Chapter 3盼望着,春天真的来了
惊蛰桃华逢雨喜,
植树桔栽赛读诗,
春分柳絮漫天始,
仲春梅落香不识。
Chapter 3 After such a long yearning, herecomes Spring at last!
The Awakening of Insectsbestowspeach blossomsof the precious rain,
Planting an orange tree rewardsone considerably more than just reading a Spring poem,
The Vernal Equinox brings catkins all over the island to announce the season start,
Early Springperfumed by increasing fragranceof plants ignores plum blossoms from heart.
诗云“微雨众卉新,一雷惊蛰始”。惊蛰的震雷在劲道日减的东风里终于滚响在了天边。崇明毫无叠嶂的层峦屏遮,所以电闪雷鸣在这里大可自由驰骋地若入无人之境,父母也经常借此吓唬雨天还赖在屋外玩耍的孩子说,雷最爱劈打不听话的调皮分子;还传说这雷的动静就是要把冬眠的蛇族震出洞穴来进行护宅,因为每栋老宅子都会有条宅蛇保佑,再不进屋躲雨,那门神也会把孩子给轰进屋的。
The poem of Wei Ying Wu in Tang Dynastystates that "the light rains makes plants look fresh, a thunder kicks off the Insect awakening”, which applies to the thunder and lightening in March of Chongmingwhere no mountains or valleys to muffle or hinder the natural phenomenon. Hence, the parents often use its scaring effect to warn the children who refused to enter the house for the game sake. Moreover, there’s scary story about the hibernated snakethat is about to get out of the cave to protect the house it sleeps under. It is believed that every ancient house is accompanied by the house snake as a blessing and protection. Therefore, the child who staysoutside surely will be driven into the house if they linger.
雷声过后接踵而至是沾衣欲湿的春雨,农场果园的桃树就在这番催促声里,加之甘霖的无声润物,鼓出花苞的尖角来。崇明农场的孩子大多是植物学的粗才,因而桃杏的区别都说不太清,只听得大人常说“桃饱杏伤人”,便认为果园里此刻能冒出来骨朵儿的都是准备夏季里结桃子的花。甚而连待谢的梅花都张冠李戴地囊括进春华的范畴。
The thunders and lightening are followed by the spring rain,which can moisturize the peach trees so much that its flowers are grown. Since the difference between peach and apricot blossom is hard to tell for Children, thus the Chongmingsaying that"One can eat as many peaches as he wants but as few apricot as he can" only has meanings for them when the fruits finally come out. The joke applies to plum flowers too.
在柳条抽芽的日子里学完雷锋,便坐等栽树季了。崇明知青农场的围垦堤岸以及耕地的地界上整齐茂盛地长着颀长的防风林,多以欧美杨,白杨和水杉为主,在夏天时方能沐着江风哗啦啦地欢唱,而三月里还是光秃秃的枝丫,男孩就爱这时没有树叶荫蔽的大树,因为鸟窝一眼便可望见。
After March 5th,the Lei Feng Memorial Day, Children are expecting the Arbor Day.The planting season is cherished by educated youth in the farm whose collective assiduity eventually give birth to the boundary of the cultivated land with neatly sturdy and long-lasting wind-proof forests. Most of them are poplar and metasequoia, which can sing along with the wind in summer. Although they exhibit bare branches only in March, the boy are fond of them for now due to the bird's nestsbecome noticeable at a glance.
在防风林的保护区内就是植树区了,无心插柳的典故自然最受欢迎,于是,刚刚泛青的柳枝侧剪甚至折断后,便可随意择地而栽。桔树因为口彩好更是个受欢迎的树种,它较那些河岸边都能将就生根的柳树而言可就讲究多了。种植时,先根据桔树根的大小铲出个深浅适度的坑,随后根端叶正地将树置入扶正,辅以挖坑时刨出的泥轻轻回填,第一次回填后要提起抖松,确保根部呼吸畅通,随后再次填埋并从四围踩压紧实。最后,坑的周围再堆起个矮堤坝,便于之后的水分储存,便大功告成。
The protected zonewithin the windbreak forest is the tree planting area. There are two kindly of trees popular in Chongming with different reasons. On the one hand, the convenience of willow pluggingas an easy way of forestation are welcome by the residents. On the other hand, tangerine trees are favored by the Chongmingnese due to its pronunciation “Ju”as well as character component are similar to “auspiciousness” in Chinese. However, It is much more complicated to plant a mandarin tree than the willow whose adaptability allows its rooting even along the banks. As for planting procedure, it follows 5 steps. Firstly, one should shovel a moderately shallow pit according to the size of the tree root.Secondly, and stable the root as it is and put it into the pit rightly and supplement it with the dug mudthat can backfill. Thirdly, shake loose the root after the first round of backfill so as to keep the roots breathing smoothly.Fourthly, fill back the mud again and press tightly around. Finally, build around the pit a threshold that can facilitate the subsequent storage of water.
培育过程其实才刚刚开始,刚种完树的头几个月,不少放学回家途径种植地的孩子都要顺道弯入地里查看下树的长势,毕竟这比家养的鸡鸭鹅要长得缓慢,但念及秋天说不定能结出个果实来,始终总觉得更稀奇有趣。
The cultivation processhas just begun. In the first couple of months when tree are only growing buds, children will bypass the plantation zone to check the growth of their baby trees. After all, this is much slower than watching the grow-up of domestic chickens and ducks. However, when one thinks about the fall when fruits can be tasted, it seems worthwhile for the waiting.
