Newsletter No. 346

No. 346, 4.11.2009 下回〈十方吐露〉將訪問信廣來教授 Prof. Shun Kwong-loi will be featured in the next instalment of ‘TEN QUESTIONS FOR’. 預告 Coming 1 一般史家都關注大事件、大人物。是甚麼令你把眼光 投注到兒童史? Most historians are interested in grand historical events and figures. Why do you choose to focus your attention on the history of childhood? 我小時候就好奇,這個世界男的有聲音,女的有聲音,小 孩是不是也應該有聲音?到上了大學,原以為可以選到讓 我明白兒童在歷史上處境的課,可是沒有。歷史上兒童佔 總人口的三分之一甚至一半,不能說不重要。以前的歷史 多半是高層的、精英的歷史,現在大家知道,平民百姓、三 教九流的歷史都值得做,他們在歷史上的處境是不應忽視 的。 What was in my mind when I was young was: men’s voices have been heard, women’s voices have been heard; should the voices of children also be heard? When I entered university, I searched in vain for a course to help me understand the situation of children in history. Children have made up a third to a half of the population in Chinese history. One-third of the population is definitely not insignificant. Their role in history should not be neglected. 2 決定開拓中國兒童史領域,經過了怎樣的心路歷程? How did you decide to be the first person to write the Chinese history of childhood? 1980年代初博士畢業後,考量應繼續走精英的、分析性的 思想史方向,還是走向社會底層的歷史。我對兒童史非常 好奇,但不太知道應該怎麼做、材料在哪裏、可不可以做。 可我想有些事情如果別人不做,而我也不做,等到某一天 我退休,到海灘去散步的時候,就會覺得很遺憾。試過了, 就算最後失敗,也會覺得很安心,所以最後決定嘗試。 When I obtained my doctoral degree in the early 1980s, I had to make a choice between doing research on the intellectual history of the elite and the history of the powerless. I was fascinated by the history of childhood, but I didn’t know how to begin, where the materials were, and whether I was able to do it. However I’m also someone who feels obliged to do what needs to be done that is not being done. If I don’t do it, I would regret one day in my retirement while taking a walk on the beach. But if I tried and failed, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. 3 從事少人做的研究,困難和喜悅在哪裏? What are the challenges of treading a different path? 困難是要知道材料在哪裏,並且問有意義的問題。而困難 跟收穫是掛鈎的,如果可以克服困難,那自然就有意外的 欣喜。做一樣大家知道得很少的新東西,任何一點點的發 現,或者別人有一點點的興趣,都會讓你很興奮很滿足。 The most difficult part is finding where the materials are, and then to ask meaningful questions. The challenges and the pleasures are two sides of the same coin. You derive unexpected joys from overcoming difficulties. When studying something that is not previously known, any little discovery excites. 4 為何在九十年代初負笈哈佛公共衞生學院,進修一門 新學科? Why did you go to the Harvard School of Public Health to study a new subject in the early 1990s? 我高中時已很喜歡生物,後來選了歷史,但對生物還是不 能夠忘情,所以就繼續研究醫療跟生物的歷史。去哈佛唸 書,是想看看一個人在學術生涯的中途,能不能夠重新變 成學生,學習從沒涉足的領域。 I have had a liking for biology since I was in high school. Although I chose to study history at university, my interest in biology didn’t subside. So, I ended up studying the history of medicine and the history of biology. I went to Harvard because I wanted to see if a middle-aged person can start afresh as a student and learn something new. 5 好的歷史學家需要甚麼條件? What does it take to be a good historian? 願意被自己的好奇心帶着走,勤學,不受現在的學科約束。 梁實秋的《雅舍小品》裏有一篇文章叫〈講價〉,說喜歡討 價還價的人要有「政治家的臉皮,外交家的嘴巴,殺人的 膽量,釣魚的耐心」。我覺得好的歷史學家除了勤學外,還 要跟愛講價的人一樣,有很好的想像力,巧妙的口才,藝術 家的心思,因為解釋跟編寫都需要這些特質;另外也要有 決心跟勇氣承擔自己的決定。 Besides being diligent, a good historian should follow his curiosity, unfettered by the shackles of academic boundaries. In my opinion, a good historian must have good imagination and eloquence. He must have the genius of an artist to help him interpret and compile historical materials. He must also have the courage to accept the consequences of his decisions. 6 是甚麼讓你離開熟悉的台灣,來中文大學出任文學院 院長? What made you leave Taiwan and join CUHK as Dean of Arts? 純屬意外,不過,是很令人高興的意外。二十多年前逸夫書 院剛成立時,陳佳鼐院長邀我訪問,從那時起我就常往往 返返。兩年前我卸任中央大學文學院院長後,也來了一個 學期為歷史系開課。一年多前突然接到電話,邀我和遴選 委員會見面,在會面過程中,我被委員的誠意所感動,還有 劉校長懇切的邀約。他們說中文大學是一所非常有人文傳 統的大學,但是在現在和短期的未來,人文學術可能需要 更多的重視和用心經營。這讓我想要打抱不平。 後來,我問兩個二十幾歲的女兒:我們應否搬到香港?