战争、创伤与文学介入： 禤素莱的《随军翻译》《战地情书》

War, Trauma and Literary Engagement in Sian Suk Lai’s Prose

Abstract

摘要

建国后的马华作家群中，禤素莱是值得留意的写作者，尤其个人经历和写作 主题更是马华文学中少见的。其散文集《随军翻译》与《战地情书》书写了跨越 南斯拉夫、阿富汗与伊拉克等多个战地的军旅经验。围绕《随军翻译》与《战地 情书》的战争叙事，本文关注禤素莱在前线战地所遭遇的具体经验，以及这些经 验以何种方式在禤素莱创作上留下痕迹，并丰富马华文学的书写主题。从这一问 题意识出发，本文尝试分三个层次展开讨论。首先，追问出生成长于相对和平的 马来西亚，禤素莱是在怎样的人生境遇中选择奔赴战地？其次，个体经验的展开 不可避免地牵涉到不同文化环境之间的差异与张力，作为身份上的他者，她的际 遇如何影响她对战争的理解和描述？最后，对禤素莱而言，从经验战争到书写战 争，这样的转换具有什么样的意义？透过上述铺排，本文希望借由禤素莱独特的 生命经验与战争书写，丰富马华文学中关于战争、创伤的讨论，也进一步思考书 写作为一种道德实践的伦理意义。

Abstract

Sian Suk Lai stands out as one of the most notable Malaysian Chinese writers, particularly for the unique thematic terrain she navigates. Her works, The Military Interpreter and Love Letter from the Battlefield, depict her military experiences across various conflict zones, including Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Focusing on the war narratives, this paper examines Sian’s firsthand encounters on the battlefields and explores how these experiences have left lasting imprints on her literary trajectory. First, it investigates the circumstances that led Sian, who was born and raised in the relatively peaceful environment of Malaysia, to venture into active war zones. Second, it addresses the inherent tensions and cultural disparities during her wartime journey, questioning how her identity as an “outsider” influenced her depiction of conflict. Third, this paper examines the combat trauma impacted on the individual and explores the motivations behind Sian’s from witnessing war to narrating it. Through the analysis, this paper aims to enrich the discourse on war and trauma within Malaysian Chinese literature while further considering the ethical significance of writing as a form of moral practice and social engagement.