Rivers and Billows in 1949 大江大海1949

The picture was quoted from http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010444559

Title: Rivers and Billows in 1949 (大江大海1949)

Author:  Long Ying Tai

I would like to share a book to everyone who concerns about the peace

of the world. This book Rivers and Billows in 1949 (大江大海1949) is about the history of those who escaped from China and leaved for Taiwan when the Civil War between the Nationalist Party and the Communist Party was triggered. It not only consists of the real stories of interviewees, but also the significant feelings of the sufferers.

For me, the people’s views of the life they have are very important, since we can know the REAL history through their experience. Somebody might not be interested in this kind of subject, and even see it as a taboo, but in my opinion, if people don’t talk about the foundations of our future, regret, grudge and sorrow will remain forever, and people can’t walk out of the shadow of those bad emotion which might causes the consequence we don’t want to see.

I hope people will know more about the complicated relationship between Taiwan and China and understand the importance of history and peace after reading it. It’s a pity that this book doesn’t have English version, so I decided to translate it. Although I am not a professional translator, I still want to share all the words and sentences in the book and translate them bit by bit every days. I might make many errors, and if you see them, please help me to correct them, and I will appreciate your kindness.

The sentences below are in the first page of the book:

Salute those who were trampled, insulted and lacerated by the era.

They have been daring and energetic, and youthful.

Some of them were moved by country, and were invigorated by ideal.

Some of them were pressed by poverty, and oppressed by circumstances.

They were sent to battlefields, being frozen and starved in wilderness, perishing in the trenches.

Iron wheels of the era ran over their bodies.

Those who remained only had unstable lifetimes and endless exile.

Since they underwent the force of war, and endured the hurt caused by upheaval,

Since they sowed the seeds at the place they fell,

Our generation can grow up in peace with simple and open minds.

If someone said that they were failures in the war,

So were all the people trampled, insulted and lacerated by the era.

Because of their FAILURE, we learned what value is worthy to purchase.

Please gaze at my eyes, and tell me honestly:

Are there any victors in the war?

I am proud of being the descendent of FAILUREs.