澳大利亚作家Brian Castro答译者问：阅读、理论、写作、疫情

按：澳大利亚作家Brian Castro（中文名字高博文）近日接受其长篇小说《园书》中文译者之一的马丽莉教授邮件访问，内容涉及作家的理论认同和写作主题等，并有对于此次新冠疫情的回应，还回答了编辑韩松的几个问题。书店故事现将问答全文发布，并附作者部分作品书照，希望读者藉此更多地了解这位作家，了解澳大利亚文学，以及书稿背后的译者。

作家2018年作品Blindness and Rage: A Phantasmagoria所获总理文学奖截图，from The Adelaide Review

马丽莉（和白文革——编注）不但在2018年翻译出版了澳大利亚有华人血统的著名作家布莱恩·卡斯特罗的《园书》（The Garden Book），还在《河北师范大学学报》（哲学社会科学版）2019年第6期发表了《试论〈园书〉的反种族主义主题》（马丽莉和李静菲——编注）。这篇文章通过对小说的研究，指出种族主义者的自我仇恨、白人至上的权力关系、白澳政策的阴魂不散是种族主义的主要根源。

——著名澳大利亚文学翻译家李尧《二〇一九年澳大利亚文学及其在中国的译介：多元文化语境下的澳大利亚文学》

澳大利亚作家Brian Castro

澳大利亚作家Brian Castro，2018年《园书》由花山文艺出版社在中国大陆出版，其新作Street to Street（《诗人之死》）即将译出。本文是Mr.Castro 与《园书》译者之一马丽莉（另一位译者是白文革）的答问记录，编辑韩松也有所提问。

A:

Brian CastroBrian Castro was born in Hong Kong in 1950 of Portuguese, Chinese and English parentage. In 2003 Giramondo published his Shanghai Dancing, which won the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction, the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction and the NSW Premier’s Book of the Year Award, and his most recent novel, The Garden Book (2005) was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and won the Queensland Premier’s Award for Fiction. Brian Castro is Chair of Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide. Now he lives in the Adelaide Hills outside of Adelaide.

布赖恩·卡斯特罗（Brian Castro，中文名高博文）澳大利亚华裔小说家，出生于1950年，父亲是葡萄牙人，母亲是中英混血儿。卡斯特罗从小在香港长大，会说广东话、英语、法语等多种语言。迄今为止，他一共创作小说十余部、文学评论一部，曾多次获澳大利亚的各种奖项，其中2018年在中国出版的《园书》获澳大利亚澳中文学理事会翻译奖。卡斯特罗是澳大利亚阿德莱德大学创意写作系主任。现住在阿德莱德郊外的阿德莱德山。

Q：

马丽莉（Lili）：河北师范大学外国语学院教授，博士，硕士生导师。1991年毕业于河北大学外文系，获文学硕士学位，1991年—1995年在河北师范学院外国语学院任教，1995—1999年在澳大利亚詹姆斯·库克大学攻读澳洲文学，获文学博士学位，研究方向以澳大利亚文学为主。著有《冲突与契合：澳大利亚文学中的中国妇女形象》（河北大学出版社，2005），主要译著有《叙事的虚构性：有关历史、文学和理论的论文（1957-2007）》（合译，南京大学出版社，2019），《园书》（合译，花山文艺出版社，2018）。

韩松（Han Song）：图书编辑，曾任《园书》中文版编辑之一（责任编辑：梁东方 韩松）。

Questions from Lili

Q1. Have you been influenced by any Cosmopolitan theory? Who is the most influential theorist or philosopher to you in becoming or adopting a Cosmopolitan position to write?

您曾受世界主义理论的影响吗？如果有，哪位理论家或哲学家对您采取世界主义视角来写作影响最大？

A1. No, I have never been influenced by any theory.

没有，我不曾被任何一种理论所影响。

Q2. Would you agree if I say that there is a consistent theme through all your books, that is Cosmopolitanism?

您是否认同我的观点，即在您全部作品中，有一个一以贯之的主题，即世界主义？A2.Not really. It seems to me that cosmopolitanism was about European large cities in the 19th and 20th centuries and I`ve always been more provincial in the best sense of that term，living outside big cities and in the country.并非如此。在我看来，世界主义是关于19到20世纪的欧洲大城市，从这个词的最好意义上说，我一直更乡村，我更多地会选择居住在大城市以外，住在乡村。

Q3.What do you think of this quotation? “Some people think that a cosmopolitan is someone who is “worldly” and therefore comfortable— at home— everywhere. I prefer to think of the cosmopolitan as someone who is “worldly” and therefore not fully comfortable— never fully at home— anywhere. Being cosmopolitan means knowing how to make a virtue out of discomfort; it means cultivating comfort and discomfort simultaneously”(from Cosmopolitanism and the Literary Imagination by Cyrus R. K. Patell，New York，PALGRAVE MACMILLAN，2015）.

