Chinese
TV Show
Brings Together Country’s
Leading
Writers to Discuss Kafka, AI
中國電視節目邀請國內知名作家共同探討卡夫卡與人工智慧
Set
on a picturesque resort island
on a picturesque resort island
in southern China, “I Read Books on an
Island” is proving a
Island” is proving a
hit
with viewers
enthralled
by discussions
surrounding the love of writing and reading.
surrounding the love of writing and reading.
《我在島上讀書》以中國南方一個風景如畫的度假島嶼為背景，受到圍繞熱愛寫作和閱讀展開討論的觀眾的熱捧。
A
Chinese television show
Chinese television show
featuring
some of the country’s most
celebrated
writers has
received rave reviews
for its celebration of reading and
writing.
writing.
中國的一個電視節目因為慶祝閱讀和寫作而受到好評，該節目由中國一些最著名的作家主演。
The
second season of the weekly show “I Read Books on an Island,”
second season of the weekly show “I Read Books on an Island,”
airing
on
Toutiao and Jiangsu Television, sees four
Toutiao and Jiangsu Television, sees four
literary figures
— authors Yu
Hua and Su Tong,
Hua and Su Tong,
literary editor
Cheng Yongxin, and
academic
Ye Zi —
running a bookstore on a resort island off the coast of the southern
city of Zhuhai, where they discuss their favorite literature and the art
of writing.
running a bookstore on a resort island off the coast of the southern
city of Zhuhai, where they discuss their favorite literature and the art
of writing.
每週一次的節目《我在島上讀書》第二季在今日頭條和江蘇衛視上播出，節目中有四位文學人物ーー作家餘華和蘇童、文學編輯程永新和學者葉紫ーー在南方城市珠海海濱的一個度假島上開了一家書店，討論他們最喜歡的文學作品和寫作藝術。
The
show also includes visits from other celebrated Chinese writers. The
show also includes visits from other celebrated Chinese writers. The
major guest
for season two, which
premiered
on June 15, was the Nobel
Prize winner Mo Yan, a roommate of Yu Hua’s at the Lu Xun School of
Literature in the late 1980s.
Prize winner Mo Yan, a roommate of Yu Hua’s at the Lu Xun School of
Literature in the late 1980s.
節目還包括其他中國著名作家的訪問。6月15日首播的第二季的主要嘉賓是諾貝爾獎得主莫言，他是餘華80年代末在魯迅文學院的室友。
In one
scene
, the writers gather around a computer and ask an artificial
intelligence system to write a poem with the
intelligence system to write a poem with the
prompt
“To Live,” the
title of Yu Hua’s famous novel.
title of Yu Hua’s famous novel.
在一個場景中，作家們聚集在一臺電腦前，要求一個人工智慧系統寫一首題為《活著》的詩，這是餘華著名小說的標題。
The
writers agree the resulting poem is disappointing. Cheng Yongxin, the
writers agree the resulting poem is disappointing. Cheng Yongxin, the
legendary
editor who has worked on “To Live” and Su Tong’s
novella
“Wives and Concubines,” says it is “average.”
作者們一致認為最終的詩歌令人失望。曾為《活著》和蘇童的中篇小說《妻妾成群》工作過的傳奇編輯程永新(音譯)說，這首詩“很普通”。
“Human
civilization is too
civilization is too
complex
for machines to provide
guidance
, as the
destiny of an individual usually goes in different directions and
different areas,” Yu said. His student, Ye Xinyun, argues that AI will
not replace humans in the field of literature because machines do not
have feelings.
destiny of an individual usually goes in different directions and
different areas,” Yu said. His student, Ye Xinyun, argues that AI will
not replace humans in the field of literature because machines do not
have feelings.
“人類文明太過複雜，機器無法提供指導，因為個體的命運通常走向不同的方向和不同的領域,”餘說。他的學生葉新雲認為，在文學領域，人工智慧不會取代人類，因為機器沒有感情。
The
writers also remember the difficulties of pursuing their passions when
they were younger. Discussing his well-known
writers also remember the difficulties of pursuing their passions when
they were younger. Discussing his well-known
admiration
of Czech writer
Franz Kafka, Yu Hua explains the challenge of finding Kafka’s
Franz Kafka, Yu Hua explains the challenge of finding Kafka’s
works
as a
young aspiring writer due to the limited number of copies being sold in
China in the 1980s.
young aspiring writer due to the limited number of copies being sold in
China in the 1980s.
