么理由拒绝。他知道彭蠡年轻的时候为了几笔风险钱，曾经偷偷进入第一空间好几次，贩卖 私酒和烟。他知道这条路能走。 Lao Dao's errand required him to deliver a message to first Space-success would earn him a hundred thousand yuan,and if he managed to bring back a reply,two hundred thousand.Sure,it was illegal,but no one would be harmed,and as long as he followed the right route and method, the probability of being caught wasn't great.And the cash,the cash was very real.He could think of no reason to not take up the offer.He knew that when Peng Li was younger,he had snuck into First Space multiple times to smuggle contraband and made quite a fortune.There was a way. 545。他必须马上走了。 It was a quarter to six.He had to get going.now. 彭盖又叹口气，知道劝也没用。他已经上了年纪，对事懒散倦怠了，但他明白，自己在五士 岁前也会和老刀一样。那时他不在乎坐牢 之类的事。不过是熬几个月出米，挨两顿打，但挣 能过 。秩序局的条子也不过就是例行 Peng Li sighed again.He could see it was useless to ry to dissuade Lao Dao.He wasold enouh o fe lazy and tired of everything,but he remem ed how he would hav ad felt as a younger man and he ame choice as Lao Da o.Back then,he didn t care abc hat w g deal?You lost a le onths and got t money mad ong as y of the money no m r how much you suffered,you the shacmen seeLio Burea “从我房子底下爬下去，顺着排水管，毡布底下有我原来安上去的脚蹬， 身子贴得足够紧了 那 ，沿着阴影爬到边 若缝往北 走 一定得往北。千万别错 n the drain pipe fror nit Under the felt cloth you'll find hidden al th ak to the shac and t to the edge see the cleft.Follow the cleft and go rth.Rem mber,go no th 影接若解释了爬时土地的决。要借若升起的热头，从升高的一训沿截面爬过五十米，到 另一侧地面，爬上去，然后向东，那里会有一丛灌木，在土地合找的时候可以抓住并隐藏自 己。老刀没有听完，就已经将身子探出窗口，准备向下爬了。 Then peng li explained the technique for entering first space as the ground turned during the Change He had to wait until the ground hegan to cleave and rise Then from the elevated edge be had to swing over and scramble about fifty meters over the cross section until he reached the other side of the tuming earth,climb over,and head east.There,he would find a bush that he could hold onto as the ground descended and closed up.He could then conceal himself in the bush.Before Peng had even finished his explanation,Lao Dao was already halfway out the window,getting ready to climb down. 彭蠡帮老刀爬出窗子，扶着他踩稳了窗下的踏脚。彭蠡突然停下来。“说句不好听的，”他说 “我还是劝你最好别去。那边可不是什么好地儿，去了之后没别的，只能感觉自己的日子有 多操蛋。没劲
么理由拒绝。他知道彭蠡年轻的时候为了几笔风险钱，曾经偷偷进入第一空间好几次，贩卖 私酒和烟。他知道这条路能走。 Lao Dao’s errand required him to deliver a message to First Space—success would earn him a hundred thousand yuan, and if he managed to bring back a reply, two hundred thousand. Sure, it was illegal, but no one would be harmed, and as long as he followed the right route and method, the probability of being caught wasn’t great. And the cash, the cash was very real. He could think of no reason to not take up the offer. He knew that when Peng Li was younger, he had snuck into First Space multiple times to smuggle contraband and made quite a fortune. There was a way. 5:45。他必须马上走了。 It was a quarter to six. He had to get going, now. 彭蠡又叹口气，知道劝也没用。他已经上了年纪，对事懒散倦怠了，但他明白，自己在五十 岁前也会和老刀一样。那时他不在乎坐牢之类的事。不过是熬几个月出来，挨两顿打，但挣 的钱是实实在在的。只要抵死不说钱的下落，最后总能过去。秩序局的条子也不过就是例行 公事。他把老刀带到窗口，向下指向一条被阴影覆盖的小路。 