ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Amy Tan - Novelist
Amy Tan is the author of such beloved books as The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife and The Hundred Secret Senses.

Why you should listen

Born in the US to immigrant parents from China, Amy Tan rejected her mother's expectations that she become a doctor and concert pianist. She chose to write fiction instead. Her much-loved, best-selling novels have been translated into 35 languages. In 2008, she wrote a libretto for The Bonesetter's Daughter, which premiered that September with the San Francisco Opera.

Tan was the creative consultant for Sagwa, the Emmy-nominated PBS series for children, and she has appeared as herself on The Simpsons. She's the lead rhythm dominatrix, backup singer and second tambourine with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a literary garage band that has raised more than a million dollars for literacy programs.

More profile about the speaker
Amy Tan | Speaker | TED.com
TED2008

Amy Tan: Where does creativity hide?

譚恩美(Amy Tan)談創意

Filmed:
3,221,031 views

小說家譚恩美(Amy Tan)深究創意過程,找出刺激她進化的動因
- Novelist
Amy Tan is the author of such beloved books as The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife and The Hundred Secret Senses. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:18
The Value of Nothing: Out of Nothing Comes Something.
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無的價值:無中可以生有
00:22
That was an essay文章 I wrote when I was 11 years年份 old
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這是我在十一歲時寫的文章題目
00:26
and I got a B+. (Laughter笑聲)
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我得到了B+ (笑)
00:28
What I'm going to talk about: nothing out of something, and how we create創建.
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我要談的就是:我們要怎麼樣無中生有
00:32
And I'm gonna try and do that within
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我要試著在大會規定的
00:34
the 18-minute-分鐘 time span跨度 that we were told to stay within,
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18分鐘內完成這件事
00:39
and to follow跟隨 the TEDTED commandments戒律:
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並且遵守TED的嚴格戒律
00:41
that is, actually其實, something that creates創建
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也就是實際上造成
00:44
a near-death接近死亡 experience經驗,
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某種瀕死的體驗
00:46
but near-death接近死亡 is good for creativity創造力.
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不過「瀕死」對創意是有益的
00:48
(Laughter笑聲) OK.
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(笑) 好
00:52
So, I also want to explain說明,
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所以我也會解釋
00:54
because Dave戴夫 Eggers埃格斯 said he was going to heckle詰問 me
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因為戴夫艾格思說他會猛烈詰問我
00:57
if I said anything that was a lie謊言, or not true真正 to universal普遍 creativity創造力.
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如果我說了任何謊話,或是不符合普遍的創意條件
01:02
And I've doneDONE it this way for half the audience聽眾, who is scientific科學.
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而且是對著將近一半是科學家的觀眾這麼說
01:05
When I say we, I don't mean you, necessarily一定;
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當我說我們的時候,我指的不必然包括你們
01:09
I mean me, and my right brain, my left brain
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我指的是我跟我的右腦跟左腦
01:12
and the one that's in between之間 that is the censor審查
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而左右腦之間的是審查器
01:14
and tells告訴 me what I'm saying is wrong錯誤.
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它告訴我我說錯了什麼
01:16
And I'm going do that also by looking at
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我也會一併審視
01:19
what I think is part部分 of my creative創作的 process處理,
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我認為屬於我創意過程中的一部份
01:22
which哪一個 includes包括 a number of things that happened發生, actually其實 --
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包括許多發生過的事情,而事實上
01:25
the nothing started開始 even earlier than the moment時刻
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沒有別的事情在這之前發生
01:28
in which哪一個 I'm creating創建 something new.
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我正在創造新的東西
01:31
And that includes包括 nature性質, and nurture培育,
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包括先天的跟後天的
01:36
and what I refer參考 to as nightmares噩夢.
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我指得是噩夢
01:39
Now in the nature性質 area, we look at whether是否 or not
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先天的部份,我們要看看
01:43
we are innately天生 equipped裝備 with something, perhaps也許
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我們自身是否俱備某種事物,或許...
01:46
in our brains大腦, some abnormal不正常 chromosome染色體
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在我們的腦裡,一些不正常的染色體
01:49
that causes原因 this muse-like繆斯般的 effect影響.
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會引發像是靈感的效果
01:53
And some people would say that we're born天生 with it in some other means手段.
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有些人說我們天生就有靈感
01:59
And others其他, like my mother母親,
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其他人,像是我媽
02:01
would say that I get my material材料 from past過去 lives生活.
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會說我是從過去的的生活得到靈感
02:07
Some people would also say that creativity創造力
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有些人也會說創意其實是
02:10
may可能 be a function功能 of some other neurological神經 quirk俏皮話 --
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神經突然接錯線
02:15
van麵包車 Gogh梵高 syndrome綜合徵 -- that you have a little bit of, you know, psychosis精神病, or depression蕭條.
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某種梵谷症狀--當你有點,你知道,精神不正常,或是陷入低潮
02:20
I do have to say, somebody -- I read recently最近
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我得說,有種人--我最近在書上讀到
02:23
that van麵包車 Gogh梵高 wasn't really necessarily一定 psychotic精神病,
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梵谷不見得是精神異常
02:26
that he might威力 have had temporal lobe seizures癲癇發作,
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他可能有癲癇問題
02:28
and that might威力 have caused造成 his spurt of creativity創造力, and I don't --
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那可能激發他創意湧現,而我--
02:32
I suppose假設 it does something in some part部分 of your brain.
