我拿什麼來奉獻給你，我的小孩？
This is an article devoted to all the children of our world, especially those in Hong Kong.
僅以此文獻給這世上所有的，尤其是香港的，小朋友們。
“做最真的自己“是許多青少年常常書寫的話題。其實成年人并無不同，那種“適志”的感覺，那種身心一體，是所有人都喜悅的。只是吾今日在港偶遇的不悅，是種種名不副實的標籤。前幾日讀關於偏見與歧視的書籍，才發覺用蟲名來稱呼被边缘化的新移民，是歐美文化的糟粕，現今這文化似乎也傳到了香港。我家鄉的方言也是有個極其污穢的字眼來形容外地人的，但應該不是蟲名。而且還好誰都不知道那個字該怎麼寫。
“I just want to be myself”. This is probably what people often say when they were teenagers, but as adults, though we don’t say it, we know we need that feeling too, the feeling of self-esteem. Yet the sad thing in Hong Kong today is that I am not seen as myself by some. A small group of people just like to put all kinds of labels on me, including the name of a vermin. I thought likening marginalized immigrant groups to insects is just a natural product of human emotion until recently I learned from a book, this is a heritage of European culture. In my mother tongue, there is one nasty word towards new immigrants too, luckily, no one really knows how to write it.
可我相信香港的多數人是友善的，從每個人的眼睛裡，我能看到那種善良平實的影子。有時越是那種紋身遍佈的古惑仔，越能從眼中流出一種脆弱，一種對被認同與被接受的渴望。這世界能有幾個人不需要接納，有幾個人喜歡被別人貼上標籤？我們每個人走的路是不同的，會有磕磕絆絆，會與他人偶擦撞。但因為過往或此刻與別人的不同而被人拒絕，那感受是一種內心深處的隱隱作痛。
There is no doubt most people in Hong Kong are kind and friendly. You can see their kindness in their eyes. Occasionally you may meet a person covered with many scary tattoos, even in that guy or lady, I can see a soft heart. Who does not want to be recognized and accepted? Who likes being put a tag on his/her chest every day? Our lives take different paths; we stumble here and there, with friction between each other. We do not want to be refused by society simply because we are different in the past or at this moment. That isolation can cause deep cut deep inside our hearts. It is not very painful, but it lasts.
我理解標籤的由來，理解少數不安的人在媒體上肆意揮墨的心情。我的祖母生與殷實的商家，他們祖輩從商，自明朝起棲居山間数百年。但每每憶起她幼時的戰亂，她總會講那是「野蠻人」侵入的光景。這恨意自然指向真正的侵略者，但也包括了在戰爭中喪失理智的少數國人。戰爭邪化人心的那魔力，我是絲毫不會懷疑的。不過年邁的她並沒有遷怨與當代的任何人。戰爭這件事不是誰想阻止就能阻止的，個人家族的起落，無非是民族跌宕起伏长河中的一粒水滴。有這大河有今日的澎湃，又何必去糾結過去的微觀渦旋呢。
I understand the passion of the small group of writers who comment a lot about new immigrants. When my grandma was talking about her childhood in the early 1900s, she called it a period of invasion by “barbarians”. I know what she means. She grew up in a cross-dynasty business family. She was referring to Japanese soldiers during WWII, and probably some Chinese soldiers, who lost their minds under the spell of Ares. I have no doubt wars can destroy beauty. I know this for sure from the “legendary” story of Ares, and human history. Anyway, my grandma did not keep and transfer that bitter hatred towards anyone today. Not many can capture Ares. The ups and downs of her family are just a single frame in a long movie. She only wanted to remember the storyline, and know her children and grandchildren are in a peaceful time now. Why would she bother to recall Ares’ masculinity, which was the nightmare of many?
