前些年，美国刚刚庆祝过建国200周年。洛杉矶奥运会的开幕式把他们两个世纪的历史表演得辉煌壮丽。A few years ago, the United States had just celebrated the 200th anniversary of its founding. The opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics presented their two-century-long history in a magnificent and splendid way.
前些天，澳大利亚又在庆祝他们的200周年，海湾里千帆竞发，确实也激动人心。A few days ago, Australia was also celebrating its 200th anniversary. With thousands of sails competing in the bay, it was truly exciting.
与此同时，我们的苏州城，却悄悄地过了自己2500周年的生日。时间之长，简直有点让人发晕。Meanwhile, our city of Suzhou quietly celebrated its 2,500th birthday. The length of time is almost dizzying.
入夜，苏州人穿过2500年的街道，回到家里，观看美国和澳大利亚国庆的电视转播。窗外，古城门藤葛垂垂，虎丘塔隐人夜空。At night, Suzhou people walk through the streets that have witnessed 2,500 years of history and return home to watch the TV broadcasts of the national day celebrations in the United States and Australia. Outside the window, the ancient city gates are draped with vines, and the Tiger Hill Pagoda disappears into the night sky.
在清理河道，说要变成东方的威尼斯。这些河道船楫如梭的时候，威尼斯还是荒原一片。When cleaning up the waterways with the claim of turning it into the Venice of the East, Venice was still a wilderness when these waterways were bustling with boats.
苏州是我常去之地。海内美景多得是，唯苏州，能给我一种真正的休憩。Suzhou is a place I often visit. There are numerous beautiful scenic spots in the country, but only Suzhou can offer me a true sense of rest.
柔婉的言语，姣好的面容，精雅的园林，幽深的街道，处处给人以感官上的宁静和慰藉。The gentle speech, the pretty faces, the elegant gardens, and the secluded streets all bring a sense of peace and comfort to the senses.
现实生活常常搅得人心志烦乱，那么，苏州无数的古迹会让你熨帖着历史走一定情怀。Real life often upsets and confuses people's minds. Well, the countless historical sites in Suzhou will allow you to walk in harmony with history and evoke certain emotions.
有古迹必有题咏，大多是古代文人超迈的感叹，读一读，那种鸟瞰历史的达观又能把你心头的皱折慰抚得平平展展。Where there are historical sites, there must be inscriptions and poems, mostly lofty exclamations by ancient literati. Reading them, the philosophical outlook of overlooking history can smooth out the wrinkles in your heart.
看得多了，也便知道，这些文人大多也是到这里休憩来的。Having seen many of them, one also comes to know that most of these literati also came here to rest.
他们不想在这儿创建伟业，但在事成事败之后，却愿意到这里来走走。苏州，是中国文化宁谧的后院。They didn't want to achieve great feats here, but after success or failure in their undertakings, they were willing to come here for a stroll. Suzhou is the serene backyard of Chinese culture.
做了那么长时间的后院，我有时不禁感叹，苏州在中国文化史上的地位是不公平的。Suzhou has been a backyard for so long, and sometimes I can't help but lament that Suzhou's position in Chinese cultural history is unfair.
历来很有一些人，在这里吃饱了，玩足了，风雅够了，回去就写鄙薄苏州的文字。There have always been quite a few people who, after having their fill of food, entertainment, and refined pleasures here in Suzhou, would go back and write disparaging words about the city.
京城史官的眼光，更是很少在苏州停驻。直到近代，吴依软语与玩物丧志同义。The eyes of the court historians in the capital seldom lingered on Suzhou. Even until modern times, the soft and gentle speech of Suzhou was regarded as synonymous with being indulgent and losing one's ambition.
理由是简明的：苏州缺少金陵王气。这里没有森然殿阙，只有园林。这里摆不开战场，徒造了几座城门。The reasons are straightforward: Suzhou lacks the regal air of Nanjing. There are no imposing palaces and halls here, only gardens. There is no room for a battlefield here; only a few city gates were built in vain.
