by Albert Leung

If you say, “Good day, Mr. Lai,” the words “good day” are literally a blessing to everyone as you greet each other. How many of you have actually thought about saying those words even in a situation that is not so “good”?

A truly good person, who walks through the valley of the shadow of death, will fear no evil, for he has peace of mind and inner calm as long as he is conscious of doing good things. Living with inner peace is the path to eternal happiness. Su Shi, also commonly referred to as Su Dongpo, said “Looking back over the bleak passage survived, the return in time shall not be affected by windswept rain or shine.” That is precisely the realm described by Su.

Your case, originally only a civil lawsuit, was brought under the name of the national security law and to be heard by a judge appointed by the head of Hong Kong. In the absence of a plea, your case was adjourned until April of next year, demonstrating the red terror of being imprisoned for five months without trial.

This day seemed to be within your expectation and you have thought about it for a long time, but many people are still saddened by its arrival. You have always said that you will never leave Hong Kong because once you leave, the spirit of the “Apple Daily” will be destroyed. Because of the strong support of faith, you feel empowered with the spirit of martyrdom to wait for prison life to dawn upon you. You could have just left, come to Taiwan and enjoy the scenery at Yangmingshan over a nice cup of tea.

Last time we had such a great chat on Apple Daily’s Goodest Channel, but I never had the opportunity to touch upon the point I wanted to discuss most. Throughout history, there were many people who lost their freedom in order to fight for it, resisting power, opposing tyranny, demanding reforms, then upon failure, uprising to revolution. From the communist era of the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China to Hong Kong today, many people insisted that they would “rather be ashes than dust” and put their personal safety at risk.

Born in a troubled world, these people have one thing in common. That is, their life is politics, and politics is their whole life. To fight for freedom and democracy is not only their ambition, but also their only so-called recreation. These “professional fighters” are certainly worthy of respect. The late Szeto Wah was a veteran prominent fighter in Hong Kong. Not only was his home full of books, but he also had one bed, half of which was stacked with books, all related to political and social sciences. These professional fighters’ so-called “interest in life” is to spend their entire lives fighting.

You are different.

I remember many times at your home in Hong Kong, apart from discussing “major events” in your garden where birds twitter and the fragrances of plants waft in the air, we would also chat about the science of raising peacocks. You are a foodie and living la dolce vita, and of course, we share a common hobby: ancient Japanese teapots. That day, we coincidentally both spoke against the backdrop of a Japanese screen on gold dyed silk. The screen displayed at Next Media was of a different drawing, which in my opinion felt like home. When I first visited your home in Yangmingshan and saw Huang Yongyu’s set of the four-screen masterpiece, I was excited like a child, borderline on being a disgrace.

I’m sorry to expose your privacy, but it is just to show how to relish the art of life can also be a burden; the more riches and wonderful things a person has, the more he is reluctant to give them up. You did not have to sell your assets to support the operations of Next Media. At the age of 73, you could have lived a full life in the art of living. A “fighter” like you is even rarer in history. The rich do good deeds for the sake of accumulation of blessings, and the ritual is complete once money is donated. You, on the other hand, are willing to set aside the sweetness of your comfortable life and sacrifice everything to hold on to your belief. To borrow from the Bible, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven,” and you are that camel that can pass through the eye of a needle, and how difficult is that choice.

There is a courage that must be backed up by noble sentiments.

In you, I and perhaps many people in Hong Kong have learned that keeping the faith is more than talks. What you have done will sow seeds and bear fruits. If we were all fireflies, you would be the last burning stick of match.

Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Amor fati—a love of fate.” Now I finally understand what this phrase means. Destiny is your own choice and your own ambition, just as choose what you love and love what you choose, and do not seek a change in circumstances but accept the price you pay.

In this temporary farewell, I can only say to you, “A man who knows what he lives for can endure any kind of life.” I will pray for you, and God will bless the good. I believe that, and you must believe so too.

Sincerely,

Albert Leung who believes we share the same aspirations and cherish the same ideals

(Albert Leung is an award-winning lyricist and writer.)

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