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News & Events

In Memoriam: David Y. Chen

Download Document[DOC]

1. Introductory Remarks
2. Testimonials
3. Condolences
4. Article
5. Flower List
6. Poems Chanted at Professor Chen's Funeral
7. Translation by David Y. Chen

From Dr. Torrance

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is with great sorrow that I write to inform you of the passing of Dr. David Y. Chen, Emeritus Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, on May 28, 2009 at 2:14 am at the OSU Ross Heart Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Julie Chen, and his daughter, Biru Chen. The Chen family and the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures will host a memorial tribute to Dr. David Chen on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 from 3:30 to 5:00 in Rooms A-D on the second floor of the OSU Faculty Club, 181 South Oval Drive. Please come to join us in remembering an inspirational teacher, a fine colleague, and a good friend.

Sincerely yours,

Richard Torrance
Acting Chair
East Asian Languages and Literatures

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I. Introductory Remarks

Professor David Y. Chen Memorial

Thank you all for coming today to honor the memory of Professor David Chen. Professor Chen passed away on May 28, 2009 at OSU's Ross Heart Hospital. He is remembered with great fondness by the staff, faculty, and former students of the Dept. of East Asian Languages and Literatures at The Ohio State University. He was one of the founding members of our Department and was regarded by all as an inspirational teacher, a fine colleague, and a good friend.

Professor Chen received his BA from National Taiwan University, his MA from Southern Illinois University and his PhD from Indiana University. He came to OSU in 1967 after teaching at Stanford and Yale. He is the one first teachers nationally in a department of Asian languages and literature to have a degree in comparative literature. We can all speak to his vast knowledge of Chinese literature and especially Chinese drama and theater, but he was equally cultured in his knowledge of western literature and drama. He established the strong tradition our Department has in the promotion of Asian performing arts. I still remember how crowded our main office was with the costumes and stage settings of Chinese opera.

Professor Chen's research interests were wide-ranging. I believe he was a pioneer in introducing Lu Xun's poetry to an English-speaking public. But he seems to have been equally at home in classical literature and modern literature. He taught courses on Chinese opera and other theatrical forms, and he was responsible for collecting the Chinese opera costumes and musical instruments our department has today and which continue to be utilized by Prof. Marjorie Chan, who continues offering a course in Chinese opera.

Professor Chen was a dedicated and inspiring teacher. Undergraduates routinely praised his deep knowledge of his subject, how much they learned from him, and his availability to help when needed. His courses for undergraduates were among the most popular offered by our department. Professor Chen devoted a great deal of time and effort to teaching and guiding his graduate students to successful careers. The tributes sent in and collected by Dr. Minru Li are representative of the devotion paid to him by his colleagues, friends, and students

Professor Chen retired in 1994, and I came here in 1989. I was in Japan during his last years of teaching, and so I did not know him well. However, I always found him to be kind and generous. In departmental matters, he was never petty or jealous. One must recognize him as one of the few who planted the seeds of and nurtured East Asian Studies at OSU at a time when OSU constituted infertile, rocky soil for the growth that later developed. I heard of his passing with regret.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures and the Institute of Chinese Studies are sponsoring this event and we will establish a website where remembrances will be posted. We will also establish a memorial fund in his name. More on this to come.

Richard Torrance
Acting Chair
East Asian Languages and Literatures

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II. Testimonials

From Mrs. Chen

Dear Friends,

David, my husband of over thirty two years, passed away on Thursday, May 28. Until this day, I still cannot accept and live with this tragedy.

David had an open heart surgery on Feb. 23. The surgery took a heavy toll on him and the recovery was slow. On April 24, an accident happened in the hospital: he vomited and choked and food got into his breathing system and into his lungs. As a result, he developed aspiration pneumonia and suffered a sepsis shock. Then his blood was infected and no matter how hard he fought for his life, he was not able to pull himself through. In the past, he had fought and won many major battles against illness. He survived a kidney transplantation in January 1991 and his transplanted kidney was doing well till the last moment of his life. He survived lymphoma with minimum effort. He has successfully handled scoliosis and consistent back pain with dignity and perseverance. This time, he lost his life because of an accident. It's hard for me to accept it.

David and I met in 1965 in New Haven while he was teaching at Yale and I was about to complete my PhD. dissertation. I heard about him through a couple of his students talking about what a captivating lecturer and great scholar he was. Years later when I met him again while he was teaching at OSU, we became close friends and I got to know him very well. We were married on January 1, 1977. My life has changed ever since.

David is a proud man with a wide range of varied interests and multiple talents. He is interested and knowledgeable in so many different aspects of Chinese traditional culture, literature, and arts. He is well versed in both Chinese and Western poetic traditions.

He was a collector of Chinese antiques, an accomplished poet, and an amateur Chinese opera singer, etc. With a man like that, life for me has been very fulfilling and colorful.

David is a generous and noble man. When we were first married, I found that he had no savings at all. That's very unusual. I asked him jokingly, "You married me for my money?" It turned out that he used all of his savings to help a friend in financial trouble. Although the friend has never paid him back, they remain good friends for life.

David is a perfectionist. He has finished the translation of Yu Da Fu's Chinese poems into English poems in such a way that not only does each translated poem rhyme, but also all lines in it are equal length, just like its Chinese counterpart. In addition, these are accomplished without compromising the authenticity or the poetic style of the original piece. It is a forbidding task. But he did finish the translation. However, the notes have yet to be finalized. I regret that he left his favorite book project unfinished.

David is a man of principal, a man with a pure and kind heart. We trusted each other with our lives. He is a devoted husband and gracefully tolerated many of my shortcomings. Moreover, he is a dotting father whose love for our daughter Biru is just beyond words and Biru could clearly feel it ever since she was a little baby. Now Biru and I have lost him, and we realize how much we love him, how much we need him, how much we miss him, and how much we want him back.

Of course he won't come back to life and we have to go on. David, if you can hear me, please rest in peace. Please don't worry about us, we will be brave for you, we'll be all right. Just please take good care of yourself.

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From Dr. Minru Li
In Memorial of Professor Chen

I am lucky to have been a student of Professor Chen since 1987. Except six years when I worked at University of Auckland, New Zealand, I have stayed in Columbus for more than 16 years and had chances to visit him, talk with him and learn from him even after I graduated from OSU. To me, he was not only a devoted mentor, a source of knowledge and inspiration, but also a father figure, giving me his love, instructions, and guidance in my life. I admire his profound and broad knowledge of Chinese literature, his love of poetry and his open-minded attitude toward other literatures and cultures. From him I learned and understood what it means to be an extraordinary man of letters, a true scholar and a man of love.

