Looking for a relative from Tai Shan , canton city

[yu]

Ho,

I am Stephanie, from the philippines, I am new in this site.

I am looking for the family of my grandfather who is from Tai Shan, he is Chan Chao, he was born on Jan 15, 1882, he left China when he was only 10 years old, and settled here.

As what I learned from my Aunt, he got a sister in their village. I went to the Cantonese association hoping they could give me some information but one can, what I have here I a document which bears his address (chan bian village) I don't know if this is correct, I would be glad to email the document for reference.

Please néed your assistance, this means so much to the family and to my grandfather who died without seeing his native land again, as the grand daughter I felt obligated to fulfill his wish.

Please help. Thank you.

[tyuti1668]

There's 2 chan bian in C-C-C db
www.c-c-c.org/villagedb/display.cgi?level=Village&id=1848
www.c-c-c.org/villagedb/display.cgi?level=Village&id=2196

[Doug 周]

Stephanie,

We need to see more of your basic research. You will need to use Chinese characters. Upload the image you have. Use the "REPLY" link on the right (not the "QUICK REPLY" on the bottom left) and attach your document.

Study this Wiki:How to Start Your Chinese Family Heritage Research^click. After your basic research, let us know how we can help you further. There are a lot of people on this Forum who can help, but the standard cliche in genealogy is to 'start with what you already know'. The Wiki pages should help and is a compilation of much of the advice in this forum.

Doug

[yu]

Hi Sir,

Thank you so much for your reply.

Please see attached document of my Grandfather.

Thank you.

Attachments:

[christine]

Looks like Sun Uk Lay is the village and Chan Bian is the sub-heung.
The last handwritten entry on the left page shows the location in full "Guangdong, Toisan, Chan Bian, Sun Uk Lay"

Here is the village db listing page: www.c-c-c.org/villagedb/display.cgi?level=Village&id=1858
County 台山 Toishan
Area 2
Heung 明塘鄉 Ming Tong Heung
Subheung 陳邊鄉 Chan Bin Heung
Village 新屋 Sun Uk
Surname(s) 陳 Chan

[christine]

Map link: j.map.baidu.com/vHzWc
Coordinates:
22.358014, 112.811733
+22° 21' 28.85", +112° 48' 42.24"

[yu]

Hello Christine,

Thank you so much for the info.

Is there a site where I can check the database or list of families in my grandfather's village?

[laohuaqiao]

Yu,
From the document, your grandfather's name is 陳秋 Chen Qiu or Chin Tiu in Taishanese, 秋 meaning autumn.

Since Christine provided you with the name and location of the village, I think the best way is to have someone contact the village for any known relatives, male siblings or first cousins of your grandfather. Knowing his date of birth and approximately when he left for the Philipines, elders in the village should be able to help.

Female members of a clan almost always marry outside of the village and to someone with different surnames. So, chances are descendants of your great aunt would be living elsewhere.

Great many Taishanese have gone overseas. I wouldn't be surprised if some of your Chinese relatives are already in the US, Canada, etc.

Do contact the village first and inquire information on the great aunt and any known relatives overseas and contact info.

[yu]

Laohuaqiao,

Thank you so much for your help, It gives me so much hope to locate his family.

[christine]

Feb 3, 2012 6:49:24 GMT -5 yu said:

Is there a site where I can check the database or list of families in my grandfather's village?

I smile a little bit when I read this, because it would be too easy if there were a database of such information easily accessible anywhere in the world! What you are looking for is a village or clan genealogy book, which usually requires going or sending someone to go to the village to inquire about this. What you are seeking is what many Chinese descendants seek, the ultimate record of your ancestry, and it's not a simple thing to do. When you do get a hold of this book, if one even exists anymore, you will be the owner of a wonderful piece of history, and it is kind of a family treasure. As laohuaqiao says, make contact with the village and seek male relatives as they would be the ones still living in the village, as the girls are married away, though that is not to say some of the old ladies in the village are excellent sources of information as they will have spent most of their lives in their husbands' village anyway.
You may want to take your new information back to the Cantonese Association and see if they can help you write a simple letter/inquiry to the village about the book, or you may want to enlist the services of another member's nephew, who has experience doing these kinds of things. Henry's email as posted throughout this forum is [e-mail]. I do not know about the rates or anything, but I know of someone successfully obtained his family's genealogy book this way. good luck!

[yu]

Hello Christine,

Again thank you so much for the help, I will email Henry for assistance on this, I'll keep you posted on our search.

[fernan]

Hi Yu,

I just saw your posting and I think we have the same situation. Anyway, I am not really looking for some relatives in taishan but I want also to know the place where my father was. He came here in Philippines around 1940s. You mention here that you contacted the cantonese organization? Is there really such org here? Do you have any links or any contact. That would be a big help for my search thank you

Kind regards,

Andy

[yu]

Hi Andy,

I am based in Cebu, we have a cantonese association here which my grandfather was an active member then, you can search through the net there number.

[daking168]

Yu and Andy,

I might be able to help you find the villages/relatives in Tai Shan.

Please send me email at [e-mail].

Adam Chin