Transcipt:
Opening: 我們很高興又有一位領事來到我們的直播室。談到美食和美酒，大家都會想到這個地方。我們今天很高興請到法國駐港總領事Mr. Alexandre Giorgini.
感謝你來到我們的節目！我們想先請總領事和我們打招呼。
我很高興能來到香港電台，我覺得談論文化是十分重要的，因為我們人與人之間能築起橋樑。所以我今天很樂意回答你對法國的問題。
總領事來了香港不久，第一次上我們的節目。我們的第一條題目是他認為最有特色的法國文化是甚麼？
我覺得我們用上許多小時討論，聽眾準備好聽一整天嗎？我是一個戲劇愛好者，我不知道為什麼，可能因為在法國的學校，自小你就有很多機會在學校裡做話劇和飾演經典的角色。每年七月，法國都會有一個戲劇為主題的節目——亞維儂藝術節Festival of Avignon。亞維儂是一個位於法國東南部的中世紀城市，在隆河的左邊。它是法國境內非常適合種植葡萄園的地方，所以是一個很好的旅遊勝地。那裡有很多紀念碑。我想很多人不知道法國政府在中世紀14世紀從義大利俘虜了羅馬主教，足足一個世紀。為了控制天主教，我們的國王菲力四世不單單選了法國波爾多主教為羅馬主教，他更強迫他在19世紀於亞維儂創制，所以今天在亞維儂有主教的宮殿，也有中世紀的石橋，是一個很值得到訪旅遊的地方。在這一個月內，你會看到這個小鄉鎮搖身一變成為一個露天的舞台，每天晚上你都能發掘許多東西。就像一個嘉年華似的，遍佈全城，不但會在廣場，在紀念碑也會找到表演的身影。在這個天氣晴朗的七月，會看到有各式各樣的表演，例如舞蹈表演、戲劇表演、默劇等等。最有趣的是，不少新作品都為這個藝術節而誕生，所以這個節日其實法國戲劇屆的「先導者」。
所以我們能在這裡找到國際戲劇節目的首映嗎？
許多節目的首映。人們參與的原因是第一，因為是首映，是實驗性質，所以能找到各式各類的表演，從經典到現代的表演類型。表演落幕後，人們會聚在一起討論研究剛剛的表演，這個非常有趣。第二個原因是在這個美麗的中世紀城市中，能找到經典和現代的完美融合。這提醒了我們生活是複雜的，沒有一樣東西是固定不變的代表。所以，去亞維儂吧！
我們十分嚮往前往看看。還有沒有法國的特別文化和我們分享？
就正如我剛才所說，親身去法國吧！就能親自了解法國，有自己的判斷。但是亞維儂是一個很好的地方，那裡有文化，也有美食和美酒。
我還沒有去過亞維儂，我只去過康城和尼斯。我想去亞維儂很久了。
那你對香港文化的印象呢？我知道領事來了這裡幾個月，我也知道領事非常喜歡中華文化，那香港文化呢？
我還有許多東西要學習，每天我都會在香港發掘到到新的事物，這是一個美好的地方。作為一個法國人，我喜歡新舊之間的對比，週末的時候我會在上環慢慢散步，那裡有很多古董店。雖然我不是經常都會光顧，但和商店主人聊天十分有趣，他們對古董很有熱情，喜歡和我分享它們的歷史。我也享受在這個尋找到法國遺產的痕跡。你可能會覺得驚訝，但我喜歡在聖母無原罪主教座堂裡工作，它的歌德式建築風格是典型法國建築風格。在裡面，更會找到許多法國的藝術，例如它的玻璃窗就是在法國圖爾製造。圖爾在法國西北部，今天是製造空中巴士的地方。教堂的玻璃窗在一個世紀前製造。黃昏時太陽光從玻璃窗穿透進來，折射出的五顏六色的光線，十分美麗。
太好了!我希望領事能繼續發掘更多不同的香港文化。
我感到很驚訝，因為我們知道香港有許多殖民時代的建築物，但不知道原來也有法國的建築。
我很欣賞香港的是現在正在重修前法國外方傳道大樓。第二次世界大戰後，大樓曾經是暫借香港政府作為行政基地，現在應該是立法機關的辦公室，將會在2020年中重新啟用。所以是重新賦予了它生命。我覺得對於香港這樣一個城市，活化，而不是徹底拆除，是非常重要的。
第三個問題是請領事為我們介紹法國的國花或其他你覺得對法國有象徵意義的花。
這是一條很難回答的問題，因為我們沒有國花。但在君主時代，我們有一個靈感來自鳶尾的花朵，我們叫它「fleur-de-lis」，是法國君主的象徵。
但我最喜歡的花是紫羅蘭。今年我們慶祝了拿破崙250歲生辰，拿破崙很喜歡紫羅蘭，因為是他第一次見到他的太太時她從腰帶摘下來送給他的花。拿破崙是一名戰士，也是一個有情之人。當他在1814被流放時，他對支持者說「不用擔心，等到紫羅蘭再盛開時我就會回來。」這是是他太太的建議。紫羅蘭後來變成拿破崙支持者互相相認的神聖記號。
還有，花在我們的生命裡十分重要，我一定要告訴各位聽眾，請送花給你們愛的人。我們真正需要的24小時營業商店其實應該是花店。
還有，其實香港區花洋紫荊是法國的傳教士在19世紀發現的，這也是法國和香港美好的聯繫。
「書本」的法文是bouquin, 而比較再輕鬆的可以說「livre」，在現代，我們用這個字代表我們鍾愛的書本。當你用這個字，代表我們能花上一整個週末休息，只是坐在家裡看書。
法國人喜歡發夢。我們有一個美麗的短語「été dens la lune」，意思是在月亮之中。英文裡應該是「you have your head in the clouds」。這個俚語說的是暫時與現實脫離、迷失。在西方的世界，月亮代表「夢」，是太陽的相反。太陽代表「活力，力量」，月亮是「夢，被動」。這個俚語很浪漫，我希望聽眾們都能「été dens la lune」。
We are glad to have Mr. Alexandre Giorgini, the Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau with us today.
Hi! Thank you for coming to our programme! Can you say some greetings to our listeners first?
I’m very happy to be in your RTHK, and I think speaking of culture is something essential, because we build bridges between our people, and it is essential, so today I will be really happy to answer your questions about France.
