Short Story - 告别 Valedictory
告别
同学们，这是你们的最后一节中学历史课，很高兴在过去两年为你们教授历史，我想借着这个机会，出于我的使命感和责任心，重新谈谈我对历史的理解。我们生活在一个具有漫长历史的国家，时至今日，已有许多不可考的事件和传说了，还有一些，很遗憾，是被故意销毁的。历史，始终是胜利者的叙事，那些历史中被一笔带过或者已经被抹去的部分，藏着饥饿，头骨，血债，或者是个人的私心。一个国家，最古老的职业永远是关于恐惧、死亡与暴力，它们是警察，军队和领袖，至今它们依旧有随时摧毁我们精心构筑的文明的能力。想起史前，那些野蛮的，难以想象的社会。如果假以时日，你们有机会路过它们的遗迹和废墟，仔细地体会一下这种情感：我们，是不是会真的关心他人的命运？所以，一个人的死是唤不醒一个民族的，从来不要指望这样偶然的事情发生。信仰无神论的皇帝是不会下罪己诏的，就像宗教也从不启迪它的信徒。我在社会实验中度过我的青年，中年和即将到来的老年。永恒的劳动，消磨着我的耐心。我是《动员戡乱时期临时条款》[1]的牺牲品，我的财富被金圆券[2]洗劫一空，我的故乡已与我诀别。我深知我的命运已无法改变，而还有许多人，就像在你们的年纪，正身处构筑虚幻的梦中。如果说还有什么天真的希望，我想，只有一种错，我们不应该再犯，那就是举起武器，高喊着“什么也阻挡不了统一的愿望，无论是一堵墙，一道海峡，还是一条军事分界线”之类的话。多么愚蠢，我们发动战争。
民国64年
[1] 动员戡乱时期临时条款: 由中华民国为国共内战（1945-1949 年）制定的临时条款。它经过四次修订，一直有效到 1991 年。它实际上废除了中华民国宪法，并在台湾实施戒严，限制了公民和政治自由。
[2] 金圆券: 中华民国政府为准备迁往台湾而从国民手中囤积黄金的一种方法。由于发行准备不足和没有严格执行发行限额，这种货币因恶性通货膨胀而臭名昭著。
2023.10
Valedictory
Dear students, this is the final history class in your secondary school journey. It has been a pleasure to give history classes for you in the past two years. And I would like to take this opportunity, out of my sense of duty and responsibility, to revisit my understanding of history. We live in a country with a long history, and to this day, there are many untold events and legends, and some, sadly, that were deliberately destroyed. History, as always, is the narrative of the victors, and those parts of history that have been brushed aside or have been erased harbor hunger, skulls, blood debts, or personal selfishness. For a nation, the oldest professions are always about fear, death and violence, they are the police, army and the leader. And to this day they still have the capacity to destroy our carefully constructed civilization at any time. Think of prehistory, those barbaric and unimaginable societies. If you have the opportunity to pass by their remains and ruins, scrutinize the sentiment: do we, indeed, care about the fate of others? Therefore, the death of a man cannot awaken a people, and never expect such a chance occurrence. An emperor who believes in atheism will never issue an edict of guilt, just as religion never enlightens its followers. I spent my youth, middle age, and approaching old age in social experiments. Eternal labor wears on my patience. I was a victim of the “Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion”[1], my wealth was looted by the Golden Yuan[2], and my homeland had parted with me forever. I know that my fate is irrevocable, but many others, just like at your age, are in the midst of constructing illusory dreams. If there is any naive hope left, I think there is only one mistake that we should not make again. That is to raise our weapons and shout out something like, “Nothing can stop the desire for unification, whether it is a wall, a strait, or a military demarcation line.” How foolish we are to start a war.
Minguo 64
[1] Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion: It was temporary provisions set for Chinese Civil War (1945-1949) by the Republic of China. It was amended four times and stay effective until 1991. It effectively nullified the constitution and established martial law in Taiwan, where civil and political freedoms were curtailed.
[2] Gold Yuan: It was a method used by the Republic of China government to accumulate gold from its citizens in preparation to relocate to Taiwan. This currency was notorious for vicious inflation due to inadequate issuance preparation and failure to strictly enforce issuance limits.
Oct 2023