Traveling in Your Own Room (2020 New Edition)

Voyage autour de ma chambre

Only by being trapped in a room can one find the door to escape the shackles of space.
Only in solitude can one find the mirror that reflects one's inner self.

Although you are trapped in a room, as long as you can regard this period of time as a journey, it will not only allow you to break free from the shackles of space and indulge in this journey, but also strengthen your senses, making the previous numbness become sensitive and the previous arrogance turn into humility.

Sentenced to house arrest for forty-two days for a duel, coinciding with the bustling carnival in full swing, this was undoubtedly the most severe punishment for a hot-blooded twenty-seven-year-old officer. Military orders and walls could confine the body's movements, but they could not prevent a vibrant soul from soaring through the heavens and earth, across time and space. Furthermore, with the companionship of a kind and loyal servant, a beloved dog, and books and paintings, his imagination was unleashed to its fullest, allowing the young man to soar freely, transforming what had once been a dreary confinement into a lively, vibrant, and philosophical journey through the room.

In 1790, Samuel de Maistre, a soldier, was arrested in a private brawl and imprisoned in his apartment for forty-two days. Despite his imprisonment, de Maistre went on a "travel"—an innovative kind of travel that culminated in his unconventional travelogue, "Travels in My Own Room." He explained that this kind of travel required no effort or expense; it was accessible to everyone, regardless of age, weather, or thieves; it was suitable for everyone.

De Maistre's destination on this journey wasn't some sun-and-beach destination—it was simply his room: a rectangular space, facing east and circumnavigating thirty-six steps. He had originally intended to walk from one corner of the room to the door, but a chair on the way altered his itinerary, and so did his thoughts. Thus, he wandered, directionless and boundless, through the room. He led the reader on a "wandering tour." Every object triggered a multitude of associations and memories. Things he normally overlooked or took for granted now opened his sight, hearing, and smell, allowing him to explore them from a new perspective. De Maistre scrutinizes every object around him, from his bed to his own fingers, its shape, lines, color, and function, pondering its past and future, exploring how its characteristics symbolize its personality, and even exploring the human soul and animal nature. These insights come to him without any need to climb mountains or ridges; even if he loses the ability to move, he still can do so.

De Maistre boasted that no one before him had dared, attempted, or even dreamed of such a journey, and that his experience would allow others to follow his example. He also expressed gratitude to those who had deprived him of his freedom: if he had not been under house arrest, he would not have learned how to find joy in the face of life's difficulties. His perspective is both positive and entertaining, making everything seem genuinely fun. It's no wonder that this book became a bestseller upon its publication.

We consume a vast amount of information daily from various media outlets. How much reflection and enlightenment do we derive from it? If we were not only deprived of our freedom of movement but also lived without cell phones, computers, televisions, radios, and the like, would we lose our wisdom, happiness, and even our sense of self? Fortunately, even without computers, we can still use our brains to entertain ourselves during this period of confinement—let De Maistre demonstrate.

The walls of the house can confine my body, but they cannot restrain my mind.
230 years ago, a European's meditation and joy, the first Chinese translation.

Selling Points

How long has it been since you've taken a good look around your room? When you're usually bored inside, why not let your five senses come alive as if you were traveling? Savor the details and observe carefully, seeing the extraordinary splendor in the unfamiliar and ordinary.

2020-04-01

網路與書出版

128

9789869760393