How did a most important book discovered in China?

How. did a most important book discovered in China?

A note about the anonymous writer of Dream of A Red Chamber 

According to the first printed version published in 1791, the editor said the author was unknown. The book had been popular for twenty years or so before the printed version in 1791. It was first circulated in hand-written copies in temple fairs. People were willing to buy the scripts in very high price. It could be dozens of taels in silver. Why can the book be sold in such a high price? It must be that the book was so attractive and it was all about the very rich noble people’s life and was unknown to the public. And more importantly, people can copy it and sell it again in the same or even higher price. A million words were not easy to copy, however, even several chapters could sell a good price. There was no complete version of the book by then, but loose chapters. For the first twenty years or so, the book was popular among readers in the old Capital of China. People knew there were 120 chapters in the book from the index on the first chapter, but for a long time, there were only loose chapters for the first 80 chapters. The loose hand-copied chapters were sold in temple fairs, or even vendors on the street. It must be a lucrative business by then. However, someone determined to collect the complete chapters and print them. The last 40 chapters were finally found and pieced together. Then we have the 1791 version, then a better one in 1792 by the same first printers. From the beginning till the first printed version, no one knew who was the author of the book. 

As a lucrative business, the hand-written circulation was continued for more than 100 years. It was sold as antiques for later collectors. People not only copied the chapters, they rewrote it, adding more vivid sexual description and putting on personal remarks. It was more welcome by the market then. One copier wrote in his remarks that Cao xue-qin was his nephew and he could “order” the author to alter certain places in the book. People believed him. 

Scholars of the last century seemed not to think the author was anonymous. They would rather believe Cao Xue-qin who had been mentioned in the book as an editor, was the writer. But there was no prove of it. And the scholars were not in the position of a reader of the book, but analyzers of it. They could not feel the inner force from the story. They did not share the same feeling with the writer. They were busy at picking up external data from the huge volumes. That must be a hard work for them. Anyone who could feel the same with the writer, would believe, by the time of a highly authoritarian pressure in Ching dynasty, it was completely impossible to publish a book with such advanced thoughts at the time. Anyone would choose to omit his name to avoid being persecuted. 

The scholars in China seldom doubted about the copiers. They believed them. 

The most important scholar who had insisted the writer was Cao Xue-qin, was Hu Shi. 

Hu Shi maintained that there were two writers. He had said the last 40 chapters were the work of the first printers, though it had no proof. Hu could not feel the inner spirit of the work nor he could see into the highly complicated structure of the work with some literature awareness. He was a politician more than a literature scholar. Yet his opinion was accepted until now. 

He was deeply immersed in American thoughts and was honored by numerous American Universities. At least 35 Western universities offered honorary degrees to him. Most of them were awarded in the United States during the Second Sino-Japanese War period. It was strange, why the American people were so mush fond of him. Sometimes, Hu Shi would collect two honorary degrees at the same day. Yet seldom of the people in China doubt about the political intention in the move. The Chinese people still put the name Cao Xue-qin in the book as its author, both in Mainland China and Taiwan until today.

Actually this is quite a simple matter, however, the Chinese scholars had developed a subject called "redology".(The science to study Dream of  Red Chamber?) Numerous books have been written about the book and its writer. It was a funny dispute for 300 years since.

紅樓夢的作者是誰？

紅樓夢的作者是誰？

根據紅樓夢在1791年的第一個印刷版本，編書者說，這作者是隱名的。沒有人知道作者是誰。其實，這書在正式出版之前的二十餘年間，已經在京師相當流行。最初是在廟會中有人販售手抄本。售價奇昂，要價數十金(可能只是數十兩銀，而不是數十兩金)，但人們還是照買。

為甚麼這書竟能取價如此高昂？可能是因為書實在吸引。書寫得好，其中更有大量當時貴族生活的描寫，而這是一般人根本無法想像的。更重要的是，只要你買了這書，你就可以也照樣抄出來發售了。一百萬字的鉅著不容易抄寫，但只要抄得幾章，就能賣得好價錢。雖然那時仍未有完整版本，只有散章出現。

1791 前的二十年左右，這書是在京師十分流行的。人們從第一章的目錄知道書共有一百二十回，但很久都只見到前面八十回的散章。

這些散章在廟會，甚至攤販中發賣。是一種大有利可圖的事業。不久，有人決心搜尋完整的章節，後四十回也終出出現了，而且可能拼出全貌了。所以才有了1791 的第一個版本(程甲本)，後來又有了編校得較好的程乙本(1792) 但是，從開始到第一個版本出現，人們仍不知道作者是誰。

這是一門有錢賺的生意。直到一百多年後，手抄本仍不斷出現。到了後期，主要是當作古董，專門賣給收集家的。那時的手抄本，已經出現改寫的現象。加上更多生動的性慾描寫，還有批語。市場是十分接受的。有一個抄書人，竟自稱是曹雪芹的叔父，而且他是可以隨時叫曹雪芹改動書中情節的。這樣的敘述，不少大學者深信不疑。

上世紀的學者，似乎不相信作者是無名氏。他們寧願接受曹雪芹是作者，雖然是一點根據都沒有的。其實書中已經說明，曹雪芹是編輯人而已。當時的學者們，大約都只是分析家，而不是讀者。他們不能感受書中的內在訊息。也對作者的意圖，完全沒有感覺。

他們只是忙於搜尋外在資料。在這樣的一部鉅著中分析具體細節，其實也是很繁重的工作。至於了解作者用心的人們，都會肯定相信，在雍正和乾隆那樣的文字獄高壓時代，要發表這樣一本超越時代的作品，當然是不可能署上名字的。

