《鑑真號的遠航、大佛的夢境預言與一塊像工農肥皂的起司》

1988年7月16日，我乘坐「鑑真號」輪船第一次離開故土去了日本。J 租了一輛小車，在18日中午抵達大阪碼頭來接我。回程的車中，我高歌一曲《妹妹你大膽地往前走》，就此開啟了我的海外生涯。

從大阪到位於神奈川縣伊勢原市的新家，如今用網上地圖一查，才五六個小時的車程。但當時的我並不知道，一切都是那麼的新鮮。J 不懂日語，全憑看著地圖開車，途中經常會遇到單行道，難免有些沮喪地嘟嘟囔囔。當晚我們在日本民宿住了一夜，途中 J 還帶著我轉了幾個地方。那時我人生地不熟，一個具體的地名也沒記住，只知道照片中的那尊大佛是鐮倉的。

多年後有了互聯網，上網一查才知道，鐮倉大佛距我拜訪的日子倒推700多年就開始建造了。大佛最初是木質結構，花了六年時間完成，三年後被颱風毀壞。1253年開始重鑄銅製坐佛像，供奉於大佛殿之內。而200多年後，大佛殿被海水倒灌沖毀，自此鐮倉大佛就成了露天大佛。我站在大佛像前時，大佛已經露天遮風擋雨將近500年了。這是多麼驚心動魄的歷程。難怪我那年元旦第一天就做了夢，夢見大地震，海水把一艘大船直接沖到了家門口。原來那是歷史通過夢的形式，小試牛刀演繹給我看一眼。

終於到家了。J 拿著鑰匙開了門，我剛要跨進去，J 說了一聲：「等等。」說著，他彎腰順勢抄起我的雙腿，將我整個橫抱起來走了進去。西方的這一習俗好溫馨。

屋子裡井然有序。放下行李，打開窗戶透氣，我們的小日子就開始了。

到家的第二天，J 給了我20萬日元。我當時全然不知道這筆錢是給我幹嘛用的，也許是讓我負擔起日常的開銷，我也沒問。但是平時出門買菜什麼的，他還會另外給我錢，我也就糊里糊塗地拿著。到了第二個月，他便沒有一下子再給我這麼多錢了，我同樣沒問。我腦子裡少了一根要「掌控」的弦，根本沒想過要當家、掌握經濟大權，本來這錢就不是我掙的。

抵達日本後的第五天，J 帶我去與他的朋友們見面。他們經常在附近的一家酒屋裡喝酒，裡面有日本教授，也有西方外教，都是東海大學的。一進門，媽媽桑就熱情地為我送上了鮮花和禮物。大家開開心心地聚集在一起分享美食、聊天，這還真是我頭一回被眾人如此「關注」，心裡有些不好意思。

從北窗望去，遠處最高的山峰是Oyama大山

接下來的幾天我們就在附近轉了轉。我們去爬了大山（Oyama），又去了古都鐮倉。

那時我發覺，結了婚的第一個好處是：再也不用偷偷摸摸的了。過去無論是愛誰還是被誰愛，心裡都覺得是一件見不得人的事。原因是我當年愛著的人，後來得知他早已經有了對象，所以我們在公園裡散步都是一前一後地保持著距離。或者是那個我不愛、但他偏偏愛我的人，因為害怕得罪他有權有勢的爸爸，我不得不一次次跟著他出去，嘴裡重複著說「我們就做朋友吧」。當然，我更不願意讓別人看到我和他走在一起。再後來的姐弟戀，也是同樣見不得光的。

J 在歐洲待了幾年，有點「崇歐媚外」，總覺得什麼優格、起司、麵包、香腸、酒等等都是歐洲的最好。他自己也會做一手美味的意大利和法國料理。

他做的青醬意大利麵（Pesto Spaghetti）非常好吃，做法也簡單：用新鮮羅勒葉、烤松子、現磨碎的 Parmesan 奶酪、大蒜、現擠的檸檬汁和橄欖油。說到帕爾馬干酪（Parmesan），這裡還有一個小插曲。

剛到日本的某一天，我正在水池邊洗菜。J 從後面伸過手來，將一塊黃兮兮的東西送到我嘴邊。我把頭讓開了一點，想看清那到底是什麼。那東西看上去就像一小塊過去用的「工農肥皂」。不容我多問，J 臉上帶著神秘的微笑，將那塊「肥皂」塞進了我的嘴裡。我頓時驚呼：「Soap！Soap！」然而第二聲「Soap」還沒喊完，一股無法言喻的美味便在嘴裡漾了開來。原來，那是一塊意大利的 Parmesan 起司。這是我這輩子第一次吃起司。

J 還做過另外一種意大利面，同樣好吃且做法簡單。用大蒜、辣椒、番茄、黑橄欖（Black Olives）、刺山柑（Capers）、鹹魚（Anchovies）和橄欖油。J 說這道麵有一個特殊的名字，叫「Whore Spaghetti」，也就是「妓女麵」。據說是因為過去的妓女接客太忙了，為了節省時間才做這種麵。但我後來記錯了，這些年裡，我一直把那道「青醬意大利麵」誤記成了妓女面。

說到美食，J 是比較講究的。他自己精通意大利和法國美食的烹飪，下館子必須要吃精緻美食（Gourmet Foods），從不吃任何快餐。到東方餐館吃飯，J 總是帶著自己的筷子，以避免使用一次性筷子。他也從不去超市或大型連鎖店，買東西一定要去照顧街邊那些誠實本分、產品質量極高的小實體店生意，哪怕價格貴一點也無妨。他不忍心看那些小店主的失落，不願意看著各具風格、富有人情味的小商業被（按J的話）「大鯊魚」（big shark）吞併，從而變成整齊劃一、千篇一律的（按J的話）「乏味無趣」（boring）商業模式；他反對這樣的壟斷行為。在大型購物中心與連鎖超級市場迅速擴張、吞噬著傳統街區的年代裡，他的這種堅持，雖然微弱，卻始終固執。

喝酒方面 J 同樣有講究。儘管我們兩人在家吃飯時不喝開胃酒和餐後酒，但佐餐酒是必不可少的。吃海鮮必須配乾白葡萄酒，吃肉類則喝乾紅葡萄酒，普通的日常菜餚喝啤酒。到了睡覺前，在悠然輕鬆的背景音樂中，J 還喜歡喝上一點威士忌或白蘭地。

