[However, to protect the copyright of the book, the final part of the book, part 4, is not online now. Just 75 percent of the book at above link. If readers want to read the entire book, please contact Mr Tony Kuo at ]tony38833883@yahoo.com.tw
《郭大同 代序》
家父是個農夫，今年七十七歲。二年前因為硬腦膜出血而動腦部的手術之後，才正式地揮別日出而作，日落而息的農地。孤伶一人，獨守生於斯，長於斯的故土。以如此高齡之退休老農，任憑我們兄弟姊妹親朋好友再怎麼地苦口婆心，也說服不了他遠離故鄉去跟兒女同住，以享含飴弄孫的天倫之樂。如果他能夠跟我們住，至少可免去我們掛念獨居老人之生活問題。而諸多掛慮之中，唯一可以慶幸的是他的身體硬朗，精神狀況極佳，我當時即另興一構想，鼓勵他將年輕時被日軍徵召到南洋服役之事寫成書。在此之前家父尚未有文字敘述付梓成書之經驗。而我提出此構想，一方面是基於田地已轉租他人。
對於一位習慣於餐風露宿、勞碌於艷陽風雨之下的人，驟然地無地可耕種，是否會因生活重心頓失而不利其身心健康？猶如一位運籌帷幄，奔騰於旌幡之中的沙場老將，豈能忍受驟然地「去」甲卸職？那株株星棋羅列井然有序的香蕉樹，不正是他悉心呵護之下的百萬雄兵嗎？以「筆耕」代替「鋤耘」可讓他耕出一片心田，讓他的精神播種開花結果。或許這也是他的另一片天空，另一種愉快的收成。當時我也跟他約法三章：早上到僅留的一小塊田地活動一下筋骨，下午時提筆讓思路運動一番，身心運動兼備。另一方面將五十多年前他的南洋歷險，或許是充滿刺激危險、悲傷、愉快，或溫馨的事，皆躍然紙上，化為文字以留後代子孫，則家傳之意甚重。
家父在物資極匱乏的時代接受日本教育，當時家境極為拮据，九歲便已失怙，與我祖母兩人相依為命。在困頓的環境下完成高等科教育（相當於目前國二的程度），從小我只斷斷續續聽到他去南洋當兵之事。至於他的文筆，因接受日本教育，大概日文比中文好多了。在我學生時代跟他的書信往返之中，感覺其中文表達通暢順意，而其日文涵養，只聽左鄰右舍及堂伯父提起，讚揚有加。他平常極愛看書，農閒或晚上總是手不釋卷，好像把看書當成消遣。至於要他把五十多年前的軼事憑記憶寫成回憶錄，老實說，原先我並沒有抱很大的希望，不求他能寫多少，但求他能埋首於筆墨之間，讓他的精神有所寄託即可。以一位七十六歲高齡之老農夫，要他寫出十萬八萬字的書談何容易？他又不是騷人墨客，也不是舞文弄字之輩，此構想難道不是緣木求魚嗎？
他答應寫南洋歷險記之後便振筆疾書。不久之後我回鄉下探望他，看到那幾本筆記本寫得密密麻麻的，在驚訝愧咎之餘，不禁對父親平常之沉默寡言，敦厚樸實，不與人爭，正義不阿之本性，興起敬佩之心。我們四位兄弟姊妹，對於自己最親近的父親，仍然是停留在小時候的膚淺「定型」觀感。其實他內心世界的深奧，或許藉著這本回憶錄能讓我們有更深入的瞭解。我曾聽堂伯父提過父親曾以日文寫過小說。說來慚愧，這件事也只是半信半疑地存於我的腦海中。而其日文版之南洋回憶錄也完成了，只是無法去領略箇中堂奧。
父親在民國三十二年七月下旬從高雄港出發，而三年之後的七月下旬又回到了旗山溪洲，在兵荒馬亂，朝不保夕的戰亂中，能全身而返該是列祖列宗的庇護吧！而他所經歷過的伊里安、馬瑙瓜里、安紋、馬加撒、泗水、峇里島等諸島，其間的驚險或溫馨，就留給大家仔細去咀嚼品嚐。我曾看到父親所珍藏的一張古老泛黃的照片：二、三十位峇里島小姐上空裝地排列站著，還真是壯觀呢！當時（小學時）問父親這些女孩怎沒穿上衣？父親莞爾而笑，只說這是該島的傳統。而一些躲避美軍軍機空襲之驚險軼事，在文中也歷歷在前。希望各位親朋好友在茶餘飯後瀏覽一番，臥遊南洋諸島，或可自得其樂、或可沉思回味。
最後感謝嘉中多位老師之意見。文中保留家父之原意及用字遣辭。他自己校定了三、四次。也感謝黃素珠小姐之校正及意見。
八十八年一月廿六日 於嘉義
《補代序》