Peng Li sighed again. He could see it was useless to try to dissuade Lao Dao. He was old enough to feel lazy and tired of everything, but he remembered how he had felt as a younger man and he would have made the same choice as Lao Dao. Back then, he didn’t care about going to prison. What was the big deal? You lost a few months and got beaten up a few times, but the money made it worthwhile. As long as you refused to divulge the source of the money no matter how much you suffered, you could survive it. The Security Bureau’s citation was nothing more than routine enforcement. Peng Li took Lao Dao to his back window and pointed at the narrow path hidden in the shadows below. “从我房子底下爬下去，顺着排水管，毡布底下有我原来安上去的脚蹬，身子贴得足够紧了 就能避开摄像头。从那儿过去，沿着阴影爬到边上。你能摸着也能看见那道缝。沿着缝往北 走。一定得往北。千万别错了。” “Start by climbing down the drain pipe from my unit. Under the felt cloth you’ll find hidden footholds I installed back in the day—if you stick close enough to the wall, the cameras won’t see you. Once you’re on the ground, stick to the shadows and head that way until you get to the edge. You’ll feel as well as see the cleft. Follow the cleft and go north. Remember, go north.” 彭蠡接着解释了爬过土地的诀窍。要借着升起的势头，从升高的一侧沿截面爬过五十米，到 另一侧地面，爬上去，然后向东，那里会有一丛灌木，在土地合拢的时候可以抓住并隐藏自 己。老刀没有听完，就已经将身子探出窗口，准备向下爬了。 Then Peng Li explained the technique for entering First Space as the ground turned during the Change. He had to wait until the ground began to cleave and rise. Then, from the elevated edge, he had to swing over and scramble about fifty meters over the cross section until he reached the other side of the turning earth, climb over, and head east. There, he would find a bush that he could hold onto as the ground descended and closed up. He could then conceal himself in the bush. Before Peng had even finished his explanation, Lao Dao was already halfway out the window, getting ready to climb down. 彭蠡帮老刀爬出窗子，扶着他踩稳了窗下的踏脚。彭蠡突然停下来。“说句不好听的，”他说， “我还是劝你最好别去。那边可不是什么好地儿，去了之后没别的，只能感觉自己的日子有 多操蛋。没劲
Peng Li held onto Lao Dao and made sure his foot was securely in the first foothold.Then he stopped."I'm going to say something that you might not want to hear.I don't think you should go Over there.is not so great.If you go,you'll end up feeling your own life is shit,pointless." 老刀的脚正在向下试探，身子还扒着窗台。“没事。”他说得有点费劲，“我不去也知道自己 的日子有多操蛋。 Lao Dao was reaching down with his other foot,testing for the next foothold.His body strained against the windowsill and his words came out abored."I doesn't matter.I already know my life is shit without having gone there." “好自为之吧。”彭蠡最后说。 "Take care of yourself,"Peng Li said. 老刀顺着彭蠡指出的路径快速向下爬。脚蹬的位置非常舒服。他看到彭蒸在窗口的身影，点 了根烟，非常大口地快速抽了几口，又拾了。彭蒸一度从窗口探出身子，似乎想说什么，但 最终还是缩了回去。窗子关上了，发着幽幽的光。老刀知道，彭蠡会在转换前最后一分钟钻 进胶囊，和整个城市数千万人一样，受胶囊定时释放出的气体催眠，陷入深深睡眠，身子随 着世界颠倒来去，头脑却一无所知， 一睡就是整整40个小时，到次日晚上再睁开眼睛。彭 盖已经老了，他终于和这个世界其他五千万人一样了： Lao Dao followed Peng Li's directions and groped his way down as quickly as he dared:the footholds felt very secure.He looked up and saw Peng Li light up a cigarette next to the window. taking deep drags.Peng Li put out the cigarette,leaned out. and seemed about to say something more,but ultimately he retreated back into his unit quietly.He closed his s window,which glowed with a faint light Lao Dao imagine Icrawling into his 1 at th minute,righ the Change e millions s the would release a el no ing as his od nsported by nd he would not open his eyesag fo 考刀用自最快的度向下 出 #,在离地足够近的时候纵 跑。