The art of bow-making | Dong Woo Jang

譯者: Li Li 審譯者: NAN-KUN WU

It is said that the grass is always greener

有人說，較綠的草地總是

on the other side of the fence,

在籬笆的另一端，得不到的永遠最美好

and I believe this is true,

我相信這句話是真的

especially when I hear President Obama

特別是當我聽到歐巴馬總統

often talk about the Korean education system

常常將韓國的教育制度

as a benchmark of success.

認為是成功的基準時

Well, I can tell you that,

我可以說

in the rigid structure and highly competitive nature

僵化的組織以及高度的競爭性

of the Korean school system,

使韓國的教育體制

also known as pressure cooker,

就像是一個壓力鍋

not everyone can do well in that environment.

不是所有人都可以適應這樣的環境

While many people responded in different ways

許多人用不同的方式回應了

about our education system,

我們的教育制度

my response to the high-pressure environment

而我對這種高度壓力的環境所做出的回應

was making bows with pieces of wood

則是製作一支支的弓，所用的木頭

found near my apartment building.

是我在我所住公寓附近收集到的

Why bows?

為什麼是弓?

I'm not quite sure.

其實我也不是很確定原因

Perhaps, in the face of constant pressure,

或許是因為面對接連不斷的壓力

my caveman instinct of survival

我原始的求生本能

has connected with the bows.

將我與弓連結起來

If you think about it,

如果你仔細想想

the bow has really helped drive human survival

你會發現弓對於人類的生存有很大的幫助

since prehistoric times.

從史前時代就是如此

The area within three kilometers of my home

距離我住家不到三公里遠的地方，有一個地方

used to be a mulberry forest

曾經是一片桑樹林

during the Joseon dynasty,

在朝鮮王朝時

where silkworms were fed with mulberry leaves.

他們在這片桑樹林養蠶

In order to raise the historical awareness of this fact,

為了喚醒人們對這件事情的歷史感

the government has planted mulberry trees.

政府在此地種了許多桑樹

The seeds from these trees

這些桑樹的種子

also have spread by birds here and there

也藉由鳥類散播到

nearby the soundproof walls of the city expressway

距離不遠的高速公路隔音牆附近

that has been built around the 1988 Olympics.

這些隔音牆是於1988年漢城奧運時打造的

The area near these walls,

靠近隔音牆的區域

which nobody bothers to pay attention to,

根本沒有人會注意到

had been left free from major intervention,

也因為如此，少了許多外在的干預

and this is where I first found my treasures.

讓我在這塊土地發現了屬於我的珍寶

As I fell deeper into bow making,

當我對製造弓弩越來越著迷時

I began to search far and beyond my neighborhood.

我涉獵的範圍不再僅限於住家附近

When I went on school field trips,

無論是校外教學

family vacations, or simply on my way home

家族旅行或是在我結束補習

from extracurricular classes,

返家的路上

I wandered around wooded areas

我會在鄰近的樹林內徘徊

and gathered tree branches

收集許多樹枝

with the tools that I sneaked inside my school bag.

跟我藏在書包裡的工具

And they would be somethings like saws, knives,

像是鋸子,小刀

sickles and axes

鐮刀跟斧頭

that I covered up with a piece of towel.

我將它們藏在毛巾底下

I would bring the branches home,

我會將收集到的樹枝帶回家

riding buses and subways,

在公車上或是地鐵上

barely holding them in my hands.

直接把它們抓在手上

And I did not bring the tools here to Long Beach.

我沒辦法將我製作弓弩的工具帶來長灘

Airport security.

因為機場安檢

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

In the privacy of my room, covered in sawdust,

在屬於我自己充滿著木屑的房間裡

I would saw, trim and polish wood all night long

我會花上整夜鋸、修剪，跟打磨木頭

until a bow took shape.

直到弓弩的雛形完成

One day, I was changing the shape of a bamboo piece

有一天，我試著改變竹子的形狀

and ended up setting the place on fire.

結果是我把那個地方給燒了

Where? The rooftop of my apartment building,

在哪裡?就在我家的屋頂

a place where 96 families call home.

一個96個人稱作家的地方

A customer from a department store across from my building

有一個從百貨公司離開的民眾經過我家時

called 911,

打了911

and I ran downstairs to tell my mom

我馬上衝到樓下告訴我媽

with half of my hair burned.

當時我的頭髮一半已經著火了

I want to take this opportunity

我想要趁這個機會

to tell my mom, in the audience today:

在所有觀眾面前跟我媽說一聲:

Mom, I was really sorry,

媽，我真的很抱歉

and I will be more careful with open fire from now on.

我保證我下次用火會更加小心

My mother had to do a lot of explaining,

我媽必須不斷又不斷地解釋

telling people that her son did not commit

告訴人們他兒子並不是

a premeditated arson.