特地感謝嘉中張西鎮老師（提早退休國文老師，生涯另有規劃。目前忙碌於佛經的譯注與講述，已完成【雜阿含經】八大冊之艱鉅工作。），在他的敦促與細心校正之下，【和平戰火】將以更流暢但保留原味呈現在大家眼前。距家父完成手稿，剛好十年。三年前，他病逝，享年八十四。去年，我也退休，花了八個月完成英譯版的初稿。其間，除了彷彿神遊南洋人文與地理之外，最讓我感動的是父親的精神和容貌與我相左右：他沒有離開人間，反而督促我，叫我別偷懶。又宛如他借用我的手和鍵盤，轉換他的故事成為英文字而已。另外，既遺憾也高興，有些人不相信這是他親自寫的，我只好說要不要跟我回家看原稿？
也感謝旗山的作家江明樹先生的鼓勵與不吝宣傳，感謝內人的校稿和幫助。總之，有了大家的幫忙，才能欣賞到家父第二次世界大戰時，他個人的親身經驗。
九十七年七月二十三日於家中
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《序文》
和平戰火 郭 天 祿
凡是寫述旅遊的對象地方，應該是歐、美先進國家或中國大陸、埃及等古文明國，才有豐富的題材來描出實際情形，追憶過去的種種事事。在此吾要寫出的遊記，不是文華燦爛的巴黎或羅馬的繁華都市，而是文明度不高的印度尼西亞峇里島，這可能使諸位先生、女士提不起興趣。再者，吾人是民國十一年生，今年七十七歲的種香蕉人，學歷只是日治時代公學校本科，高等科僅八年的修學期間而已。寫中文是很不如意且拙劣，要充份地描述表達出來，真是有力不從心之憾。有這兩方面的缺點，寫遊記難免有文章不夠精緻，說不定還讓人覺得無味。
這是五十多年前第二次世界大戰當中，吾本人在新幾內亞（現今改稱為伊里安）西部馬瑙瓜里，起至安紋、馬加撒、泗水，再至峇里島之間的點點滴滴，經過三年期間中的種種事事。這個經驗不但鞏固了吾個人的做人修養之信念，也瞭解世上的黑暗和光明兩面，領悟了做人的指向目標，受益頗多。文中有多處寫來不太順理成章，有文句不適當之嫌，真是力不從心。請大家含笑原諒，也希望細密判讀。
全文雖然是分四章說出，但要強調主張的是後兩章為重要部份。因現在到書店裡比較不易看到描述戰爭時代的苦難世相之書。人人都在富裕生活環境中，忘掉了節制，而不知約束自己，浮華無限。也望大家有所深思。
文中以在峇里島當時的風波起伏做為中心點，從頭至尾沒有一句空話插在其中，順著記憶中思索挖出來的，說起來是很吃力的差事了。但吾相信對於印尼這個地方之認識上，有所幫助才對。現今想起來，有很多節段故事遺漏掉落之處，無法補充進去，難免缺乏完整性了，吾自己也覺得很不滿意，這只是看做「拾穗」作業來處理吧。其次，文中後段有對日本的做法，不認同而批評之處，但這也是出自客觀和嚴正性的，對於日本今後的行進方向上有益處才對。本人並沒有惡意的。
再者，對於祖國大陸期待，吾也熱烈希望能夠成為一家人，結束近半個世紀的長期間互相不信任隔離情態。但這也要有全體在民主自由之前提之下，互相尊重才能達到成為一家人，甚至與全世界成為一家人。現今大陸上所推行的兩制形態，可能說是跛腳歪行，長短互鬥的畸形情態了。而軍事力量超越了應有的國民生活水準之上，是一個過去日本帝國寫照的再現了。面對這個鏡子，不知大陸上的人士有否領悟到沒有？
寫遊記回憶錄，好像返回到了以往時候的環境裏面去的感覺，在那個時候的少年囝仔、年青男女、朋友們，現今已是變為老人家了才對。但腦中的印象是，他（她）們還是活潑可愛的年青人之模樣。
時間倒流了五十多年前去了，感慨良多。我很感謝上蒼神明之保祐，而能夠經過這三年間的波浪難關，平安回來，和大家鄉親再見面，真是有價值和幸福的人生中一段的經歷了。
謝謝大家 八十七年十二月十六日
天 祿.
In a LETTER TO EDITOR in the
ReplyDeleteTAIPEI TIMES on
November 3, 2012, Dave Hall in Taipei wrote,
re the Taipei Times news article about THE PEACEFUL GUNFIRE memoirs:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2012/11/03/2003546750
Dear Editor,
Wartime lessons help us all.
