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Translating "Psychedelic"
English-language terminology for the reader of Chinese
by Nightnine
v1.0 - Apr 2016
Citation:   Nightnine. "Translating "Psychedelic": English-language terminology for the reader of Chinese". Erowid.org. Apr 14, 2016.
Introduction
Following is a short essay in Chinese, translating into the Chinese language the English words that we commonly use to describe psychoactive drugs, especially psychedelics. The author was motivated to develop a translation for the word "psychedelic", since historically Chinese has only the word "hallucinogen".

The Chinese word for "hallucinogen" (迷幻剂) derives from the characters (迷) and (幻) and shares very similar connotations with the English word. The character (迷) in this word means "to be confused" or "to be lost". The character (幻) means "unreal", "imaginary" or "illusory" and is part of the Chinese word (幻觉), meaning "hallucination" or literally "illusory perceptions". The third character in (剂) just means "dose" or "drug". Taken together, (迷幻), which is usually translated as "psychedelic", is really much closer to the word "hallucinogen", implying that one is "lost" in "illusory perceptions".

As readers may be aware, this is precisely the linguistic problem that Humphry Osmond and Aldous Huxley tackled in 1957, when they perceived a disjoint between their psychedelic experiences and the language being used to describe the drugs in question. The story of why and how these two historic figures in the psychedelic movement came up with the term is the premise for this article in Chinese and the translations put forth here.

Along with "psychedelic", Chinese words are proposed for "psychoactive", "entheogen", "empathogen", "entactogen", and "oneirogen". A translation and explanation are also given for the word "trip/tripping".

The translation for "psychedelic" that is delineated by the author uses the character that signifies "Tao" (or "Dao") along with the character for "heart" = 道心.

"Dao" (道) refers to the "Tao" of Taoism, meaning "way" or "path" in all senses of the English word. Because of the Chinese context of Taoist philosophy, the word has deep and complex socio-cultural meaning. In classical Chinese, Dao also means "speak" or "say", or possibly even "know", which is grammatically how it operates in the following translation.

The first line of the Dao De Jing text states that the Dao that can be known or explained is not the eternal Dao, implying a constant state of change or perhaps an infinite mystery, which resonates with canonic descriptions of the psychedelic experience.

The second character (心) means "heart". It refers to the physical heart, as well as to the emotions and feelings that go along with it in most cultures. In Chinese, the heart is generally understood as the location of the mind. The Chinese word for "Psychology" is 心理学, or "the study of the logic/reason/intrinsic order of the heart". Since psychedelics tap deeply into emotional states just as much as they "expand the mind", this makes the inclusion of 心 a good choice.

Putting the two characters together, they can be re-translated into English as "leading to the heart/mind" or "elucidating the mind", which evokes the "mind revealing" implied in the word "psychedelic" as originally proposed by Osmond.

(Text provided in Traditional Chinese and in Simplified Chinese.)

1957年,心理醫生漢弗萊•奧斯蒙(Humphry Osmond)為解決當時的一個用詞問題 ,寫了一封信給奧爾德斯•赫胥黎(Aldous Huxley)。四年前,奧斯蒙給赫胥黎喝了一劑墨斯卡靈(又譯"仙人球毒鹼")。赫胥黎此后撰寫了一本叫做《知覺之門》的書,該書描述墨斯卡靈對他思想的影響與許多哲理的深省。對於西方社會來說,他們都屬於來嘗試這種藥的第一批人。當時傳統的西方文化中並沒有關於該藥的知識,所以它被稱為"迷幻藥"(hallucinogen)。奧斯蒙認為"迷幻藥"一詞並不足以體現它對於心理治療的意義,並且會誤使人們認為它的效果是純粹的致幻而且會導致頹靡的精神狀態。奧斯蒙寫信來求助赫胥黎幫他想出一個更合適的詞語。 首先赫胥黎提出了"phanerothyme",一個源自"精神"和"靈魂"的詞語。他寫道:

"To make this trivial world sublime,
Take half a Gramme of phanerothyme."

