席梦麟：上海崇明国际生态岛之往事-11月

Chapter 11  桔子红了，长兴岛

立冬蜜桔好收成，

学农地铺多闹腾，

小雪鱼干饭上蒸，

谷场草垛喜煞人。

Chapter 11   Tangerines turnripeinChangxing Island

The Start of Winter announces the tangerine harvestkickoff,

Agriculture study leaves learners sleeping in the dorms happily.

The Minor Snow steams dried anchovies while cooking rice,

The threshing floor piles up straws in joyful stacks.

立冬饺子在崇明并不风行，五谷丰登的忙碌才是十一月的写照。尤其在崇明的长兴岛，金灿耀目的不仅是稻穗，阳光里明媚得近乎张扬的桔子才是这个节气的主角。上个月因为耐不住等待被无情酸了一回的孩子，这个月随手摘下的果实都能大饱口福。

The Start of Winter rarely takes dumplings as a necessary task as and the busyness of the grain harvest fill everyone’s schedule tight. Especially in Changxing Island of Chongming, it is not only the ear of rice that shines, but also the ripe tangerines who are the real protagonist of autumn here. Those who taste theruthlessly sourimmature fruit last month will be compensated by its sweetness this time.

上海本地的崇明柑橘，原名温州蜜柑，留洋日本后更名“宫川”，这位荣归故里的华侨桔，遗传基因便是细嫩化渣，汁多皮薄，风味浓郁。加之长兴岛位于青草沙水源畔，地处国家二级水源保护区，土壤和水质均无工业污染。且是长江尾的入海口，经过水流冲击形成的土壤，所以质地肥沃。

The locally planted mandarins, formerly known as Wenzhou mandarin, was renamed “Miyagawa” after being immigrated to Japan. Now the specie has been back to its hometown with genetically refined tastiness, abundant juice and rich flavor. Since theQingcaosha reservoir locates in the island, thus all the mandarins are produced in this national water source protection zone where no industrial pollution are allowed in case of contaminatingthe soil and water. In addition,as the soils of the island are brought down by Yangtze River, so its texture is rather fertile.

自家种桔树的孩子自然近水楼台，那桔果玲珑精巧得盈盈一握，皮滑瓤嫩得吹弹欲破。枝头熟果张扬得芬芳四溢，墨绿的桔叶丛中最是那一抹明艳的桔色入眼生香。由于无蜡无残留的放心种植，只需轻拭果面，就着桔皮一口咬下，饱满的汁水倏然满嘴。肉质细腻化渣，酸甜得恰到好处，更有橘皮的清香由口腔沁入鼻内，不仅让本岛孩子们情有独钟，连市区来的学农孩子都会惊奇得流连忘返。

The kidwhose family plants tangerine trees has advantage of eating tangerines whenever he or she likes. The fruit is exquisite and delicate, while its skin is slippery and tender. Branches of ripe fruit are fragrant with green orange leaves accentuating the bright orange color. Since the whole plantation process avoids wax or residue, the fruit need only to be wiped clean before bite.Full of mouth are the juice with fine meat easy to swallow, sour and sweetness are just right, then the scent is poured into nose from mouth, which not only amaze the local children, but turn those outside the island into fans.

“醉看墨花月白，恍疑雪满前村”，崇明此时的星夜澄澈明净，月光如洗，让习惯了霓虹夜市的孩子难免兴奋难寐。独生子女难得同吃同睡地在一起形同一家，大通铺的住宿条件又奇迹般地把彼此的距离拉进，隔阂移除。于是，谁的自然常识过人，谁的自理能力出众，谁的幽默玩笑聚人，都在一个个铺盖里传播和印证。

"Drunk eyes finds flowers ink and moon white, thussuspectit snows fully over the village".Chongming'sclear starry night with moonlight beautifully clean makes the children who are used to the neon night market become inevitably excited. The only child hardly eats and sleeps together in a common dorm. Plus the novel accommodation conditions miraculously shorten mutual distance. Therefore, overnight discussionconcerning natural science knowledge, self-care ability, humor and jokes spreadsamong the dorm residents.

白天摘桔子、包桔子的象征性农事不足以消耗充沛的精力，于是，晚上还会增加一个包馄饨之类的简单环节来满足孩子对郊县生活的好奇。先在灶肚里用柴火生起火，当灶锅里的水一沸腾就能下馄饨了，会用皮和馅儿包出个元宝样的城市孩子毕竟少数，不少偷懒的男孩甚至捏个面团直接丢锅里，把帮忙生火的师傅逗乐了。

Picking and packingmandarins in daytime consumes less energy than expected. Therefore, at night, hand made lessons such as dumplingsmaking will be added to meet the children's curiosity about life in suburbs. First of all, employ firewood to make a fire in the stove. When the water in the stove is boiling, drop in the dumplings. It is common to find a few lazy boys muddle through the process by throwing simple dough into the stoveas a confusing dumpling, which amusesall even the master who helps making the fire.

崇明本地孩子的学农过程更加务实，入夏打油菜籽、入冬收稻谷之类的农活本就司通见惯，所以镰刀除草，锄头翻地的实践就成了必修课，就连手工劳动课都会教授编竹篮，锉木头，织毛衣等家庭必备的手艺，很多孩子都是在这样的课堂上发现了父辈劳作的秘密。崇明除了农业，木匠等手工业也传承悠久，孩子若看到家里爷爷辈的老木匠在村里盖楼时定位主梁、高屋建瓴的架势，都会自豪激动好久。

Local children’s farming process is more pragmatic. For example,harvest rapeseed before summer and rice before winter, which requires the practice of weeding and hoeing the earth. The labor class will teach the craftsmanship of bamboo baskets, eucalyptus wood, knitting sweaters, etc. Many children find the secrets of their ancestorslabor there. In addition to agriculture, carpenters and other handicrafts have a long tradition in Chongming. Moreover, children who witness their grandfathers establish a building and house will be proud and excited for a long while.

