绝美之地
2009-3
深圳报业集团出版社
刘深
无
绝美风光、绝美文字
凄美历史、凄美爱情
２００９年，有这样一本关于生命信念与人生勇气的不可不读的书——
《绝美之地——圣托里尼写真》
无ＰＳ，无裁切，一个资深新闻记者的伤痛之旅和心灵之旅，
用ＳＯＮＹ ＤＳＣ－Ｎ２数码相机拍摄令人难以置信的杰作……
3万字精彩游记，78张精美照片，铜版纸四色印刷
单价：２８元，主人公签名本：１００元
2008年出版纪实文学《百年情义恩泽录》、《一个普通士兵的战争》、《坦克中短篇小说集》，即将出版人物传记《戈与荷——葛庭燧 何怡贞传》、长篇历史小说《圣心剑胆——坪山风雨沧桑录》
无
圣托里尼..是我这辈子最想去的地方..我的愿望从这本书里实现了.书里的照片和描述的情景让我身临其境.谢谢作者刘深给我带来的所有.在我没有能力到达梦想的地方的时候.给我这个临境的感觉.真的太棒了.!!!!!!!!
这不是一本普通的游记书籍，与众不同之处在于作者有着自己的亲身的真实经历与凄美的爱情故事在里面，巧妙的与当地的凄美爱情产生了共鸣。
而且这本书也和希腊的粉红丝带发生了巧妙地关系，听说《绝美之地》的英文版已经准备在希腊发行了，这是很有意义的一件事，粉红丝带是国际乳腺癌防治运动，在当地每本《绝美之地》向“粉红丝带”运动捐献一欧元。既能够了解当地的文化又可以做善事，何乐而不为呢？
这是我09年读过最好的一本书。
《绝美之地》英文版序
胡洪侠
文字与书籍的诞生大都与宗教或“神性”有关，中外皆然。在相当长的岁月里，书籍因此取得了极高的地位：是神坛上的经典，是通往天堂的道路，也是安放生命与心灵的田野。
又因为数量稀少，书籍的撰写与拥有甚至成了特权。书籍由此取得了一种“神性”，书籍不仅自有命运，而且自有力量与尊严。想想儒释道世界和伊斯兰世界延绵数千年的“敬惜字纸”传统，我们就不难理解这一点。
活字印刷术发明以后，书籍可以大量生产了，书籍的撰写、取得、收藏、阅读变得容易而普及。在这一过程中，书籍的“神性”与尊严在慢慢流失，而在世俗间的力量同时在逐渐地扩大，大到了可以而且已经改变世界。
如今，网络世界呼啸而至，数字出版铺天盖地，书写和发表变得轻而易举，出版更是成了一个巨大的产业，书籍作为商品早已走下神坛，放下身段，浩浩荡荡地走进每一个角落，包括垃圾堆与造纸厂。
遗憾的是，当书籍变得无所不在时，它曾经拥有的“神性”、尊严、力量也淡了，薄了，弱了。学者们和软件开发商们甚至争相发出了“书籍消亡”的预言。
书籍真的会消亡？书籍真的再没有神性、尊严与力量了吗？书籍和我们的生命没有了神秘的联系了吗？难道书籍仅仅就是畅销读物或养生、牟利、求职的工具？
我不相信这些问题的答案会是肯定的。
我相信书籍本身依然拥有神性、尊严与力量。我也知道，书籍的神性、尊严与力量需要书写者、出版者和阅读者去共同唤醒。刘深的《绝美之地》中文版的出版给了我这样一种信心。这本书是因一个生命而写，也是为了一个生命而写，而书中的图像，又是来自于一个充满神性的地方——圣托里尼岛。
正如刘深所言：“我过去从来不相信有天堂，但圣托里尼距离天堂如此之近；我也从不相信有什么东西能让人类摆脱恐惧的阴影，但圣托里尼让我感到了一种终极的释怀。”
《绝美之地》因此获得了一种我们久违了的新的“神性”，生命的尊严与力量以此书为桥梁实现了回归与释放。
我们已经看到，这本充满神性和生命感召力的书，已经在中文里抵达了属于她的世界，并感动了很多人。
如今，英文版就要出版了。
“这本书的中文版已经让雨虹快乐了很久，我希望英文版的出版会让她快乐得更久，直至永远。”
我们明白了作者这样的初衷，就会明白这本书图文之外的价值，同时也会坚信：在许多人那里，书籍与生命的联系并没有被咆哮全球的商业机器与数字科技切断。
书籍的神性与尊严依然存在，只是被掩埋得太久，被遮蔽得太广，被忽略得太深，需要我们重新用生命去发现。
It is well over ten years ago that I first met Liu Shen. Over the years, we saw each other no more as many times. At the times when we met, I was only someone else’s company. All my impression of him was: a typical Northerner, loud-voiced drink lover, and passionate forever.
