我在中國學(xué)相聲

Learning Crosstalk in China

“我來自日本京都，名叫西田聰。家里還有兩個

弟弟，一個叫西田姜，一個叫西田蒜。我的爸爸是廚師。”這是西田聰招牌式的開場白，熱愛相聲的他就是這么“哏兒”。

我為什么來到中國

我第一次來中國，是在2002年的8月，那時才8歲。當時是為了參加紀念中日邦交正常化30周年的慶祝活動而來到大連。那次大連之行給年少的我?guī)砹司薮蟮奈幕瘺_擊，以至于回到日本后，好長一段時間都念念不忘，滿心都是“想要和那里的人們重逢，用漢語和他們交流”的想法。為了實現(xiàn)這個夢想，我一心努力學(xué)習(xí)中文，經(jīng)常和媽媽一起翻查日中辭典，背誦著一個又一個的單詞，每晚臨睡前都會聽，rL段漢語會話的磁帶。就這樣，我慢慢學(xué)會了用漢字寫信，并將日常生活的照片一起寄給了那次在大連相識的朋友們。數(shù)日后，一封中國的來信靜靜地躺在了我的信箱。打開一看，里面的內(nèi)容竟?jié)M是由日語書寫而成，而寄信人則是（當時）旅順口區(qū)水師營中心小學(xué)的徐克夫校長。他是在看了我用蹩腳的漢語寫的信之后，讀懂了我的心思，就用日語回了信。這份回信帶給我莫大的感動，使我下定決心學(xué)習(xí)漢語，期望自己能為中日之間搭建相互理解和友誼的橋梁盡一份力。

就這樣，一封書信開啟了我和大連的交流之門。

每年寒暑假時我都會去大連，寄住在當?shù)厝说募依铮团笥褌円煌舷聦W(xué)。在日常生活中，我不僅努力學(xué)習(xí)漢語，了解中國的傳統(tǒng)文化和風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣，還會將日式茶道、拉網(wǎng)小調(diào)、日式和服等日本文化介紹給中國的朋友們，加深相互的理解和友誼。在得知這些交流活動后，中國駐大阪總領(lǐng)事和大連市長寄來了鼓勵我的書信，大連電視臺《櫻花之風(fēng)gt;欄目更是前后五次播出了我和朋友們現(xiàn)場交流的情況。令我最為自豪的是，我在2008年8月獲得了大連市政府外事辦對外友協(xié)頒發(fā)的“中日青少年交流友好小使者”榮譽稱號。這些，都是我與大連的朋友們情感紐帶的見證，是我生活中“獨一無二的財富”。大連，奠定了我如今的基礎(chǔ)，更是我寶貴的“第二故鄉(xiāng)”，那里有著許許多多的中國摯友和親人。

我為什么會在中國說相聲

2012年9月，我經(jīng)中國駐大阪領(lǐng)事館推薦，獲得了中國國家獎學(xué)金，來到了目前就讀的北京語言大學(xué)深造。來自全球170個國家和地區(qū)的留學(xué)生匯聚于此，營造出了不同語言和價值觀之間相互交融、互相學(xué)習(xí)的良好氛圍。

剛到北京之初，我曾經(jīng)拼命想要找到“自己的天地”，極力“尋求自我”。要知道，大部分日本留學(xué)生都是短期交換留學(xué)，在學(xué)時間多為半年或是一年。可能正是這個原因，導(dǎo)致了我和他們在對中國的看法及具體的目標等方面出現(xiàn)了很大的差異。在北京，我試圖搞清楚作為日本人的我能夠做些什么、想要做些什么，又必須做些什么。

就在這時，校園里的“快樂課堂”（丁廣泉老師向外國人無償教授中國相聲的周六培訓(xùn)班）走進了我的生活。第一次觀看相聲時，我就被相聲語言中的機靈、逗趣所吸引，更為交織其中的中國歷史文化（其歷經(jīng)數(shù)百余年，其中包含有古語及京劇、雜技等傳統(tǒng)戲曲形式）和詼諧幽默的說話技巧深深折服。自此開始，每到周六我都會去參加“快樂課堂”，漸漸地，我想要更深層次地了解相聲、學(xué)習(xí)相聲、站上舞臺說相聲的想法也愈發(fā)強烈起來。有一次上課之后，我忐忑地向老師表明了學(xué)習(xí)相聲的心意，老師卻告誡我“學(xué)好了普通話再來”，并沒有當即收我為徒。原來，由于我的漢語是在大連所學(xué)，所以東北口音很重，為了學(xué)習(xí)相聲，我必須要改掉這個口音。就這樣，我一邊努力糾正口音，每天刻苦練習(xí)普通話，一邊繼續(xù)參加“快樂課堂”。

