2023.09.07.WSJ Cover Story: Beyond Words
杨洋：沉默同样是一种话语
Yang Yang: Silence is also a kind of language
“我们把音乐关掉吧。”杨洋对团队工作人员轻声说道。这是采访那天，他在打招呼之外说的第一句话。
"Let's turn off the music." YY said softly to the staff in today's team. This was the first thing he said aside from the initial greeting on the day of interview.
杂志大片的拍摄现场往往会有音乐播放。毕竟，这是一个由多个或并不相互熟悉的人因工作而被动聚集的场域，而音乐神奇的力量可以让这个空间变得轻盈，也让身处其间的人有机会稍作放松。化妆室里，面对这份用需要以对话来完成的工作，杨洋选择尽量排除干扰。
There is often music playing on the set of a magazine photoshoot. After all, this is a place/occasion where multiple and/or unfamiliar people gather passively for work. And the magical power of music can lighten up the mood in this space and give all the people involved a chance to relax a bit. In the dressing room, Yang Yang chose to eliminate interference as much as possible when facing this job that needs to be done through conversation.
那天，他身着一身白色的休闲服出现，一如我们此前影像中了解的那样，字正腔圆、腰背笔直，初识话不多，但比镜头中的“杨洋”看起来更松弛。也许，那正是他介于工作的“公”与生活的“私”之间的样子。
That day, he appeared in white casual clothes. Just like how we knew from the previous visual works of his, he spoke with perfect pronunciation and accent, and his posture was impeccable. He didn't talk much when we first met, but he looked more relaxed than the "Yang Yang" in the camera. Maybe that was what he looks like between the "public" when working and the "private" in his daily life.
1. 沈默
1. Silence
出道 15 年来，杨洋甚少在媒体面前讲述自己的内心世界。这倒不是什么艺人团队的营销策略，而是因为他本身就不是那种在初次见面时能侃侃而谈的个性。他需要时间，让时间陪他展示丰富的自我；而他者需要耐心，用耐心去观察，去捕捉他静静流露出的自我。同为演员的好朋友孟阿赛在回忆起对杨洋的初印象时说：“我当时就觉得他很有气质，不太爱说话。”他紧接着补充道：“不是高冷，他是单纯的话少。即便到了今天，我俩交流的时候他也往往是那个倾听者，甚至可以说，他是一个愿意做朋友的‘垃圾桶’的人。”
In the 15 years since his debut, Yang Yang rarely talked about his inner world in front of the media. This was not a marketing strategy of any sort of the artist's team, but because he himself is not the kind of personality who can talk freely when meeting somebody for the first time. He needs time, allowing him to show his rich inner world; while others need patience, to observe him with patience, and to capture his true self that reveals quietly through time. His good friend, Meng Asai, who is also an actor, recalled his first impression of Yang Yang: "At that time, I thought he was very temperamental and not very talkative." He added quickly: "Not that he is aloof or playing cool. He is just someone who does not talk too much. Even today, when we interact with each other, he is often the listener, and you can even say that he is a person who is willing to be a friend's 'trash can'."
2019 年，杨洋和孟阿赛因共同拍摄军旅题材的电视剧《特战荣耀》结识。正式开拍前，徐纪周导演安排了为期一个月的军事训练，并向两位在剧中互为好友的男演员介绍彼此：“我希望你俩私下里也能像在剧中那样相处。”杨洋说：“放心吧，我们肯定能处得好。”这便是两位好朋友的第一次见面。在经过 9 个月的“战友”式合作后，他俩果然成了非常好的朋友。“不见面的时候，我们也几乎天天都会给对方发微信，每隔三差五地打个视频电话。”孟阿赛视杨洋为他在演艺圈为数不多的知心好友：“他是个特别真诚、对朋友特别好的人，反过来我也会这样对他。他是一个喜欢什么事都一个人扛的人，我也知道他其实不需要别人来问候，但是我总是想要多关心他一下。”
In 2019, Yang Yang and Meng Asai got to know each other because of the collaboration in the military-themed TV drama "Glory of Special Force". Before the official start of filming, director Xu Jizhou arranged a one-month military training, and introduced the two of them who would play best friends in the drama to each other: "I hope you two can get along in private like in the drama." Yang Yang said: "Don't worry, we will definitely get along well." This was the first time the two good friends met. After 9 months of "comrade-in-arms" mode of cooperation, they really became very good friends. "When we don't see each other, we send WeChat to each other almost every day, and make video calls every now and then." Meng Asai regards Yang Yang as one of his few close friends in the entertainment circle: "He is an especially sincere person who is super nice to his friends. And in return, I would treat him the same. He is a person who likes to take on all the burdens alone, and I know that he doesn't need others to help him or check on him, but I always want to care about him a bit more." (<-- Thank you, Asai! You are a good friend!)
