High Life

24 品 当 中国人在自己国家看到外国人 时，第一印象往往是，这个人 十有八九不了解中国的文化或语言。 除非他对中国的历史、习语等表现出 出色的理解，否则这种偏见通常会持 续下去。 很多中国人认为，外国人要想深 刻了解中国，则必须在这里生活多 年。大多情况下事实也的确如此， 何伟（Peter Hessler）就是一个很 好的例子。 W hen Chinese see a foreigner in their country, the first thought that often goes through their mind is that the person likely doesn’t know much about the Chinese culture or language. The bias usually continues unless the foreigner demonstrates great knowledge of Chinese history and idioms. Many Chinese assume that for a non-Chinese to understand 何伟是中国最受尊敬的美国纪实 作家之一。他于1996年加入和平队 担任志愿英语教师，目睹了中国近几 十年来经历的巨变。他在受三峡大坝 影响的涪陵小城的经历，激励他写下 自己的第一本书《江城》。在中国生 活的11年，他还担任《纽约客》驻华 记者，并为《国家地理》撰稿。 何伟的作品严谨、具冒险意识且 致力于透过落后地区平凡人的生活来 发现世界，其文字展现了一个不断变 幻的环境的美丽与悲哀，并糅入自己 独有的幽默感。尽管他最为知名的是 有关中国农村的作品，但他亦撰写关 于美国及其现状的文字。纵观两个国 家，他认为两者的状况“差异很大”。 据他观察：“中国农民想要走出 去。他们希望离开农村，到城市谋求 发展。而美国农民想要留在原地。他 们害怕自己的村庄不复存在。他们怀 念过去，不想离开，不愿改变。 “自911袭击以来，美国处境艰 China profoundly, that person must have spent numerous years in the country. Indeed, that is mostly true, especially in the case of Peter Hessler. Hessler is one of the most respected American non-fiction writers in China. Having joined the Peace Corps as a volunteer English teacher back in 1996, he has witnessed the enormous changes the country has gone through in recent decades. His experience of living in Fuling, a small city affected by the Three Gorges Dam, inspired him to write his first book, River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze . During the 11 years he has spent in China, he also took on the role of China correspondent for The New Yorker and contributing writer for National Geographic .