人生海海是闽南话，形容“人生复杂多变但又不止这样”的意思，书里讲述了像谜一样的“上校”在时代中穿行的一生，他的经历离奇的让人叹息。
This phrase is from Southern Fujian Province, used to describe ‘life is complicated and ever-changing but it is even more than that’ , the book talks about the mysterious life of a ‘Colonel’ as he lived through an era, and how his experiences were so bizarre and will make one sigh.
While we fans were all moping about, being conflicted about celebrating Zhang Zhe Han’s outstanding portrayal of 周子舒 in Word of Honor’s 1st year Anniversary ( when did dramas start getting Anniversaries? ), downing our cocktails of sweet, bitter regret… our dear Zhang San Jian posted his new post ( at last!!) on 22 02 2022 2.22pm.
Is this ZSJ’s way of telling us – ‘ This day is significant for me too? ‘
Your guess is as good as mine.
ZSJ BOOK REVIEW 人生海海 by Mai Jia
曾在国道318上，看到过许多与我同行的人，他们身材更加瘦小，装备更加简陋，然而我们却在同一条道路上相遇了。
I saw many fellow travelers on on G318, they were skinnier, equipment was shabbier, and yet we all met on the same road.
我在路途当中接受过别人的帮助，同时也帮助过别人。我遇到了一个从青岛出发，骑自行车去拉萨的年轻人，这个人骑了一辆没有变速功能的自行车，身上只带了一套换洗的衣服，后座挂着一个被磨坏的轮胎。
On this journey I had both received help from and extended help to others. I met a young man who had departed from Qingdao, and was cycling to Lhasa. He was riding a bicycle without auto shift, only had one change of clothing, and was carrying one worn-out tire on his backseat.
我很好奇，就上前攀谈了两句，问他为什么想要开始这段旅程？原因也很简单，工作不顺利辞职了，想做一件不敢想、也不敢做的事情，骑着骑着就到这里了。
I was very curious, so I went to engage him in conversation, and asked him why did he thought of starting this journey? His reason was very simple, his work was not going smoothly so he quit, and wanted to do something he had never dared to think or do, and ended up here after riding for sometime.
我回忆起当时与我同行的小伙伴，在初期骑行时由于体力不支出现幻觉。在停车休息时好几次以为车子要倒，忍不住上前去扶。有几次因为骑行速度过慢，未能在天黑之前到达目的地，我只能在后方打着灯为他保驾护航。可就是这样一个小伙子在中后期时常把我从睡梦中叫醒，赶走我懒惰的“神经”，告诉我必须要出发了。
I remembered my little companion who was with me, how he hallucinated during the early days due to overexertion. Whenever we stopped to rest, I thought that his bicycle was about to fall over, and couldn’t help but go forward to support. As we rode too slowly at times, we could not reach our destinations before dark, I could only escort him by shining a light from behind. But this same little companion was always often the one who woke me up in the later stage, chasing away my lazy ‘vibes’, telling me that its time to set off.
有的时候，我们确实不明白坚持的意义到底是什么？但是当我们坚持了，目标会带着我们越走越远，从一千公里到两千公里，从两千公里到五千公里，在这坚持的过程中，我们就拓宽了生命的厚度。
At times, we really couldn’t understand what is the point of persisting? But when we persevered, our target will take us further and further, from 1000km to 2000km, from 2000km to 5000km, and during the course of persisting, we are building on the foundation of life.
我总是从身边的人、遇见的事儿、或是书本上，汲取无穷能量。就像读完麦家老师《人生海海》这本书之后，我意识到人生如孤舟浮海，你不知道前方有怎样的未知和风浪。但人总是能在不可预见的困难面前，释放出巨大能量——这世界上有很多看似平凡的人，但他们却拥有着异于常人的坚强和勇敢。他们比我承受着更大的生活苦难，却依旧热爱生活。
I always draw boundless energy from people around me, things I encountered or from books. Just as I finished reading Teacher Mai Jia’s book [ A Wavy Life ], I realized that life is like a lone boat floating out on the sea, you don’t know what winds or waves lies before you. But people can always release a great deal of energy when faced with unforeseeable obstacles – there are many in this world who look like ordinary people, but they possess extraordinary persistence and bravery. They endured greater hardships in life than I, but still love life.
In order to know everything, you have to know nothing
In order to gain unknown knowledge, you have to experience unknown paths
这本书的视角有点儿像《最后的决斗》，它从多个人的视角记录了上校“波澜壮阔”“坎坷曲折”的人生故事。
This book’s perspective is a little like [ The Last Duel ], it records the ‘magnificent ups and downs’ and ‘twists and turns’ of the life story of the Colonel with multiple narrators.
