王湛+吳荃雁
20年前,有位美國(guó)人,名叫彼得·海斯勒,來(lái)到中國(guó),教過(guò)書,當(dāng)過(guò)記者,待了10多年,游歷了中國(guó)的角角落落。10年前,這位美國(guó)人將他的經(jīng)歷寫成了“中國(guó)三部曲”,引起了廣泛關(guān)注。
而如今在浙江大學(xué),有一位中文名叫岳凱涵的德國(guó)留學(xué)生,騎著一輛小型折疊車,行程5800公里穿越中國(guó)。從黑龍江漠河北極村,一直到海南三亞,這趟旅程歷經(jīng)近100天。
現(xiàn)在,他已經(jīng)碩士畢業(yè)回到了德國(guó)慕尼黑。我和他約了北京時(shí)間17:00的微信電話采訪,心里想著德國(guó)人以嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)著稱,習(xí)慣準(zhǔn)時(shí),千萬(wàn)不能遲到。
果然,17點(diǎn)整,微信那一頭傳來(lái)了熱情的聲音。出乎我的意料,他的漢語(yǔ)說(shuō)得很好。
喜愛(ài)中華文化,到浙江大學(xué)攻讀中國(guó)學(xué)
岳凱涵的本名叫Jorg,29歲的他陸陸續(xù)續(xù)在中國(guó)待了三年半。
“這個(gè)中文名是我朋友給我取的。他覺(jué)得岳的發(fā)音和我的名字很像,而凱涵很適合我的性格?!痹绖P涵說(shuō),“我覺(jué)得我是個(gè)活潑、樂(lè)觀、有活力又有好奇心的人?!?/p>
2011年,岳凱涵第一次來(lái)到中國(guó),他接觸的第一個(gè)城市是成都,在那兒,他學(xué)了一年中文,還學(xué)會(huì)了用筷子。
“在我們德國(guó),許多人想去西方,比如美國(guó)之類的國(guó)家,很少有人想去亞洲?!弊畛鮼?lái)中國(guó),對(duì)于他來(lái)說(shuō),就是個(gè)很純粹的想法,“我覺(jué)得歐洲人對(duì)亞洲、對(duì)中國(guó)并不了解,我便想去看看?!?/p>
出于對(duì)中國(guó)文化的興趣和好奇,2015年,岳凱涵來(lái)到浙江大學(xué),攻讀中國(guó)學(xué)碩士?!凹热贿x擇中國(guó),就應(yīng)該學(xué)中國(guó)的歷史文化,浙大的中國(guó)學(xué)項(xiàng)目對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)有很大的吸引力?!?/p>
中國(guó)學(xué)的課堂,不局限于老師授課的傳統(tǒng)教學(xué)方式,也鼓勵(lì)學(xué)生進(jìn)行自主調(diào)研和社會(huì)實(shí)踐。每門課程在課堂授課的基礎(chǔ)上,都會(huì)設(shè)置一節(jié)課的田野調(diào)查,去往相關(guān)的實(shí)踐場(chǎng)地進(jìn)行訪問(wèn)。在中西融合的氛圍中,岳凱涵學(xué)習(xí)了中國(guó)的方方面面,既包括歷史文化,也有經(jīng)濟(jì)和時(shí)政。
而考試的形式不局限在卷面,更多是通過(guò)項(xiàng)目匯報(bào)的形式,這給了岳凱涵很大的發(fā)揮空間。
二手車行里淘了輛折疊車,開始了萬(wàn)里騎行
“你為什么要去騎行呢?”我問(wèn)他?!耙?yàn)橄肴ブ袊?guó)各處看一看?!彼稹?/p>
研一時(shí),岳凱涵便有了“騎遍中國(guó)”這個(gè)想法。起初他還猶豫這樣是否會(huì)影響學(xué)業(yè)。當(dāng)他把想法與老師溝通時(shí),浙大中國(guó)學(xué)項(xiàng)目負(fù)責(zé)人毫不猶豫地支持他的想法。在老師幫助下,他的計(jì)劃順利申請(qǐng)到了實(shí)踐經(jīng)費(fèi)。為了實(shí)現(xiàn)這個(gè)計(jì)劃,岳凱涵加倍努力,用一年時(shí)間完成了研究生階段所有課程。
