Winter is near. The mountains and forests are dyed a deep crimson. Nature’s beauty is clear for all to see.
It is not my wish to linger, but I’m trapped. The seasons change, time moves, it’s been a year.
This past year, I experienced fear and suffering. I felt disappointed and helpless. I faced turmoil and struggle.
This past year, I learnt to be strong under pressure, to take things in my stride, and to be fearless in the face of uncertainty.
Time seemed to fly past when I was in Shenzhen. My daily schedule was packed to its brim and I was always rushing from one place to another, or from one meeting to the next. Breakfast meetings, lunch appointments, and night "engagements” are standard practice for Huawei people. Back then I wished I could be at multiple places at any one time. There was never enough time to get everything done. Multitasking was the only solution, and a reality for all Huawei employees. Our tireless efforts were replicated from the east of the Pacific to the west of the Atlantic, and from the northernmost point of the Arctic Ocean to the southernmost point of the South America continent. This is the exact reason why I didn’t have time to soothe my heart, take in the scenery, and reflect on the passing seasons.
Busyness quickens time. Suffering slows the years.
Now, time seems to flow slowly. So slowly that I can read a book from cover to cover, that I can discuss minutiae with my colleagues. I am even able to take time to meticulously complete an oil painting.
An entire year slipped through my fingers, little by little. It is a year of companionship, of warmth and encouragement, that will always remain in my heart.
My Huawei colleagues, for instance, often left notes on the Xinsheng Community (a social media platform for Huawei employees). Any news of mine was read with interest.
Amidst dark and challenging times, our clients and suppliers chose to grant us more trust, more support, and more patience, driving us to work even harder.
There was always a long queue outside the courts at each of my hearings. Your enthusiasm and support always warmed my heart.
My colleague even shared that the delivery man would leave sticky notes with the words “Hang in there, Huawei” or “Keep going, Huawei” on our delivery slips — a few simple words warmed us instantly. These little things helped us to push forward.
Countless netizens left their replies below any type of news relevant to Huawei — some warm, some resolute, some long, some short, some moving, some down-to-earth — all of them expressed their trust and support, and of course, their unending care for us.
The kindness of the people here in Canada is unforgettable. The kindness of the correctional officers and inmates at the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women helped to tide me over the toughest days of my life. When the judge granted bail to me, the applause in the public gallery made me burst into tears. After a whole night of heavy snow, workers of the security company thoughtfully shovelled a path for my elderly mother, warming our hearts on that cold winter day.
Every court hearing burdened court officials with additional workload. I would like to say to them, “Thank you, and sorry for the trouble.”
Countless moments like these never fail to bring me warmth and strength. Thank you for standing by me. Your presence felt like the first warmth of spring. Each and every encounter in this river of memories, give me the strength to soldier on. Because of your encouraging words and thoughts, I’m able to read another book, attend another lesson. I no longer feel far away from home, nor am I afraid of the rough road ahead. While my personal freedoms have been limited, my soul seeks to be free. Amidst despair, I’ve learnt to savour life's goodness.
The word deng (灯, light) is made up of the characters huo (火, fire) on the left, and ding (丁, man) on the right. Huo represents hope, while ding represents humanity. Where there is man, there is light, and when we gather, we create a myriad of lights. Light gives us warmth and shows us the way. Amidst the darkness, light empowers.
My dear friends, your warmth is the lighthouse that guides my way!
Meng Wanzhou, 1 December 2019, Vancouver
加拿大拘押一周年，孟晚舟发公开信
你们的温暖，是照亮我前行的灯塔
——写在一年之际
冬天的脚步近了，万山红遍、层林尽染，自然之美映入眼帘。
本无意流连，却困顿此间，斗转星移竟已一年。
这一年，经历了恐惧和痛苦，失望和无奈，煎熬和挣扎。
这一年，学会了坚强承受，从容面对，不畏未知。
从前的深圳，时间总是过得很快，每天的日程都是排得满满的，从一个目的地奔向另一个目的地，从一场会赶往另一场会。“早餐会”、“午餐会”、夜里总开的“夜总会”，已是华为人的标配。我总是觉得分身乏术，总是觉得时间那么的不够用，在一个时间段里平行地多任务处理，是唯一的解决方案，这也是每个华为员工的真实写照。从太平洋之东到大西洋之西，从北冰洋之北到南美南之南，都有我们忙碌的身影，都有我们努力的付出。也正因为这样，我从来没有时间静下心来看看风景、读读时光。
忙碌把时光缩短，苦难把岁月拉长。
现在，时间总是过得很慢，慢得让我有足够的时间去读完一本书，慢得让我有足够的时间去跟同事们讨论一件小小的事情，慢得让我有足够的时间细细地完成一幅油画。
一年的光阴，慢慢地从指尖滑过；一年的陪伴，你们的温暖和鼓励一直在我心间。
华为的同事们在心声社区上一次又一次地留言，任何一个关于我的消息，都能筑起高楼。
我们的客户和供应商们，在这个至暗时刻，选择了给予我们更多的信任、支持和等待，这当然也成为我们更加努力的动力。
每次庭审，法庭外都排起长长的队伍，大家的热情和支持一直暖在我的心头。
我还听同事说，有外卖小哥在我们的外卖单上留言：“华为加油”、“华为努力”，寥寥几字足以让我们瞬间温暖。这些点点滴滴都支持着我们勇往直前。
还有无数的网友们，常常在各种与华为相关的新闻下跟帖，有的温暖，有的坚定，有的绵长，有的精练，有的深情款款，有的质朴如兰，无不表达对我们的信任与支持，还有一如既往的关心。
当然，在这个国度，民众们的善良也令我难忘。枫叶岭女子矫正中心狱警和狱友的善良，让我熬过了最艰难的日子;法官宣布同意保释时，听众席上响起的掌声，让我禁不住泪如雨下;彻夜的大雪之后，保安公司的员工暖心地为我年迈的母亲扫出一条小径，让我们感受到了冬日的暖阳。
每次出庭，都给法庭的工作人员增加了很大的工作量，真心地道一声：“谢谢，给你们添麻烦了”。
这些点滴时刻，这些无数瞬间，总能带给我温暖，总能带给我力量，真心谢谢你们的陪伴常在，真心谢谢你们的温暖如春，这些都已汇成生命的记忆，都已聚成奋斗的力量。正是你们的一句话，你们的一份心，支持着我多读一本书，多上一堂课，不惧距离遥远，不畏前路泥泞，在不自由中寻找心灵的自由，在坎坷中品味生命的芳香。
灯，左“火”右“丁”，火是希望，丁是人本。有你们的地方，就有万家灯火，荧荧光芒是温暖，更是方向，总能在黑暗中给予我们信念的力量。
亲爱的你们，这些温暖都是照亮我前行的灯塔!
孟晚舟，2019年12月1日于温哥华
