March 29, 1971
Youths of the Nation: Today is the Youth Day in year 60 of the Republic of China. It is also the glorious occasion when we shall shoulder the heavy responsibility of inspiring a second 1911 National Revolution.
Sixty years ago, a sizable number of our illustrious martyrs courageously started the uprising at Huang Hua Kang (Yellow Flower Mound). They sacrificed their lives in keeping with the ideal of "performing heroic deeds with the heart of saint and sage." Just six months later, another righteous uprising took place at Wuchang. In this way the Republic of China of the National Revolution based on the principle of democratic sovereignty was conceived and brought into existence by these martyrs.
It is well known that the martyrs who sacrificed themselves at Huang Hua Kang were youths from 20 to 30 years old. They had made up their minds to join the Revolution in response to Dr. Sun Yat-sen's urging "that our people be convinced of the urgency of their responsibility to save the nation without delay,"
It is most impressive that these martyrs had made up their minds to join the Revolution and sacrificed themselves voluntarily for the freedom of their country and the existence of their people. They sublimated themselves as nobly as the gods. Martyr Lin Yin-min said: "Born into this time of world turbulence, persons of manliness should join together in the great task of recovering our lost land. How can we shut ourselves up in a study in order to become Ph.D's?" He also said: "It isn't that I reject love of my family. But seeing that China is about to be destroyed, what hope is there for my family?" He therefore advocated that "We should sacrifice what we ourselves hold most dear and least dispensable," And he added: "If our revolution fails at its first attempt, we should try again ten or even a hundred times. Eventually the day of success will dawn. If I were to be sacrificed, I should feel no regret at having failed to witness the final victory with my own eyes."
Before their final consecration, some martyrs suffered physical deformation in the course of revolutionary activities. Brothers among the martyrs strove against each other for prior opportunity to give their lives in the revolutionary cause. Martyr Yu Pei-lun studied chemistry so as to learn how to make explosives and lost one of his arms while carrying out an experiment. When his younger brother, Pei-ti, sought to take part in the Canton uprising, Pei-lun objected, saying: "I am determined to die in expressing my loyalty to our country. You must stay alive and carry out the responsibility of taking care of our parents," Some persons sought to persuade Pei-lun that he need not participate in the Canton uprising because: "You have already given one arm. Why should you now sacrifice yourself?" Resentfully, Pei-lun replied: "All of you have your arms and legs intact. You had better leave the opportunity to one who is already deformed," Before he gave his life, Yu Pei-lun said: "My head may be cut off but learning how to behave as one should will not be discontinued,"
Some of the martyrs were newly married, yet uncomplainingly gave up conjugal affection. They died in the cause of "helping those who wish to love their beloved," Martyr Lin Chueh-min repeatedly said: "Our compatriots are aware that revolution is the only means of saving the nation and that its implementation should not be delayed. Regrettably, they have not dared to give up family affection for the revolutionary cause." In his last testament, Chueh-min reminded his wife: "When you mourn my death, you must think of our compatriots. I am proud of having this opportunity to sacrifice our own happiness for the enduring happiness of our countrymen. "
Some martyrs bade farewell to fathers who were on their sickbed and said they, too, wanted to yield up their lives if the fathers died. Martyr Feng Chao-hsiang's father was critically ill as Chao-hsiang and his comrades were about to leave for Canton. The comrades knew of the deep affection between father and son and did not want Chao-hsiang to leave. Chao-hslang said: "National affairs are a public duty and family affairs only a private duty. I should rather commit the grave crime of neglecting filial piety," When Chao-hsiang went to say goodbye, hi. father consoled him: "You are going to perform your duty to the country. Don't be concerned about me!" While on the way, Chao-hsiang learned of his father's death and nearly died of grief himself. Thereupon he pledged: "I should not like to live now because my father is dead. If I am fortunate enough to survive this undertaking, I shall kill myself to console my father,"
Some martyrs joined the uprising together with all the other members of their families. They considered that the family's interest was served by their intention to sacrifice themselves. Martyr Fang Sheng-tung took part in the campaign with an elder brother, an elder sister, his wife and two elder sister-in-laws. Sheng-tung said: "If we volunteer to face trouble, we shall become accustomed to hardships. If we practice frugality, we shall be free from want. Our national affairs are deteriorating day by day and our country will face greater difficulties in the future. If we don't practice self-control and brace ourselves, how can we serve the nation importantly?" In his last letter to his father, Sheng-tung said: "If we should fail in our undertaking, China could not escape ruin. In that case, all of our 400 million compatriots would die with me. If we succeed, all of our 400 million compatriots will survive. I should be happy to die in order to save 400 million."
