A visit to Sing Sze, ancestral village of Andrew Pang

[lolly]

Through this wonderful forum, I was lucky enough to acquire undreamed of information about my grandfather Andrew Pang (see thread “Finding Andrew Pang – with much help” in Sharing Tales 2.2.2015) The offer was extended by Douglas Lam to assist me in making a trip to China to visit the Pang ancestral village. A chance viewing of the story of Luke Nguyen on “Who Do You Think You Are” jolted me to the realisation that I needed to make that trip and do it immediately. Three main reasons: 1. Things are changing in China, and remnants of the old life are disappearing due to decay, weather and “progress”. 2. I am not getting any younger, and taking on this adventure would not get any easier with age. 3. The offer of assistance from Douglas was much too valuable a resource to ignore while it was still available.
So, with much trepidation, dates were proposed, Douglas was consulted, and the plans were put in place. I was accompanied by my husband Bill, daughter, Lori, and three cousins from New Zealand who were champing at the bit to learn more about their grandfather. In two groups we organised some general sightseeing prior to meeting in Guangzhou and then Zhongshan. Douglas was on hand to see us settled in at Zhongshan, and had already made some preliminary calls and meetings to set us on our way. During a couple of his previous visits (detailed in “My Excellent Adventures in China”), he had made contact with “Suzie”, the wife of my third cousin he had located still living in Sing Sze. It was his hope that she might gather other family to come and be guests at a dinner, that we would host, to meet both relatives and local officials. Unfortunately, he did not get the response from Suzie that he was hoping for, and was instead directed to the Bureau of Overseas Chinese. We were invited to meet with them, and they would see what they could do. Douglas was a little downcast over this ….. but ….. his spirits lifted enormously as our day with these officials progressed.
We initially met at their very impressive offices in Shaxi, and were then transported to the local offices at Sing Sze. The greeting from the local official was warm, and we were shown to a room with a table set out with bottles of water, brochures, postcards and maps of the local area. A second gentleman, who was apparently the party secretary, arrived, and then a lady breezed in …. and it was Suzie! Douglas was quite amazed. She seemed very happy to be there and meet us, although we had no Chinese and she had no English. The next person to come in was an elderly man, and Douglas excitedly told us that he was the village elder who had located and transcribed our jiapu copy back in 2013. He had thought we would not meet him as he had retired from his official position. We did not get his name, although Douglas does have it in fairly shaky chinese characters. Hopefully we will learn more about that later. Seeing him was an absolute highlight, especially when I presented him with a photobook that I had put together about my grandfather’s life …. as much as I knew it. It included scanned images of the jiapu as he had written it. The look on his face as he realised that it was his work in the pages of the book …. pointing at the pages …. pointing at himself …. we did not need to be able to speak chinese to understand that he was saying “I wrote this! This is my work”. That was enough to make the whole trip worthwhile even at this early stage.




We then set off as a group for an escorted walk around the village. The Public Welfare building, a Childcare Centre and a School were all proudly shown. The smiles and welcome from the locals were delightful. A centenarians’ arch and a Maternity Hospital built in the 1900s from donations from overseas chinese were other points of interest, as well as the variety of buildings of homes, both currently in use and “abandoned”, and local business premises. We covered a fair bit of ground. September is quite warm in this area, and it was in the mid 30s temperature with very high humidity. Suzie took us to her home where we met my third cousin Gum See. She was very hospitable offering us moon cakes and large pieces of ginger root. Not sure what she had done with the ginger, but it was quite interesting to eat.
 






A funny little aside from the afternoon’s meeting was when the officials asked for email contacts for us, or “were we on Facebook”? I commented that they couldn’t access FB could they? “We can easily get around that” was the reply.

