上善若水 The Top Virtue is Like Water

      还记得我初来墨尔本的时候，是一个冬天的早晨。从机场到蒙纳士大学，一路上我坐在出租车里，望着窗外的风景。天刚蒙蒙亮，远处零星的建筑物闪着霓虹灯光，依稀可见。虽人在旅途，我却不知路在何方。

Still remember that when I first arrived in Melbourne, it was an early morning in Winter. From the airport to the Monash University, I was in a Taxi, looking at the changing landscape outside in the city. It was dawn, and there seemed to have neonlights outlining the city outlook in a far distance. I was certainly on a journey, but I was at a loss where the road was leading me.

到了大学，办好了入住手续，要等到中午才有人来接我去校园外的住所。冬天的墨尔本，天气清凉。我拖着行李，没走几步就在拐角处的一个小餐厅落下脚。餐厅的布置简洁，正对面的墙上挂着国旗，有澳大利亚的，美国的，英国的，而正中间挂着的是中国国旗，和香港特别行政区区旗。我找个椅子坐下来，环顾四周， 不由得产生几分归属感。餐厅的饭菜也是简简单单的几种，但看起来都合胃口。我点了一盘米饭，一份蒸鱼和一点青菜，外加一杯清水。初到异乡，能吃上可口的饭菜，喝杯清水，深有感触。

Arriving in the university, I had my accommodation sorted, however, I would have to wait until midday before someone could pick me up and take me to the house that was arranged for me. Winter in Melbourne was a bit cool. I took my luggage, and walked a short distance around the corner, and settled temporarily in a café. The café was neat and tidy inside, with national flags hanging on one of the walls opposite the doors of the café, including Australian, American, and British. The two flags right in the middle were Chinese and the HKSAR’s. I took a seat, looking around, feeling like having some sense of belonging. The food in the café were simple, but looked nice. I asked for a plate of rice, a steamed fish, and some vegies, plus a glass of water. Landing on the Otherland for the first morning, I could have some delicious food and dishes, and a glass of water. I couldn't feel more impressed.

就这样，在墨尔本，我开始了人生的另一段旅程。

Just like this, in Melbourne, I started another journey of my life.

在接下来的岁月里，我感觉前路漫漫、后路茫茫，毕竟是异地他乡。虽然每日忙碌，但自我感觉又像是个迷路的孩子，离家太远，太久，找不到方向。好在有相机为伴，虽然奔波，但也可以边走，边想，边看。有人说，一个人，要么身体，要么灵魂，总有一个要在路上。经历了这么多的变迁，身体仿佛一直在路上，而剩下要做的，就是给思想松绑，与灵魂同行。

In the weeks and months that follow, I feel that I’m in the middle of nowhere, with a future that is by no means clear and a past that become increasingly distant. After all, I’m elsewhere in the Otherland. Although I’ve been busy on a daily basis, I constantly feel that I’m like a lost child, disoriented because I’ve been away from home too far and for too long. Thank God that I have a camera as my companion, so even though I feel like constantly on the run, as I walk around, I look and think. People say, one has to have either his body or soul on its way. Having experienced so many changes, I feel that my body has always been on its way; but what remains yet to be done is to set my thoughts free and walk with my soul.

我始终相信，人除了用五官感受周围的事物，还可以用思想和心灵去感知和认识这个世界。这里有广阔的空间，有青草绿地和碧海蓝天。在这样的环境里，灵魂终于有可能得以释放，进而享受自由思想。我回想曾经生活过的地方，无论是老家，还是北京，珀斯，或者香港，也无论是年少时代还是青春岁月，只要我想经历的都可以像老电影一样重放。

I always believe that, people experience and perceive their surroundings and the world not only through their five senses, but also with their minds and souls. There’s a vast space here, with pastures and great oceans and skies. In such an environment, our souls could be discharged, so that we could think freely. I then recall and relive the places I’ve ever lived in, whether they are my hometown, or Beijing, Perth, or Hong Kong, and whether they were in my childhood or young adult years, whatever I wished to re-experience, I could relive it again like watching old movies.

岁月如梭，时空变幻，一路走来，我曾经有许许多多的追求。追求到的东西，会渐渐地化为生活的一部分，而没有追求到的，也慢慢地失去了其本来的意义。生活中，也有不变的追求，那就是对上善若水境界的追求。很久以来我一直喜欢《道德经》里“上善若水”这四个字，并把与人为善视为处世为人的准则。我深知与人为善的最高境界就如水一般，利万物，却又与万物无争。上善之人往往安于卑微之地，虚怀若谷，谦卑待人，而其心态却不卑不亢，深沉如止水。

With time passing and space shifting, I have had pursuits of various sorts along the way. What I have achieved has gradually become an integral part of my life; whereas what I pursued but haven’t achieved has slowly lost its original meanings. I do have unchanging pursuits in life, and one of them is to achieve a state of water-like top virtue. I have always liked the four characters in the “Classic of Morals”, which are “shang shan ruo shui”, literally meaning ‘top’ ‘virtue’ ‘be like’ ‘water’, and I would set treating-people-with-kindness as my own life principles. I truly believe that ‘treating-people-with-kindness’ is water-like top virtue, benefiting all things while not competing with any of the things. A person with water-like top virtue always situates him/herself in a humble place, viewing him/herself with modesty, and treating others with great humbleness, however, his/her state of mind is never ‘bei or kang’ (belittling or conceited), deep and still like water.   