“村里子，有名的人都有绰号”——这位上校还有一个不好听的外号“太监”。他的身世离奇，学过木匠，后来经商，又自学了医术。但是一生不娶，好像也坐实了“太监”的称呼。
“In the village, every famous person has a nickname – this Colonel has a unsavory nickname ” Eunuch”. His background is weird, he studied carpentry, went into business, and self-taught medicine. But he has not married his entire life, and thus lived up to the name “eunuch”.
他足智多谋，智勇双全。他潜伏日占区，在一次特工行动中，被川岛芳子抓住，还在他的下腹刻字，这也因此成为他一生的耻辱，也是他悲剧的开始。
He is resourceful, have both wisdom and courage. He lurked in the Japanese-occupied zones, was caught during a secret mission by Yoshiko Kawashima, and had words carved into his lower abdomen, which became the shame of his life, and was the beginning of his tragedy.
上校曾凭借精湛的医术，争取到了医院的预备副院长的位置。但是这好像都是命——在他马上“成功”的时候，一位女子指控上校性侵了她，在那个年代，这种行为直接导致上校的事业一落千丈。
By virtue of the Colonel’s skillful medical skills, he attained the Vice-President post of the Hospital. But this all seemed to be fated – right at his moment of ‘success’, a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her, and in that times, this conduct directly destroyed the Colonel’s career.
在书中还有上校很多故事，我就不在这里赘述了吧。推荐大家有空可以详读。我想在这里说的是“活着的力量”。
There are many stories about the Colonel in the book, which I won’t elaborate here. I recommend everyone to read slowly if you have time.
What I want to talk about here is ‘ the power to live‘.
上校还乡后，还在经历着村子的闲言碎语。书中的第一反派叫小瞎子，偷看上校洗澡、上厕所，因此发现了上校身上的刺字。趁上校睡觉后，又不怕死的拿着手电筒去扒拉上校的裤衩。
After the Colonel returned to his hometown, he had to endure gossip in the village. The main antagonist of the book is called Little Blind guy, who peeked at the Colonel showering, going to the toilet, and hence he discovered the words tattooed onto the Colonel’s body. He fearlessly used a torchlight to pull down the Colonel’s pants while he slept.
最终被上校割了舌头，断了手筋。依然不死心的在村中造谣上校是鸡奸犯，要当众扒上校的裤子示众，暴露他多年的秘密，上校终于疯了，智商骤降到八岁孩子的智力。
In the end, the Colonel cut the Little Blind guy’s tongue and the tendons in his hands. But still he relentlessly spread rumors in the village that the Colonel was a sodomite, and wanted to pull down the pants of the Colonel in public to expose his long hidden secret. The Colonel finally was driven mad, and his IQ became that of an eight year old child.
我想这对于他来说可能是个好结局，在国家战争中出生入死，在工作职场中体会飞来横祸，在生活的村子中受尽人性拷打，最终回归孩童时期，对他来说也是种解放和救赎吧。
I suppose this might be considered a good ending for him, he had risked his life repeatedly in war for his country, met with unexpected disaster in his career, tortured in the village he lived , by returning to childhood times, perhaps is a release and atonement for him.
一直在说上校的故事，忽视了书中的“我”的角色。
While talking about the Colonel, I realized that I forgot the “I” in the book.
我的爸爸是上校的好朋友，为了帮助上校保守秘密，不惜被人污蔑为“鸡奸犯”。
My father was the Colonel’s good friend, and he would rather be slandered as a ‘sodomite’ in order to help the Colonel keep his secret.
我的爷爷为了守护爸爸的清白，不分事实青红皂白造谣上校是“太监”，并偷偷告发上校，让他进了监狱。爷爷的做法是对的，他守护了爸爸的清白，但也真的错了，他背叛了事实和自己的良心，编造了谎言。
In order to defend father’s reputation, my grandfather spread untrue rumors that the Colonel is an ‘eunuch’, secretly informed on him, and got him thrown into prison. Grandfather’s actions were right, he defended father’s reputation, but he was also wrong, because he betrayed the truth and his own conscience, and fabricated lies.
在这里我想分享一个故事——
有次在飞机上碰到了一个朋友，他正因为一件私事儿愁眉不展。他的司机醉驾开车，把车撞到报废。他一面为司机矢口否认自己的过错而烦恼，一面处理车辆报废的问题。
但是我和他说，你有没有很庆幸，你当时没在那个车上。只要你还健康，无论你遇到多大的麻烦，都还有机会处理。
I would like to share a story here –
I ran into a friend on a plane, who was frowning over a personal matter. His driver had totaled his car after drunk driving. He was frustrated that his driver denied any wrongdoing, and also of the issue of scrapping the car.
But I told him, aren’t you glad that you were not in the car at the time. As long as you are still healthy, no matter how great the trouble you may face, there is still a chance to deal with it.