这里的曲卷通不过堂皇的官轿，这里的民风不崇拜肃杀的禁令。这里的流水太清，这里的桃花太艳，这里的弹唱有点撩人。The winding lanes here are too narrow for stately official sedans to pass through. The local folk customs here do not revere strict and forbidding prohibitions. The flowing water here is too clear, the peach blossoms here are too bright, and the music and singing here are a bit tantalizing.
这里的小食太甜，这里的女人太悄，这里的茶馆太多，这里的书肆太密，这里的书法过于流利，这里的绘画不够苍凉遒劲，这里的诗歌缺少易水壮士低哑的喉音。The snacks here are too sweet, the women here are too gentle and quiet, the teahouses here are too numerous, the bookstores here are too dense, the calligraphy here is too smooth and flowing, the paintings here are not desolate and forceful enough, and the poetry here lacks the hoarse voices of the heroes on the Yishui River.
于是，苏州，背负着种种罪名，默默地端坐着，迎来送往，安分度日。却也不愿重整衣冠，去领受那份王气。反正已经老了，去吃那种追随之苦作甚？Thus, Suzhou, burdened with all kinds of accusations, sits quietly, greeting and seeing off visitors, living a peaceful life. Nor does it wish to dress up anew to embrace that regal air. Anyway, it's already old. Why should it endure the hardships of following others?
说来话长，苏州的委屈，2000多年前已经受了。It's a long story. Suzhou's grievances date back more than 2,000 years ago.
当时正是春秋晚期，苏州一带的吴国和浙江的越国打得难分难解。It was the late Spring and Autumn Period. The State of Wu in the Suzhou area and the State of Yue in Zhejiang were locked in a fierce battle.
其实吴、越本是一家，两国的首领都是外来的冒险家。先是越王勾践把吴王阖闾打死，然后又是继任的吴王夫差击败勾践。In fact, the States of Wu and Yue were originally of the same origin. The leaders of both states were foreign adventurers. First, Goujian, the King of Yue, killed Helü, the King of Wu. Then, Fuchai, the successor King of Wu, defeated Goujian.
勾践利用计谋卑怯称臣，实际上发愤图强，终于在十年后卷土重来，成了春秋时代最后一个霸主。Goujian took advantage of stratagems and humbly submitted himself as a vassal. In fact, he was secretly working hard to make his country strong. Finally, he made a comeback ten years later and became the last hegemon in the Spring and Autumn Period.
这事在中国差不多人所共知，原是一场分不清是非的混战，可惜后人只欣赏勾践的计谋和忍耐，嘲笑夫差的该死。This story is almost known to everyone in China. It was originally a chaotic battle where it was hard to distinguish right from wrong. Unfortunately, later generations only admired Goujian's stratagems and patience and ridiculed Fuchai for his deserved downfall.
千百年来，勾践的首府会稽，一直被称颂为“报仇雪耻之乡”，那末苏州呢，当然是亡国亡君之地。For thousands of years, Kuaiji, the capital of Goujian, has always been praised as the "land of avenging humiliation". Well, what about Suzhou? Of course, it was regarded as the land of a lost kingdom and a deposed king.
细想吴越混战，最苦的是苏州百姓。Thinking carefully about the chaotic battles between Wu and Yue, it was the common people of Suzhou who suffered the most.
吴越间打的几次大仗，有两次是野外战斗，一次在嘉兴南部，一次在太湖洞庭山，而第三次，则是勾践攻陷苏州，所遭惨状一想便知。Among the several major battles fought between Wu and Yue, two were field battles, one in the south of Jiaxing and the other on Dongting Mountain in Taihu Lake. And the third one was when Goujian captured Suzhou, and the miserable situation can be easily imagined.
早在勾践用计期间，苏州人也连续遭殃。勾践用煮过的稻子上贡吴国，吴国用以撒种，颗粒无收，灾荒由苏州人民领受；As early as when Goujian was using his stratagems, the people of Suzhou also suffered continuously. Goujian offered boiled rice as tribute to the State of Wu. The people of Wu used it for sowing, but there was no harvest at all, and the famine was endured by the people of Suzhou.