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假設那會在你的腦中某個部位引發某作用
02:35
And I will mention提到 that I actually其實 developed發達
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我也會提到事實上我在幾年前
02:37
temporal lobe seizures癲癇發作 a number of years年份 ago,
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也有癲癇問題
02:41
but it was during the time I was writing寫作 my last book,
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就發生在我寫上一本書的時候
02:44
and some people say that book is quite相當 different不同.
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有些人就說那本書讀起來挺不一樣
02:48
I think that part部分 of it also begins開始 with a sense of identity身分 crisis危機:
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我認為其中一部份起因於認同的危機感:
02:53
you know, who am I, why am I this particular特定 person,
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我是誰啊,我怎麼會那麼與眾不同,
02:57
why am I not black黑色 like everybody每個人 else其他?
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我到底是誰?為什麼膚色沒跟其他同學一樣黑?
03:02
And sometimes有時 you're equipped裝備 with skills技能,
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有時候,你就是具備一些技能
03:04
but they may可能 not be the kind of skills技能 that enable啟用 creativity創造力.
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但不是可以帶來創意的技能
03:08
I used to draw. I thought I would be an artist藝術家.
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我以前還會畫畫。我曾以為我會成為一個畫家
03:11
And I had a miniature微型 poodle獅子狗.
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這是我畫的迷你貴賓狗
03:13
And it wasn't bad, but it wasn't really creative創作的.
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似乎還不壞,但實在算不上什麼創意
03:15
Because all I could really do was represent代表 in a very one-on-one一對一 way.
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因為我所能做的不過是把它們一個個畫下來
03:20
And I have a sense that I probably大概 copied複製 this from a book.
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而且我想我可能還是從一本書上抄下來的
03:24
And then, I also wasn't really shining閃亮的 in a certain某些 area that I wanted to be,
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當時我在我真正想要展現的領域以乎並不出色
03:30
and you know, you look at those scores分數, and it wasn't bad,
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你知道,你看著那些成績,是不差
03:34
but it was not certainly當然 predictive預測 that I would one day make
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但也絕不可能讓我預測到
03:38
my living活的 out of the artful arrangement安排 of words.
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有天我竟然能用寫作來謀生
03:42
Also, one of the principles原則 of creativity創造力 is to have a little childhood童年 trauma外傷.
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創意的其中一項原則是擁有童年的心理創傷
03:48
And I had the usual通常 kind that I think a lot of people had,
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我想我有的創傷和一般人一樣
03:52
and that is that, you know, I had expectations期望 placed放置 on me.
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你懂的,來自父母對子女過分熱切的期望
03:56
That figure數字 right there, by the way,
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那具人體模型,順帶一提
03:59
figure數字 right there was a toy玩具 given特定 to me when I was but nine years年份 old,
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是我在九歲的時候得到的一件玩具
04:04
and it was to help me become成為 a doctor醫生 from a very early age年齡.
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它是從小培養我想成為醫生的物品
04:09
I have some ones那些 that were long lasting持久: from the age年齡 of five to 15,
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還有一些持續比較久的心理創傷:從五到十五歲
04:14
this was supposed應該 to be my side occupation佔用,
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成為一個鋼琴家理應變成我的第二職業
04:17
and it led to a sense of failure失敗.
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但最終它只變成我感覺失敗的來源
04:20
But actually其實, there was something quite相當 real真實 in my life
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但事實上在我人生中是有一些真實的心理創傷
04:23
that happened發生 when I was about 14.
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發生在我十四歲的時候
04:25
And it was discovered發現 that my brother哥哥, in 1967, and then my father父親,
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就是發現我的兄弟,在1967年,然後我的父親
04:30
six months個月 later後來, had brain tumors腫瘤.
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六個月以後,雙雙長了腦瘤
04:32
And my mother母親 believed相信 that something had gone走了 wrong錯誤,
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我母親相信有些事情出錯了
04:37
and she was gonna find out what it was, and she was gonna fix固定 it.
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她想找出問題,然後解決它
04:40
My father父親 was a Baptist浸禮者 minister部長, and he believed相信 in miracles奇蹟,
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我父親是個牧師,他相信神蹟
04:44
and that God's will would take care關心 of that.
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他相信神會解決那些問題
04:47
But, of course課程, they ended結束 up dying垂死, six months個月 apart距離.
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但當然,相隔六個月,他們都過世了
04:50
And after that, my mother母親 believed相信 that it was fate命運, or curses詛咒
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在那之後,我母親相信那是命運,是詛咒
04:54
-- she went looking through通過 all the reasons原因 in the universe宇宙
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她找遍了宇宙間所有可能的理由
04:57
why this would have happened發生.
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來解釋為什麼這件事會發生
04:59
Everything except randomness隨機性. She did not believe in randomness隨機性.
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除了偶然以外所有的理由。她不相信偶然
05:04
There was a reason原因 for everything.
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每件事都有原因
05:06
And one of the reasons原因, she thought, was that her mother母親,
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她相信其中一件原因出自於她的母親
05:08
who had died死亡 when she was very young年輕, was angry憤怒 at her.
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她認為早年過世的母親一直怨恨她
05:13
And so, I had this notion概念 of death死亡 all around me,
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所以我總被死亡的陰影籠罩著
05:16
because my mother母親 also believed相信 that I would be next下一個, and she would be next下一個.
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因為我母親還相信我會是下一個,或是她會是下一個
05:21
And when you are faced面對 with the prospect展望 of death死亡 very soon不久,
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當你面對死亡的時候
05:24
you begin開始 to think very much about everything.
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你會開始認真思考每件事情
05:29
You become成為 very creative創作的, in a survival生存 sense.
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從一種為了生存的角度來說,你開始非常有創造力,
05:33
And this, then, led to my big questions問題.