转眼在墨尔本生活了几个春秋。偶尔我还会选择到那个校园拐角处的小餐厅去吃顿午饭。有时自己去，有时会与同事或朋友相约。我有一位同事，来自中国，也是上善之人。因为是同胞，我们会用母语聊天，亲切自然。我们聊各自的工作，孩子和生活，也聊些美食和过去的经历。有时我们聊起工作的繁忙和挑战，而另外一些时候，我们也会聊起生活的低谷和困境，彼此鼓励。这位同事为人处事，周到得体，给人以上善若水得感觉，视人如己。这一次，我是在就要回国探亲前的一天，请这位同事去小餐厅吃饭，聊天。我望着窗外，不知不觉被那平时看不到的风景所感动。

It’s been a few years since I moved to Melbourne. Every now and then, I would still choose to walk to that little café at the corner of the university campus to have my lunch. Sometimes I would go there myself; other times I would invite a colleague and friend or two to come along with me. I have a colleague, who also comes from China. She’s a person with top virtue. Because we are both fellow Chinese, we can chat in our mother tongue, so it feels much warm and natural. We would chat about our respective work, children and life, as well as gourmet food or delicacies and past experiences. Sometimes we’d talk about the busy-ness and challenges at work, and other times, we’d talk about the lowest lows and puzzles in life, and encourage one another. This colleague is always considerate and thoughtful, giving me an impression of top virtue as water, treating others as self. This time, I invite her to that little café for a chat over lunch because the following day, I would head back to China for a visit to my family and friends. Looking outside the windows from the café, I feel touched by the limited scenery that I would seldom notice previously.

——“我很喜欢‘上善若水’这四个字”， 我说。

——“是吗？我也是。上善若水是中国古代智慧的结晶。水利万物，与世无争。”，同事随声应答。

——“是啊，我喜欢阳光，也喜欢雨水。我尤其喜欢太阳雨，或者雨霁彩虹的日子。我的思想也会如同涓涓细流，自然流畅，然后汇成大海。中国古人那种海纳百川的智慧和气魄，只有用水才可以描绘得淋漓尽致。”

——“有道理，其实上善若水也是为人之道。上善之人，才会思想和行为若水，与他人同生共享。”

——“是啊，上善若水真是一种境界，很奇妙”。

“I quite like the four characters: shang shan ruo shui (the top virtue is like water)”, I said.

“Really? So do I. Shang shan ruo shui is the top wisdom of ancient Chinese. Water benefits everything, however, it does not compete with anything”, my colleague responded.

“Yes, I also like sunshine and rainwater. I particularly like days of sunshower, when the rain falls while the sun is shinning, or a rainbow emerges right after the showers. My thoughts would then be like little streams, flowing naturally, merging into the sea. The Chinese ancient wisdom, boldness and breadth of vision of the sea holding the water of a hundred rivers can only be depicted vividly with the substance of water”.

“So true. In fact, Shang shan ruo shui is also the way how people treat one another. People of shang shan (top virtue) are those with genuine thinking, behaving like water does, living harmoniously and sharing with others”.

“Yes, indeed. Shang shan ruo shui is a real realm, and it’s marvalous and magical”.

墨尔本的生活就这样一天一天地铺开来。日复一日，有时如小溪流淌，有时会湍流不息，也是也会惊涛骇浪。不过对于走过来的每一个日子，都十分眷恋珍惜。这裡的人，这裡的事，这裡的一草一木，渐渐地也开始润于水土，萌发出嫩芽，孕育了了颜色，并且演绎着故事。也许，当一个人不再刻意追求什么，并把自己归位于零待机而动，生命，往往在这个时候，犹如点点滴滴积蓄的一湾清水，默无声息地又有了新的开始 。

Life in Melbourne rolls out just like this, day in day out, sometimes like a stream, flowing, other times like a swift river, rushing through, and there are even times like tidal waves, smashing things away. However, each and every day that has gone by becomes something I’d appreciate and treasure. Every person here, everything that takes place, and every grass and tree, has taken roots in the fertile soil here, and starts budding, growing into different colours, and narrating their own stories. Perhaps, when a person doesn’t really chase anything on purpose, and reset him/herself, getting ready for what’s next, life makes a new turn and gets started again, like water, every drop of it, gathering together, in a clean and clear harbor …