你是否同意以下引文？“有些人认为世界主义者是指那些‘见多识广’的人，因此在任何地方都能舒适自在。我更愿意把世界主义者想成是一个‘世俗’的人，因此在任何地方都不会感到完全舒适，也不会完全自在。世界主义者意味着知道如何合理地利用不舒适并把它变成优点；它意味着同时培养舒适和不适”（引自Cosmopolitanism and the Literary Imagination by Cyrus R. K. Patell，New York，PALGRAVE MACMILLAN，2015.）

A3. Yes, I would not be at home anywhere, because the idea of "home" is a relative one.All you need is one incident to make you doubt the concept of home.For instance, I was once described as a "Tricky Chinaman".Although I have never worried about these racist remarks,I also did not subscribe to the fact that since I was not born in Australia,there will always be these slurs against me,which are just under the surface.I remain positive.The recent COVID19 VIRUS created new incidents.People saw me in the supermarket and turned around quickly.That`s fine with me.

同意。我到哪里都不会自在，因为“自在”是一个相对概念。只需发生一件小事，你就会感到不自在。比如，我曾经被描述为“狡猾的中国佬”。尽管我从未担心过这些种族主义言论，但我也不认同这一事实，因为我并非在澳大利亚出生，但总会有一些针对我的诋毁，哪怕这些诋毁只是在心里。我保持积极的心态。最近的新冠状病毒制造了新的事件。人们在超市看到我，会很快转过身去。我对此并不在意。

Q4. What is the significance of writing a story on Richard Sorge who was a German spy for Russia, living in Japan—Stepper?

《斯苔伯》写的是关于理查德·佐尔格（Richard Sorge）这位曾经生活在日本的、为斯大林刺探情报的德国间谍，您写这本书有什么重要含义吗？

A4. Well he was never at home. His loyalties were ideological,not sentimental. 有，他从未有过自在感。他的忠诚是意识形态的，却非情感层面的。

Q5. Do you have religion in mind when writing The Garden Book? I am asking because I remember two incidents: one is you write about Moses breaks the Tablet; the other is you have said that Garden represents Eden, and from the ending of the book where you do mention God, can we infer that the fall of humans start at the Eden time, it also echos Auden’s poem at the very beginning of the book”？ Do you mean to hint: return to Eden is the ultimate redemption of human beings？

您在写《园书》时是否想到了宗教？我如此问是因为我记得读到两个事件：一是关于摩西摔法版，二是书的结尾处您提到伊甸园，上帝，我们是否可以推论：人的堕落始于伊甸园，这一点是否呼应书的开头奥登的诗句？书的结尾是否暗示“重归伊甸园是否可以成为人类最后的希望和救赎”？

A5.No I Have never been religious at all. Going to a catholic boarding school drummed that out of me. The quote from Auden is ironic.What you think is Eden is really an illusion.While I understand that religion is a comfort to people in times of need,in more secure times it sometimes is a crutch.

并非如此。我从未有过宗教信仰。上天主教的寄宿学校让我彻底离开了宗教。引用奥登的诗句有讽刺意义。你所认为的伊甸园其实是一种幻觉。我理解宗教是人们在需要时的安慰，但在更安全的时候，它有时是一个支柱。

Q6 Can I say that the very beginning and the end echo each other in saying that the cost of human fall in Eden is their permanent exile?

我是否可以说书的开始和结尾都呼应了人类在伊甸园堕落的代价就是他们永远的放逐？

A6.Yes, very much.

可以，的确如此。

Questions from Han Song

Q1.Hello, Mr. Castro. I know that you were born in 1950. I want to know which year did you start writing? Could you please tell us something about the source of your literary creation over the years? In other words, what do you think is the important quality for a writer to write a good work?

您好，卡斯特罗先生，我知您是1950年出生，您是何时开始写作的呢？对您这些年的创作，可否请您说说您的创作源泉？或者说，您认为对于一位作家，要写出好作品，什么比较重要。

A1. I started writing when I was in school. I.E. About 15 or 16. I was very depressed since my parents were in the Hong Kong and I never went home. I first won a prize at Sydney University with my short story Estrellita. Since then I have always been blessed in the sense that winning prizes is the opposite of selling well. Without prizes I would be unknown.People got to know my work through the prizes.The source of my creation is various:sadness,love,memory and appreciation. In other words,it is emotional to a degree,never theoretical.

