抓住新机遇，展现新作为
Seize New Opportunities to Achieve New Success
驻英国大使刘晓明在英国皇家莎士比亚剧团招待会上的讲话
Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Reception of the Royal Shakespeare Company
2018年3月7日，伦敦海克尼帝国剧场
Hackney Empire Theatre, London, 7 March 2018
尊敬的英国皇家莎士比亚剧团艺术总监道兰先生，
尊敬的李六乙导演，
尊敬的濮存昕先生，
女士们、先生们，
Mr. Gregory Doran,
Director Li Liuyi,
Mr. Pu Cunxin,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
大家晚上好！
Good evening!
很高兴时隔一年再次出席皇家莎士比亚剧团举办的活动。如果说，上次是为了庆祝皇家莎士比亚剧团与中国合作项目的成功。这次既要庆祝，更要感受。我对今晚的莎翁代表作《哈姆雷特》充满期待。
It is a real pleasure to join you again at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). Last year, we celebrated the success of the RSC Chinese Cultural Exchange Programme. The memory of that happy occasion is still fresh in my mind. Tonight I come to both celebrate and experience. I have high expectations of tonight’s production of Shakespeare’s best known play Hamlet.
《哈姆雷特》是我看的第一部莎剧，从哈姆雷特我认识了莎士比亚，从莎士比亚我认识了英国。
Hamlet is the very first Shakespeare play I have ever watched. It was through Hamlet that I got to know Shakespeare; and from Shakespeare, I started to explore Britain.
我常听英国朋友说，“宁愿失去英伦岛屿，也不愿失去莎士比亚”。可见莎士比亚在英国人民心中占有的位置。
My British friends often told me, they would rather lose the British Isles than lose Shakespeare. This speaks volume about the position Shakespeare occupies in the heart of his countrymen.
莎士比亚在中国也是家喻户晓。去年1月，我出席皇家莎士比亚剧团招待会时，用了四个“最”来说明莎士比亚在中国广受欢迎的程度。
In China, Shakespeare is also a household name. If you may recall, I used four “No.1s” last year to illustrate the popularity of Shakespeare in China.
今天，莎士比亚在中国的粉丝越来越多，这也得益于皇家莎士比亚剧团雄心勃勃的“中国计划”，一方面向中国“出口”适合舞台表演的莎士比亚戏剧，另一方面从中国“进口”与莎士比亚同期的中国戏剧，在英国进行表演。这项计划目前已进行过半，有望在中英文化交流史上创下三个“第一”：
This popularity should be attributed in part to the ambitious “RSC Chinese Cultural Exchange Programme”. This programme is helping to “export” Shakespeare’s plays to China for stage performance and “import” the Chinese classics created by Shakespeare’s contemporaries to the British stages. With over half of its goals already achieved, this programme is expected to create three “No.1s” in the history of China-UK cultural exchanges.
首先，时间跨度“第一”。“中国计划”开始于2013年，预计于2023年完成，以庆祝莎士比亚第一对开本出版400周年。十年磨一剑，必将成为中英文化交流史上一段佳话。
The first “No. 1” refers to the time span of the programme. The RSC Chinese Cultural Exchange Programme was launched in 2013, and is expected to be completed in 2023, in time to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s first folio. In China we have a saying: ten years are needed to forge the very best sword. This ten-year programme will surely have its place in the history of China-UK cultural exchanges.
其次，涵盖经典数量“第一”。“中国计划”预计将完成36部莎士比亚戏剧作品的中文翻译和10部中国戏剧作品的英文翻译。上述经典戏剧作品搬上舞台，将给中英两国民众带来更多文化盛宴。
The second “No.1” refers to the number of classics involved. This programme plans to translate 36 Shakespeare’s plays into Chinese and 10 Chinese classics into English. When these translated works reach the stage, they will provide the audience of both countries with the opportunity to appreciate the splendid cultural legacies of our respective countries.
最后，交流次数“第一”。皇家莎士比亚剧团与中国国家大剧院、北京李六乙工作室、上海话剧艺术中心、广州话剧艺术中心、乌镇戏剧节等5家中国机构建立了合作关系，开展了持续10年的交流活动。仅今年一年，剧团就将接待中方代表团6次来访，并赴华举办翻译工作坊等活动。
The third “No.1” refers to the frequency of events. The RSC is now working with five Chinese institutions on this ten-year exchange programme. They are: The National Centre for the Performing Arts, Li Liuyi Theatre Studio, Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, Guangzhou Dramatic Arts Centre and Wuzhen Theatre Festival. In 2018, the RSC will host six Chinese delegations here in Britain and hold translation workshop in China.
正是因为这三个“第一”，中国民众更深入地了解了《亨利四世》、《李尔王》，英国民众也知道了《牡丹亭》、《赵氏孤儿》。这些戏剧带给两国民众的不仅有欢笑和感动，还有对不同文化的了解和欣赏。彼此国家的名字，正是因为这一个个丰满的故事和独特的哲思而变得更加熟悉、更加亲近。人类发展历史证明，文明交流互鉴始终是推动人类社会进步的动力，也是维护世界和平的纽带。
Because of the three “No.1’s”, Chinese audience have come to appreciate Henry IV and King Lear more deeply, and the British audience have become familiar with The Peony Pavilion and The Orphan of Zhao Family. These plays have brought laughter and tears to the theatre lovers of both countries and help them understand and appreciate each other’s culture. It is because of the fascinating stories and embedded philosophical ideas that the names of our countries have become ever more familiar and the people of our two countries have felt ever closer to each other. The history of human progress tells us that exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations have always been an impetus for human progress. They are also a bond between nations in their common pursuit of world peace.
莎士比亚曾说：“在时间的大钟上，只有一个词——现在”。中国《周易》也说：“君子藏器于身，待时而动”。二者都告诉我们：只有抓住现在，才能把握未来；只有抓住机遇，才能大有作为；只有做好每一件小事，才能最终成就大事。
Shakespeare once wrote, “On the great clock of time, there is but one word - Now.” We have a similar quote from the Chinese classic Book of Changes, “A wise man waits for a proper time to display his competence.” These wise words tell us that: We must catch the moment to win the future. We must seize the opportunities to achieve success. And we must put earnest efforts into every small step in order to accomplish a big step forward.
今年是中国农历狗年，狗在中英文化中都代表忠诚、勤勉、兴旺。
According to Chinese lunar calendar, 2018 is the Year of the Dog. In both China and Britain, dog is a symbol of loyalty, diligence and prosperity.
新年伊始，梅首相成功访华，两国领导人就推动中英关系“黄金时代”达成广泛共识，这给两国人文交流注入了强大动力，也带来了历史性机遇。
At the beginning of this year, Prime Minister May paid a successful visit to China, during which the leaders of our two countries agreed to take the China-UK “Golden Era” forward. This has given a strong impetus and created historic opportunities for the cultural exchanges between our two countries.
我衷心希望中英两国文化界人士能抓住新机遇，展现新作为。我也祝愿皇家莎士比亚剧团在新的一年里，继续为中英文化交流添砖加瓦，为中英关系“黄金时代”添彩增光！
I sincerely hope the cultural communities of our two countries will seize the new opportunities and achieve new success. And I look forward to continued contribution of the RSC to China-UK cultural exchanges in the “Golden Era”.
最后，我祝今晚的演出圆满成功！
In conclusion, I wish tonight’s performance a great success!
祝大家狗年吉祥，事业兴旺！
And I wish all of you a happy and prosperous Year of the Dog!
谢谢！
Thank you.