His profound and broad knowledge of Chinese poetry and culture was reflected in his teaching. When he talked about Chinese poetry, he didn't need to look at any text, but he merely recited poems from memory, adding insightful comments here and there and quotations from both Chinese and Western poetries. His lectures brought me into a remarkable artistic world, and sometimes both teacher and students didn't realize how time flew by, so rapt was our attention to the subjects at hand. It was an enjoyable but challenging experience to me, and, I believe, to many his students as well. Sometimes, he asked us questions: to identify source of an allusion, or to define a term. In most cases, his questions were not easy to answer. However, such questions stimulated us to pursue further knowledge.

Professor Chen's admirable knowledge is due, partially, to his family background. His father was a well-known professor of English at a university in Henan with solid training in Chinese Classics and literature. During the Anti-Japanese War, Professor Chen told me, when they were forced to stay in the countryside, they didn't take any books with them. Therefore his father wrote down Classics from memory for Prof. Chen to study. Professor Chen loved reading and his memory was extraordinary: "过目不忘 remembering what he read." Thus he got the fame of being a "神童 genius child." Although he didn't have a formal education at high school, he was accepted by Taiwan University with equal qualifications. At Taiwan University, he once won a championship of composition competition. And one year he was also selected as one of Ten Most Outstanding Youths in Taiwan.

What makes Professor Chen outstanding is also his method of teaching. With deep understanding of Chinese culture, he emphasized the importance of practice. I remember that in his poetry class, he required us to compose poems in classical style and in his class of Chinese opera, he took the costumes of Peking Opera to the classroom, instructed us how to wear them and how to perform the roles. He believed that the best way to understand literature is to do it yourself. He was talented in various genres of Chinese literature: poem, poetic couplets, riddles, and drama. He had been an enthusiastic amateur of Peking Opera since he was seven years old. He was also an expert in Taiji quan, and was even a tutor of it. He practiced Confucian instruction: "游于艺 swimming in arts." He lived and swam in the world of arts all his life, and asked his students to jump into water, too: to taste the beauty of literature and to learn it themselves, not to do analysis without practicing it.

Under his guidance, I gradually learned how to compose poetic couplets. Many years after I graduated and he was retired from OSU, I still called him and shared with him whenever I drafted some couplets or had some readings in literature. He was always happy to edit my draft and to discuss with me. He called me to his place and explained in details why he suggested making such changes. Every time I went to his place, it seemed that I went back to old days in his classroom. One night we even talked until 4:00 a.m. the next morning. What a happy and enjoyable time!

Words fail me to describe his love to me and other students. When I worked on my dissertation, his health was very poor, and he just had an operation of kidney transplant. Moreover, his eyes were almost blind. Under such a difficult situation, he didn't give up his duty: he used a magnifier to read my 300 page draft, word by word and line by line, making a good number of comments, changes, and marks on the paper. I was deeply moved by the great efforts he contributed to my dissertation. Furthermore, his care extended to my family. My son's name (李翰，字君藻, Hans Li, style name Junzao), was given by him. Every time he saw me, he always asked me about Han's study. On last Wednesday evening, he even entered my son's dream and told him to study hard. That was the night when Prof. Chen passed away!

Prof. Chen had many students who are doing great works in the field. At the moment, W. L. Wong is in Taiwan, Yanfang Tang in Beijing. Some are in California, New York, and other states. They regret that they won't be able to come, but their hearts are here to be with us and with Prof. Chen.

Let me read a few lines from Dr. Wong's letter: "I am profoundly saddened to note the passing of my dearest teacher Professor David Y. Ch'en. Prof. Ch'en was a devoted teacher well versed in both the Chinese and Western poetic traditions and a very fine poet himself. I was enlightened in many aspects while being a graduate student at OSU."

Tang Yanfang said: "While away from him, I thought about Chen Xiansheng quite often, the most recent time was, to be honest, before I opened my email a few minutes ago as I was lying awake in bed under the influence of jet lag. I was wondering how he was doing, if Ruru was home with him and Shimu for the summer, etc. I can't find words to express my sadness over the loss of such a great mentor, friend and erudite scholar."

Today it is a sunny day. I hope Prof. Chen's life in Heaven is as bright and peaceful as the very sun that shines on us today.

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From Mark Bender
To Professor David Chen

I believe I met, or at least became aware of Prof. David Chen in the autumn of 1975, when I began taking Chinese courses in DEALL. DEALL was a much different place then – still a relatively new department and populated by a colorful host of young professors that included not only Prof. Chen, but his colleagues, Frank Hsueh, Lao Yan-shuan, Nora Ching, and the late Eugene Ching. All of the Chinese professors had come to the US sometime in the 1960s or early 1970s and were of that generation of scholars who still bore the imprint of a classical education. Calligraphy, painting, poetry, music, and language were embodied by all these professors. Students were very few, as studying Chinese was still considered a questionable if not unrealistic career choice.

Of this group of pioneering DEALL professors, David Chen in particular communicated to his students a sensibility towards poetry, art, and drama that had to be experienced to be appreciated. Prof. Chen felt the poems he recited by heart to us – and by his mode of enactment created a context of understanding that was far beyond a cerebral appreciation. Prof. Chen felt the poems with all his being, and drew his students into the worlds of the poems by helping them nurture those feelings in themselves.

One lecture I remember well reflected something of Prof Chen's passion for poetry and the sort of eye he brought to the world. He was speaking on the Chinese poet's perceptions of nature. Somehow the lecture drifted to the topic of his personal writing of poetry. He began to tell of his own experiences – one of these was about a trip he made not long after his arrival to the US – to the Pacific Northwest. He told of visiting a series of waterfalls along the Columbia River in northern Oregon. The trip had inspired him to write a series of poems – and I believe he was fascinated that the natural topography of the region could stimulate him to write in ways that poets before him were inspired by the landscapes of China.

A vision of Prof. Chen encountering the waterfalls formed in my mind – but it was not until last summer the summer of 2008 -- which my family and I visited what I believe were the same waterfalls cascading off the high banks of the Columbia River Gorge – with names like Bridal Veil, Fairy, and Horsetail. When I walked the trails up through the ferns and cedar trunks, I suddenly recalled that lecture so long ago and the personal anecdote that Prof. Chen shared with the class. And it made my encounter with the glories of the waterfalls all that more significant – for I came to more fully understand how Professor Chen had planted the seeds of insight into a different way of feeling and approaching poetry in at least one of his students.

I feel honored and blessed to be among those who had Prof. Chen as a teacher.

Thank you.

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From Steve Knicely

I met Prof. Chen in the spring of my first year as a graduate student here when I took his Survey of Chinese literature course. I was impressed with his extensive knowledge of the subject, especially the classics, and with his approach to teaching, which was at once informative and entertaining. I wrote a paper for the course on some obscure aspect of the Shi Jing, and, since it was time to settle on a thesis topic, asked Prof Chen if I could expand my paper into a thesis under his guidance. He graciously agreed.

The following year, with much help from Prof. Chen, I ground out my magnum opus, defended it, and graduated. I was flattered when he suggested I go on for a PhD, but by then I had decided there were other things to do in life, and I set out to do those other things. Of course, I ended up back here. Prof. Chen retired not long after and I had little contact with him.

