绝美之地《Afterword by the Translator》

It is well over ten years ago that I first met Liu Shen. Over the years we saw each other no more as many times. At the times when we met I was only someone else’s company. All my impression of him was: a typical Northerner loud-voiced drink lover and passionate forever.

The first time I heard that he had written a travel book about Greece my thought was “another travel guidebook”. And I didn’t think more. Days later I saw his book on the square table in his living room for the first time. It was a sample with color cover and white-and-black interior pages. Skimming over the contents I got the impression that it was different. After reading a couple of articles I was almost sure this book was different. I then turned to the author’s foreword I was absolutely sure that this book was different after I finished reading the foreword. It seemed that I’d peeped into the softest corner of the heart of this tough northern man by my side.

Heavenly Land is a eulogy to love and beauty.

In his eyes Liu Shen sees more than the superficial fabulous scenery and pretty girls of Santorini. Although he wrote about good wine and savory dishes about sunshine and beach about the small towns about the pretty girls…about his every travelling experience that would amuse and allure whoever reads it all this was only superficial. When lingering over his lines you couldn’t help feeling the pain and beauty reborn from devastation. He sees through the splendor of the colorful sunlight of Santorini until he sees right into the essence of life --- eternal alternating cycle of life and death light and shadow. Faced with reality we should live our life in a more colorful way than the summer flowers though death is horrible. Liu Shen’s writing conveys his understanding and appreciation of life its meaning and beauty to his readers. What’s more he presents his pure heart to the unfortunate yet lucky girl--- beautiful Yuhong. Such unique manifesto of love reminds me of Shakespeare’s sonnet:

But thy eternal summer shall not fade

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade

When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see

So long lives this and this gives life to thee.

I record your fairness in my writing. Hence your summer-like beauty will last as long as man exists. This was Shakespeare’s declaration of love. But for Liu Shen this is not enough. He wants to perfect his expression of love --- such tender heart of Liu Shen --- he wants to have this book translated into English and have it shipped to the original place which has inspired his creativity and any other possible place. He would do better than Shakespeare.

I was lucky to be chosen to translate this book.

I hope my translation will not fail him and his book.

2009-5-26