经国吾弟：
DearbrotherChing-Kuo,
咫尺之隔，竟成海天之遥(1)。南京匆匆一晤，瞬逾三十六载。幼时同袍，苏京把晤，往事历历在目(2)。惟长年未通音问，此诚憾事。近闻政躬违和，深为悬念(3)。人过七旬，多有病痛，至盼善自珍摄。
Whowouldhaveexpectedthattheshortdistancebetweenusshouldbekeepinguspolesapart!Itisnowmorethan36yearssinceourbriefencounterinNanjing.ThedayswespenttogetherinchildhoodaswellaslaterintheSovietcapital,however,arestillasfreshaseverinmymemory.Butit’sapityindeedthatwehaven’theardfromeachotherforsomanyyears.Recentlyitfilledmewithmuchconcerntolearnofyourindisposition.Menagedoverseventyareliabletoillness.Ihopeyouwilltakegoodcareofyourself
三年以来，我党一再倡议贵我两党举行谈判(4)，同捐前嫌，共竟祖国统一大业。共竟祖国统一大业(5)。惟弟一再声言“不接触，不谈判，不妥协”，余期期以为不可。世交深情，于公于私，理当进言(6)，敬希诠察。
Forthreeyears,wehaverepeatedlyproposedbilateraltalksbetweenthetwopartiestoletbygonesbebygonesandstrivetogetherforthegreatcauseofnationalreunification.Butyouhavetimeandagaininsisteduponhaving“nocontact,notalksandnocompromise”,whichItrulythinkinadvisable.Inviewofthepublicandpersonalconcernsaswellaslong-standingdeepfriendshipbetweenourtwofamilies,Ifeelduty-boundtoofferyouawordofadviceforcarefulconsideration.
祖国和平统一，乃千秋功业(7)，台湾终必回归祖国，早日解决对各方有利。台湾同胞可安居乐业，两岸各族人民可解骨肉分离之痛，在台诸前辈及大陆去台人员亦可各得其所，且有利于亚太地区局势稳定和世界和平。吾弟尝以“计利当计天下利，求名应求万世名”(8)自勉，倘能于吾弟手中成此伟业(9)，必为举国尊敬，世人推崇，功在国家，名留青史(10)。所谓“罪人”之说，实相悖谬。局促东隅，终非久计。明若吾弟，自当了然(11)。如迁延不决，或委之异日(12)，不仅徒生困扰，吾弟亦将难辞其咎(13)。再者，和平统一纯属内政。外人巧言令色，意在图我台湾，此世人所共知者。当断不断，必受其乱(14)。愿弟慎思。
Thepeacefulreunificationofthemotherlandwillbeagreatachievementtogodowninhistory.Taiwanisboundtobereunitedeventuallywiththemotherland.Anearly
settlementoftheproblemwillbeintheinterestsofall.ThecompatriotsinTaiwanwillbeabletoliveinpeaceandhappiness,thepeopleofallnationalitiesonbothsidesoftheTaiwanstraitswillberelievedofthepainsofseparationfromtheirfleshandblood,andourseniorfolksinTaiwanandthoseformerlymigratedtherefromthemainlandwillallbeproperlyplacedandprovidedfor.And,moreover,itwillcontributetothestabilityofAsiaandthePacificregionaswellastoworldpeace.Youusedtoseekself-encouragementfromthemotto,“Theintereststobeconsideredshouldbetheinterestsofall;thefametobesoughtshouldbeaneverlastingfame.”Ifyoushouldbeinstrumentalinbringingaboutthecauseofnationalreunification,youwillcertainlywinesteemandpraisenationwideandyourmeritoriousservicetothecountrywillearnyouanicheinthetempleoffame.Itissheerabsurditytothinkyourself“guilty”forrenderingsuchaservice.Afterall,draggingoutyourexistenceinthattighteasterncornerisbynomeansapermanentsolution.Thisshouldbecrystalcleartoamanofyourwisdom.Procrastination,hesitationorsleepingovertheproblemwillonlyleadtoadversityandyou,mybrother,willhardlybeabletoescapecensure.Moreover,peacefulreunificationisentirelyaninternalaffairofChina.Asisknowntoall,outsiderswhoaretalkinggliblyagainstithavedesignsonourTaiwan.Tobeirresolutewhenapromptdecisionshouldbetakenwouldonlyspelldisaster.I,therefore,wouldlikeyoutothinkthisovercarefully.
