父亲受教育只到小学五年级,他对我们的教诲从来都 不是说教式的长篇大论,在我还不懂得什么是身教时,他 已用实在赤诚的为人处事,深深影响着孩子的成长之路。 他常说的一句话是:要别人好,自己才会好。我步入中 年,历经世情冷暖的生命洗涤后,这句话明晰深刻的烙 印成心底隽言,明白父亲那个年代的“古早人”,也许不 “知书”却贯彻“达理”的人性美好。他们了解多一些善 良无私,我们生存的冰冷世界就多一点温情心暖,少一些 计算暗斗,呼吸的空气里就添一份快意清爽。
98年开始弹唱岁月后,人生舞台自然展演磨难起 落,大部分时间都在与创业的未知拉扯碰撞。父亲看我 选择自己的道路,始终不曾表露意见,也不显示担忧, 他只是偶尔会在午后来到音乐餐厅里喝着黑啤酒,然后 在夜色低垂时悄然离开。
他对音乐毫无兴趣,与我刚好相反。记得12岁那年 我因为爱听歌,任性吵嚷要他买一台录音机,最终如愿。 好长的一段年轻光阴,这台录音机播放着数不尽的音符响 往与憧憬。多年后我方才知道那是父亲借钱买给我的,那 时他根本没能力满足我“奢华”的欲望。我望着他从餐厅 后门离开渐远的身影,知道他守护我的力量如常静谧、轻 淡却无比殷实深邃。
今年7月是父亲走后十年,心里一直想着能做些什么来纪念他。
我悄悄选了一张父亲在圣约翰岛上拍的照片,为他刊登了个纪念讣 告,然后再提起了笔,轻轻地对他说:短短的10年刚结束,长长的
原来思念是条河,慢慢流着蜿蜒一辈子,没有尽头。
Winner of Best Debut in Chinese
忆翻情溢
淡淡古早味，现代都市为故事背景，却处处可见甘榜印记。此书写深刻的感情，流露珍藏的价值。
Memories Overflowing with Emotion
The story is set in a modern city, but traces of the kampung can be seen everywhere, imbuing a sense of nostalgia. The author writes with deep feeling, making this book a valuable collection.
作品节选 | Excerpt - 《要别人好,自己才会好》
Superskill Graphics Pte Ltd, 2023
评判评语
《忆翻情溢》记述了一个新加坡音乐人的生活史，也是本土流行文化弥足珍贵的文献。透过很多小故事，作者贯穿了新谣、民谣以及那个时代的音乐记忆。书里头有我们熟悉的歌手，如罗大佑、王梦麟、陈升、陈雷、黎沸辉、江玲等、有流行音乐界的旧事，以及围绕着家人、朋友、师长的记忆，兼有时代氛围，个人成长的心路历程，以及对土地的热爱。这种热爱却非刻意为之，而是源于他对生活和理想的挚着。
作为一本“弹唱人25周年系列”的主题书，开篇《十年》写的却是父亲。只受过五年小学教育的父亲对音乐没什么兴趣，却对孩子疼爱有加，在作者12岁那年，借钱给孩子买了录音机。这个机缘，造就了一个音乐人，也间接成就了这本书。作者取书名时把自己的名字和父亲的名字置于首尾，寓意不言而喻。正如书名所言，回忆和情感是这本书的特色，书中令人特别有印象的是《大华学校》。大华学校是村子里唯一的公立小学，小一开学首日，作者人生第一次公开演唱的是“大海航行靠舵手，万物生成靠太阳……”。来自甘榜的小孩自有土地给予的底气和野气，作者写天上的星星（歌星），采取的不是仰望，而是平行视角，或跟成长背景不无关系。”
Judges' Comments
Memories Overflowing with Emotion is about the life of a Singaporean musician and an invaluable literary work on local pop culture. Through many short stories, the Xinyao local ballads, folk songs, and the musical memories of that era are interwoven. The author wrote about well-known singers such as Lo Ta-yu, Wang Mon Ling, Bobby Chen, Chen Lei, Roy Li Fey Huei, and Kong Ling etc., past anecdotes in Mandopop, and his growing-up years and life, which revolves around his family, friends, and teachers. He also wrote about the zeitgeist of the times, his mental journey in personal growth, and his love for his land. This love is not deliberate, but comes from his sincere attachment to life and ideals.
