在蔣中元先生的追悼會上致悼詞
蔣太吳金珠女士，蔣先生的親屬，各位來賓和為蔣先生送行者，女士們、先生們：
正是藍花楹盛開之時，蔣先生，我的蒋大哥，您悄悄地離我們去了，在藍花楹的陪伴下，乘鶴西歸，回到造物主的環抱，去享受那無比的寧靜的安謐。
27年前，也是藍花楹盛開的季節，出於您對中華文化的熱愛和在異鄉能繼續用華文來寫作的執著，繼創建了布市最早的中文學校之後，您老人家又創建了我們昆州華文作家協會，作為當時新州、維州、昆州澳華作協的三個分會中的一個。這是您在布裡斯本創建的眾多協會中的一個。昆華作協的很多文友，不管認識不認識您，不管見過還是沒見過您，他們都知道您，知道您的功德，使我們昆州愛好華文寫作的朋友們，能有這麼一個團體，可以相聚，可以談論創作、交流作品、共同提高寫作水平。
記得1992年8月澳洲華文作協在墨爾本成立，我是第一批創會會員。我非常想在昆州創立一個分會，那時維州和新州分會的會長張至璋和黃雍廉都是台灣背景，要知道1980年代後期從大陸來澳洲留學的大多是借了重債出來拼命打工的，在華社毫無影響。有人介紹我去找您，首次在南岸科技學院，我見到了在那裡教電子工程的Principal Teacher（相當於大學教授）的您，我當時在離南岸學院不遠的昆州遠程學院教書，和南岸學院同屬一個系統。我們談得非常投機，一拍即合，您還請我吃了午餐，從此成為莫逆之交，我不愛客套就尊您為蔣大哥。很快您用您的影響，聯繫和召集了一批人，一個昆華分會在第二個月就成立了。
一開始，您就為昆華定下了“以文會友”和宗旨以及非政治性、非宗教性和非營利性的三非原則，在27年漫長的時間裡，經過多少任會長的交接輪替，它們始終沒有被丟失。其他各州，先後出現了一些意見分歧和分裂、打文仗、搶做會長，變成了若干個分會，但昆州分會始終團結如一，保持著您傳下來的寶貴的團結傳統。今天在這裡給您送行的時候，我們可以告慰您，而且可以讓您放心：這個傳統我們會一直保持下去。
回顧您創會的思想和本會的發展過程，感到您對年輕的華文文學寫作者、寫作新手哪怕只是文學愛好者，都是同樣的發掘、關愛、支持和吸收，且一視同仁，絕無歧視，所以直到今天，一談起您，所有新老會員都對您眾口讚譽。但您又及其謙虛，毫不眷戀虛名，絕對信任地推選我擔任了 第二屆會長，您對以後的各任會長李曉蒂等的工作都絕對尊重、支持和放手，但一旦他們有困難時，您又義不容辭地站出來幫助。
由於您的號召力，當時昆華會員中人才濟濟，擁有像黃苗子、郁風這樣的大畫家兼詩人和散文作家，有香港中文大學傳媒和理論權威朱立教授和夫人曲和怡、邦德大學東西文化研究所的呂武吉教授這些重量級會員，還有趙培均律師、曾美和醫生和財經投資專家范秋香等愛寫作的專業人士
創會後您很快意識到作協必須有會員發表自己作品的園地，第二年1993年您就接管了原《發展月刊》，將它創辦成昆華作協會刊《澳華月刊》。在沒有任何經驗、沒有任何財源和技術支援的情況下，自掏腰包起家，自任總編，一直堅持了整整五年半直到1997年底，每月定期出版，從單色到套色。您在West-end的家成了《澳華月刊》的編輯部！在你家的客廳和飯廳架起了電腦、打印機和複印機，它就成了編審人員、作者、校對人員的工作室。每到出版前，您家就熱鬧非凡，您和蔣太吳金珠女士就不停地忙碌，還為所有工作人員提供茶點。您的大兒子祿松Paul成了我們免費的電腦顧問，隨叫隨到，排解有關電腦的技術問題。可以說，出版前是大家非常興奮和開心的時候。