又過了一個多月，老師看到我說： “你又來了啊？那就把這個拿回去背背吧。”就這樣，我第一次拿到了段子“對春聯(lián)”（語言游戲），也就此開始了師父指導(dǎo)下的相聲生涯。剛開始學(xué)習(xí)時，師父對我的點滴進步不吝贊賞，給了我學(xué)習(xí)的動力，令我體會到了相聲的樂趣。每天反復(fù)地聽著自己喜歡的段子，不知不覺間便會脫口而出，令說相聲本身也變得有趣起來。在2014年6月的“第八屆丁廣泉收徒儀式”上，我正式拜入師門，成了師父的第一位日本徒弟。

通過相聲表演，我走訪慰問了敬老院、孤兒院、監(jiān)獄和職校，并在市里和高校舉辦的活動中展開了廣泛的民間交流。現(xiàn)在，我不僅可以一個人表演單口相聲，還可以二人表演對口相聲，更學(xué)會了打著板子的快板。

于我而言，相聲是一部幫助我學(xué)習(xí)漢語、理解中國歷史文化的真正意義上的“中國教科書”。

未來的抱負

中日兩國是一衣帶水的友邦鄰國，有著兩千多年友好往來的歷史。從派遣遣隋使、遣唐使出訪的飛鳥時代到奈良、平安時代，大量源自中國的文化及事物都被帶到了日本，直至近代，中國都堪稱是日本學(xué)習(xí)的對象。

2018年是中日邦交正常化46周年。雖然兩國之間在政治、經(jīng)濟、文化等領(lǐng)域的交流不斷加強，但在不幸的歷史問題上和相互理解的層面上仍處于忽遠忽近的變化之中。究其原因，大多來自于文化的差異和價值觀的不同。撇開國家層面不談，我堅信只要一個日本人和一個中國人能夠互相加深理解，相互認可彼此間不同的想法和價值觀，中日關(guān)系便有改善的希望。作為鄰國的中日民眾需要構(gòu)筑大家庭般的信賴關(guān)系，而我們這一代也會肩負起搭建中日未來新型友好關(guān)系的重擔(dān)。

我會繼續(xù)通過相聲這一中國傳統(tǒng)藝術(shù)形式展開在中國的民間交流，并努力向日本宣傳推廣，為中日兩國的友好作出貢獻。 am from Kyoto， Japan. My name is Xitian Cong （same pronunciation as the Chinese word for scallion）. Ihave two brothers. One of my brother's name is XitianJiang （ginger）， another is Xitian Suan （garlic）. Myfather is a cook.\" This is the trademark introduction ofhumorous Satushi Nishida. He loves crosstalk.Why did I come to China？

The first time that I came to China was in August，2002. I was 8 years old then. I came to Dalian to attendthe celebration event for the 30th anniversary of thenormalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations.The culture shock brought by my trip to Dalian wasso profound that I could not forget it for a long time.I have always wanted to meet people there again andtalked to them in Chinese even after I came back toJapan. To realize this dream， I have been dedicated tostudying Chinese， looking up words in the Japanese-Chinese dictionary together with my mother andreciting a lot of words. I used to listen to tapes of Chineseconve rsations eve ry night before sleep. Gradually， Ilearnt how to write a letter in Chinese and sent myphotos to the friends I had met in Dalian at that time.S everal days late r， I found one letter coming from Chinain my mailbox. The letter was written in Japanese. Theaddresser was Xu Kefu， President of Lyushunkou DistrictShuishiying Central Primary School （at that time）. Heknew what I was thinking through my letter written inlame Chinese and replied me in Japanese. His replygreatly motivated me so that I made up my mind to learnChinese and make contributions to building a bridge ofmutual understanding and friendship between Chinaand Japan.

In this way， a letter opened the door ofcommunication between me and Dalian.

Since then， I went to Dalian every summer andwinter vacation， lodging at locals' homes and goingto school with my friends. In daily life， I not onlytook effort to learn Chinese and understand Chinesetraditional culture and customs， but also introducedJapanese Tea， canzonet of pulling net， kimono andother Japanese culture to my Chinese friends to deepenmutual understanding and friendship. After knowingmy exchanges with Chinese people， Consul General ofConsulate General of China in Osaka and the mayor ofDalian sent letters to encourage me. The \"Sakura Wind\"column of Dalian TV station had broadcasted on-sitecommunication between my friends and me for fivetimes. What makes me most proud is that I became the\"Young Ambassador of Youth Communication betweenChina and Japan\" honored by People's Association forFriendship with Foreign Countries of Foreign AffairsOffice of Dalian Municipal Government in August， 2008.What I talked above all witnessed the bond betweenDalian and me， which is the unique treasure in my life.Dalian， my dearest second hometown where my friendsand loved ones live， laid the foundation for my currentlife.

