譚卓儀（Tom Hom）先生今年迎來98歲生日，當天許多親友齊聚一堂，圍繞在他身旁為他祝壽。即將邁入99歲的他，依然精神奕奕，日常生活中保持運動習慣，並持續以歌聲、鋼琴與公益活動豐富生命。

譚卓儀先生曾兩次擔任《華人》雜誌封面人物，一次是2011年，當時標題是「敢為天下先 – 聖地牙哥華裔參政第一人譚卓儀」。第二次是2022年的「政壇造橋人 – 華人僑領譚卓儀」，就在這之後他創作了兩本書籍《分西瓜的故事》（The Watermelon Story）與《誰會和我一起演奏？》（Who Will Play With Me? ），不僅在美國出版，更流傳至非洲多地，讓當地的孩子們也能閱讀到他的故事與插畫。

《分西瓜的故事》源自譚先生童年的家庭回憶。當年父親為養育十二個子女，常帶著一個大西瓜回家，並將其切成許多大小不一的片。由最小的妹妹先選，再依序輪到哥哥姐姐。結果弟妹們都挑了小塊的，最大的一塊總是留給大哥。父親問大哥為何要選最大的一塊，大哥回答：「做大哥要擔當，要照顧弟妹。」這段故事傳達了手足間的愛與尊敬，也成為他創作靈感的來源。

另一部作品《誰會和我一起演奏？》則誕生於疫情期間。全球因封鎖而彼此隔絕，他憶起年輕時因肺結核住院的經歷。當時有位護士對他悉心照料，並請他畫一幅小畫作，送給她的孩子作為生日禮物。譚先生原本只需畫幾隻動物，卻意外創作出一幅完整的樂團場景：裡頭有貓頭鷹、熊貓與其他動物一同奏樂。多年後，這幅畫啟發了他的第二本繪本，作品更被非洲的師生改編為音樂劇，廣受喜愛。

今年五月初至七月，為慶祝亞太裔美國人傳統月，加州大學聖地牙哥分校（University of California–San Diego, UCSD）於 Sally T. WongAvery Library Breezeway 舉辦了一場特展。展覽聚焦亞太裔美國人社群的豐富文化遺產、堅韌精神與卓越貢獻，並特別呈現他們在聖地牙哥的移民歷程。展覽核心之一，是向前聖地牙哥市議員譚卓儀先生致敬——這位具有開拓精神的華裔美國領袖、藝術家與公共事務倡議者，其人生故事更為展覽增添深度與光彩。

展覽中呈現了譚卓儀先生的多項藝術創作，包括他的作品，以及伴隨他創作旅程的「工作工具」——畫筆、模型與各類美術用品。

如今，親友與社群正熱切期待著明年為他舉行的99歲壽慶，共同見證並讚頌他精彩而豐富的人生。

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At 98, Mr. Tom Hom—artist, author, and pioneering Chinese American leader—continues to live each day with vitality and grace. Surrounded by family and friends on his birthday, he remains active, painting, playing piano, and sharing kindness through community work.

Since being featured on the 2022 cover of We Chinese in American magazine, Mr. Hom has published two illustrated story-books: The Watermelon Story and Who Will Play With Me? Both have reached readers as far as Africa, where children have embraced his stories of love, family, and hope. The Watermelon Story draws from Mr. Hom's childhood memory of his father dividing a single watermelon among twelve siblings—teaching lessons of sharing and responsibility. Who Will Play With Me? was inspired by Mr. Hom's recovery from tuberculosis as a young man and his gratitude toward a caring nurse. The painting he created at that time—animals playing in a joyful orchestra—later became the heart of his book and was even adapted into a musical by African schoolchildren.

From May through July 2025, Mr. Hom's artwork was featured in the 2025 APIA Heritage Month Exhibit at UC San Diego, celebrating Asian American creativity, resilience, and community spirit. As he approaches his 99th year, Mr. Tom Hom continues to inspire with his artistry, compassion, and unwavering vitality—a living testament to the beauty of a life well lived.

背景圖：譚卓儀先生與親朋友好一同慶祝98歲生日 / 譚卓儀提供。