記得那時的投稿者眾多，稿源不斷，我有幸被您任命為執行編輯，我的已故前妻張迪珊挑起了打字、排版、美化、廣告和財務的擔子。幾乎所有昆華作協的會員都會來參加義務的編排和校對工作，我記不清當時所有參與者的名字了，若有遺漏敬請原諒，記得有李曉蒂和夫人沈醫生、王逸華、孫靈芝、盧院芬、黃埔娥、周善定、王欣、我和張迪珊。我們對出版質量如此重視，抱著對作者和讀者負責的態度，對打印出來的初稿非常細心地進行校對，一校不夠還作二校，盡量杜絕錯誤。《澳華月刊》內容絕對豐富，用現在的話來說，絕對是乾貨，水分很少，從詩歌、散文、短小說、時事點評、人物專訪到澳洲和國際要聞，當然還有醫學、財經、法律等專稿。我們這樣一個沒有財源的小刊物，您堅持要對作者發每千字10澳元的稿費，注意，那是20多年前的10澳元，那時麵包8毛錢一條、汽油4毛錢一公升，新的townhouse 12萬一棟！可以說，在澳洲很少有像您那樣尊重作者的創作和腦力勞動的華文刊物！
同時《澳華月刊》關注當時的國內外大事，它最早發表由我牽頭的、有數十名當時華界要人聯署的《致日本大使館的公開信》，抗議日本侵佔釣魚島，以及反對種族主義的檄文。並且為了反對種族主義，由您作為主編之一，昆華作協集體編寫出版了《多元文化園地的耕耘者》一書，此書後來在李曉蒂教授的努力下出版了英文版。
回憶當時在您領導下昆華作協定期舉行了無數的活動和講座，地點從West End社區中心、您創辦的幼稚園、宗親會的會議廳（已故許成堅先生是宗親會幹事）直到昆大可坐幾百人的梯形教室；昆華舉辦過的無數講座中，朱立、黃苗子、郁風、王逸華、王欣和我本人都做過講座，還有來自中國的著名作家李輝、著名作家兼書法家洪丕謨教授，甚至請來了武俠小說泰斗梁羽生老先生和香港著名作家陳耀南教授來做講座。此外我們還同其他協會，如蔡牧師領導的文化更新研究中心等，一起幫助著名畫家黃苗子、郁風以及後來還有周綠雲等舉辦過大型畫展。
任何曾同您接觸過的人，無不為您高尚的品格所感動。您為華社做出了這麼多的貢獻，包括中文教育、幼兒教育，卻淡泊名利、低調為人、從不張揚。最使我感動的是您一貫同情、幫助弱者，卻敢於在某些華人協會裡抵制錯誤、秉公伸張正義。當時在布市已有不少台灣、香港、新馬、巴新等背景的華人社團和專業團體，剛來這裡不久的當時貧窮的大陸背景人士卻還沒有自己的團體。您雖從台灣移民來澳，但您說自己也是出生在大陸，於是召集了我們幾個人在您家開會一起商議並創建了“大陸人協會”，就是現在的中國人協會；您還想到了老年人也得有自己的團體，於是又組建了老人會或稱益壯之友會，但一旦協會組成，您又退居後面，不再居功自傲，以致後來的參加者不知道這個會還是您創建的呢。您曾大力幫助當時經濟狀況不好的大陸背景人事，記得您曾幫助過黃勇、吳玨和已故快樂旅行社社長易強等人，幫助他們創業。
但昆華作協卻是您最關愛的brain child，所以始終關注並在身體許可的情況下在蔣太陪同下堅持參加活動，有時還給予資助或雙倍支付會費，直到幾年前。在您臥病期間還在見到去探訪您的作協會員時喜形於色，顯得特別高興。
親愛的蔣大哥，我們的老會長，今天我們很多人來給您送行，請您絕對放心，昆華一定會繼續堅持您定出的宗旨和原則，我特別要告訴您的是，近年來在年輕有為、富有能力和熱情的會長韋剛先生和傅曉燕女士的領導下，昆華的活動搞得有聲有色，有了自己的網站和電子刊物，也舉辦過寫作比賽擴大影響，同時不斷有才華橫溢的新血加入，您放心走好吧！
願您安息主懷！
Mrs Kim Chiang, Louisa, Paul, Peter and Mr Chiang’s family, all those who come to say good-bye and pay tribute to Mr Jerome Chiang, ladies and gentlemen.
