A day in the life of a teenage samurai - Constantine N. Vaporis

翻译人员: Ethan Huang 校对人员: Wanting Zhong

It’s just after sunrise, and 16-year-old Mori Banshirô

太阳才刚升起， 16 岁的森伴四郎（Mori Banshirô）

is already hard at work practicing drills with his long sword.

就已经在用武士刀 刻苦地练习招式了。

Banshirô is an ambitious samurai in training,

伴四郎是一名雄心勃勃的见习武士，

and today he must impress his teachers more than ever.

今天他必须给老师们 留下前所未有的出色印象。

Today he’ll make his request to travel to the capital city of Edo

因为今天他将会请求前往首府江户，

for a year of martial and scholarly studies,

进行为期一年的武术和文化修行，

and he needs their support, along with his father’s.

而他需要老师们以及父亲的支持。

The year is 1800 in the castle town of Kôchi,

这一年是 1800 年， 地点是高知城，

capital of the Tosa domain in Japan.

日本土佐藩的藩厅（首府）。

The daimyo rules the domain, and about 1,500 samurai retainers serve him.

藩地由大名（诸侯）管辖， 其手下有约 1500 名武士家臣效力。

For 200 years, Japan has been at peace,

日本已维持了 200 年的和平，

and the samurai, once primarily warriors, now play a much wider range of roles—

曾经以征战沙场为生的武士， 如今则扮演了更加广泛的角色——

they are also government officials,

他们也担任幕府官员、

scholars,

学者、

teachers,

教师，

and even masters of the tea ceremony

甚至是茶道大师

or artists.

或是艺术家。

To prepare for these diverse responsibilities,

为了履行这些不同的职责，

young samurai like Banshirô study the “twin paths”

像伴四郎这样的年轻武士 会进行 “文武两道” 的修行，

of literary learning and the martial arts.

不仅要修炼武学，也要研习文艺。

At 15, he went through the rites of adulthood and received the daishô—

在 15 岁时，他行过元服之礼， 获赠了被称作 “大小” 的——

a pair of swords.

一对佩刀。

The long sword is for training and combat,

长刀用于训练与战斗，

while the short sword has a sole, solemn purpose—

短刀则有着唯一的庄严目的——

to commit ritual suicide, or seppuku,

如果他使自己、家人或大名蒙羞的话，

if he dishonors himself, his family, or the daimyo.

就要用短刀切腹自尽。

Banshirô idolizes the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi,

伴四郎十分崇拜 活跃于 150 年前的著名剑术家，

传奇武士宫本武藏 （Miyamoto Musashi）。

a renowned swordsman who lived 150 years earlier.

But Banshirô doesn’t admire his swordsmanship alone.

令伴四郎钦佩的不止是他的剑法。

Miyamoto Musashi was also a master calligrapher and painter.

宫本武藏同时也是 一名书法和绘画大师。

That’s the real reason Banshirô wants to go to Edo—

这也是伴四郎 想前往江户的真正原因——

he secretly wants to be a painter, too.

他暗中也想成为一名画家。

After finishing his practice at home, he bids his father goodbye

在结束了家中的锻炼后， 他向父亲道别，

and walks to school.

走去了学校。

His father is preparing to accompany the daimyo to the capital.

他的父亲正在为陪同大名 前往首府做准备。

The Tokugawa shogun, head of the Japanese military government,

日本武家政府的 最高领导者徳川将军

requires all the regional rulers to alternate years

要求所有地区的领主 轮流往返领地与首府执行政务，

between their castle town in the home domain and the capital city.

进行 “参勤交代”。

The costly treks back and forth keep the daimyo subordinate

成本高昂的来回跋涉 能使大名保持服从，

and prevent them from building up their own military forces

并阻止他们累积军事力量

to challenge the shogunate.

对幕府进行谋反。

The daimyo’s wife and children live in the capital full time,

大名的妻子和孩子 会在江户长期居住，

where they serve as hostages to ensure his loyalty.

作为幕府的人质， 确保大名的忠诚。

But the practice doesn’t just affect the daimyo—

但是这样的制度 不仅会影响到大名——

it determines much of the rhythm of life in Japan.

也决定了日本多数人的生活节奏。

Samurai must accompany the daimyo to Edo.

武士必须跟随大名前往江户。

This year it’s Banshirô’s father’s turn to go,

这一年轮到伴四郎的父亲陪同参勤，

and Banshirô is desperate to go with him;

伴四郎渴望与他同行；

but given that he’s still in training, he’ll need permission

但是鉴于他仍在见习，

他需要得到父亲和领地双方的许可。

from both his father and the domain.

At school, Banshirô’s first lesson is in swordfighting.

在学校，伴四郎的第一堂课是剑术。

Under his teacher’s stern eye, he pairs up with his classmates

在老师严厉的目光下， 他与同学们结对

and goes through the routines he’s been practicing.

演练他一直在练习的整套招式。

At the end of the lesson, he reminds the instructor of his request to go to Edo.

课程结束时，他再次向导师 提起了前往江户的请求。

The instructor cracks his first smile of the day,

导师当天首次展颜微笑，

and Banshirô feels confident he will gain his support.

伴四郎相信自己将得到他的支持。

Next, Banshirô practices archery, horsemanship, and swimming

接下来，在他下午的学术课程之前，

伴四郎还练习了 射箭、骑马以及游泳。

before his academic courses in the afternoon.

Courses cover Confucian philosophy, morality, and history.

下午的学术课程包括 儒家哲学、伦理和历史。

When the instructor calls on him, he has the response on the tip of his tongue,

当导师点到他时， 他早已酝酿好了答案，

ensuring another supporter for his campaign.

这为他的旅程赢得了另一位支持者。

By the end of the day, Banshirô feels confident that his formal request

一日将尽，伴四郎很自信 自己的正式申请会得到批准，

will be approved, but the greatest challenge is still ahead of him:

但最大的挑战仍在前方：

convincing his father.

说服他的父亲。

His father believes the martial arts are more important than the literary arts,

他父亲认为武道比文道更加重要，

so Banshirô doesn’t mention his artistic ambitions.

因此伴四郎没有提及他的艺术追求，

Instead, he talks about renowned sword instructors he can train with,

而是谈到了自己 能有机会师从知名的剑术家，

and teaching certifications he can earn to improve his professional prospects

还可以考取教学资格证书， 让他返回高知时有更好的

back in Kôchi.

职业前景。

Then, he makes his final, strongest argument:

然后，他提出了 最后也是最有力的论点：

if he goes this time and succeeds, his father can retire and send him instead

如果他这次同去且万事顺利， 父亲就可以退休，

未来能派遣他跟随大名参勤。

in the future.

It’s this last point that finally sells him—

正是最后这一点说服了他父亲。

Banshirô’s father agrees to take him on his tour of duty.

伴四郎的父亲同意 在勤务之旅中带上伴四郎。

In the bustle of the capital city, Banshirô will finally have the opportunity

在首府的喧嚣中， 伴四郎终于能有机会

to pursue his secret ambition to become a painter.

去追求他心底想成为画家的理想。