當時的學者們，很少懷疑那批抄書人。而最肯定堅持作者是曹雪芹的人，是胡適。

胡適堅稱，這書的作者有兩人，後四十回的作者，是早期的出版人自己。雖然這講法沒有根據，但他堅持。胡適並不了解書的內在精神，更無法從文學角度，看到書的精密結構。他以為這結構是可能隨意續寫的。胡適其實是一個政客多於一個文學家。但他的見解，到今天還是廣被接受。

胡適是深受美國文化影響的。他被美國眾多大學追捧。在抗日戰爭期間，一共有三十五間西方大學送給他榮譽博士學位。其實主要的都是美國大學。只是很奇怪，為甚麼美國人這樣喜歡他。有時，胡適竟然一天之內連續接受兩個學位。但中國人却很少懷疑這件事。也未必聯想到政治上去。 中國人至今，仍以為曹雪芹是紅樓夢的作者，大陸和台灣的書，都只見曹雪芹的名字。

其實這只是一件簡單的事情。但中國學者們却創造了一門名為「紅學」的學科，專門研究這書和作者的問題。已經出版的紅學書籍無數，這是紅樓夢面世三百年來最可笑的事了。

「紅樓夢」在說甚麼？

  玉 的 故 事

(「紅樓夢」在說甚麼？)

這一個故事的原來作者，是一個不願意透露姓名的秘密作家。他是清朝時期的人。

李察在二零一八年的時候，撮寫了這個故事。故事的本來名字是「石頭記」或「紅樓夢」。 這是一部百萬字的鉅著，以下是其中的主要內容。

                

主角的名字是賈寶玉，亦即是假寶玉。賈即是假，這是原著作者鄭重指出，並不違言的。這一位不願意透露姓名的作家說：假寶玉是口裡啣著一塊玉出生的。這是一部以大量比喻構成的小說。玉的意義是甚麼呢，玉是心的象徵。故事其實就是說，假寶玉生來就是有心的。

這是連他自己亦未必知道的。有一次，他無意中失去了玉，立即就變蠢了。這才知道，原來玉就是他自己的心，是不可以失去的。玉是他內在感覺的一種象徵。而這種象徵，亦未必是他一個人所獨有。大約這是一種傳自遠古的精神，而這種精神，是在文化之上的，是比文化更重要的。這一種精神，就是人的本性。

甚麼是文化呢？作者用了一百萬字去描述，其實是把中國人的全部生活形態，都寫出來了。這是一種可稱為「文化」的東西。雖然，在作者的時代裡，是沒有「文化」這個詞的。但作者已經把當時文化的全部寫出來。為甚麼他要寫出來的呢？相信他的真正目標是要把文化的精神寫出來，而這種精神，歸結出來，就是一顆心。故事說賈寶玉出生時是啣著一塊玉的，寓意即是說，賈寶玉是有心的。

他是家中最重視的寶貝。每個人都愛他。他可做任何喜歡的事，也可以去家裡任何地方。他喜歡女孩子，有時也喜歡俊逸的男孩子。

不久，他早期的性慾望出現了。那是在一段很長的時間裡出現的。他在兩歲或者三四歲的時候，已經很喜歡女孩子。他會忽然間把女孩子的胭脂口紅搶去吃，有時也會吻女孩子的唇，只為了要吃胭脂。大家都以為他喜歡色慾，其實他喜歡的只是顏色。那是完全不同的。他喜歡的只是紅色，而不是色慾。但人們總是誤會他。

玉愛紅。這是甚麼意思呢？難道玉象徵的是權力，而這種權力，需要一種紅色的印泥，把權力化為政治命令，統治蒼生？其實這也許只是紅樓夢的寓意：我們都是需要一顆心的，讓心統率一切。心是紅的。

不許久，大家都忽然感到有點兒緊張了。特別是當寶玉的行徑是這樣的隨意和率性。他成熟得太快，而這大家庭裡又有這麼多的漂亮女孩子和男孩子。他是一點都不在意，他對一切人都是那麼親密，全不介意是男是女。

原著的無名作家說，他的第一次性經驗，是在一場夢境裡面發生的。雖然這也是不重要的，他的性經驗是在夢裡，還是在故事裡出現，一點都不相干。

夢中，他是被一位仙子帶引的。仙子告訴他很多道理，告訴他甚麼是性，還讓他去試。

有趣是他的第一位性伴侶。她的名字也很特別。她姓秦。秦差不多就是中國了。她是姓中國的。而她名叫可卿，意思就是「可以的女人」。

這也許會啟動想像的。可以的中國女人？甚麼意思？在她的內室裡，陳列著歷代美人的藝術珍品。或者她就是中國美人的象徵？她是可以的。是對甚麼可以呢？是對寶玉的那一顆心可以嗎？中國的美人們，都需要同樣的一顆心嗎？

他和可以女郎之間，有一段快活時光。但那是不大重要的。更重要是事後的遭遇。他一從那溫馨的房間裡出來，就遇到惡鬼了。惡鬼追他，他拚命奔逃，竟然來到了一個水上迷宮。他在那地方轉來轉去，都找不到出路。一分鐘之前的性慾激情，此刻變成了冰冷的焦慮。幸好仙子及時趕到，喝叫他速速回頭。仙子告訴他，他已經來到了最可怕的「迷津」。而他的未來救贖，只在一位木居士和一位灰侍者身上。

他是在這樣的一種甜蜜但恐怖的惡夢中驚醒的。這就是紅樓夢全書第一個最重要的提示。

所以，仙子的告誡就很重要了。這裡面有甚麼微言大義？

讀者通常對於性慾的描寫感覺興趣，至於後面的不祥預兆，却是誰都沒有興趣的。或者仍然有人深深迷惑，知道我們都是在「迷津」裡，都有某種的不明白。

到底這「木居士」和「灰侍者」有甚麼意義？

木已成灰，很可能就是暗指他的愛侶林黛玉之死。黛者黑也，林黛玉就是森林中的一塊黑色美玉。林黛玉死去，賈寶玉就會在一種近乎絕對的失望之中，看穿了封建文化，甚至是生命的全部真相，得到徹底明白。