他能 —转的的方不为后在物中东的和不后到草地生上的裂豫 过头， 高楼拦腰截断，上半截正从天上倒下，缓慢却不容置疑地压迫过来】 Lao Daoclimbed faster,barely touching the footholds.When he was close enouh to the nd e let luckily Peng li's uni oo far up.He nd ro n through the shadov in the g ass where the und would the heard the mud mbling from behind him interrunte I by a few crisp clangs.Lao Dao tumed around and saw Peng Li's building break in half.The top half folded down and pressed toward him,slowly but nexorably 老刀被震住了，怔任看了好一会儿。他跑到缝隙，伏在地上。 Shocked,Lao Dao stared at the sight for a few moments before recovering.He raced to the fissure in the ground,and lay prostrate next to it. 转换开始了。这是24小时周期的分隔时刻。整个世界开始翻转。钢筋砖块合拢的声音连成 片，像出了故障的流水线。高棱收拢合并，折叠成立方体。克虹灯、店铺招牌、阳台和附 加结构都被吸收入墙体，贴成楼的肌肤。结构见缝插针，每一寸空间都被占满
Peng Li held onto Lao Dao and made sure his foot was securely in the first foothold. Then he stopped. “I’m going to say something that you might not want to hear. I don’t think you should go. Over there . is not so great. If you go, you’ll end up feeling your own life is shit, pointless.” 老刀的脚正在向下试探，身子还扒着窗台。“没事。”他说得有点费劲，“我不去也知道自己 的日子有多操蛋。” Lao Dao was reaching down with his other foot, testing for the next foothold. His body strained against the windowsill and his words came out labored. “It doesn’t matter. I already know my life is shit without having gone there.” “好自为之吧。”彭蠡最后说。 “Take care of yourself,” Peng Li said. 老刀顺着彭蠡指出的路径快速向下爬。脚蹬的位置非常舒服。他看到彭蠡在窗口的身影，点 了根烟，非常大口地快速抽了几口，又掐了。彭蠡一度从窗口探出身子，似乎想说什么，但 最终还是缩了回去。窗子关上了，发着幽幽的光。老刀知道，彭蠡会在转换前最后一分钟钻 进胶囊，和整个城市数千万人一样，受胶囊定时释放出的气体催眠，陷入深深睡眠，身子随 着世界颠倒来去，头脑却一无所知，一睡就是整整 40 个小时，到次日晚上再睁开眼睛。彭 蠡已经老了，他终于和这个世界其他五千万人一样了。 Lao Dao followed Peng Li’s directions and groped his way down as quickly as he dared; the footholds felt very secure. He looked up and saw Peng Li light up a cigarette next to the window, taking deep drags. Peng Li put out the cigarette, leaned out, and seemed about to say something more, but ultimately he retreated back into his unit quietly. He closed his window, which glowed with a faint light. Lao Dao imagined Peng Li crawling into his cocoon–bed at the last minute, right before the Change. Like millions of others across the city, the cocoon–bed would release a soporific gas that put him into deep sleep. He would feel nothing as his body was transported by the flipping world, and he would not open his eyes again until tomorrow evening, forty–hours later. Peng Li was no longer young; he was no longer different from the other fifty million who lived in Third Space. 老刀用自己最快的速度向下，一蹦一跳，在离地足够近的时候纵身一跃，匍匐在地上。彭蠡 的房子在四层，离地不远。爬起身，沿高楼在湖边投下的阴影奔跑。他能看到草地上的裂隙， 那是翻转的地方。还没跑到，就听到身后在压抑中轰鸣的隆隆和偶尔清脆的嘎啦声。老刀转 过头，高楼拦腰截断，上半截正从天上倒下，缓慢却不容置疑地压迫过来。 Lao Dao climbed faster, barely touching the footholds. When he was close enough to the ground, he let go and landed on all fours. Luckily, Peng Li’s unit was only on the fourth story, not too far up. He got up and ran through the shadow cast by the building next to the lake. He saw the crevice in the grass where the ground would open up. But before he reached it, he heard the muffled rumbling from behind him, interrupted by a few crisp clangs. Lao Dao turned around and saw Peng Li’s building break in half. The top half folded down and pressed toward him, slowly but inexorably. 老刀被震住了，怔怔看了好一会儿。他跑到缝隙，伏在地上。 Shocked, Lao Dao stared at the sight for a few moments before recovering. He raced to the fissure in the ground, and lay prostrate next to it. 转换开始了。这是 24 小时周期的分隔时刻。整个世界开始翻转。钢筋砖块合拢的声音连成 一片，像出了故障的流水线。高楼收拢合并，折叠成立方体。霓虹灯、店铺招牌、阳台和附 加结构都被吸收入墙体，贴成楼的肌肤。结构见缝插针，每一寸空间都被占满
