原来的小小渔港，就像横滨、上海，因为本身得天独厚的港口优势，以及离旧经济中心相对较近的距离，短短百年，发展成了全台第二大的城市。原本已经叫了几百年，为西方人熟知的打狗港，也被日本人改名为了高雄。
Kaohsiung, a tiny old fishing port like Yokohama and Shanghai, has developed into the second largest city in Taiwan in just a century because of its unique geography. The original Port Takau, which had been called for hundreds of years and was well known to Westerners, was also renamed by the Japanese as Port Takao.
日语里，高雄的读音Takao尚且与原来的Takau相近。但在回归以后，由于沿用汉字，这座城市的读音不得不改变为了Kaohsiung。现在，原来的旧名也只有在一些原住民中使用，只是这个看起来不雅的名字在他们的语言里，意为竹林。
In Japanese, the Chinese character ‘高雄’ pronounced as ‘Takao’, which is the same as the original ‘Takau’ in native languages. After the World War II, Chinese government handed over the city and kept the Japanese-made Chinese name. Thus, the city’s pronunciation changed to ‘Kaohsiung’ for Chinese pronunciation. Now, the original old pronunciation ‘Takau’ or ‘Takao’ is only used among some aborigines. The seemingly indecent name (in Chinese, ‘Takau’ is similar to hit dogs) means bamboo forest in native language.
名字的变迁就是一个地域的变迁，而这片土地比一早就汉化的台南城更加能够代表整个台湾岛的变迁。左营地区的考古将这里有人定居的历史追溯到五千年前，原住民很早便在这里形成了集落，只不过因为荷兰人和汉人选择了安平，选择了台南，在有文字记载的台湾史里，这里一直只是一个小渔港般的存在，直到近代日本人的统治才重新翻身。
The change of name reflected the change of this region. This land is more representative of the change of the whole Taiwan island, compared to the historical Sinicized Tainan City. The archaeology of the Zuoying area traces the history of settlements here to 5,000 years ago, and the aborigines formed a settlement here even earlier. However, the Dutch and the Han Chinese chose the nearby Anping and Tainan as their commercial and political center. It remained a small fishing port in the written history of Taiwan until the Japanese developed the region.
这是一座美丽的城市，就像它市区的名字，苓雅且高雄。四处可见的高楼耸立在海的不远，伴着远山装点着台海之滨。这座城市有着全台第二高的85大楼。大楼的74层是360度的观景台，登上去，直接可以看到无际的台湾海峡和忙碌的高雄港。虽说窗玻璃稍微有些脏，但总体依然令人震撼。令人可惜的是，我们没有在高雄订过宾馆，也就无法在这里欣赏到这座城市的夜景。亮灯之际，从高而望，这座城市一定格外美丽。
It is a beautiful city, just like its name, elegant and gorgeous. Skyscrapers can be seen everywhere towering near the sea, accompanied by distant mountains decorating the seashore. The second tallest building, 85 Sky Tower, locates in this city. There is a 360-degree observation deck on its 74th floor. After you climb up, you can directly see the boundless Taiwan Strait and the busy Kaohsiung Harbor. The windowpanes are slightly dirty, but overall, it is still stunning. Unfortunately, we did not stay in Kaohsiung overnight, so we could not enjoy the awesome night view of the city on this deck. When the lights are on, the city must be extremely beautiful when viewed from the sky.
然而因为商港的存在，这里的海水也就不够澄澈，但是这里的海滨依然值得去闲逛。驳二特区是全市的艺术特区，和世界上许多艺术特区类似，这个特区也是由原来废弃的仓库与港口改造而来。在那里，扑面而来的现代感完全符合这座年轻城市的气质。那天下午，明媚的阳光，天空特别蓝，一起走在长长的半岛上，两边全是艺术展馆与抽象的雕塑，总感觉像是沉浸在一个美梦里。特区最常见的雕塑是一个双面人，一面男性一面女性，似乎又象征着这座城市的另一种气质——浪漫。
However, because of the port, the sea water here is not as clear as it could be. But it is still worth a stroll along the waterfront. Like many art zones around the world, the Pier2 Art Center, one of the art zones of the city, was converted from a former district full of abandoned warehouses and piers. The fancy feel of the area perfectly fits the atmosphere of this young city. In that afternoon, the sun was shining, and the sky was particularly blue. Walking together on the long man-made peninsula, lined with art pavilions and sculptures, I always felt like I was immersed in a beautiful dream. The most common sculpture is a double-faced man, one side male and the other female, which seems to symbolize another temperament of the city – romance.