我們知道，文化是和生命不同的。生命是比文化更大的一種範疇。而生活在不同文化中的生命，是有完全不同感覺的。這書以中國舊文化作為背景，寫出了舊式文化的真相。看到真相，就是看到了文化處境，就會明白生命。

這一個故事所講的，就是一個有心的孩子，對抗全面黑暗的文化勢力，最後得到徹底明白的勝利。

最初的時候，他以為他是真的一塊寶貝。

作為一塊寶貝，是天下間最美的事。這天下，就是在一處大大的宮殿裡。當然，這也是不重要的。到底那是宮殿，還只是富家的豪華花園別墅，都不重要。重要的是，他必須要是一塊真的寶貝。

在這宮殿裡，他可以做任何事。他可以和任何一位他喜歡的女孩或者男孩親熱。他重視他們之間的感情。他也有秘密的男朋友。他是天真的，而且是快樂無限的。他只知道，自己年紀小，而年紀小就是他的本錢。

不久，他才發覺，他的所謂快樂，其實也是假的。他也再不可以任意和女孩子們親熱了。

一天，當他如常一樣毫無機心的和一位婢女調戲的時候，却被他母親無意間聽到了。他的母親立時發作，大怒要把婢女逐出家門。她以為這婢女，會帶壞寶玉。結果，那婢女就在走投無路的情況下，自殺死了。她如果被逐出家門，就再沒有任何地方可去。

這使得寶玉知道了自己的真正處境。但是，作者不會坦白的把甚麼都告訴你。這是一種高明的文學技巧，所有的想像，要讓讀者自己去補足。寶玉的內心在淌血，但表面上，却好像沒有甚麼。

他本來以為自己是寶玉，但到了這時候，他才真正知道了。他只是一塊假的寶玉。表面上，他是無限風光的，但一切都是有條件的。條件只有一個。

而且，這條件他是不可能接受的。

最初，他還以為這條件是很簡單的。他只需要服從，做好功課。但事實並非這樣簡單。那是一整套的行為規範和文化限制，他是絕對無法忍受的。他寧願死，都不會照做。但是，他却只能把這種想法藏在心裡，不告訴任何人。

到底這條件是甚麼呢？

唯一的條件，就是他必須要接受：天底之下，一切都是假的。真的事情，是永遠不會出現的。你必須要親自探索，親自追求。這不容易，所以他是很迷惑的。甚至他連自己的名字亦是假的。他是假寶玉。雖然很多時候，他都會故意不去理會假的事物。但是，如果連自己也是假的，就確實是太過份了。每一次，當他碰到假的事物，都十分反感。

有一次他很疲倦，想小睡一會。家人為他張羅地方，帶他去到一個很精美的房間。但他却看到房間上有一幅壁畫。那是一幀名叫甚麼「燃藜圖」的俗畫。意思無非是作人要委曲自己順從。旁邊還有兩句：「世事洞明皆學問，人情練達即文章。」完全是他深惡痛絕的庸俗思想，他那肯在這樣的房間裡睡覺呢？家裡人只好帶他去另一房間睡覺。那是秦可卿的房間。他的第一次性夢想，就是在這裡發生的。文化的恐怖壓力和性的放縱反抗，原來是很接近的。

這假的世界，是上下顛倒的。富裕即是貧窮，而貧窮即是富裕。高尚是卑下，而卑下却是高尚的。好就是壞，而壞即是好。等等，等等。在顛倒的世界裡，有錢是沒有意思的。這一點，或者留心的人會注意到，西方世界的耶穌，觀點是十分接近的。世界上的一切，都是在自己的反面，却又是如此自然。他對這樣的世界，是深深厭惡的。

而虛假世界裡最不可以接受的一點，就是「腌臢」，即是今日所謂的污穢。

污穢隨處都是。

在這虛假的世界裡，誰是乾淨的呢？據說，賈府裡，就只有門前的兩隻石獅子是乾淨的。這是寶玉喜歡女性的理由。他說，女人都是水做的，是乾淨的。而男人都是泥做的，是污穢的。但這也只是一個比喻。他其實有幾個要好男朋友的。他討厭的只是世間的污穢。而這才是絕對的，是不可妥協的。他愛林妹妹就是這個理由。林黛玉是潔淨的最高象徵。

顛倒世界，尚有更難以接受的地方。

這世界不單是上下顛倒，更是內外相反的。你所看到的一切都是外在的。你要很用心，才能從內裡去了解。例如，性慾本來是愉快的。但他却親自看到了一個朋友，在性慾的詛咒中死亡。有一個神仙人物給了他一面鏡。這鏡子，有點好像現代的手提電子設備。神仙人物告訴他，絕對不要看鏡子的正面，只能從反面去看。但他的朋友却偏要從正面去看。正面是很好看的種種淫穢行為，反面却是人人厭惡的。不多久，這位朋友就死了。褲子裡遺了一大攤精液。反面是不好看的，人人都難以接受的。但却是有益的。正面的東西似乎很有趣，但却是致命的。

儘管是這樣，這却對於賈寶玉却是很不重要的。因為，他是純潔的。就像嬰兒那樣純潔。他只用內心去和人交往。而那是極端愉快的。心的世界是美麗的。他愛一切美麗的女孩子和男孩子。其中也未必是和性慾牽連的。這是一種外在人很難明白的境界。心的交往是如此重要，以至其他一切都不重要了。物質本來就是不重要的，性慾也是一樣。

