China's History

[lwong]

I have always prefered oral history over the written, especially within academia. And I became very shocked and immobilized to hear from my grandmother that the documentary I saw titled China's Stolen Children was not new. She explained to me in detail that it was very common even when she was a youngster to hear about children being bought, sold, and stolen for many, many reasons. (Some of these reasons unheard of in today's US standards.) She said people choose not to talk about it because they had to do what they had to do in order to survive. But how can a society allow such treatments to occur and to perpetuate even to this day? I'm in the beginning of researching my heritage but right now I don't think I want to--knowing that such horrors exist. Does anybody else know about this stuff?

[Ah Gin]

Colleagues et al,

In a moment of reflection: In my humble opinion, it would be difficult for anyone to judge a situation unless one is in the situation. The human race has a survival instinct, as indeed all other living things. Trade in human beings in many cultures has been going on for years. It is still going on and it will go on for many more years. By all means do what we can, perhaps even at a personal level, to help stop the situation.

People deal with pain, shame, losses in may ways -- again ours is not to judge, but hopefully to offer whatever help possible.

Digging through any history and it is almost a certainty to come across horrors, injustice and the likes. At the end of the day, to dig further so as to understand ones beginning is entirely up to oneself.

Regards, Ah Gin

[helen]

Often the families with no sons "adopted" sons into the family. My brother in law remembers as a 3 year old being taken by his father to a neighbouring village, and entering a house - where there was a celebration going on. He still remembers his father sneaking away, and how he was held back from going to him. He and another boy became the "sons" of this couple, who already had 2 daughter. In later years he found his real family, and that has caused immense pain to his adopted family and his birth family - its hard to be stuck in the middle of it all.

[Henry]

Dear Colleagues & Friends,

I completely concur with the eloquent sentiments of our friends Ah Gin & Helen - as we all age, and hopefully become wiser through the trials and tribulations of life - we gain a better understanding of the human condition.

At a personal level and beyond all the impressive history, civilization, and culture of China, it is the adaptations to survive by the people of China that remains one of its most enduring & redeeming qualities - the emigration and origins of over 40 million overseas Chinese attest to this.


Henry

[Ah Gin]

Colleagues & Friends,

Helen's story reminded me of this heritage experience, which I thought I will share:

Picture this. In the jungle of Malaya, in the 1950s a Chinese migrant family from Siyi, faced with a sickly child who had contracted polio and the prospect of other childhood sicknesses. They decided to give the child away to a much loved and venerated lady, in the hope that the lady can look after the child better the family. There was a formal ceremony, where the child was given away. At the ceremony, departed ancestors were consulted, there was burning of joss sticks, joss papers, prayers chanted, and henceforth from that day, the child would address his blood parents as "Uncle" and "Auntie". The child would pay respect to his adoptive Mother, and on her Birthday, make special journey to her home. This confused and distressed the child. All the same, the arrangement stood. To add to the accumulation of good Karma, the family also adopted a begger as the family Godfather.

Years later, when the child was grown up, he was formally taken back by the family, again, there was a formal ceremony for this to happen. The child was then permitted to address his parents by their righful title. The family Godfather used to visit the family, and he would bring along Chinese buns and other treats. The Godfather walked with pride in the small town where the family lived, and when it was time for him to go to the next life, he was happy with the knowledge that there is a family to look after him, after his death. And when the Godfather finally passed away, he was given a proper funeral and on Chingming, his grave was visited, and cleared of any overgrown weeds. He was treated as a member of the family.

After that series of actions, which confused and distressed the child, the health of the child settled down, and apart from the occasional childhood illness, he grew up as normal as can be expected. He does walk with a limp, as the Gods wanted to remind him of the importance of Family Members, even if they are adoptive family members.

The great lady was and is 觀音 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuan-yin The child was myself. And in my household, she occupies a special place. And if any of my friends and family require a great lady as their adoptive Mother, I would not hesitate to recommend my Mother for many years.

Regards, Ah Gin

[David Wong]

Ah Gin,

That is an amazing story. Thanks for sharing it!