真抱歉，思绪因祖母的故事游离了。將今日香港社的各種焦慮煩躁同戰爭年代類比真是过于牵强了。不過我確實有認為自己入港是打攪別人了，打擾那些在我之前好久就居住在香港的人。所以我為人處事總是戰戰兢兢，如履薄冰。偶爾被標籤刺痛，忍一忍也就算了，誰的生活是容易的呢？不過有一次為了解中學物理以幫助自己在大學裡的教學，我誤入了書店。我翻看了一些課本，卻猛地被一本通識課考試筆記擒住。我驚覺其實我自己再努力的小心翼翼也都是徒勞，因為在小孩子的課本裡我已經被描畫為一個擾民滋事之人。如同其它的新移民一樣，我不知除了一聲嘆息還能如何。這厄運的斗篷已被那教科書作者毫不留情的給我披上，想脱都脫不掉。
Sorry, friends. My mind strayed away because of grandma’s story. The unsettled atmosphere in Hong Kong today is definitely not comparable to anything in a war. Yet because of grandma’s story, I accepted the idea that I am an intruder, who disturbed the peaceful life of people who have been here long before me. I accepted occasional stings because I thought he or she probably just had a bad day. They were just not happy. I try to be considerate in every word and act, as careful as a baby learning skating. Until one day, I stumbled into a bookshop and learned something new. I was trying to look at high-school physics to understand how to teach my college class, yet I ended up feeling jarred by their culture and history textbook. I realized no matter how hard I try not to be an intruder, their textbooks just tell them I am one intruder, so are many other new immigrants. Ah … I guess I am doomed, by someone, who ruthlessly put a black hat on me and did not give a chance to say anything.
我當時有些許眩暈。因為腦子裡想起了那個關於Rapunzel的童話故事。一個頭髮有讓人長生不老魔力的嬰孩被巫婆從小擄去，關在了一座尖塔之中。巫婆每日必教導Rapunzel外面的世界有多麼可怕，充滿了魔鬼，尔千萬不可離開這尖塔一步。如果您允許我將這故事同香港這一顆東方明珠相比，這故事的現代演繹真是讓我眩暈之處。Rapunzel陰差陽錯地沒有離開尖塔，而且還在尖塔裡快樂地生兒育女。不可思議的是，Rapunzel也告訴自己的孩子，外邊的世界好可怕，充滿了魔鬼。
I was standing there, but my mind was overwhelmed by feelings of scare, confusion, and maybe anger as well. I recalled the story about Rapunzel, who had the magical power to give people eternal youth. She was taken away from the King and Queen by a witch, who raised up Rapunzel and kept telling her every day, “do not leave this tower, because the world outside belongs to monsters“. I was not able to help but connect that story with Hong Kong’s history and today. The sad and shocking conclusion is that “Rapunzel” has grown up and become an adult, who had her own kids now, and she is repeating the story to her children, “the world outside belongs to monsters“. I was stunned by my thoughts because following this storyline, I am one of the “monsters”.
我這人口拙。以前友人告訴我英國人對這東方明珠功不可沒，我聽了心裡怪怪的，半天不知道該怎麼應答。我想了許久，才敢在這裡弱弱地問一句，買賣這事，只有買家能成嗎？
My mouth and my tongue are often sluggish. Once a friend told me that the British had a lot of good deeds in the development of Hong Kong. I did not know how to respond, and I fell silent. After thinking about those words for a long time, I want to ask here, in a gentle and kind voice, didn’t they come to Hong Kong just for trading? And is there a trade that can work out without local partners? Aren’t we forgetting someone or something?