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這讓我想到一個大問題
05:37
And they're the same相同 ones那些 that I have today今天.
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一些我今日仍然在想的問題
05:40
And they are: why do things happen發生, and how do things happen發生?
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為什麼事情會發生,它們是怎麼發生的?
05:45
And the one my mother母親 asked: how do I make things happen發生?
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和我母親問的那句:我如何讓這些事情發生的?
05:52
It's a wonderful精彩 way to look at these questions問題, when you write a story故事.
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在撰寫故事的時候,這都是一些很重要的問題
05:57
Because, after all, in that framework骨架, between之間 page one and 300,
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因為你必須在三百頁的篇幅中回答這些問題:
06:03
you have to answer回答 this question of why things happen發生, how things happen發生,
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為什麼事情會這樣發生,它是怎麼發生的
06:07
in what order訂購 they happen發生. What are the influences影響?
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事情發生的順序和影響
06:10
How do I, as the narrator敘述者, as the writer作家, also influence影響 that?
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我,身為一個敍述者,一個作者,對這個故事又有什麼影響?
06:14
And it's also one that, I think, many許多 of our scientists科學家們 have been asking.
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我想這也是所有科學家所問的問題
06:18
It's a kind of cosmology宇宙學, and I have to develop發展 a cosmology宇宙學 of my own擁有 universe宇宙,
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我在我的世界中發展出自己的宇宙觀
06:24
as the creator創造者 of that universe宇宙.
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像一個宇宙的創造者。
06:26
And you see, there's a lot of back and forth向前
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這中間有許多的反覆
06:30
in trying to make that happen發生, trying to figure數字 it out
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嘗試著創造,嘗試著理出頭緒
06:33
-- years年份 and years年份, oftentimes通常情況下.
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年復一年,總是如此
06:37
So, when I look at creativity創造力, I also think that it is this sense or this inability無力
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當我想到創作力的時候,我也認為這是因為我無法
06:44
to repress, my looking at associations協會 in practically幾乎 anything in life.
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壓抑對日常生活中幾乎每件事的看法。
06:48
And I got a lot of them during what's been going on
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我在許多事件發生時做觀察
06:52
throughout始終 this conference會議,
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在這個大會中,
06:55
almost幾乎 everything that's been going on.
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幾乎是所有發生的事情。
06:57
And so I'm going to use, as the metaphor隱喻, this association協會:
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讓我在這裡用量子力學做比喻:
07:01
quantum量子 mechanics機械學, which哪一個 I really don't understand理解,
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雖然我並不理解量子力學,
07:05
but I'm still gonna use it as the process處理
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但我將以它做為一種過程
07:07
for explaining說明 how it is the metaphor隱喻.
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來解釋為何它是個比喻。
07:11
So, in quantum量子 mechanics機械學, of course課程, you have dark黑暗 energy能源 and dark黑暗 matter.
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在量子力學中,有著暗能量和暗物質。
07:18
And it's the same相同 thing in looking at these questions問題 of how things happen發生.
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就像我們嘗試解釋事情為何會發生的時候
07:22
There's a lot of unknown未知, and you often經常 don't know what it is except by its absence缺席.
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有許多未知,你不知道那是什麼,只知道它不在
07:28
But when you make those associations協會,
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但當你嘗試找出關聯性時
07:30
you want them to come together一起 in a kind of synergy協同效應 in the story故事,
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當你希望能在故事中把事件連接起來時而產生綜效時
07:34
and what you're finding發現 is what matters事項. The meaning含義.
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你突然發現了事物的核心。它的意義。
07:38
And that's what I look for in my work, a personal個人 meaning含義.
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這就是我在我的作品中所想要找尋的,對我而言的意義。
07:42
There is also the uncertainty不確定 principle原理, which哪一個 is part部分 of quantum量子 mechanics機械學,
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在量子力學中還有測不準原理,
07:47
as I understand理解 it. (Laughter笑聲)
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至少我想是有的。(笑)
07:49
And this happens發生 constantly經常 in the writing寫作.
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這也時常發生在寫作中。
07:53
And there's the terrible可怕 and dreaded可怕的 observer觀察者 effect影響,
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還有一種可怕的觀者效應,
07:56
in which哪一個 you're looking for something, and
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當你在找尋一些事情的時候,
07:58
you know, things are happening事件 simultaneously同時,
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那些同時發生的事情,
08:01
and you're looking at it in a different不同 way,
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你嘗試用不同角度去看它,
08:03
and you're trying to really look for the about-ness關於岬,
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你嘗試找出它和其他事物的關聯性,
08:07
or what is this story故事 about. And if you try too hard,
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或是這個故事和什麼有關。如果你過分強求,
08:11
then you will only write the about.
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最後你寫下的只是「關聯」。
08:14
You won't慣於 discover發現 anything.
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卻什麼也沒發現。
08:17
And what you were supposed應該 to find,
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而你應該找到的,
08:19
what you hoped希望 to find in some serendipitous偶然 way,
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你真正希望能找到的,在無意中,
08:22
is no longer there.
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卻已經不在了。
08:25
Now, I don't want to ignore忽視
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我並不想忽略
08:27
the other side of what happens發生 in our universe宇宙,
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在宇宙另一邊發生的事,
08:30
like many許多 of our scientists科學家們 have.
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像一些科學家所做的一樣。
08:33
And so, I am going to just throw in string theory理論 here,
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所以在這裡我也要順便談談弦理論,
08:36
and just say that creative創作的 people are multidimensional多維,
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證明創意人不僅是多面向的,
08:39
and there are 11 levels水平, I think, of anxiety焦慮.
