世界神圣奇观（2019）（2）

只是为了完成穹顶
just to complete the dome.
还有缅♥甸♥的Shwedagon宝塔
And the Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar
覆盖着20000多块纯金瓷砖，
is covered in over 20,000 solid gold tiles,
由过去500年的君主和奉献者捐赠
donated by monarchs and devotees over the last 500 years.
但并不是所有的奇迹都是由人类手工创造的
But not all wonders are crafted by human hands.
在日本西南部，
In southwest Japan,
一个神圣的奇迹是景观本身的一部分
one sacred wonder is part of the landscape itself.
在133米处，
At 133 metres,
这是日本最高的完整瀑布
it’s Japan’s tallest unbroken waterfall.
神道教是日本的主要信仰之一
Shinto is one of the main faiths in Japan
而且被认为可以追溯到史前时代
and is thought to date back to prehistoric times.
它的信徒相信被称为卡米的神，
Its devotees believe that deities, known as kami,
居住在大自然的每一个角落
inhabit every part of nature.
从岩石到河流、
From rocks, to rivers,
到树。
to trees.
据说日本有无数的卡米神
There are thought to be countless kami in Japan…
纳奇瀑布被认为是最强大的瀑布之一
..and Nachi Waterfall is believed to be one of the most powerful.
每年，这个瀑布都会举♥行♥一场不同寻常的仪式
Every year, this waterfall is the site of an extraordinary ceremony
神道教的追随者认为哪些对健康至关重要
which followers of Shinto believe is vital for the wellbeing
在整个日本
of all Japan.
神道教♥徒♥ 村井.奇卡拉 将参加
Shinto devotee Chikara Murai will be taking part.
他从小就崇拜这里
He’s worshipped here since he was a boy.
瀑布对佛教♥徒♥和神道教♥徒♥都是神圣的
The waterfall is sacred to both Buddhists and followers of Shinto.
几个世纪以来，
And over the centuries,
瀑布旁形成了一个寺庙和神殿的综合体
a complex of temples and shrines has grown up by the falls.
奇卡拉在附近的一个城镇担任政♥府♥办事员
Chikara works in a nearby town as a government clerk.
当他来祈祷时，
When he arrives to pray,
他鼓掌以引起卡米神的关注
he claps to attract the attention of the kami.
除了瀑布的卡米神，
Apart from the kami of the waterfall,
信徒相信还有12个其他神住在这里
devotees believe there are 12 others that live here in the shrine.
如果这些卡米神被激活，
If these kami are energised,
人们相信日本将迎来繁荣的一年
it’s believed Japan will have a prosperous year.
为了确保这一点，奇卡拉明天将承担
And to ensure this, tomorrow, Chikara is going to undertake
严峻的挑战
a gruelling challenge.
他将帮助神社的卡米神
He is going to help the kami of the shrine
每年对瀑布进行一次重要的参观
make a crucial annual visit to the waterfall.
但通往瀑布的道路是一段600米长的陡峭楼梯
But the path to the falls is a steep, 600 metre long staircase
沿着山坡
down the mountainside.
在卡米神经过之前，
And before the kami can pass along it,
它必须被净化
it must be purified…
用火
..with fire.
这是用巨大的火把完成的
That’s done with gigantic, flaming torches.
今年，这是第一次，
This year, for the first time,
奇卡拉被选为12名火炬手之一
Chikara has been picked as one of the 12 torchbearers.
这是节日的前一天，
It’s the day before the festival,
奇卡拉第一次尝试携带
and the first chance Chikara’s had to try carrying
其中一把没有点燃的火把
one of these unlit torches.
它重达50公斤——大约8英石（重量单位1stone=6.35kg）
It weighs 50kg – almost 8 stone.
奇卡拉自己只多重10公斤
Chikara himself weighs just 10 kilograms more.
明天，奇卡拉将不得不传递火炬
Tomorrow, Chikara will have to carry the torch
直到主火炬手决定路线
until the chief torchbearer decides the route
已经被充分净化了
has been sufficiently purified.
这将是对他的力量和信仰的严峻考验
It will be a demanding test of his strength as well as his faith.
今天是防火节的早晨
It’s the morning of the Fire Festival.
就像每天一样，
Like every day,
牧师举♥行♥仪式纪念神圣的瀑布
the priest conducts a ceremony to honour the sacred falls.
来自日本各地的人们前来观看神社的卡米神
People from all over Japan have come to watch the kami of the shrine
开始他们的旅程
make their journey.
是时候让奇卡拉穿上火炬手的神圣长袍了
It’s time for Chikara to put on the torchbearer’s sacred robes.
卡米神 将乘坐特制的神牌前往瀑布
The kami will be taken to the falls in specially built carriers.
一旦卡米神上路，神牌就会升起
Once a kami is on board, the carrier is raised…
他们可以开始前往神圣瀑布的旅程
..and their journey to the sacred falls can begin.
与此同时，在台阶的底部，
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the steps,
点火仪式开始了
the fire ceremony gets under way.