十九世紀初是英國的極盛時期，那時統治英國的似乎不是國王或王后，而是商人和戰神。1700到1850年英國參與了137次戰爭。我去讀維基百科時仍然能覺到一種戰勝國的驕傲。那驕傲情緒是讓我很不安。我父親的父母都生與商戶人家，我母親的父母就沒有那麼幸運了。她沒見過她的祖父母。她只知道在戰亂年代，她的父親和叔伯都有浴血沙場，當年的山西正是抗日戰爭的主戰場。她從未聽到過父親講任何關於勝利的驕傲。父親告訴她的，只有那曾經面對橫屍遍野時的恐懼。難道英國人真的如文學中所描寫的，視戰爭為地圖上的遊戲？也許是距離讓人心安吧，畢竟那137次戰爭，絕大多數都不在英國本土。
The early 1900s was a culminating period in the history of the United Kingdom (or used-to-be Great Britan), but that was a time when the Kindom was not ruled by a King or Queen. It was probably co-ruled by merchants and Ares. There were 173 wars and rebellion/resistance between 1700 and 1850. I can still feel the pride of a winner when I read the text about that part of the history on Wikipedia. That emotion of pride makes me feel nervous. My father’s parents were both born in merchant families, but my mother’s parents were not that lucky. My mother had never seen her grandparents. She only knows that during WWII, her father and uncles fought numerous bloody wars. Shanxi was the main battlefield in WWII. She has never felt any pride when her father talked about wars. Instead, she only felt his fear. More than once, her father wanted to run away simply because fo seeing too many corpses. In a British drama, I heard that in the eyes of some gentlemen, war is just a game on a map. Maybe this is why the tone on Wikipedia is different than what I expected. After all, most of those wars were not on the mainland of the UK.
那個時代的另一個主角是商人。雖然維基百科描述的口吻並不承認，但那段歷史中，英國受到的最大的打擊，莫過於美國的獨立。昔日奶與蜜的來源，在近十年的戰爭後變為了勇士之鄉。所以十九世紀初轉戰東亞的英國商人大概沒有什麼太複雜的目的吧。無非和今日每日碌碌的你我一樣，為的是養家糊口。但買賣這件事——得有買也有賣。
Besides Ares, the other leading role was merchants. Though the tone on Wikipedia denies it, losing the North America continent was a hard punch to the UK. The American Revolutionary War turned the once source of honey and curds for the UK to the home for the brave. I guess most of the British businessmen arriving at Hong Kong at the early 1900s probably did not have too complicated purposes. They just wanted to earn some money and make a living, just like what every one of us is doing today for our families. Despite everything, a trade still is a trade, which needs both sides.
清末生意場主要是三大商幫的舞台，潮商，徽商，還有晉商。我是個山西人，對晉商的歷史還是略知一二的。晉商在清朝的鼎盛始於的中俄貿易，交易的货品包括茶葉、丝绸、皮草等等，後來的貿易伙伴自然也包括了西歐各國。如同今日的貿易一樣，商人需要結識原產地的農家，安排產地至港口的運輸，甚至參與海外的遠行。於是乎有了晉商前兩座豐碑——駝幫和船幫。晉商在多年經營之後，悟出了一個“新興產業”——票號，也即今日的銀行，於是造就了晉商後來的一代傳奇。十九世紀末山西票號在全中國有四百多家分戶，當然包括香港。1842年簽訂《南京條約》後，清政府的賠款是當時“日昇昌”銀號獨家處理的。1910年前的上海股市是票號歷史上最後的盛筵，對資本的迷戀讓從山西票號到匯豐銀行的掌舵人都陷入種種幻夢，直到大多數人手裡的股票在股災中化作一地雞毛。
Commerce activities in the late Qing Dynasty were dominated by three different networks originating from three different regions of China, which are around Shanxi, Anhui, and Chaoshan. These networks were built based on personal connections, so merchants and businessmen in these three groups can mostly trace their lineage to those three regions. I happen to be born in Shanxi and know some legendaries of the Shanxi business network.
The first peak of Shanxi merchants’ activities emerged in the trades between China and Russia, for the exchange of tea, silk, furs, etc. Businessmen from Western European countries naturally became their partners too later. Just like most of today’s trades, businessmen at that time need to connect the entire chain of commerce, including the source of produce, shipment crew, and the destiny market. So naturally Shanxi merchants laid their first two milestones — Camel Union and Ship Union. After many years of operation, by chance or not, the Shanxi business network established the most powerful banking system in the Qing dynasty. They were called “Shansi banks” in history and were the last legendary of the Shanxi business network (since modern China does not encourage this kind of family-origin-based business network anymore. Personally, I think it is a right choice for the public good). The indemnity for the Treaty of Nanjing in 1942 was processed through a Shansi bank Rishengchang, who connected the money flow from different provinces to the ultimate recipient, the United Kingdom. Before the Shanghai Rubber Stock Market Crisis in 1910, Shansi banks reach their final peak, most of them, as well as some western banks like HSBC, were dreaming in an excessively extravagant party of investment, until eventually the stock in most people’s hands became a piece of plain paper, which cannot be more useless at all.
