2.15.2018

假如我是王小二("If I were Wang Xiao Ur": The origin of a popular old Chinese folk song for the Chinese new year)



前時聖誕剛過,商場超市,以至大小媒體急不及待響起賀年的粵語流行曲,醞釀普羅的消費意欲。電子化的音樂,快速的節奏,千篇一律的曲式,來來去去都是生意興隆,金玉滿堂,橫財就手之類;廣告吹噓送禮要名貴,裝璜要華禮,方能確保授受雙方都感體面。人們在接受長期的催眠: 買吧,買吧,不買過不了年。拜年等於消費,人際與意義內涵都不再重要。


    今時今日,親朋之間,渡歲更是形式多樣,團拜有之,旅行避年的有之,至於蜻蜓點水式的到戶拜訪,只有近親才偶為之,友儕互訪,又較昔重私隱,等閒不會互相拜候;富戶過年當顯豪奢排場,普羅若重禮數,亦看親疏情份而考量送禮級別;孤家寡人者,若不作隱青隱老,偶遇體貼者,或可望同享人間情份,濟濟一堂渡年。

    記得有友提起,拜訪親友也有不同的顧忌,經濟不如人的,拜年送禮給非去不可的勢利親友,真的頗費周章,太花費負擔不起,按個人負擔送禮,又恐令對方不悅;亦有朋友笑說,曾購比平常價錢較貴的公平貿易貨品作禮,反被只喜愛名牌的親友訕笑;另有人說,以為費心買了有益的食物給所重視的友人當拜年禮物,過了好些日子,卻發現那物給放在廳中某角落的地板上塵封多時。更難堪的,卻是一位母親,她說,因去年中家有白事,唯一的親屬長輩卻為此拒絕接受登門拜年。種種兩難的拜年情況,都與金錢價值與人倫關係的價值掛鉤。拜年與不拜年,或是如何拜年,正是一場複雜的人際關係計算,許多人乾脆逃之夭夭了。

    
於是,不期然懷念小學階段,每臨農曆年前,音樂課會唱的一首歌: 【向王小二拜年】。

    小時唱歌,對詞不甚了了,今聽全曲,方知當年老師可能考慮小孩理解有限,只給我們選唱了第一段。但當中寥寥幾句的意象,卻深入我心。特別是下面這數句:

過了一個大年 頭一天, 我給我那王小二來拜新年
冒著風、冒著雪, 渡過江來越過山, 唉呀依喲嘿
我坐著雪車來到你大門前唉呀依喲嘿。
   
   左手給你帶來布一匹, 右手給你王小二來一籃麵;
做一套那個新布衫, 做一頓那個炸醬麵, 唉呀依喲嘿;
給你吃得飽, 給你又穿得暖來依喲嘿。

那年代,穿蔚藍長衫的老師敲著簡單的跳躍琴音,藍布衣褲的小孩帶著對農曆新年的節慶熱鬧嚮往:在家中圍桌幫忙搓麫粉做油角的興奮,窗外由零星以至密集的爆竹聲響,親朋小孩在狹小簡陋的家居擠擁在一起,滿地的紅瓜子殼,數派紅封包的一輪擾攘,都在唱【向王小二拜年】同時引發聯想與期盼。

上世紀五十年代,中國剛經歷八年抗日,國共內戰,政局動盪,普羅庶民,日子當不好過,故此,可能王小二可能只是勞苦大眾的化身,但至遙遠之後的今天,一般人只以為日老土淺俗的歌曲,可是在那些艱困的日子,某人給名王小二拜年,卻是一段可頌的情誼故事,友需冒著風雪,大年初一,給聽來挺親切的[我那個王小二]拜年,又渡江越山,攜布提麪,為的是給小二送上飽暖;那給取名小二的,似位份卑微,生活潦倒,住在偏遠鄉村,拜年有心人,駕著雪車,叮叮噹噹,在白茫茫的天地中,翻山渡江, 專程來跟王小二拜年。

在送煙送酒,糖果餅食,包裝比內涵更重要的年代;在坐公交不消一小時可達任何地方的時代,真難想像坐驢馬雪車,渡江越山,送布送麪,以籃盛載,讓三餐不繼的王小二有藍布衣可穿,有炸醬麪可吃,北方風情,躍然於曲詞中,彷彿只圖畫故事才有。在當年我這個小孩的心中,留下如詩似畫的一個景象: 在白雪茫茫、人跡渺然的山居,王小二忽聞雪車鈴響,自遠至近,止於門前,推門察看,竟見友人遠道而來,正抖下滿身雪花,兩頰給冷得通紅,左手拿布,右手提籃,滿臉熱切,立於門庭冷落的茅舍門前,親來拜年,王小二心情頓感激動溫暖。

