鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
IwenttoEltonJohn'swedding.Thecelebrationswereglamorous.Wehadasumptuousbanquetandwonderfulentertainmentandweddingspeeches.Butitfeltstrangeastherewasnobride!DavidFurnish,EltonJohn'spartner,wasaman.Theunionwasbetweentwomen.Twoverynicemenindeed.Buttheywerenotman-and-wife.Theywereman-and-man.OrshouldIsayhusband-and-husband?It'sallatriumphforthehomosexualcommunity.Onthesameday,Igather900gaycouples(includinglesbians)"tiedtheirknots"acrossBritain.Inlaw,theunionsbecomethesameasmarriagesandallthelegalrightsapplicabletowivesbecomeapplicableto"partners".
Nodoubtwewillallgetusedtothisnewinstitution.IdonotknowhowlongitwilltakeHongKongorChinatolegislatehomosexualunions.ButIwouldbesurprisedifitdidnothappenwithin10years.Thewholeworldwouldthenhavemarriagesinall3possiblegenders-man-and-woman,man-and-man,andwoman-and-woman!
ItallmademewonderwhatweChinesethinkabouthomosexuality.Therewerecertainlywritingsonthesubjectfromancienttimes.Chinesesocietydidnotrecognizehomosexualityaspartofthemain-stream,anditwasalwaysthoughtofasratherillicit.Butthenitwasthesamelikeeverywhereelseintheworld.Mindyou,homosexualpracticesinChinawerefrowneduponnotsomuchonmoralgroundsasformedicalandspiritualreasons.IntheMingdynasty,homosexualliteraturewasexceedinglypopular.YouonlyhavetoreadthewritingsofZhangDai(張岱),particularlyhis《陶庵夢憶》inwhichheconfesseshisdecadentlifeandthecultureatthetimeoflateMingandearlyQing.TherewasnodoubtthathomosexualpracticeswerepartoftheChinesewayoflife,includingtheengagementofcatamites.
SotherewasnodoubtthatweChinesewerenodifferentfrom,say,theGreekswhoopenlyendorsedhomosexualitysincethetimeofZeus!TheRomanswereofcoursealsowellknownfortheirhomosexualpractices.Inaway,itisratherparadoxicalthatthePope,bothastheofficialBishopofRomeaswellastheHeadoftheCatholicChurch,shouldcondemnhomosexuality.IwonderifthatCatholicattitudewouldeverchange.
Butbacktomarriages.ImustsaythatIamstillinclinedtobemoreusedtotheconventionalunionofman-and-woman.Intime,however,weshallnodoubtallgrowtoaccepthomosexualunions.IalsowonderiftheclassicalChinesetraditionofpoeticcelebrationsofmarriagesmightnotbereadinthesameway.IhavebeenlookinguptheBookofPoetry(詩經),anditmakesmelaughabittoconsiderifinaman-and-manunion,thefollowingmightmakesense:-
女曰雞鳴
女曰雞鳴士曰昧旦子興視夜明星有爛
將翱將翔弋鳧與雁
弋言加之與子宜之宜言飲酒與子偕老
琴瑟在御莫不靜好
知子之來之雜佩以贈之知子之順之
雜佩以問之知子之好之雜佩以報之
ThisisOdeNo.8fromBook7,androughlytranslatesasfollows:-
Saysthewife,"It'scock-crow"
Saysthehusband,"It'sgreydawn"
"Rise,Sir,andlookatthenight-
Ifthemorningstarbenotshining.
Bestiryourself,andmoreabout,
Toshootthewildducksandgeese.
Whenyourarrowsandlinehavefoundthem,
Iwilldressthemfitlyforyou.
Whentheyaredressed,wewilldrink(togetheroverthem),
AndIwillhopetogrowoldwithyou.
Yourluteinyourhands,
Willemititsquietpleasanttones.
WhenIknowthosewhoseacquaintanceyouwish,
Iwillgivethemoftheornamentsofmygirdle.
WhenIknowthosewithwhomyouarecordial,
Iwillsendtothemtheornamentsofmygirdle.
WhenIknowthosewhomyoulove,
Iwillrepaytheirfriendshipfromtheornamentsofmygirdle.
Justimaginetwomeninbedandoneofthemwakingtheotheruptoencouragehimtodoallthosemanlythings!Itwouldmakeawonderfulsketchonstage!Thetitleofthepoemwouldalsobecome"男曰雞鳴"!Andimagineanotherpoemfrom詩經entitled〈著〉:
俟我於著乎而充耳以素乎而
尚之以瓊華乎而
俟我於庭乎而充耳以青乎而
尚之以瓊瑩乎而
俟我於堂乎而充耳以黃乎而
尚之以瓊英乎而
Justimaginethesetting:aprearrangedmarriagebetweentwoChinesemenandoneofthem,dressedupwithawoman'sornaments,seeingtheotherforthefirsttime!Ilaughoutloudjustthinkingaboutit!