143 “Will Half-san Naohiro Dream of the Hakone Ekiden?”: A Wonderful Journey About Running and Translation
In 2024, Itoie Jun published his latest work, Our Hakone Ekiden. When this bestselling author shifts his perspective from the scheming in office buildings to the sweat on the running track, and when the creator of “Half-san Naohiro” turns his gaze toward the relay course in the Hakone mountains, how does a story about youth, perseverance, and legacy quietly unfold? In this episode, we are fortunate to invite Li Siyuan, the Chinese translator of Our Hakone Ekiden, to join the conversation. From the perspective of a translator and a seasoned long-distance running enthusiast, she provides an in-depth interpretation of the cultural implications behind this novel and the “Hakone Ekiden” event. We will also discuss why this national-level sporting event, with a history of over a century, can make all of Japan boil over every New Year’s Day. Furthermore, the “Kanto Academic League Team” focused on in the story of Our Hakone Ekiden is actually a “League of Losers” composed of rejected candidates from various schools. Their results are not recorded in the official records of the “Hakone Ekiden.” So, does giving one’s all on the track still have meaning and value? If the outcome is no longer important, does the process itself still hold meaning?
Original Chinese title & description
143 “半泽直树会梦到箱根驿传吗？”：一场有关跑步与翻译的奇妙旅程
池井户润在2024年出版了自己的最新作品——《我们的箱根驿传》。当这位畅销作家将自己的视角从写字楼的勾心斗角转向跑道上的挥汗如雨时，当"半泽直树"的创作者将目光投向箱根山间的接力赛道时，一个关于青春、坚持与传承的故事会如何悄然展开呢？ 本期节目，我们有幸邀请到了《我们的箱根驿传》的中文译者李思园来参与对谈。请她从译者与资深长跑爱好者的角度，为大家深入解读这部小说以及“箱根驿传”这项赛事背后的文化意涵。我们也会谈及这项被长达百年的国民级体育赛事，为什么能在每年元旦期间让整个日本都为之沸腾。此外，《我们的箱根驿传》故事所聚焦的"关东学联队"，其实是一直由各校落选者组成的"败者联盟"。他们的成绩不会被记入“箱根驿传”的正式比赛记录，那么在赛道上倾尽全力究竟是否还有意义和价值呢？当结果已不重要，那么过程本身是否还有意义呢？
Participation credit “本期参与者”：沙青青（微信公众号：13号埋立地、小红书：Sha-13号埋立地）。
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