The first time I heard that he had written a travel book about Greece, my thought was “another travel guidebook”. And I didn’t think more. Days later, I saw his book on the square table in his living room for the first time. It was a sample with color cover and white-and-black interior pages. Skimming over the contents, I got the impression that it was different. After reading a couple of articles, I was almost sure this book was different. I then turned to the author’s foreword, I was absolutely sure that this book was different after I finished reading the foreword. It seemed that I’d peeped into the softest corner of the heart of this tough northern man by my side.
Heavenly Land is a eulogy to love and beauty.
In his eyes, Liu Shen sees more than the superficial fabulous scenery and pretty girls of Santorini. Although he wrote about good wine and savory dishes, about sunshine and beach, about the small towns, about the pretty girls…about his every travelling experience that would amuse and allure whoever reads it, all this was only superficial. When lingering over his lines, you couldn’t help feeling the pain and beauty reborn from devastation. He sees through the splendor of the colorful sunlight of Santorini until he sees right into the essence of life --- eternal alternating cycle of life and death, light and shadow. Faced with reality, we should live our life in a more colorful way than the summer flowers though death is horrible. Liu Shen’s writing conveys his understanding and appreciation of life, its meaning and beauty to his readers. What’s more, he presents his pure heart to the unfortunate yet lucky girl--- beautiful Yuhong. Such unique manifesto of love reminds me of Shakespeare’s sonnet:
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.
I record your fairness in my writing. Hence, your summer-like beauty will last as long as man exists. This was Shakespeare’s declaration of love. But for Liu Shen, this is not enough. He wants to perfect his expression of love --- such tender heart of Liu Shen --- he wants to have this book translated into English, and have it shipped to the original place which has inspired his creativity, and any other possible place. He would do better than Shakespeare.
I was lucky to be chosen to translate this book.
I hope my translation will not fail him, and his book.
2009-5-26
Foreword to the English Edition
It was meant to be my casual travel notes. To have it published in Chinese is already beyond my expectation. To bother the English readers is truly overwhelming, and I must seriously think about the value of reading this book.
I seldom go abroad. Neither have I been to the USA, England and Japan even up to now, nor have I been to the land of Africa and that of America. Nevertheless, my self-esteem never suffers from my lack of travelling experiences abroad. Anyway, I shall definitely defend and cherish to my passion and love for Santorini.
When I first started to write this book, I just wanted to cheer up a Chinese girl named Yuhong, to encourage her to live happily, to face life and future with dignity. Anything beyond all this, including my description of Santorini, doesn’t matter.
As a matter of fact, I stayed on that remote island for just two days. I only took my point-and-click auto focus camera for I was not in the mood. I did not take any note, not even a word, which was quite abnormal for me as a professional journalist.
From the moment I stepped on that island, Santorini nondescriptly became my dream land. It seemed to have become the homeland for my long wondering soul. Although my feeling was abstract, it was so real. I had never believed that there is Heaven, but Santorini is so close to it; and I had never believed that something could help us shake off the shadow of fear, but Santorini relieved me ultimately.
As eternity goes in the scope of human understanding, it is but ignorable transiency in the scope of the universe, or even shorter than that. The changing alternating world of mulberry fields and seas might as well be the romantic imagination of geologists and archaeologists out of their professional habits. And it is nothing strange. It is only natural. Our limited life span, one generation for man’s lifetime and one year for grass’ lifetime, determines our imagination of eternity.
Man is becoming extremely fragile for their over developed ration and emotions, especially in times of life threat. Here, please forgive me for avoiding the word death. In a different circumstance, when you think someone else’s life and happiness is more important than your own existence, her pain and sorrow immediately turn into the endless darkness of deep night.
However, Santorini showed me the true scenery of life. The pure sky and the clean water around the island, together with its people, are the enlightenment on life and the most profound philosophical classics. Take the grapevines on the island for example. They must be the ugliest plant of the kind in the world. But, meanwhile, you couldn’t help feeling that they are the most vigorous branches and vines that produce the sweetest fruits in the world.
