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Post by douglaslam on Nov 11, 2011 12:39:02 GMT -5
You are right tyuti1668, it was 100HKD I paid for the bus fare to China. From China it is 100RMB, which is about 20% dearer. Day 3 Nov. 11 The main activity today is to follow up on colleague Doug Joe's interest in his ancestral village. My usual companions Ma Gor and Ming are with me. Ma Gor is a nickname for his father had an extra digit, thus Ma ( double or twins ), and Gor is an elder brother. Ming is always useful to have around, whereas Ma Gor is just a passenger. Doug's village is called Long Jay Wan, it comprised of two villages. Long Tau Wan is the bigger of the two. The Joe/ Chow/Zhou is the dominant family name. There are two other family names, the three stroke Íõ and Hau/ Howeºî. It is unuaual for the minorities to have an ancestral hall. This is what is happening in Long Jay Wan. Everyone co-exists well. At the Joe's ancestral hall, we see two tables of mahjong game in play. We talk to a not so old man, ask a not so difficult question: does he know the generational poem because Doug's name has the character Sau/ Shou ÊØ. I ask because there is a photo on the wall with the name Sau/ Shou showing. Surprise, surprise, he does not have a clue. Obvious there is not much to be gain by staying on. After lunch we move on to Du Tou ¶ÉÍ·, home of the Louies. The Louies in Chungshan are a direct branch from Siyi / Sze Yup. Calling on Du Tou is my own instigation. I wanted to learn a bit about HY Louie of London Drugs of Canada. The people at the village hall are very enthusiastic. We are shown a jupu showing HY and his two wives. Another person is raised to answer my question regarding HY's burial site. He confirms HY is buried in the village cemetery but the plot is some distance away. He is happy to take us there. We decide against it because the distance involved.It is not fair to trouble a stranger to that extent. I can, but I am not sure of my party's ability to walk. Anyway I have the answer I wanted. Another thing that bothered me is: did the Louies in canada do anything for the village? The Louie elders in Sydney told me they knew of nothing. I maybe guilty of being a sticky beak here. I thought it strange because the Louie family is well known for its philanthropics in Canada. There is nothing improper because the family is Canadians first. But they venerate and revere HY. Why then, there is nothing in his name to perpetuate HY's legacy and memory in the village? I have my answer: the Louie family from Vancouver did buy land and paved a road leading to the village square. I am happy to admit my mistake.
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Post by Doug 周 on Nov 11, 2011 12:53:40 GMT -5
Thanks Douglas for taking the time to visit my paternal ancestral hall!
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 12, 2011 9:39:31 GMT -5
Day 4, 12 November
I keep today for myself. I hop on a bus for a ride to member mugenpower168's home village. Chang Gar Bin the village of interest is hardly a village these days. It is a conglomerate of industry, commerce, and high rise residence. There is nothing bucolic about the place¡£I can't really think of much else to write about.
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Post by mugenpower168 on Nov 12, 2011 13:23:29 GMT -5
Day 4, 12 November I keep today for myself. I hop on a bus for a ride to member mugenpower168's home village. Chang Gar Bin the village of interest is hardly a village these days. It is a conglomerate of industry, commerce, and high rise residence. There is nothing bucolic about the place¡£I can't really think of much else to write about. Douglas, I'm glad that you visited Cheung Gar Bin village. I'm not sure if you remember me telling you, but my ancestral home is actually in Sai Ah 西椏 village (was once a part of Cheung Gar Bin district) and not Cheung Gar Bin village proper. Are you able to pay a visit to Sai Ah and find out some info about the Hung 洪 clan for me?