The Change began.This was a process repeated every twenty-four hours.The whole world started to turn.The sound of steel and masonry folding.grating.colliding filled the air,like an assembly line grinding to a halt.The towering buildings of the city gathered and merged into solid blocks; neon signs.shop awnings.balconies.and other protruding fixtures retracted into the buildings or flattened themselves into a thin layer against the walls,like skin.Every inch of space was utilized as the buildings compacted themselves into the smallest space. 大地在升起。老刀观察着地面的走势，来到缝的边缘，又随着缝隙的升起不断向上爬。他手 脚并用，从大理石铺就的地面边缘起始，沿着泥士的截面，抓住土里埋藏的金属断茬，最初 是向下，用脚试探着退行，很快，随着整快士地的翻转，他被带到空中。 The ground rose up.Lao Dao watched and waited until the fissure was wide enough.He crawled limbed,using his hands as well as feet.At first,he was climbing do ground rotated.he was lifted into then uand down lppedaround 老刀想到前一天晚上城市的样子。 Lao Dao was thinking about last night 周围发酵腐烂的垃圾散发出刺鼻的气 He had cautiously stuck his head out of the trash he 低a你的黑 当铁门城开的缝隙透入第一道街灯的黄色光芒，他俯下身去，从缓缓扩大的缝隙中钻出。街 物从烤 从 楼梯降 如同梦境 伸 招牌，连成 商铺的走廊，两侧 的塑料榻向头顶延伸闭合。街道空 Assoon as the yellow glow of the streetlights seeped into the seam under the lifting gate.he rall building uded n in the e sides of buildi nd into nded to the s eet.On both sides of the road one black cube after and o ed re aling the ed from the tons of the cubes and connected too rether while plastic awning extended from both sides of the lane to meet in the middle.forming a corridor of shops.The streets were empty,as though Lao Dao were dreaming. 霓虹灯亮了，商铺顶端闪烁的小灯打出新疆大枣、东北拉皮、上海烤麸和湖南腊肉。 The neon lights came on.Tiny flashing leds on top of the shops formed into character advertising jujubes from Xinjiang,lapi noodles from Northeast China,bran dough from Shanghai, and cured meats from Hunan 整整一天，老刀头脑中都忘不了这一幕。他在这里生活了四十八年，还从来没有见过这一切。 他的日子总是从胶囊起，至胶囊终，在脏兮兮的餐桌和被争吵萦绕的货摊之间穿行。这是他 第一次看到世界纯粹的模样
The Change began. This was a process repeated every twenty–four hours. The whole world started to turn. The sound of steel and masonry folding, grating, colliding filled the air, like an assembly line grinding to a halt. The towering buildings of the city gathered and merged into solid blocks; neon signs, shop awnings, balconies, and other protruding fixtures retracted into the buildings or flattened themselves into a thin layer against the walls, like skin. Every inch of space was utilized as the buildings compacted themselves into the smallest space. 大地在升起。老刀观察着地面的走势，来到缝的边缘，又随着缝隙的升起不断向上爬。他手 脚并用，从大理石铺就的地面边缘起始，沿着泥土的截面，抓住土里埋藏的金属断茬，最初 是向下，用脚试探着退行，很快，随着整快土地的翻转，他被带到空中。 