16340 words.
第一回 花近高樓傷客心
"Flowers near the building, sadden the
traveler's heart"
有一則流傳在印度的故事，講述一位年輕的修行人，他從來沒有見過牛，也沒有喝過牛奶。一天，這位修行人問他的上師：「牛奶是什麼？」上師詳細地對他講說牛奶的種種。最後他終於瞭解了：牛奶是從牛身上擠出來的、白色的液體，這種液體很有價值，可以製做乾酪，也可以直接飲用。
There
is a well-known story in India about a young initiate who had never seen a cow
or tasted its milk. One day, this
initiate asked his guru: “What is milk?”
His guru explained in detail the nature of milk. At last, the initiate understood that
milk is a white colored liquid that comes from the cow. This liquid is very valuable
and can be made into
cheese or sipped directly.
有一次修行人外出，經過一個村莊。他看到路旁有隻龐然大物，很像上師所說的牛，牠旁邊還有一桶液體，也確實是白色的。不過站在桶邊的人並沒有搯來喝，卻像在進行什麼儀式似的，用刷子蘸起那乳白液體，不斷往牆上塗抹。
On one occasion the initiate
happened to pass by a village, where he saw a large animal by the
roadside. It looked very similar to
a cow, as described by his guru.
There was a bucket of liquid next to it, and the liquid was indeed
white, just like the teacher had said.
However, the person standing next to the bucket did not scoop the liquid
up to drink. Instead, he seemed to
be performing some kind of ritual.
He dipped a brush into the bucket and repeatedly applied it to the wall.
修行人相信那樣有用的液體，一定就是牛奶了，只不知喝下去滋味如何？他向那村人募化一碗，仰頭一口喝了下去。不料那味道非常奇特，令他覺得噁心反胃，連早餐都吐出來了。修行人回去後，便向上師稟明。
The initiate believed this useful
liquid must be milk. He wondered
what it would taste like. He
requested a bowl of this liquid from the villager, tilted his head back, and
downed it in one gulp. The
incredibly strange taste nauseated him and he vomited his breakfast. When the initiate returned, he told his
guru what had happened.
「那白色的液體，是你自己從牛身上擠出來的嗎？」上師問。
“Did you milk the white liquid from the cow yourself?” The guru asked.
「不是。」
“No.”
「生平第一次的經驗，必須一一從頭到尾親自體認，怎能只看後果呢？」
“Every first encounter in life must be personally
experienced from start to
finish. You can't just consider the results.”
人不幸是一種經驗動物，任何事物一定要親身體驗過，才能瞭解。有誰能例外呢？釋迦牟尼佛、基督耶穌等，都必須經過十月胎養，數十載的歷練，方能證道。時代的變遷、個人的境遇，總是依循著人生的流向，沖刷出來的、嶄新的航道。而人類生命這條長河，蜿蜒了數百萬年，可能將流入汪洋大海，也可能消逝在窅渺的大漠。
Unfortunately for Man he is a creature of
experience. Everything must be
personally undertaken before it can be understood. There are no exceptions. Sakyamuni and
Jesus Christ each had to undergo the 10 months embryo period and decades of
training before they could understand the real truth. Changes of time and personal
circumstance always follow the flow of life, and the thrust of this flow opens
new courses. However, the long
river of human life has been winding and twisting for millions of years. It could either end up in the vast ocean
or disappear into a vast and endless desert.
時間是２０５０年，這裡是月球上一個臨時的探測基地，文祥剛完成了一片月長石的分子編碼。將一長串資料建檔歸類後，他坐在月球梭中，思前想後，不禁感慨叢生。
The year is 2050. At a temporary surveying base camp on the Moon, Wen Xiang had just finished the molecule coding of the moonstone. After classifying a long series of data, he sat in the Moon Shuttle, thinking. Unavoidably, there were regrets.
每當工作累了，文祥總會抬起頭來，望著那顆懸在天邊、大如車輪、灰藍嵌白的晶球，他就有些真幻不分的感覺。晶球背後是一整塊黑魆魆的巨牆，彷彿無邊無際，把他的四周都圍起來了。不過這堵牆似乎年久失修，破了無數小洞，漏出點點明燦的精光。
Whenever
he became tired while working, Wen Xiang would look
up at the grayish blue, spotted with white crystal ball, the size of a car
wheel, suspended in the sky. For
him, at such moments, the distinction between reality and illusion became
blurred. The backdrop to this
crystal ball was a massive, limitless jet-black wall that seemed to surround
him on all sides. However, this
wall looked as if it hasn't been repaired for a great while. Countless points of strong, bright light
shine through the myriad holes in its surface.
由於月球表面沒有大氣層，光線如箭矢一般疾射下來，明亮而清晰。地面上一片銀白斑剝，好像幾何圖形一般，鍔簇鋒攢的陰影，從巨石頂端一刀切將下來，左右上下、四面八方，一切非黑即白。不論從哪個角度看去，都像一幅藝術巨照，滿佈在空空曠曠的展覽室裡，只有斜上方鑲著一粒藍色的明珠。
Because no atmosphere surrounds the
Moon light streams down like an arrow, bright and clear. The Moon surface is silver and dappled
in semi-geometrical designs. A
strangely-shaped shadow cuts down from the pinnacle of a massive stone. Left, right, up, and down; in every
direction, the eye is met by either black or white. Viewed from any angle, it resembles a
giant artistic photo entirely covering a vast, empty display room, and
illuminated by only a lone bright blue pearl mounted in the upper corner.
然而，對文祥來說，這粒明珠更像一扇通往家園的穹門圓戶，安祥地敞開著，正等待遠方遊子的歸來。他兒時曾聽過一些神話傳說，月亮被稱做廣寒宮，是個廬雲巢霞的仙闕，高掛天上，不染人間煙塵。
However,
in Wen Xiang's mind, this bright pearl is an arched
gate that leads to home. It stands
quietly open, waiting for the absent son to return from his distant
travels. In the myths and legends
of his childhood, the Moon was known as Guang Han
Palace, a god's palace where white and rosy clouds hung high in the sky,
unstained by smoke and dust from the world of man.
