Long ago, from lands near and far, our people came to this land, one destination among many others. The others of this land called us “guests”. We took that name and claimed it as our own. 

We brought with us the spirit of the Fire Dragon, each of us protected by our own guardian yet connected by the common thread of their unity. 

Every now and then, a new dragon was born. Our people would herald their arrival with our songs and dances, alongside with the kirins who guide the newborn dragon that descends from the heavens like a bolt of lightning. 

They came to us in many forms…

One would appear as twined roots and leaves, healing any malady with a touch. 

One would appear with shells for scales, inlaid with pearls and jewel-like corals, weaving together the purities of fire and water. 

One would appear as a dream of a dragon, appearing in the hearts of our people as a vision of the dragon reflecting their own self. 

One would appear adorned in the gifts of the waves, the woods, and the clouds, weaving through sea and sky to unite us. 

One would appear in the auspicious colours and earthen tones, travelling with us to every new destination we find and mediating between us and the land. 

One would appear as a great chthonic beast lumbering in the dark, lurking beneath the earth, ever ready to protect us. 

One would appear as a companion to the self, taking upon our struggles and celebrating our successes, in whatever form we require. 

One would appear as an image of our myriad hopes for unity and protection, circling us from all sides, watchful for all time.

One would appear as everything and nothing, shifting in many forms to be found in the smallest flower and the tallest mountain, always beside us.

Among countless others, as many we have been and ever will be.

The other people of this land did not understand the Fire Dragon. Some wished to partake of the generosity of the Fire Dragon. We taught them as an overture of friendship. But they were greedy, and shunned our people after we imparted our knowledge to them. 

We lived on, some in the hinterlands and some amongst the other people, learning their ways and speaking their tongues, and some eventually forgot the Fire Dragon. 

Having laid their roots in this land, the other people had power. They built sculptures of gold and steel, as long as the streets they paraded it on. But the Fire Dragon did not answer them. 

Those of us who remember, we called upon the Fire Dragon once more. We crafted it from medicines and gifts from the land, as we did in times past. 

And the Fire Dragon will answer when we call. 

很久以前，我們的族人散落四方。漫漫旅程無歸處，許多人稱我們為“客”。我們接受了這個稱呼，也用來作自己的名字。

我們的族人帶來火龍的精神。每個人，都有自己的守護神靈。每個人，又通過共同的守護信念而緊密相連。

每隔一段歲月，就會有一條火龍誕生。我們的族人以歌聲和舞步迎接火龍的到來。而守護我們的麒麟，會引導出生的火龍，從天而降，像一道閃電穿過雲朵。

火龍以不同的形式，來到我們面前⋯⋯

有的化作交織的根和葉，輕輕一觸，就治癒疾苦。

有的以貝殼為龍鱗，鑲嵌珍珠與珊瑚，火與水融為一體。

有的化作龍之夢境，進入我們的內心，以龍為鏡，映照出自己的模樣。

有的身披波浪、森林與雲彩，越過海闊天空連結我們。

有的帶著吉祥的色彩，大地的光澤，陪伴我們去每一個新的歸處，幫助人與土地互相傳達心意。

有的化作沉睡地底的古老巨獸，靜靜在幽深處，隨時準備保護我們。

有的成為每一個人的夥伴，共患難，同喜悅，總能化作我們最需要的模樣。

有的化作一股氣，凝聚無數人守護與團圓的心願，環繞在我們四周，日夜守望，一直保護我們。

火龍是萬物，也是虛空。火龍變幻無窮，藏在小小的花中，也住在高高的山上。火龍其實一直都在我們身邊。

萬萬千千，數不勝數。正如我們的來時路，正如我們的未來。

在某些地方，總有些人不明白火龍的意義。有些人希望分享火龍恩惠。我們以誠相待，作為友誼的開始，把火龍的知識傳授給他們。然而，也有些人變得貪婪，在學到火龍知識之後，反而把我們客家人拒之門外。

但我們客家人繼續生存。有的留在山野鄉間，有的走進主流社會，學習他們的生活方式，學習他們的語言。有的最後忘記了火龍。

主流的人們有權有勢，權力根深蒂固。他們用黃金與鋼鐵打造巨大的龍像，如同整條街道一樣長。他們舉行盛大的巡遊。可是，火龍沒有回應他們。

而我們，帶著記憶，再一次呼喚火龍。我們像從前一樣，用草药、树枝以及土地的饋贈，一點點親手紮起火龍。

當我們真心呼喚，火龍就會回應我們。