qigung

A Story of Our Fathers

It's unusual for a Taiwanese writer to write stories about those who
fled to Taiwan from China since there were so many misunderstandings,
conflicts and confrontations between local Taiwanese people and people
coming from Mainland China after the Communist Revolution. The
accomplishment of The Fragrance of Peach Blossoms is meaningful on two
levels: it provides insight into people who are exiled from their home and family,
and it offers forgiveness for historical mistakes.

This story is especially important to me because it's the story of my
father, and of the fathers of so many of us whose families were torn apart by
war, by the stupidity of humankind. Reading through this story, I get a feel for
what my father might have endured during the tumult of those times.
My father hardly talked about it; the trauma was irremediable, the
sorrow unspeakable.

The hand-written manuscript of The Fragrance of Peach Blossoms wasn't
discovered until after the much-too-early decease of its author in the
Spring of 2004. Mr. Huang Wu-Chung might have started the writing as
early as 1981, but even his beloved wife and children were not told
about it. Some researchers suspect that the story is yet unfinished, and
Mr. Huang's intention and plot have become an eternal puzzle for the
literary world and his readers. Nevertheless, the mystery does not
compromise the completeness of the composition.

Mr. Huang was the Director of the Second Division of the Council for
Cultural Affairs. In that position he initiated the publication of Taiwanese
literature in English, which has, at least, helped Taiwan to be more
known by international society. Probably because he had foreseen
that there was something missing in the spectrum of Taiwanese literature
that might result in an incomplete knowledge of Taiwan by English
readers, he plotted this story to provide a crucial background
to Taiwan's peculiar political and social situation today. The Chinese
title of this fiction is pronounced Tao Hsiang, meaning "Escape
from Hometown," and nostalgia, the essential element throughout this
fiction, is cleverly and delicately embodied by peach blossoms.

The lives of the three leading characters of this book constitute the
epitome of Taiwanese society during the political and social sea
change of that era. The candid descriptions of the clashes and blending
between local Taiwanese and mainlanders are familiar to everyone on this
island. While the debates over the truth of history are still boiling
and the enmities between different groups in Taiwan are still
exploited, we find forgiveness and peace in literature.

As the director who oversaw the selection procedures of the publishing
business in Taiwan, Mr. Huang selflessly avoided publishing the English edition
of his own works. It would be a loss if his literary achievement were to
pass into oblivion. I am honored to be the translator of this
outstanding work, and I am in debt to Tina Huang, the author's
daughter, who generously authorized me to take on this challenging task.
My special thanks also to Ms. Ginny Jaramillo, who carefully
polished my writing. If readers find any fault in this book, the
responsibility is no one else's but mine.

The translation of this book is sponsored by Taiwan's National Culture
and Arts Foundation.