在柔弱的本質中渴求堅強與信仰,之後因對於軟弱愚蠢的不自覺與惑於自我宣稱的虛偽堅強而尋覓所謂謙恭溫潤的中庸。青春是僅只存活於對純粹的堅持下、一種具備了美卻不易碎的浪費。如果死的優雅與精神性建構了藝術中闡釋生命的美學,則生不過是為襯托死的一種附屬的存在。但是生命卻是無法磨滅的,即使蒼白而無意義,卻無止盡地散發出猩紅的血的氣味。印度神濕婆在宇宙的輪迴當中毀滅自己所創造的鏡花水月,而後使之重生,不斷重複操縱著生與死的轉輪;祂是否也感受到生命中那種匱乏虛弱的美,以及死亡中屬於生之投影的愛與信念?藍所象徵的嫌惡與非難,以清澈且充滿靈性的美存在於自然界的蒼穹。隅隅獨行的生,幾人在腐臭中仍吟哦走了調的聖詩,又幾人能擺脫所有倫常的帷幕而誠摯地憎恨與厭惡?然而這一切的思索總似時間過度充裕的青春所編織的蛛網,純白得美麗亦膚淺得軟弱。當青春終於被擺脫後,生命開始進入下一段對死複雜的戀慕和禁忌,與對消逝的水光緬懷的遺憾。
artwork inspired by a spider's web at the Setouchi International Art Festival, Inushima Museum, Japan (image via Winged Wheel's p.s. write soon!) |
washi paper lantern (also via p.s. write soon!) |
2 comments:
Madame
Wondering what attracts me so much to your site I happened upon an article by Thorsten Pattberg dealing with the impossibility to translate chinese ethical/philosophical concepts into Occidental languages.
My English grandparents for instance had en ethical world view for which I now realise there was no definition in the English language but for which one exists in Chinese - if I am to believe Mr Pattberg.
Anyway - his article, which appeared in the Japan Times and the China Daily might interest you. It is available here.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28940
Should I sign myself Plotin?
John Ashpool
Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment, John. My apologies for the much delayed response. The article is indeed interesting (it would seem that many great sinologists in history are of German descent - quite of few of my own teachers at SOAS are Germans) and bring up lots of questions to ponder upon, as valid in today's society (or perhaps even more so) than they were in the past. Also thank you very much for bringing Plotinus back to my mind - I must start reading him more thoroughly at some point.
One thing in this article which I'm not sure about, though - has there never been "shengren" in the West?
P.s. I would love to know more about your grandparents' ethical worldview.
Best wishes,
Ting-Jen
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