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還有著十一種層次的焦慮。
08:43
(Laughter笑聲) And they all operate操作 at the same相同 time.
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(笑)而且它們全部一起發生。
08:47
There is also a big question of ambiguity歧義.
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再來還有模棱兩可的問題。
08:50
And I would link鏈接 that to something called the cosmological宇宙 constant不變.
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像是你們說的宇宙常數。
08:56
And you don't know what is operating操作, but something is operating操作 there.
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你不明白什麼在運作,但有些事情在運作。
08:58
And ambiguity歧義, to me, is very uncomfortable不舒服
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模棱兩可是一種非常不舒服的感覺,對我的人生來說
09:02
in my life, and I have it. Moral道德 ambiguity歧義.
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但它仍然存在。道德的不確定性
09:05
It is constantly經常 there. And, just as an example,
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總是存在著。舉例來說,
09:09
this is one that recently最近 came來了 to me.
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最近剛發生了一件事。
09:12
It was something I read in an editorial社論 by a woman女人
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我讀到一篇由女性寫的報紙的社論
09:14
who was talking about the war戰爭 in Iraq伊拉克. And she said,
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內容是關於伊拉克戰爭時。她說,
09:18
"Save保存 a man from drowning溺死, you are responsible主管 to him for life."
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「救一個溺水者,你便得為他的一生負責。」
09:21
A very famous著名 Chinese中文 saying, she said.
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她說這是一句很有名的中國諺語
09:24
And that means手段 because we went into Iraq伊拉克, we should stay there
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意味著既然我們進入了伊拉克,我們便應該長駐
09:28
until直到 things were solved解決了. You know, maybe even 100 years年份.
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直到事情解決。你知道,就算要上百年
09:32
So, there was another另一個 one that I came來了 across橫過,
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還有另一個例子
09:37
and it's "saving保存 fish from drowning溺死."
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就是「拯救溺水的魚」
09:40
And it's what Buddhist佛教徒 fishermen漁民 say,
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來自信仰佛教的漁夫們
09:42
because they're not supposed應該 to kill anything.
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佛教徒基本上不該殺生
09:45
And they also have to make a living活的, and people need to be fed美聯儲.
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但漁夫卻仍得謀生,養家
09:48
So their way of rationalizing合理化 that is they are saving保存 the fish from drowning溺死,
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為了將殺生合理化,他們聲稱自己是在救溺水的魚
09:52
and unfortunately不幸, in the process處理 the fish die.
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但魚不幸地在過程中死了。
09:55
Now, what's encapsulated封裝 in both these drowning溺死 metaphors隱喻
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暗藏在這兩個溺水故事中的比喻是
10:00
-- actually其實, one of them is my mother's母親 interpretation解釋,
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其中一個說法來自我母親
10:03
and it is a famous著名 Chinese中文 saying, because she said it to me:
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因為這是她對我說這是中國人常說的
10:06
"save保存 a man from drowning溺死, you are responsible主管 to him for life."
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「救一個溺水者,你便得為他的一生負責。」
10:09
And it was a warning警告 -- don't get involved參與 in other people's人們 business商業,
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那是一種警告:別管別人的閒事
10:13
or you're going to get stuck卡住.
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免得被纏上
10:15
OK. I think if somebody really was drowning溺死, she'd save保存 them.
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但我想如果真的有人溺水的話,她還是會救他們的
10:19
But, both of these sayings語錄 -- saving保存 a fish from drowning溺死,
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但這兩種說法,不管是救溺水的魚,
10:23
or saving保存 a man from drowning溺死 -- to me they had to do with intentions意圖.
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還是溺水的人,這取決與你的意圖
10:27
And all of us in life, when we see a situation情況, we have a response響應.
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我們在人生中,都得對我們身邊發生的事情做出反應
10:32
And then we have intentions意圖.
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懷抱著各自的意圖
10:34
There's an ambiguity歧義 of what that should be that we should do,
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在我們應該做的,和最後真正做了的兩者之間
10:39
and then we do something.
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有一些模棱兩可之處
10:41
And the results結果 of that may可能 not match比賽 what our intentions意圖 had been.
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而結果也不一定符合我們原本的意圖
10:44
Maybe things go wrong錯誤. And so, after that, what are our responsibilities責任?
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說不定事情搞砸了。若當如此,我們的責任又在哪?
10:49
What are we supposed應該 to do?
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我們該怎麼做?
10:51
Do we stay in for life,
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我們該留下來負責
10:53
or do we do something else其他 and justify辯解 and say, well, my intentions意圖 were good,
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還是嘗試合理化我們的行為,說,我的本意是好的
10:58
and therefore因此 I cannot不能 be held保持 responsible主管 for all of it?
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所以我不應當負全責?
11:04
That is the ambiguity歧義 in my life
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這便是我人生中很難接受的模棱兩可
11:06
that really disturbed不安 me, and led me to write a book called
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甚至讓我因此寫了本書,就叫做
11:10
"Saving保存 Fish From Drowning溺死."
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拯救溺水的魚
11:12
I saw examples例子 of that. Once一旦 I identified確定 this question, it was all over the place地點.
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一旦你意識到這個問題,就發現它無所不在
11:19
I got these hints提示 everywhere到處.
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在哪裡都能看到它的痕跡
11:21
And then, in a way, I knew知道 that they had always been there.
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同時我也知道,它們一直都在那裡。
11:24
And then writing寫作, that's what happens發生. I get these hints提示, these clues線索,
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在寫作上,我看見這些暗示,這些線索
11:27
and I realize實現 that they've他們已經 been obvious明顯, and yet然而 they have not been.
