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廢都
When originally published in 1993, Ruined City (Fei Du) was promptly banned by China’s State Publishing Administration, ostensibly for its explicit sexual content. Since then, award-winning author Jia Pingwa’s vivid portrayal of contemporary China’s social and economic transformation has become a classic, viewed by critics and scholars of Chinese literature as one of the most important novels of the twentieth century. Howard Goldblatt’s deft translation now gives English-speaking readers their first chance to enjoy this masterpiece of social satire by one of China’s most provocative writers.
While eroticism, exoticism, and esoteric minutiae—the “pornography” that earned the opprobrium of Chinese officials—pervade Ruined City, this tale of a famous contemporary writer’s sexual and legal imbroglios is an incisive portrait of politics and culture in a rapidly changing China. In a narrative that ranges from political allegory to parody, Jia Pingwa tracks his antihero Zhuang Zhidie through progressively more involved and inevitably disappointing sexual liaisons. Set in a modern metropolis rife with power politics, corruption, and capitalist schemes, the novel evokes an unrequited romantic longing for China’s premodern, rural past, even as unfolding events caution against the trap of nostalgia. Amid comedy and chaos, the author subtly injects his concerns about the place of intellectual seriousness, censorship, and artistic integrity in the changing conditions of Chinese society.
Rich with detailed description and vivid imagery, Ruined City transports readers into a world abounding with the absurdities and harshness of modern life.
First published January 31, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 25, 2016
4 1/2 stars.
As I noted repeatedly in my status updates while reading this book, I feel like I don't have enough context to judge it knowledgeably (or even fairly). But I'm going to give it a score based purely on my emotional reaction to it. (Friends who read Chinese, please feel free to argue with me.)
This novel is quite different from other works of contemporary Chinese literature I've read recently: it's a predominantly straightforward realistic narrative, with only very minor touches of comedy, fantasy, and allegory leavening an otherwise rather traditional story. The erotic touches that made the novel so scandalous in China seem very tame to a Western reader (and they're intentionally and rather comically censored by the author anyway) and the episodic character of the narrative, which relates one incident after another in linear time, seems almost naive.
Nonetheless, there's something remarkably compelling here. Through meticulous care in setting and character and by focusing on just a few intellectual celebrities as well as their wives, acolytes and enemies, Jia Pingwa builds a city from top to bottom for the reader. We learn its inner workings: its domestic life, bureaucracy, markets, and criminal underworld. From the lowliest junkman to the local mayor, we watch this city and its denizens gradually grow more amoral and more decadent in a short period of time. While greed and venality play a big part in the downfall of many of the characters in the novel, apathy, emotional ambivalence and even sheer laziness also contribute. Almost no one in this novel is a hero or a villain-they're mostly ordinary people trying to get by with the least possible effort for the greatest possible gain. While the reader may not "like" or sympathize with any of these individuals, it's also very hard to hate or judge them-they are too like people we might know (even people we might be).
On a final note: I was impressed by the portrayal of women and women's everyday lives in this novel. No one in the book is a saint, and the women here are generally just as venal, sensual and self-serving as the men, but Jia Pingwa really seems to understand how hard women work in a fairly traditional and patriarchal society like most of modern-day China. Women here don't just have to keep up appearances at home and with extended family, they're also frequently responsible for maintaining their husband's public face, glossing over social faux-pas, making apologies and amends where necessary, even representing their spouse at court. And they get virtually nothing in return. Perhaps the only genuinely sympathetic character in the entire novel is writer-celebrity Zhuang Zhidie's long-suffering wife, Niu Yuequing. Sometimes rigid, even puritanical (she's quick to call other, less fortunate or less monogamous women, whores), she's endlessly strong and supportive when it's most necessary; while quick to anger, she's also reliable, generous, and always looking to do the right thing at the right time. She's not the tragic heroine that Tang Wan'er proves to be (I'm still shattered and unsettled by her fate), but she's someone I liked and cared about as a reader and her final moments in the book, while very true to life, also seem remarkably unjust.
As I noted repeatedly in my status updates while reading this book, I feel like I don't have enough context to judge it knowledgeably (or even fairly). But I'm going to give it a score based purely on my emotional reaction to it. (Friends who read Chinese, please feel free to argue with me.)
This novel is quite different from other works of contemporary Chinese literature I've read recently: it's a predominantly straightforward realistic narrative, with only very minor touches of comedy, fantasy, and allegory leavening an otherwise rather traditional story. The erotic touches that made the novel so scandalous in China seem very tame to a Western reader (and they're intentionally and rather comically censored by the author anyway) and the episodic character of the narrative, which relates one incident after another in linear time, seems almost naive.
