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Post by trevor on Feb 9, 2019 18:13:09 GMT -5
Can someone help me translate the inscription on my great grandparents' tombstones? Thank you.   |
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Post by Henry on Feb 9, 2019 21:25:28 GMT -5
Trevor, The ancestral village is: 下澤/下泽 traditional/simplified Chinese characters, Xiaze village located in LongDu district, Zhongshan, Guangdong province, China Aiaze map location:   Henry |
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Post by trevor on Feb 9, 2019 21:41:51 GMT -5
Thank you Henry,
Are the surnames translated to Seu/Siu? Which tombstone is Xiaze?
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Post by Henry on Feb 9, 2019 23:16:47 GMT -5
Trevor,
Looks like both gravestones have the Chinese characters for Xiaze.
Sorry, I cannot tell about the names, I can only read a few Chinese characters.
One of the Chinese literate people on the Forum can help.
Henry
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Post by tyuti1668 on Feb 9, 2019 23:59:34 GMT -5
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Post by gckimm on Feb 10, 2019 2:12:08 GMT -5
Hi:
The surname is Seu/Siu.
The grave marker for Mee Soong says that he was born in the 5th year of the Toong Gee (Tongzhi) Emperor, 1st month, 19th day, and that he died in the 38th year of the Republic of China, 10th month, 3rd day. The grave marker for Seu Lum Shee says that she was born in the 14th year of the Kwong Sui (Guangxu) Emperor, 10th month, 17th day, and that she died in the 56th year of the Republic, 7th month, 28th day. Incidentally, the dates for Mee Soong's birth and death seem to reflect the old custom of recording a lunar date that is one day later than the date that actually corresponds to the date in the western calendar. For example, the actual lunar date that corresponds to February 25, 1864 is the 18th day of the 1st month. The Chinese in America would add a day because when a birth or death occurred, it would be one day later in China.
As Henry says above, the village name (Ha Jahk in Cantonese) is the same on both grave markers. However, this does not mean that Mrs. Seu (whose surname was Lum) came from that village. Grave markers for Chinese women sometimes include the name of their husband's village instead of their own. I think it is more common for spouses to come from different villages, as many villages contain residents from a single clan and marrying someone of the same clan is considered taboo.
Greg
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Post by tyuti1668 on Feb 10, 2019 4:29:31 GMT -5
...owever, this does not mean that Mrs. Seu (whose surname was Lum) came from that village. Grave markers for Chinese women sometimes include the name of their husband's village instead of their own. I think it is more common for spouses to come from different villages... Youtube above said 下澤 is near market town which is a "雜姓村"... 下澤 蕭 are from 秀山 林 are from 石井 www.gd-info.gov.cn/books/dtree/showbookApi.jsp?stype=v&paths=17704&siteid=zs《广东省中山市地名志》> 政区与聚落地名编 > 沙溪镇 > 下泽 |
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Post by trevor on Feb 10, 2019 20:01:14 GMT -5
Thank you to all,
Told my mom that her grandparents' graves were translated and she's become interested and wants me to have other tombstones done too. Before this my family thought the Seu Mee Soong came from Saka He Ha Harng in Lung Doo.
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Post by douglaslam on Feb 11, 2019 8:42:31 GMT -5
I went past the village less than three months ago.
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