Chinese all over the world were excited when news spread on Oct 12 last year that Gao Xingjian has won the Nobel Literature Prize 2000. "Gao Xingjian brings glory to Chinese the world over", screamed the headline of Taiwan's mass-circulation China Times daily the next day. Of course, there has been no lack of opposing voices from several sources. Beijing, for instance, sees the honour for Gao as politically motivated.

　　The global debate on the highly-revered prize for Gao is still going on, focusing on literary, political issues as well as Gao's views on the arts. Many viewpoints and perspectives have been raised.

　　Many commentators are elated that Gao has received the prestigious award. Chinese academic Liu Zaifu, who is now living in the United States, has affirmed it as a "victory for Chinese-language writers". Others have even regarded it as a "global affirmation for authors using the Chinese language".

　　While one may not agree with the assertions, the fact is that Gao is the first Chinese-language writer to win the Nobel Literature Prize. He has become a phenomenon in Chinese communities worldwide.

　　Gao has not caused as much a stir here as in other Chinese societies. But there have also been some reactions. From what I know, three of his major works: "Soul Mountain", "One Man's Bible" and "Buying a Fishing Rod for My Grandfather", have become bestsellers in major bookshops overnight.

　　All three have also made it to the list of bestselling books in the year 2000 - an indication that readers here have not "stayed out of" the global "Gao phenomenon".

　　At a recent literary seminar organised by Lianhe Zaobao, participating local writers expressed the feeling that Gao's achievement is an accolade to the Chinese language and this may help boost its status here. The impact of Gao's award on Singapore appears to be less on Chinese literature, but more to do with our affection for, and identification with, the Chinese language and Mandarin.

　　These writers have reasons to feel this way. In the last 20 years, for historical factors which have not been fully articulated, there is no denying that the standard of our Chinese language - as the mother tongue of the Chinese and a second language in school - has been on the decline.

　　For years, the problem has plagued Chinese educational and literary circles. Now, out of the blue, a writer who uses a language that has lost its practical purpose and "social status" here, has won the Nobel Literature Prize. Their excitement is understandable though there may be some wishful thinking on their part.

　　Speaking to the media on winning the award, Gao said: "It has created a future, made people understand that good works can also be produced by using the Chinese language which can gain worldwide recognition too. Language is no barrier."

　　If we take a long-term view, for "overseas Chinese literature" outside China, including Singapore, by winning the Nobel prize, Gao has changed the view that China and Taiwan are the mainstream of Chinese literature. Indeed, he has demonstrated that Chinese-language writers outside China can also create award-winning works, a point which has been made by several commentators.

　　I am more moved by Gao's remark that "language is greater than national boundaries". In this sense, the most significant meaning local Chinese-language writers can draw from Gao's accomplishment may be to re-focus on our most pressing concern - to re-think the path forward for local Chinese-language literature. Individual writers may even be inspired and encouraged by Gao's success.

（The writer is a correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao.Translated by Yap Gee Poh）

　　去年10月12日，高行健获颁2000年诺贝尔文学奖的消息传开后，全球华人世界一片喧哗。台湾《中国时报》次日的标题非常醒目：“高行健摘桂冠，全球华人荣耀”；但反对的声音也随着而来，而且大不乏人，中国当局就认为高行健的获奖与政治因素有关。

　　一直到今天，全球各地对高行健获得诺贝尔文学奖的议论仍持续不断，来自四方八面的言论环绕着文学、政治、作家的艺术观等话题展开讨论，各种观点和角度也几乎都有人提出过，其中当然也有很多评论者对高行健的得奖表示欣喜雀跃，如旅美中国学者刘再复将高行健获奖肯定为“汉语写作的胜利”；另外也有评者认为，高行健获奖是“世界对现代汉语创作的肯定”。不论你是否同意此种说法，难以否认的是，高行健成为百年来首位获得诺贝尔文学奖的华文作家，短短3个月来，在全球华人社会所引起的关注，已明显形成“高行健热”。

　　和其他华人社会相较之下，新加坡虽说不上掀起高行健热潮，但也并非毫无反响。据我所知，高行健桂冠加冕的消息传开后，他的三部重要著作《灵山》、《一个人的圣经》、《给我老爷买鱼竿》也在一夕间成为各大书局畅销书，这三部小说也都在2000年畅销书排行榜上占有一席之地，这说明此间读书界未能“置身事外”，也凑上这一波全球掀起的高行健热。

　　在最近由《联合早报》主催的一项文学座谈中，参与座谈的几位本地华文作家觉得，高行健获奖为华文带来光彩，或能提升华文的地位，因此高行健获奖在新加坡所引起的震撼，与其说是来自文学的，毋宁说有更大的成分是来自对华语华文的情感与认同。

　　新加坡华文作家有此想法并不是没有原因，过去20年来，因着各种说得出与说不出的历史因素，作为华族母语的华语，在教学上是属于第二语文，其水平的日渐低落，也已经是无以否认的事实，这些年来，这个问题也一直困扰着华文教育界及华文文化界。突然之间，这种在本地已失去实际应用价值与“社会地位”的语文，竟然与举世注目的诺贝尔文学奖挂上钩，作家们难免感到莫名的兴奋，尽管这里面或许有一种一厢情愿的情结。

　　高行健获奖后不也对媒体说过，他的获奖“开拓了一个前途，也就是说让人们认识到，用中文写作也有好作品，可以得到世界性的承认，并不会因为语言的限制。”

　　若放远一点看，对于中国以外包括新加坡在内的“海外华文文学”来说，诺贝尔文学奖颁给高行健所带来的其中一个启示是，它颠覆了过去华文文学以中国及台湾为主流文学的想法，肯定了中国以外的华文作家也可能写出优秀的作品，这一点一些有识之士也曾谈论过。

　　我个人对高行健在获奖后提到的“语言大于国界”的说法较有感触，若往这一方面思考，则高行健获得诺贝尔文学奖对新加坡华文作家最大的意义也许是，它使我们借着这个举世关注的“2000年诺贝尔文学奖现象”，回到切身问题，重新省思新加坡华文文学能走什么路，对于个别作家而言，也许还能起着激励与鼓舞的作用。

　　(·作者是早报执行级记者)