与朋友孟阿赛的观点一致，身边的工作人员同样认为杨洋习惯了将情绪向内消化。自 12 岁进入中国人民解放军艺术学院（以下简称“军艺”），军人的坚韧以及那不做无谓解释的行为模式早已经扎根在他的骨子里。“对他来说，做比说更重要。”在合作多年的工作人员看来，杨洋是个相对慢热的人：“这样的行为方式确实也更适合他。”
Consistent with his friend Meng Asai's point of view, the staff around him also believed that Yang Yang has gotten used to internalizing his emotions. Since he entered the Chinese People's Liberation Army Art Academy (hereinafter referred to as "Military Art( or PLA)") at the age of 12, the tenacity of soldiers and the behavior pattern that does not make unnecessary explanations have already taken root in his bones. "For him, doing is more important than talking." In the eyes of the staff who have worked with him for many years, Yang Yang is a relatively "slow-warm" person (ie. someone who takes a longer time to warm up to others or come out of his shell): "This kind of behavior indeed fits him better."
长久以来，大众传媒的确更偏爱擅用语言的受访者，喜欢他们用简单或精妙的话语引发浓烈叙事。而但事实上，沉默同样是一种话语。当语言让位于主体，我们便将观察的重心放到了语言所触及不到的领域。这正是沉默者带给我们的启示。
For a long time, the mass media has indeed favored interviewees who are good at using language, and enjoyed how they use simple or subtle words to trigger strong narratives. But, in fact, silence is also a kind of language. When language gives way to the subject, we could focus our observation on areas beyond the reach of language. This is exactly the enlightenment the silent one brought us. (<-- I'm not sure if the "silent one" has any special meaning, like referring to a specific art piece, movie, book, or just a general term?)
2. 溫暖
2. Heartwarming
亚里士多德认为，真正的友情需要具备两个条件：一是双方都是好人，二是都有一颗为对方好的心。只有如此，友情才能够持久，而双方的收获是类似的。他在《尼各马可伦理学》中写道：“只有一块儿吃够了咸盐，人们才能相知。”用一个简单朴素的句子揭示出共同生活的经历，是友谊得以存在的条件。在某种程度上，友谊也意味着分享，对生活的分享，对时光的分享，对自我和灵魂的分享。
Aristotle believed that true friendship requires two conditions: first, both parties are good people; and second, both have a caring heart for each other. Only in this way can the friendship last, and the gains of both parties are similar. He wrote in "Nicomachean Ethics": "People can know each other only if they eat enough salt together." He used a simple sentence to reveal that the experience of living together is the condition for the existence of friendship. To some degree, friendship also means sharing, sharing of life, sharing of time, sharing of self and soul.
去年秋天，杨洋和孟阿赛进行了一场说走就走的旅行。当时正巧俩人都没有工作安排，于是结伴去了大理。这已经两个人第二次一起去云南，回忆起那次行程，杨洋仍然感觉十分珍贵：“我们俩一直都很合得来，吃得到一块儿，也玩得到一块儿，连喜欢的电影也差不多。当时我们也没有做什么旅游行程，每天随意地洱海边走一走就觉得很放松，安静、惬意，时间好像都慢了下来。”
Last fall, Yang Yang and Meng Asai took an impulsive/unplanned trip. It happened that neither of them had work arrangements at that time, so they went to Dali together. This was the second time for the two of them to go to Yunnan together. Recalling that trip, Yang Yang still felt it was very precious: "We have always gotten along very well, we enjoy similar food, we could play together, and even the movies we like are similar. At that time, we didn’t make any travel plans. Just casually walking along the Era Lake everyday made us feel very relaxed, quiet, and comfortable, and time seemed to slow down, too.”
