杭州觀察(十)
二零零三年十二月二十九日
聖誕佳節
親愛的朋友們,
你們好!新年快樂!
聖誕節在杭州,蠻不錯的。聖誕老人和聖誕樹比其他東西都要快的走進商店裡去,而這佳節對於由企業家到小販的很多人,更是在這「社會主義」國家裡,發財的好機會。
寫聖誕咭的習俗逐漸地流行起來,但在我看來,相對於那些印有尖鼻子的雪人與那戴紅帽子的老人和他的馴鹿的賀卡,更多人會選擇印有猴子的新年咭(因這將會是猴年)。
西方的就是時髦的,也許如此吧。這要視符你對「西方的」所下的定義。很多人將他們的平安夜花在市中心那擁擠的百貨公司裡。有的人享受與朋友們在那從裡到外都裝飾得美輪美奐的麥當勞裡用餐。而有的卻尋找那頌唱「齊來崇主聖徒」與點燃蠟燭之處……
對我個人來說,我不認為我的信仰是西方的。這假設忽視了在聖奧古斯丁(不是寫《懺悔錄》的那一位)踏足英倫之前,景教徒,〔埃及及衣索匹亞的〕科普特信徒,〔印度的〕聖多馬信徒,以至東正教徒,已存在於廣大的亞洲和非洲大陸上,一直至今天。然而,我的觀點不能代表在這古老國家之中的其他人的看法—雖然在唐朝時僧人阿羅本已將福音帶來中國。
躋滿了人。一間細小的長方形建築物,粉白了的牆壁與木窗框。建於十九世紀,又曾在那指鹿為馬,以左為尚的十年裡,被一間工廠所佔,這敬拜的中心躋滿了長者與青年。座位滿是人,一如後面的空間。不是所有人都留到聚會結束時,但凡有人中途離開,其座位隨即被人佔了。最少,他們是有興趣的,不論是對聖誕歌,氣氛,抑或信息。只願他們找對了地方。
當然,對於我的民族中大多數人的生活與文化而言,聖誕節仍然是外來且異質的。犬儒們會很快指出這所謂的佳節慶祝之膚淺。然而,大門開了,也盼望無人會再把它關上。自那剃髮留辮的日子到這紅旗歲月,雖赴湯蹈火,葡萄樹的枝子還是繼續發旺。過去曾是荊棘之路,將來也會是狹窄之途,但我在這裡的親愛的弟兄姐妹,將會繼續啟航上路。
謹祝大家新年快樂蒙福!
馮儁熙上
原書信附註：由〔二零零三年〕十二月三十一日到〔二零零四年〕一月四日,我和媽媽將會前往中國西南之四川成都旅行。我會在一月十一日完成最後一份試卷,並在一月十四日回家(香港)。我將與家人同度春節,之後回去杭州開始第二學期。
照片攝於杭州三自教會天水堂的平安夜崇拜(二零零三年十二月二十四日)。
原著為英文。英文本之修訂及中譯本完成於二零零四年一月二十日。在二零零六年三月二十七日再修訂。
|
在平安夜崇拜前二十分鐘，教堂已坐無虛席。 The church was already packed 20 minutes before the commencement of
the Christmas Eve’s service. |
崇拜既畢，會聚散會．．． After the service, the congregation was leaving…. |
．．．從後面那細小的門離開。 ….through the
small door at the back. |
Observations in
The Festive Season
Dear friends,
Hi! How are you? Happy New Year!
Christmas was fine here in
The practice of writing Christmas cards has gradually become popular,
but it seems to me that more people prefer the New Year card with some monkeys
on it (as it is going to be the Year of the Monkey) to those with a
pointed-nose snowman and the red-hat old man with his reindeers.
Western means trendy, perhaps. And this depends on your definition of
what is Western. Many spent their Christmas Eve in the crowded department
stores in the city centre. Some enjoyed dining out with friends in McDonald's
beautifully decorated from the inside out. And some found their way to where
"O come, all ye faithful" was sung and candles were lit....
I personally do not consider my faith to be Western, as this presumption
ignores the continual presence of the Nestorians, the Copts [in Egypt and Ethopia], the Mar Toma (St.
Thomas) Christians [in India], and even the Eastern Orthodox in the vast
continents of Asia and Africa, since the early days when even St. Augustine
(not the one who wrote the Confessions) had yet set his foot on the British
Isle. Nonetheless, my opinion cannot represent that of my counterparts in this
nation of old where the monk Alopen arrived with the
Good News in the heydays of Tang Dynasty.
It was packed. What a small rectangular building with white-washed walls
and wooden window frames. A centre of worship built in the late 19th century,
and once occupied by a factory in the decade when left meant right, it was full
of people, both young and old. Pews were all filled and so as the space at its
back. Not everyone stayed. But whenever one left in the middle of the service,
his or her place was going to be filled in a matter of seconds. At least, they
were interested in it, be it the carols, the atmosphere, or the message. They
found their way at the right place, I prayed.
Of course, Christmas is still alien to the life and culture of the vast
majority of my nation and cynics will be quick to point out the superficiality
of the celebrations here for this so-called festive season. Nonetheless, the
door has been opened and hopefully no one is going to close it again. Though
there had been storms and floods from the time of the "pig-tails" to
that of the red flags, the branches of the vine had been growing ever since. It
has been a path of thorns and so will it a narrow trail, but my dear brothers
and sisters here will continue to set sail.
May I wish you all a belated and blessed New Year!
Yours,
Isaac
PS (as in the original letter): I am going to travel with my mum in
Photos were taken on
The letter was originally written in English. The revision of the
English text and the Chinese translation were finished on