The ground rose up. Lao Dao watched and waited until the fissure was wide enough. He crawled over the marble–lined edge onto the earthen wall, grabbing onto bits of metal protruding out of the soil. As the cleft widened and the walls elevated, he climbed, using his hands as well as feet. At first, he was climbing down, testing for purchase with his feet. But soon, as the entire section of ground rotated, he was lifted into the air, and up and down flipped around. 老刀想到前一天晚上城市的样子。 Lao Dao was thinking about last night. 当时他从垃圾堆中抬起眼睛，警觉地听着门外的声音。周围发酵腐烂的垃圾散发出刺鼻的气 息，带一股发腥的甜腻味。他倚在门前。铁门外的世界在苏醒。 He had cautiously stuck his head out of the trash heap, alert for any sound from the other side of the gate. The fermenting, rotting garbage around him was pungent: Greasy, fishy, even a bit sweet. He leaned against the iron gate. Outside, the world was waking up. 当铁门掀开的缝隙透入第一道街灯的黄色光芒，他俯下身去，从缓缓扩大的缝隙中钻出。街 上空无一人，高楼灯光逐层亮起，附加结构从楼两侧探出，向两旁一节一节伸展，门廊从楼 体内延伸，房檐延轴旋转，缓缓落下，楼梯降落延伸到马迷途上。步行街的两侧，一个又一 个黑色立方体从中间断裂，向两侧打开，露出其中货架的结构。立方体顶端伸出招牌，连成 商铺的走廊，两侧的塑料棚向头顶延伸闭合。街道空旷得如同梦境。 As soon as the yellow glow of the streetlights seeped into the seam under the lifting gate, he squatted and crawled out of the widening opening. The streets were empty; lights came on in the tall buildings, story by story; fixtures extruded from the sides of buildings, unfolding and extending, segment by segment; porches emerged from the walls; the eaves rotated and gradually dropped down into position; stairs extended and descended to the street. On both sides of the road, one black cube after another broke apart and opened, revealing the racks and shelves inside. Signboards emerged from the tops of the cubes and connected together while plastic awnings extended from both sides of the lane to meet in the middle, forming a corridor of shops. The streets were empty, as though Lao Dao were dreaming. 霓虹灯亮了，商铺顶端闪烁的小灯打出新疆大枣、东北拉皮、上海烤麸和湖南腊肉。 The neon lights came on. Tiny flashing LEDs on top of the shops formed into characters advertising jujubes from Xinjiang, lapi noodles from Northeast China, bran dough from Shanghai, and cured meats from Hunan. 整整一天，老刀头脑中都忘不了这一幕。他在这里生活了四十八年，还从来没有见过这一切。 他的日子总是从胶囊起，至胶囊终，在脏兮兮的餐桌和被争吵萦绕的货摊之间穿行。这是他 第一次看到世界纯粹的模样
For the rest of the day.Lao Dao couldn't forget the scene.He had lived in this city for forty-eight years,but he had never seen such a sight.His days had always started with the cocoon and ended with the cocoon,and the time in between was spent at work or navigating dirty tables at hawker stalls and loudly bargaining crowds surrounding street vendors This was the first time he had seen the world,bare. 每个清晨，如果有人从远处观望 一就像大货车司机在高速北京入口处等待时那样一他会 看到整座城市的伸展与折叠。 Every morning.an observer at some distance from the city-say,a truck driver waiting on the highway into Beiiing-could see the entire city fold and unfold. 清晨六点，司机们总会走下车，站在高速边上，揉着经过一夜潦草睡眠而昏沉的眼睛，打着 哈欠，相互指点若望向远处的城市中央。高速截断在七环之外，所有的翻转都在六环内发生。 不远不近的距离，就像遥望西山或是海上的一座孤岛。 At six in the morning.the truck drivers usually got out of their cabs and walked to the side of the highway.where they rubbed their eyes.still drowsy after an uncomfortable night in the truck Yawning.they greeted each other and gazed at the distant city center.The break in the highway was just outside the Seventh Ring Road,while all the ground rotation occurred within the Sixth Ring Road.The distance was perfect for taking in the whole city,like gazing at an island in the 晨光熹微中 座城市折叠自身，向地面收 高楼像最卑微的仆人，弯下腰 空，切断身 新裂弯 将头 扭 的 折 蓝色的天空中 腾起弥浸的灰色苍云 象苏醒的兽类 孤岛 y folded and colla The bowed sub ely like the d th nd a to the the sk Ψ pers s tic Rubi d then be 180de und an ing the ken side.The of the like a herd of b s under the -blue sky.The island that was the city settled in the 司机们就在困倦与饥饿中欣赏这一幕无穷循环的城市戏剧。 