两个好朋友，相似又互补。一个不善言辞，沉默隐忍，要求自己永远克制；一个表达欲旺盛，情感浓烈，懂得如何享受人生。“我们在某种程度上比较能够了解对方的内心。”他与杨洋合作过两部影视作品，十分了解对方在工作中的态度：“他是一个精益求精的人，但同时又很怕给别人带来麻烦。”
Two good friends, similar and complementary. One is not good at words, silent and forbearing, and disciplines himself to always be restrained/have self control; the other has a strong desire to express, strong emotions, and knows how to enjoy life. "To a certain extent, we can better understand each other's inner thoughts." He has collaborated with Yang Yang in two television works, and he understands Yang Yang's attitude at work very well: "He is a person who strives for perfection, but, at the same time, he is afraid of bringing trouble to others."
孟阿赛表达着对好友的欣赏：“他非常暖，非常细心。”在剧组里，杨洋总会为每一位演员准备杀青礼物或组织聚会，让对方感受到集体的关怀和温暖，却从不会将自己的负面情绪诉诸于语言。他不是多么会说漂亮话的人，更习惯将行为落到实处。“他会把很多事都记在心里。”工作人员补充说道：“团队成员过生日的时候，也总能收到他订的蛋糕或者小礼物。尽管日常大家工作都很忙碌，但杨洋很注意这些生活细节上的仪式感。”
Meng Asai expressed his appreciation for his good friend: "He is very heartwarming and caring." In the filming group, Yang Yang would always prepare crank-up gifts or organize gatherings for each actor/actress, so that the other party could feel the care and warmth from the group. But he would never express his negative emotions via words. He is not a person who's good at saying something clever or pretty, but he is more used to putting his thoughts into practical actions. "He will keep a lot of things in his heart." The staff added: "When the team members celebrate their birthdays, they can always receive cakes or small gifts ordered by him. Although everyone is busy with work everyday, Yang Yang cares about/pays attention to the sense of ritual in these details in our daily lives very much.”
采访中，孟阿赛举出了自己曾经经历的一件事：“我们拍《特战荣耀》那会儿，我有一次受伤骨折了，心情特别不好。正当我躺在屋里的时候，杨洋拎着四碗米线就进来了，对我说：‘你把米线吃了。’你看，他也没说什么，但你知道他是很关心你的。”孟阿赛用了“手足”这个颇具江湖气的词来概括他与杨洋之间的情感。从小开始的集体生活，不仅让杨洋变得很有纪律性、条理清晰地处理工作和日常生活中的各种事物，也让他分外重视与身边人的情谊。在这个被很多学者归纳为“友谊大萧条”，如此情谊的确弥足珍贵。
In the interview, Meng Asai shared an incident he had experienced: "When we were filming <Glory of SpecialForce>, one time, I got injured and fractured my bone. I was in a very bad mood. When I was lying in my room, Yang Yang came in with four bowls of rice noodles and said to me: "Finish up these these rice noodles." You see, he didn't say anything, but you knew he really cared about you." Meng Asai used "siblings" to sum up the relationship between him and Yang Yang. The group life (in PLA) since childhood not only made Yang Yang very self-disciplined, capable of dealing with various things in work and daily life with order, and also made him cherish the friendship with people around him. In this world, which is summarized by many scholars as the "Friendship Depression", such friendship is indeed precious.
3. 自我約束
3. Self Discipline
据说，如果要给每所艺术院校走出来的演艺人员做个归类，军艺的毕业生们一定是很特别的存在。不同于主流趋势中对艺术个性的追求，军艺人普遍更重视集体性和自我约束。
It is said that if you want to classify the entertainers who come out of every art school, the Military Art (PLA) graduates must be very special. Different from the pursuit of artistic individuality in the mainstream trend, PLA graduates generally value group spirit and self-discipline/self-restraint more.
在今年春天的 20 周年校友聚会上，军艺 2003 届舞蹈系的校友们悉数穿着纪念 T 恤到场，没有一个人例外。在军队体系里，集体永远高于个人，即便是文艺兵。而如今，即便杨洋已经退伍多年，军人的特质依然存留在他的身体里。在同行看来，当军艺人出现在一群人中间的时候，他们最想要的不是占据中心位置、主导话语权，而是愿意配合集体表现的更好。
At the 20th Anniversary PLA Reunion this spring, all members of the Military Arts Dance Department, Class of 2003, wearing commemorative T-shirts, attended the event without exception. In the military system, the group is always higher than the individual. This is true even for the art soldiers. But now, even though Yang Yang had been retired from military for many years, the characteristics of a soldier still remain in his body. From the perspective of his peers in the same industry, when PLA artists appear among a group of people, what they want the most was not to occupy the center position and dominate the conversation, but willing to cooperate with the group to make the overall performance better.
