Taishan village near Haiyen

[chansomvia]

Hi,

Adding a new subject titled as above, was going to post it elsewhere hence the blank post message on the other thread. Can anyone assist in tracing this Chan family background, all deceased, born around 110 years ago? Brother No 3 went to Bangkok to feed the starving family, did some jewellery work and sent for No 4. Went back with some saving and then went to Africa when the savings petered out. After establishing a carpentry shop he sent for No 2 and No 3 brother and worked through the war years unable to return. The village was caught up with the Communist regime and again they could not return.

No 2 went to Cuba as indentured labour for the sugar plantation earlier on, he and other Chinese labor were locked in train carriages from West America right across to Cuba, to prevent escape into America. Worked for a few months and could not walk after contracting a tropical fever. Other Chinese workers contributed some of their slave earnings to pay for a passage back to China. He recovered and opened a small shop in Africa. Never went back to his village but retired in Hong Kong where he passed away.

No 3 died of illness in Africa.

No 1 brother was deaf and whilst unloading bags of rice from a ship in Taisan he did not hear a gaurd telling him to stop, he was shot dead.

I went to the nearby village with Tan Seng Chin but due to time constraint and the heavy rain with a waiting taxi could not really investigate.

These details are put in just to keep this forum interesting.

I will be going for a three week classical jaunt for three weeks doing Beijing, Xian, Guangzhou, Zuhai and Hong Kong with my wife in November. Expect to be treated well as the new generation of our nephews in China will meet us in their cars and mobile phones. Will miss Taishan this time but intend to spend longer next time in the Haiyen area the next trip.

Thanks in advance

Joe

Attachments:

[Henry]

Hi Joe,

Wow, fascinating history of these Chan brothers. I hope some of our Chinese literate members can provide some additional information.

I wish you and your wife a wonderful tour in China - China is still an amazing place for me after 30 plus visits.

Henry

[Ah Gin]

Joe,

Best wishes for your travel ahead. I have copied the Chinese characters of your ancestral village as follows. I am certain Henry can locate the village in 5 sec ;D

廣東省, 台山市, 海晏鎮, 夏春場村

Interesting thing is, from the Village DB, I can find 夏園 which is a Chan village, but not 夏春

Happy hunting

Regards, Ah Gin

[tyuti1668]

夏春场 was a salt field.

...由广海沿海岸西南行即达海晏。宋时仍利用海滩晒盐，夏春场即为当时大盐场之一...

[helen]

Hi Joe - I hope you trip goes well. And I hope your village is there the next time you go. Unlike what is rumoured for Zengcheng. I'll post the story else where. Bon Voyage

[Henry]

Hi Joe & Ahgin,

I am glad that tyuti1668 found that it was a salt field. I am not at home where I have access to my maps, etc - I am currently away from home in Florida taking my wife, and her mother and her sister sightseeing in Florida. My wife's family are from Colombia and this is the first time visiting the US.

Henry

[Ah Gin]

Henry,

Enjoy your well-earned holiday in sunny Florida. Brings back many happy memories when we had many conferences at Boca Raton, and one of my best work mates who now lives at Boca came from Colombia as well.

Meanwhile back at the heritage world, I too decided to have a break and sort of return to our roots when we first arrived, just when the Sydney Opera House was being completed. Expect to be back in the serious world of Chinese Heritage later.

Regards, Ah Gin

[chansomvia]

Helen, Henry, tyuti1668, and ahgin,

Thank you for your prompt and expert replies, this forum indeed boasts some of the most helpful crowd of detective all keen to help a lost soul.

My first impression of visiting our villages was that there was a desperate need to inculcate a sense of civic conscience into the remaining residents, I had the feeling that the more enterprising young people migrated to the cities due to the lack of opportunities in the village.

Those left behind were so used to living in their familiar environment and pushing them out of their comfort zone may have undesirable ramifications. There is so much potential in the salt marshes and harvesting of the sea around Haiyen. I worked as a consultant for the World Bank working alongside NGO's in developing countries and we succeeded in lifting the living standard of so many villagers, we left robust thriving village industries which acted as a catalyst for more bigger industries.

Our NGO's working with me also helped the villages form co-operatives for both land and sea farming. It required land tenure security, independent and incorrigible leadership, and willing participation from the villagers. Getting the human element into place was difficult, much more hard work than the actual building of the infrastructures.

Uncertain land tenure, as Helen mentioned of the possible razing of the old villages, will definitely not encourage long term work needed to uplift the standard of living in the villages. In fact after being told by the taxi driver of the problems of local municipal waste collection, poor roadworks, and lack of work, some problems caused by poor management by the village chiefs, I was inclined to say lets start from ground zero again.

My experience in Malaysia and Indonesia of moving villagers out of their old houses into newly built living quarters is not an entirely happy one. Although their houses were old it was a home; leaving history behind is sad.

Returning to history is also sad, my parents never really wanted to go back to their village, even for a short visit. Seeing the village myself I can well understand why the more enterprising and able left, I was going to post some photos but thought otherwise as only those who understand the poverty experienced by the inhabitants will know the reason for the seemingly uncaring attitude shown. Furthermore I could not capture the contentment of the older folks who were happy on camera: believe me, in spite of the lack of all the mod cons and latest gadgets the people were living quite happily.

Sorry for the long digression, my forthcoming China trip will be with the new generation who are city folks, we will return next time specifically to the village.

Joe