Is there anything you want to share with us about France, the most significant, representative of French culture, for instance maybe?
I think we can spend hours and hours, are your listeners ready for 24 hours? I will just show you the…I am a theatre lover, I don’t know exactly, maybe in French schools when you are a kid, you have many opportunities in school to train and play classic roles, as a kid.
And in France, every summer in July, you have the most amazing event dedicated to theatre, which is the Festival of Avignon. Avignon is a wonderful Medieval city in south-eastern France, on the left bunk of the Rhône River. Just to let the listeners know, it is a wonderful vineyard region, as in many parts of France, and it is absolutely worth visiting. The essential features are that it has many monuments, and I think not many people know the French government stole the Roman Pope in the Middle Ages, they stole it from Italy for 1 Century, in the 14th Century. In fact, to control the Catholic, our king Philip the 4th, not only organized the election of the French Bishop of Bordeuax as the Roman Pope, they even forced him to establish in Avignon 19th, that’s why you have today the Pope’s palace. There are Medieval stone bridges. All these everyday sites are worth visiting.
What can we find there, I would say that it is something that is amazing, during one month, you have the rural city which transforms itself into an open-air forum where you can discover more, every night. It is like a carnival, but everywhere in mid-town, on the squares, even in the monuments, in the buildings. Because it is in July, so the weather is nice, so you have dance, you have theatre, you have mime, you have all kinds of performances. 0400 And what is very interesting is most of the time, new works are created especially for this festival, which makes this festival in fact a “precursor” of theatrical creation in France.
That means we can see a lot of international premieres?
A lot of premieres. And people go there because first of all, you have premiere, so artists take risks, and they play modern style, new classics, or new texts, and it is absolutely free, experimental phrase. After the show, people gather, and they discuss between themselves, they judge, they criticize, it is really interesting.
The second reason why people like the Avignon Festival is it is the mix of classic and contemporary in a wonderful Medieval scenery. That reminds us of life is complex, you don’t have anything that represents you, represents all, represent white, represent black. And maybe this is the most efficient way to not to forget life is complex. So go to Avignon.