The truck drivers,tired and hungry,admired the endless cycle of urban renewal. 2 折叠城市分三层空间。大地的一面是第一空间，五百万人口，生存时间是从清晨六点到第 天清晨六点。空间休眠，大地翻转。翻转后的另一面是第二空间和第三空间。第二空间生 着两千五百万人口，从次日清晨六点到夜晚十点，第三空间生活者五千万人，从十点到清晨 六点，然后回到第一空间。时间经过了精心规划和最优分配，小心翼翼隔离，五百万人享用 二十四小时，七千五百万人享用另外二十四小时。 The folding city was divided into three spaces.One side of the earth was First Space,population five million.Their allotted time lasted from six o'clock in the morning to six o'clock the next
For the rest of the day, Lao Dao couldn’t forget the scene. He had lived in this city for forty–eight years, but he had never seen such a sight. His days had always started with the cocoon and ended with the cocoon, and the time in between was spent at work or navigating dirty tables at hawker stalls and loudly bargaining crowds surrounding street vendors. This was the first time he had seen the world, bare. 每个清晨，如果有人从远处观望——就像大货车司机在高速北京入口处等待时那样——他会 看到整座城市的伸展与折叠。 Every morning, an observer at some distance from the city—say, a truck driver waiting on the highway into Beijing—could see the entire city fold and unfold. 清晨六点，司机们总会走下车，站在高速边上，揉着经过一夜潦草睡眠而昏沉的眼睛，打着 哈欠，相互指点着望向远处的城市中央。高速截断在七环之外，所有的翻转都在六环内发生。 不远不近的距离，就像遥望西山或是海上的一座孤岛。 At six in the morning, the truck drivers usually got out of their cabs and walked to the side of the highway, where they rubbed their eyes, still drowsy after an uncomfortable night in the truck. Yawning, they greeted each other and gazed at the distant city center. The break in the highway was just outside the Seventh Ring Road, while all the ground rotation occurred within the Sixth Ring Road. The distance was perfect for taking in the whole city, like gazing at an island in the sea. 晨光熹微中，一座城市折叠自身，向地面收拢。高楼像最卑微的仆人，弯下腰，让自己低声 下气切断身体，头碰着脚，紧紧贴在一起，然后再次断裂弯腰，将头顶手臂扭曲弯折，插入 空隙。高楼弯折之后重新组合，蜷缩成致密的巨大魔方，密密匝匝地聚合到一起，陷入沉睡。 然后地面翻转，小块小块土地围绕其轴，一百八十度翻转到另一面，将另一面的建筑楼宇露 出地表。楼宇由折叠中站立起身，在灰蓝色的天空中像苏醒的兽类。城市孤岛在橘黄色晨光 中落位，展开，站定，腾起弥漫的灰色苍云。 In the early dawn, the city folded and collapsed. The skyscrapers bowed submissively like the humblest servants until their heads touched their feet; then they broke again, folded again, and twisted their necks and arms, stuffing them into the gaps. The compacted blocks that used to be the skyscrapers shuffled and assembled into dense, gigantic Rubik’s Cubes that fell into a deep slumber. The ground then began to turn. Square by square, pieces of the earth flipped 180 degrees around an axis, revealing the buildings on the other side. The buildings unfolded and stood up, awakening like a herd of beasts under the gray–blue sky. The island that was the city settled in the orange sunlight, spread open, and stood still as misty gray clouds roiled around it. 司机们就在困倦与饥饿中欣赏这一幕无穷循环的城市戏剧。 The truck drivers, tired and hungry, admired the endless cycle of urban renewal. 2. 折叠城市分三层空间。大地的一面是第一空间，五百万人口，生存时间是从清晨六点到第二 天清晨六点。空间休眠，大地翻转。翻转后的另一面是第二空间和第三空间。第二空间生活 着两千五百万人口，从次日清晨六点到夜晚十点，第三空间生活着五千万人，从十点到清晨 六点，然后回到第一空间。时间经过了精心规划和最优分配，小心翼翼隔离，五百万人享用 二十四小时，七千五百万人享用另外二十四小时。 The folding city was divided into three spaces. One side of the earth was First Space, population five million. Their allotted time lasted from six o’clock in the morning to six o’clock the next
