双语：新版《笑傲江湖》是闹剧还是有新意

2013-03-14 00:00:00来源：21英语网

　　When The Swordsman started airing on Hunan Satellite TV last month, criticism soon followed. The use of visual effects was excessive and the story line was weak and lacked originality, critics said.
　　上个月，新版《笑傲江湖》在湖南卫视一经播出，便引来一片吐槽声。一些批评声指出：视觉特效过多、情节苍白无力、缺乏新意。

　　But to me, the new adaptation of Louis Cha’s (Jin Yong) classic novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer may be a little too original. Without the unmistakable characters, you would think it’s just another historical series combining martial arts and romance.
　　但对我而言，这部根据金庸（原名查良镛）经典小说《笑傲江湖》改编而成的新版剧集似乎有些创新过头了。如果没有那些众所周知的人物角色，整部电视剧似乎只是一部寻常的古装言情武侠剧而已。

　　Who wouldn’t find it ridiculous to see Dongfang Bubai — a woman in this version — fall for the protagonist Linghu Chong and try to steal him from Ren Yingying? With the plot so strangely twisted, the essence and spirit of the original story are lost.
　　新版《笑傲江湖》中，东方不败化身女儿身、情陷男主角令狐冲并千方百计地想要从任盈盈身边夺走他，令人顿觉荒谬无稽。如此颠覆性的奇葩剧情，原著的精髓早已丧失殆尽。

　　So what is it that we look for in wuxia stories like The Smiling, Proud Wanderer? What’s in these stories that attracts the interest of tens of thousands of fans and makes them instant classics?
　　那么，我们在《笑傲江湖》这类的武侠小说中所追寻的究竟是什么？这些故事又有何种魅力，使之成为无数武侠迷心中的经典？

　　Typically, the heroes in wuxia stories don’t serve a lord or belong to the aristocracy. They often belong to a lower social class and are loners who have mastered the martial arts, often to a superhuman degree.
　　武侠小说中的典型英雄形象往往都既非出身官宦也非生在皇族。他们往往是出身贫寒、身怀绝世武功的独行侠客。

　　This combination of loners and superhuman powers is enough to appeal to many teenagers looking for their place in the world. But more importantly, these heroes are bound by a code of chivalry that requires them to right any wrongs — the philosophy of xia.
　　独来独往，身怀绝技，这两点足以吸引众多追寻自我价值的年轻人。但更为重要的是，这些英雄身上都怀有一种惩奸除恶的侠义精神——此谓“侠道”。

　　To understand the concept of xia from a Western perspective, consider the Robin Hood mythology: an honorable and generous individual who disobeys authority puts his excellent archery skills to use for the general good rather than personal ends.
　　以西方人的视角来看，“侠”是类似“侠盗”罗宾汉那样的传奇故事：慷慨可敬的主人公不畏强权，凭自己精湛的剑术来兼济天下，而不仅仅是独善其身。

　　This righteousness, loyalty, courage and disregard for wealth put a spotlight on wuxia heroes, making them superhero-like icons for many fans.
　　武侠英雄身上所体现出的正义、忠诚、勇敢以及视金钱如粪土的品质，使其成为众多武侠迷心中的超级英雄。

　　Some say the traditional concept of xia is less relevant in today’s society and wuxia stories need to change in order to attract new fans.
　　有人认为传统意义上“侠”的概念与当今社会有些格格不入，武侠小说想要吸引更多新的粉丝，就需要改变。

　　However, most of the characteristics of xia are similar to Confucian values, which have influenced China for thousands of years and form the foundation of Chinese culture — they will always be relevant.
　　几千年来，中国深受儒家思想影响，并以此奠定了中华文明的基础。而“侠”的大部分特征都趋同于中国儒家思想的价值观，因此二者一直密不可分。

　　Furthermore, from the 1970s, writers such as Cha and Liang Yusheng founded the new school of the modern wuxia genre. Alongside the code of xia they introduced themes of mystery and romance to their stories.
　　此外，从上世纪70年代起，金庸、梁羽生等作家开创了现代武侠小说的新流派。除了侠义之道，他们还将神秘与爱情的主题引入到小说之中。

　　Romance, which frequently appears in Cha’s works, is a big reason we love the master’s stories. But an emphasis on romance doesn’t mean turning a classic wuxia story into a parodic melodrama like The Swordsman, nor is it an excuse to produce another adaptation to attract new audiences.
　　在金庸的作品中，动人的爱情故事屡见不鲜，这也是我们深爱金庸作品的一个重要原因。但是，强调爱情并不意味着将经典武侠小说翻拍成像新版《笑傲江湖》这样拙劣模仿的闹剧，更不应以此为由来颠覆经典来博眼球。

本文关键字: 笑傲江湖