《我的幸福5/2 週末》

*週日下午兩點誠品信義書店「廿世紀典範人物」新書分享會，我下午二時開始演講，離上次在台灣大學公開演説。快半年了！分享會報名一小時預告已額滿，但TVBS電視台慷慨的支持。派出SNG車，屆時TVBS文茜的世界周報YouTube 及世界周報Facebook 都將同步直播。

*新書分享會後我將直奔高雄衛武營，參加劉孟捷（李斯特巡禮之年）鋼琴獨奏會。這是劉孟捷回台，最重要的一場音樂會，我目睹他用盡了一切心力。過去即使21歲時在費城代打缺席大師的音樂會，劉孟捷都未曾如此緊張。他此次回台，手術前為了沒有遺憾，共舉行三場音樂會：其中4/17與5/30皆是與國家交響樂團NSO合作：530那一場指揮是呂紹嘉。但他告訴我，某些曲目對他而言，是Piece of Cake ：惟獨衞武營這一場，曲目由他自己決定，現場錄影，並且找了金曲獎錄音師同步錄音。

5/2衛武營-劉孟捷鋼琴獨奏會《李斯特巡禮之年》購票連結
https://www.opentix.life/event/1384752689074294784

劉夢捷明白他即將面對一個大手術，手術風險之外，他的免疫系統疾病，將使他的康復之路更長。

沒有人可以預知未來，為了圓他的夢，醫院每天都要求他早上、晚上量血壓，報告直接傳給院長。振興醫院院長魏崢雖然是亞洲第一把心臟外科醫師，但也不敢大意。

畢竟這個人的生命那麼脆弱，他的心臟主動脈剝離，那是實質的「心碎」了：但他仍有詩，仍有音樂夢。在生命的交接處，在白日與黑夜的交义口，劉孟捷想為他的音樂生涯，留下最美好的紀錄。

他選擇了李斯特。

在這場音樂會前，他甚至以英文寫下了自己與音樂、疾病的半生回顧：如李斯特的巡禮，有仰望，有沉思，有失落，有幽微的疼痛。他以詩篇般的演奏模式，傾訴，詠嘆。他曾得到天賦，也走過死蔭的幽谷。命運是一層又一層的黑影逼近，老天爺隨時想帶走他。

而他已不再流淚，不再沉浸於悲愴告別：因為對他而言活著並不容易，他要讓自己更深刻的抓住每一分時光之美。

如果時間和空間，正如哲人們所形容的
都是不實際存在的東西：那從不感到衰敗的太陽，也不會比我們了不起多少！

他如艾略特的詩句中所形容的：我們為什麼要如此貪心總在祈禱，想活上整整一個世紀？

蝴蝶雖僅活了一天，已經歷了永恆。

當他的身軀如露水還在藤蔓顫抖時，他送給我們一場「完全浪漫又超技的李斯特」。

等音樂會結束了，至少有一張CD，一段YouTube 影像：不論孟捷代表生命的那朵鮮花是否枯萎，他彈奏如天使的音聲不會飛離，它會停留在那夜，繼續釋放芬芳。

這是盡生命之力、之情獨奏的音樂會。劉孟捷説：這樣當他走進手術室時，會少一點悲傷。

或許快樂的日子本來就不多，但讓這場「完全李斯特．完全劉孟捷」的獨奏會放出神聖的光彩吧！

我必將赴會，不會錯過！我知道此刻的獨奏會，很難複製，因為它綜合了太多的情感、愛念，釋放與生命的抒情。

*劉孟捷為此次獨奏會寫下的文字：This past year has seen some unprecedented changes in the world. Many lives have been lost and many have changed. The world has changed while many of us confront the uncertainty of the future.

For most musicians, life has changed. For months, we have been conducting our lessons online, and concerts have mostly stopped or become an online experience as well. More time has been spent learning how to improve the online teaching experience than one could have imagined. While I have felt the duty to continue teaching, the format the pandemic requires for teaching leaves me unwilling to spend more time than I have to.

And truly, I have had other things to deal with. When the pandemic started to worry the American public in March, I was in the middle of a tour with the String Quartet-in-Residence at Curtis, the Vera Quartet. However, our concerts were canceled, and everything came to a sudden halt.

I felt the universe had sent me an unexpected gift, as I had also just received some terrible news concerning my worsening aortic arches and a diagnosis of kidney cancer. The sudden halt in my professional schedule seemed perfect in its timing. I was able to settle into a monastic existence, to simply practice and attempt to heal.

I see many musicians itching to be concertizing again, and many stepped into new territory, performing on the internet. Many took time to develop new podcasts, and to write new materials for their art. Sadly, many have struggled as they have fallen into desperation without any concert incomes. Altogether the music industry seems to be in peril, and many worry about how music and musicians will survive.