她 們很好奇,也很喜歡香港的粵語歌曲,「哇,真的,那我們 也可以去紅磡聽音樂會。」很高興,也沒有把這想成是嚴 肅的問題或者人生重要的抉擇。我被她們的樂觀和快樂所 感染,想到:我是不是也應該走出書房,去讓其他像她們 一樣年輕的學生,也有快樂、理想的學習環境?所以最後 我就來了。 By accident, but a happy one. Twenty years ago when Shaw College was founded, I visited the College at the invitation of Prof. Chen Char-nie, then College Head. Since then I paid occasional visits to the University. Two years ago when I stepped down as dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Central University, I came to CUHK to teach a course for the Department of History. Then over a year ago, I received a phone call from CUHK inviting me to meet the search committee. I was moved by the sincerity of the committee members and Prof. Lawrence J. Lau. They said CUHK was a university with a rich tradition in the humanities, but in the meantime and the near future, this field needed more attention and careful cultivation. That made me want to do something for it. When I asked my two daughters’ opinion, they were thrilled at the thought of moving to Hong Kong. ‘Wow, really? Then we can go to concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum.’ In their early twenties, they were very excited and didn’t take it as a serious decision. I was touched by their optimism and asked myself, ‘Shouldn’t I come out of my study to help create a positive learning environment for students my daughters’ age?’ That’s why I am here. 7 為何會涉足學術行政工作? Why did you become an academic administrator? 我以前對學術行政工作有很多避諱或偏見,覺得它不怎麼 重要。但工作幾十年以後,我願意為年輕的老師和學生, 做一些陪跑的服務。好像運動員跑步的時候,在旁邊陪他 跑,跟他說:「你如果這樣跑,可能更省力氣。」鼓勵和幫 助他跑下去。這是我做行政所要扮演的角色。 I used to shun administrative work and see it as unimportant. But after working for so many years, I’m now willing to offer my service to young teachers and students. The role I intend to play is that of a running partner. I run with the runner, cheer him on and offer advice from time to time, such as ‘Try running like this. It’ll save you energy.’ 8 你將如何推動中大的人文學科發展? How would you promote humanities at CUHK? 第一是幫助師生達成心願;第二是讓人文學科的教學與研 究,能在一個受理解、支持和尊重的環境下進行;第三是 幫助校內人文學科的同仁,跟香港以至東亞地區內外的學 人交流,以知道自己的學科怎麼能夠日新又新。 First, I’ll try my best to help teachers and students to achieve their goals. Second, I’ll strive to bring about an environment in which the teaching and research of the humanities can be understood, supported and respected. Third, I’ll facilitate interaction between our researchers and their counterparts in the local community, the region and the world. 9 文學院的學生,為何有必要加強科學或其他學科的 知識? Why do arts students need training in science or other disciplines? 第一,一些重要學術領域是跨學科的,比如認知科學,在 該領域工作的人,有的是視覺藝術跟語言學基礎的人;第 二,身為現代人,生活上也需要一些基本的自然科學乃至其 他學科的知識。有本叫《儒門事親》的古代醫書提到:「為 人子者,不可不知醫。」要照顧自己和父母,就須知道一點 醫理。現在所有人都須認識一點公共衞生,不然豬流感來 了,你不懂新聞裏在說甚麼;來一個金融風暴,你又沒有基 本的經濟知識。這樣作一個現代人是有缺陷的。 First, some important fields are multidisciplinary in nature. For example, many people in the field of cognitive science have been trained in visual arts and linguistics. Second, in the modern world, you are crippled if you don’t have basic knowledge of natural science and other related disciplines. 10 你如何兼顧行政工作、教學、研究和照顧家庭? How do you juggle the demands of a family with a career as an administrator, teacher and researcher? 一個人即使在忙一百件工作,只要當中有一件是你樂意做 的,那就會讓你活力百倍。所以我會永遠選擇自己想做而 不是被逼做的研究題目;選擇我想教的課;在行政工作中 也設法找一兩件事情,是我覺得值得做而主動做,而不是 學院規定我要做的。這個自主性給我活力跟快樂,讓我去 做其他事情。 Among the hundred tasks you are required to do, the one thing you are willing and happy to do will energize you for the remaining ninety-nine. So I always find a research topic I love, choose a course I like to teach, and find a couple of administrative tasks that I’m fond of. The autonomy fuels me and brings me happiness, enabling me to finish the other tasks. 熊 秉 真 Prof. Hsiung Ping-chen

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