“现在想想还挺有趣的。那时候，我们一帮什么都不懂的小孩儿在部队院校里学舞蹈，同时还要遵守部队里的纪律。”杨洋回忆起当年那每天早晨 5 点起床练功的日子。20 年前，12 岁的他同时被军艺舞蹈系和上海舞蹈学校录取，因为向往穿军装而一个人到了北京，开始了独立且充满规训的生活。
"It's quite interesting to think about it now. At that time, a group of us little kids who didn't understand anything were learning dance in PLA, and at the same time we had to obey the discipline and rules in the army." Yang Yang recalled getting up at 5 o'clock every morning to stretch/warm up and practice dance during those days. Twenty years ago, at the age of 12, he was admitted to the Dance Department in PLA and the Shanghai Dance School at the same time. Because of his longing for wearing a military uniform, he went to Beijing (where PLA was) alone and started an independent and disciplined life.
15 年来，杨洋跟随着饰演的角色一步步从男孩成长为男人，但对于秩序感浓重的角色始终充满关注。2021 年电视剧《你是我的荣耀》中，他饰演的男主角于途是一名航天工程师；在 2019 年拍摄、2022 年上映的电视剧《特战荣耀》中，他饰演的燕破岳是一名武警特战队员，这也是他退伍 11 年后首次参与军旅题材作品的拍摄；在今年夏天的《我的人间烟火》中，他所饰演的宋焰，职业是消防员。
Over the past 15 years, Yang Yang has grown from a boy to a man step by step with the characters he played, but he has always paid attention to characters with a strong sense of order. In the TV drama "You Are My Glory" in 2021, Yu Tu, the male leading character he played, is an aerospace engineer. In "Glory of Special Force" that was shot in 2019 and shown in 2022, he played the role of Yan Poyue, who is a member of the Special Force. This was also the first time he has participated in the filming of a military-themed work after 11 years of retirement from the military. In this summer's "Fireworks of My Heart", the character he played, Song Yan, is a firefighter by profession.
杨洋对穿制服的角色的偏爱，在某种程度上与他本身就是一个秩序感和框架感的人有关。他向来把工作和生活分得很开，即便有海外行程，也不会将私人旅行一并计划其中。“这么多年来，他一直这样。工作的时候认真工作，两部戏之间的间隔期就好好休息、回归生活。”工作人员分享起与杨洋合作多年的感受。杨洋本人也坦言，自己不是多线战斗的人，他更需要也更喜欢专注地做好眼下的事。作为演员，他能控制的是对角色的准备工作与自己的状态；至于那些自我把控之外的事情，他就将信任将其交与合作者。
Yang Yang's preference for characters in uniform is to some extent related to his being a person with a sense of order and framework. He has always separated his work and life pretty well, and even if he had an overseas trip, he would not plan his personal trip together. "He has been like this for so many years. He worked hard when working, and took a good rest and returns to life during the period between two consecutive projects." The staff shared their feelings of working with Yang Yang for many years. Yang Yang himself also admitted that he is not a person who fights on multiple fronts. He needs to and prefers to focus on what he is doing right now. As an actor, what he can control is the preparation for the role and his own conditions; as for those things beyond his control, he would entrust them to his collaborators.
杨洋相信时间的力量。一个人是什么样子，不一定要通过“说话”，时间会在不同阶段不断地给出答案。
Yang Yang believes in the power of time. How a person is like does not necessarily have to be shown through "spoken words"; time will continue to give answers at different stages.
----- The End -----
After reading this interview, I once again confirmed one thing. That is, he hasn't changed a bit. I think he said very similar things in the interviews years ago. Time will tell the truth and give us the answer. He is a man who can stand the test of time. I look forward to all the wonderful works he'll bring to us in the years to come!
I also felt that maybe he knew that no matter what he said, those who believe him will believe him, but those who wanted to bully him could always find an excuse to twist the meaning of his words. So, maybe silence is the best answer. Just let the time answer all the questions...
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