羚羊之恩

羚羊之恩

The ancient Chinese Classic of Mountains and Sea mentions a mythical animal called “Ling”, which has its origins in the antelope. Quite a few poems have talked about goats, yet only a few mentioned antelopes, one of which is called Transmission of the Lamp by poet Shi Daoyuan from the Song Dynasty.

While sleeping, an antelope hangs its horns on the tree, leaving its feet above the ground, so to hides itself from any potential danger. In the past, people likened this behavior to poems that don't have roots in other works.

Most of the time, a masterpiece is based on a flash of inspiration, and cannot be explained when it's done.

Antelopes' horns are also used as a component of Chinese medicine. It is said to be able to calm the liver, reduce swelling and improve eyesight.

When I had a fever, my aunt used to grind antelope's horn into a powder, and make it into a drink for me. I also used to wear a string of Buddha beads made of antelope's horns. It is believed to be able to calm my soul and ward off evil influence.

When I went to Nepal, my sister gave me a scarf as a gift, which is made of an antelope's beard.

I owe antelopes quite a lot, and I wish I could make it up to them in the future.

Kallen Guo

Senior filmmaker, socialite and bestselling author, authored Don't Fall in Love with Zurich, the winner of The Best Foreign Language Novel.

郭丹

資深影視人、名媛、暢銷書作家。代表作包括最佳外語小說獎獲得作品《別愛蘇黎世》等。

《山海經》中《西山經》有提到麢（líng），就是現在的羚羊。古代說到羊的詩詞很多，羚羊的卻沒多少，只有一個，是宋釋道原《景德傳燈錄》：義存禪師示眾語謂：“我若東道西道，汝則尋言逐句；我若羚羊掛角，你向什么處捫摸？”

羚羊掛角，羚羊夜宿，掛角于樹，腳不著地，以避禍患。舊時多比喻詩的意境超脫。這點我深有體會：創作文字和音樂和美術，都仰仗于靈光一現，無法進行理性的闡釋。

我對羚羊的認識，來自中藥中的羚羊角一味：平肝息風；清肝明目；涼血解毒。主肝風內動，驚癇抽搐；筋脈拘攣；肝陽頭疼眩暈；肝火目赤腫痛以及血熱出血；溫病發斑；癰腫瘡毒。用于高熱驚癇，神昏痙厥，子癇抽搐，癲癇發狂，頭痛眩暈，目赤翳障，溫毒發斑，癰腫瘡毒。

我小時候常發燒，東方嬸婆用羚羊角磨粉給我喝，還有串羚羊角佛珠，常戴著收魂壓驚。

后來去尼泊爾，小王妃師姐送我的圍巾是藏羚羊的下巴頦毛兒捻出來的。

我欠羚羊良多，愿日后時時彌補。

Grace of the Antelope

Text by Guo Dan Translation by Madz Illustration by Nan Fang