他也有幾個要好的男朋友。

第一個是秦鐘，但秦鐘早死，死前，寶玉一直陪著他。第二位是一位唱歌的戲子，他名叫蔣玉菡。他們的關係極好，甚至竟到了交換內衣的地步。寳玉換來的是一件鮮紅色的汗巾。 或者我們都會留意到，這汗巾的顏色是鮮紅的。紅是書中的一個重要象徵。寶玉未必和蔣玉菡有甚麼性慾的交往。只是蔣玉菡唱歌的時候，寶玉感動不已。並且因此想到，他所喜歡的詩詞，不過是意境的溝通而已，但音樂却直達骨髓。

至於這一塊他換來的大紅汗巾，後來却為寶玉招來一頓毒打。他沒有做過甚麼事情，却差點被他父親打死了。

他的父親，是最可怕的嚴父。他的父親，逼他讀封建的儒書。儘管寶玉是聰明的，不會害怕讀甚麼書。但只是他不喜歡。他最討厭封建儒書。那些書，正正就是這個虛假世界的反影。而他的父親是政治的象徵。他的名字是賈政，亦即是假政。他是象徵政治的。而在這個天堂世界裡，沒有人可以離開政治的咒詛。他的父親曾經把他打了很多次。

最嚴重的一次，是他父親發現了他和蔣玉菡的友誼。再加上婢女自殺，兩件事都是不可寬恕的大罪。雖然他和蔣玉菡之間是純潔的，而婢女自殺也與他無干。但他却是百辭莫辯，根本沒有解釋的餘地。寶玉被打到接近氣絕，血洒廳堂。

在政治的詛咒之下，他再不是甚麼寶玉了。幸好他的祖母及時出現，救了他。

他的祖母就是賈母，亦即假母。她是假政的母親，是政治的母親。政治不是來自空虛的，政治也是有一個母親的。這是許多時都被忽略的。賈母是象徵一切的。

賈母是個平凡不過的庸人，但她就是文化，她就是一切的條件。她鍾愛寶玉。她以為，寶玉遲早會長大成人，一如她的期望那樣長大。權力在她的手裡，但她却是永遠不可能明白的。她也不會知道，在這豪華府弟裡面的險惡。她以為，一切都是順理成章的。

賈母瞞著寶玉，為他預備了一個妻子。他事前一點都不知道。這一位看似仁慈的政治之母，有她的打算。她安排了寶釵作寶玉的妻子。寶釵就是黃金造的叉子。據說玉和金是可以相配的。而寶叉這位女郎，思想和寶玉是完全相反的。寶叉覺得這顛倒的世界，正合心意。她喜歡傳統，更企圖有一天能夠成為統治這大家庭的家長。她的目標是權力。正是寶叉，力促寶玉讀儒書考功名，要寶玉妥協。

在這個虛假的虛偽世界裡，忽然有好消息傳來。

賈母的外孫女，亦即是他的夢中情人林黛玉，要從揚州來了。揚州是史上有名的慘劇發生地。清兵曾經在揚州屠城十日，差不多把揚州人都殺光了。但這在當時却是絕對的禁忌，沒有人敢說的。

她名叫黛玉。為甚麼是黛呢？黛就是黑色。她是森林中的黑色玉。因為，她是從地獄中來的。她一定深刻知道這一埸大屠殺的事。

為甚麼她姓林呢？

森林是故事中的一個重要比喻。那是從遠古中國來的啟示。中國人的先祖是夸父。夸父去追逐太陽。因為他充滿了求知精神。他想知道太陽晚上去了那裡。他跑了許久，終於倒下來死了。死前，他把手杖插在地上。這手杖，從此生生不息，化作一片無盡的森林。 森林就是希望的象徵。林黛玉雖然是個悲劇，但她却是象徵希望的。渴望追求真理的人，是有希望的。

寶玉愛林黛玉。

但是，這一場屠殺，却是絕對的禁忌。根本不可能在書裡面提及的。所以，就要求看這書的讀書人，有充份的想像力了。

神秘的作家不會說明，為甚麼她的名字是黑色的玉，更不會告訴你這一場大屠殺的故事。

寶玉和黛玉在一起時候，是很愉快的。她一定曾經告訴他這件事。當寶玉發現自己居住的地方，是一個假的顛倒世界，是一個地獄。黛玉一定曾經告訴他，一個更為廣大的地獄，就在外面。

這是文學寫作的一個重要技巧。這是獨步古今中外的文學技巧。沒有說，就是說了。後來的讀書人，會根據他們的探索與體會，知道故事的發展，從而發現真相。

書中，完全沒有提及的慘劇，變成了一場十分輕鬆的地底老鼠童話。但有心的讀書人會從地底的童話世界裡，嗅到地獄的氣息。

問題仍是那一句：為甚麼？發生了甚麼？而如果未來的人希望改變，又要改變甚麼？

黛玉是乾淨的的象徵。乾淨的意義，就是不妥協。她是這腐敗世界裡面唯一一個，從未勸喻寶玉的。她不會勸告寶玉去讀儒書，或者從俗屈從。他是這樣愛她，以至有一次，她說，「如果我死了你怎樣？」他的答案，今日已經變成經典。他說，你死了我去做和尚。這也是一個比喻法。意思就是說，如果她死了，他就會徹底明白。他不會變成一個真的和尚的。因為，書的神秘作者，曾經很認真的質疑過佛道。他是不信佛教和道教的。

黛玉曾經把他從宗教的迷思中拉上來。

那時，他的感覺是無書可讀。不是他不喜歡封建時代的書本，而是所有的書，都已經被毀滅或改寫了。所有的書，都只攜帶儒學訊息。所以，他以為他是無書可讀。而這句話，有更深層的意義。 他的意思是， 在這文化裡，他看不到光明，他找不到指導的訊息。他不知道自己從何處來，也不知道要往何處去。他討厭封建的傳統，有一陣，他倒是十分喜歡佛教的。他覺得，人生就好像一條沒有繫上的小舟，只能在水裡到處漂浮，漂到那裡是那裡。而且，他又十分相信那句話，人生就是赤條條的來，也是赤條條的去。當時，他已經忘記了，他不是赤條條而來的。他是口裡啣著一塊玉來的。他是帶著一顆心來到世界的。