孙先生手创之中国国民党，历尽艰辛，无数先烈前仆后继，终于推翻帝制，建立民国(15)。光辉业迹，已成定论。国共两度合作，均对国家民族作出巨大贡献。首次合作，孙先生领导，吾辈虽幼，亦知一二。再次合作，老先生主其事，吾辈身在其中，应知梗概。事虽经纬万端，但纵观全局，合则对国家有利，分则必伤民族元气(16)。今日吾弟在台主政，三次合作，大责难谢。双方领导，同窗挚友，彼此相知，谈之更易(17)。所谓“投降”、“屈事”、“吃亏”、“上当”之说，实难苟同。评价历史，展望未来，应天下为公，以国家民族利益为最高准则(18)，何发党私之论！至于“以三民主义统一中国”云云，识者皆以为太不现实，未免自欺欺人(19)。三民主义之真谛，吾辈深知，毋须争辩。所谓台湾“经济繁荣，社会民主，民生乐利”等等，在台诸公，心中有数，亦毋庸赘言。试为贵党计，如能依时顺势，负起历史责任，毅然和谈，达成国家统一，则两党长期共存，互相监督，共图振兴中华之大业。否则，偏安之局(20)，焉能自保。有识之士，虑已及此(21)。事关国民党兴亡绝续(22)，望弟再思。
Aftergoingthroughuntoldhardshipsduringwhichcountlessrevolutionariesunflinchinglylaiddowntheirlives,theKuomintangfoundedbyDr.SunYat-senfinallyoverthrewthemonarchyandestablishedtherepublic.Thishasbeenuniversallyrecognizedasagloriousachievement.TheKuomintangandtheCommunistPartytwicecooperatedandonbothoccasionstheymadetremendouscontributionstothecountryandthenation.Weknowsomethingaboutthefirstcooperation,ledbyDr.SunYat-sen,thoughwestillyoungatthattime.Thesecondcooperationwaspresidedoverbyyourfatherand,asparticipantsinit,weshouldknowwhatitwasallabout.Complicatedasthematterwas,anoverallviewofthesituationwillshowthatunited,thecountryandthenationbenefit;divided,theysuffer.Now,asheadoftheTaiwanadministration,youhaveunshirkableresponsibilityforbringaboutthethirdcooperation.Leadersfrombothsideswillfinditeasiertotalkthematteroversincetheyknoweachotherwell,havingformerlybeenschoolmatesandclosefriends.Ifinditreallyhardformetosubscribetothoseviewswhichdescribecooperationas“surrender”,“humiliating”,“sufferinglosses”or“beingduped”.Inreviewinghistoryorlookingaheadtothefuture,oneshouldbepublic-mindedandputtheinterestsofthecountryandthenationaboveall.Whyharponthenarrowinterestofaparty?Suchremarksas“unifyingChinawiththeThreePeople’sPrinciples”areregardedbyallthinkingpeopleasunrealistic,deceptiveandostrich-like.PeopleofourgenerationknowthetruemeaningoftheThreePeople’sPrinciplesquietwellandthereisnoneedtoargueaboutit.NeitheristhereanyneedtodwellonsuchassertionsasTaiwan’s“economicprosperity,democracyandeasylivelihood”,thetruthofwhichallgentlemeninTaiwanmustbequietawareof.Tomymind,ifyou,forthesakeofyourparty,shoulderthehistorictaskand,goingwiththestream,takepartinpeacetalksforournationalreunification,thetwopartieswillbeabletocoexistforalongtimetocome,supervisingeachotherandmakingacommonefforttorevitalizeChina.Otherwise,contentasyouarewithyourpresentruleoverthetighteasterncorner,howcansuchasituationbeexpectedtolastforlong?Thisisaquestionalreadyonthemindsofthinkingpeople.ItisamatterofsurvivalorextinctionfortheKuomintangandIhopeyouwillthinkitoveragain.