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 13, 2011 8:36:24 GMT -5
Day 5 , Nov. 12 I devote today to member Christine's search for her paternal grandfather's village in Nam Long Zhen Õò, a district township. From the detailed information given to me by Christine,I ask Ming to sit down with me to copy the names and other information. There is no printer. Ming is invaluable. Before his retirement, Ming was a senior staff of his local electricity distributor.He immediately calls his opposite number in Nam Long, a retired manager, who promises he'd extend any help Ming would care to ask. Christine named the village On Ding aka Kin Chi a starting point. We find On Ding with no difficulties . On Ding is a single family name, Ching, village, Ching Shee was the matriarch from the Lee family way back. Lee, Christine's paternal side of the family has nothing to do with On Ding in regard to the Lee genealogy. The person we talk to refers us to a Lee village which is a short bus ride away. The old men in the Lee village can tell us nothing. The village genealogy book is locked away in the office of the local official who also deals with overseas Chinese affairs. Being Saturday , he may not return in the afternoon. One old man reminds us from the list of names we mentioned, it is unlikely the Lees of Christine's family were from the village. This is because the married names of the men do not match up with the generational name poem. In the past, the genealogy book only go by the men's married name from the poem. We are told to try another Lee village called Hop Shui Hou or He Shui KouºÏË®¿Ú. Back on the bus to the other village. We find the village, again the old men do not know any of Christine's ancestors' names. There are no genealogy books survived the devastation of the Cultural Revolution. No written record to go on.The old men do recall a similar search for a Lee Lum about a year ago by a small group from the US. The Lee Lum we want, went to Hawaii about 120 years ago and raised a family there, is the person whom Christine is looking for. There was a Lee Lum from the village. This Lee Lum's direct descendant has gone out. I leave my mobile phone for her to call back. We walk away feeling upbeat because this is our best lead. When we return to our village, the three of us dine together, and enjoy a steamboat dinner. My guests choose to have dog meat for our soup base. I do not wish to say no to their choice, so dog meat it is. My phone rings after dinner when I am back at home. The caller tells me her Lee Lum family never left China. Her ancestors were involved in railway construction in Tianjin. That is the end of the lead. Back to square one. On this one day, I feel the elation and disappointment of a hit and miss. Genealogy search calls for infinite patience, luck, and due diligence. I learnt a valuable lesson. On the bus, Ming is a matchless guide along the route with his in-depth local knowledge and connections. I also learnt about the variant of Zhongshan dialects. I did not come away empty handed. It was a twelve hour day for us with three rounds of eating out.
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 14, 2011 6:13:36 GMT -5
Day 6 Nov. 13 Today, I am taking up mugenpower168's challenge to find his home village. Kin, as he is better known to some of us, was born in Sydney, but has never set foot in his ancestral village Î÷—¿ Sai Ah near Cheung Gar Bin. Once again, I set off to Cheung Gar Bin on my own without my usual companions. The buses are packed, people are going out on Sunday. CGB is a very well known district amongst the Chungshan expats in Sydney. At the same stop where I got off last time, the footpath is now taken up by various vendors setting up stalls. Open space is occupied by operators running jumping castle, sand pit, fun rides, and the like for the little children. It has a carnival atmosphere. Though we are into November, except for my first day, weather has been quite warm. It is here where I am stuck. I look at the destination indicator at the bus stops, I can't find Sai Ah, I look at my touring map, I only see Dong (east) Ah, but not west. I give up. China is a land of contrast. I am shown courtesy on many occasions by young people giving their seat for me on the bus. I don't think I look feeble or not sure of foot, I usually decline. On the other hand, there is no courtesy on the road, and when the bus pulls up, it is every man for himself. I give up without really trying, for example, I could have hail a taxi for a few dollars. Instead I go for other sights. I have a meal at a fast food place, and then go to a large park for a walk and see families and children enjoying the facilities. The day's outing confirms the extent of the one child policy in China. Whether it is in the park, at the fast food outlet, or fun rides, I see only just the one child with the doting parents. Tonight is the night chosen for me to entertain my guests. I am called to return home early. ( my No. is 0011 86 131 440 20622) My presence is needed to thank the deities and ancestors for my safe trip home to offer thanksgiving. I have three round tables of invited guests. When I see Ming, he tells me we have travelled past Sai Ah on the way to Nam Long yesterday. I just didn't pay enough attention. Kin, watch this space tomorrow.
