《无我茶会》中英文版作者感言
文：蔡荣章（《无我茶会》创办人，书作者）
无我茶会1990年创办，当需要用英语对外解说时，总觉得没能把茶会“七大特殊做法”在茶道上赋予的精神说明清楚，尤其是遇到有关美学与艺术性的问题时，所以一直想要找个能用英文说明得清楚而且文学性优雅的人，许玉莲老师在马来西亚找到了Katharine Yip，她毕业于香港大学文学院，负笈苏格兰苏灵大学，获得公共关系理学硕士，现在在吉隆坡从事专业的中英翻译工作。2011年是许老师与我创办“现代茶道思想”网（http://contemporaryteathinker.com）的年份，因为有了Katharine Yip帮忙英译，决定逐步将我写的茶道思想性文章翻译成英文发表在茶网上。Katharine Yip在英译了我多篇茶道思想的文章后，诸如：茶永远有其苦涩的一面、茶道空寂之美、茶道上纯品茗的抽象之美，我就放心地觉得有了个可以转述我茶道思想的人，于是邀请她翻释《无我茶会180条》，后来该书增版了，也请她继续翻译增加的部分。所以《无我茶会》中英文版的动工是从2011年开始。
我一直苦恼着音译“无我”成“Wu Wo”是不是让英语国度的人不能一眼看出它的意义，Katharine Yip帮忙从莎士比亚的戏剧“皆大欢喜”中找到了Sans这个字。我又不喜欢原先将“茶会”翻译成“Ceremony”，于是她就把无我茶会英译成了Sans Self Tea Gathering。2012年春，无我茶会的英译就正式改成了Sans Self Tea Gathering。
好几年的时间，《无我茶会》中英文版与几家出版社谈过出版事宜，惟中英对照书的审稿程序相当繁复，一时找不到合适的克服方案，出版计划一直延宕了下来。许玉莲老师看到我郁郁不乐，于是于2019年11月自告奋勇地说要在马来西亚找她认识的“木言社”出版，她亲自操持编辑工作，中英文的校对则与原英文翻译Katharine Yip一同执行。
许玉莲老师希望《无我茶会》中英文版出版得有声有色，乃邀请了马来西亚音乐界很有成就的演唱家友弟女士为无我茶会作曲并歌唱，她要把歌谱印在《无我茶会》中英文版的封底上，使得无我茶会能以不同的语言与声音传播。友弟，1987年出道为词曲创作歌手，目前是马来西亚音乐界代表人物之一，许老师希望就无我茶会的七大特殊做法与七大精神直接谱曲，要我提供歌词，这样的作曲是很有难度的，因为就是要依着茶会的进度前行，友弟接受了挑战。首先许老师让友弟了解无我茶会的种种，而且让她喜爱这样的茶会形式。歌曲完成后，她录制音频让我们试听，我们都感到意外地惊喜，友弟将《无我茶会歌》款款唱来，好像你就照着她唱的去做就是了。
2020年，本来是规划好无我中英书的出版、无我茶会歌的专辑发行，还计划在多地举行新书发表见面会，奈何时值COVID-19疫情肆虐全球，无我茶会歌与书的编辑工作都缓慢了下来，2020年11月，“无我茶会歌”出炉了，我们决定不出专辑，改为在网络上无偿发表，于是“无我茶会歌2020年版”于2020年12月1日在网上进行首发式。
《无我茶会》中英文版后期的审校、修订中，木言社曾翎龙社长协助我们讨论了如何将书运到境外销售的问题，许老师一向不理人间煙火，不懂销售，这次居然不明真象地承接了这项工作，我不敢说是不是无我茶会感动了她。这是漫长的出书历程，从2011年的动工到2022年的出版，整整花了十年的磨剑时间，最初许老师说她不懂如何将文章贴上网站，但是仍然用了一台小手提电脑摸索着去做，把眼睛都弄得发花，如今“现代茶道思想网”已是类似一间藏书丰硕的茶道图书馆。今《无我茶会》中英文版又在她的用功之下产生，这种追求美好的举动、而且她知道美好在哪里，是她叫人心悦诚服的地方。
即将于2022年9月出版的《无我茶会》中英文版，是采用简体中文出版，希望改天能再出版繁体中英文版。无我茶会一向就有很多不同地区与国家，如中国、美国、韩国、日本、意大利、马来西亚、新加坡、法国等的茶友学习，除了曾授权出版日语、韩语的专书之外，我们现在希望建好英文的传播桥梁。这是从无我茶会创办元年1990年至今叙述得最完整的一次，我是把它当作一派茶道体系看待，后来觉得也确是不单只有书上开头所说的“无我茶会是一种茶会的形式”，它的确是茶道的一种思维与行动的款式，让我们买一本共同来享用它。
作者于2022年7月25日
The Author’s Message
Tsai, Rong-Tsang
When Sans Self Tea Gathering was conceptualised in 1990, there was a need to communicate its seven unique features to English-speaking audiences. This was crucial for articulating ideas related to the aesthetics and the arts. I was hoping to get someone to deliver this in a clear and concise manner while adding a literary flavour to the English translation. Thanks to Professor Hooi Yoke Lien, I found the person in Kuala Lumpur-based translator Ms Katharine Yip, who was an arts graduate of the University of Hong Kong and held a master’s degree in public relations from the University of Stirling, Scotland. When Professor Hooi and I started a portal on the contemporary view of tea (http://contemporaryteathinker.com) in 2011, we sought Katharine’s help in translating some of my articles. Her translation, including “There is always Bitterness in Tea”, “The Beauty in Emptiness and Solitude” and “The Pure Abstract Aestheticism in Tea Drinking”, assured me that things were in good hands. I felt relieved that my thoughts on the Way of Tea would be communicated appropriately. Katharine went on to translate “180 Entries of Sans Self Tea Gathering” and some additional text in 2011, which effectively marked the beginning of the Chinese-English bilingual edition of “Sans Self Tea Gathering”.
