RHS'69
A Search for Family Roots
U.S. State Department travel advisory: Exercise increased caution in Hong Kong due to civil unrest.
Since June 2019, large and small political demonstrations have taken place in various areas of the city. Some have resulted in violent confrontations between protesters and police.
Ignoring all that, RHS'69 Reunion Committee chair Vincent Yim visited Hong Kong to see and learn about the part of his family he never met.
Back home he removes his flak vest and tells of a wonderous trip.
We had a wonderful breakfast at White Swan and as we checked out I looked back at the hotel’s waterfall foyer.
Tranquillity.
We are on our way to see both China and my grandmother’s village.
My Grandma’s, on my mother’s side, village is Zhongshan and it is almost hour and a half drive away. Prior research was not helpful in finding her home.
We arrived at XiaoLan Church and Community Center, where she was a member. The original church burned and was rebuilt in concrete.
Timing could not be better as the church was having its 75th anniversary and were having an all day celebration for the entire village.
They just started when we showed up. Registration desk with gifts, dragon decorations, a stage, banners and People’s Republic music. Loud enough for the whole village to hear
Inside the church they were offering a whole roast pig.
To the side are three huge bronze plaques listing the original families genealogy....all in Chinese.
No way we were going thru all of it to find Popo.
Having lunch at a popular local restaurant. As we sat down, at each seat is a setting with a plate, bowl and cup all shrink-wrapped together.
The restaurant wants Westerners to be assured that all their dishes were contracted out for cleaning.
As we unwrapped our wares, the waitress brought a large pot of hot water and wanted us to dip them in to be double sterilized.
We had the Chinese version of Shabu Shabu……no one got sick!
I am the 28th generation of the Yim Clan. Sad to say, with no son my family tree branch will end with me.
My grandfather, 26th generation, died in an alley after closing Wo Fat Restaurant.
Popo withh his arranged mail order bride went back to China with dad to her family’s estate. Dad did not graduate Iolani, but finished schooling in Hong Kong. Then he married mom and my sister was born in 1949, same time they lost everything to the new Communist Government. Since Dad was born in Hawaii, they migrated back to Honolulu.
Now we are trying to find the farm and homes. Three months before the trip we hired a local guide to do some investigation. She said she was 90-percent sure this is the area of the estate and that this could be one of the gate entry, but only so-so on the entrance...as she put it.
The property borders a main street with commercial buildings and in the back were hundreds of home mish-mashed with narrow streets and alley ways.
We spent 40 minutes walking around, trying to imagine this area once as a huge farm and a couple homes but now just another Chinese community.
Going to Visit an Old Family Friend
Our Great Grand Father was the personal doctor to Sun Yat-Sen, so we decided to visit his Memorial Hall.
I was very surprised of the many photos and articles shown of Hawaii while he lived in Hawaii. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen graduated from Iolani in 1882. That was followed by a semester at Punahou before he returned to China at the order of his brother.
Two temples in the photo are still standing. One is on School Street and the other on Front Street in Lahaina.
The other photo is the See Dai Doo Society Building, next door to the Pali Safeway parking lot. My Grand Father was one of the charter members and Dad was the Financial Officer.
We had another 9 course dinner and the signature last dish is...roast pigeon.
The sever brought it in a bamboo bird cage. Cousin took the head by the beak and ate head and all. The bones were crispy and tender.
After dinner we checked into Hilton Zhongshan. It is less than two years old, very nice.
Like L’Hotel Nina, a glass wall looking into the bathroom.
Flick the switch and the glass frosts up for privacy. Cool.
I am sure Wendy has read Mobi Dick and now doesn’t have to see me swimming in the tub.
Our Name in Stone
Dad always said when we go back to visit our homeland find our family name in stone.
We found it!
Cousin David said the bottom character is the family name but he was not sure what the top character means.
Because it is in a historical area it is most likely to bless the area.
February 1, 2020