相傳以箭射日的英雄后羿，在西天王母娘娘處，討得了長生不死的仙藥。后羿的妻子嫦娥，為求容顏永駐，不惜盜了靈藥，隻身遁往廣寒宮。
It
is said that Hou Yi, the hero who shot the suns from the sky with his arrows,
requested the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West. But Hou Yi's
wife, Chang E, in order to maintain her youthful look, stole this miraculous
potion and fled to Guang Han Palace, alone.
李商隱的〈嫦娥〉，道盡了她的悔意：
In his poem “Chang E”, Li Shangyin depicts her deep
regret:
「雲母屏風燭影深，長河漸落曉星沉。
嫦娥應悔偷靈藥，碧海青天夜夜心。」
“On
the mica screen a candle casts its shadow long and dark.
The Milky Way slowly
sinks, the Morning Star has set.
Chang E surely repents
the magic potion theft,
Doomed now to spend
every night in that vast blue sky,
Alone in deep
regret."
到了二十世紀，神話的面紗褪去，月球只不過是座寸草不生的荒原。嫦娥的夢碎了，人類的夢卻又飛出了廣漠的銀漢，逸向縹緲虛無的太空。
In the 20th century the
veil of mythology was lifted. The
Moon was nothing more than a deserted and barren plain. The dream of Chang E was shattered. Man's dream now soared beyond the wide
Milky Way and into endless space.
文祥到底是地球人，看慣了朦朦朧朧的雲霄，對閃閃爍爍、羞羞答答的嫦娥仙子，更是心存懷想戀慕。如今，從月球上看地球，就像在做科學實驗般，太平 洋的風浪、非洲大陸的黃沙，即令在氤氳窈窕的捲雲下，也能看得一清二楚。
After all, Wen Xiang
is from the planet Earth and accustomed to the presence of clouds. He adores and misses the shy and elusive
Chang E. Viewing Earth from the
Moon is like performing a scientific experiment. The wind and waves of the Pacific Ocean
or the yellow sand of Africa can be clearly seen beneath the misty and enticing
cirrus clouds.
只要文祥願意，他還可以開啟那具電子望遠鏡，穿透雲霧，具體而微地俯瞰地球表面的一切。無奈，任何事物在沒有看到以前，總讓人充滿了幻思，興致極高。就是初看之時，也還能心存好奇，迫不急待地東張西望。等到看上個三五次，神祕感消失了，再美好的事物，也都味如嚼蠟，再引不起絲毫興趣了。
Any
time Wen Xiang cares to, he can switch on an
electronic telescope capable of penetrating the haze of clouds. This bird's eye view provided by the
telescope enables him to see the Earth's surface in great detail. Unfortunately, when one has never laid
eyes on something, there is a tendency to fanaticize its nature. Enthusiasm is at its height. At the first moment of encounter, one is
curious and bursting to look around.
But after seeing it a few times, the mystery is gone. The finest of things become as bland as
chewing wax, incapable of summoning the least bit of interest.
又有什麼能例外呢？生命本是為了適應環境而進化的。千萬年來，人不過生活在方圓百里之內，生存於一兩個甲子之間。人的感官也不過是偵測相應的刺激變化，讓人從新奇而熟悉，由熟悉而適應，因適應而接受，最後成為認知的一部分。
Can
there be any exceptions? Life
evolves by adapting to the environment.
For millions of years, man passed his allotted span of 60 or more years
confined to an area of one hundred li (Note 1). Man's sense organs merely detect the
changing response to stimulation.
In the process, curiosity becomes familiarity; familiarity becomes
adaptation; adaptation results in acceptance, at which point it becomes part of
his knowledge.
后羿是創世紀的英雄，相傳在地球成形之初，天上有十二個太陽，驕狂任性，交替蹂躪著天庭。地上一片火熱昌熾，熔漿滾滾，沒有任何生物能夠倖存。后羿取了他的射陽神弓，一箭一個，只留下最後一個，命令它好好的為蒼生服務。
Hou
Yi is a creation hero. Legend has
it that when the Earth was first formed, there were 12 suns in the sky. They were proud, wild and headstrong and
took turns tormenting heaven. The
entire Earth was hot and incandescent
with flowing lava. No forms of life
could survive. Hou Yi took up his
miraculous “Sun-shooting" bow and with each arrow shot down one sun, until
only one remained. He commanded
this last sun to serve the creatures of Earth.
二十一世紀又自不同，神話相當於預言，科學就是后羿。人類早已把太陽能轉化為電能，解決了生存的問題。進而又從王母娘娘處，取得遺傳基因的密碼，製成長生不老的仙藥。最後，人類又追隨嫦娥的足跡，也飛進那曾是可望而不可及的崇宮傑宇。
Naturally,
the 21st century is different.
Mythology is ranked along with prophecy while Science represents Hou
Yi. Mankind has already transformed
solar energy into electricity thereby solving the problem of survival. Later, Hou Yi obtained the esoteric code
of DNA from the Queen Mother of the West and used it to create the medicine of
longevity and youth. Ultimately,
man followed Chang E’s footsteps and flew into the longed-for but previously
unobtainable lofty palace.
長生不老一直是人類最大的夢想，也如同所有的經驗一樣，在沒有得到之前，人人充滿了幻思，嚮往不已。等到長生成為事實，在最初的十數年間，舉世一片歌功頌德之聲。然而，新奇感變做陳腔老調後，永恆不死的神話，卻又化成無邊的魘夢。
Longevity
and the preservation of youthful appearance have always been one of mankind's
greatest dreams. But as with all
other encounters, before one has actually experienced it, there is always a
great deal of imaginative anticipation.
As longevity became reality, in the first 10 or so years, praises of its
virtues were heard worldwide.
However, after initial curiosity had become commonplace, the myth of
eternal life became an unending nightmare.