So … on to the dinner. It was decided to make it a lunch as that would suit the majority. Douglas felt that there would probably be two to three tables – up to 30 people? We arrived in taxis to the restaurant which was next to the market area and backing on to the river. Great opportunity to have a further look at other parts of the village. We were ushered upstairs past enthusiastically smiling and waving locals, and shown how to rinse our crockery at the table before eating.
The village officials arrived with containers of quite wonderful “appetisers” (as Douglas called them). We think they were probably cooked up in the kitchens at the Public Welfare Centre. Suzie arrived with a huge “sponge” – it was like a steamed “ginger fluff” – delicious! “The mains are still to come”, warned Douglas. And they did - duck, chicken, soup, vegetables, prawns, eel, squid, rice.








In between times, Douglas had a surprise for me. Back downstairs we trooped and onto the street where some fireworks were being strung up on a ladder. Douglas brought me some lit incense sticks and told me to ”light the fuse and run like hell!” I did …. both!









Suzie, her son and his wife and baby joined our table, and every now and then I would find an item of food dropped into my bowl from her chopsticks. I did my best to sample everything. The officials from the next table rose and gathered round our table to propose a noisy toast. Ten minutes later, Douglas advised that we should do the same at their table. Have no idea what actually was proposed and/or responded, but everyone seemed very happy.





A print out of a photo in which I could recognise the Pang character was shown to me. It was from the plaques on the wall of the Maternity Hospital we had seen on our village walk, and it detailed the names of the donors to the building of the hospital. My grandfather’s name was there as having made a donation in 1914. After lunch we returned to the hospital for a closer look.



As the lunch concluded, Douglas and Bill made their way to settle the account for the meal. They were promptly waved away and were advised that we had been the guests of the officials. A very generous and delightful surprise. Gifts of mooncakes and souvenirs from Australia and New Zealand were exchanged, and we were in for yet another surprise. Would we like to see our ancestors’ cemetery? We were quite astonished at the size and “layout” of the site, hidden in an overgrown area on the side a hill overlooking agricultural plots. Douglas reassured us that when Ching Ming came around, there would be a lot of cleaning and tidying up of the memorials. We were shown to the headstone that was relevant to us, and I do believe I heard it said that it went back to the Ming Dynasty and that the people had originally come from the Shanghai area. I definitely need a translation of the headstone …. and there is much more to be learned about that!







There are so many questions that should have been asked and pursued while we were there. I think we were just quite overwhelmed by it all. And the lack of sufficient common language was certainly a barrier. However, in spite of feeling (in hindsight) that we could have done more, we all came home feeling more than satisfied with the whole adventure, and perhaps a little incredulous that we had actually done it.
There were no surviving remains of the house where my grandfather had lived, but we felt incredibly lucky to be walking in the places where he would have lived, played and grown. A plaque marking the site where a family residence and shop had been was all that we could identify with. Again. I have yet to get a translation of the plaque.



I have no doubt that this journey would never have been undertaken without the assistance and enthusiasm of Douglas Lam. We are extremely grateful for all he did for our whole party. Just hope he also enjoyed the combined celebrations of “we three septuagenarians”. My cousin Suzanne and I both took on this trip as part of our 70th birthday celebrations in October. Douglas then advised us that he too was turning 70 at the end of October/beginning of November. We did manage to sing Happy Birthday to him and have him blow out a candle at our final lunch together. It was indeed an unforgettable experience.

[FayChee]

Hi Lolly,

I loved reading about your trip to your Ancestral Village and the pictures were great too!

I am hoping to go to my Village one day and hope that Douglas Lam will still have time for me. What an inspiration!

Fay Chee

[lolly]

Hi Fay
I neglected to mention that we also caught up again with Carlos.  He joined Douglas and accompanied us on our visit to the Sun Yat-sen Museum and also helped us wish Douglas a happy 70th birthday.  It was really good to see him and he is doing so well. He is currently studying both Cantonese and Mandarin over there.
Douglas was quite amazing.  I know there were many things that he wanted to show us,  but time and circumstances didn't allow for all that he had hoped to do.  I think it was quite challenging for him to have a party of six "very unchinese" (and mostly women) to cope with,  but he was terrific. We probably need to compare notes with him again now that we are all back home as there was so much we probably "missed" because of our lack of chinese language.  But as I said, it was an incredible experience for us all.  I know my cousins are still in a state of semi disbelief that we actually went and saw what we saw!
We also enjoyed some fantastic sightseeing at Chengdu, Zhangjiajie and Guilin prior to meeting in Zhongshan.  There is so much to see in China!
I do hope that you can eventually make your own trip.  With Douglas' assistance,  it was not nearly as daunting a task as we had imagined it might be.
Thanks for your response
Lolly

[helen]

Hi Lolly - You were extremely lucky to have Douglas Lam guide you. He is marvelous - and knows his stuff. Where are your cousins in NZ from - I wonder if I would know of them.