Nonetheless, there's something remarkably compelling here. Through meticulous care in setting and character and by focusing on just a few intellectual celebrities as well as their wives, acolytes and enemies, Jia Pingwa builds a city from top to bottom for the reader. We learn its inner workings: its domestic life, bureaucracy, markets, and criminal underworld. From the lowliest junkman to the local mayor, we watch this city and its denizens gradually grow more amoral and more decadent in a short period of time. While greed and venality play a big part in the downfall of many of the characters in the novel, apathy, emotional ambivalence and even sheer laziness also contribute. Almost no one in this novel is a hero or a villain-they're mostly ordinary people trying to get by with the least possible effort for the greatest possible gain. While the reader may not "like" or sympathize with any of these individuals, it's also very hard to hate or judge them-they are too like people we might know (even people we might be).
On a final note: I was impressed by the portrayal of women and women's everyday lives in this novel. No one in the book is a saint, and the women here are generally just as venal, sensual and self-serving as the men, but Jia Pingwa really seems to understand how hard women work in a fairly traditional and patriarchal society like most of modern-day China. Women here don't just have to keep up appearances at home and with extended family, they're also frequently responsible for maintaining their husband's public face, glossing over social faux-pas, making apologies and amends where necessary, even representing their spouse at court. And they get virtually nothing in return. Perhaps the only genuinely sympathetic character in the entire novel is writer-celebrity Zhuang Zhidie's long-suffering wife, Niu Yuequing. Sometimes rigid, even puritanical (she's quick to call other, less fortunate or less monogamous women, whores), she's endlessly strong and supportive when it's most necessary; while quick to anger, she's also reliable, generous, and always looking to do the right thing at the right time. She's not the tragic heroine that Tang Wan'er proves to be (I'm still shattered and unsettled by her fate), but she's someone I liked and cared about as a reader and her final moments in the book, while very true to life, also seem remarkably unjust.