Santorini has convinced people of its being the most unfortunate place on the planet where human beings inhabit. The devastation imposed on Santorini and the consequent despairing experiences go beyond the imagination of human themselves. For this very reason, Santorini represents the true color of life. This place turned scorching lava into cool waters, barren and silent rocks into green sprouts. It is a place that offers life and love to a wasteland. It is a place that brings death to its real sense.
Man is destined to travel many places in his lifetime. And, there must be this place that touches your heart and even becomes your love forever. Maybe, Santorini is this place. Man is destined to have a true love of his lifetime. If you once didn’t know how to treasure it, if you are willing to make it up with your life for feeling guilty, you are still lucky.
Santorini is the right place for me to visit at the right time. It is the most amazing, most incredible occurrence in my life, which convinced me that any sincere wish will come true unless the wish is not sincere; that all doubts will be suddenly enlightened, all sorrows will disperse, unless you refuse to find the solution to relieve yourself.
In fact, the Chinese edition of this book came out in March, 2009. That made Yuhong very happy. This is the most important thing. It’s enough for me. I hadn’t any idea how to encourage her to live carefree like she did before, or to read, walk and shop undisturbed like she did before. All this is her hobbies. The publication of Chinese edition made Yuhong happy for a long time. I hope the publication of its English edition could sustain her happiness for even longer, and forever.
I really didn’t anticipate loads of compliments on the Chinese edition. As far as I know, anyone who has read it is touched. It sounds truly unbelievable even to myself. My story is too ordinary, or over-ordinary. I can’t understand why it touches readers so much. And this is my only very source of courage to have its English edition published.
The quality of the pictures in this book is also acknowledged by photography enthusiasts, even professionals. These pictures are chosen from hundreds of the pictures taken with my auto camera. As a journalist and amateur photographer, it confounded me to have a book of nearly 80 pictures published. For this, I kept the pictures untouched, un-photoshoped and uncut. Those plain pictures of their original status are no challenge or disdain on professional photographers, they are just my proof that I have been to the island---this is what Santorini looks like.
May Yuhong be happy and healthy forever! May all the people devote all they can to their beloved ones! This devotion is the most beautiful feeling in the world. At least, I have experienced the happiness and joy of this devotion. And this feeling is real. It is not something imagined. It is not a fool’s paradise.
