Name: 少年武士的一天--Constantine N. Vaporis。 (A day in the life of a teenage samurai - Constantine N. Vaporis)
Uploaded: 2022-10-03T21:01:10.000Z
Duration: 5 min 31 s

("What is most important to the heart of a warrior? To desire with one's very soul every second of every day to accomplish one's aim." - Yamamoto Tsunetomo, "Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai")

(「一位戰士心中最重要的是什麼呢？每一天、每一秒發自內心地渴望可以達成自身目標。」山本常朝《葉隱：武士道之書》)

程度副詞

It's just after sunrise, and 16-year-old Mori Banshirô is already hard at work, practicing drills with his long sword.

太陽才剛升起，16 歲的 Mori Banshirô 已經開始努力工作，手持長劍進行劍術練習。

情態助動詞 B1

Banshirô is an ambitious samurai in training, and today, he must impress his teachers more than ever.

Banshirô 是一位有野心的武士訓練生，而今天，他比往常更需要給老師們留下深刻印象。

Today, he'll make his request to travel to the capital city of Edo for a year of martial and scholarly studies, and he needs their support, along with his father's.

他今天即將提出請求，前往江戶首都進行為期一年的武術和學術研究，而他需要他們以及他父親的支持。

The year is 1800, in the castle town of Kôchi, capital of the Tosa domain in Japan.

時值 1800 年，位在高知這座城市，它也是日本土佐藩的首都。

The daimyo rules the domain, and about 1,500 samurai retainers serve him.

各領域會由大名統治，然後有約 1,500 名武士傭人服務他。

For 200 years, Japan has been at peace, and the samurai, once primarily warriors, now play a much wider range of roles.

200 年以來，日本都處於和平狀態，而曾經以戰士為主的武士現在也扮演了更多元的角色。

They are also government officials, scholars, teachers, and even masters of the tea ceremony or artists.

他們也是政府官員、學者、老師，甚至是茶道專家或是藝術家。

To prepare for these diverse responsibilities, young samurai like Banshirô study the "twin paths" of literary learning and the martial arts.

為了這些多元責任做準備，像是 Banshirô 的年輕武士會研讀學術和武術的雙重路線。

At 15, he went through the rites of adulthood and received the daishô, a pair of swords.

他在 15 歲時經歷了成年禮，並收到稱為 daishô 的對劍。

The long sword is for training and combat, while the short sword has a sole, solemn purpose⏤

長劍用在訓練和戰鬥中，而短劍只有單一嚴肅的用途：

to commit ritual suicide, or seppuku, if he dishonors himself, his family, or the daimyo.

若他對自己、家人或大名不忠時，執行所謂 seppuku 的自盡儀式。

Banshirô idolizes the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, a renowned swordsman who lived 150 years earlier.

Banshirô 視傳奇性武士 Miyamoto Musashi 為偶像，他是存活在 150 年前的著名劍客。

But Banshirô doesn't admire his swordsmanship alone.

但 Banshirô 並不只是景仰他的劍術。

Miyamoto Musashi was also a master calligrapher and painter.

Miyamoto Musashi 也是為書法專家以及畫家。

That's the real reason Banshirô wants to go to Edo⏤he secretly wants to be a painter, too.

那是 Banshirô 想要去江戶的真實原因，他在暗中也想成為畫家。

After finishing his practice at home, he bids his father goodbye and walks to school.

他在家裡結束練習後，跟父親道別並走到學校。

His father is preparing to accompany the daimyo to the capital.

他的父親正在準備要陪同大名前往首都。

The Tokugawa shogun, head of the Japanese military government, requires all the regional rulers to alternate years between their castle town in the home domain and the capital city.

江戶幕府是日本軍隊的首領，要求所有地區領主每年交替在自身城鎮與首都服務。

The costly treks back and forth keep the daimyo subordinate and prevent them from building up their own military forces to challenge the shogunate.

這所費不貲的往返旅程讓大名繼續服從，預防他們建立自己的軍隊以挑戰幕府。

The daimyo's wife and children live in the capital full-time, where they serve as hostages to ensure his loyalty.

大名的妻兒則會長住在首都，作為確保他會忠誠的人質。

But the practice doesn't just affect the daimyo⏤it determines much of the rhythm of life in Japan.

但這個習俗並不只會影響大名，更決定了日本多數的生活節奏。

Samurai must accompany the daimyo to Edo.

This year, it's Banshirô's father's turn to go, and Banshirô is desperate to go with him.

今年輪到 Banshirô 的父親前往，而 Banshirô 極度希望與他同行。

But given that he's still in training, he'll need permission from both his father and the domain.

但有鑒於他現在還在訓練中，他將需要父親和領域的許可。

At school, Banshirô's first lesson is in swordfighting.

Banshirô 在學校的第一堂課是舞劍。

Under his teacher's stern eye, he pairs up with his classmates and goes through the routines he's been practicing.

在老師嚴厲的目光下，他與同學兩兩一組，執行他一直在練習的招式。

At the end of the lesson, he reminds the instructor of his request to go to Edo.

在課程結束時，他提醒指導老師他想去江戶的需求。

The instructor cracks his first smile of the day, and Banshirô feels confident he will gain his support.

指導老師露出了當天第一次微笑，Banshirô 很有信心自己能夠獲得他的支持。

Next, Banshirô practices archery, horsemanship, and swimming before his academic courses in the afternoon.

Banshirô 緊接著練習射箭、馬術以及游泳，然後迎接下午的學術課程。

Courses cover Confucian philosophy, morality, and history.

課程內容涉及儒家哲學、道德學以及歷史。

When the instructor calls on him, he has the response on the tip of his tongue, ensuring another supporter for his campaign.

當老師點名他回答時，他的回答立即脫口而出，確保他的提案有了另一個支持者。

By the end of the day, Banshirô feels confident that his formal request will be approved, but the greatest challenge is still ahead of him.

一天結束後，Banshirô 胸有成足地相信他的正式請求會被認可，但最大的挑戰還在他眼前。

His father believes the martial arts are more important than the literary arts, so Banshirô doesn't mention his artistic ambitions.

他的父親相信武術遠比人文藝術重要，所以 Banshirô 並未提及他在藝術方面的野心。

Instead, he talks about renowned sword instructors he can train with and teaching certifications he can earn to improve his professional prospects back in Kôchi.

取而代之地，他討論到幾位自己可以拜師學藝的劍術指導老師以及可以考取的教學證照，以在返回高知時，提高自己職業出路。

Then, he makes his final, strongest argument.

接著，他發表最後、最有力的論點。

If he goes this time and succeeds, his father can retire and send him instead in the future.

如果他這次同行成功，那父親就可以退休，未來派他代替自己。

It's his last point that finally sells him⏤Banshirô's father agrees to take him on his tour of duty.

正是這最後一點說服了父親，讓他同意帶 Banshirô 踏上任務之旅。

In the bustle of the capital city, Banshirô will finally have the opportunity to pursue his secret ambition to become a painter.

在喧囂的首都中，Banshirô 將終於有機會能夠追求他偷偷想成為畫家的野心。

Travel 150 years further back in time and join forces with another group of elite and formidable warriors, the Cossacks.

將時光再倒轉 150 年，與另外一群精良且氣勢強大的哥薩克戰士聯手。

Or, expand your knowledge of Japanese culture with this video on Kabuki dance drama.

或是透過觀看歌舞伎舞台劇的這部影片來擴展對日本文化的認識。