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2018
Nếu được đọc bản đầy đủ tác giả không phải cắt đi do kiểm duyệt, truyện này xứng đáng trọn 5 sao.
November 24, 2024
文人的低骯生活
June 10, 2024
整体感觉，通过书中情节，作者向读者呈现了一个由欲望与利益关系交错结成的巨大的茧——个体从不同方位、以不同角色参与编织，又在不同层面、以不同形式受其裹挟。尽管故事以大城市——西京——为背景，读来却感觉置身一个孤陋封闭的小村子，既有局域上的仄逼，又带有某种宇宙洪荒的寂寥；既热闹得所有事情都可能在瞬间传得沸沸扬扬，又像衰败古城墙上的埙声，透着呜咽似的清冷。无论是人，抑或城，放眼望去，满目疮痍。
作者在“后记”中写道：
“这些年里，灾难接踵而来，先是我患乙肝不愈，度过了变相牢狱的一年多医院生活，……再是母亲染病动手术；再是父亲得癌症又亡故；再是妹夫死去、可怜的妹妹拖着幼儿又回住在娘家；再是一场官司没完没了地纠缠我；再是为了他人而卷入单位的是是非非中受尽屈辱，直至又陷入到另一种更可怕的困境里，流言蜚语铺天盖地而来……几十年奋斗的营造的一切稀里哗啦都打碎了，只剩下了肉体上精神上都有着毒病的我和我的三个字的姓名，而名字又常常被别人叫着写着用着骂着。”
文字是生活阅历与心声的折射。便难怪从书中能见到各种新簇簇虚饰反衬下透顶的腐朽荒芜。
然作者创作环境中的饥饿、破窗寒冷、“蛇美人”、萤火虫，以及绽开又枯萎的大丽花与夜里栖息在四五丈高杨树梢上的鸡……却又是让人感觉天然、静谧与欢喜的。心静，便能将老鼠药小贩的笃笃竹板，想象作幽深禅院里木鱼声声。
贾平凹说，这本书带给他“无法向人说清的苦难”，又能“在生命的苦难中”安定他“破碎了的灵魂”。
便由不得要好奇：除去那些他已然明晰列举的病与死，他的生命究竟承受了怎样不杀而杀的残酷与劫难？
他似乎特别擅长描写（或多或少地美化）人性中的淳朴，也特别擅长刻画庸常愚痴与精神破败带来的蚀骨苦困。记得当年读他的《病相报告》，其中男主人公（不记得叫什么名字）情感上那份无奈与绝望，也曾让人深感其痛。不同的只是，《病相报告》的男主人公让人共情，且能在生活现实中寻找到较为普遍的对应；而《废都》中集天赋、感性、纵欲、滥情、有恃无恐、意志孱弱等等特点于一身的男主人公（他的名字因沾着庄生梦蝶的光而不难记住），虽也是可怜，却需要读者努力拔高自己之后，才能生出慈悲与同情。（观庄之蝶之现有个人成就、社会地位与广泛影响力资源，实在与《红楼》中不但出身卑微、且属达克效应重症案例之贾瑞毫无共同之处。然就其沉溺淫邪、执迷不悟、自取灭亡的秉性与行为而言，两人却别无二致。）
《废都》将黄赌毒集齐了。且都是将一手好牌打得稀烂的叙事。常言道“饱暖思淫欲”。如果说不知餍足的“好色”、寻求肉体欢愉尚可解释为出自动物本能（？），赌与毒可都是动物世界没有的“发明”呢。泛滥的物质主义催生无尽欲念；不受控制的欲念必然导致永无止境的不满足；整体的不满足又令短暂的精神刺激与幻象变得充满诱惑，欲罢不能。
据2021年统计数据，全球有超过2.96亿人使用毒品。其中2.19亿人服食大麻，6000人吸食鸦片。全球因滥用药物患病人数达到3950万，10年来激增45%。德国却在今年四月将服用大麻堂而皇之合法化。立法理据，是“堵不如疏”。
世界，不会因人类而毁灭。地球人，却会因人类而毁灭。这些，大概也是《废都》作者希望表达的吧？
想起读它，其实只因前不久才读过的《暂坐》。好奇二十多年天翻地覆生存模式与价值观念变迁之下，作为知名文人的精神格局与智慧境界，会发生怎样变化？及至读完，却只觉得，从根本上说，原来的苦恼依然苦恼，原来的执着依然执着，原来的迷惘依然迷惘。