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我意識到它們一直都在那,但又隱身不見
11:34
And what I need, in effect影響, is a focus焦點.
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我需要的是焦點
11:38
And when I have the question, it is a focus焦點.
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當我有一個問題要問的時候,它就是一個焦點
11:40
And all these things that seem似乎 to be flotsam廢料 and jetsam廢棄的貨物 in life actually其實 go through通過
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那些在人生中的災難都會過去
11:45
that question, and what happens發生 is those particular特定 things become成為 relevant相應.
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那個問題,和在那些事件中所發生的事都是有關聯的
11:50
And it seems似乎 like it's happening事件 all the time.
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而且它無處不在,不停發生
11:52
You think there's a sort分類 of coincidence巧合 going on, a serendipity意外發現,
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你以為它不過是偶發事件,或是碰巧發生的
11:55
in which哪一個 you're getting得到 all this help from the universe宇宙.
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或許是來自宇宙的幫忙
11:58
And it may可能 also be explained解釋 that now you have a focus焦點.
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也可以解釋成,心中有了焦點以後
12:01
And you are noticing注意到 it more often經常.
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你更能發現它的存在
12:05
But you apply應用 this.
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當你開始應用它
12:08
You begin開始 to look at things having to do with your tensions緊張.
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你開始檢視那些令你緊張的事情
12:11
Your brother哥哥, who's誰是 fallen墮落 in trouble麻煩, do you take care關心 of him?
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當你的兄弟遇上了麻煩,你該幫助他嗎?
12:14
Why or why not?
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為什麼要,又為什麼不要?
12:16
It may可能 be something that is perhaps也許 more serious嚴重
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它或許比你想像的更為嚴肅
12:20
-- as I said, human人的 rights權利 in Burma緬甸.
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像緬甸的人權問題
12:23
I was thinking思維 that I shouldn't不能 go because somebody said, if I did, it would show顯示
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我本來想著我是否不應該去,因為有人告訴我
12:27
that I approved批准 of the military軍事 regime政權 there.
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我在那裡出現意味著我支持當地的軍權統治
12:30
And then, after a while, I had to ask myself,
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但一陣子以後,我自問
12:33
"Why do we take on knowledge知識, why do we take on assumptions假設
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「為什麼我們要在意他人對我們的想法,
12:35
that other people have given特定 us?"
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或認知?」
12:38
And it was the same相同 thing that I felt when I was growing生長 up,
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這和我在成長過程中的感覺很像
12:41
and was hearing聽力 these rules規則 of moral道德 conduct進行 from my father父親,
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我身為牧師的父親
12:46
who was a Baptist浸禮者 minister部長.
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給我們的所有規則和道德指標
12:48
So I decided決定 that I would go to Burma緬甸 for my own擁有 intentions意圖,
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最後我決定照我自己的想法去緬甸
12:53
and still didn't know that if I went there,
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而我仍然不知道,到了那裡
12:56
what the result結果 of that would be, if I wrote a book --
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寫一本書,結果又會如何
12:59
and I just would have to face面對 that later後來, when the time came來了.
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但我只能等到時機出現的時候,再來面對這些問題
13:03
We are all concerned關心 with things that we see in the world世界 that we are aware知道的 of.
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我們總是在意這世界上我們所感知的事物
13:08
We come to this point and say, what do I as an individual個人 do?
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我們對自己說:我能做什麼?
13:13
Not all of us can go to Africa非洲, or work at hospitals醫院,
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不是每個人都可以去非洲,或是在醫院工作
13:17
so what do we do, if we have this moral道德 response響應, this feeling感覺?
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那當我們產生這個道德感,我們該做什麼?
13:24
Also, I think one of the biggest最大 things we are all looking at,
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我想今日我們都在關注的一個重要議題是
13:27
and we talked about today今天, is genocide種族滅絕.
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種族滅絕
13:30
This leads引線 to this question.
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我們再次回到同樣的問題
13:33
When I look at all these things that are morally道德 ambiguous曖昧 and uncomfortable不舒服,
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當我遇見這些在道德上模棱兩可,讓我感覺不舒服的事件
13:38
and I consider考慮 what my intentions意圖 should be,
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我的心態又是如何?
13:40
I realize實現 it goes back to this identity身分 question that I had when I was a child兒童
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我認知到這讓我再次回到孩提時所面臨的身份認同議題
13:45
-- and why am I here, and what is the meaning含義 of my life,
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為什麼我在這裡,人生的意義是什麼
13:48
and what is my place地點 in the universe宇宙?
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我在宇宙間的位置是什麼?
13:50
It seems似乎 so obvious明顯, and yet然而 it is not.
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這看起來似乎很明顯,但一點也不
13:53
We all hate討厭 moral道德 ambiguity歧義 in some sense,
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我們都不喜歡道德上的不確定性
13:58
and yet然而 it is also absolutely絕對 necessary必要.
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但這種不確定感確是絕對必要的
14:02
In writing寫作 a story故事, it is the place地點 where I begin開始.
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在我寫作的時候,這便是我開始的地方
14:06
Sometimes有時 I get help from the universe宇宙, it seems似乎.
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有時候我似乎得到大宇宙的協助
14:10
My mother母親 would say it was the ghost of my grandmother祖母 from the very first book,
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我母親說從第一本書開始,靈感就來自我祖母的鬼魂
14:13
because it seemed似乎 I knew知道 things I was not supposed應該 to know.