黛玉問他，你名叫寶玉，我問你，至貴的是寶，而最堅的是玉。你的價值在那裡？而你的堅持又在那裡？

這兩句話，寶玉一時不能回答。却把他帶進深刻的思考裡去了。黛玉的意思是，這世界上最重要的價值是堅持，絕對不妥協。那麼你的堅持是在那裡呢？

這是寶玉一生人第一次得到的明白。他是從未這樣想過的。是黛玉為他帶來生命中的第一綫光。把他帶回到中國遠古最重要的價值觀念裡去了。人最有價值的地方在於堅持。死亡是不能打破堅持的。這就是寧為玉碎，不作瓦全的道理。寧願作為一顆玉的碎片，也不要做一塊完整的缸瓦。所以，寶玉從此就更深刻的愛上黛玉了。她已經進駐他的內心。所有其他的庸姿俗色，都再無意義了。無數人曾經思索愛情的意義。只有紅樓夢的啟示，是最明白的。她已經進入了他的心，其實是，他們的愛情已經化作永恆了。兩顆心是再不可能分開了。

他已經找到了真愛。

黛玉是大觀園美女中最光彩奪目的，但也是最傷感的。她早已知道自己的命運，但寶玉却不知道自己的命運。這就是兩個人之間最大的區別。這亦是全書最傷感的地方。黛玉的命運，是喚醒寶玉的最後一道光芒。

她寫了一首教人蕩氣迴腸的詩。正是這首名為葬花詞的詩，把寶玉帶進了她的情感世界。可以看到，一個美麗的靈魂，是怎樣把一顆完整的心挖出來，讓全世界看到她的堅持和不妥協。她是不會和污穢世界同流合污的。她拒絕接受文化上的醜惡。

以下是原詩的白話翻譯。這也是一種奇怪現象，中國人看中文，却要看翻譯本。有興趣的讀者，必定會去翻尋原文的。原文的美麗，會把人擊倒。

     x  x x      x x x

破碎的花瓣，飄滿整個亭子。

簾上都沾滿花瓣那帶有香氣的死軀。 

花兒謝了，飛得滿天都是。

誰去憐憫她們？

閨中的女郎，滿懷傷感。春天實在去得太快。

她也無法把心靜下來了。

她帶了一把花鋤出門去。 

她步履小心，不想踩到剛剛死去的花朵。

綠色的榆樹和柳樹，好像在笑。

他們怎能知道，桃花和李花的哀傷？

明年當然又有新的花朵。

但是，明年誰會在這裡呢？

三月，燕子又來造窩了。

其實燕子是最無情的。

不顧巢穴就飛走了。

明年他們也許還要再回來，啄吃花兒。

但他們不會知道，人去樓空，就像他們的空巢。

一年三百六十五日， 

日日都是風刀霜劍的壓迫。

你的鮮艷，還能保持多久？

當你也像花瓣那樣，隨風飄去，還找得到嗎？

枝上的花瓣，此刻仍然可見。

不久，就不知道下落了。

葬花是難以忍受的苦楚。

我甚麼都沒有了，只有這把花鋤和淚水。

我只能在枝上看見自己的淚痕和血痕。

日已經歸暮，杜鵑鳥都靜了。

我帶著花鋤，回到家裡，把門兒倒扣上。

躺下來想睡一會，却只看見燈兒打在壁上的影子。

只有冷冷的雨水，敲打在冷冷的窗上和床上。 

我是否哀思太甚了？

最憎惱是那春天，雖然我愛它。

它總是在不知不覺中來到，

却走得太快。 

真可悲。

亭子外面，昨夜聽到一首歌。

是否花的靈魂和鳥的靈魂都來了？

要捉摸他們，可不容易呢。

花鳥無言，都走了。

只希望我也有翼。

追隨他們飛到天的盡頭。

哎呀，天的盡頭。

我的香塚也在那裡嗎？

我只指望，能有一個織錦的袋子， 

把我的漂亮骨骸裝好。

黃色的土壤最好了，不會污染我的靈魂。

我從來都是最乾淨的。

從一開始到最後，我都不受污染。

我是永遠不落溝渠的。

我所埋葬的都是死去花兒。

但我也不知道自己甚麼時候死去。

人們都笑我痴，竟去葬花。

但我又怎會知道，將來誰會來葬我。

如果你看見春天已經消逝而花都謝了，

那就是美人消失的日子。

春天己去，美人遲暮。

你也不會知道，花兒己經消失而我已經死去。

  xxx   xxx

寶玉聽到這首詩，就好像雷霆擊腦，震驚懾住了。

他當然知道詩裡面的特殊意義。她是永遠不會跟舊文化同流合污的，雖則也經受了大的苦楚。她葬花就是要花兒不受污染。她要讓黃土保護花兒。黃土是乾淨的，但虛偽的文化却是髒的。這是十分明顯的比喻，可惜很多聰明人都不能了解。就算是像寶玉這樣聰明的人，也不會知道，這首詞，是要讓他遲一些才看的。等到他知道，黛玉真的死了，這首詞，才是永遠送給他的。

寶玉並不知道，花兒已經消失而黛玉已經死去。

他們都生活在顛倒的虛偽世界。花兒每天都經受壓迫。但黛玉的心思却是站穩足跟，絕對不會同流合污。她已經告訴寶玉，你寧為玉碎，你永遠都是一塊高貴的玉。你不會是一片骯髒的瓦。