這想像更讓我對向王小二拜年一曲追尋下去,原來歌曲真非一般求財利的賀年曲,來歷更是動人,當年老師原來也沒有教我們唱第二段。

向王小二拜年的詞曲創作者的著名的出生於上海的流行曲音樂人陳歌辛(1914至1961,其子陳鋼便是梁祝協奏曲的作者),周璇的永遠的微笑亦是其作品。此曲於1950年由白光首唱,據說曲詞內容來自一齣京劇,話說王小二貧賤夫妻百事哀,年關難過,來年更難過,故夫妻倆打賭,誰若不能忍口,打破沉默者,得負責全年生計;但過年時,有親戚到訪,見二人啞口,以為他們被下毒,為妻者急不及待開口解釋,不意卻輸了賭規,得負責來年夫妻飲食,是故向王小二拜年,有一歇後語:【一年不比一年。】。

且按下貧賤的王小二夫妻的哀愁不說,向王小二拜年一曲的第二段,卻教我對那位拜年的人肅然起敬,他除了雪中送炭之外,還對際遇坎坷的王小二送上勉勵:

  年年你呀過年上刀山, 今年你呀王小二要把身翻
不要哭不要怨, 你要活得更勇敢, 唉呀依喲嘿
抬起頭來, 迎接那新的年哪依喲嘿。

在王小二本來的一片愁雲中,有朋能理解他的困境,冒寒自遠方來,替他擦淚,激勵他勿哭勿怨,勇敢抬頭,因為新的一年,定可把身翻呢。

歌曲還有趣味之處,陳歌辛遠於上世紀五十年代,創作此曲加入fusion,將西方的聖誕歌Jingle Bell其中一段,混進向王小二拜年裡,可以想像,拜年的王小二友人,乘著雪車,果真也像聖誕老人,為坐困愁城的王小二,帶來充滿身心的盼望、真摯溫暖的拜年。 

   今時不同往昔,樓奴遍地,但溫飽總算不難,拜年都講求關係的考量,送禮價值與人際掛鉤;科技發達,以手機按掣發訊發圖,已算是隔空拜年了。登臨潦倒親朋的寒舍慰解送暖者幾稀矣。細賞【向王小二拜年】一曲,在小鑼鼓的輕快敲擊中,彰顯著一段雪中送炭的情誼,相比現今那些求財逐利的電子化賀年歌,添了濃濃的人間情味。忽有聯想:


假如我是王小二,我當會期盼有這樣的一位朋友給他我拜年。

 假如我不是王小二,我會盼望成為那位給他拜年的朋友,你呢?


   
    
 



向王小二拜年

可按下面連結收聽原唱

向王小二拜年(1950年白光唱)

作詞:陳歌辛
作曲:陳歌辛

過了一個大年頭一天 我給我那王小二來拜新年
冒著風冒著雪 渡過江來越過山 唉呀依喲嘿
我坐著雪車來到你大門前唉呀依喲嘿
(叮噹叮叮噹叮 叮噹叮噹叮 王小二呀王小二 齊來迎新年)
左手給你帶來布一匹 右手給你王小二來一籃麵
做一套那個新布衫 做一頓那個炸醬麵 唉呀依喲嘿
給你吃得飽 給你又穿得暖來依喲嘿
(叮噹叮叮噹叮 叮噹叮噹叮 王小二呀王小二 齊來迎新年)

年年你呀過年上刀山 今年你呀王小二要把身翻
不要哭不要怨 你要活得更勇敢 唉呀依喲嘿
抬起頭來 迎接那新的年哪依喲嘿
(叮噹叮叮噹叮 叮噹叮噹叮 王小二呀王小二 齊來迎新年)

2.02.2018

觀鷺者言(悠悠吐露之四) The Words from a Heron Watcher





濕冷苦寒的黃昏,更念吐露港的白鷺,正值牠們慣常覓食的時間,趁到海邊蹓躂,順道看看牠們可安好。

    走在往濱海的橋上,雨後的濕冷拂得頭臉赤麻,放學的、買菜的、下班的,都希望趕回好歹比外面暖和的家去,沒人有心情駐足細看橋下時有的獨特風景,只有我這類閒人,每回路過,總像不見鄰里不心安,冀尋鷺踪。

     果然,在陰冷的河面上散浮的兩隻休業龍舟前沿,已各站一鷺,其一竟是夜幕低垂後方出現的夜鷺,另一是小白鷺,日夜作息各異的鷺鳥同時出現,實在少有,許是夜鷺不敵嚴寒,顧不得夜幕未垂,提早出動覓食。

    雪白的小白鷺與黑背灰腹的夜鷺,各安其位,分立兩舟,順應著水流與魚踪,牠們間會換個位置,時而背向,時而同向,鷺愛立在水面上任何構築物的前沿,以便高瞻遠矚,追踪獵物,牠們會保持站姿,紋風不動,如僧入定,其實牠們並沒有發呆,只是需要安靜專注,方可察得水流中小魚游踪,魚兒一旦游近,牠們便瞬速撲擊,在水面上劃過凌亂水紋後,無論捕獲與否,旋即退回原位,保持一貫姿勢,再度等候,百折不撓;日復一日,每天一場又一場的垂釣守候,便是牠們的獨特的修行。因此,若我們只匆匆路過,便會誤認鷺鳥太過木納優閒,不種不收,懶散渡日。