只不过，以写实程度看，想必创作《废都》时切肤之痛更甚？因而在针砭陋习与时弊上来得更为单刀直入，（而某些地方不免存在阅读欣赏上的硬销式“硌”？）。然而就其内容而言，小说中有关各阶层种种丑恶的描写，搁到现世当下也是活灵活现，恰切合用的。比如善编歌谣的那个破烂佬曾有这么一段：“一等作家政界靠，跟上官员做幕僚。二等作家跳了糟，帮着企业编广告。三等作家入黑道，翻印淫书换钞票。四类作家写文稿，饿着肚子要清高。”（第二十章）对照眼下现实，哪有一点点过时呢？尽管由《废都》到《暂坐》，我们能看到中国大陆几十年间物质享受品位的飞跃，(比如《废都》中卖字画书法的文人还是一张条幅三千元，当时已是不得了的高价。到《暂坐》里却变成了四尺宣十万元。《废都》中二百元能买一套景德镇的瓷盘瓷碟，一个炒勺，一个蜂窝煤炉子与一套茶具，《暂坐》里一只杯子也买不来。)“看上去很美”的程度越来越高，而“一地鸡毛”戏剧性场面的阶层覆盖面也大幅缩小。
而至于笔力，有没有可能，虽经历过各种酸甜苦辣而逐渐迈入老年，对生命与世态有了更为明晰的悟出，然却也正由于心中有了更多忌讳与敬畏，反而更多躲闪束缚，不如从前？（尽管就个人喜好而言，《暂坐》中那份结构的“散”，倒让人读来更舒服；即便在人物个性塑造上更为欠缺逻辑连贯性与真实可信度。）
然而无论《废都》抑或《暂坐》，最让我兴叹的，是作者对于混乱场面描写上极尽细腻的把控。
《废都》一开篇，就是一场看似信手拈来却充满魔幻意味的拿手好戏——天上出现了四个太阳。
一片漆黑让人盲目，光芒万丈也让人盲目。绝对的无相能让人停止妄动，安静下来。而一旦众生见到自己长长短短的影子，权力架构、民生民智，便什么都有了。
“盲目”这一意象与隐喻在书中反复出现。
钟情玄学的文史研究员孟云房，在获得某种命运审察力之后，瞎了一只眼；据说若能堪破前生后世，便得双目失明。便让人由不得联想到双目失明却开了天眼的佛陀大弟子阿那律尊者。毕竟，过花丛而不入的柳下惠人间稀有呢！人们普遍不肯（也无力）舍弃视神经呈现给大脑的方寸之相，以及随之而来的或喜或忧与患得患失；而取无边无际不受拘束的心相，了了澄明。
后来，娱乐界名人阮知非也被打瞎了双眼。却并没有因此而变得有眼无珠，丧失视力，而是换了一副外观上看起来毫无异样的狗眼而“康复”。一个名正言顺纵情声色的职业环境，令光怪陆离的感官印象遮天蔽日，心性不得启蒙，倒是不难想见的。
与盲目相对应的，是老太太的阴阳鬼眼。她能与死者对话，能见到满街满城挤挤挨挨都是鬼，鬼比人多。她选择睡在棺材里，抱着自己的鞋，以防丢了魂魄……诸此种种，都具有殊然耐咂的“神秘”意味。让人想起“向死而生”这个词语。却又是死而非常规意义的死，生而非常规意义的生。
想起从前(二十四年前)常听阿香讲起他们村子里传说的鬼故事。当时并不为意，因而也不曾将故事记住，只说是鬼话，哪里就信得真的？她却起誓赌咒地说确有其事呢。
或许，果然确有其事？否定自己没见过的东西，毕竟也是一种无知与鲁莽。
《废都》总共有24章。不知在作者构思中是否与24节气有关联？若有，那便是奔自然规律的呈现去的。而在这一框架之下，人在自然宇宙中的定位，人与万物间关系，以及怎样才叫做“顺应自然”之类问题，也因而得以展演、讨论与反思。
病与死，作为自然现象，是书中不断出现的情节。精神的或肉体的病态与死亡。也可以说，是它们让全书一气呵成。而应对每一次事件时闻讯而动、风急火燎的行为场景特征，都给人带来无法忽略且层层叠加描重的印象——中国社会人际关系极度粘稠，因而拥挤与压迫不可避免。似乎人人都必须依循关系预设，备了礼相互探访；一边感觉像线偶，一边又各刷各的真情实意存在感。
忽然想，贾平凹或许属讨好型人格？任何事情都希望做得面子上漂亮，因而也常常由于不由自主替别人漂亮着，而肚子里窝着火“隐忍”，但同时理性偏又较真儿，让他觉得不该忍，不能忍。于是者百转回肠地纠结，因而纠结出了肝病来。
不记得是哪年，读他的自选散文。其中有写病的。曾让我大为触动。因为之前从不曾想象过作家们那么不吝小气地惜命，对于身体状况可以产生出那么多唧唧歪歪。后来又看到施文亚老师写病。同样触动。却感觉文字后那支笔，那个人，是温和且圆融达观得多的；大概是从小有母亲宠爱的底蕴，因而也表现得更有爱，（少些虚以委蛇与粉饰太平的官样理念色，）也更经得住事？又或许，与施老师年纪比他老、名声没他大、且亲历过唐山大地震有关？
人总有一死。又或者，以轮回角度看，亿万回地死。贾平凹想必对佛教也有“研究”兴趣。留意到种种“相”，参阅了种种经典。却只是让人看不到他的“信”，因而并不受益。
当然，以上种种都无非“我”的想象与推测。一介凡夫，连对自己也都往往看走了眼，何谈看清他人真实？
再版前言称《废都》堪比《金瓶梅》。
咂摸其文风与故事推进手段，倒确有几分相似，便难免不以为然。然却也正是这一让人不以为然的手段切了书题——若非有各种奢靡，如何体现其“都”；若非有各种破碎，如何体现其“废”？
让人有些吃惊的，是作者怎么那么莽撞，胆敢拿出家人开涮？《暂坐》里那活佛至少左等右等不来，难怪的；《废都》里尼师明慧竟与文人做着攀墙头的勾当，还自行堕胎，与《红楼》中一众有名无实的出家人相类似，却又没有《红楼》里那样出世的疯僧跛道来平衡压轴。
便由不得思量，那些因各种机缘而入了佛门的人，当知是何其幸运呢？而虽入佛门却恣意造作，甚而堕入无间地狱的人，却又是何其福薄！
想那“心非沙门”、“欺诳白衣”的明慧，不惜毁破戒身费尽手段重兴寺庙香火，她为的是什么呢？为功德吗？