D

[Ah Gin]

VWong, Many thanks for your encouragement and generous support. Regards, Ah Gin

[douglaslam]

Ah Gin, How are you mate? I am an Aussie also, though not born Downunder ( thus my Chinglish ). I came out as a teenager, alone, when pounds,shillings and pence were in circulation, King Ming ( PM. Bob Menzies ) was king. It was a two- week voyage from HK to Sydney as a steerage passenger in bunk bed in a cargo hold. Needless to say there were no portholes or air cond. I was amongst the last lot who went abroard the old world way, Gum Sanh Jong not travel agent, which helped with visa application and shipping arrangment. Back then you went abroard to avoid poverty and starvation, which was very close to my case. As was the practice then, my true age was understated, which I failed to rectified upon naturalisation years later.
I concur with your affinity to Kuan Yin. At school, if you didn't have a Christian denomination, you were placed with C of E for scripture. Christianity didn't click with me after so many years trying. Chinese beliefs are very practical, and it is a two- way traffic, you get feedbacks as it were. My youngest daughter was given to Kwan Gung at the behest my mother- in- law, not for any reason other than safe passage in life's journey. She will be reclaimed when she gets married. We didn't have to do anything as she won't call me and my wife Dad or Mom. Kwan Gung is having her as his child, and a temperament to match his warrior stature! Having said all that, she is now at Peking University on a one year exchange scholarship. She travels widely in China and Vietnam also. Kwan Gung is safeguarding her every step of the way,( apart from a burn by a motorcycle exhaust pipe to her leg, in Vietnam).
My father, too, was nominally given away to another family without children in the village. Details are hazy.
There is something else I want every one to take an interest in. Pls. read the following link, and offer help if you can. I had met the person behind the story.
www.halfandhalf.org.uk

[laohuaqiao]

Douglas, that's another fascinating but sad story, thanks for the link. I certainly think it deserves a thread of it own, instead of being tucked within another thread.

The commentary, from the link, on the comparisons of Chinatowns is interesting (note: in one instance below, the "we" refers to Euorasians):
For many of us, when we think of 'Chinatown' we think of a community consisting almost exclusively of Chinese and demonstrating a vibrant Chinese culture. We think of a 'China in the West'. We think of people wandering around in exotic costumes, temples with strange gods and firecrackers exploding.

Perhaps we are too influenced by what we have read and seen of Hollywood's version of America's Chinatowns. But if we consider the evidence on Chinese settlement in Asia and the inter-marriage of Chinese men with local women, perhaps it was these American communities that were not normal.

What happened in America to create Chinese communities so different to the one from which we come?

Over the centuries Chinese emigration was almost exclusively male. And so it was initially in the USA. However, the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco changed that in America. The earthquake destroyed the official records. That meant that it became possible for Chinese wishing to enter America to claim that they were citizens. As citizens, men could bring in their wives. So, from 1910 to 1924, one in four Chinese entering the USA was a woman. The contrast with the UK in this period could not be greater.

Moreover, in America we were almost legally impossible!

California, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, south Dakota, Virginia, Utah and Wyoming all passed laws forbidding intermarriage between Chinese and Caucasians. Whilst there were undoubtedly cohabiting couples, the USA had prevented the rapid assimilation that took place in the UK.

There was also the exclusiveness of the Chinese themselves. Chinatown in the USA was Chinese. Chinese families would not let their sons date an American girl. They preferred to send their sons to China to marry a "proper" girl.

The community and culture appears to have been isolated and self-isolating. Large enough to be self-sustaining and with on-going reinforcement of the culture through the import of brides. And this despite heavy restrictions on immigration. It was the product of circumstances almost unique to the USA .

So, Liverpool is normal. San Francisco is not!

[Henry]

Dear Friends,

I would like to focus your attention on Yung Wing, who was rather unique during the 19th century in America and China:

"Yung Wing (容闳, 1828-1912) was the first Chinese graduate of Yale University (class of 1854) and went on to have a long and diverse career as an interpreter, tea trader, diplomat, educator, military procurement specialist, and writer."

"Yung Wing has a kind of wishy-washy reputation among Chinese historians. His efforts in educational reform and his acheivements overseas are certainly noted, but at the same time his unabashed love for the United States, his dual citizenship, and his marriage to an American, cause some to call into question his Chineseness–the original 假洋鬼子 if you will. But I think Yung Wing, as a liminal figure straddling two cultures at a time when few had the ability or desire to do so, makes him a fascinating subject for historical inquiry and his patriotism and desire for a strong Chinese nation are quite apparent in passages like the one above."