[douglaslam]

lolly, it must have taken you days to prepare your presentation. I'll try to add my observations on your post and then add my own next time.

The trip was four years in the making. During that time I met lolly and other members of her family four times in Sydney and Melbourne. I am sure more will follow.

It was a worry for me when the person, Suzie, who mattered a great deal to our visit sounded less than cheerful. In a meeting over lunch just before lolly's party was due. Suzie was visibly under stress. I thought it might be a frosty reception awaiting us. I am glad I was proven wrong.

In photo 1, we are in the village office meeting the officials. Suzie was a different person. She was in a her Sunday finery, smiling and bubbly. It set the tone for things to come. I was relieved.

Photo 2 is our genealogy book editor and unofficial keeper. He is a learned man, whose hand-writing is to be envied and emulated. He, Mr. Pang ( they are all Pangs) now has the shakes. Mr. Pang is holding the photobook which lolly had painstakingly prepared. It is all about her family. This one small volume absolutely astounded everyone for its richness in history and clarity. The many photos could only enhance its desirability. It is a winner. Everyone was impressed by the thoroughness and beautiful presentation. It is a way of telling the people of lolly's sincerity in putting this trip together and motivating her cousins to join in. The downside is; there were not enough copies to go round.

On the cover is lolly's grandfather Andrew senior. He was a very active member of Sydney's Chinese Masonic Society. Mr. Pang, yes, Mr. Pang, was very, very active in the Society and an accomplished member in the Cantonese opera group and lion dance team.

( Got to turn in for the night, work beckons tomorrow.)

[douglaslam]

Now, to photos 3,4,and 6. In #3, we have one of our village young officials. The expectant mother is the local contact for the Overseas Chinese Bureau. Suzie, in her Sunday best is with lolly. She is very attentive, eager to please and won't let go of lolly. #4 is a monument erected by an imperial edict, perhaps a couple of centuries ago. It was dedicated to a married couple who both lived to one hundred years old or more at the time. There were probably no houses next to it when it was built.

#6, Suzie and her husband welcome us into their large home. We saw their old home during our village walk, which is now unoccupied. We can also see Suzie's husband is walking with an aid. He had a mild stroke a few years ago. Suzie is under considerable stress, having to run her manufacturing business and look after her husband. The husband does not like domestic helpers to cook for him. Anyway, we were treated to moon cakes and Suzie's own spicy ginger.
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On to the luncheon which was held two days later. This year is a leap year meaning there is an extra month. www.timeanddate.com/date/chinese-leap-year.html We were in China during the eighth lunar month. There were happy occasions everywhere, the restaurants were doing a roaring trade to cater for wedding receptions. The reason: the seventh lunar month was also the Month of the Ghosts. www.discoverhongkong.com/au/see-do/events-festivals/chinese-festivals/the-hungry-ghost-festival.jsp No one would want to have a reception to clash with the spirits' own. A luncheon was a practical solution.





It was on this drizzly day, on the second visit to the village that the homecoming luncheon was held. We arrived in good time and took time out to have a look at the local scenes




This is the river that flows through the village. In the past it would have been teeming with boat traffic carrying people, produce and fishers. There was also a rice mill in the vicinity some years back.

I am sure as a teenager, lolly's grandfather would have swum in these waters.

The river is now silent.