Martyrs and their comrades and schoolmates daily encouraged each other to give their lives in the revolutionary cause. Martyr Chen Keng-hsin and his comrades pointed at each other's hearts with blood-smeared hands* and said: "I would kill you if you had not done what the others expected of you, and you should kill me if I neglected my duty."
In this manner, the martyrs of Huang Hua Kang cherished the noble revolutionary spirit and carried out the Revolution of national recovery and re construction. They acted with esprit de corps and did not attempt to evade the multiple risks of death. So it is that Dr. Sun said: "Understanding of the causes of our failure in this undertaking surely will bring us to a successful result in the future." Today, we expect that our young people will join in concerted efforts to complete our sacred war, to punish Mao, to reject Communism and to save our nation and our people, thus bringing about the final successful step by punishing Mao and rejecting Communism in the third phase of the National Revolution.
Youths of the nation! It Was 45 years ago that we became the first people in the world to expose Communist evil and to raise our voices in appeal to man's sense of righteousness. We have helped others cherish what they love and, showing concern for all humankind, have sought to promote their permanent happiness. At the price of shedding our own blood, we have persisted in virtuous deeds and undergone the test of revolutionary struggle against tyranny. Today we are providing mankind with an example of clear-headed anti-Communist wisdom and have created the objective conditions for a united free-world struggle against Communism. Many people in the world around us have not yet freed themselves from the noxious thoughts of appeasement and retreat which have deceptively permeated their thinking. In contrast, only the youths of this free bastion of the Republic of China have diligently pursued their courses of study, service and creativity, and have courageously shouldered as their own the anti-Mao and anti-Communist mission of national recovery and reconstruction in order to save the 700 million compatriots on the mainland from the boiling waters and the fires of the awful purgatory in which they now lead a life worse than that of slavery. Youths of the mainland also are continuously struggling against tyranny and swearing that they will fight to the death against the violence of Mao Tse-tung's dictatorship. Chinese youths in overseas communities are resolutely demonstrating to the world the sagacity, the culture and the spirit of justice which mark the Chinese race. Consequently, our combat strength for the current phase of the National Revolution, calling for 70 per cent of political and psychological endeavor and 30 per cent of military undertaking, is to be judged in terms of an unflinching courage which is worthy of the gods and which has been nurtured by the nation's 5,000 years of culture and history and instilled in the hearts of 700 million ardent patriots at home and abroad. In other words, the national strength must be measured in the light of natural law, human nature, the freedom of men and the demands of racial survival and development.
Youths of the nation! In recalling the monumental demonstration of purity and fortitude by the revolutionary martyrs of Huang Hua Kang 60 years ago, we should open up a new advance toward the victorious third phase of the National Revolution by exerting ourselves further along the following combat lines:
First, let the pursuit of learning be combined with the tasks of revolution, which requires all the knowledge and wisdom at our command. Without exception, all scholarship must now be channeled into the National Revolution against Mao and his Communist followers. All of us must involve ourselves intensively in affairs of the state, implement revolutionary learning and follow the revolutionary example of the martyrs. In this way the knowledge that we acquire will strengthen us for undertakings to encourage ourselves, our nation, our people, our world and all of our fellow men.
Second, let us assure the consistency of life with combat. All of us must understand that unless we toil and suffer, there will be neither joy nor happiness for anyone. We must be aware that survival is possible when we are prepared to face calamity, that misfortune inevitably results from debauchery and that anti-Communism eventually will defeat tyrannical rule.
Third, let us reinvigorate the morals and intellectual faculties of the Chinese race, disseminate our anti-Communist experience and resourcefulness far and wide, and guide those youths of the world who have gone astray back to our own course and on to an era of justice, righteousness, freedom and equality.
Fourth, let our aspirations be raised and our horizons extended by the thought of the more than 10 million square kilometers of mainland domain that is to be recovered and rebuilt for survival of the race.
Fifth, let us brace ourselves and stand mightily erect so as to perpetuate our 5,000-year-old culture and history and the life stream of our 700 million compatriots. This is the heavy burden of our responsibility, and it may not be put aside for even a single day.
