我是一盏人行道上的红绿灯。
绿灯表示通行。当开始倒数时，我会闪烁提示路人加快通行。红灯表示危险、禁止通行。但是偶尔也会有不遵守交规的行人或车辆强行通过，我会投去愤怒的目光，虽然他们不知道，或者根本也不在意。遵守交通规则的人，我会致以谢意和善意。
我跟高高的在上的红绿灯不一样，嘿嘿！我没有黄灯。
I am a traffic light on the sidewalk.
Green light indicates Walk. When the countdown begins, I will flash to prompt passersby to increase their pace. A red light indicates danger and to Stop. Occasionally there will be pedestrians or vehicles that don’t obey the traffic rules and forcibly pass, I will cast an angry look after them, even though they don’t know it, or perhaps they will not care. Those who obey the traffic rules, I will extend my gratitude and goodwill.
I’m not the same as the traffic lights on up high, hehe! I don’t have a yellow light.
我对面有几棵梧桐树，虽然我们无法沟通，但是我可把他们当作我的小伙伴。
因为有了他们，我才知道了气候的变化，和四季的变迁。
春天树干发出新的枝桠，夏天会开出淡淡黄绿色的花，再绽放出毛茸茸的花絮，引得路过的行人忍不住打喷嚏。到了秋天树叶慢慢枯黄，偶尔一阵风吹过会将落叶吹到我的跟前。冬季时我们相互守望着抵御寒冷，盼望着春天的归来。
There are several Chinese Parasol ( Wutong ) trees across from me, although we can’t communicate, but I can regard them as my little friends.
Because of them, I can know about the changes of the climate and four seasons.
In Spring, the tree trunk will grow out new branches, and in Summer, light yellow-green flowers will bloom, and then fluffy catkins will bloom, causing passersby to sneeze uncontrollably. In Autumn, the leaves slowly wither and turn yellow, the occasional gust of wind will blow the leaves before me. In Winter, we keep watch for each other against the bitter cold, and look forward to the return of Spring.
我在来来往往的人群中了解到我的背后是家银行，银行门口有两座石狮子。从银行出来的人总是谈论着一种叫做“钱”的东西。我不太理解，但好像这东西对人们还挺重要的。最好笑的是那两座石狮子，他们总是在争论谁才是银行的“第一门面”。
你要问我有好朋友吗？当然，我头顶的路灯就是我最铁的哥们了，每到夜幕降临，他就睡醒了，开始了和我的彻夜长谈。
I understand from the crowds of people who came and went, that behind me there is a Bank, and there are two stone lions outside its door. People coming out of the bank always talk about something called “money”. I don’t quite understand it, but it seems like this is quite important to people. The funniest thing is the two stone lions, are always arguing about who is the “front facade” of the Bank.
Do you want to ask me if I have good friends? Of course, the street lamp above my head is my best buddy. Whenever night falls, he wakes up and begins talking with me all night long.
突然这一天街上空无一人，就连从身旁呼啸而过的汽车都见不着了。
一切是如此的安静，身旁的嘈杂声也消失了。
人都去哪儿了呢？我不知道。我还是一样，绿灯的时候是行走的模样，依旧做着倒数、闪动着。红灯时就笔直站好。一切都变了，但我还在原来的路口，等待时间的变换，等待着人群的归来。
All of a sudden, the streets became deserted, even the cars that whizzed past me are no longer seen.
Everything became so quiet, and the noise around me disappeared.
Where have the people gone? I do not know. I am still the same, I walk when the light is green, I still flash and do the countdown. I stand straight when the light is red. Everything has changed, but I am still at the same intersection, waiting for the time to pass, waiting for the return of the crowds.
我不知道在对面的楼层高处，有一个人透过窗口在关注着我。
I don’t know that in the building opposite, high above there is someone watching me through a window.
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他是一个红绿灯，我每天都会在卧室的窗前冥想、发呆一阵儿，望着街上无人关注的他。
这个马路上，每天都会有很多的行人、车辆，来来回回地走，这个红绿灯似乎永远伫立在那儿。
He is a traffic light, every day I will sit by the bedroom window in deep thought, stare blanking for a while, watching the street where he stands unnoticed.
On this street, there will be many pedestrians and cars, moving back and forth daily, this traffic light seems to be standing still there forever.
他一直在那儿，告诉人们什么时候要走，什么时候停下。
有时候我会看看他，看看对面楼顶的花草树木。我会知道今天是大风、小风或是无风。雨天会有很多的雨点打落在他脸上，他不会在意，依旧默默做着他的工作。晴天时阳光打在他身上，偶尔有猫咪靠着他享受着阳光浴，在他脚下小憩片刻，在他的腿上蹭一蹭皮毛再离开。我能感受那一刻他是温暖的。
我喜欢他独立自在的模样。
He is always there, telling people when to walk, when to stop.