故事進行的極快速。生命的威脅是真的。黛玉很快就會死了，只可惜寶玉一點都不知道。

這首詩，就是永恆的折磨。花兒是時常都零落的，也總是會有人去葬她們。永遠都是有這種循環的。

但這是黛玉的想法，未必是作者的想法，也未必是寶玉的想法。但無論如何，黛玉之死，是無限的悲痛。這就是轟雷下落的無情一擊。寶玉會因此而驚醒，這是他最後的明白了。

問題是，對於黛玉這樣的聰明人，為何她不能克服死亡的威嚇？死是沒有意義的。生才有意義。她曾經詢問寶玉，你堅持的是甚麼。而地上最有價值的東西是甚麼。這是對於死亡的最後答案了。這是對一切人的謎。如果死亡的意義是這樣容易明白，那麼，追求真理就好像有點渺小了。

寶玉和黛玉之間的愛情，就是在這樣的悲劇基礎上的。他們都知道得很清楚，也不用作者親自說明了。這是政治壓力下的現象。話是不能說盡的。太清楚，書會被毀滅，人會被殺戮。所以，作者就只能用一種特殊的文學技巧去講這故事了。將來是總會有人明白的。

最初，寶玉還以為事情是很簡單的，只要有決心。

黛玉問他，「世上有這許多女孩子，你怎樣選擇啊？」

寶玉說，「任他弱水三千，我只取一瓢飲。」

黛玉說，「倘若你的一瓢被水漂去怎辦？」

寶玉說，「瓢是不會消失的，只是水會不斷的流。」

本來這是哲學上很正確的答案。但是，當生和死的大限真正來到的一刻，就需要真正的大智慧才可能了解。

他的一瓢，果然就失去了。他摰愛的女郎，已經離他而去。黛玉死了。

人們秘密為他安排婚事。他被編派了一個妻子，黃金鑄造的寶釵。

黃金寶釵是他身畔的另一美女。她是性感的、肉慾的。她是傳統形式的女人，他和這虛偽社會絲絲合拍。她喜歡這顛倒世界裡的一切。

人們告訴寶玉，他就要結婚了。人們騙他，說他是和黛玉結婚的。這是大大的謊話。要等到結婚當晚，他就會看到在新床上的女人，原來就是黃金叉子。寶玉不知道這是一場計謀。他只一心等待和黛玉結婚的一刻。

人們把他和黛玉隔開。只謊說那是婚前的暫時安排。

這時，黛玉却在無意中聽到了陰謀的全部。她早己知道甚麼事情會發生。正如她一早已經知道自己的命運那樣。預知命運，是不好的。但她不能避免。

那時，她已經病了。但她有意絕食，不吃東西。她咳得很厲害。吐出一塊大大的痰在痰盂裡。婢女看到，嚇得要死。那塊痰是這樣大，生蹦活跳的，好像是一隻小動物。而且，那痰是充血的，充滿了血絲。那時的人相信，吐出帶血的痰，是必死的。婢女因此極度哀慟，但又要强忍著，不讓黛玉知道。

黑色的黛玉，那時是孤獨的。只有她一個人。如果寶玉也看見這光景，恐怕是無法忍受的。他的體力和意志，未必可以抵抗這種悲慟的壓力。雖然以後，他仍會在靈光中看見這一切。

黛玉死前，把所有的詩稿都焚毀了。這些詩，是她奉獻給上天的心聲。

婚禮的日子愈來愈近了。寶玉只是安心等候。他完全不知道，這是一場假的婚禮。

黛玉也終於死了，就在這同一時候。她的死，完全是沒有人知道的。

當寶玉開啟新娘的頭紗，他只看見裡面是黃金鑄造的叉子。寶釵就是虛偽世界安插在他身畔的妻房。

婚禮如常進行。沒有人知道他是怎樣想的。也許他在潛意識裡已經預見到這一幕。他沒有發狂，也沒有叫喊，他只是靜靜的不吭。

光陰平靜的流逝。他們已是夫妻。

一天，黃金的叉子告訴寶玉，「我和你已經是夫妻，你亦已經長大成人。是時候你去讀書考功名了。」

她要寶玉去參加秋天的考試。

寶玉只是簡單的回答：「好的。」

八股文的考試，是舊文化的徹底象徵。寶玉怎能答應呢？但他還是答應了。

在他來說，這考試其實是容易不過的。那是他痛恨的科目，但他關上房門一個月的去苦讀。

考試當日，他和另外一個侄兒同去考試。家丁送他們往考場，然後在考場外面等候。考試要考兩三日，考生會被帶進一個獨立的小房子裡，他要在這時間裡完成所有的考卷。有的考生，不堪壓力，也有在場中死亡的。被抬出來。

終於，考試考完了。考生魚貫而出，但家丁却看不見寶玉出來。寶玉失蹤了，雖然他已經完成所有的試題，並且高中了全場的第七名。他已經可以在虛偽世界中，當一名大大的官僚了。

至於賈母，這一位政治的母親，和虛偽世界所有一切的象徵人物，也在差不多的時間裡死了。

只是，寶玉的父親賈政亦即是假政沒有死。他活得很好，他發散家人去尋找寶玉，而且為他的母親舉辦了喪禮，還把棺木運回遠遠的家鄉安葬。

他走水路，乘官船回來。那時已經是深夜了，他吩咐手下把官船泊在一處鄉鎮碼頭上。

那是一個大雪之夜，四處是白茫茫一片。

有感覺喚醒了他。他從船上出來。

失蹤的寶玉出現了。他的身上，披著一件鮮紅色的大斗蓬。正在遙遙向著賈政下拜。

賈政失聲。他親眼看見他的兒子，正在遠處向他敬禮。他想說點甚麼，寶玉却已經起來，大笑著轉頭走了。伴著寶玉的還有兩個人，作僧人和道人打扮的。

三人很快在大雪中消失了。四處是白茫茫一片的白色，那是很乾淨的一片。

這種乾淨的境界，就是全書寓言的總結了。

這就是百萬言鉅著的最終結局。

鉅著中的複雜情節，都是很容易忘記的。只是一種很特別的顏色，我們會無法忘記。這是那種鮮艷的紅色。最初是胭脂之紅，後來是內衣汗巾中的紅。此刻，就是寶玉披上的大紅斗蓬了。那是異常鮮艷的紅色，在白茫茫的乾淨世界中，異常奪目。讓一顆紅色的心引領一切吧。這是紅樓夢的終極呼聲。心是紅的。