In this jacaranda bloom season, you, Jerome, have left us quietly. 27 years ago, in 1992, also in this season of jacaranda bloom, the QLD Chinese writers association was established under your leadership, as a branch of Australian Chinese Writers’ Association.
I first met you and discussed with you the matter of establishing a Chinese Writers Association for the State of Queensland at the Southbank Institute of Technology where you were teaching as a principal teacher in electronics technology, me myself was then teaching at a close-by institute: the Queensland Distance Education Institute.
We met a couple of times and then because of your reputation and vast network of talented writers and previous newspaper editors, literature lovers, the Association was soon founded, you were elected the first president, and you had laid down as the Association’s purpose or aims – Writing to make friends, and principals of 3 nons: non-political, non-religious and non-profit making, which we have loyally preserved till this day.
Many Chinese organisations or associations have broken down or split because of all kinds of problems and difficulties, the major one being leadership fight, however, our association, after so many years, after so many changes of presidents and management councils, with so many new comers and new memberships, we have been united as one because of these aims and principals that we handed down from one management team to another without being altered or abandoned.
At that time we had a number of heavy-weight members, those famous painters and artists and prose writers, and a number of renowned university professors, attracted by your reputation and good name.
In the next year, you, Jerome acquired monthly magazine and made it our association publication, a magazine called the Australian Chinese Monthly for our members to publish their works: fiction, short stories, poetry, prose, political analysis and commentaries and everything we wrote.
In spite of all kinds of difficulties, from no financial sources, no funding, no experience, no technology support, your son Pastor Paul was our computer adviser and technician, the Monthly had been going on very successfully for five and half years till the end of 1997.
Your home had become the editing office of the Monthly with some old computers, a printer and a photocopier and many members came to volunteer in editing, typing, checking, prof-reading, etc., with such enthusiasm, every time before the magazine was published. We all cherished the good time as everybody was busy but very happy to see a new publication, our brain child being born with efforts of all the members.
Although we did not have good revenue from advertisements, you insisted on paying the writers for their contributions as you respected and recognised the writers’ hard work and their contributions must be rewarded.
The publications were hugely rich with contents so they attracted lots of writers and were never short of contributions. However, we also paid attention to the current international and domestic matters and affairs so we published an open letter to the Japanese Embassy in Australia protesting Japan’s occupation of the China’s Diaoyu Island, and we also published articles protesting against Pauline Hanson’s racism, for this, Jerome, you as one of the editors in chief published a book Under the Southern Cross, compiling articles written by our members to show Chinese Queenslanders’ contributions to the Australian multicultural society. The book later was published in English with Ronald Li’s hard efforts.
Under your leadership, Jerome, the Association organised so many activities including lectures by famous local and international writers, scholars and professors and we also organised, with assistance from other organizations, art-exhibitions, displaying painting works of some world renowned Brisbane Chinese artists, some of them were our members.
All those who know you can never forget your noble personality and your kindness helping poor students from China in establishing their businesses, yet you always held a very low key in what you had done for the Chinese community and for many individual persons.
We, our members, old and new, love you so much that we visited you in your illness, and you were so happy to see them even though you were bed-ridden because of poor health.
Today so many of our members have come to celebrate your glorious life and pay tribute to you and they are assuring you, with our hardworking and talented new Presidents such as Mr Gang Wei and Ms Laura Fu, we will continue to grow and we will never go astray from the aim and principals you had set for the Association.
May you stay rest in the bosom of Almighty God!