此處諞言晉商那段歷史讓君見笑了。不過，中英那些年間的關係也許並非偶然，商人與商人之間應該是有許多可以跨越語言的默契的。不論是哪個商幫，不管來自哪個國家，商業合作只是交流的開始。有了貿易的紐帶，文化意義上的交流才會接踵而至。晉南地區在十九世紀出現了許多傳教士的身影。講傳教士中混雜了少數別有用心的人是個不爭的事實，我也知道因著戰爭的緣故，多數國人對於基督教沒無好感。但如果你願意相信我，我會告訴你，教會裡面人們以弟兄姊妹相稱彼此時，是秉著一份難得的謙卑和真誠的愛的。十九世紀末在中國內地工作的傳教士處境是十分危險的，有時被人屠殺並無它因，只因為外表的面貌與漢人不同，讓人看了生怯。但還是有很多人選擇留下了。如果君有幸參讀Hudson Taylor編輯的《Days of Blessing in Inland China》，你會看到那些帶著小孩在混亂和狂熱的包圍下還願留在中原的所謂洋人，其內心有著與你我一樣的善良和誠懇。1878年中原大旱時，很多英國的基督徒是慷慨相助的。
Ah … I guess I got lost again in thinking about my ancestors, so embarrassing. The collaboration between Chinese and British business elites was probably not a coincidence, because merchants have a way to resonate between each other without language. Commerce was about trading mostly, but people were connected in those activities. And a deeper-level connection started to be built after this ice-breaker “reception”. In the latter half of the 19th century, many people who were born on the island of Great Britain traveled to Shanxi province and other places in China. They did not stay long in Hong Kong or Shanghai, because they wanted to share something different with Chinese people. At that time, Shanxi and many other inland places were dangerous for foreigners. One can be killed simply because he or she does not have an Asian face. Despite that, they were determined to go there, and some of them even brought their children with them. They were doing all of that for one reason — because they trusted God. They wanted to share God’s love with someone they have never known before. They wanted to let those strangers learn about the Holy Spirit in them, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, … I guess many of them enjoyed their travel in China. Because some fruits of the Holy Spirit had been valued by Chinese people for thousands of years from the heritage of Confucius. We look different at the superficial level, but deep in our hearts, we share a lot in common.
我們都知道後期貿易中“阿芙蓉”變為主流，後來又有了各種戰爭和混亂。英國人選擇佔領香港到底是為了維持生存還是利慾薰心，現時已無法去考證了，也許這二者都有，并還伴著其它複雜的原因。已經過去那麼久了，再去譴責誰也沒什么意義了。所以關於這段歷史我也就此緘默吧。
We know the trade between China and the UK became dominated by Opium in the later stage. All kinds of disputes occurred because of conflicts in economic interests or misunderstanding of cultural values. The entire world became a mess in WWII. I cannot find out the exact cause of the Opium Wars, which led to a change in the ownership of the land in Hong Kong. Allow me to fall silent here, since criticizing anyone in that war is meanless now, after such a long time.