Thank you for the news article by freelance reporter Dan Bloom titled “Memoirs recall Japan’s wartime
rule over Taiwan in the 1940s” (Nov. 1, page 12), and thanks to Mr. Tony
Kuo (郭天祿), who translated into English his father’s memoirs of life
under Japanese rule and as a soldier for the Japanese.
This type of research needs to be carried out to enlighten us to a
fascinating and under-studied period of World War II and the years
prior to the war.
Tens of thousands of Taiwanese served in the Imperial Japanese Army.
As in Tony Kuo’s father’s diary, their story needs to be told.
I have always been interested in the US bombing of Taiwan. At the
National 228 Memorial Museum in 228 Park there is an exhibit on the
bombing of Taipei by the US. The Presidential Office and Longshan
Temple were just two of the many buildings bombed in those air raids
in an effort to defeat the Japanese occupiers of Taiwan.
I recall religious Taiwanese friends’ stories that some of the bombs
dropping from the air were caught by “guardian angels” of the people
below. If only those stories were true: So many suffered during the
war, on all sides of the conflict.
Let us tell the stories of those who lived through those times in the
hope that such violence will never happen again.
Academic research, oral histories and newspaper articles such as this
can only enlighten us to those terrible times.
Sincerely,
Dave Hall
Taipei
Mr Yang in the USA wrote to say: "Taiwan was bombed extensively though not as thoroughly as Japan and Germany.
ReplyDeleteMany living in the city had to move to rural area during the later stage of the war.
My father told me that he and his sibling along with my grand parents have to walk more than 24 hours from Kaohsiung to Tainan Hsing (county) to stay in their relative's house.
The best transportation means at that time was cow wagon, as the railroad was bombed. The cow wagon is no longer available. But it was still quite popular when I was in schools. When I was in Tunghai University in the 1970s, the foreign teachers, mostly Americans, had an annual cow wagon ride event around the campus.''
www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2012/11/01/2003546591
ReplyDeleteFULL article in Taipei Times in English is here: free reading
Memoirs recall Japan’s wartime rule over Taiwan in the 1940s
Kuo Tien-lu’s memoir of time spent in Indonesia sheds light on a seldom-told chapter of Taiwan’s wartime history, and includes an unhappy visit to a brothel, air raids over Japanese bases and a bout with malaria
When Tony Kuo (郭大同), a retired high school English teacher in Chiayi City, decided a few years ago to translate his late father’s handwritten war-time “recollections” of his life as a civilian conscript in the Japanese Imperial Army when he was in his early 20s, he took on a challenge: translating into English the notebooks his elderly farmer father had used to write down his memoirs in Chinese and Japanese and then finding a local print shop to turn out readable copies of a small but important part of Taiwanese history.
ReplyDeleteHe also wanted to honor his father, Kuo Tien-lu (郭天祿), a Kaohsiung banana farmer who passed away in 2001 at the age of 84. The elderly Kuo first began jotting down his wartime memories when he was 76.
Spotlight on history
The memoirs, titled The Peaceful Gunfire (和平戰火) in English, shine a revealing spotlight on a seldom-told chapter of Taiwan’s wartime history, especially of Japan’s conscription of Taiwanese men to work and wage war in southeast Asia.
“My father’s diary, written much later after the war, after he retired from farming in Kaohsiung, is a slice of life that I wanted to make available for historians, academics and anyone else who might want to read this,” Kuo said in a recent interview with the Taipei Times. “My father was sent to Japan-controlled Indonesia. He left by ship in 1943 and came back by ship in 1946, a year after Tokyo surrendered.”
Conscripted to work for the Mitsui Company as a rice warehouse laborer, the senior Kuo, a native of Kaoshiung, shipped out from Taiwan on July 29, 1943, according to his diary notations. Although the war ended some two years later, he was not able to make it back home until 1946 due to bureaucratic problems.
Don’t mention the war
ReplyDeleteThe younger Kuo said that his father seldom spoke about the war. “The first we learned about all this was when he presented us with the diary he wrote in his old age,” Kuo, 57, said.
Kuo’s father was not a soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army, but was conscripted as a civilian worker for a Japanese company connected to the war effort in southeast Asia. After leaving Kaohsiung by ship in 1943 — the first time he ever left Taiwan — the 21-year-old spent 10 months in New Guinea. As the only son of a widowed mother, he spent a lot of his time there thinking about his mother back home and writing her letters which he never knew if she received until he got back home three years later.
“I sometimes missed my hometown very much because my mother had always been plagued with chronic asthma, and I was worried about her,” he wrote in one of his diary entries, adding: “Here in New Guinea it is March and we have summer all year long here, but in Taiwan, it is winter. How is my mother’s health? I have written about 10 letters home already, but I never know if she received them. And I never receive any mail from her since I am at one of the frontlines of the war. So getting mail from home is impossible.’’