"欲使瑣碎世界變得崇高,
服用半克phanerothyme"

奧斯蒙回信說:

"To fathom hell or soar angelic
Just take a pinch of psychedelic."

"若想領悟地獄聖潔地翱翔
隻要服用一點psychedelic"

1957年奧斯蒙在紐約科學院會議上論証了迷幻藥的效果遠大於科學界現有的了解,所以必須給它一個新的命名來體現它豐富人們的想法以及擴展人們視野的特性。"Psychedelic"來自希臘語"psykhe-"和"deloun/delos",前者意為"腦海"或"精神",后者則意味著"展現"或"凸顯"。

事實上漢語中對迷幻藥現在還存在上文所討論的用詞不當問題。"迷幻藥"一詞隻包含了幻覺或迷惑的意思,並不暗示服用該藥有各種效果和好處。我們常用"迷幻"來翻譯"psychedelic",但更緊扣原詞的翻譯可以是"通靈藥"或者"通神藥"。而我自己覺得"道心劑"或者"道心藥"特別貼切。"道心藥"可以用來進行心理治療,然而"道心劑"可以用來描述所有其他的用法。我認為"道心"的意思很難以解釋,好奇的可以自己研究,考慮這個詞語真正的意義。

語言是思想的一大部分,並且語言對思想的影響確實很大。因為思想是人在世界上做所有事情的根源,所以語言的問題就相當重要。有比較認可或贊許的詞語存在才能發展社會對藥的了解,並且服藥者有比較積極的詞語才能進入對服藥有益的狀態。現代道心文化群體定義的一些英文詞語也包括psychedelic,psychoactive,entheogen,empathogen,entactogen和oneirogen。

Psychedelic: 道心劑,道心藥

Psychoactive: 定義 – 某植物,化學成分,藥物對精神或心理有影響 翻譯 - 神效的(比如:神效藥,神效植物,神效蘑菇)

Entheogen: 定義 – 化學成分,通常來自植物,在宗教的情況下用來造成意識特殊狀態 翻譯 - 使神劑,神劑,使神藥,神藥

Empathogen: 這個詞語表示英文中"empathy"的意思,但這個單詞好像不好翻譯成中文。一個人對別人有empathy表示她能感知到,了解對方的情感,並且她經驗過同樣的心態,所以能夠同時共有對方的情感。Empathy可能靠近"同情心"(英文:sympathy)的意思,但主要的是不會有"可憐"或"可惜"感覺。我們應該能定義"empathy"比"同情心"還深。比如有同情心會安慰對方,反之,有empathy就跟對方同心而沒有外客觀的角度來安慰,勸說對方。最合適的翻譯大概是"感同身受"。

定義 – 化學成分,使得來感覺到別人的心態,並且產生相同的感覺 翻譯 - 通感藥,通感劑,通情藥,通情劑

Entactogen: 定義 – 增加觸覺的化學成分 翻譯 - 增觸劑,觸藥,觸劑

Oneirogen: 定義 – 化學成分或者植物使得導致意識夢類狀態 翻譯 – 夢藥,使夢藥,增夢藥,夢劑,使夢劑,增夢劑

Trip: 定義 – 原意是身體不動,而精神出行,看見或感知到各種各樣的景象,神,異世界,高層次維度,等等。后來通常用來表達用道心藥的活動,無論是否出竅。


Simplified Chinese Version


1957年,心理医生汉弗莱•奥斯蒙(Humphry Osmond)为解决当时的一个用词问题 ,写了一封信给奥尔德斯•赫胥黎(Aldous Huxley)。四年前,奥斯蒙给赫胥黎喝了一剂墨斯卡灵(又译"仙人球毒碱")。赫胥黎此后撰写了一本叫做《知觉之门》的书,该书描述墨斯卡灵对他思想的影响与许多哲理的深省。对于西方社会来说,他们都属于来尝试这种药的第一批人。当时传统的西方文化中并没有关于该药的知识,所以它被称为"迷幻药"(hallucinogen)。奥斯蒙认为"迷幻药"一词并不足以体现它对于心理治疗的意义,并且会误使人们认为它的效果是纯粹的致幻而且会导致颓靡的精神状态。奥斯蒙写信来求助赫胥黎帮他想出一个更合适的词语。