然而有关明慧的头发——原本没什么头发，却为了“削发”这个形式，���不厌其烦涂抹生发水——这显然是作者为隐喻人类自寻烦恼而设计的另一个细节——本来无一物，偏要惹尘埃。
《废都》中与老太太同样有意思的另一个角色，是那头被剥夺了广阔天地自由生存权力而进了城的奶牛。它有类人思维，一张皮最后也做了鼓、挂到城墙上作为一种文化象征，因而让人联想到莫言的《生死疲劳》。便忍不住顺而查了查《生死疲劳》出版年份。原来比《废都》迟了13年。
所有文艺家创作灵感，无非在五蕴觉察中触发而生。当然也包括因缘聚汇出现在视野中意识中的所有文字与符号。
从贾平凹的描述中，我读到的是，一个人脑子若被驴踢了，那是该踢；因果报应。
从莫言的故事中，我读到的却是世道不公、命运不由自主。（至少我会这么解读。也或许是我当时觉悟太低，没读明白。）他似乎觉得，分明是存好心做好事的人，怎么死后倒变了畜生？
然须知但存痴念，谁能确保不做畜生？
一念凡夫一念佛。
没有一个凡夫的言行，是当得起不加审视与批判便“全盘”认可、仿效、甚或崇拜的。“伟人”尚且不能，何况只是时势造的“名人”。而从人生自导的角度，拿当下流行的话说，便是“未经审视的人生不值得过”。
这一概念，《暂坐》与《废都》似乎一脉相承。
若此生只管苟且淫乱，纵使妙笔生花，来生或许也只能做雀鸽鸳鸯——虽供人赏悦，往业却更难洗刷、更难觉醒升华。
以上是一些随阅读而生的零碎想法与疑问。我也很想知道，二十年之后，假如还能再活二十年，到时想法会有些什么不同。
阿弥陀佛！
作者在“后记”中写道：
“这些年里，灾难接踵而来，先是我患乙肝不愈，度过了变相牢狱的一年多医院生活，……再是母亲染病动手术；再是父亲得癌症又亡故；再是妹夫死去、可怜的妹妹拖着幼儿又回住在娘家；再是一场官司没完没了地纠缠我；再是为了他人而卷入单位的是是非非中受尽屈辱，直至又陷入到另一种更可怕的困境里，流言蜚语铺天盖地而来……几十年奋斗的营造的一切稀里哗啦都打碎了，只剩下了肉体上精神上都有着毒病的我和我的三个字的姓名，而名字又常常被别人叫着写着用着骂着。”
文字是生活阅历与心声的折射。便难怪从书中能见到各种新簇簇虚饰反衬下透顶的腐朽荒芜。
然作者创作环境中的饥饿、破窗寒冷、“蛇美人”、萤火虫，以及绽开又枯萎的大丽花与夜里栖息在四五丈高杨树梢上的鸡……却又是让人感觉天然、静谧与欢喜的。心静，便能将老鼠药小贩的笃笃竹板，想象作幽深禅院里木鱼声声。
贾平凹说，这本书带给他“无法向人说清的苦难”，又能“在生命的苦难中”安定他“破碎了的灵魂”。
便由不得要好奇：除去那些他已然明晰列举的病与死，他的生命究竟承受了怎样不杀而杀的残酷与劫难？
他似乎特别擅长描写（或多或少地美化）人性中的淳朴，也特别擅长刻画庸常愚痴与精神破败带来的蚀骨苦困。记得当年读他的《病相报告》，其中男主人公（不记得叫什么名字）情感上那份无奈与绝望，也曾让人深感其痛。不同的只是，《病相报告》的男主人公让人共情，且能在生活现实中寻找到较为普遍的对应；而《废都》中集天赋、感性、纵欲、滥情、有恃无恐、意志孱弱等等特点于一身的男主人公（他的名字因沾着庄生梦蝶的光而不难记住），虽也是可怜，却需要读者努力拔高自己之后，才能生出慈悲与同情。（观庄之蝶之现有个人成就、社会地位与广泛影响力资源，实在与《红楼》中不但出身卑微、且属达克效应重症案例之贾瑞毫无共同之处。然就其沉溺淫邪、执迷不悟、自取灭亡的秉性与行为而言，两人却别无二致。）
《废都》将黄赌毒集齐了。且都是将一手好牌打得稀烂的叙事。常言道“饱暖思淫欲”。如果说不知餍足的“好色”、寻求肉体欢愉尚可解释为出自动物本能（？），赌与毒可都是动物世界没有的“发明”呢。泛滥的物质主义催生无尽欲念；不受控制的欲念必然导致永无止境的不满足；整体的不满足又令短暂的精神刺激与幻象变得充满诱惑，欲罢不能。
据2021年统计数据，全球有超过2.96亿人使用毒品。其中2.19亿人服食大麻，6000人吸食鸦片。全球因滥用药物患病人数达到3950万，10年来激增45%。德国却在今年四月将服用大麻堂而皇之合法化。立法理据，是“堵不如疏”。
世界，不会因人类而毁灭。地球人，却会因人类而毁灭。这些，大概也是《废都》作者希望表达的吧？
想起读它，其实只因前不久才读过的《暂坐》。好奇二十多年天翻地覆生存模式与价值观念变迁之下，作为知名文人的精神格局与智慧境界，会发生怎样变化？及至读完，却只觉得，从根本上说，原来的苦恼依然苦恼，原来的执着依然执着，原来的迷惘依然迷惘。
