“好玩儿”: 翻译即游戏

Abstract

In his book *The Amazing Game: What Makes Peking Opera So Good*, Mr. Guo Baochang stated, “Only when one can stand at a high vantage point and look down upon life can one see from reality that truth and falsehood, existence and non-existence, are not so absolutely opposed. Therefore, in art, one transcends truth and falsehood; in one's worldview, one takes existence and non-existence lightly, establishing a transcendent perspective.” The reason Peking Opera is “fun” lies in its playful spirit, dissolving the barriers of reality and reconstructing the order of time and space through singing, recitation, acting, and acrobatics. The essence of this “fun” is to use the mirror of fiction to reflect the real world, refining and sublimating the complex understanding of life through stylized expression. This process requires both actors and audiences to complete together. The same applies to literary works. Cao Xueqin's “When falsehood is taken for truth, truth becomes falsehood; when nothingness is taken for existence, existence becomes nothingness” is not mere rhetoric. Moreover, readers can vaguely hear Zhuangzi's words: “Things are neither that nor that.” Readers should not forget that Zhuangzi, whom Cao Xueqin deeply loved, was also a master of play. Show more