而過去只有在節假日才喝一點像甜水兒一樣的紅葡萄酒的我，一時間根本無法適應這種生活方式。為此 J 特意給我買了愛爾蘭百利甜（Baileys Irish Cream）和法國的金萬利（Grand Marnier）。我當時心裡還有些嫌他喝得太多。你想啊，我那時剛剛從一個貧窮、節儉的生活環境中走出來，哪裡見過這種架勢。沒見過家裡備有酒櫥，沒見過櫥裡擺著那麼多種類的酒，更沒見過天天都要喝酒的人。

那時的我根本沒有意識到這其實是一種中產階級（Bourgeois lifestyle）的生活方式和享受，反而認為這些都是不好的壞習慣。所以我是能不喝就儘量不喝。現在想想，是不是顯得有些大煞風景？確實是。我簡直是有福不享，生在福中不知福。

但是，到頭來生活了許多年後才知道，原來滴酒不沾才是最健康的。

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The Voyage of the Jianzhen, the Prophecy of the Great Buddha, and a Cheese update like Peasant Soap

On July 16, 1988, I boarded the liner Jianzhen and departed from my homeland for Japan for the very first time. Renting a small vehicle, J arrived at the Osaka pier at noon on July 18 to receive me. On our return drive, I sang aloud the song "Sister, Boldly March Forward," thus initiating my life overseas.

The distance from Osaka to our new home in Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is merely a five-to-six-hour drive by modern online maps, though I had no inkling of this at the time; everything felt entirely novel. J understood no Japanese and navigated strictly by consulting paper maps; encounters with one-way streets were frequent, causing him to mutter with frustration. We lodged at a Japanese guesthouse for the night, and J guided me to see several locations along the way. Being completely unfamiliar with the country, I failed to record a single specific place name, knowing only that the giant Buddha in our photograph belonged to Kamakura.

Years later, with the advent of the Internet, I researched online and discovered that construction on the Great Buddha of Kamakura had commenced over 700 years prior to my visit. Initially a wooden structure, it required six years to complete, only to be demolished by a typhoon three years later. In 1253, casting began on the bronze seated statue, which was housed within a grand temple hall. However, over two centuries later, the hall was entirely swept away by a catastrophic tsunami, leaving the Great Buddha exposed to the elements ever since. By the time I stood before the statue, it had already weathered the sun and rain in the open air for nearly 500 years. What a breathtakingly monumental history. No wonder on the very first day of that New Year, I had a dream—dreaming of a massive earthquake where the surging sea pushed a grand vessel straight to our doorstep. It was history utilizing the architecture of sleep to grant me a brief preview of its power.

Upon arriving at our destination, J produced the key and opened the door. Just as I prepared to step across the threshold, J interjected, "Wait." Bending down, he caught both my legs in his arms, lifted me entirely into a bridal carry, and walked inside. This Western custom felt remarkably warm and welcoming.

The interior of the house was in immaculate order. We dropped our luggage and opened the windows to air out the space; our daily life together had begun.

On the morning following my arrival, J handed me 200,000 Yen. I had absolutely no conception of what this fund was intended for; perhaps it was meant for me to manage our daily expenses, though I never questioned him. However, he would still provide additional money whenever we went out for groceries, and I simply accepted it blindly. By the second month, he ceased giving me such a large sum all at once, and again, I asked no questions. The desire for "control" was entirely missing from my nature; it never crossed my mind to manage the household finances or seize economic authority—after all, the money was not earned by me.

On our fifth day in Japan, J took me to meet his companions. They regularly gathered for drinks at a local pub nearby; among them were Japanese professors and Western foreign language instructors, all belonging to Tokai University. The moment we entered, the proprietress (Mama-san) warmly presented me with fresh flowers and gifts. Everyone joyfully shared fine delicacies and chatted together; it was truly the first time in my life that I had been the focus of such attention, leaving me somewhat bashful.

Over the succeeding days, we toured the immediate vicinity, scaling the heights of Mount Oyama and visiting the historic ancient capital of Kamakura.

I quickly realized that the first true benefit of marriage was that there was no longer any need for secrecy. In the past, whether loving someone or being loved by another, it always felt like a shameful affair to be hidden from sight. The reason was that the man I loved was later revealed to already have a partner, meaning we walked through the park strictly with one behind the other, keeping our distance. Or, in the case of those I did not love but who loved me, out of fear of offending his powerful and influential father, I was forced to accompany him out time and again, repeating, "Let us simply be friends." Naturally, I was utterly unwilling to let anyone witness me walking beside him. The later relationship with a younger man was similarly barred from the light of day.

Having resided in Europe for several years, J possessed a certain penchant for Western imports, firmly believing that yogurt, cheese, bread, sausage, and wine were always superior if they came from Europe. He was highly skilled at preparing delicious Italian and French cuisine. His Pesto Spaghetti was exceptionally savory and simple to make: using fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and olive oil. Regarding Parmesan, there remains a brief anecdote.

On a certain day shortly after my arrival, I was washing vegetables by the sink. J reached his hand out from behind me, bringing a yellowish wedge directly to my lips. I drew my head back slightly to discern what it was. The object resembled a small block of the crude "peasant soap" issued by factories in China back in the old days. Before I could question him, J wore a mysterious smile and popped the "soap" straight into my mouth. I instantly shrieked, "Soap! Soap!" Yet before the second cry could escape my lips, a wave of pure deliciousness rippled across my palate. It turned out to be a piece of Italian Parmesan cheese—the very first time in my life I had tasted cheese.

J also prepared another variety of pasta that was equally delicious and simple. It utilized garlic, chili peppers, tomatoes, black olives, capers, anchovies, and olive oil. J mentioned that this pasta bore a peculiar name called "Whore Spaghetti" (Pasta alla Puttanesca), explaining that prostitutes in the old days were far too busy receiving clients and prepared this dish simply to save time. However, my memory failed me later; for all these decades since, I had mistakenly remembered the Pesto Spaghetti as the "Whore Spaghetti."