moming.Then the space went to sleep,and the earth flipped.The other side was shared by Second Space and Third Space.Twenty-five million people lived in Second Space,and their allotted time lasted from six o'clock on that second day to ten o'clock at night.Fifty million people lived in Third Space,allotted the time from ten o'clock at night to six o'clock in the morning.at which point First Space retumed.Time had been carefully divided and parceled out to separate the populations:Five million enjoyed the use of twenty-four hours,and seventy-five million enjoyed the next twenty-four hours. 空间的土地更厚 土壤里埋藏配重物质 The structuresnwo sides of the ground were not even in weight.Toremedy the imbalance,the earth was made thicker in First Space,and extra ballast buried in the soil to make up for the The residents of First Space considered the extra soil a natura 不用彭蠡说他也知道 他是个垃圾 去。他还没找到可以独自生存的意 Lao Dao had lived in Third Space sinc e birth.He understood very well the reality of his situaion even with Peng Li uld do out.He ad proc n to y or the forese existence refuge of cynicism;instea continued t to the humble 老刀生在北京城，父亲就是垃圾工。据父亲说，他出生的时候父亲刚好找到这份工作，为此 了敦数 亲本是建筑 座折叠城市就是父亲和其他人 起亲手建的 白温过 样暗噬昔日的屋檐门，再把土地翻起 会新的楼字 。他们埋头凿 用累累砖块将 己包围在中间，拾起头来也看不见天空，沙尘遮挡视线，他们不知晓自己建起的是怎样的恢 、。直到律成的日子高楼加活人一般站立而起，他们才像惊呆了 样四处奔逃，仿佛自己生 下了一个怪胎。奔逃之后，镇静下来，又意识到未来生存在这样的城市会是怎样一种殊荣 便继续辛苦摩擦手脚，低眉顺眼勤恳，寻找各种存留下来的机会。据说城市建成的时候，有 八千万想要寻找工作留下来的建筑工，最后能留下来的，不过两千万。 Lao Dao had been born in Beijing.His father was also a waste worker.His father told him that when Lao Dao was born,his father had just gotten his job,and the family had celebrated for three whole davs.His father had been a construction worker.one of millions of other construction workers who had come to beiiing from all over china in search of work His father and others like him had built this folding city.District by district,they had transformed the old city.Like termites swarming over a wooden house.they had chewed up the wreckage of the past overturned the earth,and constructed a brand new world.They had swung their hammers and wielded their adzes. keeping their heads down:brick by brick.they had walled themselves off until they could no longer see the sky.Dust had obscured their views,and they had not known the grandeur of thei work.Finally,when the completed building stood up before them like a living person,they had scattered in terror,as though they had given birth to a monster.But after they calmed down,they realized what an honor it would be to live in such a city in the future,and so they h toil diligently an do seek out any oppo o remain n the It was s that when the fold ing clly was mplete more than eig millio wanted to stay.Ultimately.no more than twe enty mil