預謀縱火犯

I also researched extensively on bows around the world.

我開始研究全世界不同種類的弓弩

In that process, I tried to combine

在研究的過程中,我試著融合

the different bows from across time and places

不同時間與空間的弓

to create the most effective bow.

讓它們成為更有威力的弓弩

I also worked with many different types of wood,

我開始使用不同種類的木頭

such as maple, yew and mulberry,

像是楓木、紫杉，跟桑樹

and did many shooting experiments

我也做了許多射擊的實驗

in the wooded area near the urban expressway

在靠近高速公路的樹林裡

that I mentioned before.

之前提到的那座

The most effective bow for me

我認為最有威力的弓

would be like this.

是這個樣子的

One: Curved tips can maximize the springiness

首先，增加弓的弧度可以增加

when you draw and shoot the arrow.

拉弓以及射擊時的威力

Two: Belly is drawn inward for higher draw weight,

第二，中心向內移可以承受越高的拉弓重量

which means more power.

可以帶來更強大的威力

Three: Sinew used in the outer layer of the limb

第三:在弓的外圍用上皮筋

for maximum tension storage.

可以把最大化彈性勢能

And four: Horn used to store energy in compression.

第四：角的應用可以儲存受壓的能量

After fixing, breaking, redesigning,

在經過固定，折斷，再設計

mending, bending and amending,

修復，彎曲和改進之後

my ideal bow began to take shape,

我理想中的弓完成了雛形

and when it was finally done,

當它完成時

it looked like this.

這就是它的樣子

I was so proud of myself

我以我自己為榮

for inventing a perfect bow on my own.

因為我靠自己完成了最完美的弓

This is a picture of Korean traditional bows

這是傳統韓國使用的弓

taken from a museum,

照片是來自博物館

and see how my bow resembles them.

看到我的弓跟它的相似之處了嗎?

Thanks to my ancestors

感謝我的祖先

for robbing me of my invention. (Laughter)

參考我的概念(笑聲)

Through bowmaking,

在製造弓的過程中

I came in contact with part of my heritage.

我接觸到了部分先人的文化

Learning the information that has accumulated over time

學習先人的智慧

and reading the message left by my ancestors

以及解讀祖先流傳下來的訊息

were better than any consolation therapy

比任何的安慰療法

or piece of advice any living adults could give me.

或任何成年人給我的建議都有效

You see, I searched far and wide,

你們可以看到，儘管我攝取知識的範圍很廣

but never bothered to look close and near.

但我卻沒有很仔細的去弄清它

From this realization,

認知這點之後

I began to take interest in Korean history,

我對於韓國的歷史感到了興趣

which had never inspired me before.

這在之前是從來沒發生過的

In the end, the grass is often greener

在最後，我發現自己所有的

on my side of the fence,

遠比外界的都還好

although we don't realize it.

儘管我們還沒辦法全然接受

Now, I am going to show you how my bow works.

現在，我想讓你們看看 我所製的弓實際的操縱情況

And let's see how this one works.

現在讓我們來看看

This is a bamboo bow,

這是竹製的弓

with 45-pound draw weights.

在 45 磅的拉力之下

(Noise of shooting arrow)

(弓射出的聲音)

(Applause)

(掌聲)

A bow may function in a simple mechanism,

弓或許是很簡單的物理過程

but in order to make a good bow,

但為了製造好的弓

a great amount of sensitivity is required.

我們需要敏銳的知覺

You need to console and communicate

我們需要對木質材料

with the wood material.

進行撫慰和交流

Each fiber in the wood

木頭裡存在的每一條纖維

has its own reason and function for being,

都有它的功能以及存在的理由

and only through cooperation and harmony among them

只有藉由合作以及調和它們

comes a great bow.

才能製造一個完美的弓

I may be an [odd] student

我或許是個奇怪的學生

with unconventional interests,

有著異於常人的興趣

but I hope I am making a contribution

但我希望藉由我的故事

by sharing my story with all of you.

對大眾有所貢獻

My ideal world is a place

我理想中的桃花源

where no one is left behind,

是沒有任何人會被棄之不顧

where everyone is needed exactly where they are,

每個人都可以在 自己的長處上被別人所需要

like the fibers and the tendons in a bow,

就像是弓裡的木頭跟弦

a place where the strong is flexible

剛強但不失靈活

and the vulnerable is resilient.

柔弱但不失彈力

The bow resembles me,

我就像是弓

and I resemble the bow.

而弓就像是我

Now, I am shooting a part of myself to you.

現在，我將我自己的一部份向你們射出

No, better yet, a part of my mind

具體的說，是我一部份的意識

has just been shot over to your mind.

剛剛射向你們的心靈

Did it strike you?

你們感受到了嗎？

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

(掌聲)