When it came to culinary tastes, J was remarkably particular. He was an expert in cooking Italian and French delicacies; dining out required Gourmet Foods, and he never touched fast food of any kind. When dining at Asian restaurants, J always brought his own chopsticks to avoid using disposable ones. He similarly avoided supermarkets and massive retail chains, insisting instead on patronizing small brick-and-mortar storefronts along the street because they were honest, decent, and offered exceptional quality—even if the prices were slightly higher. He could not bear to witness the despair of small shopkeepers, nor did he want to see unique, deeply human local businesses swallowed up by what he called the "big sharks"—only to be replaced by standardized, cookie-cutter commercial models that he described as utterly "boring." He was staunchly opposed to such monopolies. In an era when massive shopping malls and supermarket chains were rapidly expanding and carving up traditional neighborhoods, his quiet persistence remained fiercely stubborn.

J was equally particular regarding alcohol. Though the two of us never consumed aperitifs or digestifs when dining at home, a table wine was mandatory. Seafood was strictly paired with dry white wine, meats required dry red wine, and ordinary daily dishes were accompanied by beer. Before retiring for the night, amidst a backdrop of serene and relaxing music, J also liked to savor a glass of whiskey or brandy.

Yet for someone like me, who in the past had only consumed sweet, juice-like red wine exclusively during festive holidays, I simply could not adapt to this way of living. For my sake, J specifically purchased Baileys Irish Cream and French Grand Marnier. Internally, I harbored a slight resentment that he drank so excessively. Consider it: I had only just emerged from a destitute, frugal environment and had never witnessed such a grand display. I had never seen a home outfitted with a liquor cabinet, never seen a cabinet packed with such a vast assortment of spirits, and certainly had never encountered a person who drank every single day.

At the time, I entirely failed to recognize that this was actually a Bourgeois lifestyle—a form of enjoyment; instead, I judged these practices as inherently bad habits. Consequently, I avoided drinking whenever possible. Reflecting on it now, did I not act as a total wet blanket? Indeed, I did. I was blessed with good fortune yet utterly failed to recognize it, living in comfort without realizing its value.

Yet, after living through it all to the very end, one finally learns that remaining entirely teetotal is the only true way to health.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百二十六篇

《迪斯尼渡口的冰封山梁、復活的黝黑鯉魚與錯過的班船》

2023年5月：

乘渡船過了一條不寬的河，說是去迪斯尼。隨著人流往前走，途中有幾家涼亭棚子搭成的小吃鋪，裡面有人在講故事。

右方有一個比較陡峭的高坡，大約有一兩層樓高。我也走過去跟著爬。腳下並沒有路，泥地已經開始結凍，泥土呈現的不是黑色而是白雪，但並不蓬鬆。我高一腳低一腳地爬上斜坡，發現上面原來是一道窄窄的山梁，放眼望去是一片銀乾坤、玉世界。

這時，有幾條似乎是剛剛被凍住了的魚從下面蹦了上來，其中一條魚還艱難地動了動嘴巴。我伸手把那條魚抓了過來，放進口袋裡，接著又順手抓了一個凍疙瘩放進另一個口袋。

我立馬轉身下來朝著渡口走去。沒過多久，口袋裡的那兩個小傢伙在體溫下漸漸暖了過來。我掏出來一看，原來一隻是烏龜，身子比一般的烏龜要稍長一點兒；另一條是鯉魚。牠們此時的鱗甲都變得黝黑滑亮。

我開始到處找水，心裡害怕牠們會渴死。在一家小食店的後廚裡，我找到幾個杯子，裡面剩有小半杯水。我把牠們放進去喝水。

隨後我匆匆趕到碼頭，此時一班渡船剛好啟航離開。我在碼頭等了下一班船，這才過了河。

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The Frozen Ridge at the Disney Ferry, the Revived Black Carp, and the Missed Boat

I took a ferry across a narrow river, bound for Disney. Moving forward with the crowd, I passed several snack stalls set up under pavilion sheds, where people were telling stories inside.

To the right rose a fairly steep slope, about one or two stories high. I walked over and began to climb it. There was no path underfoot; the muddy ground had begun to freeze, and the soil appeared not black but filled with white snow, though it was not powdery. Trudging unevenly up the slope, I discovered that the top was a narrow mountain ridge—a vast, panoramic world of silver and jade.

Just then, several fish that seemed to have just been frozen leaped up onto the ridge; one of them was still feebly moving its mouth. I reached out, caught the fish, and slipped it into my pocket, then casually grabbed a frozen clod of earth and put it in my other pocket.

I turned around immediately, heading back down toward the ferry. Before long, the two little creatures in my pockets began to warm up against my body. When I pulled them out, I discovered that one was a turtle, its shell slightly longer than usual, and the other was a carp. Their scales and armor were now a glossy, polished pitch-black.

I began searching everywhere for water, terrified that they would perish of thirst. In the back kitchen of a small eatery, I found a few cups containing a fraction of a cup of water. I placed them inside to drink.

Afterward, I hurried to the pier, but a ferry had just unmoored and departed. I waited for the next scheduled boat before finally crossing the river.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百二十一篇

《輕如薄紙的背負與緣份的古鏡》

2016年10月19日：廢紙焚燒場的毒氣與夜奔

夜晚，我和胡笳待在一個巨大的舊草棚裡。草棚內有一排排的桌椅，所有的門窗都沒有框架，只是草牆上的寬大豁口，兩側皆有。草棚的右側緊緊連著一棟同樣陳舊、刷著白石灰泥的兩層小樓，這裡看起來像是一個被廢棄的紙張焚燒場。草棚與樓房的前方是一片開闊的空地，後方則流淌著一條靜謐的小河。

正當我們忙著手頭的事情時，忽然看見外面的空地上從左側開進來一輛大卡車，緊接著又跟進了第二輛，車斗裡塞滿了廢紙。車上下跳下來幾個人，一副盛氣凌人、來者不善的模樣。旁邊樓房裡隨即有人下樓與他們接洽。我心裡暗自嘀咕：這個時辰怎麼可能會有正經的生意往來？預感不祥。

我壓低聲音，對正在幾步開外埋頭幹活的胡笳說：「趕快關燈，從後窗跳出去！」我倆貓著腰，借著一排排桌椅的掩護，悄悄且快速地奔向後窗。路過牆壁時，我順手撥下了上面的電燈開關，然而神祕的是，燈火並未熄滅，依舊散發著黃燦燦的光芒，將整個草棚照得一片通明。胡笳在身後低聲說：「不能關，突然滅燈反而會引起外面人的注意，還好沒滅。」好在草棚比較低，有朝外斜伸出去的寬屋簷，外面的人一時間還沒注意到裡面的動靜。