Sometimes I will look at him, look at the flowers and trees on the roof opposite. I’ll know if today is windy, a light breeze or has no wind. On rainy days, there will be many raindrops falling on his face, he will not care and will continue to do his job silently. On a fine day, the sunlight will hit on his body. Now and then, a cat will lean against him to enjoy the sun, or nap for a spell at his feet, rubbing its fur on his legs before leaving. I could feel that he was warm in that moment.
I like how independent and at ease he is.
他看着对面的树，一年又一年增长着年轮。会看到晴天下雨的一切，不会有人替他把雨点擦干，更无人在意汽车的尾气是否呛到了他。
他后面是个银行，银行的门口有两座石狮子。它们看上去像是在一起，但可能从未有过交谈，甚至无法对望。
也许他跟路灯是知己，也许不是。
He looks over at the tree opposite, adding on its rings year after year. He sees everything on a sunny or rainy day, no one will dry the rain for him, and no one will care if the exhaust gas of the cars will choke him.
There is a bank behind him, and there are two stone lions outside the bank. They look like they are together, but perhaps they have never talked and could not even have looked at each other.
Perhaps he and the street light are bosom friends, perhaps not.
今天一个人都没有，听不见汽车的轰鸣声。
生活的气息消失了，他不知道这个城市怎么了。城市停下来了，时间仿佛也静止了。我望着他，想哭，望着一个红绿灯想哭。你要问我为什么？我似乎感受到他的孤寂。人这种孤独的存在，到最后都是独立的个体。就像他一样，人来人往，他都只是在那儿。守候在他的路口，守望着他的斑马线，他留不住任何一个人，也不能跟任何一个人走。
No one is here today, no roar of cars can be heard.
The energy of life has disappeared, and he has no idea what had happened to the city. The city has stopped, time seemed to stand still. I looked at him, and felt like crying. Looking at a traffic light and wanted to cry. Why, you ask? I seem to feel his loneliness. This lonely existence of people, in the end we are all just independent individual beings. Just like him, people come and go, he just remains there. Keeping watch at his intersection, keeping an eye on his zebra-crossing, he can’t keep anyone from going, and he can’t go along with anyone.
人生如是，总要面对一个又一个的红绿灯。有些时候你要走，有些时候你要等，有些时候你得加快脚步……有些时候一群人和你等，有些时候只有你一个人等。就像是你窗外的景色一样，你们在一起，也不在一起。
孤独。寂寥。无奈。
萧条。坚守。等待。
在这样的境，升起这样的心很正常吧。
In life, we will always have to face many traffic lights, one after another. Sometimes you can walk, sometimes you have to wait, sometimes you have to hurry your steps… Sometimes a group of people waits with you, sometimes you wait alone. Just like the scenery outside your window, you are together, and not together.
Loneliness. Desolation. Helplessness.
Despondent. Holding fast. Waiting.
In such situations, it is probably quite normal to feel like this.
我看着他，相信他会听见我这番心声。
他仍然没有停下自己的脚步，他重复着自己日复一日的工作。有几人能像他这样的认真负责呢？
他不知道发生了什么。就像他永远也不会知道有这样一个人在关注着他一样。
I look at him, believing he will hear my thoughts.
He still has not stopped his own footsteps, he repeats his daily tasks day after day. How many can be so serious and responsible like him?
He does not know what has happened. Just as how he will never know there is such a person who have been paying attention to him.
我知道你正读着这篇文章。
我不知道你想到了什么。
I know you are reading this essay.
I don’t know what you will think of.
（本文配图来自插画师Lost7）
There are so many theories about who/what the traffic light represents…ZSJ has certainly given us much food for thought.
Some see it as ZZH and his observers…or perhaps even ZZH and himself, looking from another perspective…Some thinks its a tribute to Mr Li Xue Zheng ( whose social media accounts have been deleted ). Some wonder if its representing the law, which carries on going, without fail.
Did he think about this story, while flipping through the artist’s book, creating an interesting association of objects and life? Or was he just telling us a story from his actual observations from his own window? Is he affected by the isolation of the lockdown?
Using inanimate objects and expressive writing, ZZH personified something so ordinary yet so important – a traffic light in the street. Without this functioning traffic light, accidents might occur. He used 他 he, instead of 它 it, which is usually for animals or objects.
Cutting his story between the observed and the observer, he adds a touch of melancholy to the two entities, which is together in the same place, yet stands far apart due to an inability to communicate. The traffic light will not know its observer, and the watcher, won’t be able to share his thoughts nor admiration for the traffic light.
At the end, he talked directly to us, the readers.. or is this essay addressed to another?
Let us be grateful that we are a little luckier than the traffic light and ‘his’ observer – we can at least communicate our thoughts to ZZH, and him to us.
For our 张哲瀚 希望早日立案 🙏
Zhang Zhehan 