近读大作，有“切望父灵能回到家园与先人同在”(23)之语，不胜感慨系之。今老先生仍厝于慈湖，统一之后，即当迁安故土，或奉化，或南京，或庐山，以了吾弟孝心。吾弟近曾有言：“要把孝顺的心，扩大为民族感情，去敬爱民族，奉献于国家。”诚哉斯言，盍不实践于统一大业！就国家民族而论，蒋氏两代对历史有所交代(24)；就吾弟个人而言，可谓忠孝两全。否则，吾弟身后事何以自了。尚望三思。
RecentlyIwasprofoundlymovedwhenIreadoneofyourwritingsinwhichyouexpressedthe“longingformyfather’ssoultoreturntothehomelandandbeamongtheforefathers”.Theremainsofyourfather,nowstilltemporarilyplacedatCihu,shall,uponnationalreunification,beimmediatelymovedtothefinalrestingplaceinFenghua,NanjingorLushaninfulfilmentofyourfilialwhishes.Yourecentlysaid,“Filialdevotionshouldbeexpandedintonationaldevotiontothecountry.”Wellsaid!Whydon’tyouapplyittothegreatcauseofnationalreunification?Asfarasthecountryandthenationareconcerned,youwillhavefulfilledthetaskimposedonyouandyourfatherbyhistory;asfarasyouyourselfareconcerned,thiswillbeanexpressionofbothloyaltyandfilialpiety.Otherhowcouldyouaccountforyourselfafteryourpassingaway?Ihopeyouwillthinkmoreaboutit.
吾弟一生坎坷，决非命运安排，一切操之在己(25)。千秋功罪，系于一念之间。当今国际风云变幻莫测，台湾上下众议纷纾岁月不居，来日苦短，夜长梦多(26)，时不我与。盼弟善为抉择(27)，未雨绸缪“寥廓海天，不归何待？”
Dearbrother,thefrustrationsmarkingyourlifetimearebynomeanspredestined.Youyourselfalonearemasterofyourownfate.Meritsanddemeritstoberecordedinhistoryhingeonthedecisionmadeinamoment.Thepresentinternationalsituationiscapricious.ThroughoutTaiwanpeopleofallstrataaretalkingabouttheirfuture.Timedoesnotstayandbriefistheday.Alongnightinvitesbaddreams;timeandtidewaitfornoman.Ihopeyou,mybrother,willmakeawisechoiceandrepairthehousebeforeitrains.“Vastistheexpanseofskyandwater.Whatareyouwaitingfor,stayingawayfromhome?”
人到高年，愈加怀旧，如弟方便，余当束装就道，前往台北探望，并面聆诸长辈教益。“度尽劫波兄弟在，相逢一笑泯恩仇”。遥望南天，不禁神驰(28)，书不尽言，诸希珍重，伫候复音。老夫人前请代为问安。方良、纬国及诸侄不一。
Thelongingforoldfriendsgrowswithage.Ifitsuitsyourconvenience,IwillpackandgoonavisittoTaibeitoconsultourelders.“Forallthedisastersthebrotherhoodhasremained;asmileatmeetingandenmityisbanished.”WhenIlooksouthtowardsthedistanthorizon,myheartcannothelpgoingouttomycompatriotsthere.NowordisenoughtoexpresswhatIwishtosay.Itishopedthatyouwilltakegoodcareofyourself.Iamlookingforwardtoareplyfromyou.
