四指钢琴家李僖芽

Four-Fingered Pianist, Lee Hee-Ah

四指钢琴家李僖芽

Lee Hee-Ah, well known as a four-fingered pianist, was born with two fingers on each hand and short legs under the knees due to a congenital disorder. Then later at three she had to undergo amputation to remove the legs below the knees. The feet she uses to walk are very soft and easily hurt. Therefore she can’t walk very long. However, she inspires courage and hope in many people through her music despite her mental and physical disabilities.

李僖芽（Lee Hee-Ah）是著名的四指钢琴家，她出生时由于先天性异常，双手各只有两根手指，双脚自膝盖以下也很短小，三岁时又进行截肢，将膝盖以下的部位切除。所以她赖以行走的腿非常虚弱，容易疼痛，因此无法步行很久。尽管有身心方面的障碍，她却用音乐带给许多人勇气与希望。

Hee-Ah has played the piano since six. She explains the reason she started the piano as follows. “My fingers had no strength. So, my mother had me learn piano as therapy so that I could hold a pencil at school, and it led me to where I am now.”

僖芽从六岁开始学琴，她说明当初弹琴的原因是：「我的手指没有力气，所以母亲要我学钢琴治疗，这样我在学校就可以握笔写字，结果造就了今天的我。」

Her piano teacher discouraged her from the instrument saying she was not gifted. It took her several months to even press any keys because her fingers lacked strength. To make it worse, she was not able to tune into the beat and melody due to her brain dysfunction, and the doctor said if she memorized a piece five minutes long or more, her brain would become more dysfunctional.

她的钢琴老师曾劝阻她不要学琴，说她没有天分。因为手指缺乏力气，光是按琴键这个动作就让她花了数个月的时间。更糟的是，由于她的脑部功能障碍，使她无法跟上节拍与旋律。医师说如果她背诵一首五分钟以上的曲子，可能会使她的脑部功能更加异常。

However, with perseverance Hee-Ah can now memorize and play a piece that lasts longer than seven minutes. In learning her favorite piece, Chopin’s impromptu Fantasia, she practiced so much that the score sheet was worn to tatters. It took no less than five years for her to play it.

然而僖芽坚持不懈，如今已可背诵并弹奏超过七分钟的曲子。在学习她最喜爱的一首曲子「肖邦幻想即兴曲」时，由于练习得非常勤奋，甚至连琴谱都被她翻烂了。为了弹奏这首曲子，花了她不下五年的时间。

“With ten fingers it would play rhythmically, but I had the most difficult time when melodies were not smoothly connected to each other because I have only two fingers.” “My favorite motto is ‘Always try my best’ and ‘Make ceaseless efforts.’”

「用十只手指弹奏会有节奏感，但我只有两根手指，很难将各个旋律衔接得很流畅。」「我最喜爱的座右铭是『时时全力以赴』与『努力不懈』。」

When she first took part in a piano contest, the event organizer rejected her application in the beginning. Yet after her persistent request, she was able to participate in the competition and eventually won first prize. The jurors did not know she was physically disabled until the first prize winner was announced. Since then she started winning many awards in various competitions. Observing the results of her superhuman efforts, she would play the piano more than ten hours everyday resulting in blisters on her fingers.

当她首度参加钢琴比赛时，活动主办人起初拒绝让她报名，不过经她一再地请求，终于如愿参加比赛，最后还获得首奖。直到宣布第一名得奖人时，裁判才知道她是肢体残障者。从那时起，她开始参加各种比赛，并赢得许多奖项。她付出超乎常人的努力，每天练习十个小时以上，手指因而长出水泡。

A standout pianist, her story was covered by different media and also published in books causing a sensation. The school district office of Seoul included her book in the reading list for elementary schools. In 1997 Ms. Lee had her first solo recital and donated all earnings to a fund for the disabled. She now does concert tours overseas as well as nationally. Hee-Ah has gained international fame as a pianist. Her music touches many people wherever she performs, and stations such as ABC and CNN in America have aired her story as well.

这位杰出钢琴家的故事不只受到不同媒体的报导，而且还发行书籍，造成轰动。首尔的学区办事处甚至把她的书籍纳入小学的阅读书单中。1997年，李小姐举办了第一场钢琴独奏会，并把表演所得全数捐给残障基金会。如今僖芽在国内外都举办了巡回音乐会，已是享有国际声誉的钢琴家。不论到哪里演奏，她的音乐都感动了许多人，连美国广播公司与有线电视新闻网（CNN）也曾报导她的故事。

Despite her disabilities Hee-Ah is optimistic and always smiling brightly. “I am an ordinary girl same as others close to my age. The only difference is that I have a physical disability, but that doesn’t mean I feel easily hopeless and give up what I want to do just because I don’t have legs and a few fingers. I believe that there will always be hope if I keep my dream and work hard to make it come true.”

尽管身体残障，僖芽却很乐观，而且总是保持开朗的笑容。她说：「我是个平凡的女孩，跟同年龄的人没有太大差别，唯一不同的地方是，我的身体残障。不过虽然我没有双脚，而且只有几根手指，但这并不代表我容易感到绝望，轻易放弃想做的事。我相信只要怀抱梦想，并努力加以实现，未来总是充满希望。」

Furthermore, she inspires people through her disability. When asked during a TV show interview, “Why do you think God gave ten fingers to others and only four to you?” she responded, “That’s for the disabled. Through the music of 4-fingers, God gave me a mission to let them know. I always thank God that Hes did this to make use of me in some way.”

此外，她更借着自身的残障来鼓舞别人。当她接受一个电视节目的访谈时被问道：「妳认为上帝为何给别人十根手指，而只给妳四根？」她回答：「这是为了鼓舞残障人士。上帝赋予我一个使命，让我运用四根手指弹奏音乐，以便使他们领悟。我永远感谢上帝这么安排，使我能在某方面当祂的工具。」

Hee-Ah thanks God because she believes if she had ten normal fingers she would merely be one among many pianists. Conquering her mental and physical barriers, her music, along with an artistic impression, makes her audiences feel an indomitable spirit and beauty. Lee Hee-Ah’s music convinces us again that art is not a body or brain but the expression of a soul.

僖芽感谢上帝，因为她相信如果自己拥有正常的十指，她只会是众多钢琴家其中一位。克服了身心的障碍，她的音乐与艺术气质使听众感受到不屈不挠的精神与美。僖芽的音乐使我们再次相信，艺术不是身体或脑力，而是心灵的表达。