The family members in shimencun, Huilai.
In front of Shimencun address
It was an accident, that I happen to be on the way to Shantou (汕头）and we happen to pass-by, Huilai. ANd huilai in Guangdong as I understood since my young age, is the origin of great-grandfather, and may be it was destined that I have a chance to visit this place where my greatgrandfather had stayed before.
On the way of going to Huilai city, my colleague happened to come out from one exit earlier than Huilai city, and on coming out we found the place to be very dark.We decided to leave the place as one uncle we met mentioned that there was no hotel in this place. And at that moment in time, My 4th uncle called me during, as we were about to leave the place, and informed that the town was dongxiang (东 巷），石门村（shimencun), and my colleague overheard that, and informed that was exactly the place we were in during that time. We immediately went back to the uncle again, and he mentioned that it was, and Shimencun is only 5 KM away. And my colleagues suggested that we should drive to that place immediately. And with patience and guidance from the people in Shimencun, we managed to find the place (the people here are super friendly, and they plant a lot of longan and lychee trees).
Finally we found dongxiang, and immediately I took a photo, and then my colleague, Zhao Junping was suggesting that I should walk deeper inside, and talk to the kids to find out from them about Choong family. I followed his suggestion, and went inside. I asked the kids if they knew anything about Zhong family, and they said there are a few Zhong family here. And then I called my uncle, and he mentioned that my great granduncle name is Zhongling, and our ancestors home is called sidianjing (四点金）。
finally, after 10 minutes, someone came to us, and asked me questions on my eldest uncle, and what his name was, and I answered it, also my grandfather's name etc. and then he invited us to his house, and only then I realised that he is my uncle (the son of my grandfather's brother's son). And we communicated in Teochew, as my hakka is not that good, and also in Mandarin. My uncles here invited me for dinner and stayed overnite, after they confirmed that I am more or less, a Zhong family member, haha. After drinking some tea, we left the place, and exchanged our phone number.
definition of sidianjin(4 points of gold-四点金）四点金”是潮俗独特的村居,旧时只有殷富显达的家庭才能建造。“四点金”建筑格局有点像北京的四合院。外围一般有围墙,围墙内打阳埕,凿水井；大门左右两侧有“壁肚”；一进门就是前厅,两边的房间叫前房；进而是空旷的天井,两边各有一房间,一间作为厨房,称为“八尺房”；另一间作为柴草房,一般称为“厝手房”；天井后边为大厅,两边各有一个大房。“四点金”的构筑还有多种:只有前后四个正房,没有厝手房及八尺房,而四厅齐向天井的,称“四厅会”；前后房都带八尺房和厝手房的,则变八房为十室的称为“四喷水”。如果在“四点金”外围建一圈房屋,则谓之“四点金加厝包”。
it also means my greatgrandfather could have come from a rich family back then, not sure, just a wild guest. Shall check further.
Choong
Shantou, China
April 2012
1 comment:
Great experience! Most of our ancestors lived quite a good life back then in China, it's a pity their descendants had to struggle to live in a foreign place due to war or political reasons.
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