岳凱涵并不擅長(zhǎng)騎行,對(duì)他來(lái)說(shuō),自行車只是一種交通工具?!氨绕鸹疖?、飛機(jī),自行車比較便利且自由度更高?!?/p>
為了這個(gè)騎行計(jì)劃,岳凱涵特意制訂了鍛煉計(jì)劃?!俺霭l(fā)前兩個(gè)月,我每個(gè)周末都會(huì)去杭州周邊騎行,從30公里到50公里再到80公里,后來(lái)從杭州騎到上海。這個(gè)時(shí)候我覺(jué)得自己準(zhǔn)備好了。”
2016年5月1日,國(guó)際勞動(dòng)節(jié),岳凱涵清楚地記得他出發(fā)的日子。浙大紫金港校區(qū),即將出發(fā)的岳凱涵和許多好友告別,陪伴他同行的僅有自行車和一個(gè)大背包。
旅途的起點(diǎn)在黑龍江漠河,北極村,中國(guó)最北的地方;而終點(diǎn),則在海南三亞,海南島的最南端。
他的自行車很小,折疊后可以裝進(jìn)塑料袋里。岳凱涵說(shuō),這是他同學(xué)幫他在二手車車行里淘來(lái)的。
“這么小的車好騎么?”我問(wèn)他,在我的印象里,騎行的大多數(shù)人會(huì)選擇比較專業(yè)的山地車,而岳凱涵卻選了一輛小型折疊車。
“好騎,很小很輕巧。”岳凱涵說(shuō),“一路上也有很多人問(wèn)我這個(gè)問(wèn)題,我就讓他們?cè)囍T我的車,結(jié)果他們都覺(jué)得很不錯(cuò)?!?/p>
路途上,岳凱涵的自行車遇到過(guò)多次“罷工”,比如沒(méi)氣、爆胎等等,這些他都能自己解決。在他的大背包里,裝了內(nèi)胎、打氣筒、布條等修車設(shè)備,除此之外,還有手機(jī)、平板、充電寶、相機(jī)等電子產(chǎn)品,帳篷這類生活用品,而換洗衣服他僅帶了兩套。
“衣服和食物可以在路上買?!痹绖P涵說(shuō)。
一個(gè)人上路并不孤單,可以認(rèn)識(shí)很多陌生人
跨越5800多千米,經(jīng)過(guò)12個(gè)省份,岳凱涵走過(guò)了許多路,也遇到了許多人。“在我腦海里沒(méi)有具體的地點(diǎn)這些概念,只有從哪里到哪里的一段路程?!痹绖P涵說(shuō)。
遇到岔路口就看手機(jī)導(dǎo)航,迷路了就向當(dāng)?shù)厝舜蚵?tīng),一路上,岳凱涵覺(jué)得很順利。
“中國(guó)有很多好心人。”岳凱涵說(shuō),“有一次我的車壞了,一時(shí)修不好,也找不到旅館,好心人就讓我住在他們家里?!?/p>
自行車罷工,弄丟背包,這些一路上的坎坷對(duì)岳凱涵來(lái)說(shuō)都不是困難,“這些麻煩事都是可以解決的,而在整個(gè)旅途中,我的身體條件很好?!?/p>
每個(gè)月,岳凱涵都會(huì)獲得3000元項(xiàng)目經(jīng)費(fèi),他把這筆錢用于每天的生活開支,“相當(dāng)于每天100元生活費(fèi),包括衣食住行全部?!?/p>
吃當(dāng)?shù)氐氖澄?,穿路邊買的衣服,住小旅社或者當(dāng)?shù)厝思依?,有時(shí)甚至在帳篷里過(guò)夜,而騎車趕路,則成了岳凱涵的日常。
一個(gè)人穿越中國(guó),沒(méi)有同伴,只有在旅途中遇到的一個(gè)個(gè)陌生人。一路上,許多人問(wèn)他一個(gè)人是否孤獨(dú)無(wú)聊,當(dāng)我也這么問(wèn)時(shí),他反問(wèn)我:“我們現(xiàn)在這樣聊天,你覺(jué)得無(wú)聊么?”endprint
“在旅途上,我會(huì)遇到很多人,和他們聊天并不會(huì)無(wú)聊,反而會(huì)獲得許多有趣的東西,但如果有同伴,就可能只和同伴聊天了?!痹绖P涵說(shuō)。
一路記載陌生人的中國(guó)夢(mèng),成了畢業(yè)論文的題目
就這樣,一路騎,一路聊,岳凱涵在旅途中遇到了許多有趣的人。他會(huì)和路途上的人聊經(jīng)歷,聊夢(mèng)想。
讓岳凱涵印象最深的,是在河南陳家溝——中國(guó)太極拳之鄉(xiāng)——遇到的一位拳師。
