主篇序 Preface to the “Second Collection of Essays on Shiji Studies and World Sinology” Martin Kern I was delighted when my friend and colleague at Foguang University, Professor and Dean Lee Chi-hsiang, invited me to join him for the second conference on “Shiji Studies and World Sinology.” Under Professor Lee’s thoughtful guidance, the conference brought a wonderful group of scholars from around the world—Taiwan, China, Russia, France, Japan, and the United States—to Foguang University’s beautiful campus in Yilan where we enjoyed three days of excellent papers and lively discussion, not to mention a refreshing trip to the shore.
In every sense, the Shiji is one of the great texts of world literature. First, it is a book about not just China but the world as Sima Qian knew it. Second, it has been an inspiration to historians as well as to writers of literature much beyond China’s borders, especially across East Asia. And third, it is a true monument to history and to the human condition altogether. It does not merely teach us about history; instead, it asks us to think about the driving forces in history, and how to grapple with them. To understand the Shiji is to understand humanity’s quest for knowledge of the past and, just as important, the need to make sense of the past. Sima Qian asks what is knowable and how; he asks about justice and moral principles in light of historical events; he asks about the gain, succession, and loss of power; he asks about the ruler and the ruled; he asks, sometimes despairingly, about Heaven. These are still our questions today, in China and elsewhere, and they are what makes the Shiji a classic of human heritage.
In all this, the Shiji is then a most fitting text to practice what we call “World Sinology.” Transcending our different academic environments and intellectual histories, it is a text that inspires us and brings us together. To some of us, the Shiji is written in a foreign language, and yet we believe we can not only read but also understand the text. A true classic, it continues to speak to all of us beyond linguistic and cultural boundaries; and it is a text forever inexhaustible by interpretation. The present volume, which presents selected essays from our conference, shows the richness of “World Sinology” today, but even more does it show the enduring richness of the Shiji.
李序 佛光大学是一所新创办的学校,矗立在太平洋畔的林美山麓,自在1999年时举办了第一届的世界汉学中的史记学会议,会后在陈隆昊先生支持下,由唐山出版社出版了《史记学与世界汉学论集》。现在,呈现在读者眼前的,则是《史记学与世界汉学论集续编》,由柯马丁教授与我一同主编。我与柯马丁教授相识甚早,结识于孙康宜教授因主编剑桥版《中国文学史》而邀集各篇撰者于耶鲁大学讨论书写原则与编例,我不是撰者,但仍参与了孙教授的餐叙,因而结识柯教授。多年后,佛光大学在林美山上续办第二届世界汉学中的史记学国际研讨会,他慨然远道而来,绕过太平洋,除了发表论文主持会议与参加讨论之外,还在会议最末的送别宴上,一一与辛苦工作的学生们致意,造成的结果便是,同学们的排队一一向他敬酒并与他合影。
在会议召开中,俄罗斯的前辈Juri Kroll教授最后虽因年纪与身体之故,未能与会,但他对此会议的关心迄今都不曾间断,我们迄今仍保持通信的联系。在会议开始前夕,他传来了一份贺词,现在我将其翻译为中文而附于下,中文是由本系助理教授王舒津博士翻译的:
亲爱的同仁、第二届「世界汉学中的《史记》学国际学术研讨会」全体与会人员、各位女士与先生,大家好:
近年来,研读司马迁的名着已成为全世界汉学家的共同使命,这位伟大的中国史学家当时撰述此书时,能够「一亲芳泽」的只有与他惺惺相惜的一些文人雅士。如今,这本伟大的着作已经离开「名山」而愈来愈被全世界所知晓。今天,来自世界各地的大家齐聚在热情好客的佛光大学。我们会在这里聚首皆是源自于一股对于研读《史记》的热情,以及对于作者司马迁学识文采的景仰。你们或许早就知道,有无数的译者正孜孜矻矻地翻译,以便让不懂中文的读者也能够阅读司马迁的杰作。今天我要告诉你们,他们所取得的一项成就。《史记》最后一卷的俄文版最近已经在莫斯科出版了,这是《史记》全书首次有欧语译本的问世。这项伟大的工程大约在1950年代中期由越特金((Rudolph V. Vyatkin)与塔斯金(Vsevolod S. Taskin)开始着手进行,全书大部分的翻译工作都由越特金担纲,他总是梦想着有一天能够出版完整的《史记》译本,遗憾的是,他未能亲眼见到这项工程的完成。
越特金去世之后,《史记》的翻译工作由他的儿子(Anatole R. Vyatkin)接手(可说是孝道的典范),他召集了一群年轻的汉学家同心协力完成他父亲遗留的翻译工作。据我所知,美国有倪豪士(W. H. Nienhauser)带领着一批汉学家在从事《史记》的翻译,并且于十几年前开始出版他们的《史记》译本,他们翻译《史记》的卓越成果有目共睹。
我多么梦想与你们大伙一起走进佛光大学,然而事与愿违,我的健康状况不允许我出远门。我只能无奈地寄上我欲发表的论文纸本,而且,如果你们愿意,也可以在会议上宣读。在此,我诚挚地预祝你们丰收顺利,不虚此行!
亲爱的同仁,祝你们好运!
Juri Kroll敬启
我在2000年因受林萃青教授之邀而至密西根大学演讲访问,结束后承蒙孙康宜教授邀请,而又至耶鲁大学东亚系小歇,然后最后回台前的最后一站,便是到普林斯顿大学柯马丁教授处,商议这本论集的论文编选。我们的选文讨论是在普大美丽校园的一家酒馆内进行,柯教授点了十多杯的啤酒,其「杯」当然非牛饮型的大杯,而是非常小的酒杯,每杯中都注入了不同品味的各式啤酒,我们一杯品毕又续他杯。而论文也顺着这节奏一篇论毕而续他篇,在柯教授与我的细细讨论后,由十篇论文所集成的《史记学与世界汉学论集续编》于焉完成了初步的编选阶段;这个场景常让我回忆也回味无穷。在柯教授的研究室隔壁,便是当年爱因斯坦使用过的研究室,而柯教授在每周中午所举行的师生学术讨论之餐会的房间,虽说是讨论东亚学术与汉学,但那房间中的壁饰与玻璃绘饰却充满了当年的几何与宇宙图形,一种弔诡的时空之旅来回穿越所在这间小型会议讨论室中,奇特的目光彷彿来自爱因斯坦的注目与观察,以量子论的关怀放射出人文关怀的注目。现在,这本论集付梓在即,我深盼这本论集留下的,不只是世界汉学与史记关系中司马迁身后的一份风姿身影,也是与会学者于林美山齐集一堂同营的学术氛围,更是我与柯马丁教授在普大酒馆中合作主编的见证。再度感谢陈隆昊先生的慨然协助出版。
是为序。
李纪祥
于林美山太平洋畔