Even though this book is the mainstay of the “25 Years of Singer-Musicians” commemorative series, Chua chose to write about his father in its opening piece, “A Decade”. Even though his father, who only received five years of primary education, had no interest in music, he loved Chua very much. When Chua was twelve years old, his father borrowed money to buy a tape recorder for him. This planted the seed for Chua’s career in music and indirectly led to this book. Chua chose to use his and his father’s names as the first and last Chinese characters of the book title, and the meaning of his gesture is self-evident.
True to its title, this is a book about memories and emotions, with the piece, “Dahua School”, leaving a deep impression. Dahua School was the only public primary school in his village at that time. On the first day of his primary school years, the author sang publicly for the first time: The sea voyage depends on the helmsman; the creation of things depends on the sun... (大海航行靠舵手，万物生成靠太阳……).
The land imbues kampung children with confidence and self-assurance, perhaps that is why when he wrote about the stars (celebrities), he portrayed them as equals instead of idols. Memories Overflowing with Emotion grips the reader’s attention like a huge magnet and bears testament to the growth of a singer-musician.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
蔡忆仁
蔡忆仁，1965年出生，福建南安人，毕业于华义中学和裕廊初级学院。1998年于连城街创立弹唱人民歌餐厅，2000年开始主办制作音乐活动，至今超过 1000场。
Chua Ee Gein
Chua Ee Gein was born in 1965 and is from Nan’an, Fujian. He is an alumnus of Hua Yi Secondary School and Jurong Junior College. In 1998, he started a folk music restaurant at Liang Seah Street. He started organising and producing music events in 2000 and has been involved in more than 1,000 such events since.
蔡忆仁写作心得 | Short Notes with Chua Ee Gein
在写作方面，“心眼”对于您意味着什么？
What does "Mata Hati | 心眼 | Eye of the Heart | மனக்கண் வழியே" mean to you in writing?
心眼就是对生活还有四周所发生的事情的感应。
The Eye of the Heart is the perception of life and what is happening around us. What it sees includes colors, images and smells, as well as all perceptions.
请分享您的写作习惯：手写还是打字？是否有好几份草稿、长时间的停顿或短暂的灵感泉涌?
What does your writing process look like? Do you type or write? Are there multiple drafts, long pauses, or sudden bursts of activity?
我会先用笔写下来，才打字进电脑或手机。
I will write it down with a pen before typing it into my computer or mobile phone. Usually it is written once and then revised and corrected after it is finished.
请形容一下您的写作空间。
What does your working space look like?
我的工作空间就是我的书房，里面都是我的藏书还有音乐光碟。
My working space is my study room, which is filled with my collection of books and music CDs.
请以不超过30个字向读者们推荐您的入围作品。
Make an elevator pitch for your shortlisted work in 30 words or less.
我这本书是记录一个跟新加坡同样年龄土生土长新加坡人的成长回忆
My book records the growing memories of a Singaporean who is of the same age as Singapore.
请分享在创作入围作品当儿的一个关键时刻。
Could you share a pivotal moment as you were writing this work?
我在写这本书的序的时候，想到是为了爸爸生前的心愿而去完成的，
When I was writing the preface for this book, I was particularly moved when I thought about how I was fulfilling my father's wish during his lifetime.
回顾入围作品的写作过程，您会给当时的自己一个什么建议？
If you could give one advice to yourself when you were writing this book, what would it be?
如果有时间的话，希望自己可以更积极地写作。
If I have time, I hope that I could have written more.