可香港教科書上的一些問題我实在是没有办法選擇沈默的。因為那謬誤是在扭曲孩子們的心靈。中國內地，美國，和香港的基尼係數分別是0.47， 0.48，和0.54 (CIA Gini), 可我那日翻閱的中學通識課應試筆記上，赫然寫著“[中國]面對國家動亂的風險”。面對這與數據相悖的結論，我很想講點什麼，但又感覺講什麼都很無力。又如中國的“文化大革命”明明是人類歷史上的一場浩劫，那本書裡竟然講當年“人民”是“投身於”那場政治運動的。君若曾看過一兩部關於文革的電影，一定能明白我為何講那是一場悲劇，人性在那種瘋狂中的被扭曲不亞於戰爭對人性的吞噬。我的祖母當年是被批鬥的，我大學時最喜歡的老師在文革時也是被批鬥的，當年的國家主席同樣也是被批鬥至死的。我不知所謂的“投身”是在指誰投身，如何投身。我想起碼我認識的多數人都是受害者，而非兇手。把我受害的祖母同衝動的紅衛兵相提並論，我內心充滿的只有一種被羞辱的感覺。
Yet I have to force myself to voice my opinion for the errors in today’s textbooks, which shape the mind of every child in Hong Kong in a distorting way. The Gini coefficient for the mainland of China, USA, and Hong Kong are 0.47, 0.48, and 0.54, respectively (CIA Gini), but the conclusion goes with those numbers in the book, one to help kids memorized “standard” answers in exams, was that “(China) is facing a high risk of societal chaos”. I don’t know how I may re-program my logic to support that conclusion with those numbers. Another thing that jarred me was the phrases used to describe the “Cultural Revolution”. Those authors stated that “people (in China) devoted themselves to the Cultural Revolution”. If you ever watch one movie about it, you know what kind of disaster that was in human history; the cruelty of it is not less than a war and the power Ares was seen again in that chaotic period. My grandma was bullied in those years, my favorite professor in college was too, and the president of China at that time was lynched. I can hardly grasp the reason why those authors used the word “devoting” (in Chinese) in their description, are they mocking my grandma and everyone else in China?
不過我是個成年人，還不至於因為這被羞辱的感覺而眩暈。這些謬誤最壞的結果，無非是讓一些小孩子覺得北邊廣袤的大陸上充滿了危險，不去就罷了。讓我最後感到些許絕望的是關於身份認同的討論。那應試筆記上告訴孩子們，“當一個人認同自己是群體的一員後，個人聯繫感會提升，亦有助於自尊的建立”。這話乍一看是沒錯的，但我這敏感的心智當時不由聯想，如果我偏偏是個不合群的“壞”孩子呢？我就不是香港的社會的一員了嗎？我就不可以有和別人同樣自尊了嗎？你告訴我北面的大陸充滿危險，又告訴我必須認同所謂的港人“核心”價值觀，我，我，⋯⋯我若是個壞孩子，不認同某一方價值觀，豈不是只有移民歐美這一條路可以走了嗎？要不然我連自尊都沒有啊。但若我是個壞孩子，估計英文也學得好不到哪裡去⋯⋯
I am an adult, who is mature enough to stand that kind of mocking. Those errors did not stun me. The worst results are that some naive kids would accept this illusion that the vast continent to the north is full of terror, and they would avoid traveling northward as much as they can. What led my despair was the part about “sense of identity”. In an English textbook, I found the statement that “… when individuals look for common characteristics shared by themselves and the group, a sense of identity [recognition] towards that group will be developed and they will view themselves as part of the group“. The problem is that … in Hong Kong, which group should I attach myself? Can I choose not to attach to any group but meanwhile, also call myself a Hong-Konger? How is the group “Hong Konger” [Hong Kong People] defined? In the Chinese context, I usually call myself a Shanxi-er since that is where I was born and grew up, but in (US) English context, I think everyone can call themselves a New Yorker as long as they live in the New York City. I thought the glory of Hong Kong implies that I can be a Hong Konger too, yet the information I grasped from the textbook is that … I have to kill my identity of being a Shanxi-er, or even being a Chinese in order to become a Hong Konger. I imagine when my kids go to school … will they be forced to pretend to be a Hong Konger (in the Chinese sense) so that they can play with other kids intimately … or will they be forced to say “I am an expat” so they can pretend they don’t care? I know how it feels when one does not have a sense of belonging. And that probably means more loneliness for little souls than adults’.