勾践怂恿夫差享乐，亭台楼阁建造无数，劳役由苏州人民承担。最后，亡国奴的滋味，又让苏州人民品尝。Goujian instigated Fuchai to indulge in pleasures. Countless pavilions and towers were built, and the labor was borne by the people of Suzhou. Finally, the people of Suzhou also tasted the bitterness of being slaves of a lost kingdom.
传说勾践计谋中还有重要一项，就是把越国的美女西施进献给夫差，诱使夫差荒淫无度，慵理国事。It is said that an important part of Goujian's stratagems was to present Xi Shi, a beautiful woman from the State of Yue, to Fuchai, luring him to be dissipated and neglect state affairs.
计成，西施却被家乡来的官员投沉江中，因为她已与“亡国”二字相连，霸主最为忌讳。When the stratagem succeeded, Xi Shi was thrown into the river by an official from her hometown because she was associated with the word "lost kingdom", which was most taboo for a hegemon.
苏州人心肠软，他们不计较这位姑娘给自己带来过多大的灾害，只觉得她可怜，真真假假地留着她的大量遗迹来纪念。The people of Suzhou are soft-hearted. They don't care about how much disaster this girl brought to them. They just feel sorry for her and have left a large number of real or fake relics to commemorate her.
据说今日苏州西郊灵岩山顶的灵岩寺，便是当初西施居住的所在，吴王曾名之“馆娃宫”。It is said that the Lingyan Temple on the top of Lingyan Mountain in the western suburbs of Suzhou today was where Xi Shi used to live. The King of Wu once named it "Guanwa Palace".
灵岩山是苏州一大胜景，游山时若能遇到几位热心的苏州老者，他们还会细细告诉你，何处是西施洞，何处是西施迹，何处是玩月池，何处是吴王井，处处与西施相关。Lingyan Mountain is a famous scenic spot in Suzhou. When climbing the mountain, if you meet some enthusiastic old men from Suzhou, they will still tell you in detail where Xi Shi's cave is, where her traces are, where the Moon-Viewing Pool is, and where the King of Wu's well is. Everything is related to Xi Shi.
正当会稽人不断为报仇雪耻的传统而自豪的时候，他们派出的西施姑娘却长期地躲避在对方的山巅。Just as the people of Kuaiji were constantly proud of the tradition of avenging humiliation, the Xi Shi girl they sent out was hiding on the mountain top of the other side for a long time.
你做王他做王，管它亡不亡，苏州人不大理睬。这也就注定了历代帝王对苏州很少垂盼。Whether you become the king or he becomes the king, whether the kingdom is lost or not, the people of Suzhou don't care much. This also doomed that the emperors of successive dynasties seldom showed any favor to Suzhou.
苏州人甚至还不甘心于西施姑娘被人利用后又被沉死的悲剧。The people of Suzhou were even not reconciled to the tragedy that Xi Shi was used by others and then drowned to death.
明代梁辰鱼（苏州东邻昆山人）作《烷纱记》，让西施完成任务后与原先的情人范蠡泛舟太湖而隐遁。In the Ming Dynasty, Liang Chenyu (a native of Kunshan, the eastern neighbor of Suzhou) wrote "Washing Gauze Record", in which Xi Shi went into hiding on Taihu Lake with her former lover Fan Li by boat after fulfilling her task.
这确实是善良的，但这么一来，又产生了新的麻烦。这对情人既然原先已经爱深情笃，那么西施后来在吴国的奉献就太与人性相背。This is indeed kind-hearted, but in this way, a new problem arose. Since the two lovers had already been deeply in love before, then Xi Shi's dedication in the State of Wu later was too contrary to human nature.