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因為我似乎知道許多我不應該知道的事
14:16
Instead代替 of writing寫作 that the grandmother祖母 died死亡 accidentally偶然,
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我沒有描寫我的祖母
14:19
from an overdose過量 of opium鴉片, while having too much of a good time,
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是因為吃了過量的鴉片而意外過世的
14:22
I actually其實 put down in the story故事 that the woman女人 killed殺害 herself她自己,
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而在故事裡描寫那女人自殺了
14:27
and that actually其實 was the way it happened發生.
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那卻才是真實發生的事
14:29
And my mother母親 decided決定 that that information信息 must必須 have come from my grandmother祖母.
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我母親認為這些資訊一定來自我祖母的鬼魂。
14:34
There are also things, quite相當 uncanny神秘的,
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除此以外,還有一些離奇的事件
14:37
which哪一個 bring帶來 me information信息 that will help me in the writing寫作 of the book.
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在寫作時為我帶來了不同的寫作資料
14:41
In this case案件, I was writing寫作 a story故事
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當時我正在寫一個古代的故事
14:43
that included包括 some kind of detail詳情, period of history歷史, a certain某些 location位置.
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書中包括那個年代的歷史和地理資料
14:47
And I needed需要 to find something historically歷史 that would match比賽 that.
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而我需要找到這些歷史來補足故事中的細節
14:50
And I took down this book, and I --
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我從書架上拿下這本書
14:52
first page that I flipped翻轉 it to was exactly究竟 the setting設置, and the time period,
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我翻開的第一頁便是我故事裡的時代和地點
14:58
and the kind of character字符 I needed需要 -- was the Taiping太平 rebellion暴動,
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和我在描寫太平天國時所需要的人物
15:01
happening事件 in the area near Guilin桂林, outside of that,
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在一個接近桂林的地方
15:05
and a character字符 who thought he was the son兒子 of God.
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和一個認為他是神的兒子的人物。
15:08
You wonder奇蹟, are these things random隨機 chance機會?
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你不禁想,這一切都是偶然的嗎?
15:11
Well, what is random隨機? What is chance機會? What is luck運氣?
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但偶然是什麼?機會是什麼?運氣又是什麼?
15:15
What are things that you get from the universe宇宙 that you can't really explain說明?
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那些從天而降的靈感又是什麼?
15:19
And that goes into the story故事, too.
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這也成為故事的一部分
15:21
These are the things I constantly經常 think about from day to day.
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這些是我每天都在思考的事情
15:24
Especially特別 when good things happen發生,
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特別是好事發生時,
15:26
and, in particular特定, when bad things happen發生.
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有時候則是當壞事發生時。
15:30
But I do think there's a kind of serendipity意外發現,
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但我相信的確存在巧合
15:32
and I do want to know what those elements分子 are,
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我想要知道那些元素是什麼,
15:35
so I can thank them, and also try to find them in my life.
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這樣我才能謝謝他們,並且試著在生命中尋找
15:40
Because, again, I think that when I am aware知道的 of them, more of them happen發生.
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因為我相信當我察覺他們的時候,就越會發生
15:44
Another另一個 chance機會 encounter遭遇 is when I went to a place地點
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另一個機遇是當我到某個地方
15:48
-- I just was with some friends朋友, and we drove開車 randomly隨機 to a different不同 place地點,
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我只是跟一些朋友一起,沒目的地開到某個地方
15:52
and we ended結束 up in this non-tourist非旅遊 location位置,
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我們停在遊客不會到的地點
15:56
a beautiful美麗 village, pristine質樸.
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美麗的懷舊小村莊
15:58
And we walked three valleys山谷 beyond,
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我們走過三座溪谷
16:00
and the third第三 valley, there was something quite相當 mysterious神秘 and ominous不祥的,
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在第三個溪谷,我有些神秘的,不舒服的預感
16:03
a discomfort不舒服 I felt. And then I knew知道 that had to be [the] setting設置 of my book.
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我知道這將成為我故事的場景。
16:09
And in writing寫作 one of the scenes場景, it happened發生 in that third第三 valley.
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故事裡的其中一幕便發生在第三個山谷
16:12
For some reason原因 I wrote about cairns凱恩斯 -- stacks of rocks岩石 -- that a man was building建造.
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其中一幕我寫到,一個男人,正擺著石堆
16:19
And I didn't know exactly究竟 why I had it, but it was so vivid生動.
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我不知道為什麼我這樣寫,但那景象很鮮明
16:22
I got stuck卡住, and a friend朋友, when she asked if I would go for a walk步行 with her dogs小狗,
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我陷入了困境,一個朋友問我要不要和她去遛狗
16:27
that I said, sure. And about 45 minutes分鐘 later後來,
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我說好。四十五分鐘後
16:30
walking步行 along沿 the beach海灘, I came來了 across橫過 this.
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我在海灘上遇見了一個男子
16:34
And it was a man, a Chinese中文 man,
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一個中國男子
16:36
and he was stacking堆疊 these things, not with glue, not with anything.
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他正堆著這些東西。沒有膠水,沒有任何工具
16:39
And I asked him, "How is it possible可能 to do this?"
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我問他,這怎麼可能?
16:42
And he said, "Well, I guess猜測 with everything in life, there's a place地點 of balance平衡."
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他說,世間每件事 都有一個平衡點
16:46
And this was exactly究竟 the meaning含義 of my story故事 at that point.
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那便是我故事裡所要講的重點
16:51
I had so many許多 examples例子 -- I have so many許多 instances實例 like this, when I'm writing寫作 a story故事,
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在我的寫作過程中 這樣的事時常發生
16:56
and I cannot不能 explain說明 it.