     可是,今天牠們略為多動,也許天寒易餓,故此不再好整以睱,比平常較多改換姿位,虎視河面以下的魚游踪影,稍有發現,便趨前俯看,稍作研判,立即出擊。但今天太冷,魚兒也不游浮水面,兩鷺等候良久,均無所獲。

     我在橋上看著,見小白鷺在隱隱流動的寒風中,苦候無果,但仍堅守陣地,忽然一陣冷風拂過,小白鷺一身鬆垮垮的羽毛如柳絮散亂,顯露了纖細的鳥軀,看似幼弱,堅立卻如磐石。

     龍舟上這一灰一白兩鷺,看得我暗生一陣感動,靠天吃天,靠水吃水,是生物的本能,飛鳥有巢,狐狸有洞,雖歷惡劣天氣,三餐不繼,但各安其本,各捕其魚,不相爭,不急躁,魚來便吃,魚不來便守,從不屯糧,每天的佇立守候成為牠們獨特的修行,生命雖比人類短促,但終生以天為幕,以樹營巢,以海生活,以等候渡日,練就一番世外高人似的性情,不徐不疾,不慍不火,平靜篤定的從容氣派。

    回家路上,偶見街市外沿偶會出現的磨較剪的老漢,緊繞著腿坐在小板椅上,身旁的工具箱散亂地放著,頭上緊繫著一張行山用的舊頭布,眼睛冷得瞇緊,動也不動,似是守候微不足道的生意,也似在堅持生活的剩餘尊嚴。在即棄的年代,手藝早已不能維持生活,喊叫磨較剪剷刀巳成絕唱,靠天不成,靠地不容,靠人更難,老漢像那河中龍舟上的鷺,有一餐,算一餐。

     想起幼學瓊林說,洪荒世代,野處穴居,有巢之後,上宇下棟......。工業革命之後三百年,
我們亦早已上宇下棟,且上至宮庭式豪宅,下至納米奇則與劏房,後工業時代,人覺勝天勝地,庶民不再做農奴,不用靠天靠地,卻得靠人,但如魯迅所說,這是吃人的社會,人會吃人,故此不少人被迫下流為房奴,三餐或仍可繼;有作奴不成的,在城中的罅隙游離遷徙,居難定所;基層的青壯年,有些只好自甘【下流】,以保難得可棲身的公屋資格。

   憶起前時在以農為主的台東小住,常聽得百姓口頭禪:[夠生活便算了。],不多求,故不為虛妄而營役,靠天靠地,倒也優悠。

 
    看來,小白鷺與夜鷺,不種不收,若以生活的境界定義幸福,棲在枝頭的牠們,活得比居於上宇下棟的我們好多了。



                                                




  The Words from a Heron Watcher    

It was a cold and wet evening, and I missed the egrets in Tolo Harbour, as it was their usual feeding time.

    As I walked along the bridge towards the waterfront, the wet and cold after the rain made my face numb, and those who were leaving school, shopping for groceries and leaving work all hurry back home where it was at least warmer than outside.

     I saw a night heron over the bridge that usually appeared after nightfall, and the other was a little egret.

    There were always two dragon boats lying on the river. The snowy egret and the black-backed, grey-bellied night heron each stand in their position, in two separate dragon boats. They change position from time to time, sometimes backwards, sometimes forward, in response to the current and fish tracks. Once the fish is coming closer by the tide,  the heron will pounce instantly, and after making a messy stroke on the surface of the water. Whether they catch it or not, they will return to their original position, maintaining the same posture and waiting again, never giving up. So if we were to pass by in a hurry, we would mistake the herons for being too passive and leisurely, not sowing or reaping, lazing around.

     However, today they were a little more active, perhaps they were cold and starving, so they were no longer in their usual position.  The egret changed its posture more often than usual, watching for fish below the river's surface. But it was a cold day, and the fish were not swimming on the surface.

     As I watched from the bridge, I saw the little egret waiting in vain, but its persistence in this extreme weather touches me.

     One grey and the other white, the two egrets on the dragon boat were a fantastic picture.  Although their life is shorter than humans, they take the sky as their shelter, trees as their nest, the sea as their hunting place and the sun as their clock and directions. They have developed a living style that they only rely on nature, not by their efforts.  When the night falls, even they did not eat enough, they must fly home. Tomorrow will be another day.

    On my way home, I occasionally saw an older man sharpening shears.  He sat on a small bench with his toolbox beside him. He has an old head cloth for hiking tied to his head to keep himself warm.  His eyes were in a puzzle as he was waiting for his customers.   The older man is like a heron, his life must move on with uncertainty, and so do we.

     The older man is like the egret on the dragon boat in the river, he has one meal, but he has one meal. I remembered from my early schooling, Qiong Lin, that the flood generation lived in the wilderness caves. Three hundred years after the Industrial Revolution.

  In the post-industrial era, people may think that they no longer need to rely on nature; the human being can create everything they need. 

   I recall that when I lived in Taitung, a farming town, I often heard the people's mantra: [We don't need much to live on].  It means that "I didn't ask for more, so I didn't work for fame, and I only relied on the creator."

  If we define happiness by the state of life, the egrets live a much better life perched on the trees than we do in the high risings.