說時遲，那時快。我跟著胡笳先後跳出後窗，跑過腳下一片由黑瓦砌的舊屋頂，迎著呼嘯的夜風，縱身朝著遠處全力一跳。胡笳落在了靠近小河對岸的淺水裡，似乎不小心崴了腳，正一臉痛苦地捧著左腳按摩。我入水的位置比較靠近河流中央，借著河水的浮力，身體毫髮無損。我們迅速游過去，將身體半泡在冰冷的河水裡，躲在大柳樹的陰影中，警惕地觀察著對岸。

這時，只見草棚的窗洞口晃動著幾個人影，其中一人端著一個臉盆，朝河裡倒出了兩條魚。其中一條黑黝黝的魚竟然帶著強烈的攻擊性，直接全速沖著我們的方向游過來。「毒魚！」我說。我們跳出水面爬上河岸，在夜幕中奔逃，濕漉漉的衣服上拖帶著泥水。

跑出一段距離後，我們再度折返回去，想躲在暗處看個究竟。這時才發現那片廢墟不知何時已經被一圈高大的木柵欄給圍了起來。眨眼之間，柵欄內部突然升騰起火光，火勢蔓延得極其迅猛，剎那間化作一片沖天的火海。我們退到馬路對面遠遠地看著，四周也漸漸聚集了前來圍觀的附近居民。

就在這時，我看見二樓的窗戶裡突然探出一個人影。那人將手裡的一個布袋子在空中抖弄了幾下，一股濃黑如墨的煙塵瞬間被抖了出來，借著風勢迅速擴散。「快跑！」我說，「那是毒氣！」

我背起胡笳就跑，用另一隻手摀住自己的口鼻，提醒他：「千萬不要將毒氣吸進去！」此時的胡笳已經被嗆得臉色煞白，連呼吸都變得極其微弱。我背著他，朝著遠處幽深黑暗的巷子深處狂奔。在驚恐中醒來。

禮堂的驚險搜捕與背負

在以前的另一個夢裡，我也曾救過胡笳。

在一個大禮堂內，觀眾席上坐著不少人，我們也在。見幾個人進來，一排排查找，要抓胡笳。我心裡明白，坐在原位裝無辜是絕對敷衍不過去的。

就在他們逼近的那一剎那，我猛地站起身來，迎著衝上來的人對打了幾下，憑著驚人的爆發力將他們逼退。趁著一片混亂，我拉起胡笳，大步跨過一排排高高的靠背椅，身手敏捷地直接從禮堂後門逃了出去。一出大門，我立刻將胡笳背在自己的背上在夜色中狂奔。那一刻，我心中驚奇地發現，背上的他竟然輕得就像是一張薄薄的白紙，毫無重量，這使我得以帶著他大步流星、腳不沾地般飛速逃離了險境。

【備註】關於緣份的古鏡故事

聽說過一個關於緣份的故事：

從前有個書生，和未婚妻約好在某年某月某日結婚。奈何，到那一天，未婚妻卻嫁給了別人。書生大受打擊，一病不起。眼看書生奄奄一息，家人用盡各種辦法卻也無能為力。這時，一名和尚決定點化他。和尚到他牀前，從懷裏摸出一面鏡子叫書生看一看。

書生看到一名遇害的女子一絲股躺在海灘上，一名路人經過，看了一眼，便搖搖頭，走了。之後又路過一人，他將衣服脫下，給女屍蓋上，便走了。過了一會，再路過一人，走了過去，並挖了一個洞，小心翼翼把屍體掩埋了。書生看著鏡子裡發生的，滿面疑惑，然後，書生在鏡中看到自己的未婚妻在洞房花燭，被她丈夫掀起蓋頭紗的瞬間。

書生還是不明所以。於是和尚解釋道，那具海灘上的女屍，正是他未婚妻的前世。而他，就是第二個路過的人，曾經給過她一件衣服。她今生和他相戀，就只為了還他一個情。但她最終要報答一生一世的人，是最後那個把她埋起來的好心人，那人就是她現在的丈夫。

**********************************

The Feather-Light Rescue and the Ancient Mirror of Destiny

October 19, 2016: The Escape from the Toxic Smoke

Under the cover of night, Hu Jia and I occupied a massive, weathered straw shed. Inside, rows of tables and chairs were set out; yet, the doors and windows completely lacked frames, existing merely as wide, gaping horizontal voids carved directly into the thatch walls on both flanks. The right side of the shed was joined seamlessly to a two-story building sharing the same dilapidated aesthetic, its exterior coated in white lime mud; the site possessed the distinct atmosphere of an abandoned wastepaper incineration facility. Flanking the front of the structures was a vast, open courtyard, while a tranquil, narrow river trickled directly behind them.

While we were busily engaged in some task, I suddenly spotted a truck aggressively veering into the open courtyard from the left, immediately followed by a second vehicle, their storage beds crammed to the brim with crumpled wastepaper. Several people jumped out of the vehicle, exuding an air of ill intent. Someone from the adjacent concrete building hurried downstairs to negotiate with them. Why on earth would there be business transactions at this ungodly hour? I muttered to myself, a bad feeling creeping over me.

In a hushed, frantic whisper, I turned to Hu Jia, who was working a few paces away: "Hurry, kill the lights and leap out the back window!"
Crouching low beneath the silhouettes of the tables and chairs, we slipped silently and rapidly toward the rear opening. As I passed the wall, I reached out and flipped the master light switch; yet, miraculously, the illumination refused to die. Instead, it continued to cast a brilliant, warm amber glow, flooding the entire straw shed with light. Hu Jia whispered from behind, "Do not force it. A sudden blackout would instantly betray our movements to the thugs outside; it’s a blessing it stayed on." Fortunately, the structure of the shed was remarkably low, capped by a wide, sweeping thatched eave that slanted outward, shielding our frantic movements from the intruders in the courtyard.