只不过，以写实程度看，想必创作《废都》时切肤之痛更甚？因而在针砭陋习与时弊上来得更为单刀直入，（而某些地方不免存在阅读欣赏上的硬销式“硌”？）。然而就其内容而言，小说中有关各阶层种种丑恶的描写，搁到现世当下也是活灵活现，恰切合用的。比如善编歌谣的那个破烂佬曾有这么一段：“一等作家政界靠，跟上官员做幕僚。二等作家跳了糟，帮着企业编广告。三等作家入黑道，翻印淫书换钞票。四类作家写文稿，饿着肚子要清高。”（第二十章）对照眼下现实，哪有一点点过时呢？尽管由《废都》到《暂坐》，我们能看到中国大陆几十年间物质享受品位的飞跃，(比如《废都》中卖字画书法的文人还是一张条幅三千元，当时已是不得了的高价。到《暂坐》里却变成了四尺宣十万元。《废都》中二百元能买一套景德镇的瓷盘瓷碟，一个炒勺，一个蜂窝煤炉子与一套茶具，《暂坐》里一只杯子也买不来。)“看上去很美”的程度越来越高，而“一地鸡毛”戏剧性场面的阶层覆盖面也大幅缩小。
而至于笔力，有没有可能，虽经历过各种酸甜苦辣而逐渐迈入老年，对生命与世态有了更为明晰的悟出，然却也正由于心中有了更多忌讳与敬畏，反而更多躲闪束缚，不如从前？（尽管就个人喜好而言，《暂坐》中那份结构的“散”，倒让人读来更舒服；即便在人物个性塑造上更为欠缺逻辑连贯性与真实可信度。）
然而无论《废都》抑或《暂坐》，最让我兴叹的，是作者对于混乱场面描写上极尽细腻的把控。
《废都》一开篇，就是一场看似信手拈来却充满魔幻意味的拿手好戏——天上出现了四个太阳。
一片漆黑让人盲目，光芒万丈也让人盲目。绝对的无相能让人停止妄动，安静下来。而一旦众生见到自己长长短短的影子，权力架构、民生民智，便什么都有了。
“盲目”这一意象与隐喻在书中反复出现。
钟情玄学的文史研究员孟云房，在获得某种命运审察力之后，瞎了一只眼；据说若能堪破前生后世，便得双目失明。便让人由不得联想到双目失明却开了天眼的佛陀大弟子阿那律尊者。毕竟，过花丛而不入的柳下惠人间稀有呢！人们普遍不肯（也无力）舍弃视神经呈现给大脑的方寸之相，以及随之而来的或喜或忧与患得患失；而取无边无际不受拘束的心相，了了澄明。
后来，娱乐界名人阮知非也被打瞎了双眼。却并没有因此而变得有眼无珠，丧失视力，而是换了一副外观上看起来毫无异样的狗眼而“康复”。一个名正言顺纵情声色的职业环境，令光怪陆离的感官印象遮天蔽日，心性不得启蒙，倒是不难想见的。
与盲目相对应的，是老太太的阴阳鬼眼。她能与死者对话，能见到满街满城挤挤挨挨都是鬼，鬼比人多。她选择睡在棺材里，抱着自己的鞋，以防丢了魂魄……诸此种种，都具有殊然耐咂的“神秘”意味。让人想起“向死而生”这个词语。却又是死而非常规意义的死，生而非常规意义的生。
想起从前(二十四年前)常听阿香讲起他们村子里传说的鬼故事。当时并不为意，因而也不曾将故事记住，只说是鬼话，哪里就信得真的？她却起誓赌咒地说确有其事呢。
或许，果然确有其事？否定自己没见过的东西，毕竟也是一种无知与鲁莽。
《废都》总共有24章。不知在作者构思中是否与24节气有关联？若有，那便是奔自然规律的呈现去的。而在这一框架之下，人在自然宇宙中的定位，人与万物间关系，以及怎样才叫做“顺应自然”之类问题，也因而得以展演、讨论与反思。
病与死，作为自然现象，是书中不断出现的情节。精神的或肉体的病态与死亡。也可以说，是它们让全书一气呵成。而应对每一次事件时闻讯而动、风急火燎的行为场景特征，都给人带来无法忽略且层层叠加描重的印象——中国社会人际关系极度粘稠，因而拥挤与压迫不可避免。似乎人人都必须依循关系预设，备了礼相互探访；一边感觉像线偶，一边又各刷各的真情实意存在感。
忽然想，贾平凹或许属讨好型人格？任何事情都希望做得面子上漂亮，因而也常常由于不由自主替别人漂亮着，而肚子里窝着火“隐忍”，但同时理性偏又较真儿，让他觉得不该忍，不能忍。于是者百转回肠地纠结，因而纠结出了肝病来。
不记得是哪年，读他的自选散文。其中有写病的。曾让我大为触动。因为之前从不曾想象过作家们那么不吝小气地惜命，对于身体状况可以产生出那么多唧唧歪歪。后来又看到施文亚老师写病。同样触动。却感觉文字后那支笔，那个人，是温和且圆融达观得多的；大概是从小有母亲宠爱的底蕴，因而也表现得更有爱，（少些虚以委蛇与粉饰太平的官样理念色，）也更经得住事？又或许，与施老师年纪比他老、名声没他大、且亲历过唐山大地震有关？
人总有一死。又或者，以轮回角度看，亿万回地死。贾平凹想必对佛教也有“研究”兴趣。留意到种种“相”，参阅了种种经典。却只是让人看不到他的“信”，因而并不受益。
当然，以上种种都无非“我”的想象与推测。一介凡夫，连对自己也都往往看走了眼，何谈看清他人真实？
再版前言称《废都》堪比《金瓶梅》。
咂摸其文风与故事推进手段，倒确有几分相似，便难免不以为然。然却也正是这一让人不以为然的手段切了书题——若非有各种奢靡，如何体现其“都”；若非有各种破碎，如何体现其“废”？
让人有些吃惊的，是作者怎么那么莽撞，胆敢拿出家人开涮？《暂坐》里那活佛至少左等右等不来，难怪的；《废都》里尼师明慧竟与文人做着攀墙头的勾当，还自行堕胎，与《红楼》中一众有名无实的出家人相类似，却又没有《红楼》里那样出世的疯僧跛道来平衡压轴。
便由不得思量，那些因各种机缘而入了佛门的人，当知是何其幸运呢？而虽入佛门却恣意造作，甚而堕入无间地狱的人，却又是何其福薄！
想那“心非沙门”、“欺诳白衣”的明慧，不惜毁破戒身费尽手段重兴寺庙香火，她为的是什么呢？为功德吗？
