鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
Ihavebeenshootingandkilling.It'samostenjoyablepast-time.TheseasonisbetweenAugustandJanuary.Westartwithgrouseinthesummerandpartridgesintheautumnandthenpheasantsandduckinthewinter.Buttheenjoymentisnotinthekilling.Itisinpursuitofthehumaninstincttohunt.Anditisinpursuitofthehumanreactionofbeingintheopencountryside.Thisseason,Ihavecriss-crossedEnglandfromDevonintheWesttoYorkshireintheNorth,aswellasothergreatcountieslikeSomerset,Gloucestershire,Hampshire,BerkshireandSussex.Itakemyguns(twoshotguns)andcartridgesandmeetupwithfriendsandstayovernightattheplaceoftheshoot.Wegetupinthemorningforaheartybreakfastbeforegoingout.Thereareusually8ofus(calledguns)andwhenwegooutinthefieldsorthewoods,westandinalinewaitingforthebirdstoflyoverus.Thesebirdsaredrivenoverheadusbybeaterswho"beat"withtheirsticksandmakethebirdstakeflight.Theyareusuallyveryexperienced.Birdsareoftenpresentedtoallthegunsinabeautifullysustainedfashion.Wethentryourskillsathittingthebirdsandattheendofeachdrive,wetalkaboutwhatwehitandwhatwemiss.Wealwayslaughateachotherandwitheachother.Usually,thereisalotofteasingoftheskillandartofshooting.
Sothewholebusinessofashootverymuchinvolvesasocialaspectofcomradeship.Itiswonderfultobegatheredtogetherwithfriendsandnotjustinthediningroom,butoutsideinopennature.Iwasatsomespectacularlocationslastmonth.TheYorkshiremoorsareverygrand-theystretchformilesinundulatinggroundsandfromwhereIwas,IsawthedramaticEnglishseaatWhitbyBay.Thistownisalmostperchedonacliffandthesceneryismajestic.ThenIwasalsointheWelshhillsandintheirvalleys,andIcanremembertheshiftinglightsandshadowsofthesunpassingthroughthelandundermovingclouds.Thenit'snolessspectacularnearNorthumberlandwherethereisahintofthewildernessofScotland-wherethehumanpersonbecomesveryhumble.
Andthisisthepoint:wewhohavethemisfortunetoliveinaninsulatedurbanmess(anditisamess)donotrealisewhatwearemissinginrurallife.AlthoughIhavesomeveryfondmemoriesofgoingwithmygrandmotheronaweeklypicnicatShatin,thereisnownopossibilityofthishappeningunlessyouwanttospreadyourblanketoutonapavementunder20,000pigeon-holeflatsbuiltinfacelessmonoliths.
ItisatragedywhenIthinkhowincrediblyoutoftouchweareinHongKongareaboutthewild.ThereareindeedwonderfulwalksaroundHongKongandthecountryparksarealsobeautifulandifthereisonethingtheGovernmentandtheTourismBoardaredoingright,itistheirpromotionofnatureinHongKong.Afterall,60%ofHongKongisgreenandthereforethereismoregreenspacesthanman-madeurbanjungle.
Butyouneedthespectacularsceneriestobringhomethattremendousfeelingofmen'srelationshipwithnature-howsmallwefeel;howhumblingwebecomeandhowwondrousnatureis.AsIseebirdsflyingacrosstheskiesabovesomeresplendentlandscapes,I,withmyguns,standinginclotheswhicharedesignedtoblendin,neverfailtofeelanenormoussenseofbeingatonewithnature.
WeneedtoeducateeveryoneinHongKongnevertoforgetnature.Weneedtotearawaytheyoungfromtheirtelevisionsetsandinternetmice.Weneedtopersuadethemtospendtimeinnaturenotonlytowalkinitbutseeitandwatchitanddigestit.
Thereisnowholesomenessinmanunlessheappreciatesnature.Amanwhoshunsnatureisanignorantman.Amanwhoforgetsaboutnatureisastupidman.Butamanwhoembracesnatureisacompleteman.So,in"AsYouLikeIt",Shakespearewrites:
"Thisourlife,exemptfrompublichaunt,
Findstonguesintrees,booksinrunningbrooks,
Sermonsinstones,andgoodineverything."