农场里的孩子，除了乡村生活，还能在父母的各色工种里见识到科技应用的力量：机动车辆的机械原理，零件的加工工序、沼气的生产输送、纺织机的运转、橡胶制品的出厂，甚至牛奶的消毒密封都会在这里潜移默化地成为常识。由此带来的福利也不可小觑：一大早几个孩子结伴搭着运输队的车辆，经过一望无垠的高粱地，那是给奶牛预备的口粮，坐到奶香味终年不断的奶牛场门口下车，领取一杯刚消毒后的新鲜牛奶，步行到学校的途中经过国营商店，打听下自己心仪的圆珠笔款式是否到货，随后心满意足地迈入校门。小小的农场把衣食住行浓缩到每一个单位，再通过每个农场人的日常生活有机组合，构成了一派欣欣向荣的乌托邦。

Children living in the farmenjoy not only rural life but the power of technology application in their parents' various walks of life as well, such as mechanical principles of motor vehicles, the processing of parts, the production and transportation of biogas, the operation of textile machines, the delivery of rubber products, and even the disinfection and sealing of milk. The benefits brought by these knowledge can not be underestimated.Dawn invites children taking the free ride to the dairy farm where the milk fragrance is continuous all year round, picking up the freshly sterilized milk, passing byfavorite store to see if the preferred ballpoint pen style is available, arriving at school punctually with satisfaction. The farm thus constitutes a thriving utopia.

“水始冰，地始冻”的立冬二侯一过，小雪将至。从江面刮来的北风所向披靡地呼啸过田野和厂房，防风林这时仿佛卫士一般日夜放哨，说是放哨实在切题，白杨那宽大的树叶在狂风里声浪阵阵，隔着帽子围巾都能声声入耳。此时若是再伴一场助纣为虐的冬雨，侵骨的阴冷顺着自行车把手就能传递到肩胛骨。

"Water turns into ice and the ground begins to freeze" symbolize the coming of Minor Snow. The north wind blows from the river surface whistling through the fields and factories. The wind-proof forestsstands fast like guards. The broad leaves of poplar sounds like roaring tides to the ear. Worse of all, a winter rain sends the coldnessmay invade bone by transmitting to shoulder blade from touching the bicycle handle.

寒流到来之际，鱼类等水产品日益下市，妈妈会把夏秋里晒就储存的鱼干作为粥饭的绝佳配菜。崇明的江鱼多刺，而孩子基本都怕卡刺，所以把鱼骨软化或者脆化后的鱼干成了最安全的做法。鱼干的原料中，凤尾鱼最为著名，崇明话叫“子鱼”，上海话称“烤子鱼”，鱼身苗条细长，肉质细腻，红烧则色泽诱人，肉嫩味鲜；油煎则外焦内软，香酥可口，都是宴席上的佳肴；晒干后韧劲更足，酥软依旧，令人食欲大增。

Before the cold current comes, fish and other aquatic products have been graduallyout of market.Hence mom will take out theanchoviesdriedfrom summer as the perfect side dish for porridge and rice. Chongming's river fish are thorny, and children are basically afraid of stuck, so the soften fish bones are surely the safest. Among all kinds of dried fish, the most famous typeis anchovies whose body is slender with delicate meat. Once braised with soy sauce, the color will be attractive for appetite, while in the case fried,the softness and crispiness are typical. Either way will have it as a feast on the banquet. Moreover, after the sun drying, the toughness is more sufficient, while the softness is still the same, which suits the local taste best.

“林表明霁色，城中增暮寒”的小雪，留给崇明孩子的是晒谷场上醉人的稻草香，还有草垛堆完后错落似迷宫的极乐园。稻谷经过了沸沸扬扬的去壳工序后，剩下的稻草是灶头里的绝佳燃料，把稻草一扎扎的捆紧，然后一层层垒砌、构造成一人高的圆柱形的垛身，最后盖上锥形垛顶，远观恰似一间草屋，一旦走近，扑鼻的馨香仿佛将秋日里整片稻田的丰裕蕴含其中。这清香凝结着夏季雨露的滋养，秋季艳阳的温煦，劳作后的丰收喜悦，以及对土地的由衷礼赞。

The Minor Snowfills the threshing floor intoxicating straw aroma and gives birth to a paradise where the rice stacks piling up like a labyrinth. After rice undergoes the shelling process withleftover straws the perfect fuel for the stove, farmers start tying straws tightly and laying into a tall cylindrical body with a conical dome, whichlooks like a straw house from distance. Once approached, the fragrant smell containing the richness of the whole paddy field from autumn will attract the nose. This scent condenses the nourishment of summer rain and dew, the warmth of the autumn sun, the joy of harvest, and the sincere praise for the land.

十一月就是这样，在餐桌上整整齐齐地垒着桔子当积木，在扑朔迷离的草垛阵里和同伴捉着迷藏，在睡前的灯下看着妈妈无声织毛衣的背影。

This is November. On the dining table, oranges are used as building blocks. In the maze of straw stacks, children are playing the hid and seek. Under the night lamp,mom is busy knitting thewinter sweaters for the whole family in silence.