然而有关明慧的头发——原本没什么头发，却为了“削发”这个形式，���不厌其烦涂抹生发水——这显然是作者为隐喻人类自寻烦恼而设计的另一个细节——本来无一物，偏要惹尘埃。
《废都》中与老太太同样有意思的另一个角色，是那头被剥夺了广阔天地自由生存权力而进了城的奶牛。它有类人思维，一张皮最后也做了鼓、挂到城墙上作为一种文化象征，因而让人联想到莫言的《生死疲劳》。便忍不住顺而查了查《生死疲劳》出版年份。原来比《废都》迟了13年。
所有文艺家创作灵感，无非在五蕴觉察中触发而生。当然也包括因缘聚汇出现在视野中意识中的所有文字与符号。
从贾平凹的描述中，我读到的是，一个人脑子若被驴踢了，那是该踢；因果报应。
从莫言的故事中，我读到的却是世道不公、命运不由自主。（至少我会这么解读。也或许是我当时觉悟太低，没读明白。）他似乎觉得，分明是存好心做好事的人，怎么死后倒变了畜生？
然须知但存痴念，谁能确保不做畜生？
一念凡夫一念佛。
没有一个凡夫的言行，是当得起不加审视与批判便“全盘”认可、仿效、甚或崇拜的。“伟人”尚且不能，何况只是时势造的“名人”。而从人生自导的角度，拿当下流行的话说，便是“未经审视的人生不值得过”。
这一概念，《暂坐》与《废都》似乎一脉相承。
若此生只管苟且淫乱，纵使妙笔生花，来生或许也只能做雀鸽鸳鸯——虽供人赏悦，往业却更难洗刷、更难觉醒升华。
以上是一些随阅读而生的零碎想法与疑问。我也很想知道，二十年之后，假如还能再活二十年，到时想法会有些什么不同。
阿弥陀佛！
January 31, 2018
This book was slow and weird. I did not like it. I would give it negative stars if I could.
March 31, 2024
Ruined City is a wild book. In Xijing City, there is harming fame, adultery, supernaturality, unethical businesses, and corruption.
The main plot develops around the protagonist, Zhuang Zhidie, detailing how he and his students and friends form a network, take bribes, and corrupt officials for their interests. Zhuang is a renowned writer in the book. Sometimes he proactively seeks to corrupt officials and at other times he gets dragged by his fame to do many things he doesn’t want to do. In the first half of the book, their network has developed very well and they are able to influence and manipulate many things and outcomes. At the end of the book, a piece of distorted news written by his student and supported by him eventually brought them lawsuits that they aren't able to intervene with gifts and money anymore.
The plot is also mixed with adultery when Zhuang starts having relationships with his student's wife, his housekeeper, and even a stranger. The book has many sexual details cultivating the air of declining morals. I initially thought many of these details were deleted because of government censorship. But when I read the prelude after I finished the book, it seemed like the author intentionally got rid of them partly as self-censorship and partly to portray an empty lostness and dream-like appearance.