Why did I Learn crosstalk in China？

In September 2012， under the recommendation ofChinese Consulate-General in Osaka， I obtained ChineseNational Scholarship， and took up advanced studiesin Beijing Language and Culture University. Overseasstudents from 170 countries andregions gather here， creatinga good atmosphere of mutualunderstanding and mutual learningfor different languages and values.

When I first arrived in Beijing，I eagerly tried to find \"my place\"and seek \"personal fulfillment\".The short-term exchange projectfor most Japanese students lasts foronly half a year or one year. Becauseof this， my views and ideas towardsChina and specific goals are quitedifferent from other Japanesestudents. In Beijing， I tried to figureout what I could do， what I wantto do and what I have to do as aJapanese.

At this time， \"Happy Class\"entered my life. （\"Happy Class\"is a crosstalk training class forforeigners on Saturdays taughtby Mr. Ding Guangquan at nocharge）. When I first watchedChinese crosstalk performance，I was fascinated by the wisdomand humor of Chinese language.Furthermore， I was overwhelmedby witty speaking that is closelyintertwined with Chinese historyand culture （which has gonethrough over thousands of years andcontains archaism， Beijing Operaand acrobatics）. Since then， I we ntto \"Happy Class\" every Saturday.Gradually， I wanted to know andlearn crosstalk in a deeper leveland my desire to perform it onthe stage grew even stronger. Oneday after the class， I nervouslytold my teacher that I wanted tolearn crosstalk， but he said \"Goback to learn mandarin first\"and didn't take me as apprentice.Later I realized that because I hadlearnt Chinese in Dalian， I hadstrong accent， and if I want to learncrosstalk， I had to scrub the accentaway. Since then， I had begun towork hard on my pronunciation andmandarin eve ryday while continuedattending \"Happy Class\" at thesame time.

A month later， the teacher sawme and said， \"You came again？Take this home and recite it.\" Inthis way， I got a crosstalk chaptercalled \"Pairing Couplets\" （languagegame） for the very first time，and started my crosstalk careerunder my teacher's guidance. Atthe beginning， he always praisedme even when I made a very littleprogress， which motivated meand made me taste the pleasure oflearning crosstalk. It has been sucha great fun to repeatedly listen tothe crosstalk I like and blur it outeven before I knew. In the 8th DingGuangquan Apprentice ReceivingCeremony on June， 2014， I wasformally received and became thefirst Japanese apprentice of myteacher.

I visited and performedcrosstalk in nursing homes，orphanages， prisons， and vocationalschools， and conducted extensivenon-governmental exchanges inevents organized by the municipalgovernment and universities. Now，I can not only perform \"monologuecrosstalk\" and \"duo dialogue\"， butalso I learned to play \"clapper talk\".

For me， crosstalk is a \"Chinesetextbook\" in real sense that helpsme learn Chinese and understandChinese history and culture.

Aspirations

China and Japan areneighboring countries separatedby only a narrow strip of water，enj oying over 2，000 years of friendlyexchanges. Cultural transmissionhad been conducted from the Asukaperiod when Japanese envoys weresent to China during the Tang andSui Dynasties to the Nara and Heianperiod. Up to now， China has beenhailed as a model for Japan.

This year marks the 46thanniversary of the normalization ofdiplomatic relations between Chinaand Japan. Despite the increasinglyenhanced exchanges betweenthe two countries in political，economic， and cultural fields，uncertainties still exist in terms ofunfortunate historical issues andmutual understanding. The reasonmostly lies in the differences inculture and values. Putting asidethe national level， I strongly believethat China-Japan relations will beimproved as long as the Japanesepeople and the Chinese people candeepen mutual understanding andrecognize different ideas and valuesfrom each other. As neighbors，the Chinese and Japanese peopleshould build a relationship of trustlike a big family， and our generationwill shoulder the responsibilityof building a new type of friendlyrelations between China and Japanin the future.

I will continue to conductnon-governmental people-to-people exchanges in China through\"crosstalk\"， a traditional Chineseartistic form， and work hard topromote it in Japan so as to makecontributions to the friendshipbetween China and Japan.