However, I had my own survival to think about. Having been through many difficult experiences in my life, I knew this might be the most difficult I would encounter. My Doctors describe me as a walking time bomb. My condition could be lethal at any moment if my blood pressure gets out of control. So while others wrestle with the fate of the music industry, I’ve needed to face my own fate and mortality.

Playing concerts can mean many things to people. At different times throughout my life, I’ve felt the need to express different aspects of myself. When I was young, I wanted to embody the spirit of romanticism, playing lots of Chopin and Schumann. Then there was a period of time when I wanted to challenge myself by showing off pyrotechnics. I had a brooding period where I turned to the pathos of Rachmaninoff, and then felt the need to return to the purity of Schubert and nobility of Brahms. Throughout this pandemic, I wanted to play Bach. Through Bach’s music I found a kind of spiritual sanctuary.

In considering the program for this concert, I felt again the urge to play music that reflects my current feelings and state of mind. The title of today’s recital, “Years of Pilgrimage” seems to fit exactly what I am experiencing.

Liszt wrote several volumes of “Années de pèlerinage” throughout his life to reflect on thoughts he had during his travels. He links his philosophical thoughts to the scenery which inspired them. “Au Bord d’un Source” describes feelings of rejuvenation while standing next to a clear stream of water, a symbol and source of life and energy. It seems to say, when the stream is so pure, life can be so full of joy.

In the Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este (The Fountains of the Villa d'Este), the water has a magical and supernatural quality, as Liszt himself wrote in the inscription: "But the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up into eternal life,"( from the Gospel of John.)

For me, I have never felt more connected to Liszt than when he looked upon the valley of Obermann and questioned the meaning of existence. At this moment in my life, I often find myself reflecting my experiences of what I see and read into philosophical musings. Perhaps many people come to a time when this is so.

In all this I have felt gratitude for the love stories and sonnets that one can romantically indulge in, and for storms so violent that they threaten to destroy one’s spirit, even the hell-bound journey which brings up questions about the purpose of life…

On this journey, I felt full and alive as a human being. Looking back on this journey, I am grateful for everything, whether happy or sad, to have made an impact, found and imparted meaning to this life.

The unusual time of this pandemic has marked a milestone for me. I have journeyed back home, and as it happened, this is the first time I have spent so much time in my hometown Kaohsiung in over 35 years. It’s particularly nostalgic to play these pieces as some of them were significant in my early musical career. Vallée d’Obermann was the piece I played in my first competition at the junior high school level, in which I won first prize on the national level, which allowed me to be qualified to apply for a special permission to study abroad. This meant my dream to be educated as a musician could be continued in an environment where I could develop fully. In the following year when I was 13, I won the first Asia-Pacific Youth PIano Competition with the Dante Sonata. The competition catapulted me into national attention as I was headlined in several newspapers, and especially since it was held in Kaohsiung, I became a local hero as well. During the same event, I had a fateful meeting with one of the important influences in my life, Mr. Gary Graffman, who then mentored me throughout not only the years when I was studying at Curtis, but throughout my illness and recovery as a pianist. Right before I departed to study in Philadelphia, I played my first solo recital throughout Taiwan, and along with the Dante Sonata, I also performed the three sonnets.

It’s perfect that now, back in Kaohsiung, all these memories have flooded back into my head. I feel so lucky to have been born here, and to have met my first teacher, Chin-Li Lee, who inspired me on the path to become a musician. Prof. Alexander Sung filled me with dreams of becoming an artist. I am grateful for his belief in my talent, when he chose to give a 12 year old such philosophical pieces to play.

Having once again spent some months in Kaohsiung, I can freshly appreciate the source of inspiration it once was for me. I have returned to the source to heal. Having already glimpsed hell’s gate several times, battered and weathered by the storms of life, I know there is a reason life is this way, and it all will be alright.

Meng-Chieh Liu
April, 2021

*劉孟捷衛武營《李斯特巡禮之年》演奏會中，包括李斯特以佩脫拉克三首情詩譜寫的鋼琴琴詩：這三首情詩是從大詩人佩脫拉克一百多首情詩挑出來的，詩本身就很優美，依此激發李斯特的浪漫主義創作靈感，成為琴藝上最困難演奏，但也特別細膩溫柔的琴詩。

這三首分別是：
〈佩脫拉克第47號十四行詩〉〈佩脫拉克第104號十四行詩〉及〈佩脫拉克第123號十四行詩〉。
Franz Liszt（1811-1886）: Sonetto 47 del Petrarca, Sonetto 104 del Petrarca, Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, from Années de pèlerinage, Deuxième année: Italie

