She explained the meanings of the three stages as related to the two men's differences.
In the prologue of Bauby's book he wrote: "My heel hurts, my head weighs a tonne, and something like a giant invisible diving-bell holds my whole body prisoner."
Peng said that when we living an easy life, we perceive nothing wrong with our circumstances. The mountain and water symbolize our environment, Peng said.
Most people, when their lives are peaceful, do not complain about their environment. "Therefore, the mountain and the water are all right -- this is the first stage," Peng said.
However, when life starts to become difficult and things do not go right, people would stress out what is wrong with their life. "This is the second stage, when the mountain and the water do not seem to be the right place to live," Peng explained.
"Bauby's book is full of questions. He could not accept the fact that he had to suffer with the disease," said Peng.
"He looked at his disease with an ironic and poignant attitude. Sometimes he laughed at himself," Peng said.
Peng said Chen is a butterfly that has already flown out of his diving-bell.
According to Peng, the reason Chen could manage to reach the third stage is largely related to his Buddhist belief.
In Chen's book, he quoted two verses of an ancient Chinese poem.
They are: "A broad mind enables you to forget the narrow ground under your feet; a small hut causes your desire to go outside to see the mighty mountains around you."
"Take me for example, my ground is really narrow enough. I have been confined in this small ward for nearly three years," wrote Chen.
"I can only try to broaden my mind and forget how small the ground under my feet is," Chen wrote.
In the last chapter of Chen's book, he said he has triumphed over his disease.
But he noted it is truly a hard battle.
It is a hard battle not only for Chen but also for Liu, his wife.
In order to take care of Chen, Liu quit her teaching job.
Actually Liu recorded most of the articles in Chen's new book. According to her, to write an article of around 1,000 words would take Chen seven to eight days.
"Every morning I would touch Chen Hung's eyes gently and tell him, `Do take care of your eyes. They are the only communication bridge between us now,'" Liu said.
Chen and Liu have had one daughter and two sons.
According to Rick Chu (
Chu said that because her husband and daughter both suffer from ALS, Liu's trial is even more difficult.
"I can only hope that a remedy for the disease will be discovered as soon as possible so that my beloved ones can be saved," said Liu, who broke into tears several times during the press conference.
Chen's daughter was a university professor. "She is still too young," Liu told Chu.
When asked what her best memory of Chen is, Liu said she often reminisces going to flower markets with her husband.
"If [lost] time could return, I would definitely spend more time with him. We were often too busy to be together," said Liu.
Chen wrote if his readers smile after finishing his account of his battle against the disease and can thereby develop a positive attitude toward life, it would be his greatest honor.
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