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我無法解釋
16:58
Is it because I had the filter過濾 that I have such這樣 a strong強大 coincidence巧合
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是否因為我有一種特殊的過濾法
17:02
in writing寫作 about these things?
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因為這些強烈的巧合正是我想寫的事?
17:05
Or is it a kind of serendipity意外發現 that we cannot不能 explain說明, like the cosmological宇宙 constant不變?
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或是這真是一些我們所不能解釋的突發事件 從天而來?
17:12
A big thing that I also think about is accidents事故.
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我也時常想到意外
17:15
And as I said, my mother母親 did not believe in randomness隨機性.
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如我所說 我母親從不相信偶然
17:18
What is the nature性質 of accidents事故?
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那意外又是什麼?
17:20
And how are we going to assign分配 what the responsibility責任 and the causes原因 are,
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對於那些法律以外的事件,我們又該如何處理面對
17:24
outside of a court法庭 of law?
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它們的責任歸屬?
17:27
I was able能夠 to see that in a firsthand第一手 way,
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我有一個切身的經驗
17:30
when I went to beautiful美麗 Dong village, in Guizhou貴州, the poorest最窮 province of China中國.
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我曾經到中國最貧窮的貴州省裡的侗族
17:36
And I saw this beautiful美麗 place地點. I knew知道 I wanted to come back.
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我看見這個美麗的地方 我知道我想再回來
17:38
And I had a chance機會 to do that, when National國民 Geographic地理 asked me
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當國家地理雜誌問我想不想寫一些有關中國的文章
17:41
if I wanted to write anything about China中國.
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我知道我的機會來了
17:43
And I said yes, about this village of singing唱歌 people, singing唱歌 minority少數民族.
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我說好,我想寫這個唱歌的少數民族
17:48
And they agreed約定, and between之間 the time I saw this place地點 and the next下一個 time I went,
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它們同意了。就在我兩次拜訪中間
17:53
there was a terrible可怕 accident事故. A man, an old man, fell下跌 asleep睡著,
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一個悲慘的意外發生了。一個老人
17:57
and his quilt被子 dropped下降 in a pan of fire that kept不停 him warm.
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在睡眠中把被子掉在了暖爐上
18:00
60 homes家園 were destroyed銷毀, and 40 were damaged破損.
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六十戶人家全毀,四十戶遭到損壞
18:06
Responsibility責任 was assigned分配 to the family家庭.
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這個家庭被要求得擔負責任
18:08
The man's男人的 sons兒子 were banished放逐 to live生活 three kilometers公里 away, in a cowshed牛舍.
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老人的兒子被放逐到三公里外的牛棚
18:12
And, of course課程, as Westerners西方人, we say, "Well, it was an accident事故. That's not fair公平.
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西方人會說:但那是個不過是個意外,這不公平
18:16
It's the son兒子, not the father父親."
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父債不該子還
18:18
When I go on a story故事, I have to let go of those kinds of beliefs信仰.
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但當我下筆寫這個故事的時候,我得放棄那些原來的想法
18:24
It takes a while, but I have to let go of them and just go there, and be there.
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這得花上一些時間,但是我必須克服自己,純粹得去那裡親身經歷。
18:28
And so I was there on three occasions場合, different不同 seasons季節.
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所以我在不同的季節裡去了三次
18:31
And I began開始 to sense something different不同 about the history歷史,
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在這個貧窮的村莊裡 我開始對歷史
18:35
and what had happened發生 before, and the nature性質 of life in a very poor較差的 village,
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之前發生的事件 和人生的本質 有了不同的感受
18:39
and what you find as your joys歡樂, and your rituals儀式, your traditions傳統, your links鏈接
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什麼是讓你感到快樂的,你的儀式, 你的傳統,我們和其他家庭產生關係的方式。
18:42
with other families家庭. And I saw how this had a kind of justice正義, in its responsibility責任.
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我開始明白這樣的責任歸屬中,有它自己的正義。
18:52
I was able能夠 to find out also about the ceremony儀式 that they were using運用,
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我也開始瞭解他們使用的儀式。
18:57
a ceremony儀式 they hadn't有沒有 used in about 29 years年份. And it was to send發送 some men男人
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一個二十九年沒用過的儀式。
19:05
-- a Feng Shui master sent發送 men男人 down to the underworld地獄 on ghost horses馬匹.
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讓一個風水師送一些人 乘著鬼馬進陰間。
19:09
Now you, as Westerners西方人, and I, as Westerners西方人,
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你,身為一個西方人,如我,身為一個西方人,
19:12
would say well, that's superstition迷信. But after being存在 there for a while,
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會說:那不過是迷信。但在那裡待了一段時間以後,
19:15
and seeing眼看 the amazing驚人 things that happened發生,
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親眼見識到這些神奇的事,
19:18
you begin開始 to wonder奇蹟 whose誰的 beliefs信仰 are those that are in operation手術 in the world世界,
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你開始想,究竟是誰的信仰,運作在這個世界上,
19:23
determining決定 how things happen發生.
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決定事情該如何發生。
19:26
So I remained保持 with them, and the more I wrote that story故事,
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所以我決定留下來和他們一起 ,我寫的越多,
19:29
the more I got into those beliefs信仰, and I think that's important重要 for me
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我便越相信這些信仰,這對我來說是重要的
19:33
-- to take on the beliefs信仰, because that is where the story故事 is real真實,
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--去真正接受這些信仰,因為這樣,故事才能真實,
19:36
and that is where I'm gonna find the answers答案
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那便是我找到的答案
19:38
to how I feel about certain某些 questions問題 that I have in life.