I was then pleasantly surprised when Prof. Chen invited a couple of his former students, myself included, to dinner one evening last year. We met at a restaurant and I mostly listened as he and Li Minru discussed some of the more recondite points of Chinese language and literature. After dinner we were invited to the Chen's home for dessert. Those of you who have been there know that their home is extensively decorated with Chinese works of art—calligraphy, painting, porcelain and so forth. Again, there was more conversation on things Chinese, along with entertaining tales of how some of the pieces in his collection had been acquired.

In my current daily routine of emails to deal with, forms to sign, grades to record, etc., it is entirely too easy to develop a relatively narrow perspective. That evening at the Chens' home, in that atmosphere of erudition and art, good food and pleasant company, I was reminded of why I had committed to Chinese as a career in the first place: While the rich material and intellectual cultures of China and its lengthy and well-documented history were important factors, I committed to Chinese mostly because of people like Professor Chen. Even though his expertise in his field was vast, he was never condescending or impatient no matter how I showed my ignorance; on the contrary, he was always accessible, encouraging and helpful. It was an indication of his exemplary character that he would remember a former student whose scholarly achievements fell far short of his own and to invite that former student to dinner. It was both an education and a pleasure to study under him and to know him, and I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity.

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From Siu-Leung Lee
In Memory of Professor Chen Ying

In Chinese tradition, someone passing away after 80 is treated as a celebration. So, I think I will live by that advice in the following recollection of my impression of David， Professor Chen Ying.

I knew David when Julie moved from Buffalo to Columbus to join him. We had a dinner at our house. Biru was a little girl quietly sitting, almost invisibly, in our sofa oversized for her. She is now a beautiful lady on her path to a great lawyer.

The Chinese faculty at OSU is a small group, quite unique of its kind. As a scientist with strong interest in Chinese culture, I am lucky to know quite a few here, that are some of the best in the nation. That includes David.

Trained in the traditional Chinese tutorial school, he can recite from his impeccable memory any poem or essay you know. A simple quotation to him may spark off a full-day lecture. So be careful of what you ask and make sure you have taken a biological break first. For in the next two hours or until he tires himself out physically, but far from mentally, you will be on the receiving end of amazing stories in Chinese classics, one after another.

If I ever was a piece of literature, I would never like to be authored by David. He is a obsessively meticulous perfectionist. His publication is under his own merciless scrutiny. It would be painfully tortured with red ink remarks on top of each other, only legible to himself.

At the New Year Eve dinner last year, he told me that he had translated some of the English poems into Chinese - or may be the other way around, I can't remember since it was after quite a few drinks. But it really makes no difference one way or another. He did it not only with correct rhyming within the translated version, it also rhymes with the original poem, whatever language it was in! Furthermore, the number of words is exactly the same with the original. Now that is translation at the pinnacle! I can't think of any one in history of literature ever attempted doing that. People are considered highly commendable to be able to translate any classical poem correctly, with rhyme or not.

I happen to share with him some interest about the earliest migration of Chinese Daoist monk Xu Fu who brought Chinese culture to Japan in Qin dynasty 2000 years ago. David told me that he has written a paper about it, but I have yet to have the honor to see any part of the manuscript.

David must have left a treasure of many unfinished works. Whoever compiles them will be blessed with a discovery, only Christopher Columbus can match.

Without regret, David has lived a rich life among two cultures as we are all lucky to share.

Rest in peace, David.

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From Biru Chen
For My Dad

August 11, 1987 was the best day of my life. It was the day that my dad became my dad, and I became the luckiest girl in the world. That summer in Shanghai, one of the hottest summers ever recorded, my parents adopted me and brought me home. I instantly became a daddy's girl and from day one, my dad gave his heart and his love to me. He loved me more than anything in this world, and this unconditional love is what gave me the strength and self-esteem I have today. I learned so much from you, Dad, and I hope you rest assured that these lessons will stay with me the rest of my life until we meet again.

My dad taught me to treasure time. Until I was 10 years old, my mom and I commuted back and forth from NY to Ohio. The times I spent with him were always filled with joy. One of my earliest memories of him was when I was about 2 years old, held in his arms and watching ducks waddle and play along the lake by our house. I also remember playing "Qi Ma Duen" on his lap and laughing so hard I would fall off. After every summer, after every break, I remember crying uncontrollably in the car as my mom and I drove away from my dad and back to NY. Although it would be only a few weeks or months before we were together again, in my toddler mindset, it was an eternity. I learned that time is sacred yet unforgiving, but I know he wanted us to enjoy every second together. I know that he lived every moment to the fullest, and despite the many hardships and obstacles he had to overcome in recent years, he never lamented his fate. Dad, there are so many things I wish I had more time to do with you, or say to you. These last three months were precious. I'm so glad I came home to be with you, and while there will always be things I wish I would have done differently, or done more of, I hope you know that I love you and every moment we spent together is a moment I cherish. Time is both kind and cruel. I am left with so many great memories of the past when time seemed to be endless and infinite. But when you passed, I kept my left hand on your head as long as I could, trying to cement the memory of your warmth into me. I just wanted a little more time.

My dad taught me responsibility. He never had to sit me down and tell me why it is important to be responsible. Instead, he led by example and I knew he was someone I know I can forever depend on. Ever since 4th grade he made sure I got up every morning to go to school. It didn't matter how late he stayed up the night before, or if he felt sick that morning – at 7:00AM sharp, he would be at my room gently nudging me awake. I would then lazily stick my arm out, with my fingers open wide, "FIVE MORE MINUTES". At 7:05AM sharp, the process would repeat itself. It usually wasn't until 7:15, or even 7:30 on bad days, that I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed. By the time I made it downstairs, he was sitting patiently by the door with his jacket on, ready to take me to school. By high school when he could no longer drive, this ritual continued as he ushered me out the door to my carpool. I wonder now what he did during those five minute time intervals. I would give anything to spend just five more minutes with him.

My dad taught me to find the good in everything. We are a small family, and we often expressed our love through food. I'm so thankful that we ate together around the dinner table every night until I went off to college. Also, every holiday and every new year, we would spend together enjoying "huo guo", hot pot. Many memories were crafted around the dinner table, and my dad enjoyed every meal, every bite, to the fullest. It didn't matter if we were eating the most delicious delicacies, or some leftovers, he loved it all. These last couple of years, he always talked about how lucky he was to still have strong, healthy teeth and a great appetite. This is why it is so tragic that he wasn't able to eat much these last three months. The last meal he truly enjoyed was dinner the night before his heart surgery on Feb. 22nd. It was hospital food, a plain hamburger on a white bun, with green beans. By most standards, it would not be the cuisine of choice. But oh, he loved that meal. For him that night, it was as if it was the best meal he's ever had. His appetite was great, as it always had been, and he relished every bite of that hamburger. I sat right in front of him, across the hospital tray, and watched as he bit, chewed, and swallowed every bite. I remember thinking to myself, this is a man who truly knows how to find the best in everything. At the time, I was consumed with fear from his heart surgery scheduled for the next morning, and I was afraid it would be the last time I could see him eat. Fortunately, it wasn't his last meal, but it was the last time he would be able to enjoy food. I miss your presence at the head of the table, dad.

