Finding my Roots
Relocating is not a fun thing, especially for a sixty year old! The packing of personal belongings into carton boxes itself is tiring and time consuming. However I came across two boxes of old photos and can’t resist the temptation but spent a few hours browsing throw them which inspired this post.
My mom and dad came from Guangzhou China. Dad emigrated to Malaya then to find his fortune while mom stayed home in Canton. Eventually after the Second World War, my dad sent for mom and two siblings. Heard so much about the family house from dad and mom that in 1988, I made a trip to Guanzhou to look for my last remaining uncle, my dad’s eldest brother who lived up to the ripe old age of 94 then but he passed away a couple of years back.
It was a business trip but I took a day off to locate the family house. all the time within my heart I was rather doubtful that I could find it. Apparently my Great Grand Father was a land owner back in the early 1900's and when China came under Communist rule, all our family land was confiscated and became State owned except for the family house.
It took me tremendous effort to locate the family house in a corner of Guangzhou. On top of that, I do not read and write Chinese although I speak the lingo i.e. Cantonese, which really helped a lot. I managed to hire a kind taxi driver for the whole day to bring me to the district of Shun Tak and helped me locate Peng Onn Gate, just that for address which was passed on through word of mouth from dad!
Well to cut the story short, after a lot of leg work and enquires from the locals there, I managed to locate the house and to my amusement Peng Onn (Peace) Gate is not a street but the name of the family house! The small entrance betrayed a huge compound inside! I was also amused that the street where the house stands bears the family surname! Wow! My forefathers must be some landlord then! My uncle was over joyed to see me in person and he recognized who I am! He said I looked very much like my dad.
The strange thing was that although we had never meet each other till that very moment, there was a sense of 'family' and we chatted as though we knew each other our whole life! He knew all the details about me and my very own family, perhaps from the many letters between him and my dad and this was embarrassing because I know nothing of his! He could even name my children! Wow! I guess this is something we modern people lack, this 'sense of family' and the interest in each and every detail about the next generation or his nephews and nieces! He could even tell me when my mom and dad passed away! I could hardly recall the date now! Admiration and respect just flowed from my heart for this senior citizen.
Peng Onn Gate or Gate of Peace
It was an education coming to the place of your origins. I was so amazed that 8 generations of the family were all buried inside the compound of the family house! Took a picture of that ‘sacred place’ with my uncle and he tried to persuade me to bring my mom and dad’s ashes back there to be buried! Finding your own roots proved to be a great learning experience and I heard him talked for hours on the family history! Very interesting, bitter sweet, and learning of their struggles through unimaginable hardships brought tears to my eyes.
Hearing from this old man relating the family’s story through nearly 100 over years was a lesson about life itself. Saying good-bye to him was emotional! He cried and I cried and we promised each other to meet again but alas it was not to be so! I believe he must be buried in the same place ending 8 generations! I don't think I'll be buried there when its my time to say good-bye and it sort of putting a closure to the family's story in China, to be continued in Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, UK and Canada.
Family Scared Place
It was rather sad to learned that most of my cousins had migrated to Australia, Canada and UK! I guess life was tough living under the Communist Regime in China. Many still live in Hong Kong but from there many migrated elsewhere! I don't think that I will ever meet them! We are like strangers knowing the name just like reading about a character in a novel. I am glad that I found my roots and I intend to tell my children where their forefathers came from and the family history through time. Being buried in a family burial plot or land sounded so historical. Like in the Bible where it said 'so and so slept with his fathers' giving the story such a deep sense of richness!
My Grands from The Ching Dynasty
Very interesting post! It would be too much of a gamble to sarch out my ancestors in Europe.
I so enjoyed reading this post … so very well done.
I can look at old photos for hours on end.
Thanks mrcy! Perhaps you can try looking for your roots in Europe!
Thanks speedcat and glad that you enjoy the post!
Wow, what a great post. Hmm, I think I shall travel back to China this year to meet up with my aging Uncle and Auntie.
I would love to visit my ancestral home in Swatow. I have been to China often but have not gone to my grandparents’ hometown. I don’t know anybody there at all, my Dad probably would.
wow..i love this post coz i always wonder whether i came from a rich root.
coz i’m not rich now…hehe
u are only 2 generation chinese here. i’m d 5th already! hehe
Its a great feeling meeting your parents and seeing old photos and remembering good old times.
Great that you eventually found those on top of your family tree..
Hi kuanhoong, so good to see you commenting here! thanks! From where you are now, China is very near, so go ahead and visit them!
Hey ECL, so your origin are from Swatow! Try make a visit and you will be surprised by what you’ll discover about your forefathers there!
Waah! 5 generations here! You deserve to be called loyal citizens of Malaysia! Most Chinese in Malaysia do not stay too long, 2 to 3 generations and many already migrated elsewhere!
Thanks for commenting dom! Noted that you are from Sarawak but I guess you migrated to Christchurch, NZ? Nice place huh?
Neat, neat, neat! Thanks for sharing your heritage…and I love the photos!!
Also, thanks for the nice comment you left about my Natural Superwoman book review…you may certainly link to it!
Interesting story.Thanks for sharing this.I enjoyed reading it too.:)
i too love to find my roots…but could not go further than 3 generations…even cousins do not know each other now….what a sad thing…
This is my ist visit. I very much enjoy your this post. You are very lucky to be able to find your roots.
Cheers !
Happy Chinese New Year too.
Thanks jenny for the permission will link it later! You are so sweet!
Yes I am sure very blessed to be able to find my roots! thanks astrogalaxy!
Very very nice post. Made you feel warm all inside
I have been to China often but have not gone to my grandparents’ hometown. I don’t know anybody there at all.
Thanks vivienne, family is such a warm loving place!
Yes window film, so many really lost their connection to their original place! Perhaps one day, something or clues may crop up!