前不久一位苏州作家给我看他的一部新作，写勾践灭吴后，越国正等着女英雄西施凯旋，但西施已经真正爱上了自己的夫君吴王夫差，甘愿陪着他一同流放边荒。Not long ago, a writer from Suzhou showed me his new work. It was written that after Goujian destroyed the State of Wu, the State of Yue was waiting for the heroic Xi Shi to return in triumph. But Xi Shi had actually fallen in love with her husband, the King of Wu Fuchai, and was willing to accompany him to be exiled to the remote border.
又有一位江苏作家更是奇想妙设，写越国隆重欢迎西施还乡的典礼上，人们看见，这位女主角竟是怀孕而来。Another writer from Jiangsu even had a wonderful and strange idea. In his writing, at the grand ceremony of welcoming Xi Shi back to her hometown in the State of Yue, people saw that this female protagonist was pregnant.
于是，如何处置这个还未出生的吴国孽种，构成了一场政治、人性的大搏战。许多怪诞的境遇，接踵而来。Thus, how to deal with this unborn "evil seed" of the State of Wu constituted a great battle between politics and human nature. Many strange situations ensued.
可怜的西施姑娘，到今天，终于被当作一个人，一个女性，一个妻子和母亲，让后人细细体谅。Poor Xi Shi girl. Up to today, she has finally been regarded as a person, a woman, a wife, and a mother, allowing later generations to understand her with great care.
我也算一个越人吧，家乡曾属会稽郡管辖。无论如何，我钦佩苏州的见识和度量。I can be considered a Yue person too, as my hometown was once under the jurisdiction of Kuaiji Prefecture. Anyway, I admire the insight and magnanimity of Suzhou.
吴越战争以降，苏州一直没有发出太大的音响。千年易过，直到明代，苏州突然变得坚挺起来。Since the Wu-Yue War, Suzhou has never made much noise. A thousand years passed quickly, and it wasn't until the Ming Dynasty that the people of Suzhou suddenly became resolute.
对于遥远京城的腐败统治，竟然是苏州人反抗得最为厉害。It was actually the people of Suzhou who resisted the corrupt rule of the distant imperial court most fiercely.
先是苏州织工大暴动，再是东林党人反对魏忠贤，朝廷特务在苏州逮捕东林党人时，遭到苏州全城的反对。First, there was a large-scale riot by the silk weavers in Suzhou. Then, the Donglin Party members opposed Wei Zhong贤. When the court spies came to arrest the Donglin Party members in Suzhou, they were opposed by the whole city of Suzhou.
柔婉的苏州人这次是提着脑袋、踏着血泊冲击，冲击的对象，是皇帝最信任的“九千岁”。The gentle people of Suzhou this time risked their lives and waded through blood to launch an assault. The target of their assault was the "Nine-Thousand-Year-Old", the most trusted person of the emperor.
“九千岁”的事情，最后由朝廷主子的自然更替解决。The matter of the "Nine-Thousand-Year-Old" was finally resolved by the natural succession of the rulers in the imperial court.
正当朝野上下齐向京城欢呼谢恩的时候，苏州人只把五位抗争时被杀的普通市民，立了墓碑，葬在虎丘山脚下，让他们安享山色和夕阳。When everyone in the court and the country was cheering and expressing gratitude to the capital, the people of Suzhou only erected tombstones for the five ordinary citizens who were killed during the resistance and buried them at the foot of Tiger Hill, allowing them to enjoy the mountain scenery and the setting sun.
这次浩荡突发，使整整一部中国史都对苏州人另眼相看。This sudden and powerful outburst made the whole history of China look at the people of Suzhou with new eyes.
这座古城怎么啦？脾性一发让人再也认不出来，说他们含而不露，阳说他们忠奸分明，说他们报效朝廷，苏州人只笑一笑，又去过原先的日子。园林依然这样纤巧，桃花依然这样灿烂。What happened to this ancient city? Once its temper flared up, it was unrecognizable. Say they were reserved, yet they clearly distinguished between loyalty and treachery. Say they were serving the imperial court, but the people of Suzhou just smiled and went back to their former lives. The gardens remained as delicate as ever, and the peach blossoms were still as brilliant as before.