I am the only person in the world who is lucky enough to call you dad. It humbles me to see how many people respect and love you, and my memories of you will keep me warm and loved the rest of my life.

I don't want to say goodbye. So, I'm not going to. I just want you to know that you will forever be in my heart, and I will always feel safe with you watching over me. For the rest of my life, I will smile every day at memories of you which fill my every waking moment. You made me who I am today, and I'm so proud to call you dad. See you later, Dad. Until then, enjoy yourself. You deserve it.

Memorial Youtube link

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III. Condolences

From Professor Lao
We are gathered here to celebrate Chen Ying's life, not to mourn his passing.

As I have already distilled in words some of his poetic and literary attainments elsewhere, I only wish to touch upon very briefly the aspect of how he lived his life.

He was a complex and multifaceted person. Therefore, it is next to impossible to do justice depicting him in verbal terms. As we know, pursuant to the thought of 莊子, 陶淵明 had kept a string-less lute--because it is perceived that by playing some specific musical notes, others were left out; hence, the results are fragmentary. Similarly, if we single out a certain anecdotes of Chen Ying, they can never present a whole picture of him. Still, it makes no sense just sitting here, meditating in abstraction. For this reason, I shall select some concrete events to illustrate Chen Ying as a person.

Above all, he loved life and lived it almost to the full hilt. His special fondness of the fermented and distilled liquid underscored this. No doubt, he followed the examples of 陶淵明 and 李白. In the words of the former, "Profound meaning is imbued in wine!"(『酒中有深味！』) If one wishes to understand the kind of sentiment further, one can start with Tao's "Twenty Poems on Drinking Wines" (飲酒二十首). Indeed, for the traditional Chinese literati, drinking is an integral part of enjoying life. At certain times in Chen Ying's life though, due to health considerations, friends tried to dissuade him from drinking by not providing alcohol in their homes. On those occasions, he would head directly to the cupboard and looked for cooking wine on his own. More than anything else, we all thought that was an expression of true friendship.

His love of gastronomy was legendary. He was a good cook in both theory and practice—but more in theory. Consequently, he loved good restaurants and good cooking. We remembered vividly and with fondness that in the summer of 1961, right after our marriage, we went to Palo Alto to teach summer school at Stanford. Chen Ying was a colleague there. Naturally, we had many a get-together with him. Several times that summer, he would be biking to our apartment with a chicken in the bike-basket for my wife to deep fry. Even now, I see in my mind's eye distinctly our enjoyment and laughter which we shared then.

I dare say that he was the only Chinese intellectual in my generation who not only had an unremitting love for automobiles but also had the guts to drive a sports car, wearing driving gloves and goggles, no less. Surely, this is an indication that he wanted to have a taste in most of the good things that life has to offer.

He was very artistic. In addition to his accomplishments in Chinese literature, he delved deeply in fine arts. His art collection is quite sizable. For such purposes, he regularly frequented antique shows to look for objets d'art. Benefited from the ignorance of the American public, he often found things of genuine value at bargain prices. I possess an 宜興紫沙茶壺 which he gave me as a gift. Compared with contemporary crops, its glaze and craftsmanship are truly superb. This is but one example of his artistic bend and his meticulousness.

The old practice in the exchange of poems by matching rhyming (唱和) was enjoyed by us tremendously. With Professor Yu Ying-shih (余英時), the three of us had done it many times. The most memorable occasion was some thirty years ago when Mao Zedong died in 1976. Prof. Yu composed a 七律, which was later published in 《明報月刊》. Chen Ying and I both wrote one, matching Yu's rhyming. We all used Mao's own vocabulary and then turned around to ridicule him. It was most satisfying.

Ah, those were the "good old days" for us to cherish forever.

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From Professor Chang Hao

驚聞穎士兄仙逝，不勝悲痛。穎士兄學貫中西，詩才超逸，
士林共仰。今日駕鶴西去，實學界與詩壇之莫大損失，特此
致悼。固不只為我們私誼擧哀也。

張灝，廖融融 仝上

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From Professor Galal Walker

Like everyone who spent time in DEALL, I learned a lot from David Chen. He was the person who seemed able to answer any question about the significance of a line of poetry or the meaning of a passage that escaped lesser readers. I treasure the time when our department was home to such a gifted keeper of the Chinese textual tradition.

However, David provided my finest lesson about teaching--one that I think about nearly everyday. Early in my career a student was complaining about David's class. When I asked the student if he learned anything in the class, he said that he learned a great amount about the subject. Then he blurted out: "But I had to learn most of it on my own!" I thought about the student's complaint for a short time and decided that was a complaint that I wanted my students to make about me. I have been working on this goal for about two decades.

After that whenever David came to mind, I recalled the phrase from the Daodejing that described this student and maybe David's intention:

我自然。

I am sorry that I cannot be in Columbus to join everyone in honoring the life of David Y. Chen. My thoughts are with his family, his students, and his friends around the world.

Galal Walker

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From Professor Mari Noda

Dear Julie and Biru,

I just learned from Li Minru of David's passing. I am very saddened by the news. David had a number of excellent graduate students at DEALL, and many of them are now doing important works in the field, carrying the intellectual torch that David ignited in them.

With my deepest condolences to you,

Mari Noda

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From Professor Tim Wong

Dear Minru,

Thank you for notifying me of Dr. David Chen's passing. As you know, he should be considered a member of DEALL's founding faculty and helped begin the department as you know it today. He was indeed a fine colleague to me when I joined the Department in the fall of 1985, and you can number me among those who retain pleasant memories of him.

Tim Wong

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From Professor James Tai

Dear Minru,

I'm shocked and saddened by the news.
I'm sorry that I won't be able to attend the memorial service.
Margie Chan will have the flowers service send a basket of flowers on behalf of both of us to the memorial service.

Dr. David Chen was my xuezhang many years ahead of me from the same department of foreign languages and literature at National Taiwan University.
During my services at OSU, he was a congenial and inspiring colleague to all of us who joined the department in different periods of time. Last May, I had chance to chat with him at your house when I went back to OSU for NACCL-20.

Would you please convey my deepest condolences to the Chen family.

Best wishes,

Hao-yi

James Hao-Y Tai
Chair Professor
Institute of Linguistics
National Chung Cheng University

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From Dr. W. L. Wong
Dear Mrs. Chen, Biru and Minru,

I am profoundly saddened to note the passing of my dearest teacher Professor David Y. Chen. Prof. Chen was a devoted teacher well versed in both the Chinese and Western poetic traditions and a very fine poet himself. I was enlightened in many aspects while being a graduate student at OSU. This has been acknowledged in my familiar essay entitled "Yi yan yi yu si qingnian" and other writings.

