Newsletter No. 417

4 No. 417, 4.5.2013 崑曲新美學 Kunqu’s New Aesthetics 偉倫人文學科講座教授白先勇教授,應中大五十周年傑 出學人講座系列之邀,在4月18日主講「崑曲新美學:傳 統與現代」。白教授以他的崑劇製作,闡述「崑曲新美 學」如何「尊重傳統,但不因循傳統;利用現代,但不濫 用現代」。 白教授先播出兩段《牡丹亭》〈驚夢〉的錄像:一由梅蘭 芳和俞振飛兩位大師在1950年代主演,另一是二十一 世紀沈豐英和俞玖林的「青春版」。然後,他就布景、服 飾、道具、舞蹈編排等,帶領聽眾欣賞現代演繹如何把傳 統戲曲藝術的韻味昇華。例如〈驚夢〉以大量水袖和舞 蹈,體現男女主角的愛慕周旋。在〈離魂〉一折,杜麗娘 披着曳地火紅披風,隨着花神揮舞的白幡,背向觀眾,步 上台階,隱入舞台深處的無邊黑暗中,打破了崑劇演員從 台側下場的慣例,帶來震撼的視覺效果。隨後,白教授分 析了其新版《玉簪記》的背幕設計,如何運用書法襯托秋 江的波濤與感情的洶湧,以觀音像和佛手畫營造出近乎 禪的意境,發揮簡約雅淡的舞台美學。 從事「崑曲義工」近二十載的白教授,親往大學就崑曲演 講授課不下百次,但仍一貫全情投入,在座聽眾無不受 其感染,對崑曲美學心生嚮往。 Prof. Pai Hsien-yung Kenneth, Wei Lun Professor of Humanities, was invited to present a lecture on ‘New Aesthetics of Kunqu : Tradition in the Modern Era’ on 18 April as one of the University’s 50th Anniversary Distinguished Lectures. Drawing from his experience in kunqu production, he demonstrated how to make breakthroughs with due respect for tradition, and how to modernize a classical art form without abusing it. Professor Pai showed two video clips of excerpts from ‘Interrupted Dream’ in The Peony Pavilion , one played by maestri Mei Lanfang and Yu Zhengfei in the 1950s, and the other, the modern ‘young lovers’ edition’ by Shen Fengying and Yu Jiulin in the 21st century. He then guided the audience to appreciate how the modern rendition succeeded in bringing the traditional Chinese opera to new heights by reforming the set, costumes, props and choreography. The professor also cited the modern edition of The Story of the Jade Hairpin , produced by him, as an example of simplicity in stage aesthetics. By borrowing minimally from Chinese calligraphy, and putting Bodhisattva and Buddha icons on the backdrop, a sense of zen was created which enhanced the drama. Nicknamed ‘ Kunqu Volunteer’, Professor Pai has devoted himself to the promotion of kunqu for nearly 20 years since his retirement. Having presented university lectures on kunqu for no less than a hundred times, he still shared with his audience his passion for the art like it was the first time, inspiring everyone in attendance with the beauty of this UNESCO-crowned heritage. 公共衞生學者談農村健康計劃 Public Health Scholar on How to Conduct Projects in Rural China 「香港中文大學五十周年博文公開講座系列」第二講在 4月19日假香港中央圖書館舉行,題目是「以科學依據為 基礎的健康與醫療干預:如何在中國農村及少數民族地 區開展工作?」,由中文大學CCOUC災害與人道救援研 究所所長陳英凝教授主講。 多年來一直在中國農村從事公共衞生和防災教育的陳教 授指出,在過去十五年,亞洲區是全球發生天然災害最多 的地區,所以研究所的工作十分迫切。她在演講中介紹了 研究所的工作和經驗。她解釋,所謂「以科學依據為基礎 的健康與醫療干預」,就是總結現時在農村推廣公共衞 生知識的經驗,再通過科研、教育和知識轉移,用於協助 其他地方,協助更多有需要的人群。 研究所計劃在中國偏遠地區物色十條村落開展研究,這 些村子都是極度貧窮、天災頻繁、偏遠落後和以少數民 族為主。選定地點後,會評估該村需要,再進行健康推 廣,過後必定會進行項目評估。現在已在五條村開展了 研究。 陳教授也談到帶學生到內地研究的甘苦。她說:「曾經帶 三四十名學生去,為了有足夠準備,以便若有意外發生可 以有錢應急治療,帶了十幾萬人民幣。內地紙幣最大面 額只是一百元,我們就像是穿了金縷玉衣般出發。」 她還說:「參加計劃的學生本以為自己是去改變世界,到 訪農村後才發覺被改變的其實是自己。因為這個經驗令 他們知道,他們所有的知識是何等不足。」 The second CUHK 50th Anniversary Fair Public Lecture, entitled ‘Evidence-based Health and Medical Intervention: How Do We Do Our Work in Rural Ethnic Minority Communities in China?’, was held on 19 April at the Hong Kong Central Library. The lecture was delivered by Prof. Emily Chan, director of the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC). Professor Chan promotes public health and disaster preparedness education in rural China. She said the work of CCOUC was imperative because Asia had been the most disaster-prone region in the world in the past 15 years. She explained that by ‘evidence-based health and medical intervention’, she meant that they would apply what they learned from their current public health promotion projects in rural China to other regions through scientific research, education and knowledge transfer. CCOUC has had plans to carry out projects in 10 remote villages housing ethnic minority communities who live in extreme poverty and are subject to natural disaster. Each project has four stages: site selection, needs assessment, intervention, and evaluation. Now, projects at five villages have been completed. Professor Chan talked about the challenges of working in remote parts of China: ‘Once I took about 40 students with me on a project. In order to have enough cash for medical treatments in case of emergency, we brought over RMB100,000. The largest face value paper currency in China is the RMB100 note. We were cash-bloated.’ She also said, ‘When students join the project, they always think they are going to change the world. But after the visit, they often find that they are the ones changed. The experience shows them how little they know.’

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