Youths of the nation! The martyrs of Huang Hua Kang resolved to yield up their lives so that all Chinese might be taught the duty of saving the nation. Today, our anti-Mao, anti-Communist war for the salvation of nation and people is an all-out, decisive struggle for the righteous cause of nationalism, the equitable principle of democracy and the freedom of the people's well-being. All of the Chinese people must truly under stand their duty of saving the nation and crowning the National Revolution with final victory. "Otherwise, nation, people, culture and history will be uprooted and, destroyed forever by the demoniac rebel Mao and his cohorts. Descendants of the Yellow Emperor would be compelled to lead a life worse than that of slaves. They would be confined forever in a dark underworld of the Chinese Communists' making - even as our compatriots on the mainland today are deprived of their means of livelihood and denied even the right to choose death.
All the youths of the nation should, therefore, manifest vitality and courage of unprecedented strength and dimension without regard to occupation or branch of learning. They should pool the spiritual forces of the Chinese race in common determination and united action, and accept concerted responsibility in the anti-Mao and national salvation mission. Today we are not merely reflecting on the past with admiration and intention to imitate. We are not content to offer a silent prayer and bow in the direction of Huang Hua Kang. More importantly, all of us, Chinese at home and abroad, must join together in undertaking the, great mission of mainland counterattack. Through revolutionary combat action directed against Mao and Communism, we shall achieve a triumph no less brilliant than that of the 1911 Revolution. These meritorious accomplishments and the construction of a new China based on San Min Chu I (Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People) will make us worthy of our role as true descendants of the Yellow Emperor and propitiate the souls of our Nation's Founding Father and the revolutionary martrys in heaven
Vice President Yen Chia-ken's address at ceremonies marking the opening of the Penghu (Pescadores) Interisland Bridge
March 26, 1971
Governor Chen, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am very happy to have the opportunity to come here and take part in these ceremonies to celebrate opening of the Penghu Interisland Bridge.
Formerly, when people spoke of Taiwan province's Penghu county, they thought of a place which was inconvenient to reach and, which lagged far behind the other counties. In the last decade, however, Penghu county has made phenomenal progress, as a consequence of the hard work and determination of its residents and the support given by those living elsewhere in the province. The government has attached much importance to the public works of Penghu and the garrison, forces here have provided unstinted support. The Penghu that we see here today is a county on the move.
As soon we deplaned, we could see the level roads, orderly communities, green fields and rolling countryside of Penghu. The impression thus given is wholly different from that of a decade or so ago. Penghu is joined to Kinmen (Quemoy), Matsu and Taiwan to form a mighty citadel and an instrument of national recovery and reconstruction. Development of Penghu is a vital part of our national development program and inextricably involved in' the advance of national defense, communications, society and the economy. The prosperity and progress of this area reflect our expansion and the growing success of our efforts of construction. Dedication of this bridge is an occasion of utmost significance.
President Chiang Kai-shek was in the Penghu on an inspection the in 1964. At that time, he instructed the Taiwan Provincial Government to build the Penghu Interisland Bridge so as to improve surface transportation. The Taiwan Provincial Highway Bureau took up the task of planning the project. Construction took more than five years and the cost was NT$100 million (US$2.5 million). Construction was essentially complete at the end of last December. Many difficulties were encountered in the building of this bridge, but the workers courageously persevered. With the cooperation of the military and civilians of Penghu, they were able to overcome all obstacles and complete the project on time. Especially noteworthy is the fact that this undertaking did not involve the assistance of foreign engineers and was financed by domestic capital. Construction was our own, and so was the money. This is sufficient evidence of the skills of our engineers, and reveals the determination with which we are daily striving to move toward further modernization. The building of the Penghu Interisland Bridge is a demonstration of the spirit with which we shall successfully reconstruct our country after recovery of the mainland.
Today we come here to mark the completion of this bridge. In doing so, we are gratified not only by the technological know-how shown in the construction, but also by significance of the project in terms of our industrial potential. We are growing stronger industrially day by day and thus are able to cope with increasingly difficult and demanding feats of engineering. The dedication with which the Penghu Interisland Bridge has been built is an assurance that the construction of Taiwan will be further expedited. Furthermore, the determination and endurance shown here augments our confidence that, under the leadership of President Chiang, we shall return across the Taiwan Straits, recover the Chinese mainland, rebuild our homes and build up our country.
Thank you, and my best wishes for your health and happiness.
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*In ancient China, when monarchs joined in alliance, or formed a brotherhood, they swore fidelity before the gods and sanctified their oaths by dipping their hands in sacrificial animal blood.