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 15, 2011 6:29:42 GMT -5
Day 7, Nov. 14 I am going back to Cheung Gar Bin yet again instead of setting off for Dongguan. This time, I have the assurance of Ming with me to take the guess work out of locating Sai Ah. Our bus stops at the village. SA, unlike most villages, does not have an archway with its name emblazoned across the top. At least I cannot find it. We are in luck as we see a man in uniform riding a bicycle. We stop him and tell him we want to find the village hall and a few things about the village. The man is from the village, he is on his bike as a local official and security patrol. We are in fact standing next to the steps leading to where the village halls used to stand. There are no village halls now. The original ones were damaged in the Cultural Revolution and subsequently demolished. He goes on to tell us SA is a mid-sized village with about 1,500 souls and perhaps as much again in migrant workers. The village has three family names, that of Zhu /Chu Öì, Hung / Hong ºé and Yuen /Yuan Èî in that order. Other passers-by are also keen to help. If only Kin had told us what his father or grandfather's name is, then we can almost immediately establish a link. This man shows us the way for a walking tour of the village. We walk and find our way back to the village old folk centre and office. Here, we meet the head of the welfare officer. He, too, tells us if we had a name, he could ascertain Kin's place in the village. The people we meet are so friendly and helpful. The head tells us we can call him in future and it costs nothing to enter your rightful place in the genealogy book. I'll give a fuller pictorial report on the village visit when I return to Sydney. Back-tracking a few minutes, we are at Da Ling ´óÁë. DA is home to the Au Yeungs. From what I learnt on line, it is the ancestral home of member grantdin. On his homepage and other links, I remember reading the story of a large group from California made a visit in 2006. DL is also the home of the first female Chinese dentist in the USA. Faith, as she was called, was buried back in DL following a traffic accident. Her grave was saved from destruction because of its significance. Lunch is at a Hakka restaurant. We order the well known Hakka salty chicken amongst other dishes. All up, 178RMB for the three of us. Kin, I'll send you the bill later. A little further on is Cuiheng ´äºà, the birth place of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and the house in which he lived in his early years. The whole precint is now greatly enhanced and improved as one of the province's leading attraction. This is my third visit, the last time was after I had finalised my mother's funeral arrangement a few years ago. Unlike previous visits, admission charges no longer apply. It used to be quite expensive, admission cost was at 50RMB / person. Only those over 60 years of age could get in for free. I urge anyone and everyone to make a visit soon. I'd like to go back for a more leisurely look. For all our travel needs in Zhongshan, we go by bus. It just did not enter my mind that for about A$5, we could travel by taxi from my village to Shekki instead of waiting for a bus and making frequent stops. Ming gets free travel in Zhongshan on the buses as a senior citizen. Ma Gor is waiting for the issue of his entitlement card. Somehow, I feel I am hard done by because I had been sending money to support my mother and later her carer for decades. Now, I am a frequent visitor, spending quite a bit as a tourist. I want my entitlement as a Zhongshan local. I go to a local hairdresser's after dinner. It is a very spartan set up, operated by a Sichuan migrant woman who has been here since 1995. I have a shampoo and scalp massage, a shave and wait for it..... to have my ears cleared of wax. The woman is only too happy to show what is picked from my ear canals. It is a nice tingling sensation.
The Sichuan woman's living quarter is just behind the shop. Her young son on a walker is crying out for her, the father just could not calm the baby. Whilst it is not an ideal environment, I appreciate the difficulties of a typical small trader and a family trying to make a living. I am happy to give her my custom. Th cost? 15RMB, less than A$2.50. I am happy to pay, and perhaps go back for more.
From now on I have to use internet cafes as I am now in Dongguan. There is no PC at my aging aunt's place.
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Post by mugenpower168 on Nov 15, 2011 10:11:54 GMT -5
Douglas, Thank you very much for visiting Sai Ah for me. The next time I go to China, visiting my ancestral village will definitely be on my to-do list. I'm relieved to hear that the people you met were helpful and friendly. I am always worried that the local villagers will be reluctant to help "outsiders". Hopefully I'll bump into some friendly locals as well on the day I visit. Look forward to seeing the photos! My ancestral village:
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Post by Ah Gin on Nov 15, 2011 10:50:00 GMT -5
Douglas,
As usual, your travel log is full of enjoyable jems. Thanks for sharing. I too had the pleasure of visiting the birth place of Dr. Sun. At my last visit, I spent hours going through the location. It is indeed a worthwhile place to visit, as it gave us a picture of the modern history of China. I am reminded of an nteresting scene -- a number of teenagers on a visit as well. The side effect of a One Child Poilcy -- the kids were more interesting in finding what else they can buy from the little shops in the compound (as you know, Dr. Sun's home is quite a big place, complete with a Western bath, display of sample of "Festival Food" etc.). The kids were also complaining that they were bored, going through the place full of historical exhibits. They obviously did not appreciate the hard times China went through during the dying days of the Qing Dynasty and then the incursion of outsiders, hungry for tea, etc. in exchange for opium.