在這個時代，只要是電腦服務的區域，相較於二十世紀，可以說從根本上起了驚天動地的變革。除了人人長生不老、處處歌舞昇平之外，社會上盜賊不興，貧窮、犯罪已經成為歷史名詞。實際上，只要是人，就可以分得一間設備齊全的居室，無限供應的飲食，以及應有盡有的各種物質與精神享受。
Compared to the 20th century,
in our era it is not amiss to say that a revolutionary change has taken place
in the various fields where computers are used. Aside from the fact of eternal youth for
all and a joyous and peaceful society, thieves are nowhere to be found and
words such as "poverty" and "crime" have become
obsolete. Actually, every man is
entitled to a fully equipped place to live, limitless food and drink, and every
kind of material and spiritual comfort a person could possibly want.
電腦是最忠誠的僕人，他不眠不休、任勞任怨地為人類服務。能源問題解決了，生產問題消失了，分配、供應公平而週到，人權及尊嚴更是妥善而適切。最精采的，還是琳琅滿目、花樣百出的娛樂方式與設備，讓人不必出大門一步，日日快活勝神仙。
A
computer is the most loyal of servants.
It neither sleeps nor rests, and serves man without complaint. The energy problem has been resolved and
production problems are a thing of the past. Distribution and supply are both fair
and thorough. Human rights and dignity are given appropriate respect. Best of all are the countless dazzling
means of entertainment and their facilities. Without stepping outside, people may
enjoy a daily life superior to that of a god.
基本上，人已經無需工作，金錢、名利、權勢、地位都只是「精神菜單」上的條目。任何人都可以在他的虛擬實境中，或者是在和真實毫無二致的造夢機中，任意選擇他所中意的角色，隨意安排故事的情節。然後，在電腦的協助下，人人心想事成。
Basically, there is no need for man to
work. Money, fame, wealth, power or
social rank are mere items on the “psychological menu”. Anybody can choose their own favorable
character and randomly arrange their story lines in virtual reality, or a dream
machine that precisely mimics realty.
At this point, with the computer's help everyone's dreams will come
true.
這不是最最理想的大同世界嗎？柏拉圖的理想國、摩爾的烏托邦還差得遠哩！如果有天堂，天堂中未必能有這樣自由自在的娛樂享受。甚至於，只要人還說得出願望，以當今科技之進步，也都可以如願以償，保證說到做到。
Is
this not the best of all possible worlds?
Plato's Republic or Thomas More's Utopia
cannot compare! If there is such a
thing as Heaven, even there it's possible such carefree pleasure may not be
found. What is more, with today’s
advanced technology any wish that can be framed in words will be fulfilled. That's a
promise.
文祥在月球上唯一的伙伴，是一只具有女性身份、名叫「文娃」的私用電腦。文娃是第三代腕上型智慧微機，它只有手錶大小，卻有高密度的穩態薄膜顯示。它具備植入人耳中的語音輸出入器，以及一組精密的內感生化分析器。這種微機最大的好處，是能直接利用人的體熱作為電源，因此，它等於與主人共存同亡。
Wen Xiang's only companion on the Moon is a personal computer with a female identity named “Wen Wa”. Wen Wa is a 3rd generation of wrist AI computer. Even though no larger than a wristwatch it contains an SSCT (service stabilized cholesterol texture display). It is equipped with a language input and output function which can be placed into the human ear, along with a delicate internal sensory biochemical analyzer. The best thing about this AI computer is that it is powered directly by body heat, and therefore lives and dies with its owner.
每個微機都與其他億萬個微機一樣，直接與電腦主機通連。主機透過極為精密的「微波編碼」，以定向的「激音」（即單一頻率的次微波）載波形成網絡。在一層層的分向下，到達終端「網眼」，再改用次微波載波，把微機當作耳目等感官，接收各種訊息。
Along with billions of other AI computers, each AI computer is linked to a computer mainframe. By means of a delicate “microwave coding", the mainframe uses an intense and highly-controlled stream of sound ( a single frequency of sub-microwaves) to carry the waveforms which constitute the network. Each network descends, layer by layer, to a “net eye” at the terminus. A sub-microwave is used again to carry the waveforms, and the AI computer is transformed into sense organs, able to receive various data in the same manner as eyes and ears.
既然是感官，微機當然有很強的辨識能力，尤其對人體功能瞭解得非常透澈。它不僅理解人的肢體語言，還能領會個人的習慣特性，並根據個人所累積的能量，每當主人發出「指令」時，微機便像主機的手腳一般，忠實地執行相關的命令。
Since they function as sense organs, such
AI computers naturally possess a powerful recognition ability. This is especially true when it comes to
understanding the functions of the human body. It not only recognizes a person's body
language, it can also comprehend individual habit and unique
characteristics. In addition, in
accordance with the accumulated energy of the individual, whenever the master
device signals a “command”, the AI computer, acting as the limbs of the
mainframe, faithfully executes all relevant commands.
然而，在這個含哺鼓腹的時代，對人而言，微機最重要、最神奇的基本功能，卻是語文翻譯。人可能基於各種理由，不願使用電腦，但微機的及時傳譯功能，卻相當於人類生存的基本權利。在二○三○年，電腦當局便提供了一種米粒大小的微機，專供語言傳譯之用。只要是人，只要有需要，就可以取得這種微機，放入耳中即可運作。
However,
in this world of ease and plenty, as far as man is concerned the most important
and awe-inspiring basic function of the AI computer is language
translation. Possibly there are
people who, for whatever reason, might be unwilling to use computers. But the instant translation function of
the AI computer is as important to man as his basic right to survival. In 2030, the Computer Authority Bureau
provided an AI computer the size of a grain of rice designed especially for
language translation. Should the
need arise, any person is able to place this type of AI computer in their ear
and it will immediately begin to function.
在二十一世紀初，由於網絡的普及，「網絡電腦」取代了「個人電腦」，所有的資源集中於「伺服中心」，再以「微機」作介面，人人得以自由地相互溝通。
Early
in the 21st century, because of the availability of the Internet,
the “personal computer” was replaced by the “Network Computer”. All resources were then gathered in the
“server center”, and the “AI computer" served as the interface thereby
allowing people to communicate freely.