Before the thought could even settle, the crisis erupted. Following closely behind Hu Jia, I cleanly vaulted through the low rear window opening. We bounded furiously across a vast expanse of old rooftop shingles made of overlapping black tiles. Bearing into the midnight wind, we executed a grand, desperate leap out into the distance. Hu Jia crashed into the shallow current close to the opposite bank of the river, seemingly twisting his ankle, as he sat clutching and massaging his left foot in intense pain. My own descent struck closer to the center of the riverbed; thanks to the dynamic buoyancy of the current, my body remained entirely unharmed. We lunged through the current, anchoring our bodies half-submerged within the deep, protective shroud of a weeping willow tree, warily watching the opposite bank.

Just then, a few shadowy figures materialized at the window voids of the straw shed. One man hoisted a massive washbasin and violently sloshed its contents into the river, discharging two bizarre fish into the current. One large, pitch-black fish instantly locked onto our coordinates, charging with a terrifying speed straight toward us. "There are venomous fish in the water!" I said. We launched ourselves out of the riverbed, scrambling frantically onto the grassy bank and sprinting blindly into the darkness, our soaked garments dripping heavy, muddy trails behind us.

After running a considerable distance, a powerful curiosity compelled us to cautiously retrace our steps, desperate to peer through the shadows and witness the outcome. Returning to the perimeter, we found that the entire clearing had been heavily sealed shut by a colossal grid of timber fencing. In the blink of an eye, roaring pillars of fire erupted within the enclosure, the blaze spreading with an apocalyptic speed until it transformed the site into a raging ocean of flame. We were forced to retreat across the main road, watching from a distance as a crowd of locals gradually gathered around us.

Suddenly, I looked up to see a dark silhouette extend itself from the window of the second floor. The figure held a canvas sack, giving it several violent, snapping shakes in mid-air, instantly unleashing a dense cloud of pitch-black ash that expanded rapidly on the wind. "Run!" I hollered. "That is lethal chemical gas!"

Without a shred of hesitation, I hoisted the injured Hu Jia onto my back, sealing my own nose and mouth tightly with my free hand while screaming a warning to him: "Do not inhale a single drop of that smoke!" Hu Jia was already gasping for air, his face turning completely pale as his breathing grew perilously faint. Carrying him upon my spine, I summoned every ounce of raw kinetic strength in my legs, sprinting like a maniac deep into the shadowy labyrinth of a distant alleyway. Marooned in a state of absolute panic and frantic exhaustion, I snapped wide awake.

The Auditorium Rescue
I've dreamt of rescuing Hu Jia before.

In a spacious auditorium, many people were already seated, and we were among them. Suddenly, several men entered and began searching row by row, intent on capturing Hu Jia. It was no longer possible to maintain a facade of indifference.

Just as the searchers closed in on our row, I unleashed a surge of overwhelming, formidable power! I sprang up, confronting the approaching men head-on, and with a few heavy, forceful blows, I drove them back. Amidst the ensuing chaos, I grabbed Hu Jia, vaulted over the high-backed auditorium seats, and dashed straight toward an open exit at the rear, vanishing into the night. The moment I crossed the threshold, I hoisted Hu Jia onto my back and took off at a full sprint. To my utter astonishment, he felt completely weightless—as light as a mere sheet of paper. This absolute lightness allowed me to move with the speed of a gale and the intensity of a raging fire; I covered ground in great, swift strides, drifting away with ease and leaving all danger far behind.

[Note] The Story of the Mirror of Destiny

I once heard a story about destiny:

Long ago, there was a scholar who agreed to marry his fiancée on a specific year, month, and day. However, when that day arrived, his fiancée married someone else instead. The scholar suffered a massive blow and fell gravely ill. Seeing him on the verge of death, his family tried every possible means but remained entirely helpless. At that moment, a monk decided to enlighten him. The monk came to his bedside, drew a mirror from his robe, and told the scholar to look inside.

The scholar saw a murdered woman lying completely naked on a beach. A passerby walked past, took a single look, shook his head, and walked away. Afterward, another person passed by; he took off his clothes, covered the female corpse with them, and walked away. A moment later, a third person passed by, walked over, dug a hole, and gingerly buried the corpse. Watching the events unfold in the mirror, the scholar was filled with confusion. Then, the scholar saw his fiancée in her bridal chamber, at the exact moment her husband lifted her bridal veil.

The scholar still did not understand the meaning. So, the monk explained: that female corpse on the beach was his fiancée's previous life. And he, the scholar, was the second passerby who had once given her a piece of clothing. She fell in love with him in this lifetime simply to repay that single debt of affection. But the person she ultimately had to repay with her entire lifetime was the final, kind-hearted man who had buried her; that man was her current husband.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百零五篇

《美猴王雪橇、通天跳板與大江長橋》

2014年1月19日：神速黃牛與美猴王雪橇

夢到有人牽來一頭壯實的黃牛，周身駝黃，有斑駁的棕色點綴，皮質光滑、柔軟。牠走到我的右側，斜臥下身子讓我坐上去。當我側坐穩當後，牠便站起來邁步前行。一路上我並沒有感覺到任何顛簸或奔跑的震動，但抵達目的地時，我才驚覺原來這頭黃牛的速度竟然比世間任何交通工具都要快得多。目的地是一條清澈的河邊，河水不深，有大片的淺灘，那頭黃牛又伏下身子讓我下來。我順著牠的脊背輕輕撫摸那光滑的皮毛，手感很舒服。河邊此刻也站著幾個人，似乎正準備出發去某個遙遠的地方。

在前幾天的另一個夢裡：我搬到了一處連綿起伏的小丘陵地帶，到處白雪皚皚。街上有幾個年輕人在跑，我跟著他們來到了一處小高地。哇！遠處連綿起伏的山坡後面，竟然飄出了佈滿大半個天空、數不盡的巨大透明泡泡。那些泡泡就像被放大了無數倍的肥皂泡，輕盈飄逸，晶瑩剔透，在日光下帶着迷人的反光，真是美極了。天空呈現出純淨的淺藍色，無數巨大的泡泡之間還瀰漫著飛舞的雪花。屋頂上蓋滿了厚厚的積雪，樹木也全變成了銀白色的，一切的一切都太妙不可言了。那一刻，我彷彿置身於一個巨大的聖誕玻璃雪花球（Glass Snowball）之中。就在這時，一隊由聖誕白鹿拉著的雪橇劃過右邊的天空，由小變大飛馳而來，簡直就和童話裡聖誕老人坐的雪橇一模一樣。果然，雪橇上穩穩坐著一個穿著紅色聖誕老人衣服的人，可當我仔細一瞧，那紅帽子下面顯露出來的，竟然是一顆毛茸茸的猴子臉——那是一位美猴王！