諸位，舊約裡有講“每个人都有神的形象，每个人在神面前都是平等的”。這世界還有什麼比孩子的心靈更無暇的呢？各種家規國法當然該教予孩子，但他/她內心的那個自我，需要的除了尊重和愛，還需要什麼呢？是謊言與偏見嗎？寫教科書的人也許覺得自己是在寫真理。可國父臨死的時候明明有講，其終身目的在於“求中國之自由平等”，“廢除不平等條約”一事“尤须于最短期间，促其实现”。1997是不是國父的心願嗎？今日吾等的相互謾罵，讓國父在天國看了，又作何感想呢？
The Genesis told us “every one of us has the image of God in ourselves”. I always think the image is intact in the mind of little kids, so while some family and school educations are necessary, why wouldn’t we try to let them be themselves? I mean, why don’t we give nothing else but love and respect, to the SELF of every child? They can define themselves in good or bad ways, depending on whether we feed them truth or lies. The textbook authors may think they were writing about the truth. Yet I remember, in his last words, the founding father of modern China, Sun Yat-sen, told us his last forty years was devoted the cause of “pursuing the freedom and equality of China”. He suggested “abolishing unequal treaties” should be done as soon as possible. So was 1997 a year to make one of his wishes to become true? If he can see us from Heaven, how would the verbal abuse among us make him feel?
我知道紅磡一帶是有一條山西街的，旁边还有浙江街、江西街。这些街名的拼法都是与现代翻译极为不同的。比如山西的英文拼法是Shansi。去網路上搜索，有這個詞的文獻多都是關於清末票號（Shansi Banks）的。那天站在山西街上，我有一種同太祖一代隔空相遇的感覺。我眼前浮現出票號裡繁忙時通宵達旦的場景；我似乎看見他們為著旗袍長衫的新人舉辦婚禮；我好似看到他們夜裡挑燈，寫著一封又一封的家書，給遠在北方的親人。
Not long ago I learned in Hung Hom there is a “Shansi Street”, which is neighboring Kiang Hsi Street, and Chi Kiang Street. The spelling of those names is totally different from their modern translations (Shanxi, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang). If you Google “Shansi”, you can find some accounts of the early “Shansi Banks”. Thus, when I was standing on the Shansi Street the other day, I had a telepathy-like feeling. I saw the generation of my great-grandparent working in Hung Hom. They stayed late when new transactions needed to be processed; they celebrated the marriage for a young couple in traditional ways; they wrote letters to their families who stayed in the North and were waiting for them.
香港一百多年以前就已經是中西商人溝通的樞紐。我认同英倫人士（準確地將應該叫“歐裔香港人”）对香港這顆明珠在财富和文明上的贡献，但早期三大商幫的貢獻就真的不值一提嗎？若我轉移焦點到二戰結束後的這些和平年代，買賣終歸是買賣。奇怪的是今天人們談論這買賣雙方時，似乎仍在使用一種遠古的語言，許多用詞暗含傲氣與鄙夷。這言語應該是今後許多年必然會被忘記的，我不知道這未來要等多久，但我无法相信人們會選擇一直視異己為猛獸。如果對方是，你又何嘗不是別人的異己，又何嘗不是猛獸呢？所以繞來繞去，我只能說，我們在內心深處是一樣的。理解別人並非一件容易的事，不然聖經上不會將英文的理解（understanding）與中文的聰明和智慧二詞相對應。相信人會越變越聰明，尤其是我们的孩子们，这應該還是沒錯的。
Hong Kong has been the “Eastern Wall Street” for more than one hundred years. I agree that the Westerners (I personally think the more accurate term should be “European Hong Kongers”) contributed tremendously to Hong Kong’s development, but didn’t the early Chinese business elites in the three big networks contribute more? If I move my lens to the peaceful era after WWII, a trade is, after all, a trade, which is contributed from both sides. It is really odd that we are still using some language which explicitly or implicitly asserts the ownership of Hong Kong and the superiority and inferiority of different groups in different situations. I doubt the same set of words were used in the time before WWII, and I do not think they will keep appearing in our books and media for a very long time. I don’t know how soon this process of language evolution may take, but I cannot believe human will judge each other based on superficial level characters, birth origin, skin color, language, etc. If I see anyone who differs from me as an evil person, won’t I be labeled the same way? Thus my logic forces me to reach one conclusion, the differences between us, especially those superficial-level ones, cannot tell us much about one person. We need to learn about others by listening to them wholeheartedly. I do not know about Hebrew or Greek, but I know the English word “understanding” in the bible was translated into Chinese words “smart” and “wisdom” in many places. I believe our children will become smarter than us and human beings as a whole will be wiser in generations.
