柳北岸（蔡文玄）1905 -1995 Singapore Poet and Calligraphist

柳北岸是新加坡杰出的诗人和书法家。他也是港台名人蔡澜令尊。

柳北岸原名蔡文玄，常用的笔名有石门、杨堤、白芷、秦西门、朱贝、吴六桥等。他于1905年他出生于中国广东潮安, 1995年去世。

柳北岸曾就读于广东省立金山中学。由于对新文学以及绘画感兴趣，便与同学赵凤编辑《血花画报》。中学毕业后，他考进南开大学。但是由于家族生意失败，只好弃学，从军北伐。

1928年，柳北岸南来，受聘为柔佛州大同学校的校长。

1929年春，他创立文笼画室，为影片公司设计各类宣传品。同年, 他接任海星影片公司书记职位兼丹戎巴葛华英戏院经理。

1932年，他回大陆，在上海从事文化工作，以“石门”为笔名，主编 《正报》的文艺副刊《活地》。

1936年，柳北岸受新加坡邵氏公司邀请再次南来，担任中文部经理，直到1973年退休。退休后，他出任邵氏机构董事。

柳北岸任职邵氏公司期间，曽主编公司的刊物，如《电影圈》、《娱乐报》和《中国日报》，编写剧本和拍过16部马来影片和数部国语片，如《Ibu》、《马來风云》、《蛇郎君》等。

柳北岸擅长写新诗，他常有诗作发表于《星洲日报》、《南洋商报》、《民报》的《新年代》和香港的报刊，例如《热风》半月刊。他以在东京、京都、日光、热海、箱根等地的所见所闻创作了《雪泥》、《旅心》两本诗集。

他曾经陆续出版《十二城之旅》、《梦土》、长诗《无色的虹》等著作。其中，《十二城之旅》为长篇游记诗，也是新马具有代表性的诗歌作品之一。

柳北岸的长篇叙事诗作《无色的虹》，全诗语言别具一格，有着浓厚的南洋地方色彩。诗中既有中国古典诗歌的痕迹，也有民歌曲艺的形式，同时夹杂了很多本地的马来语或特有词汇，如沙爹 (satay,指马来人之烤肉)、地顿 (tidor,马来语指睡眠)等。这诗作荣获新加坡书籍奖(1978年)及东南亚文学奖(1988年)。

柳北岸非常活跃于新加坡的文学圈子。1970年，他担任新加坡作家协会主席团成员。次年，再被推举为作家协会第2届主席。

1976年，他出任新加坡作家协会改组后的新加坡写作人协会会务顾问。

1982年，柳北岸担任新加坡亚洲研究学会及新加坡文艺协会顾问。
Liu Beian was an outstanding poet and Chinese calligrapher.

Liu Beian’s real name is Chua Boon Hean and he was born in Guangdong, China in 1905 and educated there too. When his family business failed, he gave up his studies in Nankai University and joined the army.

He arrived in Singapore in 1928 and was engaged by a school in Johor Bahru to be its principal. A year later, he started his own art studio specialising in designing publicity materials for movie companies. In the same year, he also took up a clerical cum cinema manager position.

He returned to Shanghai, China in 1932 to become the editor for several cultural and literary papers. In 1936, he joined Shaw Organization as the manager of the Chinese department. He retired in 1973 but continued to be on the board of directors of Shaw Organization. During his stay in Shaw Organisation, he also served as editor for various magazines produced by the company. He also wrote cinema scripts and directed 16 Malay movies and some Chinese movies.

An accomplished poet, Liu Beian’s work, The Colourless Rainbow won the Singapore Book Prize in 1978 and the SEA Write Award in 1988.

Liu Beian was very active in the Singapore’s literary circles. He was twice nominated as chairperson of the Singapore Literature Society and also acted as consultant for other literary associations.

Liu Beian passed away in 1995.