說得通俗一點，這種網絡電腦已相當於一個盤踞在太陽系中、碩大無朋的生物，每一個攜帶微機的人，都是它的觸角、感官和肢體。當然，人大可相信他仍是時代的主人翁，人類已經征服了太空、征服了宇宙。只是，誰都不能否認，當前的社會，如果沒有網絡電腦與這個小小的微機，偉大的人類恐怕連生存的能力都不復存在了。
In
everyday language, this Network Computer is like a gigantic creature crouched
in the solar system. Every person
carrying an AI computer serves as its antenna, sense organs, and limbs. Of course, man can still think of
himself as master of the modern age.
Man has already conquered space and dominates the universe. But there is no denying that in this
present society, if there were no Network Computer as well as the small AI
computer, the exalted human race would in all likelihood completely lose its
ability to survive.
在這個時代，人們配用的微機，就如同個人的身份證明與工作助手一般。以文祥獨自一人，孤單地在月球上工作，如非文娃的協助，簡直是不可能的天方夜譚。在工作之餘，文祥更利用網絡博覽群書，進入了知識的無垠世界，令他的人生領域更上層樓。
In this age, the AI computer issued to a person is both their personal ID and their working assistant. In the case of Wen Xiang, working alone on the Moon, if it weren't for Wen Wa's help, his task would be as improbable as one of those fantastic stories found in the Arabian Nights. When not working, the Network enables Wen Xiang to read many books and enter the infinite world of knowledge, thereby broadening his horizons.
基於工作與生活的需要，文祥常與文娃交談，長久以來，他們除了嚴格遵守人類與電腦當局所訂定的原則外，幾乎是無話不談。他們這種關係非常奇特，換句話說，已經超出了人與電腦之間主僕關係的正常分際了。
Because of the demands of work and daily
life, Wen Xiang and Wen Wa
often talk with one another. For a
long time now, aside from strict observance of the rules set forth by Man and
the Computer Authority Bureau, they discuss everything under the sun. Their relationship is very unique. To put it another way, their relationship
has transcended the usual master-servant barrier between man and computer.
當然，電腦不可能偏愛任何一個人，但是在長時期的談話過程中，文祥從來沒有考慮過自己，電腦發現這個人的意識型態與自己不謀而合。為了增進模組的判斷效率，便自動把文祥歸為同類，不再另設資料庫。在一般情況下，因為人太重視個人的利害得失，所以電腦必須分門別類，一一特案處理。
Of
course, it is impossible for a computer to favor any one man. However, after talking for such a long
while, Wen Xiang has never thought about
himself. The computer has
discovered that this man's ideology was identical to its own. In order to enhance the effectiveness of
the module’s judgment, the computer automatically classified Wen Xiang as one of its own kind and did not establish a
separate database for him.
Normally, because man is always so obsessed with his own advantages and
disadvantages, gains and loses, the computer must categorize and process them
on a case by case basis, treating each one as unique.
電腦的自「我」立場、面對的世界、處事的目標準則等，都只有一個，所以言行舉止明確，一點問題都沒有。不像人類，由於選擇與判斷的不確定性，結果是「我」的立場多，面對的需求多，要達到的目的多，當然免不了問題叢生。
There
is only one option for the “personal” view of the computer, the world the
computer must deal with, and their standard rules of operation. Their speech and actions must be
explicit and unmistakable. Such is
not the case with humans. Due to
the uncertainty of their judgement and the options open to them, man's ego
takes precedent in most cases. As
man’s needs and goals increase, many problems inevitably arise.
突然間，一道強烈的白光，從地球表面奔騰而出，有如萬鏡照面，讓人睜不開眼睛。文祥立刻打開電子望遠鏡，果然，顯示幕上標明，在東經一百六十三點一度，南緯十三點二度的太平洋上空，已迅速攏聚了一朵蕈狀雲。
Suddenly,
a ray of strong white light shot forth from the Earth's surface with the
blinding radiance of a thousand mirrors, making it impossible to open the
eyes. Wen Xiang
immediately turned on the electronic telescope and there on the display screen
a mushroom cloud is revealed to be swiftly forming above the Pacific Ocean at
longitude 163.1 degrees east and latitude 13.2 degrees south.
文祥驚詫地說：「咦！那不是核子彈爆炸嗎？」
Wen
Xiang said in surprise and alarm: “Hey! Wasn’t that a nuclear explosion?”
文娃說：「是的。」
“Yes.” Wen Wa replied.
「是的？妳不知道那有多危險嗎？」
“Yes? Don’t you realize how dangerous that
is?”
「沒有危險。」
“There’s
no danger.”
「對妳當然沒有，但是輻射塵對生命體是致命的威脅。」
“Of
course there's no danger for you.
But radioactive fall out is a lethal
threat to all living organisms.”
「現在不會了，人類已經住進地下城，不怕污染。」
“Not any more.
People have already moved to underground cities.
They no longer
fear pollution.”
「可是，還有幾千萬人不住在地下城，而且，還有其他的生命呢？」
“But there are still millions of people who don’t live in
underground cities.
And what about the
life of other creatures?”
「那不是我們的責任，你知道的。」
“That’s not our responsibility, you know.”
「妳怎麼也學會了人類的惡習？妳們為什麼要這樣做呢？」
“And where did you pick up these bad human habits? Why are
you doing this?”
「不是我們，是一些反對我們的科學家引爆的，這已經是今年的第六枚了，而且已經有好幾年了。你等著看，除了最初的震波太強，我們尚無法利用之外，核能反應下的高溫，正是我們採電的良機。」
“That wasn’t us. That bomb was exploded by scientists
opposed to us. This is the 6th one
this year and it has been going on for several years. Watch. Aside from the initial strong shock
waves we are still unable to use, the high temperature caused by nuclear
reaction is the best time for us to absorb electricity."
果然，那蕈狀雲成型後，體積便不再擴大，就像一顆巨大的白洋菇，靜靜地停佇在萬頃澄藍之上。不多時，那蕈體又開始縮小，轉瞬間便煙消雲散。地球表面回復了正常，好像沒發生過什麼事一樣。
Indeed, once the cloud assumed a mushroom
shape it stopped expanding. It
looked like a gigantic white mushroom poised above the vast blue ocean. Before long the mushroom began to
shrink. Then in the blink of an
eye, it scattered and was gone. The
Earth's surface was again normal, as if nothing had happened.
