双语散文水乡人素描

　　水乡人素描
　　ASketchofWatersideFarmers
　　叶子南
　　YeZinan
　　水乡人素描
　　对我来说，上山下乡只是下乡，因为我去的地方无山可上。结果我接触的农民也大多具水乡特征，多阴柔，少刚阳。
　　WhenIwascaughtupinthesweepingcampaignofsettlingurbanyouthinthecountryside，calledupamountainanddownafarm，inthemidstoftheCulturalRevolutionupheaval，Iwasonthedownside，becausetheplacewhereIwassenthadnomountainstoclimb。Iwasthenintroducedintothelifeoflocalfarmers，onethatwasasgentleasthecurrentsofthewaterwaysrunningthroughtheirneighborhoods。
　　都说一方水土养一方人，崇山峻岭中生活的人，少不了行路难的历练，背一捆柴，挑一担水，走上十几里路，走得脚底出泡，是每个山里人会有的经历。
　　Myobservationseemedtobearoutanoldtruththatpeople’sdispositionswereshapedbytheirenvironment。Mountaindwellerswereabletodevelopthekindoftoughnessbecausetheyoftenhadtowalkmanymileswhilecarryingstacksoffirewoodorbucketsofwaterdespitethepainblistersontheirfeetwerecausingthem。
　　水乡不同。水乡虽不像城市那样有现代化的呵护，可是行在水乡，毕竟要比走在山里方便，因为有河组成交通的网线，有舟代挑肩上的担子。畏人的里程在乘舟欲行的人看来并不畏人，在摇啊摇的乌篷船里看外婆家也不山高水远。但也因此，以舟代步的水乡人没有机会像山里人那样，走出艰难硬朗的人生。
　　Livinginavillagebyariverwasdifferent。Eventhoughdevoidofurbanamenities，ruralvillagesblessedwithcrisscrossingrivershadthebenefitofwatertransporttorelievemuchoftheburdenofcarryingstuffaround。ThenetworkofriversofferedthepossibilityofturningagruelingtrudgeadailyroutineforamountaindwellerintoajoyfulridebytransferringtheloadfromourbacksorshoulderstothoselittleboatswithblackcanopiesthattypicallydottedShaoxing’swaterwaysbackthen。Andbecauseofthisconvenience，farmershavingeasyaccesstowaterwayssimplydidn’thavetoroughitasmountainfolksdid。
　　当人体背负着生活的重担，走在山中小路上的人注视的范围便缩小了，因此山里人很少关注山坳外的乾坤。
　　Besides，climbingamountainwithaheavyloadonyourbackcouldlimityourvision。Mountainlivingthustendedtoinsulateyoufromwhatwasgoingonoutsideyoursmallworld。
　　水乡人不同，即便摇橹推桨也得使出浑身的解数，但推拉之间，顺水前行的舟楫还是会借惯性，给你一息喘息的机会，更何况几个人轮番上阵，换下来的人便可稳坐在船头，看山阴道上的景致，暂且忘掉衣食住行的烦恼。于是在水软橹声柔的人生路上，水乡人也和水一样，阴柔是性格的特征，即便是男子汉也缺少大刀阔斧的胸襟。
　　Unliketheirmountaindwellingpeers，watersideresidentshadroomtobreatheandpanoramicviewstoexplorewhileontheirboats。Theydidhavetogoalloutrowingattimes，buttheyoftenhadtheleisuretoamusethemselveswhentheyweregoingdownstream，orespeciallywhentheyhadseveralpeopletakingturnsrowing。Theycouldrelaxonthebowoftheirboat，enjoyingthebreathtakingsceneryalongthebanks，temporarilyobliviousofmoremundaneworriesoffeedingtheirfamilies。Lifemarchedoningentlestepsmuchlikestrokesofanoarinthewater，instillingtendernessinmenandwomenalike。Nowonderqualitiessuchasdecisivenessseemedelusiveeveninmen。