李斯特於1846年先出版藝術歌曲《三首佩脫拉克十四行詩》（Tre sonetti del Petrarca），再改成鋼琴獨奏版。

三首佩脫拉克十四行詩
中譯：焦元溥（元溥也是友情贊助，特別準備音樂資料，周日南下，聆賞劉孟捷的樂曲，並且陪同他盯著錄音共三天）

〈第47〉
祝福每天、每月、每年，
所有片刻與鐘點、時間與季節，
在那美麗的原野，

我為一雙眼眸魂縈夢牽。

祝福初遇時的甜，
與愛同在、受苦不停歇，
如弓箭刺穿令我淌血，
傷口永留感動在我心間。

祝福一切我發出的聲音，
當呼喚著我深愛的女郎，
渴望、嘆息、淚濕滿襟。
祝福我寫下的文字遠揚，
歌頌她的芳名，萬古長新。
我心永屬於她，無人能闖。

〈第104〉
我找不到和平，也無意打仗，
我恐懼、我期望，燃燒又冰透。
我向天飛升，卻躺在地上，
我一無所有，卻又擁抱整個宇宙。

我身陷囹圄，監牢又開敞；
我不受囚禁，卻銬著鎖頭。
愛情不讓我死，也不讓我飛翔；
不要我活，也不准我逃離悲愁。

欲看卻無眼，啞口還在發言，
我甘心殞滅，卻仍高聲呼救，
我痛恨自己，但仍愛著他人。

憂傷滋潤我，淚水伴隨笑臉，
生命不足惜，死亡也不煩憂；
我淪落至此，都是妳啊，我的愛人！
〈第123〉

我在塵世見到仙子的美，

她天堂般優雅無與倫比。
想起她讓我悲傷又歡喜，
所見如幻夢迷霧與幽黑。

妳的可愛眼睛使我落淚，
多少次讓太陽也要妒忌。
我還聽到四周發出嘆息，
移動了山嶽停止了河水。

愛情智慧憐憫憂傷財富，
在淚水中形成甜美聲響，
奇妙和諧世上未曾目睹。
天堂追隨著音樂的流淌，
雖然枝上樹葉並未飛舞，
空氣與風息卻充滿芬芳。

5/2衛武營-劉孟捷鋼琴獨奏會《李斯特巡禮之年》購票連結
https://www.opentix.life/event/1384752689074294784

【別以爲孩子不完美就不能有自己的成功】
Don't Assume That An Imperfect Child Will Never Have His Own Success

我教書，從小學到中學級別，斷斷續續有十年。

我學命理堪輿超過十五年。

在我家族裡的孩子，還未到十歲，每個幾乎都有十八般武藝，生活能力特別強，就算是女生也特別獨立。

因為這幾種經驗的結合，對於如何栽培孩子的潛能我特別有心得。

在我眼裡，每個人都是佛，所以有無限的可能，孩子也一樣。

但諷刺的是，有時父母反而成為孩子的絆腳石。他們會把自己思維的侷限套在孩子的身上，斷了孩子未激發出來的潛能。

怎麼會這樣？

因為父母本身的八字潛能，也從來沒有被他們的父母激發過，因此成了這惡性循環。在忙於工作和兼顧家庭的無頭蒼蠅日子裡，他們又有何能耐和知識去做這些看似吃力不討好的事呢？

我批的孩童八字當中，有自閉兒、過動兒，有先天缺陷如聽力障礙、語言障礙等，學習過程會比一般孩子來得艱辛。

孩子還未進小學，要嘛就是父母因為這孩子而影響了婚姻，要嘛就父母覺得這孩子不行了，將來做什麼工作就將就吧！

今世的先天缺陷是前世惡因結的果，不該代表孩子的這一世就是死刑。

六歲前為孩子看八字和風水，對孩子的學習人生有很大的補助。三歲前，更佳。

破繭而出的蝴蝶，才能展翅高飛，而不是你打著真愛的口號，拿把剪刀去剪破毛毛蟲的繭。

父母是孩子的第一任老師，如果你們不懂得改善自己的命，你的孩子也會很容易向命運低頭。

愛孩子，就請告訴他們，人生的選項沒有必要鎖在ABCD，我們可以自己創造XYZ。

成功不只是有一種定義。

無論您是一位老師還是一位家長，我大力推薦大家去看這部適合一家大小一起看，由鄧超主演，挑戰我們華人社會對教育和親情習以為常的觀念的大陸電影《銀河補習班》。

看了之後，深入的去思考：我們追求有個孩子真正的意義應該是什麼？

————————————————————

I have ten years of intermittent teaching experience, from primary school level to secondary school level.

I have also learnt Chinese Metaphysics for over 15 years.

In my family, before the age of ten, almost every child would have acquired a lot of life skills. Even the girls in our family are especially independent.

Because of these myriad experiences, I have my unique insight on how to cultivate the potential of children.

I see everyone as a Buddha, thus having infinite potential. The same goes for children.