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來解決我人生問題的地方。
19:43
Years年份 go by, of course課程, and the writing寫作, it doesn't happen發生 instantly即刻,
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隨著時間過去,我也寫了很多作品,但這不是在一瞬間發生的,
19:46
as I'm trying to convey傳達 it to you here at TEDTED.
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在這裡,我想對你們說的是
19:50
The book comes and it goes. When it arrives到達, it is no longer my book.
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書來了又走。當它來到的時候,它已不再屬於我,
19:55
It is in the hands of readers讀者, and they interpret it differently不同.
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而在每個讀者手中,他們有不同的解讀。
19:59
But I go back to this question of, how do I create創建 something out of nothing?
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但我仍然回到同樣的問題,我如何無中生有?
20:05
And how do I create創建 my own擁有 life?
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我如何創造自己的生命?
20:08
And I think it is by questioning疑問,
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藉由對它提出問題,
20:10
and saying to myself that there are no absolute絕對 truths真理.
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並告訴我自己,世上沒有絕對真實。
20:15
I believe in specifics細節, the specifics細節 of story故事,
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我相信那些具體的事,故事中的細節,
20:19
and the past過去, the specifics細節 of that past過去,
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和往事,往事中的細節,
20:22
and what is happening事件 in the story故事 at that point.
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及當時故事中所發生的事。
20:26
I also believe that in thinking思維 about things --
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我也相信,在我們考量著這些,
20:29
my thinking思維 about luck運氣, and fate命運, and coincidences巧合 and accidents事故,
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有關運氣 、命運 、巧合和意外,
20:33
God's will, and the synchrony同步 of mysterious神秘 forces軍隊 --
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天意,和這些神秘力量的互動時,
20:37
I will come to some notion概念 of what that is, how we create創建.
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我將會對我們的創造力有些概念。
20:43
I have to think of my role角色. Where I am in the universe宇宙,
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我思考自己的角色 在宇宙中的原因
20:47
and did somebody intend打算 for me to be that way, or is it just something I came來了 up with?
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是否有人要我成為現在這個樣子,或是那完全出於我自己?
20:52
And I also can find that by imagining想像 fully充分, and becoming變得 what is imagined想像 --
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我可以藉著想像來找到答案,或成為自己想像的模樣
21:00
and yet然而 is in that real真實 world世界, the fictional虛構 world世界.
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在那真實世界,虛構世界,
21:03
And that is how I find particles粒子 of truth真相, not the absolute絕對 truth真相, or the whole整個 truth真相.
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這便是我找到部分真理的辦法,不是絕對的,或是完全的真理,
21:11
And they have to be in all possibilities可能性,
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它們仍有許多可能性。
21:13
including包含 those I never considered考慮 before.
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包括那些我從未想到的
21:16
So, there are never complete完成 answers答案.
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從沒有完整的答案
21:19
Or rather, if there is an answer回答, it is to remind提醒
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就算有,也是為了提醒我自己。
21:24
myself that there is uncertainty不確定 in everything,
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一切都是變化無常的
21:28
and that is good, because then I will discover發現 something new.
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那是件好事,因為我總能發現新東西
21:33
And if there is a partial局部 answer回答, a more complete完成 answer回答 from me,
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如果有一個片段的答案,一個更完整的答案
21:37
it is to simply只是 imagine想像.
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便是簡單的想像
21:40
And to imagine想像 is to put myself in that story故事,
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想像是將自己放進故事裡
21:44
until直到 there was only -- there is a transparency透明度 between之間 me and the story故事 that I am creating創建.
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直到我跟我所創造的故事之間什麼都沒有
21:50
And that's how I've discovered發現 that if I feel what is in the story故事
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這就是我如何發覺故事中的情節
21:56
-- in one story故事 -- then I come the closest最近的, I think,
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那麼 ,我便接近了,懂得了
22:02
to knowing會心 what compassion同情 is, to feeling感覺 that compassion同情.
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什麼是同感,或是如何感受同感
22:06
Because for everything,
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因為對每一件事來說
22:08
in that question of how things happen發生, it has to do with the feeling感覺.
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疑問事情怎麼發生,這其中必然帶有情感
22:12
I have to become成為 the story故事 in order訂購 to understand理解 a lot of that.
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我必須成為故事,才能了解
22:18
We've我們已經 come to the end結束 of the talk,
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這場演說到了尾聲
22:20
and I will reveal揭示 what is in the bag, and it is the muse沉思,
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而我將揭露隱藏的秘密,就是謬思靈感的來源
22:24
and it is the things that transform轉變 in our lives生活,
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就是這玩意改變了我們的生活
22:27
that are wonderful精彩 and stay with us.
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美好且一直與我們在一起
22:37
There she is.
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就是她
22:38
Thank you very much!
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謝謝你們
22:40
(Applause掌聲)
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(鼓掌)
Translated by Portnoy Zheng
Reviewed by Dxm Online大小媒體

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Amy Tan - Novelist
Amy Tan is the author of such beloved books as The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife and The Hundred Secret Senses.

Why you should listen

Born in the US to immigrant parents from China, Amy Tan rejected her mother's expectations that she become a doctor and concert pianist. She chose to write fiction instead. Her much-loved, best-selling novels have been translated into 35 languages. In 2008, she wrote a libretto for The Bonesetter's Daughter, which premiered that September with the San Francisco Opera.

Tan was the creative consultant for Sagwa, the Emmy-nominated PBS series for children, and she has appeared as herself on The Simpsons. She's the lead rhythm dominatrix, backup singer and second tambourine with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a literary garage band that has raised more than a million dollars for literacy programs.

More profile about the speaker
Amy Tan | Speaker | TED.com