The book also develops a superstitious atmosphere, especially through Zhuang's mother-in-law talking about matters about the dead, through Meng Yunfang, one of Zhuang's best friends, devotion to learning all kinds of superstitious skills, like fate prediction, and through a thinking cow who philosophizes about the world, cows, and the humanity.
The book ends quite abruptly. I am curious about the outcome of Niu Yueqing - Zhuang's wife, Liu Yue - Zhuang's ex-housekeeper and lover, A Tsan - Zhuang's lover who asked for sex before disappearing forever, and Tang Wan'er - Zhuang's most important lover. I definitely wished the book could talk more about the thoughts and feelings of Tang Wan'er after she was forced to go back to her husband. It also makes me confused about what happened to Zhuang in the end at the train station and why Wang Ximian's wife showed up there. I wonder if the book intentionally ends without explaining because it tries to build up a dream-like appearance. But I don't find it satisfying to leave so many things behind in the end. It almost feels like there could be a book 2.
The main plot develops around the protagonist, Zhuang Zhidie, detailing how he and his students and friends form a network, take bribes, and corrupt officials for their interests. Zhuang is a renowned writer in the book. Sometimes he proactively seeks to corrupt officials and at other times he gets dragged by his fame to do many things he doesn’t want to do. In the first half of the book, their network has developed very well and they are able to influence and manipulate many things and outcomes. At the end of the book, a piece of distorted news written by his student and supported by him eventually brought them lawsuits that they aren't able to intervene with gifts and money anymore.
The plot is also mixed with adultery when Zhuang starts having relationships with his student's wife, his housekeeper, and even a stranger. The book has many sexual details cultivating the air of declining morals. I initially thought many of these details were deleted because of government censorship. But when I read the prelude after I finished the book, it seemed like the author intentionally got rid of them partly as self-censorship and partly to portray an empty lostness and dream-like appearance.
The book also develops a superstitious atmosphere, especially through Zhuang's mother-in-law talking about matters about the dead, through Meng Yunfang, one of Zhuang's best friends, devotion to learning all kinds of superstitious skills, like fate prediction, and through a thinking cow who philosophizes about the world, cows, and the humanity.
The book ends quite abruptly. I am curious about the outcome of Niu Yueqing - Zhuang's wife, Liu Yue - Zhuang's ex-housekeeper and lover, A Tsan - Zhuang's lover who asked for sex before disappearing forever, and Tang Wan'er - Zhuang's most important lover. I definitely wished the book could talk more about the thoughts and feelings of Tang Wan'er after she was forced to go back to her husband. It also makes me confused about what happened to Zhuang in the end at the train station and why Wang Ximian's wife showed up there. I wonder if the book intentionally ends without explaining because it tries to build up a dream-like appearance. But I don't find it satisfying to leave so many things behind in the end. It almost feels like there could be a book 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2019
This is the masterpiece from the author who is among the top three contemporary Chinese novelists. The translator is a legend. Required background reading or a little bit of information about Chinese culture and language.
"Ruined cities" is the story of Zhou Min running away with an unhappily married woman, Tang Wan’er and settling down in Jia’s own hometown of Xi’an disguised as xijing, its is the stroy of Zhuang Zhidie (most probably portraying Jia) and his affairs and emotional attachments with different women e.g. Tang Wan'er ................. This was initially banned in China due to explicit sexual contents, but later as in the version I read the author deleted most of the explicit words......
"Ruined cities" is the story of Zhou Min running away with an unhappily married woman, Tang Wan’er and settling down in Jia’s own hometown of Xi’an disguised as xijing, its is the stroy of Zhuang Zhidie (most probably portraying Jia) and his affairs and emotional attachments with different women e.g. Tang Wan'er ................. This was initially banned in China due to explicit sexual contents, but later as in the version I read the author deleted most of the explicit words......
January 25, 2019
Đọc Phế đô ấn tượng nhất với ông mua đồng nát ;))
March 13, 2022
Đọc Phế Đô nhớ Kim Bình Mai.
Read
July 1, 2022读完之后头痛得要死（（
April 21, 2024
我真的不喜欢这本书，太长，每个人物很讨嫌。但我希望这是作家的目标。
November 4, 2014
Đọc Phế Đô nên muốn học thổi huyên. Nhưng có vẻ năng lực không tới.
Want to read
March 21, 2016Reviewed by The Complete Review
April 9, 2019
All-time favorite
July 11, 2021
A very weak and pretentious work with influence from Jin Ping Mei.
November 24, 2021
废都还很废。书中有些段子写的不错，但是女性角色塑造的太片面。
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