[lolly]

Hi Helen
My cousins were born in Palmerston North,  and two of them have lived there all their lives even after marrying.  They had no inkling of their chinese ancestry until about 10 years ago and were totally gobsmacked.  They had always assumed that they possibly had islander background.  Sadly my aunt, like my father, never spoke of her father or anything that that she knew of her family history.  I have previously let them know about this forum,  and probably even mentioned you as someone they might consider referring to if they wanted to continue investigations of their own.
Thanks for your interest.
Lolly

[lolly]

Douglas, I am loving your additions to my report.  I knew there would be so much more that we would learn after we got home and had time to digest all that we had experienced. We really were just so overwhelmed with the whole proceedings that we did not ask all the questions that should have been asked at the time,  nor did we absorb all the information that was flowing around us.  I am very grateful that you are able to fill in so many gaps for us and flesh out events as they occurred.  I went back and had a closer look at my picture of the village elder's name (from your notebook),  and could recognise the Pang character when I examined it better.  I don't think we had any inkling that he was in fact a Mr Pang too. Too much excitement and too much else happening at the time!
I look forward to your continuing observations.
Thank you from all of us.
Lolly.
Note: Did we ever find out the name of the river that flows through the village?

[tyuti1668]

獅滘河 as www.sohu .com /a/196839084_649821 said

[douglaslam]

Thanks tyuti16668. But, I can't open the link. The river is probably a tribute of 岐江 Qijiang or Kei Kong River in Cantonese, which in turn is a tributary of The Pearl River. Kei Kong is the river close to your hotel. there is an amazing crisscrossing network of waterways linking the whole Pearl River Delta. It must have been quite a sight on the water in the days before the highways and tollways. I remember travelling on passenger barge towed by a tug at night from Guangzhou in the 1970s. It was so romantic, I pine for those days before the country opened up. I can never forget it

_________________________________________

Photo#7, everyone, bar me, is tasting the local delicacies or snack foods for the first time.



At the centre is a large tray of steamed sponge cake. It is light and fluffy, everyone's favourite. It was baked, oops, I mean steamed especially by Suzie for Lolly and her party.

Now, lighting of the firecrackers!! I thought long and hard for a surprise to Lolly for the homecoming party. You can't go past firecrackers. It is so traditional. I specifically asked Lolly to light the fuse for she is the researcher, the driver, the motivator and planner who put the trip together. The honour must go to her. Notice Suzie is not letting Lolly out of her sights. Suzie is becoming very protective. You won her Lolly. I bet Suzie will pay a visit to Melbourne to see you and Bill. The shop is lowering the shutters for a short while. We could not hang the firecrackers higher up.

The next shot shows everyone is toasting. Actually, there was no liquor on the table. We drank tea instead. The woman in the centre of the picture is the local school headmistress. She is at an adjacent table with her staff members, not a part of our party. We met her on our village walk when we stopped by her school. Lolly's cousins handed out soft toy kiwis and key rings with a New Zealand theme to the teachers as reward to their students. They are popular, everyone wants a kiwi.




The donors honour roll contains Lolly's grandfather's name as well as many fellow villagers throughout Australia, as far as Western Australia. Those sons of Sing Sze certainly made their mark in a young country. I can see one section showing a country centre, to the best of my deduction, it sounds like Atherton in the state of Queensland. Queensland has always been a stronghold of compatriots from my home county, to which Sing Sze is a part of it.

_________________________________

Fay Chee, it's about time you made that trip with your brother. You now have your nephews and nieces to guide you to ensure a silky smooth trip. If they are not available, I am ever ready to assist. I'll arrive ahead of you to get things rolling. I have good contacts over your neck of the woods in the absence of Henry's nephew who now calls Hong Kong home. They can point me in the right direction to get things done.

[tyuti1668]

Oct 29, 2017 4:45:43 GMT -5 douglaslam said:

Thanks tyuti16668. But, I can't open the link...

sohu is 1 of those BANNED domain name in this board. Copy & delete the "space" u . or click goo.gl/WrZdBj

[lolly]

Thank you tyuti1688.  I was able to see the report on the goo.gl site and immediately recognised the village official and the locations in the pictures. We also sampled what I think are the melon cakes (from what I could get from google translate) and they were quite delicious. It was very interesting to read per the google translate that :

"Shengshi Village in May this year was successfully selected as one of the six beautiful urban and rural villages in Zhongshan City, one of the objects, will vigorously develop the characteristics of agriculture, to create cultural holy lion, to upgrade the village appearance, the next two or three years, this The small village will be earth-shaking new changes. There are historical monuments, there is a river on both sides of the beautiful scenery, there are endless authentic food, taking advantage of the holidays, may wish to play to the holy lion, to a boutique country tour it!"

