幾個月前在家書裡找到1978年從越南給來香港,爺爺給爸爸的一封信。 1978年中國跟越南關係越來越差,並在翌年二月展開中越戰爭。那段時期,越南華僑的生活最苦。
遠澤:
你母親精神受嚴重刺激,病了三十一個月,在這兩年多的時間,夜裡最是痛苦。遠揚心揚輪流服侍,奉事通宵,孝順之舉,令人感動。際農曆四月二十日的下午一時十五分,她便與世長辭了。二十一日下午十二時出殯,治喪是操最簡單的儀式,墳墓只為泥土一堆。
現在她死了,所幸生平未負饑餓,從此以後不用再擔憂衣食,並可免受惶恐,換憂愴。她能有這樣的結局,在這裡不知多少人羨慕著呢:說她好福氣。覺得奇怪嗎?不是此時此地的人,怎會了解 ?
生離死別乃人間悲慘的事,生而希望著快死的人不會就死,更加痛苦啊!
農曆四月廿五日 1978
因為有些家人在加拿大、美國及比利時,不太懂中文了,所以我又把文章翻譯成英文︰
I found this letter a few months ago at grandpa\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s home, a letter sentfrom Vietnam to Hong Kong, by my grandpa to my dad in 1978.
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Yuen Chak (Kong\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s father):Your mother had been under great stress and ill for 31 months, in thepast two something years, it was especially hard for her during thenight. Yuen Yeung and Sam Yeung took turns to look after her, days andnights, showing their loves for their mother, it really touchedeverybody\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s heart. At 1:15pm, the 20th Day of the 4th Lunar Month (26May 1978), she left the world for long. Her funeral was held at12:00pm, the 21st Day of the same Lunar Month, the ceremony wasconducted in the simplest form, only a mass of clay on her graveyard. Now she was finally dead, fortunate enough not to have to endure anyhunger, she need not to worry about her livelihood anymore, she neednot to be frightened or distressed. Her denouement excited many people\\\'s envy: saying she was blessed. Feeling strange? People wouldn\\\'t understand it if they weren\\\'t here right at the moment. Separation from your loved one in life or death is a tragedy, but beingalive and urging your dying loved one not to die, is like a misery. 25th Day of the 4th Lunar Month, 1978