胡适写给儿子的信 :

我养育你, 并非恩情, 只是血缘使然的生物本能；所以, 我既然无恩于你, 你便无需报答我.

反而, 我要感谢你, 因为有你的参与, 我的生命才更完整.

我只是碰巧成为了你的父亲, 你只是碰巧成为了我的女儿和儿子, 我并不是你的前传, 你也不是我的续篇.

你是独立的个体, 是与我不同的灵魂；你并不因我而来, 你是因对生命的渴望而来.

你是自由的, 我是爱你的;

但我绝不会"以爱之名", 去掌控你的人生.

Here is the translation of the passage into American English:

A Letter from Hu Shi to His Son A Letter from Hu Shi to His Son:

I raised you, not out of kindness, but due to a biological instinct driven by our blood ties. Therefore, since I have no favor to you, you need not repay me.

On the contrary, I should thank you, for with your involvement, my life is more complete.

I merely happened to become your father, and you just happened to become my daughter and son. I am not your prequel, and you are not my sequel.

You are an independent individual, a soul different from mine. You did not come because of me; you came because of your longing for life.

You are free, and I love you;

But I will never, in the name of love, control your life.

Hu Shi