黄运基《异乡三部曲》中的唐人街叙事与“家国”“异乡”协商

Chinatown Narrative in Huang Yunji’s Foreign-land Trilogy and the“Homeland”and“Foreign Land”Negotiation

美华作家黄运基的《异乡三部曲》以旧金山唐人街为书写对象,多视角呈现了一个半世纪中华人在美国的历程,在历史视域下对华人的美国梦进行再审视。这种基于唐人街人文地理风貌、融合华人移民历史与个体经验的唐人街叙事,呈现了以华人家国情怀、兄弟情谊为代表的唐人街人文生态。小说在展现这种族裔文化特质的同时,还通过唐人街新一代华人的政治成长以及主人公与非裔好友的共同经历,强调华人必须克服唐人街思维、走出心理上的“唐人街”,在作为华人“家国”象征的唐人街和“异乡”象征的他族社区之间达成和解,从而在族裔共同体的合力之下真正实现“美国梦”。

Foreign-land Trilogy by Chinese-American writer Huang Yunji focuses on the landscape of San Francisco Chinatown,presenting from multiple perspectives the journey of Chinese immigrants in America over half a century,and thereafter re-examining historiographically the American dream for Chinese immigrants and their descendants.This Chinatown narrative,based on the cultural and geographical features of Chinatown,integrates individual experiences and the history of Chinese immigration,portraying the cultural ecology of Chinatown represented by Chinese patriotism and brotherhood.The novels not only highlight the ethnic cultural traits but also emphasize the need for Chinese immigrants to overcome the“Chinatown mentality”and break free from the psychological confinements of Chinatown.Through the political growth of the younger generation of Chinese immigrants in Chinatown,and the shared experiences of the protagonist and his life-long African-American friend,the trilogy highlights the necessity for Chinese immigrants to reconcile between Chinatown that symbolizes their“homeland”and other ethnic communities that represent the“foreign land”so that they can truly realize their American dream with the help of the collective strength of ethnic unity.