2014年3月19日：老廠房的彎槓與衝刺的男孩

夢見一棟只有鋼筋水泥框架的老工業廠房或倉庫​​，有七、八層樓高。裡面既沒有常規的樓梯，也沒有電梯。唯一能讓人上樓的，是一個兩頭由強韌橡皮帶子吊著的、中央稍微向下彎曲的橫木槓子。這根木槓貼著大樓的鋼筋框架，正慢慢地、上下規律地浮動著，人們需要藉著它的彈力伸縮上下樓。

我趁著那根木槓下來的一剎那，縱身一跳，穩穩地躍了上去，雙腿懸空盪下，坐在了彎槓的中間。只覺得身子一沉，向下盪去，隨即又向上揚起。我趕緊貓起身子，以防被框架給夾住。

藉力我跳到了樓上。大約在第五或第六層上有幾個小隔間，它們並不在同一水平面上，其中一間在兩層樓的中間，沒門。我好奇地探頭往裡一瞧，只見裡面有人正急匆匆地抽走一條自製的木梯（那是一條一尺來寬、在長木板上釘了些小木橫條的簡陋梯子）。無法進入。看起來樓上為數不多、隱約現身的人，似乎全都是受過傷殘的男人。

來到大樓外面，眼前呈現出一片綿延的草坡，坡度左高右低，山坡頂上矗立著一棟建築物。這時，一個瘦弱的男孩（其實看起來比普通男孩要稍微年長、成熟一些）出現在視野裡。他正努力地往坡上衝，看著他吃力地往上衝，沒成功，跌退了下來。但他沒有放棄，又繼續衝，又退下來。眼見他有一次幾乎就要成功攀上那片比較平坦的高地時，那瀕臨體能極限的最後一個大跨步，卻令他整個身體搖搖欲墜，看起來無比可憐。果然，他再度踉踉蹌蹌地倒退了下來。

此時他全身已經沾滿了泥濘，可他依然衝上去、摔下來，再衝上去、又重重地摔下來。跌倒、爬起，再跌倒、再爬起，反反覆覆地、頑強地、繼續著。那一刻，我的憐憫之心，漸漸被對他那份堅韌不屈的敬佩所代替。

這時我才注意到，原來他每一次看似慘烈的失敗，都在他的身體裡聚集起了更大的勢能！這使得他的每一次重新衝刺，都比上一次衝得更高。當然，每次摔下來的時候也一次比一次慘烈，倒退的距離也一次比一次遠。

就在他最後一次踉踉蹌蹌、大步向後倒退時，他的腳後跟猛地踩到了一條隱藏在草皮下、極具彈性的泥濘木板——濕漉漉的草皮深處，竟然橫臥著一條神祕的跳板！當他剛在木板上站穩，恰逢那條跳板往上彈起之時。剎那間聚集起來的能量，使他一下子快速地衝上了草坡頂端！我快步跟過去一看，只見那片草坡在大樓後面無限延伸著，而且地勢變得又高又陡峭，直插雲霄，隱隱有通天之勢。而那位頑強不屈的男孩，這一次終於再也沒有跌落下來。在天際的盡頭，幾個不知從哪裡驟然出現的神祕人影，伸出手拉了他一把，帶他進入了光芒之中。

2014年12月20日：大樓頂層的PS特技與大江長橋

夢到在一所大學的老校區教學樓裡當管理員。那裡剛剛整理好的大廳與過道，可大門總是被學生們推開，他們大大咧咧地走進來，穿過整個樓層。我心裡想著去把大門關上，那裡有好幾扇落地大玻璃門，可往往是這裡剛剛關上，那裡卻又被學生們推開了，到最後我也索性聽之任之、放任不管了。

走出去，才發覺原來這座校園是那麼的開闊美麗，到處都是古老而莊重的歷史建築。在教學大樓的後面，竟然有一個劇組正在拍電影，滾滾的人工濃霧遮擋住了被拍攝的大樓樓頂。樓頂的那一部分竟然被凭空「取」了下來，畫面感完全就像是現代電腦軟體裡的Photoshop（PS）摳圖手法，神奇極了。

再往前走幾步，眼前豁然開朗，出現一條大江，江水浩浩蕩蕩，大江裡面有無數條肥美的鯽魚正在歡快地躍出水面（我想那應該不是鯉魚，因為鯉魚是紅色的，而夢裡的魚不是）。隨後，我準備橫跨那座飛架在大江之上的長橋。那不是一座現代化的鋼筋鋼橋，而是一座散發著歷史厚重感的古老長橋。還沒等我邁步踏上橋面，我便醒了。

**********************************

The Monkey King's Sleigh, the Celestial Trampoline, and the Great River Bridge

January 19, 2014: The Golden Ox and the Monkey King’s Sleigh

I dreamed that someone led a sturdy ox toward me; its hide was a rich camel-yellow adorned with mottled patches of brown, its skin remarkably smooth and soft to the touch. It approached my right side, kneeling gracefully to let me mount. The moment I was seated sideways and stabilized, it arose and began to glide forward. I felt absolutely zero jolting or rapid running during the transit; yet, upon arriving at our destination, I realized this ox moved significantly faster than any modern mode of transportation. Our destination was a riverbank where the water was shallow, framing a vast expanse of pebbled shoals. The ox knelt once more, allowing me to dismount. I caressed its hide along its spine, enjoying the immensely comforting texture of its coat. A few individuals stood gathered by the water, seemingly preparing to embark on a journey to some distant realm.

