The Preamble of the Constitution II

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com


The Preamble of the Constitution of the R.O.C.

前言：
中華民國國民大會受全體國民之付託，依據孫中山先生創立中華民國之遺教，為鞏固國權，保障民權，奠定社會安寧，增進人民福利，制定本憲法，頒行全國，永矢咸遵。
Preamble:
The National Assembly of the Republic of China, by virtue of the mandate received from the whole body of people, and acting in accordance with the last will and testament of Dr. Sūn Zhōng-Shān, Founder of the Republic of China, and in order to consolidate the authority of the State, safeguard the rights of the people, ensure social tranquility, and promote the welfare of the people, hereby adopts this Constitution and causes it to be promulgated for faithful and perpetual observance by all in the country.



Vocabulary
前言 [qiányán] /preface/forward/introduction/preamble/
中華民國 [Zhōnghuámínguó] /Republic of China/
國民大會 [Guómíndàhuì] /National Assembly/
受 [shòu] /to receive/
全體 [quántǐ] /all/entire/
之 [zhī] /(literary equivalent of 的)/
付託 [fùtuō] /to entrust to/
依據 [yījù] /according to/basis/foundation/
孫中山 [Sūn Zhōngshān] /Sun Yat-sen, first president of the Republic of China/
先生 [xiānsheng] /sir/mister/teacher/(title of respect)/
創立 [chuànglì] /to found/establish/originate/
遺教 [yíjiào] /the views of the departed/posthumous orders or teachings/
為 [wèi] /for/
鞏固 [gǒnggù] /consolidate/
國權 [guóquán] /state authority/
保障 [bǎozhàng] /to ensure/to guarantee/to safeguard/
民權 [mínquán] /civil liberties/
奠定 [diàndìng] /establish/fix/settle/
社會 [shèhuì] /society/
安寧 [ānníng] /peaceful/tranquil/calm/composed/free from worry/
增進 [zēngjìn] /promote/enhance/
人民 [rénmín] /(the) people/
福利 [fúlì] /(material) welfare/well-being/
制定 [zhìdìng] /to draw up/to formulate/
本 [běn] /this/the current/
憲法 [xiànfǎ] /constitution (of a country)/
頒行 [bānxíng] /issue for enforcement/
全國 [quánguó] /entire country/nationwide/
永 [yǒng] /forever/always/perpetual (ly)/
矢 [shǐ] /to promise/faithful/
咸 [xián] /all/in all cases/
遵 [zūn] /to observe/to obey/to follow/




The constitution of the Republic of China was adopted by the National Assembly on December 25, 1946, promulgated by the National Government on January 1, 1947 and effective from December 25, 1947. Dr. Sun was born in southern China, raised in Hawaii, and educated in Western medicine in Hong Kong. In 1925, Dr. Sun passed away in Beijing.