It was indeed an omen that this afternoon (Taiwan time) when I was gathering my published articles together and editing them on my computer I paid special attention to the essay I just mentioned, trying to correct some misprints. After long hours of work, I got tired and took a nap. I suddenly woke up and went to my computer, only to discover in the emails the above bad news.

I knew very well that Prof. Chen had not enjoyed very good health in the past years. I should have called Mrs. Chen more often, sending my regards. I thought that when the ci poems by Prof. Chen came out in the magazines in HK and Taipei (I had sent them for publication) I would call Mrs. Chen and send out the publications. The magazines containing those ci poems have not come out yet. Under these circumstances I missed the opportunities of calling Mrs. Chen, sharing spiritually the burden of looking after Prof. Chen.

I was also thinking of helping Prof. Chen edit his own poetic works and his translation of works by other poets, e.g., Yu Dafu, for the purpose of printing them in a volume or two. But this has become all too late.

Grief fell upon me. I am now sending my condolences to Mrs. Chen, Biru and his other beloved. If I can help in anyway please let me know.

What remains to be said is that perhaps today is a good day for Prof. Chen to rise from the mundane world to Heaven. Today is the day of the Duanwu Festival. The patriotic poet Qu Yuan, according to legends, died on this day. Prof. Chen, while in Heaven, would certainly find Qu Yuan and Li He, et al, good companions in the refined art of poetry.

Please take good care of yourselves.

Very Sincerely Yours,
WL
May 28, 2009

---

From Dr. Yanfang Tang
Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:32 PM

I just arrived in Beijing to direct the W&M summer program yesterday. While away from him, I thought about Chen Xiansheng quite often, the most recent time was, to be honest, before I opened my email a few minutes ago as I was lying awake in bed under the influence of jet lag. I was wondering how he was doing, if Ruru was home with him and Shimu for the summer, etc.

I can't find words to express my sadness over the loss of such a great mentor, friend and erudite scholar. I am also extremely regretful that I didn't take time to go to Columbus to visit him, something I always wanted to do lately but didn't. It is one of those regrets that I have to live with for the rest of my life. My heart is with Shimu and Ruru. Ron, my husband, also sends his deepest condolences. May Chen Xiansheng rest in peace with love and the fondest memory from all of us.

Yanfang

---

From Dr. Minru Li

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From Dr. Wenze Hu
Thursday, May 28, 2009 6:09 PM

Dear All,

I was greatly shocked to learn that Professor Chen passed away. It is a great loss to the OSU East Asian community. He was a great professor and so kind to me. I just want to express my deepest condolence to his family.

Wenze Hu

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From Dr. Gang Xu
Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:33 PM

No words can express my deepest sadness over Chen Xiansheng's passing. For so many years we studied under his caring guidance and for so many times we partied in his welcoming houses, with Shimu and Biru - and it feels like these all just happened yesterday. Chen Xiansheng was a great teacher, extraordinary scholar, and a genuine man of letters. He will be missed and remembered by all of us.

Xu Gang

---

From Dr. Dajiang He
Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:43 AM

As all of us who have known Chen xiansheng and studied under him for many years, I received the news of Dr. Chen's passing with deep sadness and profound helplessness.

It is hard to express the feelings and thought in words. Dr. Chen is the flower of a scholar in traditional Chinese poetry and poetics. He undoubtedly belong to a very small group of people in the entire world, who have deep understanding of Chinese culture and mastered the art of writing beautiful poems in Classical Chinese with ease. Not only that, his scholarship embodies a rare combination of immense knowledge of histories and literatures of both the East and the West. In a career that lasted several decades, he trained and nurtured generations of scholars. I vividly remember the many classes I took with him: He was eloquent, passionate, and full of insights. It is real joy sitting in his class, and I believe anyone who has taken his class can testify that.

It is true that due to reasons we know and don't know, including his health conditions, he did not produce the amount of work compatible with what he is capable of doing. But who is to say that that is regretful? He enjoyed what he did, and that is a life well led...
Chen xiansheng now is resting in peace, but the memories of him will live in our mind forever...

Dajiang

---

From Dr. S. Lee
Thursday, May 28, 2009 12:08 PM

I am shocked and saddened by the sudden pass on of David. We were still having a good time at the New Year party. He was at his best time for years I saw him. I tried to contact Hao and JJ Chang, but they are not available yet. If there is anything Theresa and I can do to help, please don't hesitate to let us know.

With our deepest condolence to Julie and Biru,

SL and Theresa

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From Dr. Di Bai
Friday, May 29, 2009 10:56 PM

Hi, Minru,

I am really saddened by hearing the news and regretted that I did not go to see him last time I was in Columbus OH. I came back from a business trip to Ghana Africa yesterday and will leave for China tomorrow. So I will not be at his funeral but would like to find a way to express my condolences. Count me in if you think of contributing something to the funeral or the family. I will send you a check when I come back from China at the end of July--I may go to visit Columbus.

All in all, life is very brief. While you have it, you should make a good use of it. I absolutely feel that Professor Chen made his life very much worthy by nurturing and influencing so many people.

Take care and thank you for informing me...

Bai Di

---

From Gene Ko
Monday, June 1, 2009 5:25 PM

Dear Julie 震東,

Yesterday I was shocked to learn that your beloved husband Dr. David Y. Chen, one of the greatest Educator, Gentleman and Chinese Scholar has returned to the nature peacefully! I truly lost one of my great friends in this world?! Please accept our, Grace, Gene, Judy, David and Jackson, condolences to you, and your family with the deepest sympathy.

Gene Ko
June 1, 2009

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From Dr. Sue-mei Wu and Mark Haney
Monday, June 1, 2009 7:07 PM

Dear Professor Chen:

You are a wonderful and inspiring teacher who was always excited about teaching us. You liked to ask us questions in class and then wait patiently for any of us to respond. Whenever and whatever we responded, you always provided insights and guided us on how to appreciate the masterpieces and hidden gems of literature. We always walked out of the classroom with smiles and satisfaction. We are very fortunate to be your students. One time, you asked us to help organize the folders in your computer, and then you were so appreciative for this little bit of help.

We were so happy to see you and your family at the DEALL reunion party at the NACCL-20 conference last Spring. You looked good and younger. So, we are shocked that you are saying "goodbye" to us at this time…

You are truly a wonderful scholar and a great teacher. You have helped us and provided us with great memories of our time in the OSU DEALL. We will miss you and you will be always a part of our good memories. May God bless you and your family.

Farewell, our wonderful and inspiring teacher.

Your former students at DEALL, OSU

Sue-mei Wu & Mark Haney

---

From the Guyker family:
Monday, June 1, 2009 11:26 PM

It was with great sorrow that we learned of the passing of David, and our deepest sympathy rests especially with Julie and Biru at this so difficult time. David was a wonderfully warm, wise, kind person and a great scholar and teacher. It was truly a joy and blessing to know him and he will be dearly missed.

