- Apr 11

Journey to the East｜Ararat: the Ark on the brink of the East阿拉拉特山：东方边缘的诺亚方舟

Journey to the East cycling project is an attempt to map, understand and reflect upon the cultural axis of East and West, as perhaps the most lasting generator of global history and creative drive. Cycling this axis goes further though. From an intellectual discourse, this time the axis can be experienced as an immediate reality, being embodied by real situations in time and space, and real people living their lives before and beyond reflection. This is literally about leaving any proverbial armchair, and act with a profound physical effort and risk, going beyond any theory in favor of evidence, evidence, and nothing but evidence.

"东游记"骑行项目是一次尝试，旨在绘制、理解并深思东西方的文化轴线，这轴线或许是全球历史和创新动力最持久的源泉。在这一轴线上骑行的意义远不止此。它将智识讨论转变为直接体验，让人通过时间与空间的真实情境、真人真事的生活状态去亲身感受，而非单纯的反思。这实际上意味着离开安逸的扶手椅，以深切的体力付出和冒险精神行动起来，追求的是实证，只有实证，除了实证，别无他求。

To break down this ongoing journey of many months in a row into smaller acts, there will be held several events, marking about any 1000km or so. Each of them will address a specific dimension of the East West relationship, intended to capture insights more precisely, to establish connections, and to generate a physical legacy to be taken on the journey towards final destination Shanghai, where a group of students will start working on a tangible conclusion of the journey.

为了将这场持续数月的长途旅行分解成更小的行动，将会举办几场活动，大约每行进1000公里左右就标记一次。每一场活动都将针对东西方关系的一个特定维度，旨在更精确地捕捉洞见，建立联系，并生成一个实体遗产，随旅程一起前往最终目的地上海，在那里，一群学生将会对这一旅程作出具体结论。

Readers of this microblog may already be aware that I reached the Great Ararat, a mountain of majestic shape and proportions, a legacy of volcanic activities from ages past. It presents itself with one larger and one smaller conic elevation, together creating the impression of a colossal ship.

关注本博客的读者可能已经了解，我抵达了壮丽的阿拉拉特山，这座山因其雄伟的形态、比例以及远古火山活动的遗留而闻名。它展现着一大一小的圆锥形山峰，联合起来仿佛一艘庞大的船舰。

Indeed, I embrace this interpretation, previously mentioned by one of my readers.

实际上，正如我一位读者之前提及的，我非常认同这一解读。

Mount Ararat has been woven into the fabric of world cultural history at least twice, each time featuring a similar narrative. One is the biblical tale of Noah, chosen to outlive God's fury over the moral decay of His creation. He was instructed to build an ark that would navigate the waves of a punishing deluge, designed to cleanse the earth of its inhabitants. On the Ark, a select representation of life was preserved, safeguarding the essence of God's creations. In this narrative, Mount Ararat emerges from the receding waters as the final resting place of the Ark, allowing civilization to flourish anew and life to resume its intended course.

阿拉拉特山至少在两个重要的文化史场合中占有一席之地，每一次都呈现出相似的故事线。一个是圣经中的诺亚故事，他被选中在上帝对人类道德堕落的愤怒中生存下来。诺亚被命令建造一艘能够驾驭惩罚性大洪水波涛的方舟，以净化地球。方舟上保存了精选的生命种类，守护着上帝创造之精髓。在这一叙事中，随着洪水退去，阿拉拉特山成为方舟最终的停靠之地，让文明得以重新兴起，生命得以继续。

Another story comes from the epic of Gilgamesh, a hero in Mesopotamian mythology, who also encounters profound floods and seeks salvation.

另一个故事源自吉尔伽美什史诗，史诗中的英雄在美索不达米亚神话里同样遭遇了重大洪水并寻求救赎。

The interpretations of these tales vary widely—questions of their factual basis, the identities of their characters, the Ark's passengers, its journey, and the final location of its remains are endlessly debated. Yet, such literal interpretations often miss the timeless truths these stories aim to convey.

对这些故事的解释千差万别——它们的事实依据、人物身份、方舟上的乘客、旅程，以及最终的遗址位置都是无穷尽的讨论主题。但这样的字面解读往往忽略了这些故事试图传达的永恒真理。

In understanding their core messages, perhaps we should shift our focus from Noah, Gilgamesh, the Ark, or even an irate deity. The true essence of these stories might be better understood by considering the Mountain itself. Not as a savior or a landing site, but as a fundamental force of nature that enables all else to occur and be meaningful. The Mountain stands as an unyielding representation of Mother Earth, where the internal fire, celestial air, and snow-bound water converge to form a piece of earth so potent, it has sparked some of the greatest stories ever told.

要理解它们的核心信息，我们或许应该将关注点从诺亚、吉尔伽美什、方舟，甚至是愤怒的神转移到山本身。山不仅仅是一个救世主或着陆点，而是作为自然界的一股根本力量，让所有事物得以发生并赋予意义。它是坚不可摧的大地之母的象征，内部的火焰、天空的气息和被雪覆盖的水分汇聚于此，形成了如此强大的土地，以至于激发了一些有史以来最伟大的故事。

In its presence, the Mountain dictates a harmony of cosmic scale, the very harmony that the Ark found and by which it was preserved by Mother Nature. And it is Mother Nature, embodied by the Mountain, that remains indispensable to us.

在它的庇护下，山塑造了一种宇宙级别的和谐，正是方舟所发现并由大自然母亲所保存的和谐。而这位以山作为化身的大自然母亲，对我们至关重要。

At its slopes, I discovered a budding Sedum acre, a symbol of new beginnings. Cycling to the edge of Türkiye heralded not an end but a transition to the East, recognized as the cradle of daily renewal.

在它的斜坡上，我发现了一株新生的金佛甲，象征着新的开始。骑至土耳其边缘，并非终结，而是迈向东方的过渡，东方被视为日新月异的摇篮。

Thus, I boarded my own ark once more, feeling the Earth's every contour beneath my wheels, and persisted on my Journey to the East.

因此，我再次启航，感受每一寸大地在我的车轮下细微的轮廓，坚定地继续我的东行之旅。