“這個(gè)人很有意思,邀請(qǐng)我在他家住。他原來(lái)是一位工程師,后來(lái)覺(jué)得工程師這個(gè)工作他不喜歡,于是去了東南亞,學(xué)習(xí)潛水、瑜伽和文身?!痹绖P涵說(shuō),“回來(lái)以后,他將一所學(xué)校改造成太極學(xué)校,專門教小孩子?!?/p>
還有一次,他在呼和浩特,遇到了一位健談的理發(fā)師。
“可能因?yàn)槠綍r(shí)很少遇到外國(guó)人,他和我聊了很多話,說(shuō)了很多生活中的小事。我讓他把頭發(fā)剪短一點(diǎn),結(jié)果他一個(gè)勁兒地剪,不過(guò)最后我還是挺滿意的?!闭f(shuō)起這些旅途中遇到的形形色色的有趣的人,岳凱涵忍不住笑起來(lái)。
岳凱涵的畢業(yè)論文題目是《老百姓的中國(guó)夢(mèng)》,素材正是來(lái)源于這次旅行。
“在中國(guó),經(jīng)常會(huì)聽(tīng)見(jiàn)‘中國(guó)夢(mèng),我比較好奇,一路上我問(wèn)了許多人他們的中國(guó)夢(mèng)是什么?!痹绖P涵說(shuō),他的畢業(yè)論文一共85頁(yè),31000多個(gè)英語(yǔ)單詞,都是他一路上記載的中國(guó)夢(mèng)。
漠河北極村一位餐館女老板的中國(guó)夢(mèng)是幫助老年人改善生活質(zhì)量,減輕年輕一代的負(fù)擔(dān);廣西陽(yáng)朔的一位工人,他夢(mèng)想小康和富足的物質(zhì)生活;長(zhǎng)春大學(xué)一位計(jì)算機(jī)系的學(xué)生,他的中國(guó)夢(mèng)則是實(shí)現(xiàn)個(gè)人理想,為社會(huì)作貢獻(xiàn)……
“每個(gè)人都有不同的中國(guó)夢(mèng),城市和農(nóng)村的差異較為明顯,村子里的人希望過(guò)上幸福而平靜的生活,而城市里的人更多地希望能做想做的事?!痹绖P涵說(shuō),“但有一個(gè)共同點(diǎn),他們都有著實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想的樂(lè)觀態(tài)度。”
岳凱涵現(xiàn)在德國(guó)慕尼黑一家汽車公司工作,負(fù)責(zé)與中國(guó)有關(guān)的貿(mào)易。他說(shuō)自己很喜歡中國(guó),“以后一定還會(huì)來(lái)。”
回國(guó)前,浙江大學(xué)出版社找到岳凱涵,表示愿意將他的騎行故事編成書出版。岳凱涵希望把這些故事印成書,送給一路上幫助過(guò)他的人。這,確實(shí)是一件非??岬氖隆?/p>
Hoefer Joerg, a 29-year-old German, pedaled a foldable bike across China in nearly 100 days in 2016. The 5,800-km odyssey started in Mohe, a village in the northern point of China and ended in Sanya, the southern point of Hainan, an island province in the south of China. Through the journey, he experienced China and talked with ordinary people he met about their Chinese dreams. Based upon his experience, he wrote an 85-page, 31,000-world English dissertation and completed his graduate course with Zhejiang University. He is now in Germany, working for a motor company and is in charge of trade with China.