明代的苏州人，可享受的东西多得很。他们有一大批才华横溢的戏曲家，他们有盛况空前的虎丘山曲会，他们还有了唐伯虎和仇英的绘画。到后来，他们又有了一个金圣叹。The people of Suzhou in the Ming Dynasty had many enjoyable things. They had a large number of brilliant playwrights. They had the unprecedentedly grand Huqiu Mountain Opera Gathering. They also had the paintings of Tang Bohu and Qiu Ying. Later, they had Jin Shengtan.
如此种种，又让京城的文化官员皱眉。轻柔悠扬，潇洒倜傥，放浪不驯、艳情漫漫，这似乎又不是圣朝气象。All these things made the cultural officials in the capital frown again. Soft and melodious, unrestrained and elegant, wild and unruly, full of amorous feelings, this didn't seem to be the proper image of a holy dynasty.
就拿那个名声最坏的唐伯虎来说吧，自称江南第一才子，也不干什么正事，也看不起大小官员，风流落拓，高高傲傲，只知写诗作画，不时拿几幅画到街上出卖。Take Tang Bohu, who had the worst reputation, for example. He called himself the number one talent in the Jiangnan region. He didn't do any proper business, looked down on officials of all ranks, was carefree and proud, only knew how to write poems and paint, and from time to time took a few paintings to the street to sell.
不炼金丹不坐禅，I don't refine the golden elixir or practice meditation,
不为商贾不耕田，I don't engage in business or farm the land,
闲来写幅青山卖，When I'm free, I paint a green mountain and sell it,
不使人间造孽钱。I won't earn the ill-gotten money of the world.
这样过日子，怎么不贫病而死呢！然而苏州人似乎挺喜欢他，亲亲热热叫他唐解元，在他死后把桃花庵修葺保存，还传播一个“三笑”故事让他多一桩艳遇。Living like this, how could he not die of poverty and illness! However, the people of Suzhou seemed to like him very much. They affectionately called him Tang Jieyuan. After his death, they repaired and preserved Taohua Nunnery and also spread the story of "Three Smiles" to give him one more amorous encounter.
唐伯虎是好是坏我们且不去论他。无论如何，他为中国增添了几页非官方文化。人品、艺品的平衡木实在让人走得太累，他有权利躲在桃花丛中做一个真正的艺术家。Whether Tang Bohu was good or bad, let's not discuss that for now. Anyway, he added several pages of unofficial culture to China. The balance beam of personal character and artistic quality is really tiring to walk on. He had the right to hide among the peach blossoms and be a true artist.
中国这么大，历史这么长，有几个才子型、浪子型的艺术家怕什么？深紫的色彩层层涂抹，够沉重了，涂几笔浅红淡绿，加几分俏皮洒泼，才有活气，才有活活泼泼的中国文化。China is so big and its history is so long. What's there to fear about having a few talented and prodigal artists? The deep purple colors have been smeared layer by layer, which is heavy enough. Adding a few strokes of light red and pale green, with a bit of playfulness and boldness, will bring vitality and a lively Chinese culture.
真正能够导致亡国的远不是这些才子艺术家。你看大明亡后，唯有苏州才子金圣叹哭声震天，他因痛哭而被杀。It was far from these talented artists that could actually lead to the downfall of a country. Look, after the fall of the Ming Dynasty, it was only Jin Shengtan, a talent from Suzhou, who cried heartbreakingly. He was killed because of his crying.
近年苏州又重修了唐伯虎墓，这是应该的，不能让他们老这么委屈着。In recent years, the tomb of Tang Bohu in Suzhou has been rebuilt. This is as it should be. We can't let them be wronged like this all the time.
一切都已过去了，不提也罢。现在我只困惑，人类最早的城邑之一，会不会、应不应淹没在后生晚辈的竞争之中？All that has passed. It's better not to mention it. Now I'm just confused. Will one of the earliest cities in the world be submerged in the competition among the younger generations?
