aged soul / 蒼老的靈魂

從日本旅行回來之後，奧莉薇問我京都好不好玩，我答道，這大概是世界上我最喜歡的都市之一了，她接著說，都是廟宇，我居然還那麼開心，大概是我有著蒼老的靈魂吧！我對於這句話感同身受，好像我一路走來都有著深刻的體驗。

After I returned from Japan, my friend Olivia asked me if I had had fun in Kyoto. I replied that it is probably one of my favorite cities in the world. She then went on to say, "There are mostly temples and you were not bored. You must have an aged soul..." I quite identify with this remark because I've felt that way all along.

我拜訪了十家以上的廟宇，雖然到最後有點吃不消，但是每座廟帶給人的感動都不一樣，而且不像大台北的寺廟，京都的廟和周邊的自然環境互相結合，所以一到了廟裡，心不靜下來也難。

I visited more than ten temples and shrines. In the end, it was indeed too much for me, but every temple gave me different emotional impact. Unlike the temples in Taipei City, those in Kyoto were designed and built to accommodate nature. So every time I walked into one, I hardly get out without feeling any mental peace.

和雄性的城堡比起來，寺廟是柔性的代表，來到廟裡，大家紛紛放下身段，為自己和別人祈願，我看到的是人們沒有防衛的一面。沒有人知道參拜者之後的命運是否有奇蹟式的改變，不過應該有很多人去到廟裡之前是充滿憂慮的，而離開寺廟的當兒，多少有鬆了一口氣的感覺。要說拜拜只是為了心安，這小小的舉動卻可以省掉多少看心理醫生的花費。

Compared with masculine castles, temples and shrines are soft, feminine. In there, everyone discards their self-pride, pray for themselves and others. I saw people without defense. No one knows if our fate will miraculously change after visits to temples. However, most of us go there filled with worries, but when we leave, we more or less feel relieved. Worshipping gods may be considered only as a self-reassuring act, but it has saved us the enormous costs of seeing shrinks.

所以仔細觀察的話，廟裡有著許多故事，渺小卻很感動人心。我在美麗的清水寺裡，瞥見一對年輕的情侶，男孩攙扶著眼睛被矇起來的女孩，一路朝著戀愛的占卜石前進，因為只要通過考驗，他們就是注定要在一起。我看到的不是命運的操弄，而是這兩個人想要在一起的渴望，這樣不就夠了嗎？

Thus, on close observation, there are actually mang stories going on in temples. Though they appear insignificant at first sight, they can be touching. For example, I spotted a young couple in the beautiful Kiyomizu shrine. The boy held the blindfolded girl by the arm, moving toward the stone of love. As long as they passed the test, they would be together. What I saw was not how fate controlled them, but rather, their desire to be with each other. Isn't that enough?

下山的時候，再度遇見兩人高興地離去，我想他們一整天都有著飛揚的好心情吧！可是，神祉一定在他們背後微笑，喃喃自語：「我甚麼也沒做啊！」

When I went down the hill, I ran into them again. They two looked very happy together. I bet they could keep the good mood for a whole day. But the gods were probably smiling behind their backs, murmuring, "Ha, I didn't do anything!"