首先赫胥黎提出了"phanerothyme",一个源自"精神"和"灵魂"的词语。他写道:

"To make this trivial world sublime,
Take half a Gramme of phanerothyme."

"欲使琐碎世界变得崇高,
服用半克phanerothyme"

奥斯蒙回信说:

"To fathom hell or soar angelic
Just take a pinch of psychedelic."

"若想领悟地狱圣洁地翱翔
只要服用一点psychedelic"

1957年奥斯蒙在纽约科学院会议上论证了迷幻药的效果远大于科学界现有的了解,所以必须给它一个新的命名来体现它丰富人们的想法以及扩展人们视野的特性。"Psychedelic"来自希腊语"psykhe-"和"deloun/delos",前者意为"脑海"或"精神",后者则意味着"展现"或"凸显"。

事实上汉语中对迷幻药现在还存在上文所讨论的用词不当问题。"迷幻药"一词只包含了幻觉或迷惑的意思,并不暗示服用该药有各种效果和好处。我们常用"迷幻"来翻译"psychedelic",但更紧扣原词的翻译可以是"通灵药"或者"通神药"。而我自己觉得"道心剂"或者"道心药"特别贴切。"道心药"可以用来进行心理治疗,然而"道心剂"可以用来描述所有其他的用法。我认为"道心"的意思很难以解释,好奇的可以自己研究,考虑这个词语真正的意义。

语言是思想的一大部分,并且语言对思想的影响确实很大。因为思想是人在世界上做所有事情的根源,所以语言的问题就相当重要。有比较认可或赞许的词语存在才能发展社会对药的了解,并且服药者有比较积极的词语才能进入对服药有益的状态。现代道心文化群体定义的一些英文词语也包括psychedelic,psychoactive,entheogen,empathogen,entactogen和oneirogen。

Psychedelic: 道心剂,道心药

Psychoactive: 定义 – 某植物,化学成分,药物对精神或心理有影响 翻译 - 神效的(比如:神效药,神效植物,神效蘑菇)

Entheogen: 定义 – 化学成分,通常来自植物,在宗教的情况下用来造成意识特殊状态 翻译 - 使神剂,神剂,使神药,神药

Empathogen: 这个词语表示英文中"empathy"的意思,但这个单词好像不好翻译成中文。一个人对别人有empathy表示她能感知到,了解对方的情感,并且她经验过同样的心态,所以能够同时共有对方的情感。Empathy可能靠近"同情心"(英文:sympathy)的意思,但主要的是不会有"可怜"或"可惜"感觉。我们应该能定义"empathy"比"同情心"还深。比如有同情心会安慰对方,反之,有empathy就跟对方同心而没有外客观的角度来安慰,劝说对方。最合适的翻译大概是"感同身受"。

定义 – 化学成分,使得来感觉到别人的心态,并且产生相同的感觉 翻译 - 通感药,通感剂,通情药,通情剂

Entactogen: 定义 – 增加触觉的化学成分 翻译 - 增触剂,触药,触剂

Oneirogen: 定义 – 化学成分或者植物使得导致意识梦类状态 翻译 – 梦药,使梦药,增梦药,梦剂,使梦剂,增梦剂

Trip: 定义 – 原意是身体不动,而精神出行,看见或感知到各种各样的景象,神,异世界,高层次维度,等等。后来通常用来表达用道心药的活动,无论是否出窍。

Revision History #
  • v1.0 - Apr 2016 - Nightnine - Chinese-language article with English introduction.