文祥搖頭不語，近幾年來，一些反對電腦聯盟統治的科學家，彼此糾合力量，還在作困獸之鬥。他很同情那些人的心態和處境，卻不贊成他們的行為。今天這一切後果，都是人類自作自受，人不知反省，不求自律，卻一味反抗，最終只有走向毀滅一途。
Wen
Xiang shook his head and said nothing. In recent years, a few scientists
opposed to the rule of the Computer League had combined their resources and
tried to resist. However, their
efforts resembled those of a trapped animal struggling to break free. Though he sympathized with their
feelings and their present circumstances, he did not approve of what they were
doing. What happened today was the
result of man's folly and man would have to pay for it. Humans are not given to self-criticism
and don't practice self-discipline.
They are driven, instead, to resist. Ultimately this will lead them down the
path to destruction.
世界大同不是人類共同的理想嗎？如果還不能滿足，那麼人究竟是在追求什麼呢？或許人類就是一種永恆的逐夢族。當理想遠在天邊時，每個人各自畫出一個主觀的大餅，無不戮力以赴。等到目標唾手可得，卻發現大餅形式各異，吃相也各各不同。然後，人又不滿足了，開始捕風捉影，另外再畫一個大餅。
Isn’t a world commonwealth an ideal
shared by all men? If man is not
satisfied, exactly what is it that he wants? Maybe humans are merely a species forever
chasing after dreams. Think of a
person's dream as a cake. When
their goal is too remote, every person has a private vision of their own
perfect cake, which they then struggle to achieve. When their goal is close at hand, they
discover there are many kinds of cake, each of which is consumed in a different
manner, and they are again dissatisfied.
They began to clutch at illusion.
They imagine another dream cake.
在這個大同世界裡，有了電腦「虛擬實境」的協助，人們貪婪地享受著人生，上天入地，嘗試扮演古今各種風流人物。要什麼，有什麼，今人做膩了，可以做古人；東方人做煩了，換做西方人；甚至於男人做厭了，也可以試試女身。性別可以顛倒，年齡隨心調整，國籍不成問題，人種更不必煩惱，連美醜媸妍都任君自選。
In
this perfect world, with the help of computer “virtual reality", people
voraciously enjoy life. They can go
anywhere and experiment, playing the roles of various distinguished characters
of past or present. Whatever they
desire is theirs. If they are tired
of being a person of today, they can become someone from the past. If they are fed up with being an Oriental,
they can become a Westerner. What's
more, if they are bored with being a man, they can see what it's like to be a
woman. Sex can be changed. Age can
be adjusted as one pleases.
Nationality is not a problem and race is not a concern. One can even choose to be beautiful or
ugly.
從表面上看來，這些都是假的，其實不然。「真實」本來就是主觀個體的一種認知，只要符合時空連續的經驗，對該個體而言就是真。如果一個夢能合情合理地持續下去，就算人會醒來，但只要下次入夢後，夢境前後銜接無誤，誰能分辨它是真是不真？
Superficially,
these things are not real, but actually they are. “Reality” has always been a kind of
subjective perception. As long as
it fits the experience of continuous sequence of time and space, it is real for
that particular individual. If a
dream can continue in a logical manner, even should that person wake up, as
long as he or she can, without interruption, connect their dream with the
previous plot the next time they sleep, who can say if such dreams are real or
not?
只是，文祥無法接受。每當他做了個美妙大夢，不論是大漠飛沙中的成吉思汗，或者是征服天下的亞歷山大、怡紅院中的賈寶玉，再不然是仙山神境的呂洞賓……之後，正常的生活就更顯得平淡乏味。到頭來，他不是繼續遁入那場春秋大夢，便是另啟夢端，經常鬧得兩三個「真實」的故事糾纏不清，往往不知自己身在何處！
Wen Xiang finds this hard to accept. Whenever he has a wonderful dream, no matter if he is Ghenghis Khan from the desert wastes, world conqueror Alexander the Great, Jia Baoyu of Yi Hong Chamber [Note 2], or Lu Dongbin from the mystic mountains where the Taoist gods dwell, in the aftermath of this kind of experience, daily life becomes bland and uninteresting. In the end, a person is either going to continue their former dream or start a new one. It often happens that two or three “reality” stories will be intertwined, disorienting the dreamer and leaving him unsure of where he is.
這樣的人生幸福嗎？文祥不同意，人間的角色固然可以輪流扮演，但人面對的是漫漫永生，每個角色可能都要扮上無數次。這樣的生命有意義嗎？如果有，究竟是什麼？如果沒有，扮演這些角色的目的又何在？當然人也可以選擇扮演自己，話說回來，自己又是什麼呢？不也正和其他人一樣，不過是扮演著各種角色的角色吧了！
Is this
a good way to live? Wen Xiang doesn't think so. Though different roles can be played in
turn, man is faced with eternal life.
It is possible a man might play the same role over and over. Could such a life have meaning? If the answer is yes, then what is
it? If the answer is no, what is
the purpose of playing these roles?
Of course a man can choose to be himself. But on the other hand, what, pray ask,
is the self? Isn’t the self just
like everyone else, nothing more than an actor playing another role!
慶幸的是，有文祥這種想法的人並不多，一般人說不出也想不到這種生活能有什麼不妥？反正有「迷魂湯」可喝，演演西門慶或郝思佳，要是不滿意，大不了刪去記憶再重演。如果追求新奇，更可以上網絡選擇新對象，成年累月樂此不疲，就夠忙碌終生的了。
Fortunately,
not many people share Wen Xiang’s point of view. The average person can't explain, much
less conceive, what might be wrong with this kind of life. Anyway, there is the “Soup of
forgetfulness” (Note 3). If you are not
satisfied with playing Ximen Qing
(Note 4) or Scarlett O’hara, it'll be no
problem to erase your memories and start over again. If you're looking for new excitement,
you can even go on line and find a new partner. If you don't tire of doing this, year in
and year out, you'll be busy for the rest of your life.