Thank you again for passing on that piece of news.

[tyuti1668]

Oct 29, 2017 20:03:29 GMT -5 lolly said:

...in May this year was successfully selected as one of the six beautiful urban and rural villages in Zhongshan City...

Douglas's home village also 1 of them.

[douglaslam]

tyuti1668, you know as well as I do that my village is anything but beautiful. It was beautiful back when I was a little boy over sixty years ago. The river is now biologically dead, once productive farmland is now filled in, left vacant and overgrown with weeds.
_______________________________




Lolly, this is your group at the graveside of the Pang progenitor who came from Zhejiang province during the Ming dynasty. In the picture is another Pang villager and Suzie.


The plaque at the vacant lot simply says 14 Tuen Yick St. former home of Pang Mun Ho. I don't know who Mun Ho is or how he is related to Andrew and you.

I am sure I had images of the old home taken in 2013 when it was still standing. The images may still be found in my old thread My Excellent Adventures.....unless they are blacked out by Photobucket. I had them on our old crashed desktop hard drive. I have yet to retrieve the data.



We are in a huge restaurant dining room, not the biggest in the business. Carlos took the photo for us. No, Carlos did not go to the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Residence with us. I was surprised by the impromptu birthday celebration you had in store for me. I thank you and Bill and your cousins for the beautiful presents.

This restaurant is very close to Gina's village. If only Gina could be with us here.

On the big screen, it is Gordon Ramsay. For those who aren't familiar with Carlos, his user name in the Forum is kaluosima.



After a hearty lunch, we went to this huge redwood furniture expo. centre. 大涌紅博城 This permanent expo. site is close to my village. It is huge, tyuti1668 must have been to it.


A make-believe old urban street scene. The sky is a also make-believe.



More interior shot of the Expo. Hall. This time the ceiling is glass with water sloshing.

It was during China's national day public holidays when we ventured out to this big exhibition centre. There were lots of people. We managed well by public transport, taxis were inexpensive, just getting one when you needed it and having a second Chinese speaker was more difficult.

[lolly]

I knew my memory would be "refreshed" with your comments Douglas,  thank you very much.  Yes, I did get the days that Carlos joined us confused.  He joined us for our walk in the rain to the Commercial Museum and the Radio Museum,  and also to the redwood furniture expo centre.  What an amazing place that is. Apart from the magnificent furniture that is on display there,  the sheer size of the complex and the way the interior is set up is fantastic.  We could have spent a lot longer enjoying wandering around all the different levels and displays. The bus trip, particularly on the way back, was an experience in itself. Sometimes it is not so bad being "elderly". Seats on the very crowded bus were surrendered to us very readily,  and it was much appreciated. The lunch at the "not the biggest" .... but it was quite enormous! .... restaurant was a great way to round out our very successful visit,  and also celebrate all those significant birthdays. A wander around all the fish tanks demonstrated the variety of fresh seafood available. I must confess,  we were not very adventurous with our menu selections.  Sorry Douglas.  Anyway, it was really good to catch up with Carlos again.

I do have print outs of the pictures you took when the house of Pang Mun Ho was still standing.  It is good to know what is actually written on the plaque. Thank you for that. I don't think I have anything that tells me what his relationship to our family might possibly be. 

With regard to the headstone at the graveside of our progenitor, can you help with what it actually says?  I will try and post a picture showing the characters as clearly as possible,  and would love to have an accurate translation. Should I be able to recognise any of the characters?







Writing this report and having responses is bringing the whole adventure back very sharply.  I really enjoyed the video from tyuti ... even if I cannot understand the commentary exactly ...... we were there!  Thanks again tyuti.