作家們還記得年輕時追求激情的困難。談到他對捷克作家弗朗茨 · 卡夫卡眾所周知的崇拜，餘華解釋了作為一個有抱負的年輕作家，由於20世紀80年代在中國銷售的複製數量有限，要找到卡夫卡的作品所面臨的挑戰。
Determined
to
to
get his hands on
a collection of Kafka novels he found in his
hometown of Hangzhou, he managed to convince his friend to
hometown of Hangzhou, he managed to convince his friend to
trade
him the
collection for Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”
collection for Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.”
為了得到他在家鄉杭州發現的卡夫卡小說集，他設法說服他的朋友用這些小說來交換托爾斯泰的《戰爭與和平》。
“Books
at that time didn’t have a second edition, and I thought I would never
get the book if I don’t get it this time," Yu said.
at that time didn’t have a second edition, and I thought I would never
get the book if I don’t get it this time," Yu said.
餘說: “那時候的書沒有第二版，我想如果這次我沒有得到這本書，我就永遠也得不到它了。”
The
show has been
show has been
a surprise hit
with viewers since its
debut
in November
2022, with 38
2022, with 38
hashtags
relating to the show having
trended
on
microblogging platform Weibo, the show revealed recently.
microblogging platform Weibo, the show revealed recently.
該節目自2022年11月首播以來，一直受到觀眾的驚喜，微博上出現了38個與該節目相關的標籤。
Several state media outlets have published articles praising the show for its
intellectual content. The show’s official Weibo account maintains
intellectual content. The show’s official Weibo account maintains
a list of all the books mentioned in each
episode
.
一些官方媒體發表了文章，稱讚該節目的知識內容。該節目的官方微博賬號儲存了每集中提到的所有書籍的清單。
On
review site Douban, users have praised the show for motivating them to
read more. Six episodes into season two, the show is one of the best
rated reality shows released this year on the site, with a rating of 9.0
out of 10 from more than 1,200 reviews. The first four episodes of this
season have been viewed 150 million times on Jiangsu Television,
according to official data
review site Douban, users have praised the show for motivating them to
read more. Six episodes into season two, the show is one of the best
rated reality shows released this year on the site, with a rating of 9.0
out of 10 from more than 1,200 reviews. The first four episodes of this
season have been viewed 150 million times on Jiangsu Television,
according to official data
.
在評論網站豆瓣上，使用者稱讚該節目激勵他們閱讀更多內容。第二季已經播出了六集，這部電視劇是今年在該網站上釋出的收視率最高的真人秀節目之一，在1200多條評論中，該節目的收視率為9.0。根據官方資料，本季前四集的江蘇衛視觀看量達到了1.5億次。
Yan Xiaoke, the show’s producer, told domestic outlet The Beijing News that the show has successfully appealed
to a broad audience
to a broad audience
beyond
dedicated
readers, challenging the
conventional
idea in the television industry that “
niche
” cultural shows
may fail to capture many viewers.
may fail to capture many viewers.
該節目的製片人嚴小可告訴國內媒體《新京報》，該節目已經成功地吸引了除了忠實讀者之外的廣大觀眾，挑戰了電視行業中“小眾”文化節目可能無法吸引許多觀眾的傳統觀念。
Superficial
content can no longer satisfy the needs of the Chinese audience, she added.
她補充說，膚淺的內容已經不能滿足中國觀眾的需求。
The
show is the latest cultural television show to gain popularity among
Chinese viewers. Other hits in recent years include state broadcaster
CCTV’s “National Treasure,” which explores cultural relics in detail.
Meanwhile, an animated film based on ancient Chinese poetry is currently storming the domestic box office
show is the latest cultural television show to gain popularity among
Chinese viewers. Other hits in recent years include state broadcaster
CCTV’s “National Treasure,” which explores cultural relics in detail.
Meanwhile, an animated film based on ancient Chinese poetry is currently storming the domestic box office
.
這檔節目是最新一檔在中國觀眾中大受歡迎的文化電視節目。近年來的其他熱門節目包括中央電視臺的《國寶》 ，該節目對文物進行了詳細的探索。與此同時，一部基於中國古詩詞的動畫電影正在席捲國內票房。