ancestral records in Taishan

[malia]

Hello all -- in May we're going to Baksha, our ancestral village, to continue the research for a family history book we're working on. We will be photo-documenting the ancestral home and village and videotaping an interview with my father's cousin, who lives there. We will be asking him to take us to gravesites, to any places in the village with particular meaning to the family, etc.

We will ask him about our ancestral tablets and genealogy records, but if he is unable to help us, what are your suggestions for trying to find these records?

Are there any libraries, archives, historical societies in the Taishan area (or anywhere else in China) that we might correspond with and visit? Even if they don't house genealogical records, would places like this be able to provide any other information that might be useful in constructing a family history? What is the protocol like?

Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thank you.

[Henry]

Dear Malia,

Welcome to the Forum !

Your best source of information is your village genealogy book. The narratives document your lineage , the history of the village, and identifies all your relatives from the village.

Bak Sha and Taishan city may have Offices for Overseas Chinese Affairs.

Taishan City has an overseas museum and there is a Taishan City Library that has some genealogy books.

Taishan City has an English version of their overnment website:

www.gdts.gov.cn/en/index.htm

It took me 3 years to research and compile my family/clan lineage and history book:

mysite.verizon.net/vzepzaui/index.html

Ask your relative to check on all this prior to your arrival, you will not have enough time to do it while visiting.

Good Luck !

Henry

[jing]

Hi Malia,

There may be an altar set-up (with electric candles, incense and flowers and a glass plate with Chinese writing) at your cousin's house in Baksha. Hopefully, that is the "sun gee pie" ie. your ancestral listing several of your families last few generations. Your cousin would be obligated to pay his respects to your ancestors.

Along with Henry's reply, I have a contact from a China History Migration Tour I took at the Asian American Studies Dept. at SF State University in 2005. It is the Foreign & Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Taishan. Victor Lau, Interpreter. Address: 38 HuanChengNan Back St. Taishan Guangdong, China. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].

Jing

[malia]

Henry and Jing, thanks much for your advice and Taishan contact, much appreciated!

[Henry]

Hi Jing,

May I have Victor Lau's email address? Thanks.

Henry

[malia]

Yes, Jing, I wondered if you had Victor Lau's email, too. Thank you.
Malia

[jing]

Hi Henry & Malia,

The 2005 email address on Victor Lau's business card is : [e-mail], victorlaw888@*.
Let me know if he still works at the Overseas office.

Victor being our SFSU CHMT contact made a preliminary visit with the village name (Hin Thim Tune) I submitted as part of our migration study program. He told me that the old village had been renamed and the village he visited wasn't very old. Luckily, I travelled with two addresses for my family in Toishan's Bak Sha. The new village name is (Teen Chew Lay). Victor gave the driver the new information and within half an hour, our bus stopped at the village. I'd brought along photos of grandfather, my Dad, our family group. The family names in Chinese and I was ushered over by the eldest women right to the door of the distant relative who'd be corresponding with my Mother by mail. The lady had the keys to my grandfather's house that our group was able to visit!

Jing

[malia]

Thanks, Jing, encouraging to hear about your experience there. Just checking -- is his name Victor Lau or Victor Law?
Malia

[Henry]

Hi Jing,

Thank you for the information. What is the second email address for Victor Lau/Law ?


Hi Malia,

If Victor is not available to provide guide & translation services for you, please contact me at: "[e-mail]" and I can contact my Taishan nephew and he is available.

Regards,


Henry

[jing]

Hi Henry,
oops. left off a few ids for victor Lau's second email address (for 2005) . It is victorlaw888@*
jing