I've learned that my father's family are shrimp farmers living in a village nicknamed, "big friend's village." One of my cousins who I am asked to call "Older Brother" said that my grandmother's mother was a great shrimp catcher when they used to go out on the boats. As Older Brother puts it, "When she threw her net in the sea, she pulled many when she brought it in." Since 1990 they have been farming shrimp in artificial ponds due to the decrease in shrimp population. Older Brother says some young men still go out and shrimp the old way.There stands in their courtyard, a great house built by my father's eldest brother.
Inside is fine wood and marble furniture and painted tiles. Older Sister, his wife and a much older woman with white hair sit me down with some red eggs and ask me to eat. Red eggs are for good luck when relatives return. This time, Lucky, a senior at the college accompanies me to see my relatives in Yen Duin. He is a native of Wenchang and therefore speaks the local dialect unlike, Rechard the reporter who helped me track down this village. I agreed to be interviewed by him in order to find more clues to my ancestry. Below is a link to the article.I am featured on page 13 in South China Metropolitan News:
http://ngdsb.hinews.cn/html/2008-09/24/content_68846.htm
It says roughly: On September 21, American girl CHEONG EILEEN arrives at Qionghai Boao. In Qionghai Boao period, CHEONG EILEEN wants to know that her parents in Hainan's families in where, do want to know how father's surname does use Chinese to write, wants to know that concerns life experience some details. But it is a pity, EILEEN which is born in the US does not understand Chinese, own Chinese name will not write, such words, wanted to find the villages and small towns which she the ancestry once lived, its difficulty was no different with looks for a needle in a haystack. Her English name very China The EILEEN birth in the American New York, graduates from the New York State University. Her father is the commercial vehicle specialty driver, the mother is professional nurse. After the parents divorce, EILEEN the life is getting more and more independent, in addition the American culture advocation independent disposition, she and parents' psychic distance are getting more and more far. EILEEN pronounces own name “cherishes Ling”, is she surnamed the clock? Reporter wrote down “the clock” on a white paper the character, EILEEN shakes the head, said: “not too looks like. In childhood daddy taught me to write Chinese name, what a pity since entered the American School, all were with English, Chinese name slowly have faded from the memory.” Reporter wrote down with her sends oneself surname similarly the sound “CHEONG” “Zhu, the clump” and so on surnames, EILEEN shakes the head said that did not look like. She to reporter explained like the parents name original intention: “EI, is LOVE, LEEN, is the Chinese girls is called `tinkling comes ' that Ling frequently.”Reporter then understood that the parents took the very typical Chinese girl's name to her - - - to love Ling. The paternal grandparents avoid chaos caused by war exileing home to make a living Likes Ling telling reporter, her paternal grandparents crossed the seas for the avoidance chaos caused by war to cross ocean in the 1940s Singapore. Her father has three elder brothers, at present makes a living completely in Singapore, only then father to New York. Liked Ling adding that her mother was surnamed Feng, she stressed specially “Feng” was “in front of a horse were many two spot spots” “Feng”. Does the mother ancestral home Hainan Sanya, where make concrete in her also wants to know. Likes Ling the mother having three younger brothers, three younger sisters, love the Ling mother altogether 7 people in addition. Mentions in overseas life uncle the uncle and the mother's sisters, loves Ling appears very proud. “the David uncle was the 1970s Singapore first masculine hair stylist, the people were called him the `hairstyle magician ', at the beginning of 1990, he had designed the hairstyle in the US before British Prime Minister Marguerite - Thatcher Madame. The David uncle has at present in American State of Arizona Felix his styles hair Sharon.”But loves Ling the cousin, David uncle's son George, is an outstanding pilot. Likes Ling also having an uncle to go to work at present in Shenzhen foreign enterprises. The father said that loves the Ling ancestral home Hainan Wenchang Because likes the Ling natural disposition striving to excel willfully, she did not want the seeking help parents, certainly to find her “the root” depending on her strength, therefore she did not agree telephoned inquiry family's some details to the father. on 22nd the morning, likes Ling thinking through finally, to telephoned far through the Internet in the American New York's fathers. Likes Ling the father hearing daughter's sound, obviously is excited. His language fast asked daughter many questions a succession of very quickly: “how do you are arrive at the motherland to go? Is idea which you take? What now are you making? Where are you at to live?” In order to clarify loves Ling's surname, reporter to likes the Ling father through the network telephone trying to prove directly. Likes Ling the father telling the newspaper reporter: “my ancestral home Hainan Wenchang, the ancestor lives in a Wenchang smoke pillar's hamlet.”Likes the Ling father also mentioning that the village the name, is called “the big friend village”. Then, likes Ling the father asking that reporter “you cannot understand the Hainan words? The standard spoken Chinese I said that is not too standard, the Hainan words I understand say.”He told the reporters, he is surnamed “the village” for generations, “Zhuang-zi” “village”. Reporter ravels finally, likes Ling Chinese name calling: Zhuang Ai Ling. Accepts “the westernization” the education not to forget the root Likes Ling being born in the US, has the American food, spoke the American words, makes American the friend, therefore, although loves a Ling steadily attractive China face, as soon as but she raises hand, as soon as steps, as soon as shrugs, is seeping the foreigner mark which cannot erase. When specially she opens the mouth the speech, a pure American English has cut thoroughly her with the traditional China girls the boundary. But loves in the Ling bone throughout the flow Chinese's blood. She said like this to reporter: “what I accept is the West educates, is contaminated in the Western culture more than 20 years, but I had not forgotten that I come from China, before me by overall `westernization ', I must understand first Chinese and the Chinese culture, I want to know my root in where, I doesn't want to forget own basis are.” Therefore, one month ago, loves Ling in the notice including in parents' any relatives and friends' situation, bought the airplane ticket to fly Hainan resolutely. At present she found one in the Hainan Wenchang Foreign language Institute to teach English the work. Liked Ling saying: “I will be very ashamed I not to speak Chinese. I must study Chinese from now on, but must study speaks the Hainan words. Like this I only then possibly well understand China.” Liked Ling being able to find her in Hainan's family members? She could find mother's ancestor inhabited area? The newspaper will continue to pay attention loves the story which Ling inquires into. (newspaper Reporter Li Yu photographs report)