故事的原名是「石頭記」。另一名字是「紅樓夢」。這一個「紅」字，是特別的提示了。

故事的原作者始終沒有披露姓名。他不會讓自己的名字在虛偽世界中顯示的。他如果看見，他的心聲已經披露，而且為今日的人和將來的人們欣賞不已，他一定會十分安慰的。

(全文完)

平反紅樓夢

今年國慶節的一個願望是平反紅樓夢。

這是潘重規老師一生的想法: 

紅樓夢的作者是有意隱名的人，而不是胡適所主張的曹某人。

A Beauty in My Eyes

I have never had seen a beauty like her. And I have never had such an urge to get closer to a lady like her. I wanted to talk to her, to know more about her. I do not want to lost contact with her. However, when I had realised my thought and knew that was exactly my own feeling, and she was gone. I had lost a second or two, but actually I lost her. Never in my life I had such feelings. I was used to be a calm and quiet man. I have seen so many beautiful girls, yet I had never had such a thought. I would only smile and said to myself, oh, not bad a lady. I will never try to chase after someone. I was at a lost suddenly when she was gone. I keep thinking for myself a reason to follow her, to tell her I am a photographer and would like to take some picture for my magazine, etc, or to interview her for an article for my book, however, all illusions were gone when she disappeared in the crowd. I sat down, and wrote the following poem. Hoping some time and some day she would read the poem.

A simple translation and description of the following poem :

I saw a beautiful lady stopped in front of a glass window of the coffee shop. I thought to myself, why did she stop here. Would it be something special?  I saw her hooked her fingers and smile. Her smile was fresh as new. And I saw a boy of about six years responded. The boy was with a man, seemed to be his father. The man was busying at his mobile. The boy sneaked outside. He was talking with the lady, and she combed his head with her hand, then I realised she must be his mother. They hugged and hugged. The boy was on his toes trying to hold her shoulder, she bended to kiss the boy, her long hair covered the face of him. A few minutes later, they were saying goodbye. And the mother was gone in the crowded street. I saw her smiling tears when she turned. When the boy came back, the man was still busy with his mobile, without moving up his head.

Now the poem was finished for a week or more, and I realised another thing. I was an orphan,  I lost my mother in the age of eleven. A very special kind of loneliness is my life time suffer. And I thought that must be some kind of motivation for me. She must be the reflection of my own mother.  That is why she was so beautiful in my eyes. And that is why I don't want to lost contact with her. I still wish she can read my poem.




單親
(荒與亂的一個下午，孤坐茶餐廳中，忽見美人窗前佇足，還以為發生了甚麼。)


玻璃窗外見佳人
鈎指輕彈笑容新
六歲男童抬望眼
多時不見是娘親
稍窺嚴父枱前坐
低頭打機入迷神
閃身側走出門去
美人一攬入懷深
撫頭摸面開眼笑
攀抱輕把珠唇搖
依依道別捨不得
百看回眸淚笑流
揮別娘親人海去
有人打機未抬頭
   (李察  一九年九月深秋)

THE DUCKLING PRINCE

Notes from the writer: 

If you have discovered something interesting in this short novel, please do not hesitate to share it with your friends. It could be useful for them.

To promote the idea of a true duckling, we have music too. The Duckling Prince Suite was completed and the scores are ready…………and the recordings are ready too. Be patient for a little while.  

The Duckling Prince

The ugly duckling was very frustrated when she finally found out that she was forever a duck and never had anybody said she was a swan. 

And she was more than a duck. She was a crippled lame duck. She was bald, she had no hair on her head, and her wings were short, she could never fly. 

One day, the swans came again. They were the princesses of the lake. Everybody was silent with respect when they past elegantly. 

The ugly duckling tried to swim closer to the swans. The last of the princesses splashed her wings to go faster to avoid the beggar. Water hit the duckling mercilessly. 

She cried desperately: glee glee glee………

She could never have understood why she was not a swan. 

An old man happened walking nearby and saw the scene. He knew the question, and he was trying to explain it. 

He had got so many of the theories in his throat, but now, he could say nothing, he could only say: Hello, glee! 

The duckling looked and saw him, thinking that he might be the prince, the duckling swam closer. 

And indeed, he was the prince and got magic. The duckling gazed at him for two minutes and understood it all. She was enlightened.

She knew now she was a true duckling and it was natural. It was very natural. She was happy. She was happy so suddenly, she could not stop laughing.

Now her mother had called from a distance. "Ugly, Ugly, where are you!"

She made a somersault turn and answered happily: "Coming, coming, Ugly coming!"

Seeing these kinds of basics of the Universe and be happy about it, is the very beginning of everything.

Now the ugly duckling was freed from her old thoughts. She would like to swim to the same place to see the old man again. 

She didn't see the old man for a long time. 

Suddenly she saw something moving in the swamp. There was a very large white swan. The duckling wanted to hide herself, but the swan saw her already. Then the duckling went a little closer. She was inspired by the old man and was fearless. 

The white swan struggled to turn herself, she tried to flap her wings. But she could only make an unpleasant noise. 

The ugly duckling wondered what had happened to her. The image of a beautifully dancing swan was always her dream. She wished the swan could dance again. The ugly duckling went a step further and asked a wrong question: "Where is your prince?"