Santorini will become the dream land you want to visit. If you happen to see this book on the exquisite shelf of a small store on the island, I would feel most delighted no matter whether you’ll buy one and put it in your bag, or just skim over it.
I insist that Santorini be the place you should not miss in your lifetime. It definitely will not let you down, even if this book lets you down.
Liu Shen
5th April, 2009
Xinfeng Mountains
Guangdong, China
本来是随意而为之的散记，能够作为一本中文书出版，已经让我始料不及，更何况竟然还要打扰英文读者，我必须认真地去思考一下这本书的阅读价值问题。
我很少走出国门，至今也没去过美国、英国和日本，从未踏上过非洲和美洲的土地，然而，那些十分短暂的国外游历，并没有让我因为见识浅薄而过于自卑。无论如何，我对于圣托里尼的热爱和珍视，是永远都会捍卫与坚守的。
我写这本书的初衷，仅仅是为了让一个叫作“雨虹”的中国女孩能够开心地生活，能够有勇气，有尊严地面对生命和未来的日子，除此之外，我对于圣托里尼的描述已经无关紧要。
其实，我在那个遥远的岛上仅仅停留了两天，因为心绪的原因，我只带了一架普通的傻瓜相机，也根本没有做哪怕一个字的笔记，尽管，作为一个职业记者，这对我来说是一件很反常的事情。
从踏上那个岛屿的时刻起，圣托里尼就难以名状地成为我似乎梦牵情绕许久的地方，简直就是我漂泊了很久的灵魂的故乡。尽管我的感觉如此抽象，但它却非常真实地存在着。我过去从来不相信有天堂，但圣托里尼距离天堂如此之近；我也从不相信有什么东西能让人类摆脱恐惧的阴影，但圣托里尼让我感到了一种终极的释怀。
就人类所理解的地老天荒而言，永恒，其实只是茫茫宇宙之中可以忽略不计的瞬间，也许连瞬间也算不上。所谓的沧海桑田，也只不过是地质学家和考古学家们出于职业习惯的浪漫想象。这本来也不奇怪，人生一世、草木一秋的生命时限使然。
人其实是因为过度发达的理性和情感而变得极其脆弱的动物，尤其是面对生命威胁的时候，在此，请原谅我始终在回避“死亡”这个字眼。在另一种情形之下，当你觉得一个人的生命与快乐比起自己的存在更加至高无上的时候，她的痛苦和悲伤就立即成为漫无边际的永远的黑夜。
然而，圣托里尼让我看到了关于生命的真正的景色，那里纯净的天空和海水，那里生活着的人们，是关于生命的启蒙课本和最深奥的哲学经典。比如，圣托里尼岛上生长着的葡萄，一定是你见过的世界上最丑陋的同类植物，但是，你会觉得那是最顽强的生命的枝条和叶脉，最甜美的生命的果实。
圣托里尼已然让人相信，它确实曾是人类生活的这个星球上最不幸的地方，它所遭受的灾难，所经历的绝望已经超乎人类自身的想象，但也正因为如此，它生动地再现了生命最本质的底色。它让灼热的岩浆变成清凉的海水，让荒寂的山石变成绿色的萌芽，是赋予不毛之地生命和爱情的地方，它是让死亡真正死去的地方。
人的一生注定要游历很多地方，但是，一定会有一个地方让你怦然心动，甚至情系终身，也许，这就是圣托里尼；人的一生注定都有自己的真心所爱，假如你曾经不懂得去珍惜，假如你能够为自己的内疚而甘愿用一生的时间去补偿，那么，你依然是幸运的。
圣托里尼，是我在生命中一个最恰当的时间所抵达的最恰当的地方，这件事确实非常之神奇，非常非常的不可思议，它让我相信，一个人的任何心愿都可以梦想成真，除非你的心愿是虚伪的；人的任何疑惑都会豁然开朗，任何悲哀都会烟消云散，除非你拒绝寻找释然的答案。
事实上，这本书的中文版于2009年3月的出版，确实成了一件让雨虹很开心的事情，这是最重要的，这对于我来说已经足够。我本来想象不到还能够用怎样的方式激励她，像过去一样无忧无虑地生活，像过去一样心无旁骛地看书、散步和逛商场——这都是她平时最大的嗜好。这本书的中文版已经让雨虹快乐了很久，我希望英文版的出版会让她快乐得更久，直至永远。
我真的没有想到这本书的中文版会收到如此多的赞许，据我所知，几乎让所有读过它的人都很感动，这确确实实让我难以置信。我所讲述的故事实在过于平常，甚至过于平淡，我至今依然不知道为何会让读者们如此之伤感和心动，这也正是我决心出版英文版的唯一的勇气来源。
本书中的照片，也受到了摄影爱好者甚至摄影大师的首肯，这些照片是从我那架普通的ＳＯＮＹＤＳＣ－Ｎ２卡片机所拍摄的数百张照片中选取的。作为一个文字记者和业余摄影者，能够出版一本容纳近80张照片的书，这件事让我倍感惶恐。因此，我保持了这些照片的原貌，没有PS，甚至没有裁切，这些素面朝天的影像，绝不是对专业摄影大师们的挑战和漠视，只是用以证实我确确实实到达过那个岛屿——圣托里尼就是这个样子。
本书英文版的出版另一个重要原因，是我的多年好友徐洪彬先生的太太——鲁志坚女士天才的翻译禀赋，作为她的第一部译作，我相信这同样是有纪念意义的，尤其是在不久的将来，美丽的鲁女士成为一个著名翻译家的时候。对于本书英译水平的评价，均来自我十分信赖的诚实的亲友们，其中包括我在美国加州理工学院从事科学研究的弟弟，因为我的英文水平还不足以判断这些文字的优劣。我相信，许多朋友同心协力地促成本书的出版，是一种神秘莫测的力量。
愿雨虹永远健康和快乐，愿天下人都能为自己心中的所爱而倾尽一切努力，这些付出是世界上最美好的感觉，至少我本人已经亲身体验到了这种幸福和快乐。这种感觉是真实可信的，绝不是虚幻的，更不是自欺欺人的。
圣托里尼一定会成为你情之所致的地方，如果你在岛上任何一家玲珑别致的小店的货架上看到这本书，不管你是买一本装进行囊，还是随意翻阅一下，那都是我最快乐的事情。
我坚信圣托里尼是人的一生不可错过的地方，它一定不会让你失望，即便这本书让你大失所望。
仿佛已经不是每天读书或者经常读书的年代，但是，人的一生总会有一本或几本书深深地影响过心灵、品格、思想和情感。
读一本好书，是一生的心灵伴侣。
《绝美之地》就是一本不会让人失望的书。
对这本书或者圣托里尼感兴趣的朋友可以上www.santorini.hk这个网站了解，这里的资料比较齐全。。。
粉红丝带也是在这个网站了解到的