Book One

Dear Sugitani Akihito sensei,
It has been nearly a month since we said goodbye, but I can relive virtually every moment of our timetogether in my hometown as if it were yesterday. With no concern for age or physical frailties¹, youcrossed land and sea to come to this out-of-the-way spot and engage in literary conversations withme and with local fans of literature; we were deeply moved. On the second morning of the year, youfavoured us with a presentation in the county guesthouse auditorium² that you called ‘Literature andLife’. With your permission, we would like to publish a transcription of the taped lecture in the localpublication Frog Calls, so as to make available to those who were unable to attend in person achance to appreciate and learn from your use of language.
On the morning of the first day of the year I accompanied you on a visit to my aunt, an obstetricianfor more than fifty years, and though she spoke³ too quickly in her accented Chinese for you to graspeverything she said, I am sure she left a deep impression on you. In your talk the next morning youcited her often in support of your views of literature. You said you came away with an image of adoctor racing⁴ across a frozen river on a bicycle; another of her with a medical kit⁵ slung⁶ over herback and an open umbrella in one hand, trouser cuffs⁷ rolled up, as she forces her way through amass⁸ of croaking⁹ frogs; yet another of a doctor laughing joyfully¹⁰ as she holds a newborn infant in herhands, her sleeves spattered with blood; and finally one of a doctor with a care-laden face, acigarette dangling¹¹ from her lips, clothing rumpled¹² . . . you said that all these mental picturessometimes come together into a single image and at other times split into discrete¹³ fragments, like aseries of carvings¹⁴. You urged local literature fans to create poignant¹⁵ works of art out of my aunt’slife, either in fiction, in verse, or in drama. Sensei, your encouragement has produced a creativepassion in many of us. An associate at the county cultural centre has already begun a novel about avillage obstetrician, and though my understanding of what my aunt accomplished¹⁶ is much greaterthan his, I do not want to enter into a competition and will leave the writing of a novel to him. What Iwant to do, sensei, is write a play about my aunt’s life. On the night of the second, when we weretalking as we sat on the kang at my house, I experienced an epiphany thanks to your high praise anddetailed analyses, as well as your unique insights into the plays of the Frenchman, Sartre. I want towrite, I feel I must write librettos¹⁷ as fine as The Flies and Dirty Hands, with the audacious goal ofbecoming a great playwright¹⁸. With your instruction as a guide, I will proceed slowly, without forcingthe issue, as patient as a frog on a lily pad waiting for insects to come its way. But when I put pen topaper, it will be with the speed of a frog jumping up to snatch an insect out of the air.
When I was seeing you off at the Qingdao airport, you asked me to send you in letters the story ofmy aunt’s life. Although she is still alive and well, I could describe her life using such potentmetaphors as ‘surging forth¹⁹ magnificently’ and ‘rife with twists and turns’. There are so manystories, and I don’t know how long this letter ought to be, so with your indulgence, I will put mymeagre talents to use by simply writing until the time has come to stop. In this age of computers,writing a letter with pen and paper has become a luxury, but a pleasurable one, and I hope that asyou read this, you enjoy a taste of olden times.
While I’m at it, I want to tell you that my father phoned to say that on the lunar twenty-fifth, redblossoms burst onto the tree in our yard, the one whose unique shape prompted you to call it a‘talented’ old plum. Many people came to witness our blooming plum, including my aunt. My fathersaid that a feathery snow fell that day, saturated²⁰ with a redolence of plum blossoms that cleared thehead of anyone who smelled it.

Your student, Tadpole
21 March 2002, in Beijing
 

1 frailties   

n.脆弱( frailty的名词复数 )；虚弱；（性格或行为上的）弱点；缺点

参考例句：

• The fact indicates the economic frailties of this type of farming. 这一事实表明，这种类型的农业在经济上有其脆弱性。 来自辞典例句
• He failed therein to take account of the frailties of human nature--the difficulties of matrimonial life. 在此，他没有考虑到人性的种种弱点--夫妻生活的种种难处。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

2 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

5 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

6 slung   

抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往

参考例句：

• He slung the bag over his shoulder. 他把包一甩，挎在肩上。
• He stood up and slung his gun over his shoulder. 他站起来把枪往肩上一背。

7 cuffs   

n.袖口( cuff的名词复数 )v.掌打，拳打( cuff的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• a collar and cuffs of white lace 带白色蕾丝花边的衣领和袖口
• The cuffs of his shirt were fraying. 他衬衣的袖口磨破了。

8 amass   

vt.积累，积聚

参考例句：

• How had he amassed his fortune?他是如何积累财富的呢？
• The capitalists amass great wealth by exploiting workers.资本家剥削工人而积累了巨额财富。

9 croaking   

v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说

参考例句：

• the croaking of frogs 蛙鸣
• I could hear croaking of the frogs. 我能听到青蛙呱呱的叫声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

11 dangling   

悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
• The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

12 rumpled   

v.弄皱，使凌乱( rumple的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She rumpled his hair playfully. 她顽皮地弄乱他的头发。
• The bed was rumpled and strewn with phonograph records. 那张床上凌乱不堪，散放着一些唱片。 来自辞典例句

13 discrete   

adj.个别的，分离的，不连续的

参考例句：

• The picture consists of a lot of discrete spots of colour.这幅画由许多不相连的色点组成。
• Most staple fibers are discrete,individual entities.大多数短纤维是不联系的单独实体。

14 carvings   

n.雕刻( carving的名词复数 )；雕刻术；雕刻品；雕刻物

参考例句：

• The desk was ornamented with many carvings. 这桌子装饰有很多雕刻物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town. 贝雕是该城的特产。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。

16 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

17 librettos   

n.（歌剧等的）剧本( libretto的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• And needless to say, I would love to be of assistance in translating opera librettos. 不用说，我也愿意协助翻译京剧唱词。 来自互联网

18 playwright   

n.剧作家，编写剧本的人

参考例句：

• Gwyn Thomas was a famous playwright.格温·托马斯是著名的剧作家。
• The playwright was slaughtered by the press.这位剧作家受到新闻界的无情批判。

19 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

20 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液