With love,
Jim, Ruth, Amy and Wendy Guyker

---

From Ms. Zhizhang Li:
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 12:26 AM

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From Ms. Alice Lee
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 7:23 AM

600 Rainbow Dr. APT 160
Mountain View, CA 94041

June 1, 2009

To my dear friend Biru,

I am writing to extend my deepest sympathies to you and your mom. I was so very sad to hear about the recent passing of a loving father and husband -- he was such a wonderful man, and as much a part of my life as my best childhood friend's. My brother and parents also send their thoughts and prayers to you at this difficult time.

Although I didn't know your dad that well, on the dozen or so occasions that I spent time in his company over the past 20 years I've known you, I came to realize his great kindness and compassion towards those around him: I will surely miss his amicable presence at our next reunion "sleepover".

I had the greatest respect for your Dad and will miss his gentle and generous nature, but I'm glad I had the honor and the pleasure to know him. I know he was very highly respected throughout this community and profession, and his good work changed the lives of many. You were truly fortunate to have such a man as a model in your life.

I realize that no comfort is quite enough to replace the loss, so please let me know whether there is anything I can do to help. You and your mom are in my daily thoughts and prayers.

Please pass my condolences on to the rest of the extended family.

Very sincerely,

Alice
Stanford University
Human Biology

---

From Ms. Huiling Chen
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 10:52 AM

懷念陳穎教授
和陳穎教授結緣十多年前，記得當時伴同一位因世界日報採訪工作認識的梅花獎得
主劉靜女士向陳穎教授請益，陳教授在談話中的博學多聞與對人親切，讓人印象深
刻。還記得辭別陳教授之後，由北京到俄亥俄州立大學演講並曾多次出國演出的劉
靜談及對陳穎教授的敬佩，她指出像這樣貫穿中西、博古通今的學者並不多見，也
感慨他因身體不好，許多手稿未能整理出版，否則受益的人定能大為增加。
其後因和陳教授夫人劉曉東姊同是哥城華人合唱團團友，不時有機會見到陳教授，
聽他談詩論藝，每有所得，感佩於心。如今聽聞陳教授辭世不勝唏噓，盼曉東姊與
Biru 節哀，也盼望能有門生故舊將陳穎教授的文稿詩作整理出版，讓親友能從字里
行間的智慧機鋒追思他，更能造福更多文人後學，以慰陳教授在天之靈。
(陳慧玲寫於南卡)

---

From Dr. Nick Kaldis
Tuesday, June 02, 2009 2:48 PM

Dear Kirk,

Please extend my condolences to David's family; let them know that he was an inspiration and mentor to me and his memory and scholarly excellence live on in my life and work, as both personal and professional models which I do my best to emulate.

In sorrow,

Nick

---

IV. Article

一言一語思青年
─ ─和陳穎先生的師生文學因緣

黄維樑

整理書刊文稿時，在故紙堆中發現了古董，屬於我個人的，一是一九七五年一
本文學雜誌的若干篇頁影印本；一是年代更早，一九六五年一篇老師論文的抽印
本，贈給我的。〈文學批評界的新銳〉一文，介紹八個批評界的新秀，我是其一。
這篇文章刊在《幼獅文藝》，是二十九年前的“故事”了。〈新銳〉一文介紹我
時，特別提到我在《幼獅文藝》該年六、七、八月號連載的文章〈歐立德(艾略特)
和中國現代詩學〉。七十年代──正確地說是上個世紀七十年代──我尚在美國求
學時，投寄《幼獅文藝》的文章，蒙當時的主編瘂弦先生錄用，刊登了。文章長近
二萬言，三期的連載附了多幅插圖，我這個青年就這樣氣派不小地初次和台灣的文
學界見面。為什麼投給《幼獅文藝》呢？那是因為老師陳穎教授的鼓勵。陳師字穎
士。

穎士師在一次上課時說：台北《幼獅文藝》主編瘂弦廣徵稿件，把觸角伸向美
國的華人學術界，“你們可嘗試投稿！”我遵命，把學與思的心得記錄成文，投向
文風素來旺盛的寶島。那時沒有傳真，更没有電郵；不過，七四七航機時速數百英
里，稿件投過去，印著拙作的雜誌寄過來，不算“易妙”(email)，但跨越太平洋的
air mail，其快速也著實使人“愛爾妙”。

穎士師一生愛文字的奇妙、美妙。得他鼓勵投寄的那篇文章題目中的“歐立
德”或“艾略特”，英文名字是T.S.Eliot。Eliot是英美詩宗，不是華夏文士；穎士
師把其姓氏中譯為“耶律雅德”，真是雅譯，而且，好像是要和錢鍾書的惡作劇式
翻譯“愛利惡德”對著幹──至少是開玩笑──似的。我差點兒用了穎士師的雅
譯。我之開始較為深入地認識艾略特，進而探究他對中國二十世紀詩歌理論、批評
的影響，乃受了穎士師的啟發。

在俄亥俄州立大學讀書，英文系的教授講英詩時，兼顧種種派別和詩作，我當
然獲益良多；在東亞系上穎士師的課，他擇其喜愛、最愛、偏愛者而講、而精講，
學生所得者乃深，所受的影響乃大。穎士師講艾略特的objective correlative時，引了
中西眾多詩篇為例，說明詩藝中“要用形像語言，不要抽象地直接表白情意”的普
遍性道理，他講得真精彩。穎士師開壇說詩，他是把艾略特、新批評、杜甫、李
賀、錢鍾書匯通地(錢鍾書則用“打通”一詞)相提並論的，不愧比較文學學者的本
色。

穎士師的腦海中盡是詩歌的形象語言：“崑山玉碎鳳凰叫，芙蓉泣露香蘭
笑”、“女媧煉石補天處，石破天驚逗秋雨”、“黑雲壓城城欲摧，甲光向日金鱗
開”……光是李賀的詩句，已夠振聾啓聵了。我們在歌城(即俄亥俄州首府哥倫布
Columbus市)俄大校園的昆士樓(Cunz Hall)上課，穎士師每次開壇，都傾心傾力把所
積累的學識相授。有時下課的鈴聲已響，而他言猶未盡，同窗中有人不免就望窗焦
慮。那時烏雲密布，一場大雨或大雪可能就要降臨，如何是好呢，如何是好呢？李
賀的“黑雲壓城城欲摧”，或者杜甫的“波飄菰米沉雲黑”(〈秋興八首〉)大概是
最恰當的“意之象”了。“意之象”是我對上述艾略特objective correlative一詞的中
譯。