奇卡拉必须上下楼梯
Chikara must go up and down the stairs
一次又一次
over and over again.
总火炬手认为需要的次数
As many times as the chief torchbearer feels is needed
清理路线
to cleanse the route.
他们两人一组工作-
They work in pairs –
一个人来传递火炬
one to carry the torch
另一个设法通过喷水来控制火势
and one to try and control the fire by spraying water at it.
必须把燃烧着的松散木块敲下来
The loose pieces of burning wood have to be knocked off…
这意味着奇卡拉必须继续放下沉重的火炬
..which means Chikara must keep putting the heavy torch down…
…然后再把它抬起来
..and lifting it back up again.
带着卡米神的神牌现在已经抵达
The carriers with their kami have now arrived
在小路的顶端
at the top of the path.
奇卡拉已经上下楼梯五次了
Chikara’s already been up and down the stairs five times.
但这条路线尚未被视为被清理干净
But the route isn’t yet deemed to have been cleansed.
他们中的一些人开始艰难了
Some of them are beginning to struggle…
包括奇卡拉
..including Chikara.
奇卡拉和他的助手交换了一会儿
Chikara swaps with his assistant for a few moments.
最终，主火炬手宣布路线
Eventually, the chief torchbearer declares that the route
已经被净化了
has been purified…
最后，卡米神可以被带往神圣的瀑布
..and at last, the kami can be taken to the sacred falls.
对奇卡拉来说，这是一个疲惫、但快乐的一天的结束
For Chikara, it’s the end of an exhausting but happy day.
他们的参拜让神社的卡米神重新焕发了活力，
The kami of the shrine, reenergised by their visit,
被带回家，
are taken back to their home,
在那里，人们相信他们会让日本再繁荣一年
where it’s believed they’ll keep Japan prosperous for another year.
在世界许多地方，
In many parts of the world,
神圣的奇迹就在遥远而难以接近的地方，
sacred wonders are in remote and inaccessible places,
非常适合安静沉思
ideal for quiet contemplation.
不丹的虎巢建在传说是一位古鲁导师的窗台上
The Tiger’s Nest in Bhutan was built on the ledge where a guru is said
导师一直打坐三年多
to have meditated for over three years.
当梅托拉修道院最初建于希腊时，
And when the monasteries of Meteora were first built in Greece,
人们只能用网绞车才能够到达
people could only reach them by being winched up in nets.
但在宗教迫♥害♥时期，
But during times of religious persecution,
他们的位置也与防守有关
their location is also about defence.
其中一个奇迹已经有2000多年的历史了
One such wonder is over 2,000 years old
现在却成了废墟
and now lies in ruins.
然而，它对犹太人来说仍然是一个非常重要的地方，
And yet, it remains a place of extraordinary significance to Jews,
因为罗马时代这里发生的一件事
because of an event that took place here during Roman times.
一座耸立在以色列犹太沙漠上的山间堡垒
A mountain fortress rising sheer from the Judean desert in Israel…
以及遗骨的家园
..and home to the remains
是地球上已知最古老的犹太教堂之一
of one of the oldest known synagogues on the planet.
马萨达是希律王宫殿所在的地方
Masada was where the palace of King Herod stood
在基♥督♥的时代
in the time of Christ.
许多人相信这座堡垒是犹太人最后的据点
Many believe that this fort is where the Jews made their last stand
在一世纪对抗罗马侵略者
against Roman invaders in the first century.
经过数月的围困，这些叛军选择了死亡
After months of siege, these rebels chose death
而不是放弃他们的信仰
rather than give up their faith.
今天，这个地方被认为是如此具有象征意义，以至于犹太人
Today, this site is considered so symbolic that Jewish people
从世界各地旅行来这里
travel here from all over the world.
13岁的米娅和12岁的雅各布·扎雷茨基
13-year-old Mia and 12-year-old Jacob Zaretsky
住在离Masada近6000英里的地方
live almost 6,000 miles from Masada…
在新泽西州绿树成荫的郊区
..in the leafy suburbs of New Jersey.
一周后，他们将前往以色列
One week from now, they’ll be travelling to Israel
这是第一次
for the first time.
他们要去马萨达参加最重要的宗教仪式
They’re going to Masada for the most important religious rite of passage
对于任何一个年轻的犹太人的
for any young Jew.
成年礼
The Bar Mitzvah.
我们要去以色列朝圣
We’re taking a holy pilgrimage to Israel
为了我们一起的布奈成年礼
for our B’nai Mitzvah together.
我想在我祖先的遗骨上成人
I feel like becoming a man on top of my ancestors’ dead bodies
是非常
is very…
重要的
important.
他们的父母克雷格和丽莎邀请了大家庭成员前来参观
Their parents, Craig and Lisa, have invited the extended family round
庆祝即将到来的旅行
to celebrate the upcoming trip.
L’chaim!
犹太女孩的成年礼和犹太男孩的成年礼
The Bat Mitzvah for a girl and Bar Mitzvah for a boy
是犹太儿童在眼中长大成人的时刻，
is the point at which Jewish children become adults in the eyes
在他们的信仰之中