Yet ironically, sometimes parents, the people who proclaimed the loudest that they love their children, are the exact ones who tripped their children in Life. They impose their limiting mindset on their children, disrupting the undiscovered potential of their children.

Why so?

Because the potential in the adults' Bazi was also never unearthed by their parents, thus forming a vicious cycle. In the daily grind of juggling family and work, running around like a headless chicken, how will they have the patience and knowledge to do such seemingly thankless acts?

In the children's Bazi I have analysed, some have autism, ADHD, listening or speech disabilities etc. Their learning process will understandably be more difficult than normal children.

Thus even before the child enters primary school, the parents would either face marriage disharmony or think that the child should just settle for any decent job in the future.

Born disabilities of this life are the fruits of our past-life karmic deeds, but this should not mark a death penalty in the child's destiny this lifetime.

To get the child's Bazi analysed and Feng Shui audited before age 6 can have enormous positive effects on the child's learning path. Even better if before age 3.

The butterfly that breaks out of its cocoon on its own is able to take flight, but will be crippled when you cut the caterpillar's cocoon with a scissors in the name of supposed true love.

Parents are the first teachers in a child's life. If you do not know how to change your destiny, your child will bow down to Life easily.

If you love them, please let them know life does not have to be restricted to ABCD options. We can create our own XYZ choices.

Success has more than one definition.

Whether you are a teacher or a parent, I recommend you and your children to watch this inspirational China movie on challenging Chinese societal norms in parenting and education, Looking Up (銀河補習班), starring Deng Chao.

And think in depth, what should be the real meaning in having children?

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為山林植一株流蘇樹

Translation: @benkongenglish
Photo: @e.chang0316
Host: @wind0411
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三月七號的活動拖到四月才貼
史上最會拖是我XD
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活動名為「一樹一山」
想是以一棵樹為起始 開遍滿山的白花吧～
很開心能有這個特別的體驗
否則城裡的我 哪有機會在花盆以外的土壤植樹？
此行也學到植樹的重點步驟
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在適當的地點挖夠深的土坑(比想像的困難許多 很扎實也很多石塊)
栽下樹苗 回填土壤(保持樹幹在相對低處 才容易匯集雨水)
以三根竹竿協助穩定樹苗(要用工具或石塊敲入土中 再用布繩綑緊)
在離開前送上最後的禮物 一桶甘甜的清水 緩緩澆灌根部
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很佩服活動的主導人 @wind0411
有理想 有執行力 號召力
而我就是抱著和朋友出遊 體驗的心態去拍幾張照片罷了
在我思考活動的意義時
不免懷疑我們種這幾棵樹有什麼助益
為山？為氣候？為生態？
還是要種更多才能有意義呢？
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男孩和海星的故事給了我答案
也許拯救不了所有沙灘上海星
不過 對於被拯救到的每一隻海星
是滋潤的海水 是充滿希望的生命
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也許三年後
「小花一號」「小花二號」等八位孩子
他們開枝散葉 根深柢固 不再需要竹竿時
會享受這片天和微風
小學的學童們會在樹下嬉鬧遮陽
蜜蜂蝴蝶會在花穗旁飛舞
鳥兒會在枝葉間休憩輕唱
這些足以作為這次揮汗如雨的意義吧？
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Call me King of staling
This was an event on 7 March but it’s not posted until April lol
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The name of this event is “One tree, One mountain”
It should be more or less about something starting from a single tree towards flowers all over the mountain?
I’m thrilled to be able to experience this for where in this city can I get the chance to plant a tree except the potted plants I keep?
I also got some insight to the key steps of planting a tree.
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Dig deep enough at the right location (it’s much harder than it sounds as the ground is very solid and full or rocks)
Plant the sapling and cover it with soil (it has to be kept relatively low so that it can be moisturised by the rain
Stabilise the sapling with three bamboo sticks (secure them in the soil by knocking them into the ground with rocks or other tools, and then tie them with ropes)
Give your parting gift (the source of life - water) at its root
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I admire the organiser @wind0411 for his ideals, execution and charisma while I was just hoping to hang out with my friends, gain some experience and take some photos
I couldn’t help but think about what good is it to simply plant a few trees?
For the mountains? For the climate? For the eco system?
How many more have to be planted to be relevant?
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The story of a boy and starfish enlightened me.
Saving all the starfishes on the beach is impossible but every starfish represents a hope of life longing for the healing ocean
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“Little tree 1” “little tree 2” and the other six may not need the bamboo sticks anymore when they are fully grown and their root fully crawl into the ground
They may enjoy the sky and the breeze;
Shelter the students and kids playing underneath them from the sun;
Watch the bees and butterflies dance at nearby flower fields;
Be the base for the birds resting and singing on their branches
These may be the real meaning for this sweaty event I guess?