特区的海边依然停泊着一些船舰，不过有些已经不再投入使用，也作为展览。靠近尽头的几间仓库还没有来得及入驻展览，尚且大门紧闭。累了，到微热山丘的门店稍作休憩，尝一尝全台最好的凤梨酥，喝一口阿里山的特产红茶。或者是在海边找一块石墩子坐下，看看港口的船来船往，望望远处85大楼冲天而上，云卷云舒。在这种地方，就连面朝大海也许也是一种特别的浪漫。
A number of ships are still moored to the piers in the art zone, although most of them are no longer in use but as exhibitions. A few warehouses at the end are not yet ready for exhibition and the doors are still closed. When you’re tired, you can take a short break at a famous cake store, SunnyHills. If you were there, please try the best pineapple cakes in Taiwan, and sip the fascinate black tea from Alishan. Or, you can find a flat stone and sit by the sea, checking the ships arriving and departing from the harbor while looking at the 85 Sky Tower rushing up to the sky with rolled clouds. In such a place, even staring at the sea may also be a kind of special romance.
其实这座城市带给我的惊喜远远不止于此，前一天没能见到台南的夕阳，这一天便得到了补偿。离开驳二，走走停停闲逛过去，从中山大学里横穿而过，走到西子海湾。相比处于湾内的驳二，西子湾面朝台海，而一旁的中山大学又依山而建，恰好使得这里的景致开阔而雄大。从修的海堤上望过去，山正好横于海上，趁着夕阳未落的余光，伴着身后已然升起的将满之月，我赶忙就是一阵狂拍。远方的船只正巧伴着降落的红日，似乎是载着这轮太阳前行，加上翻涌拍岸的浪花与坚韧的礁石，台海的落日果然名不虚传！
In fact, the city brought me much more surprise. The day before I didn’t get to see the sunset in Tainan and this day compensated me. Leaving the Pier2 Art Center, I walked across the National Sun Yat-sen University to Sizih Bay. Different from the Pier2, Sizih Bay directly faces the Taiwan Strait. With the National Sun Yat-sen University built on a hill, the view here is open and majestic. Looking over the seawall, the hill was right across the sea, with the afterglow of the setting sun, accompanied by the full moon rising behind me. I took the advantage and rushed for a wild shot. In a moment, the red falling sun happened to be over a boat, which seemed to be carrying the sun forward. With the fierce waves and tough reefs lapping at the shore, the sunset here really matched its fame!
同行的女孩儿在这里也是迷恋不已，我在不经意间按下快门，拍下了她们坐在堤岸上一起观看夕阳的一刻。那一刻，海风吹乱了她们的头发，弄得那发丝就像海面微微起伏的浪花。尽管天边依然有灰霾，但日落正半时天空迷幻的光影，以及一种因为稍稍背光显现出的她们柔和的背影，向我传递出一种难言的浪漫。望着这片看不到尽头的大海，望着没有云雾遮挡的晴明的，正渐渐暗下去的天空，我也暗自许下心愿。未来，一定要再次来到这座城市，来到这片海滨，坐在这个海堤上，看日落，看亮灯，和那位她，肩并着肩。
The girls traveling with me were also fascinated. I inadvertently pressed the shutter to capture the moment when they were sitting on the embankment watching the sunset. At that moment, the sea breeze messed up their hair, making the strands look like the slightly undulating waves. The sky is a little hazy, but the misty light of the sunset halfway down as well as the slightly soft backlight illuminating the girls’ silhouettes, to me convey an ineffable romance. Looking at the endless sea and the clear, darkening sky, I made a wish. In the future, I should come to this city again, to this seaside, sitting on this seawall, watching the same sunset and city lights, with the special her, shoulder to shoulder.
不知道为什么那么热爱夕阳和晚霞，大约是因为这种晚景实在是过于浪漫，以至于能够满足一个怀有童心的少年的美丽的希冀。
I don’t know why I love sunsets and twilights so much. Maybe nightfall is always romantic that it can satisfy the most beautiful wishes of a childish teenager.
可是，直到这时，我自认为最浪漫的一刻还没有出现。当我们搭上驶向火车站的计程车时，高雄开始亮灯。天边的暮色尚且未完全四合，但已经掩盖了阴郁的霾。远处灯塔一闪一闪，伴着归航的船舶，开始编织一个个归家的梦。海边的路灯在一瞬间亮起，桔色的暖光为这片没有太阳，开始冷下去的海带来了新的温暖。
However, up until that point, the moment I thought was the most romantic had not yet occurred. As we took a taxi to the train station, Kaohsiung started to light up. Twilight was not quite over yet, but the remote gloomy haze had disappeared. The far lighthouse flickered, accompanied by the returning ships, and began to weave a dream of being back home. The streetlights at the seaside lit up in a flash, and the warm orange light brought new warmth to the sea, which had no sun and was starting to get cold.