I was hesitant about naming it “Wu Wo Tea Ceremony” as the term “Wu Wo” might puzzle English speakers. Katharine addressed the issue by coining the name “Sans Self Tea Gathering”. Sans, an archaic French word meaning “without”, was popularised by some famous literary works, including William Shakespeare’s comedy “As You Like It”. Meanwhile, replacing “Tea Ceremony” with “Tea Gathering” was to better reflect the nature of the activity. In the spring of 2012 the name “Sans Self Tea Gathering” was adopted.
There were hurdles along the way. Manuscript verification of the Chinese-English edition proved to be more complicated than was thought. We had talked to several publishers but to no avail. Understanding my frustration, Professor Hooi took the initiative to approach Malaysia’s Wood Talk Publisher. Besides, she stepped into the role of managing editor, and proofread the bilingual text along with Katharine.
To celebrate the launch of this new edition, Professor Hooi invited accomplished Malaysian singer Ms Yudi Yap to compose and perform the anthem of Sans Self Tea Gathering, the sheet music of which was printed on the back cover of the book. An icon in the Malaysian music scene, Yudi is a songwriter, lyricist and singer with her music career stretched all the way back to 1987. Professor Hooi was determined to have Sans Self Tea Gathering’s Seven Unique Features and Principles incorporated into the lyrics, a task she assigned to me. A song would be a great way to open up a new dimension, but creating music for such lyrics was a challenge. We were glad that Yudi accepted the invitation. Professor Hooi took her through the format and practice until she warmed to it. It was a pleasant surprise when Yudi shared the audio tape with us — her melodious rendition not just transported us to but also guided us through a Sans Self Tea Gathering with ease and poise.
The book launch and song release was to be held at multiple locations in 2020. Unfortunately, COVID-19 disrupted the editorial work and song production. Recording was eventually completed in November, 2020. Officially launched on 1 December, 2020, “Anthem of Sans Self Tea Gathering 2020” was released online for free; there is no album planned for now.
As the bilingual text was being reviewed, Wood Talk Publisher’s President Mr Chen Lin Loong brought up the topic of overseas book sales. Oblivious to business dealings, Professor Hooi nevertheless volunteered to take charge of this. I was not entirely sure whether it was Sans Self Tea Gathering or the decade-long publishing process that had inspired her launch into uncharted waters. To begin with, Professor Hooi is not easily discouraged by challenges. She would squint at the small screen of her laptop, navigating the technological maze and posting articles online at our website’s fledgling stage. Today, contemporaryteathinker.com is a treasure trove of the Way of Tea. The Chinese-English edition of “Sans Self Tea Gathering” forged over twelve years is due in no small part to Professor Hooi’s patience and perseverance. Indeed, her intuition about life’s true delights and the unwavering pursuit of them is admirable.
The bilingual edition of “Sans Self Tea Gathering” launched in September 2022 is in English and simplified Chinese; it is hoped that a bilingual edition in English and traditional Chinese would be published in future. Over the years, Sans Self Tea Gathering has gained a following among tea aficionados in, among other regions and countries, China, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore and France. With the book now available in English (in addition to the Japanese and Korean editions published earlier), it is possible for us to get closer and build more bridges. The book is by far the most comprehensive written work on Sans Self Tea Gathering since its creation in 1990. Back then, I envisaged a school of thought pertaining to the Way of Tea. Sure enough, it has developed into a mode of thinking and action more than a mere form of tea gathering. I hope you will get a copy and share a good read with us.
July 25, 2022
【新书出版】
书名：《 无我茶会 》中英版
■作者：蔡荣章
■出版社：木言社
■出版日期：2022/9
■ISBN: ISBN 978-967-18068-1-4
■语文：简体中英
■页数：400pg4C
■开本：65寸 X 8.75寸
■装帧：平装
■上光别：Matt Lamination
新书上市/《无我茶会》2022年中英版/作者蔡荣章
▄无我茶会创人蔡荣章自1977年开始做茶文化工作至今45年
▄无我茶会自1990年创立至今32年
▄共出版过4种语文（中、日、韩、英）的7个版本
▄操作细节共199条，提出7大精神
▄10多个国家地区举行过，包括台湾、韩国、日本、星加坡、马来西亚、汶莱、英国、意大利、法国、美国、中国等
▄举办超过
10000多场次
▄曾参与人次达500000多
无我茶会，是一种茶会形式的名称，蔡荣章先生将其思维与行动的款式写成《无我茶会》这本书，是当代深具影响力的茶道思想。
马上链接网购：
1/有店网路书店：https://www.got1shop.com/goods.php?id=2715908
2/紫藤：https://www.purplecane.my/SalePage/Index/258855
3/大将：https://bookstore.mentor.com.my/product/wuwochahui/
4/台湾经销处：陆羽茶艺中心，台北市衡阳路64号3楼
联络电话：（02）2331 6636
5/台湾经销处：出色出版社，新北市新店区宝兴路45巷6弄5号6楼
联络电话：(02)8914 6405
6/马来西亚联络处：许玉莲茶道院 hooiyokelien@gmail.com
7/ 台湾联络处：现代茶道思想研究所 rongtsang@hotmail.com
(162)