顺祝
Bestwishestoyou.
廖承志
LiaoChengzhi
１９８２年７月２４日
July24,1982
翻译解析：
(1)“咫尺之隔，竟成海天之遥”的原译为Nooneeverexpectedthatastripofwatershouldhavebecomesovastadistance，未充分表达原文的感叹语气以及“海天之遥”与当时两岸的关系。现改译为Whowouldhaveexpectedthattheshortdistancebetweenusshouldbekeepinguspolesapart，其中polesapart作widelyseparated解。此句形式上为疑问句，实为感叹句，故句尾接感叹号。
(2)“幼时同袍，苏京把晤，往事历历在目”的原译为FromourchildhoodfriendshiptoourchatsintheSovietcapital,everythinginthepastisstillaliveinmymemory，基本上逐字直译，流畅不足。现改译为ThedayswespenttogetherinchildhoodaswellaslaterintheSovietcapital,however,arestillasfreshaseverinmymemory，其中arestillasfreshasever比stillremainfresh强调。
(3)“近闻政躬违和，深为悬念”的原译为RecentlyIwastoldthatyouaresomewhatindisposedandthishascausedmemuchconcern，采用复合句逐字直译，欠简练。现用简单句改译为Recentlyitfilledmewithmuchconcerntolearnofyourindisposition。
(4)“我党一再倡议贵我两党举行谈判，同捐前嫌”的原译为ourpartyhasrepeatedlyproposedtalkswithyourpartytoburythehatchet。为了避免party一词的重复出现，现改译为wehaverepeatedlyproposedbilateraltalksbetweenthetwopartiestoletbygonesbebygones。
(5)“共竟祖国统一大业”的原译为workjointlytoaccomplishthegreatcauseofnationalreunification。为突出“共同力求”的内涵，现将此句改译为strivetogetherforthegreatcauseofnationalreunification。
(6)“世交深情，于公于私，理当进言”原译为Consideringboththepublicinterestsandourclosefriendshipwhichhaslastedforgenerations,IregarditasmydutytooffersomeadvicewhichIhopeyouwillconsidercarefully，其中有三处欠妥：１，“于公于私”译为thepublicinterests，未交代“于私”；２，“世交深情”中“世交”实际上只从双方父辈（廖仲恺和蒋介石）开始，原译却把它扩大到“祖祖辈辈”（forgenerations）；３，句子欠紧凑。现改译为inviewofthepublicandpersonalconcernsaswellasthelong-standingdeepfriendshipbetweenourtwofamilies,Ifeelduty-boundtoofferyouawordofadviceforcarefulconsideration。
(7)“乃千秋功业”译为agreatachievementtogodowninhistory，其中togodown是成语，作“被载入”解，也可译为toberecordedinhistory。
(8)“计利当计天下利，求明应求万世名”译为theintereststobeconsideredshouldbetheinterestsofall;thefametobesoughtshouldbeaneverlastingfame，前后都是简单句，形成排比。原译为theintereststobeconsideredshouldbetheinterestsofall;thefametobesoughtshouldbeafamethatwouldlastforever，前后稍欠匀称。
(9)“倘能于吾弟手中成此伟业”译为ifyoushouldbeinstrumentalinbringingaboutthegreatcauseofnationalreunification，其中instrumental作“有助于”（helpful）解。原译为ifthegreatcauseofnationalreunificationwouldbeaccomplishedthroughyourwork，语言欠地道。又would一词用得欠规范，就改为should。
(10)“功在国家，名留青史”译为yourmeritoriousservicetothecountrywillearnyouanicheinthetempleoffame，其中anicheinthetempleoffame是成语，作“流芳百世”解，与alastingfame同义。
(11)“明若吾弟，自当了然”译为thisshouldbecrystalcleartoamanofyourwisdom。原译为thisisofcoursequietclearforamanasintelligentasyou。注意wisdom着重“判断是非的能力”，intelligent着重“理解力”。