这座城市带给我所有的浪漫在小车驶近爱河时逐渐进入高潮。这条原本并不出奇的运河，因为当年情侣的殉情而改名，同时伴随着这座城市而不断发展，成为了今天台湾最负盛名的夜景去处。稍稍堵车的街道正巧为我带来了一小段观看爱河夜景的时间。河道两岸满是灯光，流光溢彩之中又有着一番雅致。河边的喷泉不断地喷涌出乱浪碎琼，映着灿烂五彩的灯光，焕发出迷人的光彩。然而河水却是异常的平静，静静映出了两岸建筑的轮廓以及半空月亮的倒影。仔细想想，爱情恰如这条河。追求轰轰烈烈的过程，恰如这河两岸灿烂的灯光风景。当激情散去，如若两个人真是步入爱河，大概只会留下一种两情相悦的甜蜜与静谧。
All the romance that this city brought me gradually came to a climax as the car approached the Love River. This originally unexceptional canal, renamed after the martyrdom of the lovers, has evolved along with the city to become the most famous night spot in Taiwan today. The slight traffic jam on the street gave me a little time to enjoy the night view of the Love River. Both sides of the river were full of lights, giving a little elegance with the flow of light. The fountains along the river are constantly spewing out, reflecting the brilliant and colorful lights, glowing in a charming way. However, the river is calm, quietly reflecting the city skylines and the moon in the middle of the sky. When you think about it, love is just like this river, and the pursuit of the booming passion, just like the brilliant lights on both sides. After the passion dissipates, if the two people are still in love, there will probably only be endless sweetness and peace.
最为可惜的是没有办法下车，在河边立上脚架，按下慢门，记录下这难以名状的城市风光，这条令人迷醉的河流，以及这最浪漫的浪漫。
The most unfortunate thing is that there is no way to get out of the taxi, set up a tripod by the river, and press the slow shutter to record the inexpressible city scenery and this mesmerizing river, the most romantic romance.
当红灯再次变为绿灯，小车驾驶上桥。车子缓缓开过桥面，那灯光晃动起来，显出了一种更为迷人的感觉。坐在车里稍开车窗，感受一下这微凉的河风，我感受到了一种酒后的微醺。望着窗外，不禁感慨：值得看的美景固然重要，但更重要的是一起看的人，以及那种看景的心情。以爱河之美，大约真让我现在一人去逛，拍些片子，想来也便减了几分趣味。
When the traffic light changed to green again, our taxi drove onto the bridge. The car slowly drove across the bridge, with light swayed, giving a more charming feeling. Sitting in the car and slightly opening the windows, I felt the cool breeze from the river. I felt tipsy as I drunk. Looking out the window, I wondered: beautiful scenery is certainly important to me, but what is more important is the one who with me together, and the mood that accompanies. If I were to return to the Love River now but alone, it would probably be boring.
水浒传里张顺夜袭涌金门，行至西泠桥上准备私渡西湖时，望着这一汪湖水感叹道：“我身生在浔阳江上，大风巨浪，经了万千，何曾见这一湖好水，便死在这里，也做个快活鬼！”想来当年那殉情的情侣见着这条平静的河道，执手相看之时，大约也有这样的感慨吧。
In Water Margin, there is a general launched a risky night attack from the waterway. The lake is extremely peaceful that night, and he said to himself: “I was born by the Yangtze River and experienced numerous harsh winds and huge waves. However, I never saw a lake quiet like this. Even if I died here, I would be a happy ghost!” I imagine when the martyred lovers saw the river, holding hands to see each other for the last time, should have the same sentiment.
离开高雄之际，反复回味着这个名字，我觉得只有用Kaohsiung这个来自闽南语的曲折温软的读音去命名她，才能够体现这座城市的气质。
When I left this city, I repeatedly thought about the name. I felt that only by naming her with ‘Kaohsiung’, a twisted and soft pronunciation from the Minnan, could reflect the temperament of the city.
最动人时光，总是不在地老天荒，不在天涯海角。静水一汪，伊人相随，足以百世流芳。
The most moving moments are not always traveling in the corner of the world. Sitting by a peaceful water, I am with you, and that would be enough forever.
2016.2.10
杭州
Written in Hangzhou