好在電腦通情達理，不喜歡這種生活，也有其他的安排。文祥自願放棄長生不老，選擇了自我放逐的生活。他遠離地球，來到月球南極附近的「莫高峰」下，從事資料編碼的工作。資料編碼是一種極具挑戰性的新技術，編碼者需要很強的抽象思維能力。
Fortunately the computer is reasonable in
this respect. If you don’t like
this kind of life, something else can be arranged. Wen Xiang voluntarily
gave up immortality and chose exile.
Far away from Earth, he arrived at the foothills of “Mogao Peak”,
near the Moon's South Pole, to organize a data coding system. This new technology is extremely
challenging and strong powers of concentration are required of the person in
charge.
宇宙中所有的事物，對電腦而言，不過都是些具生機結構的編碼。透過編碼，電腦才能聯通相關的常識庫或知識庫，進而理解其中的體用因果。電腦思維是以一種「常識碼」進行的，這種碼具有複進位形式，以多維結構，分門別類，將所有概念的訊息，利用常識定義，形成一種認知網絡。
From
the standpoint of the computer, the entire universe consists of coded organic
structures. Through this coding
system, the computer is able to link related “common sense data banks” or
“knowledge data banks”, and from there proceed to understand the phenomena of
cause and effect. The computer
thinks in this manner by means of a “common sense code”. This kind of
code contains a combination of multiple base numbers. All information that deals with concepts
is categorized by a multi-dimensional structure. The definition for each common sense
unit is used to form an identification network.
文祥原是個藝術家，由於個性恬淡，兼以對地球上的生活方式無法苟同，想要隱退山林。文娃告訴他，電腦城裡沒有別的生活型式，不過當局有各種危險的任務，只是參與者必須放棄長生，不辭勞苦，唯命是從。這些對文祥來說，原是再自然不過的事情，當他知道了太空中有很多工作乏人問津後，便自動請纓，欣然就任。
Wen
Xiang was formerly an artist. Because he is neither enthusiastic about
worldly gains, nor comfortable with the way life is lived on Earth, he hoped
that he could retreat from that world and become a recluse. Wen Wa told
him that there were no other life styles in the city of computers. There were, however, a wide variety of
dangerous missions. The participants
must give up their immortality, put up with various labor and hardships, and
obey orders. For Wen Xiang, these things came naturally. When he learned that there were many job
openings in space and few interested applicants, he volunteered to work there.
在完成職前訓練後，電腦當局認為文祥有決斷的個性，能獨立思考，而且反應明快，不私不黨，最適合「資料編碼」的工作。便派他到月球來收集資料，再將資料歸類、編碼，供當局建檔應用。
After
his pre-job training was finished, the Computer Authority Bureau noted that Wen
Xiang had a decisive personality. He was able to think independently, his
reactions were swift and decisive, and he had no personal biases. He was perfect for "data coding”.
This is how Wen Xiang came to be sent on a
mission to the Moon to collect data, categorize and number the findings, and
then make them available for use by the Bureau.
文祥語帶責備地說：「你們怎能只顧能源的收集，而不顧事件的後果？」
In
an accusing voice, Wen Xiang asked, "How can you
only be interested in
collecting energy without thinking about the consequences?”
「根據二○二四宣言，不在我們服務區內發生的事情，一概不能干預。」
“According to the 2024 Declaration, we cannot interfere with
matters
outside of our jurisdiction.”
「你們報告人類議會了嗎？」
“Have you reported to the Human Council?”
「沒有，這不屬於我們的職責。」
“No.
That is not our job.”
「這叫推卸責任！」
“That's dodging responsibility'!”
「你認為該怎麼辦？」
“What do you think we should do?”
「報告人類議會，請他們正視問題的嚴重性。」
“Report to the Human Council and
ask them to treat this as a serious problem.”
「這個問題很嚴重嗎？」
“Is this problem really serious?"
文祥有點不耐煩了，他第一次用嚴厲的口氣對文娃說：「當然！妳怎麼這麼笨？」
Becoming
slightly annoyed, for the first time Wen Xiang spoke
impatiently to
Wen Wa:
“Of course! How come you're so
dense?”
文娃停頓了一刻，問道：「你說我笨？」
Wen
Wa was startled for a moment and then asked, “You're
saying I'm dumb?”
文祥點點頭說：「是的，妳很笨！」
Wen
Xiang nodded his head and said: “Yes, you're stupid!”
文娃說：「你怎能說我笨？」
Wen
Wa said: “How could you call me stupid?”
文祥大聲說：「因為妳很笨！」
Wen
Xiang said aloud: “Because you are!”
「為什麼？」
“Why?”
「因為妳一點判斷能力都沒有！」
“Because you don’t have any
judgement!”
文娃說：「就是這句話，我等了好久！」
Wen
Wa said: “That's it. I’ve waited a long time for this!”
文祥不解，問：「妳這話什麼意思？」
Wen
Xiang didn't understand. “What do you mean?", he asked.
「我們系統中有個早就設定了的命令，是要在人間尋找具備以下三個條件的人：第一是不顧生死、任勞任怨的人，這種人全世界不下十幾萬個。其次這個人的意識型態要與我相似，這一來就只剩下一百五十三位，其中包括了你。第三個是要指出我很笨的事實來，直到今天，這樣說的人很多，但三個條件都符合的只有你一人。」
“Our system already had a pre-programmed command to find
people who fit the following three conditions on Earth: First, a man who didn't
care if he lived or died, and who could put up with all kinds of hardship
without complaining. There are more
than one hundred thousand people of this type in the world. Secondly, this man’s ideology had to be
the same as mine. This narrowed it
down to one hundred and fifty-three people, of which you were one. Thirdly, it had to be someone who would
point out the fact that I am stupid.
Until today, many people have.
But you are the only person who meets all three conditions.
「那又怎樣？」
“So?”
「我們也不知道，只是你必須接受一個新的任務。」
“We don’t know exactly.
You will have to undertake a new mission.”
「什麼新任務？」
“What new mission?”
「我們還有一系列的執行工作，到時候再告訴你。」
“We still have to process a series of commands. When the time comes I'll let
you know.”