We are looking forward to go to see. Are there anything that Council General wants to tell us more about your special culture to your country?
I just said to your listeners, go visit France, and you will make your own opinions. But Avignon is a nice place because you have culture, you have food and wine.
I have never been to Avignon, I have only gone to Cannes and Nice, but I always want to go.
So how about the significant culture of Hong Kong? I know the Council General has been here for months, and I knew that you are very fond of Chinese culture too, so how about the Hong Kong culture?
Yes I have lot of things to learn, every day I make new discoveries in Hong Kong, that’s why it is such an amazing place. I have to say that as a French man, I love the contrast between old and new, at the weekends I love strolling around the streets of Sheung Wan districts, where you can find a lot of antique shops, I don’t always have money to afford, but it is always interesting to speak to the owners of the shops because they are very enthusiastic about what they sell. They like sharing their passion for the history of the objects.
I also appreciate finding some pieces of French heritage in Hong Kong. You may be surprised but I appreciate working in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, gothic style so purely French style. When you go there, you can find incredible French art, because some of the saint glass windows had been made in Tours. Tours is in the south-western part of France. Today it’s the place where we make airbus. The cathedral’s glass windows were made 1 century ago. It’s really beautiful at sunset to see the lights through the colours of the saint windows.
6. Wow, that’s really great! I hope Council General can stay longer and get to know culture.
I think it is also eye-opening for me, because of course we all know there is a lot of colonial architecture in Hong Kong, but hardly do we know that actually there are some French architecture in Hong Kong too.
What I appreciate about Hong Kong is now you are restoring the French mission building, which is in the very centre, near the cathedral. And after the WW2, the building was made the temporary quarters of the provisional Hong Kong Government. And now it is being revitalized as office for I think NGOs for the legal sector. So it will be a new life, and it will be completed in the mid 2020, so I think it is really important for such a city as Hong Kong not to fold the heritage but to revitalize and give a new life to the best of what you have.
7. That’s great. The third question will be can council general introduce the national flower or significant flowers of your country to our listeners?
Such a difficult question, because we don’t have any real national flower. But we have a national flower at the time of the king, it was a designed flower inspired by the iris, we call it “fleur-de-lis”, the symbol of the French monarch. But I have to say that I have one favourite French flower which is the violet. You may know that this year we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of birthday of a certain French man. He is quite well-know, his name is Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte was fond of violets, it is special as this flower came for his first meeting with his wife, his beloved Joséphine, because when they met for the first time, she gave him the bouquet of violets that she was wearing on her belt on that day. Napoleon was a warrior but he was also a lover, let’s not forget that. It is incredible to imagine that Napoleon was supposed to be a statesman, a warrior, when he left France for his first exile in 1814, he told his supporters “do not worry, I will be back, and I will be back when violets will flourish again” And it was of course the recommendation of Josephine. When monarchy is restored after the fall of the empire, violets became in fact a sacred signal for supporters of Napoleon used to recognize each other.
There is one thing, if you are talking about flowers, flowers are really the most important in life, I have to say to listeners, please offer flowers to the people you love, it is the most important thing in life. The only shop we need for 24 hours a day for emergency are flowers to show to people that we love them. And I think you listeners have to know that the bauhinia flower in Hong Kong was discovered by a French catholic missionary at the end of the 19th century, so I think it is a wonderful cultural link between France and Hong Kong.
Finally we want to ask council general to demonstrate any lately, current, trendy words of your country.
The French word of book is “livre”. But if you like you can use the word “booklet” This word, came from English, appears in 15th century. It is a way to speak about a useless old book. After years, we can use this word to speak about the book that we love. If you use the word bouquin , (or you can say livre more casually) - you can spend a whole weekend just relaxing, do nothing, just sit at home reading.
We like to dream, as French people. We have a beautiful expression which is “été dens la lune”, it means “summer in the moon”, just to be in the moon. I think in English it is you have your head in the clouds. This idiom refers to the behavior of disconnected from reality, just lost. In our western mentality, the moon refers to dream, the contrary to the sun. The sun is “activity, energy”. Moon is “dream, passivity”. You can use this idiom to speak about someone who is lost in his house. I would say to “be in the moon”, it’s nice and romantic. I hope many of your listeners like to be in the moon.