我从大约是十五六岁，在上学时开始写作。我有一段低沉期，那时我的父母在香港生活而我从不回家。我在悉尼大学第一次获奖，是因短篇《艾斯特莉塔》。从那时起，我一直很幸运，我频频获奖，而获奖与销售业绩正好相反。没有获奖，我将默默无闻。人们通过我的得奖而知道我的作品。我的创作源泉多种多样：悲伤，爱情，记忆，和感恩。换句话说，创作源泉从某种程度讲是情感，从来不是理论。

Q2. What do you think reading means for writing novels, especially reading novels?

您认为阅读对创作小说的意义是怎样的，尤其是阅读小说。

A2. Reading is the most important thing. One can not write out of a vacuum.You have in your head and then you start to absorb them and then after that you find your own style.

阅读是最重要的事情。人不能凭空而写。你在头脑里孕育，然后你开始吸收它们，再后你会找到自己的写作风格。

Q3. Haruki Murakami(村上春树) from Japan was born in 1949, do you read his works?Do you read modern Chinese （1912— ）writers?If yes, could you tell me which Chinese writers you like best and why?

日本的村上春树是1949年出生，您读他的作品吗？您读现代（modern）中国作家的作品吗？如果有读，可否请您谈谈您最喜欢哪位/哪几位中国作家，以及为何喜欢。

A3.I don’t read Murakami because I actually don’t bond with his style.The Chinese writers I like best are Han Shaogong.Who has been a great inspiration to me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dictionary_of_Maqiao

And Lu Xun’s short stories.I am less inspired by modern or contemporary writers.The test of time is the greatest test.

我不读村上春树，因为我实际上与他的风格联系不大。中国作家，我最喜欢韩少功，他给了我重要的启迪。我还喜欢鲁迅的短篇。

我对现当代作家关注得较少。经得起时间的检验才是伟大的作品。

Q4.Could you talk about your writing in the past year? For example, what books have you written and what are your writing plans for this year? Will you plan to write have prose in the future ?

可否谈一下您2019年的写作情况？比如，写了什么书，以及2020年有怎样的写作计划？是否有散文集方面的写作计划？

A4.I am in the process of writing a series of short stories.It is funny but I started as a short story writer.I like the form since I don`t like novels that are too long and dragged out.I enjoy the short piece of writing.It frees me up.It tells the truth much better in different voices.

我在写一系列的短篇故事。听上去有点可笑，但我是以写短篇开始的。从我不再喜欢冗长的小说开始，我喜欢上短篇的形式。我喜欢片段地写，这让我自由。它能用更多不同的声音来呈现真实。

Q5.Could I know which city do you live in? How has the coronavirus outbreak affected the lives of people in your city? With more than one million people infected globally, would you consider reflecting on this epidemic in your writing?

您在哪座城市生活？冠状病毒疫情对您所在的城市居民的生活有何影响？现在全球感染人数超100万人，您会考虑在创作过程里体现相关思考吗？

A5.I live in the Adelaide Hills outside of Adelaide.As I said before,I do not like big cities. I like the country.The virus has not reached me，thank goodness. I don`t go out very much,except I ride my bicycle through the countryside.Yes，my short story book is dealing with the epidemic.Remember that Boccaccio did the same thing during the time of the great plague(1348). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decameron

我住在阿德莱德郊外的阿德莱德山。我之前说过，我不喜欢大城市。我喜欢乡下。谢天谢地，病毒没有影响到我。除了骑自行车在乡间兜风我很少出门。是的，我的短篇小说是关于流行病毒的。薄伽丘在大瘟疫时期也做了同样的事情（1348）。https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decameron

Q6

.I hope to publish your collected works in China. Thank you.

我希望能在中国出版您的著作集，谢谢您。

A6.Thank you so much. I appreciate your interest in my work and also Lili`s faith in it to disseminate it to Chinese readers.Thank you once again.

谢谢你。感谢你对我作品感兴趣，也感谢丽莉有信心将我的作品传播给中国读者。再次感谢你们。

澳大利亚作家Brian Castro

作家所在城市阿德莱德的动漫中心（Adelaide Comic Centre），这里有不少动漫图书

Books written by Brian Castro(portion)

Shanghai Dancing

Shanghai Dancing作者: Brian Castro出版社: Kaya Pres出版年: 2009定价: $18.95

装帧: PaperbackISBN: 9781885030429

《上海舞》

《上海舞》作者: 布赖恩·卡斯特罗出版社: 上海译文出版社译者: 王光林出版年: 2010-10页数: 420定价: 35.00元丛书: 当代澳大利亚小说译丛ISBN: 9787532751860