穎士師在中國傳統文學涵泳、學養深湛，深深喜愛這個傳統；對其中的高雅精
美處，最為讚歎。他極愛對聯，以及詩中的對偶旬。他認為這些是“迷你”(mini)
型的詩，是錘煉提煉後的精華。也因此，他常常提到refined、refinement、distilled、
distillation這些字。千錘百煉那些杜甫、李商隱的精美語言，如“叢菊兩開他日
淚，孤舟一繫故園心”、“此日六軍同駐馬，當時七夕笑牽牛”，都是穎士師不止
一次引證的金句。在我認識的師友輩中，台北的張佛千先生(2004年夏天高齡逝
世)、香港的陳耀南先生(數年前移居澳洲)，以及穎士師，最為喜愛這個高雅精巧的
文學傳統。

出色的詩句是提煉出來的；真正有味的飲品，對穎士師來說，也是提煉、釀製
出來的。他不喝葡萄汁，而愛飲由葡萄釀製提煉而成的玉液瓊漿，裡面有葡萄的精
靈魂魄──spirits。人在美國，自然喝洋酒。喝威士忌，我是一份酒三份冰，所謂
on the rocks；穎士師則“直飲”(straight)不加冰。美國總統尼克松一九七二年訪
華，在北京歡飲茅台；自此國酒茅台越洋外銷，在美國各大城的華埠出售。穎士師
他鄉遇國酒，美酒能醉客，不知何處是他鄉了。

開壇講學最好伴以開瓶小酌。偶然，穎士師邀請班上的同學，到他市郊的雅
舍，上小組討論課。盤飧數味，中西美酒一開，老師的繡口也開，談興更濃，同學
的得益也就更多了。於是，李白杜甫長吉義山濟慈耶律雅德的中西詩篇之外，“天
外來客”駕著上帝的戰車(Chariots of the Gods)蒞臨地球的科幻故事也來了。穎士師
一度對Von Daniken的“天外來客”說頗為著迷，有過一番研究，就像四川詩人流
沙河曾對“幽浮”(UFO，即不明飛行物)大感興趣一樣，穎士師把他的所愛集中
(confine)於高雅的文學 (refined literature)，他的想像(imagination)也驅馳於廣闊無邊
(immense)的太空。天外來客，身穿美、蘇太空人那樣笨重的太空衣，坐著“上帝
的戰車”，降落到南美洲。降落地點如飛機場，平坦、有標誌，包括龐大無比的山
石，如指揮台。天外來客從高空俯視地球，為地球繪製地圖，把外星的文明帶給人
類。《聖經》和其他古籍不是記載了人類飛離地球、人類與神靈溝通的事蹟嗎？匪
夷所思、幽邈玄妙的故事，吸引了神思豐盈的學者。穎士師讀李賀的詩篇，“羲和
鞭日琉璃聲，劫灰飛盡古今平”(〈秦王飲酒〉)、“遙望齊州九點煙，一泓海水杯
中瀉”(〈夢天〉)等句，豈不是正有太空的神奇景觀？想像性文藝開拓了我們的心
胸視野，就像濟慈初讀蔡普曼(Chapman)英譯的荷馬史詩一樣，為之驚喜震撼；穎
士師把李賀和濟慈相提並論，其中一個原因是中英這兩個詩人充滿了感性的文學想
像。

李賀與濟慈，不同國家不同時代，卻都貧困染病，遭受不公的對待，且去世時
只得二十六歲。二人窮而詩工，像穎士師所說的，“珠璣隨口，實即血淚盈篇”。
他全面而細密地比較中英兩個詩人生平的血淚，以及他們作品的珠璣，在印第安納
大學完成其論文，取得比較文學博士學位。如果我的見聞無誤，則在台灣大學外文
系畢業後赴美留學的陳穎(David Y.Chen)先生，是一九四九年以來(甚至是有史以來)
在美國獲得比較文學博士的第一個華人。穎士師在斯坦福大學、耶魯大學教過書。
後來到了俄亥俄州立大學。一九七一年我進入俄大東亞系讀研究院時，穎士師到俄
大教書不久，大概是一兩年吧。當年我得到東岸和西岸幾間老資格大學錄取，俄大
也收了我，並且給予我豐厚的獎學金；於是我束裝就道，負笈歌城。那年夏天，我
在紐約向夏志清教授辭行，夏公知道我快到俄大，耳提面命，說陳穎士古典學問極
好，叫我一定要跟他好好讀書。

入學後，李田意、陳穎、勞延煊以及古典系和英文系的多位教授，都惠我教
益，指導我求學門徑。我選修穎士師的課，後來他成為我博士論文的指導教授。五
年間完成了課程和論文的所有要求，取得學位。五年間完業成家，一切都順利。跟
著回到香港教書，翌年出版我的第一本著作。這本名為《中國詩學縱橫論》的文
集，只得三篇文章。第一篇題為〈詩話詞話和印象式批評〉，是我的博士論文的濃
縮版本，也是當年(一九七六年)呼應夏志清、顏元叔兩位教授筆戰的一篇作品。此
文完成後，我投給《中國時報》的高信疆先生，他毫不猶豫，分三天在《人間》版
上連載這近二萬字的學術論文。一九七七年，夏公知道洪範書店決定出版《縱橫
論》，十分高興，藍色的郵簡從紐約飛來，說：我給你這本書寫序！夏公視我如弟
子，不久後，七八千字的長序就寄至台北，冠在書前，且刊於《中國時報》的《人
間》版，題目是〈黃維樑的第一本書〉。我在此書的自序中，向夏公和穎士師等諸
師致謝，感念指導之恩。當然，有限的言辭，表述不了無盡的心意。

畢業後，我與穎士師有好幾次聚會。一九八五年秋，穎士師和師母在上海講
學，他囑我從香港赴上海時，順便帶一瓶五糧液給他。在上海尋覓多次，他買不到
這種濃香型的佳釀。我在香港買到了，千里迢迢帶到上海，卻不慎在行李箱中打破
了，結果是一箱的衣物熏染了濃濃的酒香。我這個“服其勞”的弟子有辱所命，非
常慚愧。穎士師嘗不到酒香，但不忘賜我以書香，以語言的芳香。只要和他在一
起，中西的詩歌就不絕，名句佳章就從他的口中咳唾而出，我彷彿回到十年前歌城
那段做學生的青青歲月。穎士師作李賀濟慈的比照外，還從事過一些中西戲劇的比
較研究，且發表過論文，雖然篇數不多。穎士師述而少作，惜墨似金，書寫如煉油
煉鋼釀酒，力求精純。在上海時，他說魯迅的舊體詩詞不同凡俗，而英譯不全不
善，於是著手迻譯，慢工出細貨地往往為一詞一句而旬月踟躕。