The other day, we had an interview with him on WeChat, a Chinese social media, about his epic bike trip across China. The following is the gist.
Joerg first arrived in China in 2011. He spent about a year in Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan in southwestern China, where he learned how to speak Chinese and how to use chopsticks, among other things.
“In Germany, many people take a great interest in the west. They may choose to visit USA. Not so many people want to go and see Asia. I felt Europeans had little knowledge of Asia, of China. That was why I wanted to visit China and take a look.”
Piqued by his interest and curiosity, Hoefer Joerg enrolled himself into Zhejiang University in Hangzhou to study for a master degree of sinology in 2015. “This study was natural for me. Since I chose to come to China, I wanted to study Chinas history and culture. The sinology course at Zhejiang University attracted me.”endprint
All the subjects in this course required students to do surveys and field studies. There were more than tests done on paper. Oral reports on surveys and field studies were also required.
In the first year of the graduate course, Joerg conceived the idea of biking across China. However, he worried if such a biking journey would negatively affect his graduate study. He talked about it with his teacher. The head of the sinology project supported the idea. With the help of his teachers, his application was approved and he received a fund to put his ambitious plan to practice. He completed all the subjects in the first year, so as to squeeze time for the journey. He bought a foldable bike with the assistance of friends. Two months before he was to start the journey, he began to bike around Hangzhou on weekends and trained intensely to get himself physically ready. At first, one journey covered about 30 kilometers. Then he challenged 50 kilometers and then covered a distance of 80 kilometers at one biking. Then he rode all the way from Hangzhou to Shanghai. He was ready.
Joergs epic journey started on May 1, 2016. He waved goodbye to his classmates and friends on Zijingang campus of Zhejiang University. He had a large backpack, a foldable bike, and himself.
The bike was purchased from a second-hand market. It could be conveniently folded and packed into a plastic bag. Did the small bike ride well? Most people choose a mountain bike for such a long journey.
“It rode well. Many people I met on the road were curious about the bike and asked the same question. I let them try taking a ride and they all agreed it was a wonderful bike.”
The bike malfunctioned on the road a number of times. Joerg fixed the problems. In his backpack was a kit with handy tools. The journey went through 12 provinces, but Joerg did not try to remember specific place names. He focused on separate stunts from one place to another. He used the map on his mobile phone to guide him. If he was unclear about where to turn at a crossroads, he asked for directions.
Joerg was deeply impressed with the amiability of the people he met on the way from the north to the south. One day, his bike stopped working and he failed to fix it and he couldnt find a hotel to stay for the night. A good-hearted guy invited him to his home. Joerg slept there for a night.
His budget for the journey was 3,000 yuan a month, all from the grant given by Zhejiang University. So his expenses for food and shelter and everything else were about 100 yuan per day. He ate local food. He bought cheap cloths. He stayed at small hotels or at homes. He slept in the tent if necessary.
He was frequently asked on the road if he felt lonely, biking all by himself. He did not. In fact, chatting with strangers and finding out their dreams was the way he did his research for his graduation dissertation. Had he not traveled alone, he would have not had so much fun meeting strangers and chatting with them. Joerg laughed when he shared with us some interesting anecdotes of his journey.
Before he returned to Germany, Zhejiang University Press approached him for publishing the story of his ride across China. Hoefer Joerg agreed. It would be cool to give these books away to those who had helped him on the road, he said.endprint