《上海舞》是澳大利亚华裔作家布赖恩·卡斯特罗的一部虚构性自传作品。作品的叙述者名叫安东尼奥·卡斯特罗，在澳大利亚生活了40多年，后来，他决定离开澳大利亚，于是借道香港，也就是他出生的地方，乘船返回上海。在上海，他遇见了摄影师吴凯鸣，在她的帮助下，他们一起翻阅着那些老照片，回忆起过去的一个个镜头。卡斯特罗通过蒙太奇般的跳跃式叙述，讲述了他的家族故事，或者说他的家族在上海的来回跳舞。叙述者的故事主要发生在第二次世界大战前后的上海，澳门和香港。但是通过想象，叙述者将故事一直追溯到了彼此相连的各个帝国，从17世纪的巴西，前葡萄牙殖民地果阿，长崎，菲律宾，利物浦，再到巴黎，包括1997年英国从香港的撤离和他在澳大利亚的复杂生活等。在这错综复杂的叙述中，读者们读到了他们家一代代的家族故事，各种各样的秘密，鸦片，小妾，沉默寡言的母亲，放荡不羁的父亲，各种赌徒，三合会成员，情人，孤儿，等等。小说打破了传统的自传形式，呈现出多元主题。

据《东方早报》，布赖恩·卡斯特罗的父亲是葡萄牙人，母亲是中国香港人，布赖恩·卡斯特罗有着一头黑发和灰蓝色眼睛，会说广东话、英语、法语。他出生于香港，11岁时即赴澳大利亚学习、生活。

***

After China2003

***

THE BATH FUGUE

THE BATH FUGUE

作者: Brian Castro出版社: Giramondo Publishing出版年: 2009-5页数: 374定价: $29.95装帧: PaperbackISBN: 9781920882556

The Bath Fugues is Castro at his best, in a wonderful performance wrought from intrigue, romance, deception – and comedy. The book is composed of three interwoven novellas, the first centred on an ageing art forger; the second on a Portuguese poet, opium addict and collector; the third told by a well-connected doctor, with a cabinet of venom, and an art gallery on the north Queensland coast.Around these characters circle others, in the contrapuntal manner of the fugue suggested by the book’s title. Some are related, some fugitive, some like the essayist Montaigne, the poet Baudelaire or the philosopher Benjamin, enter the story from the past.Motifs recur – baths, bicycles, clocks, addiction, the counterfeit – deepening the lines of association and inheritance which bind their lives, and giving weight to the friendships thrust upon them.

澳门岁月

澳门岁月

Birds of Passage

Birds of Passage

作者: Castro,Brian出版社: Sirus Press出版年: 1983页数: 157装帧: 平装ISBN: 9780207161483

Birds of Passage (originally titled Solitude) is Castro's first novel and is the joint winner (with Nigel Krauth) of The Australian/Vogel Literary Award. It interweaves two narratives, that of a Chinese Lo Yun Shan who comes to Australia from Kwangtung (Guangdong) in the 1850s gold rushes, and a contemporary Australian, Seamus O'Young, who is of Chinese descent. Seamus discovers an old journal written by Shan, and as he translates this journal his own life becomes increasingly entwined with that of Shan. Just as Shan was driven from the goldfields by depravity, racism and sheer greed (of Australian whites), so Seamus finds himself, a century later, fighting for his own life and sanity. This novel investigates questions of identity, specifically in terms of "translation" between cultures. Our selection is taken from the first chapter of the novel with some adaptation. Castro's postmodern style of writing enables him to travel in time and space in depicting his characters and conveying the themes of his novels.

候鸟·萦系中国

作者: 布赖恩·卡斯特罗出版社: 青岛出版社译者: 李尧丛书: 李尧译文集ISBN: 9787555263715

本书为布莱恩·卡斯特罗两部作品的合集。《候鸟》是作者影响最大的作品，以两条平行的线索，通过戏仿的手法，表现了早期华裔移民在澳大利亚的生存经历以及主人公的文化认同困惑。《萦系中国》是作者以魔幻现实主义的手法，将中国古代的哲人老子、风流倜傥的才子唐寅和现实生活中光怪陆离的人物以及他们的命运交织在一起，在澳大利亚广袤的土地上演绎出一个生动美丽的爱情故事。

The Garden Book

The Garden Book 作者: Brian Castro

《园书》

《园书》

出版社: 花山文艺出版社

原作名: The Garden Book

译者: 马丽莉 白文革

出版年: 2018-6

页数: 262定价: 28.00元装帧: 平装ISBN: 9787551137904

Street to Street（中文版正在翻译）

Street to Street（中文版正在翻译）作者: Brian Castro页数: 184ISBN: 978145964919

***

作者: Brian Castro
出版年：2018

***

书店故事 期待您的支持与关注！

閱讀更多 書店故事 的文章

關鍵字: 阿德莱德 小说 译者