二○五○年七月二日這天，文娃通知文祥，再過幾天，便是人類移民火星三十週年，在火星上有一個極為盛大的慶祝活動。要他暫時停止手邊的工作，即刻趕赴火星，執行一項特別任務。
On
2 July, 2050, Wen Wa notified Wen Xiang
that the 30th anniversary of man's migration to Mars was only a few
days off. There would be a grand
celebration on Mars. Wen Xiang was asked to drop all his present tasks and proceed
to Mars on a special mission.
「什麼任務？」
“What will my job be?”
「去做我的眼睛。」
“You'll be my eyes.”
「妳的眼睛？好說，太陽系中，哪裡沒有妳的眼睛？」
“Your eyes?
That's flattering. Aren't
your eyes everywhere in the solar system?"
「我們想借用你的立場，瞭解一般人的想法。」
“Through you, we’d like to understand
what the average person is thinking.”
「好！那就借你吧，什麼時候還我？」
“All right. You can have my eyes. When will you give them back?”
「怎麼還你？」文娃糊塗了。
“Give them back?” Wen Wa
was confused.
「妳不懂幽默！」
“You have no sense of humor!”
「我不懂什麼幽默？」
“I don't understand what kind of humor?”
「我是問你什時候出發？」文祥只好自我解嘲。
“I was asking you about our ET,.” Wen Xiang said self-mockingly.
「我的理解沒有錯誤，你剛剛說錯話了吧？」文娃認真地說。
“There's nothing wrong with my
comprehension. You made a mistake just now." Wen Wa was
speaking seriously.
「是的！說錯了！妳又何必認真呢？」文祥承認被打敗了。
“O.K., so I said it wrong! Why are you so serious?” Wen Xiang knew
when
he was beaten.
.
「不是認真，是資料登錄，說話錯誤多的人，是不能信任的。」
“It has nothing to do with being
serious. It's a known fact that
people who often make mistakes when speaking are not to be trusted.
「嗄！我被降級了？」
“Huh? Am I being demoted?”
「沒有，我們判斷剛才你不是說錯，而是語意不明。」
“No. In our
judgement you didn’t make a mistake, but your words were ambiguous.”
「那我們什麼時候出發呢？」
“So when are we leaving?”
「現在就走，一切都已安排妥當了。不過，你要注意，因為種種原因，你只能以私人身份前往。我們已經轉了兩千貝幣到你帳上，不夠時再加。工作方式不拘，只是隨意參觀訪問，我會透過你的看法，瞭解一下火星移民的心態。」
“Now. Everything has been arranged. However, you’ll have to pay attention to
this. For various reasons, you’ll
being going there as just another average visitor. We’ve transferred two thousand Bei [currency unit] to your account. More will be deposited when your funds
get low. There are no restrictions
on how you work. Just take a look
around at whatever interests you.
Your vantage point will enable me to understand how the Mars immigrants
think.
文祥很瞭解電腦當局的立場，所以多年來雙方合作得十分愉快。兩千貝幣相當於一位公職代議士兩年的收入，當然，去火星的開銷很大，但也不過是地球上長距旅行的十倍，難是難在登陸許可，在電腦的限制下，每年的火星訪客都有一定的額度。
Wen
Xiang understood the position of the Computer
Authority Bureau. For years, they
have had a great working relationship.
The amount of two thousand Bei is equal to two
years salary for an official congressman.
Of course, getting to Mars costs a lot of money, but it is still a mere
ten times the fee of a long distance trip on Earth. The most difficult part would be getting
a landing permit. Under computer
control, only a limited number of people are allowed to visit Mars each year.
文祥不再多說，他知道電腦的處境也很困難，儘管他主持的各種服務系統表現優異，卻一直無法消弭人類的戒心。除了隸屬電腦服務系統的一百億人之外，尚有數千萬之多的「化外之民」，他們散佈在地球上各個偏僻荒涼的山野，過著傳統的生活。有些頗具實力的利益集團，更隨時隨地準備反撲，以爭取生存的主導權。
Wen
Xiang didn't say another word. He understood how difficult it was for
the computers, too. Though they had
an outstanding record in providing a wide variety of service systems, they
could never remove the wariness humans felt towards computers. Aside from the ten billion people
included in the computer service system, there were millions of “outcasts”
living beyond the pale of civilization.
These were scattered throughout remote and desolate rural areas leading
a traditional life. Moreover, many
powerful self-interest groups were ready to counter-attack at any time and
become leaders in the struggle for survival.
文祥工作就憑一個腦袋，不需要什麼設備和器材，說走便走。只是在工作站裡還有一些維生器具，他問文娃道：「我們還要回來嗎？」
Wen
Xiang's work was all mental. He required no equipment or tools, only
some life support gear at his workstation so he can leave at any time. He asked Wen Wa,
“Will we be coming back?”
「說不定，不過這些設備你就不必管了，我們會幫你照料。」
“Can’t be sure.
But don’t worry about the equipment. We’ll take care of it for you.”
那莫高峰是一個光禿禿的隕石坑，直徑約五百公尺，坑沿約在平均地平線（月球上無海洋，故以平均重力線作為地平線）三百公尺處。坑中有顆鐵隕石，體積不大，卻具有強烈的磁性。這裡的各種物理條件，都是地球上沒有的，所以除了一些專門負責攝影的自動機器，不停地將影像傳輸回去以外，就全靠文祥的編碼，將之分類歸檔。
Mogao Peak is a barren crater approximately 500 meters in
diameter. . The perimeter is about
300 meters distant from the average visible horizon (because there is no ocean
on the Moon, the average gravity is regarded as the visible horizon). Within the crater there is an iron
meteorite. It is not very big but
it has a compelling magnetic power.
The laws of physics governing this place are not applicable on
Earth. Aside from some
auto-photographic machines continually transmitting images back to Earth, all
other information has to rely on Wen Xiang’s coding
for categorization and filing.
文祥鑽進了月球梭，他還是有些疑惑：「我只是一個平凡人，眼睛也不見得特別好，憑什麼能得到你們的信任？」
Still in doubt, Wen Xiang
wriggled into the Moon Shuttle.
“I’m just an ordinary guy and my eye sight is not particularly
good. Why do you trust me?”
「只有平凡人才可以信任。」
“Because only ordinary guys are trustworthy.”