The swan said weakly, "I have no prince. I have searched for my whole life, but there was none." The duckling dared not ask why again. Then the duckling saw she was closing her eyes. "Sorry, are you sleeping?" It was a long pause, then the swan said again, "No, I am going."

And for a very long time, the swan was motionless. But the ugly duckling still wanted to ask: "Where are you going?"

It was at this moment the duckling saw the old man. The old man told her:" She is dead." 

The duckling found something strange in the air. And she did feel something. In such moments, there would be no ugly and pretty, noble and humble. She had forgotten that she was a beggar, she wanted to hug the noble swan. But one question remained in her mind. She turned to the old man: "Where is she going?"

The old man turned his head and said, "Do you really want to know?"

The Duckling said earnestly, "Yes, please tell me. Where is she going?"

"You won't believe it even if I told you."

The Duckling only looked at the old man with her very sad eyes. She didn't want to explain how honest she was. 

The old man cannot refuse and said:" She will tell you herself."

"What?" the Duckling cannot believe what she had heard. 

Then she saw the grass under the swan moved a little. She saw the swan stretched her legs. She observed that the swan was opening her eyes. 

"Wow", she jumped forward and hugged the swan tightly, "You are not going, do you!"

 

The swan made a big yawn like she had been sleeping for a long time.

The Duckling wanted to ask her where she had been. But now she was so happy that she had forgotten the question. And she had a far more important issue at her mind now. 

The Duckling said, "Can I go with you?"

"Go with me?" the swan exclaimed. "Go where?"

"I wish to go to search the prince with you together. "She added, "No matter how far it will be."

"There is no prince on earth. Those are only beggars. Don't waste your effort. "

"No, there is, there are a lot of them!" She turned to see the old man, hoping the old man can help. 

And the old man didn't give any answer. He just smiled.

"Those are only beggars…."

The words of the swan hurt the duckling accidentally. 

The duckling could have never known, these words were so powerful and could bring her from heaven to hell all in a sudden. "Wow, am I not a beggar?" And she had hugged her a moment ago. "Can a beggar accompany you to search for a prince?"

When the ugly duckling was sunk into her thoughts, she did not notice the swan had stood up and spread her wings. She was in the air. 

Misery and despair was like a cloud in her head. "I never was a beggar and never will be." She murmured to herself and she saw the beautiful swan was already on top of her and was trying to address something to her. It seemed the swan was saying goodbye. 

She flapped her wings to chase the swan and found they were too short to fly.  She could only stumble a few steps and felt. The swan tried to come down again. 

The duckling heard the noise of a string. A little boat had been closing in and a man was on the boat. He was aiming the swan with an arrow. 

"Oh no, no." The duckling tried to warn the swan. But the swan did not see the boat. She only saw the duckling and was spiraling lower. The bow was on its full strength and was about to shoot at the swan. The duckling jumped and made a loud noise to splash the water. The arrow missed the swan. The man turned his head and saw the duckling. He put on another arrow and this time, he aimed at the duckling and shot a second arrow. The duckling ducked down and was just in time to sink deeper to avoid the arrow. The arrow hit the grass and produced a loud noise. 

The duckling swam deep and hid behind a group of weeds.

She saw the boat was not coming near and was going to another direction and she was almost collapsed as she had used up all her strength. 

She found a piece of dry land and felt into a sleep. As she was opening her eyes again, she heard the swan was next to her. "Oh, I thought you were dead, you have been sleeping for a long time."

"I am not so easy to die." The duckling was happy again. 

"Thanks for saving my life." And it was the first time, the swan looked deeply into the eyes of the duckling. 

"Aren't you going to search the prince?

"Oh no, never. I had found one. "

"What!"

"You are the prince. You are so beautiful. " 

The duckling was shocked to hear that. Never in her life had she heard someone commented at her in such a way. 

"Am I a prince? Not a beggar? You must be joking. "

"Yes, you are a prince, and there must be a lot of your kind in this world."

The morning dew were gone and the sun was very warm by then. It must be late in the morning. The Duckling was in a shock and cannot believe what she had heard.

And then they saw the old man. He was coming from a distance. 

The sun was so hot that they felt there was warmth in their back, their shadow appeared in  front. The shadow was growing bigger and bigger, but they had not noticed. They only saw the old man was smiling in the sunshine. 

The duckling turned and found it was like illusion. The swan was changing and standing up like magic. She was like a princess, in white ballet tutu. And she had pointe shoes on her feet too. 

Now the duckling turned to see the old man, and found a shadow of a prince in front. The duckling had been turned from a bird to a prince, and he was not aware of it yet. He saw only the shadow.  

The old man said to them, "Hi, good morning! "

The duckling murmured: "What had you done to us?"

The old man said, "As she said you are a prince, I presume you will not reject it? You are a prince."

The duckling seemed to be dreaming, not knowing what is going to happen. The duckling just looked at his own empty palms, he has never had such a pair of palms before. He fixed his eyes at the old man, while the princess was standing closely by his side. 

The duckling kept murmuring, "Why, why….." He had got so many questions to ask.

The old man raised his hand up to the sky, and retrieved a sword from the air. He put the sword on the duckling's hand: "This is your sword, it is the wisdom of a prince. You can go together now." 

"Go, go where?" 

The old man smile again, " Go, go search everything."

But the duckling said, "but I still got some problems in my mind. Can you tell more?"

The old man said, "Those are not important. You will find it later. "

The duckling murmured: "Wisdom of a what?"

When the prince and the princess were examining the sword on their hand, the old man disappeared. The prince shouted at the empty, as he was not satisfied, "Would you tell me what is important?"

There was no answer from the air. Yet the prince seemed satisfied. He knew it already.  

The princess looked at the prince, expecting some explanation. The prince started talking to her for quite a time. The sun was high by now, two small icons were brightly shining on the vast plain.  

 

And they knew, this was only the start of everything……..

(The End)