A few nights prior, in another dream: I had relocated to an area of rolling, miniature hills, blanketed entirely in pristine white snow. A few youths were sprinting down the street, and I followed them up to a small, elevated plateau. Turning around to look back—wow! From behind the undulating ridges of the distant mountains arose countless massive, transparent bubbles that filled more than half the sky. Resembling magnified soap bubbles, they were airy, graceful, and crystal clear, reflecting the light in iridescent prisms; it was breathtakingly beautiful. The sky was a pale, crisp blue, and between the colossal bubbles, a dance of delicate snowflakes drifted through the air. The rooftops were heavily capped with snow, and the trees were turned a brilliant, shimmering silver—everything felt entirely enchanting. I felt precisely as though I had been placed inside a massive, exquisite glass snow-globe. Suddenly, a sleigh pulled by white reindeers soared across the right side of the sky, growing from a tiny speck into a grand vision, looking exactly like Santa Claus’s magical sleigh. Sure enough, a figure clad in Santa's signature crimson robes sat inside, but as I peered closely beneath the red hat, the face that emerged was covered in fur—it was a Monkey King!

March 19, 2014: The Soaring Trampoline and the Unyielding Climber

I dreamed of an old industrial factory or warehouse consisting of nothing but a bare reinforced concrete framework, about seven or eight stories high. Inside, there were absolutely no conventional staircases or elevators. The sole mechanism for reaching the upper floors was a slightly sagging wooden crossbar, suspended at both ends by heavy, high-tension rubber bands, floating slowly and rhythmically up and down against the building's skeleton. One had to masterfully harness its immense elastic recoil to ascend.

Seizing the exact microsecond the bar floated down to its lowest point, I leap onto it, sitting in the middle with my legs swinging below. I felt my body sink and swing downwards, then rise upwards again. I curled my body, crouching low to prevent myself from being crushed or pinned by the passing steel framing during the ascent.

Harnessing this momentum, I vaulted onto the upper decks. Around the fifth or sixth floor, a few bizarrely structured cubicles were scattered across uneven levels; one particular room hung suspended halfway between two floors and possessed no front door. I peeked my head inside, only to see someone frantically pulling away a makeshift wooden ladder—a crude device about a foot wide, constructed of a long wooden plank with tiny crossbars nailed onto it. The room was entirely inaccessible, and from what I could gather, the few shadowy figures drifting across these upper levels appeared to be disabled or wounded men.

Stepping outside the framework, a sprawling grassy slope presented itself, elevated high on the left and slanting lower on the right, capped at the summit by a solemn building. Just then, a frail-looking boy (though in reality, he appeared a bit older and more mature than a typical boy) materialized in the arena. He was channeling every ounce of his remaining strength, desperately sprinting up the steep incline. I watched him trudge furiously upward, at the half way up, losing his footing and tumbling back down the slop. Yet, he refused to surrender; he pushed himself up and charged the slope again, only to be ruthlessly repelled once more. At one point, he seemed on the absolute precipice of conquering the flat high ground, but that final, lunging stride at the very limit of his physical endurance left his entire frame rocking and swaying. He looked deeply pitiable. Sure enough, his balance shattered, and he came stumbling and staggering backward all the way down to the base.

Now completely slicked in thick mud, he charged up and crashed down, charged up and slammed down again. Fall and rise, fall and rise—over and over, with a stubborn, fierce, unyielding resolve, he continued this brutal cycle of assault. Gradually, the pity in my heart was entirely overwritten by a profound, towering sense of awe for his resilience.

It was only then that I caught a shocking realization: every single catastrophic failure was actually accumulating a massive pocket of kinetic potential energy inside his body! This meant that each subsequent charge shot him significantly higher and further up the hill than the last. Consequently, each fall grew increasingly brutal, and each backward stumble carried him further away from the crest.

During his final, staggering backward retreat, his heel slammed directly onto a mud-slicked, highly elastic plank hidden deep within the grass—a secret trampoline buried beneath the soaking sod. The exact microsecond he stabilized his footing upon it coincided perfectly with the plank's upward snap. The colossal, accumulated energy violently amplified his physical resilience and stamina, enabling him to rapidly dash up the slope with his own two feet, charging clean onto the summit! I scrambled up behind him to investigate, only to find that the grassy slope extended infinitely behind the building, transforming into a towering, vertical cliff that pierced the heavens with an absolute majesty. This time, that unyielding boy never fell back down. At the absolute edge of the horizon, a few mysterious silhouettes materialized out of the clouds, extending their hands to gently lift him over the crest and into the light.

December 20, 2014: The Photoshop Film Set and the Bridge Over the River

I dreamed that I was working as a facilities administrator inside an old campus lecture hall at a university. We had just neatly arranged the grand central hall and corridors, yet the main doors were continuously pushed open by swelling crowds of students wandering carelessly through the floors. I intended to shut the doors—there were several floor-to-ceiling glass panels—but every time I sealed one section, another door would be swung open by the students. Eventually, I resigned myself to it and decided to just let them be.

Stepping outside, I realized that the university campus was so beautiful, lined everywhere with ancient, stately historic architecture. Behind the main lecture building, a film crew was busily shooting a movie; rolling clouds of artificial mist completely shrouded the roof of the structure. I watched as the rooftop section was cleanly "extracted" and removed—the technique perfectly mirrored the digital cutting-and-pasting of modern Photoshop (PS) software. It was spectacular.

Walking a few paces further, the panorama split open to reveal a magnificent, roaring river. The currents surged with a tremendous volume, and within the waters, a countless multitude of plump crucian carp were joyfully leaping out of the surface (I knew they weren't carp, as carp are crimson, and the fish in my dream were not). Following this, I was preparing to cross a bridge spanning across the great river. It was not a sterile, modern steel structure, but an ancient, majestic long bridge radiating the heavy patina of history. Before my feet could even touch the surface of the bridge deck, I awoke in absolute tranquility.

