(翻译自《My husband’s excuse not to drink? “I have a foreign wife!”》)
当中国的农历新年到来之际,酒类饮品伴随着闲话家常蔓延开来——有时会稍稍过量。新年翌日,在一顿主要男性亲友参加的午餐上,大家由白酒助兴——类似伏尔加酒的一种烈酒,餐后致使其中的两位男亲戚因酒精中毒而入院。
事情是这样的。同桌的男性长辈坚持认为他们的男性晚辈应当饮酒作陪以示尊敬。当然,中国历史并无明文规定子孙承欢膝下须以饮酒孝敬长辈-—但是这样的理由在餐桌上显得毫无意义,同辈的压力及“真正的男人应该能喝酒”这种观念操控着他们的酒桌文化。
然而我丈夫约翰却从整个的节假日中摆脱出来, 无任何醉酒事件,最终还偶然的享用了少量红酒。我问他这是什么原因,他将我——他的外国太太作为不饮酒的理由。
“我有一个洋媳妇,” 他说道。“ 你真是个不喝酒的好理由。” 换言之,正是因为我在这是个外国人,约翰的亲戚认为他应该比中国人更加的关爱于我(尽管我已经能讲一口流利的中文和拥有多年居住中国的生活经验)。所以,假使他醉酒不醒,那么他就不能对我履行他所谓的“责任”。
我们都为这个滑稽的理由而发笑——有个外国太太这个理由成了约翰在中国摆脱饮酒压力的护身符。
但是,鉴于约翰的低酒量,在亲友聚会中饮酒通常会是一个危险的行为。正是因为奇怪的酒桌文化,如果我的现身也许会使约翰免于醉酒不醒或是更糟——入院的话——我是乐意帮忙的。
Where did you learn writing Chinese? It’s pretty dang good.
I miss Beijing now, the food, the community. Hope all is well over there.
Thanks for the comment! While I can write in Chinese (using a computer) I actually have translators in China who have translated my original articles from English to Chinese. In this case, my translator was 任彦南 (Yannan Ren). Another one of my translators — my main translator — has an introduction on my about page. His name is Yuan Fu (付远).
That’s cool you spent time in Beijing — there’s such an incredible energy about that city! I live in Hangzhou, though, and my heart will always remain in Jiangnan.
@ Jocelyn,
Have you thought about moving to Beijing where it is supposed to be the most vibrant of all cities in China?
A long time ago I imagined moving there, but for now, Hangzhou is where we want to be for a lot of reasons (especially because we have lots of friends here and feel most supported in this city).