Growing Pains
Dear Editor:
"Growing Pains" has had a major impact on me. I have read and reread this bittersweet story a few times and each time, I had more questions than answers in my mind. "Growing Pains" is not just the incredible, touching story of Chung-jen and Chungyi but, in fact, a report on life and society itself.
I am neither Chinese nor Taiwanese but I discovered that the "collective memory" has become part of me or, I have become a part of the "collective memory": it doesn't really matter who Chung-jen and Chung-yi are or who I am; my eyes were just simply filled with tears.
The reporter has done outstanding work with this report. Ms. Li just simply has reported the facts and has neither taken it on herself to be the judge nor turned it into a crusade of any sort, both of which would be very tempting in this case. The translator deserves a substantial credit, too.
I'm enclosing a check for US$250.00. I know you will find a way to forward the equivalent in NT$ to Chung-jen and Chung-yi. I know that what I'm doing is far from being a solution-but it is all I can do. I do hope, though, that "Growing Pains" evokes a similar reaction in many other people.
Sincerely, Alfred Boeckli Chen, USA
Editor's reply Since the story of Chung-jen and Chung-yi was published, many readers have written in to give their best wishes or to contribute money to the two brothers. We have printed Mr. Chen's letter as being representative. Besides Mr. Chen's contribution, we have also received donations of US$2400 from Li Tsu-lien and US$2000 from Mrs. Wang, both readers in the US. On behalf of Chung-jen and Chung-yi, we hereby thank all of our readers who have expressed their concern. And here's more good news: Chung-yi has found a job and has already started work.
Correction: On page 13 of our October 1995 domestic edition (November 1995 overseas edition), the photograph of an execution was captioned: "In 1937, Japanese soldiers occupying Nanjing massacred 300,000 civilians..." Mr. Lu, a reader in Los Angeles, wrote to say that the Japanese uniforms shown are different from those worn in Nanjing as seen in the photo below on the same page. On checking with the production team of One Inch of Land, One Inch of Blood, we found that in fact the photo dates from 1931, and shows soldiers of the Japanese army stationed in Manchuria massacring members of the Chinese Northeastern Volunteer Army after the founding of the puppet state of Manchukuo. At that time, the Japanese military police wore flat-topped peaked caps as well as helmets. Our thanks to Mr. Lu for his attentiveness and for kind ly bringing this error to our attention.
Also, in our December overseas edition, in "A New 'Image' of Dr. Sun Yat-sen," the reader who contributed the article states that his wax figure of Dr. Sun will be put on public display to mark the 139th anniversary of the great man's birth. One of our readers, a Mr. Chao of Taipei, telephoned to say that this year is in fact the 129th anniversary of Dr. Sun's birth. We apologize for failing to check this before publication and thank Mr. Chao for pointing out the mistake.