另一次聚會同樣令我難忘的，在一九九五年秋天，我應邀赴明尼蘇達州的默士
達學院(Macalester College)演講，赴明州前先到俄州歌城探望幾位師長。李田意師已
退休多年，正在整理藏書，準備越洋捐贈給東海大學。勞延煊師也已退休，準備移
居加州。穎士師和師母也都退休了，在家悉心栽培女兒，使她更多才多藝。那一
天，在陳家吃過早餐後，田意師來匯合，打算一同驅車到歌城機場，我要飛往明州
雙子城。餐桌上，豐富的早飯用過了，另一種豐盛接著上場。李、陳二師，突然為
某位學者的論著熱烈討論起來。李師加以稱道，陳師指出缺失，論爭愈來愈激越。
李、陳二位，在東部，在俄州，做過多年的同事；七十年代一起發展俄大東亞系，
是“親密的戰友”。君子無所爭，必也學問乎？我對論爭的主題全無認識，不便表
示意見，只管著急──距離航機起飛的時間不到一小時了，而大家仍在研討學術。
兩位老師最後驚覺光陰似箭、時不我予，這才如箭一般驅車奔赴機場。我提著行
李，氣喘如老牛狂奔一百米，地勤小姐把已關閉的機倉大門為我重開，我這才登上
了飛機。

在飛機裡穎士師的滔滔言論，和引擎的聲音共鳴著。我不叩而穎士師自鳴，而
且他聲音響亮，氣力充沛，彷彿多年的疾病已消失了，這大概是師母一向悉心照料
有功吧。穎士師是文學教授，師母是數學教授，文理互補且相合。巧的是李田意師
是文學教授，師母也是數學專家。穎士師是河南人，師母是湖南人；更巧的是田意
師也是河南人，師母也是湖南人，而且兩位師母都姓劉。把這些巧合順記於此。

無巧不成書，無巧不成文學。穎士師欣賞巧喻奇喻，欣賞巧妙機智。他執筆為
文，不論中英，都用心發揮文字的精巧魅力。例如，在述論英國詩人濟慈的貧困生
活時，這樣寫道：“……The sale of all his three slender volumes was slight, and he had
received more hard words than hard cash.”意謂濟慈三本薄薄的詩集賣得不好；出版後
得到的惡評多，金錢卻少。

句子中slender和slight為雙聲字，words和cash則以同一個hard字來形容。穎士師
原文如要中譯，雙聲字也許照顧不了，似乎可用“三本‘薄薄’詩集，銷量‘寥
寥’”的疊字來交代。Hard words和hard cash則似可這樣處理：“……出版後得到
凶巴巴的惡評多，光閃閃的真金少。”(粵語有“真金白銀”之語，意為實實在在
的錢。)

論及李賀、濟慈同為藝術的忠臣時，穎士師強調文學性的重要，他寫道：
“……the study of literature as art rather than archives, a monument rather than a
document，……”句子中art和archives雙聲，monument和document疊韻。穎士師精心
煉字，用寫詩的方式撰寫論文。環顧今天的文論界，冗長夾纏 、詰屈聱牙的“論
述” (discourse)被“主義”(-isms)和“後學”(post-)種種艱深術語充斥，不清通、乏
韻味，穎士師那種風格──也是錢鍾書以來的雅趣風格──快要失傳了。怎樣翻譯
上述句子中的雙聲疊韻呢？下面是一嘗試：

“文學是文藝(art，原為藝術之意)，而非文獻(archives，原為檔案之意)；是紀
念碑(monument)，而非紀錄冊(document，原為文件之意)。”去掉括號內的註釋，是
這樣的中譯：“文學是文藝，而非文獻；是紀念碑，而非紀錄冊。”這樣的功課，
不知道過得了穎士師的那一關否？他翻譯麥克雷殊的〈詩藝〉(“Ars Poetica”by
Archibald MacLeish)，以及魯迅的舊體詩，甚為精工雅緻\致；我曾引述過，或撰寫
過書評。

這裡的詩化文句，乃引自穎士師的論文“Li Ho and Keats：Poetry, Illness,
Frustration and a Poetic Career” (〈李賀與濟慈：貧病失意與詩人生涯〉)。論文在一
九六五年七月出版的《清華學報》發表，其抽印本，穎士師七十年代所賜贈的，已
發黃了，就如《幼獅文藝》那篇〈新銳〉影印本的紙色不再雪白一樣。和穎士師已
有九年不相見，近年生活起了大變化，魚雁一類的往還也很少了。暑假在我個人書
庫的故紙堆發現了古董，屬於我自己的“古代文獻”已發黃已不“新銳”。唯其是
青燈黃卷，別有一股古雅之氣。我端視著〈新銳〉插圖的本人的畫像，又細讀穎士
師文章的字字句句，一言一語思華年──應說是青年。那是青青子衿一段師生與文
學的因緣。

【本文撰於2004年夏天，先後刋於該年的《香港文學》、台北《中央日報》及
《山西文學》。】

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V. Flower List

1. Chanel, Lilly, Jennifer, Hui Ling, Jenny
2. Rongrong Liao, Lianqing Wang, Xiaoqi Wu
3. James Tai, Margie Chan
4. Neethi Johnson
5. Joan Yang
6. Winston and Shanyong Chang, Frank and Daisy Jen
7. Jim, Ruth, Amy and Wendy Guyker
8. Yanfang and Ron
9. Nancy Cheng
10. Anna Koo and Bob Yui
11. Ming Loh
12. Li Yu and Jim Lee, Helen and G.E. Lan, Chia-Chi Chen and Cheo-Sen Tseng
13. Li Min, Arjene, Lucia, Bai Hua, Zhi Zhang, Hong and Jing
14. Gang Xu, Hongyuan Yu, Di Bai, and Dajiang He
15. Alice Lee
16. Dan McDonald and Pat West
17. Polly Ho and Lucy Han
18. Minru Li and family
19. Nan Chu
20. Carroll Glynn and Tom Conrad

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VI. Poems Chanted at Professor Chen's Funeral

John Keats (1795–1821)

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屈原 Qu Yuan (ca. 340 BCE - 278 BCE)

《招魂》（节选）

魂兮归来！去君之恒干，
何为四方些？舍君之乐处，
而离彼不祥些。
魂兮归来！东方不可以托些。
长人千仞，惟魂是索些。
十日代出，流金铄石些。
彼皆习之，魂往必释些。
归来兮！不可以托些。
魂兮归来！南方不可以止些。
雕题黑齿，得人肉以祀，以其骨为醢些。
蝮蛇蓁蓁，封狐千里些。
雄虺九首，往来倏忽，吞人以益其心些。
归来兮！不可久淫些。
魂兮归来！西方之害，流沙千里些。
旋入雷渊，糜散而不可止些。
幸而得脱，其外旷宇些。
赤蚁若象，玄蜂若壶些。
五谷不生，丛菅是食些。
其土烂人，求水无所得些。
彷徉无所倚，广大无所极些。
归来兮！恐自遗贼些。
魂兮归来！北方不可以止些。
增冰峨峨，飞雪千里些。
归来兮！不可以久些。
魂兮归来！君无上天些。
虎豹九关，啄害下人些。
一夫九首，拔木九千些。
豺狼从目，往来侁侁些。
悬人以嬉，投之深渊些。
致命于帝，然后得瞑些。
归来！
魂兮归来！

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VII. Translation by David Y. Chen

Traveler's Thoughts
By Yu Dafu

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