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第四百零四篇

《梅花針、長頸鹿與消失的歌德式教堂》

20歲左右，在我夢裡常常遇到高山大河，但是再高的山我都能很輕鬆的跨越。再長的河，再寬的海我都能自在的遊渡過去（雖然現實生活中，我的游泳水平不咋地）。如果是跟別人一起爬山或爬高高的古代牌摟，夢中的牌樓比現實中的要高好幾倍，但我總是爬的最快最高的那個。

一次好像是被幾個古代江湖能人追著，他們對我發射「梅花針」(夢裡的名字，極其纖細的一種暗器，揮手就可從袖子裡發出數枚的那種)。情急之中遇到小山包，我抬腿一步就能跨了過去；遇水就潛泳，比魚遊的還快；在平原上就左突右閃，機警、成功地躲過了密集的棉花針。(那時，我基本上還沒看過武俠小說。)

也做過幾次不能動彈的夢，好像是人醒著，眼睛都睜得大大的，但就是不能動彈，想叫無聲，想動無力，這種狀態維持的時間不久，突然間就能動了。醒來很害怕，以為身體出了什麼大病。白天跟人提起這怪夢，得到的回答說那是「鬼壓床」。這夢不常有大概只有两三次，都是在20歲左右做的。多年後才知道那是大腦意識醒了，身體機能還睡著暫時不能聽大腦的使喚。

後來，尤其是出國以後常做迷路了的夢。

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這兩個迷路的夢，做夢的時間只差了五天，都放在這裡：

2007年11月10日夢:

只身像散花天女一樣，胳膊輕輕揚起，身輕如燕，飄飛過秋色浸染的綿延丘陵，下面有各種美妙的動物和樹林花草。遠遠地看見幾隻長頸鹿，我飛得高點兒想飛越它們。飛到近處一看原來長頸鹿是幾棵高大的樹。

飛了好久看見前方有一條路，下來問人：「**大學怎麼走？」因為我剛剛從那個大學飛過來的，飛過丘陵後，卻忘記了歸途。

被問者驚訝地說，那個大學多少年前就搬走了遠方。我又問：「現在是哪一年？」答到幾幾幾幾年。結果是與我飛來的年代差一萬多年。

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2007年11月15日夢：

我從家裡出來，下了樓就回不上去了。因為來路都變了，樓梯都一段一段地不連著、也不認識了，索性走出門。

天還沒亮，朦朧中飄有薄薄的晨霧，在弄堂的轉彎口遇到了一群穿著奇怪的人。其中有三、四個年輕女郎從頭到腳披著白紗直拖到地面，在薄霧中走來，輕盈飄逸，款款動人。我正納悶兒地在街上走著，看到了更多的行人穿得像威尼斯狂歡節的人們一樣，神秘的面具、漂亮的羽毛、華麗的古裝。

我繼續尋找著回家的路，忽然看到一棟有雙塔樓的歌德式教堂。大樓高高的石階上、和門洞裡，也有花枝招展的人走進走出。

啊～，我對自己說，這就是了，我認識這棟樓；我的家就在這附近。說著剛要扭身拾路回家，就見那棟大樓動了一下，定睛觀看，那棟大樓像舞台上換的布景一樣，轉了過去不見了。

回家的路在哪兒？

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Plum Blossom Needles, Giraffes, and the Vanishing Gothic Church

Around the age of twenty, I frequently encountered towering mountains and roaring rivers in my dreams. Yet, no matter how high the peak, I could cross it with absolute ease. No matter how long the river or how wide the sea, I could swim across it with complete freedom—even though, in real life, my swimming skills are nothing to write home about. Whenever I climbed mountains or scaled ancient stone archways alongside others, the structures in my dreams would be several times taller than they are in reality, but I was always the fastest and climbed the highest.

Once, it seemed I was being chased by a group of martial arts masters from an ancient realm. They launched "Plum Blossom Needles" at me—a name that appeared directly in the dream, referring to an incredibly slender hidden weapon that could be fired from one's sleeves with a simple wave of the hand. In my desperation, whenever I hit a hill, I could leap right over it with a single stride; whenever I hit water, I would dive and swim faster than a fish; and on the open plains, I darted and dodged, cleverly and successfully evading the dense volley of cotton-fine needles. (At that time, I had barely even read a single martial arts novel.)

I also experienced dreams of sleep paralysis a few times. It felt as though I was wide awake with my eyes open, yet I could not move a muscle. I wanted to cry out but had no voice; I wanted to move but had no strength. This state wouldn't last long, and suddenly, I would regain my movement. I used to wake up terrified, worrying I had a major illness. When I mentioned this strange dream to others during the day, they told me it was "ghost pressing on the bed" (sleep paralysis). This didn't happen often—only about two or three times, all around the age of twenty. Years later, I finally learned it was simply a state where the conscious mind wakes up while the body's physical functions are still asleep, temporarily unable to take orders from the brain.

Later on, especially after moving abroad, I frequently had dreams of getting lost.

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These two dreams of losing my way occurred just five days apart, and I have placed them both here:

Dream of November 10, 2007:

All by myself, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, I lightly lifted my arms. Light as a swallow, I floated and soared over rolling hills painted in autumn colors. Below me lay all sorts of wonderful animals, forests, flowers, and grass. In the distance, I spotted a few giraffes, and I flew a bit higher, intending to soar right over them. But as I drew closer, I saw that the giraffes were actually just several tall, towering trees.

After flying for a very long time, I saw a road ahead. I descended and asked someone, "Which way to the university?" I had just flown over that very university, but after crossing the hills, I had forgotten the path back.

The person I asked looked at me in utter astonishment and said that the university had moved far away many years ago. I asked again, "What year is it now?" They answered with a specific year. As it turned out, the era I had flown into was more than ten thousand years apart from the era I had come from.

Dream of November 15, 2007:

I walked out of my house, but once I went downstairs, I couldn't find my way back up. The path I had come from had completely changed; the stairs were broken into disjointed, unrecognizable segments. So, I decided to simply walk out the door.

The sun had not yet risen. In the dim light, a thin morning mist drifted through the air. At a turn in the alley, I encountered a crowd of people dressed in bizarre attire. Among them were three or four young women draped from head to toe in white veils that trailed all the way to the ground, walking through the mist with an airy, graceful elegance that was profoundly moving. As I walked down the street in bewilderment, I saw even more pedestrians dressed like people at the Venice Carnival—wearing mysterious masks, beautiful feathers, and magnificent vintage costumes.

I continued to search for the way home when suddenly, I spotted a Gothic church with twin towers. People dressed in splendid, colorful clothes were bustling in and out of the grand building's high stone steps and arched entrance.

Ah! I said to myself, This is it. I recognize this building. My home is right near here. Just as I was about to turn onto the path to go home, the grand building suddenly shifted. I stared intently, and the massive structure spun right around and vanished—exactly like a stage backdrop being swapped out during a play.

Where is the way back home?

特別感謝 Gemini AI 提供充滿活力的翻譯和文本潤色。

Special thanks to Gemini AI for providing the spirited translation and text refinement.

第三百六十六篇