“仲春初四月,春色正中分”,春分的田野已经陆续春播,大头菜和萝卜已然下市,换之是灵秀的荠菜,宛若翠珠般一夜之间镶满田埂。万物复苏的迹象在春侯气暖,虫声新透的勃勃生机中宣告着大地春回。此时,跟着妈妈挖荠菜的时刻也到了。
"In the early spring of April finds scenery divided by day and night in the middle", says the poem about the vernal equinox. Hence the field has been prosperous in seeds sowing. Wild shepherd's purse, replacing radish and turnip, look like green stones studded in the field that call for picking. The recovery of all things in the season proclaims the vigorous spring’s return with warming air and humming insects. It’s the time to follow mother’s steps to the field.
挖荠菜的首个难题在于辨认,初次采摘时挖些杂草也是大概率事件,会把蒲公英错认为荠菜的也大有人在。荠菜大多长在田埂的侧面,又因为是覆地而生,所以挖的时候要把多角形铺地伸展的所有叶片全部握住后再上拎,顺势用小铲子连泥带根地提出地面来铲尽根须。为此,洗荠菜也成了一门技术活,因为是根部存泥太多,不洗换个三大盆水是绝对无法食用的。所以,要馋嘴的孩子能自告奋勇地洗菜,当晚多半就能吃上妈妈包的荠菜馄饨。
The first problem in picking shepherd’s purse is to identify it, as it is commonplace for children to mistaken other weeds for it, most probably,the dandelion. To dig the shepherd’s purse, one must hold all the leaves that are stretched out in the polygonal shape on the field before lifting it up, afterwards use the small shovel or scissor to raise it wholly from the mudding ground. Moreover, washing the vegetable is another problematic mission, because the root contains so much mud in the roots that it consumes at least three basins of water before the leaves are edible. Therefore, children who volunteer to wash the vegetables will be rewarded the shepherd’s purse stuffed dumpling for that night.
春分的荠菜汁多嫩滑且纤维丰富,气味浓郁,所以要去根后用开水烫过把纤维软化,再拧干切碎后混上适量的土猪的瘦肉,才成了馄饨馅。学着妈妈灵巧的两折法——装馅后对折,再对折后两角一按,一个元宝似的馄饨就预备下锅了。送入口中的馄饨因为纤维和土猪肉的嚼劲,混合了荠菜冬藏春舒后绽放的鲜香,欲罢不能、连汤带水地吃两三碗都极为常见。
The herb is juicy and ample in fibers with rich smell. Therefore, the vegetables fibers will be softened by boiling waterbefore get turned into filling with the pork. The traditional of making the dumpling is called two-fold method - fold it up after stuffing, and then press the two corners after folding,eventually a shoe shaped ingot is ready for the pot. The tiny dumpling is mixed with the scent of the herb and the fresh pork. Hence it becomesnormal for children to eat two or three bowls.
小桥流水于崇明不算特质,但相对于“文极”的各大水乡古镇,崇明的烟火气与朴实性显然更胜一筹。尤其是三月柳絮纷飞的日子,得益于知青围垦造林时留下的护岸柳,又因着大量候鸟迁徙把柳树的种子携遍整岛,屋檐上长出柳条也司通见惯。棉花般透白,雪片般纷繁,花瓣般轻盈,洋洋洒洒地漫天飞舞,落在屋檐、石桥、池面、井沿,还有教室的窗户边,仿佛一场杏花雨道尽人间春色,土狗是这时候最大的玩家,追着飞絮而不慎落水的狗是孩子们最爱观看的对象,春色毕竟是属于万物庆祝的节日。这个节气唯一的遗憾就是过敏季也将就此开端。
The stone bridges and rivers are not the typical traits ofChongming, compared with other famous water town in South China, butdown to earth and simplicity can characterize it better. Thanks to the revetment of the willows left by the educated youths through afforestation, the seeds of the willows were carried throughout the island due to the migration of a large number of migratory birds As white as cotton, asenormous as snow flakes, as light as petals, the March catkins are flying in the sky, falling on the eaves, stone bridge, ponds, wells, and outside the window of the classroom, what a grand flower rain! Moreover, the puppy is normally the laughable player at this time. It chases the catkin through and accidentally falls into the river sometimes. All in all, spring is a festival celebrated by all creations. The only annoyance of Vernal Equinox though,is that the allergy season will start here.
柳絮飘净后就是梅花的离场,这冬日里唯一能盛放在户外的傲骨红颜,在繁花争艳之初就默默的化为落红,应了王冕的“只留清气满乾坤”。所以常常觉得林黛玉悼的应该是冬梅而不是春杏。梅花的种植面积并不大,农场果园里并不怎么出现,但各家各户的院子或者居住区的公共绿化里基本都能看到它。兴许,因为它要静待三个季节后方在万物萧条中款款登场,而常年看着一株无趣的树枝也确实无聊。
After the catkins floated over, it was the departure of plum blossoms. Thisdignified beauty stays outdoors for the whole winter and silently retires to the earth at the beginning of the spring.Hence its quality is praised in Wang Mian’s poem that “selflesslycontribute to the human world its beauty and righteousness". Nevertheless, the planting area of plum blossoms are usually limited in the farm orchards or the public gardens of various households due to the fact thatpeoplehas to wait for its appearance for three seasons when all it shows is just bare branches.
三月就是这样,教室里蚕宝宝的领养手续正在课后偷偷进行,崇明话称为“被单草”的婆婆纳开满泥路两旁,上海春装的最新式样正由刚刚返过城的时髦知青们穿回农场,一度羡煞众人。