I presume you will be shopping at the mall near the river. Enjoy the food, at a price we can only dream.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 16, 2011 1:56:36 GMT -5
Day 8, 15 Nov., Today, I am pulling myself away from Chungshan. I very much want to follow up on Christine's search. We were so close yet so far. I asked Ming if he'd be interested in helping overseas people search for their ancestry. He said he wouldn't mind but he has little command of English. He is happily retired with a good pension, he won't be doing it for money. He is a really ideal person for the job. I normally let him do all the talking to win the trust of the locals first, then I come in when required. I get on a bus for the main bus terminus to go to my aunt's in Dongguan City. Surprise, Ming is on the bus also. He had just cast his vote in a local election. For his efforts, he got 10 RMB. He tells me he has no idea who the candidates are. The election is just a farce. The good turn out is because of the 10 RMB enticement. Ming accompanies me to the bus terminus, sees me boarded the bus before he go home. What a decent and caring fellow. The trip is quite speedy because there are no traffic jams, In about seventy-five min. I am in DG's huge bus terminus. The fare is 61 RMB, including 2 for insurance, which is rather pricey considering the duration of the journey. I guess a good deal of the fare goes to cover the many tollway charges. In the past, a trip to DG would entail crossing half-a-dozen rivers. All very time-consuming. I am now more sure of myself. Instead of carrying my luggage to get on a bus, I hail a taxi. For 18 RMB or less than A$3, I can afford it. Aunt welcomes me in, she and her carer and me then make for a restaurant not two minutes away for lunch. The house rule at my aunt's is that she plays host(ess). No arguments. If she goes to Sydney, then it is my turn. How can I argue against such sensible arrangement. Aunt has a free standing three story house allotted to her husband who was a senior officer with the PLA. There is plenty of room because all her children have grown up and moved out long ago. She lived for a time with her son in a new gated housing estate, She didn't like it and moved back to her old place. The place is now overshadowed by taller buildings. For much of the day, the whirring noise of the air conditioning plant and extractor fans of a large restaurant prevails. You just have to live with it. It is a first for my aunt as she leads me to an internet cafe to do my things. What are the attendants thinking when they see a not so young man walk into the place with an old woman? Old age net junkies?? ID is needed to use the internet cafe. I think it is mainly to stop school age children wagging school. At 3 RMB / hr off peak, it is quite cheap. All internet cafes in China are unpleasant places. They are big, like a cinema.This one like those I saw last year in Nanjing, is smoke-filled. One person spits on the floor. Unlike the ones in Nanjing, this one does not have a light for the keyboard. It makes life hard for this slow typist.
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Post by helen on Nov 16, 2011 4:51:38 GMT -5
Douglas - someone mentioned this book From Shekki to Sydney: An Autobiography by Stanley Hunt www.chinatown.com.au/eng/whatson.asp?arteventID=815In the late 19th and early 20th centuries large numbers of Chinese travelled to the USA, Australia and other parts of the world to prospect for gold, or to work as labourers, gardeners and traders, but there are few eyewitness accounts of the lives of these people who predominantly came from South China. Stanley Hunt's From Shekki to Sydney fills part of that gap in Chinese and Australian social history by documenting his childhood in Shekki, his experiences after relocating to Australia, and the lives of his parents and grandparents. His story will resonate with those of many silent others all over the world. Stanley Hunt was born Chan Pui-Tak in Shekki, Zhongshan county, Guangdong province, China. The Japanese had invaded North China, and were beginning to bomb Shekki and the nearby coastal areas of South China when he, his mother and two younger siblings, left home to join his father in Australia. Reunited in Sydney on 5 April 1939, the small family travelled north to the county town of Warialda where his father ran a general store. Australian troops were fighting in Europe and Asia, the country was still suffering lingering effects of the Great Depression, and his father was on the verge of bankruptcy. On the timely advice of a travelling salesman, his father was able to save himself from financial ruin by negotiating new terms for repaying his accounts.
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 17, 2011 2:47:21 GMT -5
Day 9, 16 Nov. Ah Gin, I didn't spend anything on souvenirs. I am taking back with me some inexpensive mushrooms and dried olives. I don't think Cuiheng will be allowed to be degraded to a theme park.
