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Post by eakit on Oct 23, 2009 14:59:45 GMT -5
Can someone please let me know if there are any agency or organization that I can donate an ancestral home in this area? I live in Canada, this home belonged to my grandfather then my father. He has passed away and the house has been sitting empty for many years. We (my siblings) are looking to give the house to a family that needs it, but we do not know anyone one. Suggestions and any advice is greatly welcome.
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Post by Henry on Oct 23, 2009 15:39:25 GMT -5
Hi Eakit, Welcome to the Forum. This is very generous of you to donate your ancestral home. I suggest that you contact the following organization : Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Bureau of Kaiping Municipality 开平市外事侨务局 wqj.kaiping.gov.cn/index1.aspAdd: 18 West Changsha Yanjiang Road, Kaiping Tel: +86 750 2215216 Fax: +86 750 2286842 english.kaiping.gov.cn/gover_affair.asp?id=571Regards, Henry |
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 23, 2009 16:07:32 GMT -5
eakit,
I echo Henry's words. It is indeed very generous of you. May I suggest that instead of giving it to a single family, you consider the option of donating the property to the Village, and make your Ancestral Home a public space / place for the village. Name your grandfather's home as "The xxx Memorial Tong etc." Your ancestral village may very well already have a Clan Memorial Hall (also known by some as Memorial Temple), but that will not prevent you from naming your property after your grandfather or father as a "Reading Room" or "Elderly Care Home", or "Child Care Home". This way it will benefit much more than a single family per se.
As Henry says, I am sure the relevant authorities in Kiaping/Hoiping will guide you through the process.
It is interesting to note that in some Clan Zupu such as our small clan (Yan/Zhen 甄 ), there are maps of the villages down to name of property owner. For instance, my father's name is still shown as the owner of a number of buildings back at our ancestral home, in Kaiping as well. In your case, for your property, once transferred to the relevant owner, I expect, in time, the authorities will amend their records as well.
The situation of a houses left vacant, once the owners have gone overseas and immediate relatives in China no longer use them either, was a fairly common practice. In Kaiping, specifically in one of our clan villages, we have a village nicknamed "No People's Village" -- see attached web link: ttp://ginsunhall.org/no_people_village.htm
The entire village has been vacant for quite a few years. The authorities know about this (and so does the media), and they have put up a sign, reminding visitors that this village is "heritage site" etc.
The village people actually respect the private space of these vacant building, and squatters seldom move in. That's probably because all the village people are related in any case, and honour (honor) and pride will not let them do what we often see in the West, ie, sqautters moving into vacant buildings.
Good luck with your venture.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 23, 2009 16:10:15 GMT -5
Sorry, the web link address is
ginsunhall.org/no_people_village.htm
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by Ah Gin on Oct 23, 2009 16:11:14 GMT -5
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Post by eakit on Oct 25, 2009 16:07:17 GMT -5
Thank you for the great suggestiions. I really like the idea of donating to the village with the name being carried on. I will definitely let you know what the outcome is.
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