morning. Then the space went to sleep, and the earth flipped. The other side was shared by Second Space and Third Space. Twenty–five million people lived in Second Space, and their allotted time lasted from six o’clock on that second day to ten o’clock at night. Fifty million people lived in Third Space, allotted the time from ten o’clock at night to six o’clock in the morning, at which point First Space returned. Time had been carefully divided and parceled out to separate the populations: Five million enjoyed the use of twenty–four hours, and seventy–five million enjoyed the next twenty–four hours. 大地的两侧重量并不均衡，为了平衡这种不均，第一空间的土地更厚，土壤里埋藏配重物质。 人口和建筑的失衡用土地来换。第一空间居民也因而认为自身的底蕴更厚。 The structures on two sides of the ground were not even in weight. To remedy the imbalance, the earth was made thicker in First Space, and extra ballast buried in the soil to make up for the missing people and buildings. The residents of First Space considered the extra soil a natural emblem of their possession of a richer, deeper heritage. 老刀从小生活在第三空间。他知道自己的日子是什么样，不用彭蠡说他也知道。他是个垃圾 工，做了二十八年垃圾工，在可预见的未来还将一直做下去。他还没找到可以独自生存的意 义和最后的怀疑主义。他仍然在卑微生活的间隙占据一席。 Lao Dao had lived in Third Space since birth. He understood very well the reality of his situation, even without Peng Li pointing it out. He was a waste worker; he had processed trash for twenty–eight years, and would do so for the foreseeable future. He had not found the meaning of his existence or the ultimate refuge of cynicism; instead, he continued to hold onto the humble place assigned to him in life. 老刀生在北京城，父亲就是垃圾工。据父亲说，他出生的时候父亲刚好找到这份工作，为此 庆贺了整整三天。父亲本是建筑工，和数千万其他建筑工一样，从四方涌到北京寻工作，这 座折叠城市就是父亲和其他人一起亲手建的。一个区一个区改造旧城市，像白蚁漫过木屋一 样啃噬昔日的屋檐门槛，再把土地翻起，建筑全新的楼宇。他们埋头斧凿，用累累砖块将自 己包围在中间，抬起头来也看不见天空，沙尘遮挡视线，他们不知晓自己建起的是怎样的恢 弘。直到建成的日子高楼如活人一般站立而起，他们才像惊呆了一样四处奔逃，仿佛自己生 下了一个怪胎。奔逃之后，镇静下来，又意识到未来生存在这样的城市会是怎样一种殊荣， 便继续辛苦摩擦手脚，低眉顺眼勤恳，寻找各种存留下来的机会。据说城市建成的时候，有 八千万想要寻找工作留下来的建筑工，最后能留下来的，不过两千万。 Lao Dao had been born in Beijing. His father was also a waste worker. His father told him that when Lao Dao was born, his father had just gotten his job, and the family had celebrated for three whole days. His father had been a construction worker, one of millions of other construction workers who had come to Beijing from all over China in search of work. His father and others like him had built this folding city. District by district, they had transformed the old city. Like termites swarming over a wooden house, they had chewed up the wreckage of the past, overturned the earth, and constructed a brand new world. They had swung their hammers and wielded their adzes, keeping their heads down; brick by brick, they had walled themselves off until they could no longer see the sky. Dust had obscured their views, and they had not known the grandeur of their work. Finally, when the completed building stood up before them like a living person, they had scattered in terror, as though they had given birth to a monster. But after they calmed down, they realized what an honor it would be to live in such a city in the future, and so they had continued to toil diligently and docilely, to meekly seek out any opportunity to remain in the city. It was said that when the folding city was completed, more than eighty million construction workers had wanted to stay. Ultimately, no more than twenty million were allowed to settle