Helen, I have met Stanley Hunt on three occasions this year. He is a very generous supporter of our society. I have a few photos of Shekki to post once I am back.
There is a large park close to my aunt's place. It is very ideal for my morning exercise jog, just to keep the weight increase in check while I am in China. Before the opening time of 0530, there is already a small crowd waiting in the dark for the gates to open. I have many photos to show later.
I notice improvements done to public facilities as recently as twelve months ago on my last visit.. For examples; all public parks are now free of charge, and so are the public toilets. Toilets are cleaner,with no open pits. Don't forget to bring your own toilet roll.
My aunt goes to the same restaurant yum cha every morning. One dining hall is set aside for the regulars who sit at the same tables. These people are mainly retired teachers, party cadres or public servants. They go early each morning, and pay their bills by 8 o'clock to save on 3 RMB tea charge. Stuff shortage is a problem, most people fill their teapots themselves.
Every one washes the cup, chopsticks, and bowl with hot tea or water even though they are machine cleaned and some in plastic wrap. It is a culture unique to people of Sth. China and Hong Kong. Occasionally, I can see this practice when first time tourists eating out in Sydney.
Aunt as a retired senior cadre she gets a very generous pension of close to 8,000 RMB / mth, and there are also bonuses throughout the year. Her medical costs are also covered by her former work unit, She gets more money than she can spend. Conditions I can only look on with envy.
In the evening, her daughter takes us, and join by son and daughter-in-law, to an unusual dining experience. We go to a seafood wholesale market, which is turned into a giant dining venue. The place is like a large aircraft hangar, where you pick your marine produce from the sea or pond. It is then weighed again by the restaurant and cook to your desire. I look into the open kitchen of one restaurant; it is immense, with an army of cooks and kitchen hands going flat out. There are so many eating places large and small throughout town. I don't think anything of that scale can happen in Sydney.
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 18, 2011 2:40:04 GMT -5
Day 10, 11, Nov., 17, 18
Two very quiet days. I am just happy to spend time with my aunt, talking or watching TV. I spend hours walking in the park, watching people spending their leisure.
There are two museums outside the park. It is a little misleading to call them museums as the exhibits are paltry. One is more an art gallery with Chinese brush paintings on sale.
At this time tomorrow, I should be on a train bound for Xian. Saturday maybe a busier day for rail travel. I choose to book my ticket on arrival at Guangzhou Station. It is not the high season just yet.
I delay my journey for one day because my aunt has a monthly yum cha meeting this morning with her Chungshan expat. friends. Retirees all, they have lived, worked, and raised families here in Dongguan. There are seven women and I, the baby of the group. The idea is for everyone to speak in our Long Doo dialect. At the height, there were about fifty in the group. Many died, too immobile to get around, or couldn't come. There is a bigger dinner get together later in the month. Retirees, or better heeled ones do live a full and more colourful retirement. BTW my Long Doo dialect is better than any of them even though I live away from China since 1956. So there!!
Last night, one of my aunt's grandson called. He just returned from Guangzhou, where he attained tertiary qualification from a certain institution. It is not a full degree from what I understood. After further testing in Mandarin speaking ability, he'd qualify as a teacher, or to try the public service. Now, here is the rub, to enter the teaching profession, he needs RMB 200K or RMB 1mil. to join the public service, in order to facilitate entry.
People are generally aghast when I tell them my second daughter knocked back a job offer from the taxation department after attaining a master's. They can't believe how anyone could turn down a government job. The notion that a public service job entails no special privileges does not dwell well with them.
This is China.
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Post by mugenpower168 on Nov 18, 2011 10:47:23 GMT -5
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Post by tyuti1668 on Nov 20, 2011 9:37:44 GMT -5
...Ming gets free travel in Zhongshan on the buses as a senior citizen. Ma Gor is waiting for the issue of his entitlement card. Somehow, I feel I am hard done by because I had been sending money to support my mother and later her carer for decades. Now, I am a frequent visitor, spending quite a bit as a tourist... www.zsbus.cn/zh-CN/displaynews005.html?newsID=24671050% off w/ ÖÐɽͨ (http://www.xn--fiqr16aun4b.net/) I HATE that #29 bus (frequcency + crowd) visting various Londu villages BUT this time surrended. (The "leg" can't ride ANY 2 wheels yet. )
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