寻访俞孔坚——与“土地之神”的对话
《乾坤》第七期曾转载了俞孔坚教授的大作《寻找“土地之神”》，拜讀其文章之後，深受他对大自然的关爱真情所打动，当笔者得悉俞教授来美参加在（Minneapolis）明尼阿波利斯的全球最具规模的景观设计年会後，将受邀到（University of Virginia）维珍利亚大学演讲，特驱车前往寻找这位“土地之守护神”！
在坐满了学生和教授的UVA讲堂上，这位才四十出头的北京大学景观设计学研究院院长，气定神闲地向与会者解说著古老而充满哲理的中国景观设计历史，从远古的人类如何择良土而居，敬天地而避灾害，带出人与大自然如何和谐发展，如何寻找生存的空间的“生存艺术”。听著俞教授的演讲，看著他展示一张张充满哲理的图解，仿如看到他带著他的“土人团队“，奔走在大地山川、城镇乡野之间，为迅速发展的神州大地把脉、修护和建设。他对天地人神敬仰和爱护，溶合自身的理念、精神、知识、经验，透过他的作品、演讲、教学，向世人呼唤呐喊，要尊重自然才能达至和谐的生活！我感到这景观设计、城市规划等专业名词过於科学和表面，他不单是一个景观设计专家，更像是一位天上派来保护大地的使者！
我们的访谈相当特别，虽然是初次见面，但早已透过大家的文章交流，好像遇见了一位同道笔友。由於他演讲後已安排了晚宴，我们相约在他饭後详谈，地点就在大学校园内他下榻的教授楼房。在温暖的小楼房内有著他乡遇故知的亲切，经过了连日会议和演讲的辛劳，眼前的俞教授带有几分倦怠，但仍关切地了解《乾坤》杂志的发展，俞教授對《乾坤》的欣賞与鼓励之言词，为我们带来更坚定的信念，“志同道合，交浅言深”正是我们会谈的写照。大家都对中国传统文化有著浓烈的感情，更有一份对中华传统文化传承的使命感，互相概叹生活在中西文化冲激中的不易，他并向我们述说著因何毅然回国执教，如何走这条艰辛的开荒之路。
“当年在哈佛毕业後曾在加州工作了几年，两个孩子都在美国出生，把母亲也接来了，虽然工作条件优厚，但心中仍是惦著母国，最後还是决定举家回归，因为我相信中国需要我这门专业，是一份责任感和使命感！”返国後在北京大学任教时，中国还没有景观设计这个专科，他的远见是培养更多懂得大自然的土地设计人才。他自感是大地之子，心存大地养育之恩。後来他在中国注册成立第一家景观规划设计研究院，“别人回国都是打著洋牌子，我就用‘土人’作为公司名称”。他的“土人景观研究院”从最初的两三人，几年间已发展成为两百多人的团队。他曾为“土人”立下如是的座右铭：“执掌现代科技之法器，仰观天象，俯察地形，纳千里方圆、万年历史于脑内，辨自然过程之动态，算社会经济之流变，融天道人伦于一体。”
访谈结束後已届深夜，那晚是入秋以来最冷的一夜，但彼此热诚的交谈已把寒流暖化。虽然大家站在不同的阵线上，但却抱有共同的信念。我们深信，不但中国需要俞孔坚教授这样的人才，世界也更需要认识“天地人神和谐”这样的理念。
Meeting with the “Deity of the Land”
At the annual ASLA/IFLA convention in Minneapolis this October, a Chinese “turen” (earth-man, native) gave a lecture to landscape architects from around the world. The topic of the lecture was on the Chinese concepts of “Heaven and Man United”, “The (Saint King) Da Yu’s Spirit”, “Harmony Among Heaven, Earth, Man, and Deities”, and “The Land of Peach Blossoms .”
Based on his feelings for the great Earth, his respect for Mother Nature, his thorough grasp of the Chinese philosophy, and his understanding of the Western culture, all that fostered his idea of landscaping, the “Turenscape Concept”: Armed with modern technology; observes the phenomenon up in the sky and the patterns down on the earth; and follows the natural and social processes, so that man, nature and the spirits can be understood as one, and designed as one.
This self-described “turen”, Prof. Kongjian Yu, a Harvard Ph.D., and Dean of the Graduate School of Landscape Architecture at Beijing University, presented his unique speech at the convention, “The Art of Survival: Positioning Landscape Architecture in The New Era”. His groundbreaking work has won him a number of awards in the hall of global recognition.
Yu’s true caring and love for Nature expressed in his masterful piece, entitled “Seeking the Deity of the Land”, which was included in Vol. 7 of Chien Kun Magazine, has deeply touched me. Upon learning that he has been invited to give a special speech at the University of Virginia (UVA) after the Minneapolis convention, I started out to seek this “Deity of the Land”.
In the UVA auditorium, packed with students and professors, I listened to Prof. Yu explain to the audience the ancient Chinese historical teachings about how humans and Nature can develop harmoniously together. While listening to his lectures and watching the slideshows he presented, I could almost envision him leading his Turenscape team around the country, traveling between towns and cities to cure, restore and protect the Mother Land. Through his work, speeches, and teaching, Yu, who is just over 40, urges people in the world to answer his call for mankind to respect Nature, as that is the only way to lead a truly harmonious life!
Further, he also introduced his “Rice Field” project design at the Shenyang University of Architecture, and was awarded the ASLA Design Honor Award for this project. The design creates a campus environment by using rice and its stalks, along with local wild grass in the most economic way. Through reusing materials and putting rice fields and local crops into the landscape, the design attempts a new incorporation of crops and wild grass on the campus. And, by applying massive amounts of native, wild plants as its background, the design brings out the special character of the site. It not only is easy to manage and needs little investment, but also creates a unique, economic landscape with high productivity. The harvest from the rice field has already become a gift for visitors to the university.
After the speech, we had a nice late night talk with Prof. Yu. He invited us to the place he was staying on campus. Even though being a little tired from the non-stop sessions of conferences and speeches, Prof. Yu sincerely showed his regard to Chien Kun Magazine, and his deep appreciation for the hard work done by the Chien Kun staff on the translation of his article, “Seeking the Deity of the Land”.
Though the night was the chilliest of this fall, our hearts were warmed by Prof. Yu’s spirit. “Adapt the TAO of Nature to cure the great suffering, and refer to the cultural context to enrich our deprived minds.” The term landscape architect is not enough to describe a person with such a reverent mission; I feel that he is more like a deity sent down from Heaven for protection of our Mother Earth, and mankind’s well-being.
(Su Tam, Xin Chen)
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