汉字

Chinese Characters

从小我就对汉字充满敬畏。 小时候,有时会突然莫名其妙地浑身出现一片片痱子,父亲就用毛笔给我在前胸后背左右臂分别写上两个字,过一会儿痱子就全消了——长大以后我才知道父亲写的是前“朱雀”后“玄武”左“青龙”右“白虎”。 那时妹妹还小,有时候晚上哭闹,父亲就将高梁秸劈开磨光,写上“拨火杖拨火杖,夜里捉鬼将,捉着夜行鬼,打死不要放”,然后裹张黄纸,用火点着,一边烧,一边念写的那些字,妹妹往往一会儿便安睡了。

Ancient Chinese characters are not merely simple marks that signify basic meanings; each ideogram is full of mystery and suspense. Chinese writers steeped in the world of ideograms have experienced many levels of incongruity and wonder. As our understanding of Chinese writing deepens, we remain uncertain about what Chinese characters mean to Chinese people.