I have not written anything in Chinese for about 12 years. I have been so busy learning to speak Cantonese, learning more things about the world and trying to live that I neglected this part of my life. There was so much to read and write in English that I could not find a reason to spend the time but now I want to. My other 30th birthday wish is by next year I am going to learn to read and type Chinese and stop being illterate. For the first day of my 30th Decade I wrote this back to a commenter who tells me that Democracy is not the way for China. It’s not very sophisticated but it’s the best I can do.
“每个时代有每个时代的自由”
我同意.”每个时代有每个时代的自由” 这一百年的世界历史话今天的时代是一个民主的时代. 今天的时代是一个人们的时代. 我希望你同我的同胞国家今后往前不是停在上一代的想法.我们小步小步前线.我们不有随西方国.我们做一个新中國.但是 没有真正自由真正言論自由我们不能.
“Every period of history has it’s own kind of freedoms.”
I agree, every period in history has it’s own kind of freedoms. The last 100 years of world history has spoken this is a period of democracy. This is a period of the people. I wish that you, my compatriots, my country from now on will move forward and not have stopped with the thinking of a generation ago. With small steps, with small steps, we move to the future. We do not have to follow the west. We create the new China. But without real freedoms, without free speech, we cannot do so.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 
Darn, wish I had a competent Chinese reader. Since I am refusing to use IE, it all looks like blocks of squares to me. But I agree with the sentiments. I hope that we will live to see a free China soon.
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Happy birthday, Yan.
Well said.
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“by next year I am going to learn to read and type Chinese and stop being illterate.” This puzzles me. As I see it, the “三十岁的生日愿望” written by you is FLAWLESS. Your Chinese is good enough already ( I would have rated your level as “Native”, but this paragraph that you wrote back to a commenter is not as smooth, so I hesitate.:)). Anyways, if you are illiterate ( of Chinese ), who could be literate? Don’t be too hard on yourself.:)
Your 30th Birthday wish is so big, honestly. To dare to wish is already admirable, but that you have been exerting your own efforts on the cause makes a major difference, from me and to me.
Though one day late, Happy Birthday. May all your dreams and wishes come true! ( some of which, I think, are shared by many Chinese, but with less courage, and less commitment. )
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Happy 30th Yan!
I can’t speak Chinese at all, ignorant Westerner that I am 🙂
I also feel strongly that I have no right to comment on whether or not democracy would be “right” for China. I know plenty about democracy, but not nearly enough about the Chinese culture.
However, it seems to me that what you are wishing for primarily is to see China be the best that it can be, for it to have a bright future. It is indeed a big wish you dare to dream, but without people dreaming that big and wishing big things, they would never happen!
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Thanks for all the wishes. Really…
As for the Previous Chinese on the site.. well.. year I would hope it was flawless coz it was translated by my friend who is a Chinese editor! So I got a little help! 🙂
I am sure she would be pleased to know others feel it’s well written
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I think it’s a good goal… I’m still working on becoming fluent in Japanese, myself. best wishes!
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LOL, did you use Babel Fish to translate the passage from English to Chinese?
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Yes and No. I used the function to get me the words I needed, but I didn’t put the paragraph into it!! (I copied and pasted all the words I needed mostly from the other passage!
Yan
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