These quotes are from the following and interesting write up on Yung Wing:

granitestudio.org/2008/07/29/voices-from-chinas-past-yung-wing-on-courage-and-chinas-future/

Here are additional two links:

opa.yale.edu/president/message.aspx?id=28

www.120chinesestudents.org/yung.html

Yung Wing wrote an autobiography, " My Life in China and America" 1909, H.Holt, New York


As overseas Chinese, we have all had experiences causing us and our families much hardship and heartaches - but, we have survived and even managed to thrive - despite all the harshness and impediments. I am very proud to be a member of the overseas Chinese community because we have endured and become a hearty breed that is in many ways- quite special.


Henry

[douglaslam]

Laohuaqiao,
Thanks for taking a keen interest in the Chinese seamen in Liverpool. It is a very compelling story of human interest. I do agree it deserves a thread of its own. My IT knowledge is minimal, perhaps you can kick it off. There is additional material I want to post. I am sure the driving force behind the search, Yvonne Foley would appreciate all positive publicity. In this case, time really is the essence, as some of the sailors may still be with us.
As a matter of interest, I had met Yvonne and her husband in August during the Beijing Olympic Games, when I took two weeks off to watch it on TV. I'll probably see them again some time in the next couple of weeks.
To Henry,
There is also another link of the 19th century Chinese students in Yale. Just Google Yan Phou Lee, and you can read his story.

[Henry]

douglaslam,

Thank you, there are several links, can you tell me the specific one you are referring to? I do have a first edition copy of "When I was a Boy in China" by Yan Phou Lee, D. Lothrop Company, 1887


Henry

[douglaslam]

Henry,
I read "When I was a Little Boy in China" online, and downloaded it. I can' pinpoint any particular link now because I viewed them several months ago. I do remember reading Yan Phou Lee returned to Canton then, and died there. One of his grandsons ( not very Chinese in appearance), is a top surgeon and academic in the US, also a Yale graduate. He went to Shekki or Shiqi(I think), to trace his roots some years ago.
Amongst the scholarship winners to the US in latter years was one Qian Xuesen (by a different name in the 30s), father of China's rocket program. He was one of the founders of The Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He suffered greatly in the McCarthy witch hunt, eventually, was allowed to return to China. His biography by Iris Chang makes riveting reading.

Douglas

[Ah Gin]

Douglas,

My apologies for a late response to your posting of the 28th Sept 2008. I had meant to acknowledge your note earlier, but things got a bit hectic until the last couple of days. In fact my eldest brother passed away on the day, in San Francisco. He was 79, and according to Chinese custom, he was acknowledged as 82, ie, one year each from Heaven, Earth, and Self. The passing of an individual is a very personal thing, and normally I would not have mentioned on a forum such as this. But the interesting thing is, I found my brother, all by chance, but through the grace of our Association in San Francisco. And because of him and my interest in "things heritage", I found brother two and my sister (all in their 70s), and many nephews and neices. I know my departed father would have been pleased with the series of events leading to the discovery of my brothers and sisters and their families.

This brings me to the point of "things I don't understand, but have a respect for". Was it meant to be that I would eventually find my missing brothers and sister? And in an unexpected way?

In a couple of weeks I will be on a journey back to Hoiping, and our ancestral home. It will be an emotional time for me, and I know it will be a very private journey for me, especially when I step back in the family home where generations of our family grew up. I am hoping to see my 80 year old plus aunt, and other relatives.

Are all these chance meetings, discovery being "moved" by my ancestors? Has my Mother, Kuan Yin been helping me all along? I like to think on both counts they did.

There are other interesting events also. I have always lemented to my friends that "I am all alone in Australia. And that my surname is rare ". I visited the South Melbourne Say Yup Temple, and guess what, I saw quite a few Gins/Chins surnames on the board of contributors. We did some work at Creswick Cemetery, and guess what, there were a few Gins/Chins there as well. Strange but true.

Till the next time, Ah Gin signing off.

[douglaslam]

Ah Gin,
Sze Yup people are always a force to be reckon with amongst established overseas Chinese communities. You are never alone. My wife is from Sze Yup, and I visited Hoiping the first time over four years ago. Hoiping offers even better value for money than Chungshan. I am planning for the whole family to visit mine as well as my wife's home village sometimes after my young daughter's exchange year at Peking Uni. Who knows, we might bum into each other in Hoiping.
I was a regular visitor to Sydney's Sze Yup Temple in Glebe. I used to know the caretaker well. Now, I visit barely once or twice each year, either to give thanks (at year's end) or to ask for blessings (at New Year). If I am at work, it is up to the wife an in-law to do so.

Douglas
Sydney