American Pilgrimage to Xinhui: The Answer!
Oct 1, 2006 6:40:23 GMT -5
Post by slee808 on Oct 1, 2006 6:40:23 GMT -5
Hello,
Thank you to everyone who replied to my previous post. In case you were wondering, I found what I was looking for.
Someone who had done root searching of their own had referred me to a local travel agent here in Guangzhou, Mr. Su Zhiwei. He was a bit familiar with the name "Xiao Tang" and said that he was pretty certain that my grandfather's village was located in Siqian Town. He said there are many Lees there. He made arrangements for me to travel there the very next day with a young English-speaking guide by the name of Vincent and a driver.
Vincent spoke great English as well as the local dialect. He made phone calls and we went down to the Overseas Chinese department in Siqian. After discussing this matter and showing the pictures I had brought with me to the government officials, they made some phone calls and concluded that Siqian was indeed my grandfather's hometown.
Over the years, due to land re-assignments that are a bit complicated to understand, "Xiao Tang" and "He Cun" are now separate villages...or something like that. There are 13 villages under the jurisdiction of Siqian. We are not sure which one is my grandfather's but the officials took copies of my pictures and information and will ask around to the elders to see if anyone can remember my grandfather or if anyone has heard of him and his brothers. They told me that yes, there were many many Lees in 2 villages in particular and that they were probably all relations to me.
Even though we didn't find his exact village, it was enough for me to know that this is where he came from, that the river and the fields that I saw are the ones that my grandfather once played in. I am happy to have set foot there, happy to have seen it with my own eyes and happy to be able to solve a life-long mystery for my father and his siblings.
I hope to be able to bring them back so they can see it for themselves!
Thank you to everyone who replied to my previous post. In case you were wondering, I found what I was looking for.
Someone who had done root searching of their own had referred me to a local travel agent here in Guangzhou, Mr. Su Zhiwei. He was a bit familiar with the name "Xiao Tang" and said that he was pretty certain that my grandfather's village was located in Siqian Town. He said there are many Lees there. He made arrangements for me to travel there the very next day with a young English-speaking guide by the name of Vincent and a driver.
Vincent spoke great English as well as the local dialect. He made phone calls and we went down to the Overseas Chinese department in Siqian. After discussing this matter and showing the pictures I had brought with me to the government officials, they made some phone calls and concluded that Siqian was indeed my grandfather's hometown.
Over the years, due to land re-assignments that are a bit complicated to understand, "Xiao Tang" and "He Cun" are now separate villages...or something like that. There are 13 villages under the jurisdiction of Siqian. We are not sure which one is my grandfather's but the officials took copies of my pictures and information and will ask around to the elders to see if anyone can remember my grandfather or if anyone has heard of him and his brothers. They told me that yes, there were many many Lees in 2 villages in particular and that they were probably all relations to me.
Even though we didn't find his exact village, it was enough for me to know that this is where he came from, that the river and the fields that I saw are the ones that my grandfather once played in. I am happy to have set foot there, happy to have seen it with my own eyes and happy to be able to solve a life-long mystery for my father and his siblings.
I hope to be able to bring them back so they can see it for themselves!