山水还在，古迹还在，似乎精魂也有些许留存。最近一次去苏州，重游寒山寺，撞了几下钟，因俞樾题写的诗碑而想到曲园。The mountains and waters are still there, the historical sites are still there, and it seems that a little of the essence also remains. On my last visit to Suzhou, I revisited Hanshan Temple and rang the bell a few times. Because of the poem tablet inscribed by Yu Yue, I thought of Quyuan(a traditional Chinese garden).
曲园为新开，因有平伯先生等后人捐赠，原物原貌，适人心怀。曲园在一条狭窄的小巷里，由于这个普通门庭的存在，苏州一度成为晚清国学重镇。Quyuan was newly opened, thanks to the donations of descendants such as Mr. Yu Pingbo. It retains its original appearance, which is quite pleasing. Quyuan is located in a narrow alley. Due to the existence of this ordinary courtyard, Suzhou once became an important center of traditional Chinese studies in the late Qing Dynasty.
当时的苏州十分沉静，但无数的小巷中，无数的门庭里，藏匿着无数厚实的灵魂。正是这些灵魂，千百年来，以积聚久远的固执，使苏州保存了风韵的核心。At that time, Suzhou was very quiet, but in countless alleys and courtyards, countless solid souls were hidden. It was these souls that, over thousands of years, with their long-accumulated stubbornness, enabled Suzhou to preserve the core of its charm.
漫步在苏州的小巷中是一种奇特的经验。一排排鹅卵石，一级级台阶，一座座门庭，门都关闭着，让你去猜想它的蕴藏，猜想它以前、很早以前的主人。想得再奇也不要紧，2500年的时间，什么事情都可能发生。It is a strange experience to walking in the alleys of Suzhou. Rows of cobblestones, flights of steps, and courtyards with their doors all closed, leaving you to guess what lies inside, to guess the owners of the past, very long ago. It doesn't matter how strange your guesses are. In 2500 years, anything could have happened.
如今的曲园，辟有一间茶室。巷子太深，门庭大小，茶客不多。Nowadays, there is a tea room in Quyuan. The alley is too deep, and the courtyard is small, so there aren't many tea drinkers.
但一听他们的谈论，却有些怪异。阵阵茶香中飘出一些名字，竟有戴东原、王念孙、焦理堂、章太炎、胡适之。But when you listen to their conversations, it's a bit strange. Amid the wafting tea fragrance, some names come up, including Dai Dongyuan, Wang Niansun, Jiao Litang, Zhang Taiyan, and Hu Shizhi.
茶客上了年纪，皆操吴依软语，似有所争执，又继以笑声。几个年轻的茶客厅着吃力，呷一口茶，清清嗓子，开始高声谈论陆文夫的作品。The tea drinkers are all elderly and speak the soft Wu dialect. They seem to be arguing about something and then burst into laughter. A few young tea drinkers find it a bit difficult to understand. They take a sip of tea, clear their throats, and start talking loudly about the works of Lu Wenfu.
未几，老人们起身了，他们在门口拱手作揖，转过身去，消失在狭狭的小巷里。Before long, the old people get up. They bow with their hands clasped at the door, turn around, and disappear into the narrow alley.
我也沿着小巷回去。依然是光光的鹅卵石，依然是座座关闭的门庭。I also walk back along the alley. There are still the smooth cobblestones and the closed courtyards.
我突然有点害怕，怕哪个门庭突然打开，涌出来几个人：再是长髯老者，我会既满意又悲凉；若是时髦青年，我会既高兴又不无遗憾。Suddenly, I'm a bit scared. I'm afraid that one of the courtyards will suddenly open and a few people will come out. If it's an old man with a long beard, I'll be both satisfied and sad. If it's a fashionable young person, I'll be both happy and not without regret.
该是什么样的人？我一时找不到答案。What kind of people should they be? I can't find the answer for a moment.