健康的活着！无论多大的麻烦，都可以解决！——当然优秀的心态和身边的爱也非常重要，爱让我们茁壮成长～所以我们要保持良好的心态，更不要在意像小瞎子这种人！
Live healthily! No matter how great the trouble, it can be dealt with! – Of course, a fine mentality and surrounding love is also very important! Love will let us grow sturdily, so we have to maintain a good mentality, and don’t bother with the likes of that Little Blind guy.
人可能都有或多或少、不愿提及的过去，就像上校的文身。我们要学会尊重他人，包容别人身上的不完美。尊重他人不仅是种态度，也是一种能力。设身处地的为他人着想，也可以换来别人的尊重。
Everyone may have some parts of a past that they don’t want to bring up, like the tattoos on the Colonel. We have to learn to respect others, and embrace their imperfections. Respecting others is not just an attitude, its also an ability. Being considerate and able to relate with someone else, can in turn earn their respect.
罗曼罗兰说，真正的英雄是那些看清了生活真相，却依然热爱生活的人 。
麦家老师说，生活是如此令人绝望，但人们兴高采烈的活着。尼采说，当你凝望深渊时，深渊也在凝望你。当你以为恶魔之手伸向你时，也许天使之翼也在向你召唤。
Romain Rolland said, “There is only one true heroism in the world: To see the world as it is, and to love it“
Teacher Mai Jia said, life may let one feel hopeless, but people can live in high spirits.
Nietzsche said, …if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.
When you thought demonic hands are reaching toward you, maybe angels’ wings are also beckoning.
向每个勇敢活着的人致敬！英雄们，坚强！
Salute to everyone who is living bravely! Heroes, be strong!
人生海海潮起又潮落，骑着脚踏车或是赶着公交奔向课堂，回到从前反反复复路过的小巷，推开了陈旧的课门。在放学的路上想要融入这归家的人潮，发现那充满朝气的自行车已经不知道驶向了哪里。想去操场重复一圈又一圈的奔跑，路过熟悉的篮球架，重回那个无论怎么努力也够不着篮球框的时刻，还能看见那个不知疲倦的身影在夜晚的路灯下练着运球。想想人生命力最灿烂的时刻，散发着精力充沛的瞬间，留下了什么？留下了什么！留下了……
The sea of life ebbs and flows, whether its riding a bicycle or rushing to class on public transport, returning to the small alleys that have been passed by over and over before, pushing open the old doors of the classroom. On the way home after school, wanting to blend into the crowds heading home, but before long the bicycle full of youthful vigor has unknowingly gone elsewhere. I want to run round and round in circles on the grounds, passing by familiar basketball hoops, returning to the moment when I could not reach the hoop no matter how hard I tried. I can still see that tireless figure practicing dribbling under the streetlights at night.
Think about a most glorious moment in a person’s life, that moment which gave off a burst of energy, what has been left? What is left! It left ……
如荆棘之路似我命，亦用生命力开出荆棘之花。
If my life has to be like a thorny path, then the thorns should flower with my life force.
有位朋友（也可以说有位“公友”，公众号上的朋友）给我留言：人生就像是一口大锅，当在锅底时，无论朝哪个方向走，都是向上的。
A friend ( you can say its a ‘friend from the public’, a friend from the public blog ) left me a message: Life is like a big wok, when you are at the bottom of the wok, no matter which direction you go, it goes upwards.
当你待在锅底时，本以为有个人会伸出手来。不料，是油和接二连三、酸甜苦辣……的佐料接踵而至，让你脚底打滑、苦不堪言。转念一想还好会游泳，等油倒满的时候不就正好可以爬出去了？
When you are at the bottom of the pot, you might expect someone would reach out to you. Unexpectedly, oil and all kinds of sour, sweet, bitter and spicy seasonings follows, and you no longer can find your footing, wretchedly suffering in silence. On second thought, you think that its a good thing that you know how to swim, so you can wait until its full of oil and just climb out?
我妈一盆冷水浇灭了我的想法，万一只倒一半的油呢？下面再点上火，给你“热油炸青蛙”。（不愧是亲妈）
My mum threw a basin of cold water on my idea, What if only half a pot of oil is added? If the fire below gets lit, and you end up being a ‘fried frog in hot oil’. ( As expected of my mum )
也许这就是所谓的成“熟”吧(￣▽￣)
Maybe this is what it means to becoming ‘mature’ (￣▽￣)
( ZSJ being punny again : word play on 成 : becoming 熟 : cooked 成熟 : mature )
Did you think ZSJ can only recommend you a book full of positivity and meaning?
You have underestimated this guy completely!
He can even find you a song with the same title as the book, which is full of parallels to what he is currently going through and yet still be energetic and full of positivity!
就算是這個世界 把我拋棄
而至少快樂傷心我自己決定
Even if this world abandons me
At least I will get to decide to be happy or sad
On weibo, many fans are saying the song he played is Mayday’s 倔强 – since I am not a guitar expert, and both chords sound really similar, I will leave it to the ones who know.
In any case, both are excellent songs!
Zhang Zhehan 