Penang Restaurant, State College, PA
龙年大吉
在座的各位，我向大家拜年。祝愿大家龙年吉祥！
今年龙年，龙这个属相和其他11个属相很不同。其他属相，都是在中华大地上、地上、生活的生物，像猪啊狗啊，牛啊，羊啊。龙却不同，龙可以飞天、龙可以潜水，龙以四海为家。这和我们华协会的性质很吻合，或者说它正好体现了咱们华协会的精髓特质。
中国文化博大精深，海内存知己，正儿八经地容阔咱们海外的华协会。可是同时中华文化里还有一句让我迷茫的话叫做“落叶归根”。每次听到这个落叶归根，我就很迟疑、有些纠结，因为他和我的现状、我的所作所为不吻合。后来我留意到了枫树。枫叶自然美，而那个种子在成熟之后啊，却生就配带着一支翅膀。它在下落的过程中与枫叶的下落很不同。落叶一往情深地奔向泥土；而这个种子好像很不情愿的样子，有意志地漂漂转转，有意拖延时间，如果再有一点风，它还能上升，能够漂离母树到达较远的地方。我因此就编造了这样一副对联：
叶落归根，从容温馨；
种熟飞扬，志存四方。
横批：华礼世界。
谢谢大家，祝大家龙年吉祥，祝我们华协会顺势发展、欣欣向荣。
By Zheng Yuxi, February 17, 2024. HCLA.
Good luck in the Year of the Dragon.
To all of you here, I wish you a Happy New Year. Wish everyone good luck in the Year of the Dragon!
This year is the Year of the Dragon. The dragon zodiac sign is very different from the other 11 zodiac signs. The other zodiac signs are all creatures that live on the land of China, such as pigs, dogs, cows, and sheep. Dragons are different. Dragons can fly and dive. Dragons call the sea-sky world their home. This is consistent with the being of our Chinese Association.
Chinese culture is vast and profound, and it seriously entails our overseas Chinese association. But at the same time, there is a saying in Chinese culture that confuses me: “Fallen leaves return to their roots.” Every time I hear the phrase, I hesitate because it is inconsistent with my being and my actions. Then the maple trees change my mind. Maple leaves are naturally beautiful, but the seeds mature with wings. Their fall is very different from that of a maple leaf. The fallen leaves rush towards the soil as always; this seed, however, seems to be very reluctant, drifting around with a certain willpower, deliberately delaying time. If there is any wind at all, it can actually rise and float afar from the mother tree. So, I composed this couplet:
Fallen leaves return to their roots, where they belong;
Ripe seeds fly to new grounds, settle via natures endow.
As required in tradition, here is a horizontal title: Hualish World.
Thank you all, I wish you all good luck in the Year of the Dragon, and I wish our Chinese Association to develop naturally and prosper. By Zheng Yuxi, February 17, 2024. HCLA.