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Post by pchan on Sept 7, 2018 9:41:32 GMT -5
Hi! Any Chan here from Gaoyao (Kouyiw) district? I am trying to trace roots can anyone please advice how I can reach this place? I am a Filipino now based in Singapore. My grandfather’s tomb stone says he is from Gaoyao, born 1902. Appreciate any help!  |
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Post by jeremychin on Sept 7, 2018 12:56:05 GMT -5
Hello pchan,
The issue here with the photo that you supplied, is that there is no mention of a village name or any other location indicator except for "Gao Yao." From looking at Google it seems as though Gao Yao is in Guangdong, but we need more information of an area, or market town, or village name to be able to try and find a possible location on a map. From a previous post of yours, you had mentioned that your Aunt had visited the village once before? Is she able to gleam any information that may help you?
- Jeremy |
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Post by pchan on Sept 7, 2018 18:23:28 GMT -5
Thanks, Jeremy. Here is the whole photo. I was thinking if “Sin Chui” is actually “Xinqiao” romanized, as it is a bit misplaced in the tombstone. There is a certain Xinqiao village in Gaoyao. In the context of tombstones supposedly containing info such as the person’s family name and ancestral village, it could be a possibility. My aunt has not come back with confirmation sadly   |
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Post by jeremychin on Sept 8, 2018 20:02:23 GMT -5
Pchan,
It is going to be hard to confirm an actual village even with Mandarin romamization. The characters are key. Now, generally from what I've seen, Sin Chui is right where a person's name usually is as you stated. One curious thing is that the romanization does not correspond with the Chinese characters. This is not that unusual however as my great-grandfather's married name is in the column and his birth name is above the birth and death dates. So i am still under the impression that his name is Sin Chui... Is your aunt or father able to at least confirm if Sin Chui is another name he had?
Your aunt seems to be the only key to this mystery as she is looking like the last living relative to visit. Can you obtain a picture of your great uncle's gravestone? Where is he buried in the U.S.? This might hold some info if there are more detailed inscriptions there.
- Jeremy
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Post by lachinatown on Sept 8, 2018 21:23:56 GMT -5
Isn't there two names on the headstone? Who was deceased on Nov. 23, 1982? Is Sin Chui a female name?
And Ignacia Chui the male name? Looks like Ignacia's Chinese name is Chen Qi He (Mandarin).
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Post by pchan on Sept 8, 2018 21:37:29 GMT -5
Isn't there two names on the headstone? Who was deceased on Nov. 23, 1982? Is Sin Chui a female name? And Ignacia Chui the male name? Looks like Ignacia's Chinese name is Chen Qi He (Mandarin). Yes, Ignacia is the Filipino wife. We don’t know who Sin Chui is and what it stands for. Maybe a nickname. But I believe my grandfather’s name is Chen Chee Ho. Is there a government agency in Gaoyao that can help? appreciate your advice on search options. thanks |
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Post by pchan on Sept 8, 2018 21:40:37 GMT -5
Isn't there two names on the headstone? Who was deceased on Nov. 23, 1982? Is Sin Chui a female name? And Ignacia Chui the male name? Looks like Ignacia's Chinese name is Chen Qi He (Mandarin). the one who died in 1982 is my grandfather. buried in California. |
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Post by lachinatown on Sept 8, 2018 22:01:59 GMT -5
pchanThen Sin Chui is your grandfather's name, no relation to his Chinese name. The other possibility is Gao Yao is your grandmother's Chinese name. The Chinese character for Yao contains a female radical. The other thing is if he came to California, most likely came from the delta in Southern Guangdong. Like most of people in Los Angeles Chinatown spoke Toisanese until the end of Vietnam war and opening relation with mainland China. The definitions of Gao Yao are: lofty, elevated, high, tall; essential, important, vital, necessary. [Usually they don't write the village that way, like Guangdong, township, village; most people don't know the villages, so people more likely write Guangdong and then just the township].
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Post by pchan on Sept 8, 2018 22:34:35 GMT -5
Gao Yao is ruled out as my grandmother’s name, because she is Filipina. Her name is Ignacia Ginna.
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Post by lachinatown on Sept 8, 2018 23:08:06 GMT -5
pchanWhy couldn't it be her Chinese name? Maybe your grandfather give her that name? You know who wrote the headstone or who take care of funeral arrangement? Are there any records to indicate theat Gao Yao is the township? Most headstones I have seen (have read many already), almost all would indicate Guangdong on them. Just a thought.
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Post by pchan on Sept 9, 2018 1:12:27 GMT -5
pchanWhy couldn't it be her Chinese name? Maybe your grandfather give her that name? You know who wrote the headstone or who take care of funeral arrangement? Are there any records to indicate theat Gao Yao is the township? Most headstones I have seen (have read many already), almost all would indicate Guangdong on them. Just a thought. it’s because on a separate occasion one aunt confirmed their father was from Kouyiw (Gaoyao), Canton. Hence Gaoyao cannot be a name for my grandmother. Not sure who did the funeral arrangements as it was quite a long time (1982). Does Gaoyao district have a census of overseas chinese we could start searching from? from what I understood my grandfather initially went to Manila to start a chinese restaurant. that’s where he married and eventually moved to the US, taking wife and seven children. Appreciate your time and thoughts. |
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Post by lachinatown on Sept 9, 2018 12:52:24 GMT -5
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Post by pchan on Sept 9, 2018 19:45:27 GMT -5
really thank you for this. my contact with my aunt in the US is a bit patchy, she’s 85yo and not technology savvy. I had to contact one cousin to pay her a visit and ask my questions personally but I also cannot oblige her If I can request my cousin to go back and ask for more info, which would be priority? I have a few ideas such as: 1. village name in Gaoyao if she can remember. however, I was wondering if there were already at the time (1920s) as we know them now. 2. landmarks she can remember from her first and last visit (1980s) 3. who is Sin Chui? confirm if one and the same with Chen Chee Ho do you think I am missing something more crucial? thanks |
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Post by lachinatown on Sept 9, 2018 22:58:19 GMT -5
@ pchan
Good questions.
Yes, the village name, the bigger adjacent villages or the town in which the village is administratively under.
Landmarks such as large park, rivers, mountains may help in locate the area on maps.
Gaoyao is also listed as Nan an zhen, according to my printed map book.
Appears that Sin Chui was the name given to your grandfather.
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Post by jeremychin on Sept 10, 2018 0:12:47 GMT -5
Pchan,
Also, you should ask if there is a picture of her father's gravestone. That might have some clues.
Do you know what her fathers name is? Where does your aunt live? No phone number to call her? Otherwise, good questions to start. Good luck.
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