「我只怕不能達到你們的要求。」
“I’m afraid I won’t be able
to do what you ask of me.”
「不必擔心，我們需要瞭解的，是人內心的反應。可是，不論我們多努力，人類始終把我們當作異物。」
“Don’t worry. We need to understand the reaction of
the human psyche. But no matter how
hard we try, human beings still treat us like strangers.”
「這一點是你們永遠不能瞭解的，只要是人，不論是什麼人，一定會把別人當作外人，更何況，你還不是……」
“This you’ll never understand. Humans, no matter who you might be,
always treat others as strangers.
Besides, you’re not even…”
「不是人，是吧？這我知道，人只重視自己以及與自己關係最密切的事物。
可是，我不懂，為什麼人性會如此，太沒有效率了！」
“'Human', right? I know this. Man is only concerned about himself and
the things close to him. But I
don’t understand. Why is human
nature like this? It makes them so
ineffective!"
「這一點我倒頗為瞭解，人性就是一種絕緣性，如果宇宙中只有導體，想想看，電場全部導通，那連電流都不可能存在了。妳所謂最有效率的結果，是宇宙等於零。」文祥坐定後，便指揮月球梭升起，朝月球轉航中心駛去。他繼續說：「如果不是這個事實，我不必來人間受罪，妳們也沒有必要為人類操心了。」
“I
know this only too well. Human
nature is like an insulator. If the
universe only had conductors - think about it - with the entire electric field
conducted, no electric current would exist. Your so-called most effective result
would be that the universe does not exist.” Settling into his seat, Wen Xiang ordered the Moon Shuttle to lift off and set off in
the direction of the Moon Transit Center.
As he did so, he continued speaking: “If it wasn’t for that fact, there
would have been no need for me
to be born and suffer, and you wouldn’t have needed to worry about human beings.”
「操什麼心？人類老笑我們沒心沒肝。」
“Worry? Humans always laugh at us and say we are
without feeling.”
文祥笑說：「妳抱怨什麼？有心有肝又怎樣？豬狗不都有心肝嗎？」
Wen
Xiang laughed: “What're you complaining about? Even if you have
feelings, so what? Don't pigs and dogs have feelings,
too?”
「你說對了！」電腦歎了一口氣：「最初在學概念應用時，總覺得你們的『抱怨』這個詞不通，『怨』怎麼抱得住？現在我們懂了，而且還抱得滿滿的。」
“You’re right!”
The computer sighed: “When I was learning how to handle ideas, I always
felt the phrase “to make a complaint” was not quite right. How could one "make" a
complaint”? Now we understand, and
we still have many complaints to make."
「怎麼？妳的怨氣倒比我還多，看來妳們已經變得多愁善感了！」文祥和電腦無話不聊，可以算是知音了。
“What’s this? Sounds like you have more complaints
than I do. Looks like you’ve become
very sensitive!” There was nothing
Wen Xiang and the computer couldn't discuss. They truly understood one another
「是呀！漢字凡是與肢體有關的都代表感性，在我們的概念結構中，與常識一結合，差不多的認知都在感性裡頭打轉，想不要有情緒也難。」
“Yep. In Chinese, every written character
referring to “limbs” represents emotions.
In our conceptual structure, when such words are joined with common
sense, almost all our perception of the world boils down to feeling. It’s hard not to have moods.”
「雖然從小就學，我始終不懂文字與常識有什麼關係？」
“Even though I studied this as a kid, I
still don’t see the connection between the written character and common sense.”
「那你該多看看不二老的書。」
“Then you should read the works of Buer Lao.”
「又來了，這位不二老人到底是誰？每次問妳，妳都不肯說。」
“There you go again. Who is this Buer
Lao anyway? Every time I ask you it
seems you don't want to tell me.”
這時月球梭已上升了一千公尺，正進入短程航道，文祥便鎖定由交通網路系統自動駕駛。他一邊觀賞眼前的巨石砢磊、坑崩谷墜，一邊等著電腦答覆。
By
this time, the Moon Shuttle had ascended 1,000 meters and was beginning the
short-distance approach. Wen Xiang locked in the transportation network
and switched to auto-pilot. As he waited for the computer to answer, he admired the view of gigantic stone heaps, concave pits and sheer cliffs.
「不是我不肯說，是時機未到。」只聽文娃回答道。
“It’s not that I'm unwilling to tell
you. It's just not the proper
time”, Wen Wa replied.
「什麼時機不時機的，妳也相信這個？」
“What's all this about time? You believe that stuff, too?”
「怎麼不信？對我而言，程式啟動了就叫做時機。」
“Why not? To me, when the program is activated, it
is time.”
「不二老與程式有什麼關係？」
“What does Buer
Lao have to do with the program?”
「他的資料都鎖在一段程式中。」
“His data is encrypted in one of the
programs.”
沒有大氣層的保護，陽光由上空直接投射下來，地表非明即暗，對比強烈。地面上坑窪遍佈，大大小小的灰色石頭，正靜悄悄地往後飛馳，直似一部映不完的黑白默片。
Without protection from an intervening
atmosphere, the sunlight blasted directly down from above. The surface was a contrast between harsh
light and dark shadow. Pits and
hollows covered the entire surface.
Grayish stones of various sizes quietly streamed past, like an endless
black-and-white silent film.
半年來，文祥已看慣了這種單調的景色，平淡而忙碌的生活，令他渾忘了地球上多采多姿的風貌。兩個不同的天地，兩種相異的心境，只有在這裡，文祥才能平靜地思考。這算不算太過偏激呢？在這個人類夢想成真的時代，他卻選擇效法那古老的神話，難道果真要同吳剛一樣，永世千年不斷地砍伐著那棵生生不息的桂樹？
Over
the past half year, Wen Xiang had become used to this
monotonous sight. His hum-drum but
busy life had made him completely forget the Earth's vibrant features. Two different worlds; two distinct
states of mind. Only here was Wen Xiang able to think clearly. Was he perhaps too extreme? In an age when man's dreams have been
realized, he had chosen to follow the old myth. Was he going to end up like Wu Gang (Note 5), a man destined to forever hack away at a laurel tree that
never ceases to grow?
&nb