我理解人們對於平靜的熱愛，也能體會少數熱情高漲的青年那“捍衛家鄉”的衝動。但我們此刻能否讓我們的孩子來記住這段历史的真相，而不是永远地生活在一個又一個謊言中，一次又一次的仇恨中。自由和民主從來就不可能從謊言和偏見中生出。我想我的先祖並沒有忘記你的，你的先祖也並沒有忘記我的。只是歷史的河流太湍急又太漫長，所以我們至此才能相遇。但這相遇也是命運的恩賜，也全都該好好珍惜。回看那段歷史並非易事，但讓一個孩子學會面對，遠比讓我們成年人自己面對要容易。何不讓孩子們自此學會堅強。
I totally understand people’s love for peace, as well as the passion of some young activists to protect the peace of their homeland. But can we all calm down and hold our fear due to a witch’s lies or ignorance or whatever, and listen to each other, wholeheartedly? Let our children look at the world as it was, it is, and the future it can be. They deserve to live in a world with less fear, especially the unnecessary fear due to hatred triggered by all kinds of lies, from which freedom and equality can never arise. I think my great-grandfather did not abandon yours, and yours did not forget mine. It is just that this documentary film of history is such a long story, the Screenwriter did not let us meet each other until now. Yet we should appreciate this encounter wholeheartedly because it has long been dreamed by some. It is not something easy to reflect upon the history, but letting a child be resilient is much easier than letting an adult be the same. Why don’t let our kids start the learning now?
後記：還望有識之士能夠推動香港教科書修訂工作，鄙人建議從統一全港教科書開始。不論您的孩子屬於哪個族裔，讓歧視和盲目仇恨充滿孩子的內心總會是一件讓父母揪心的事情。一些迷失與社運的青年一定程度上是被謊言蒙蔽了雙眼。願我們共同鼓起勇氣，拋開偏見與不同，用愛為孩子們創造一個更美好的世界。香港若想變得更加国际化，其文化必然是多元的。海納百川，有容乃大。最後奉勸諸位切勿將教科書修改變做個人攻擊。吾不希望本文殃及任何教育工作者。人無完人，金無足赤。
P.S.: I wish anyone who shares the same love for kids like me can push the reform of Hong Kong textbooks. I would humbly suggest unifying HK textbooks for starters. Regardless of skin color, mother tongues, birth origin, or any other differences, I think no parents want to let their children live with a heart filled with biases and hatred. Some young students got lost in protesting activities because distorting lens have been put on them. Let’s all take some courage to reflect on history and our differences, so that we can create a world filled with more love than we have today. If Hong Kong wants to become a more internationalized city, its culture would definitely become more diverse. The ocean is great not because of its volume, but because of its inclusiveness to thousands of rivers. Lastly, I wish no one would suffer from assault, battery, or infliction of emotional distress in the process of reforming textbooks. No one is perfect.
【本文中英翻譯並非字字對應。因鄙人覺得翻譯之扼要在於傳遞真實的情感，所以中英文必須根據不同的文化背景調整遣詞造句之功。】
[ The translation was definitely not done at the line-by-line level. Because I find in an article like this, the priority is to convey the genuine emotional information behind language instead of the meaning of each word. To fulfill this goal, I had to depart briefly from the other version at some places.]
多謝！Thanks！
之明
William
June 29, 2019
Hong Kong
Email: william ‘at’ unitedminds ‘dot’ net.
©2019 by William@UnitedMinds. Article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution(CC BY-ND) license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)