My Parents - Part 4: Under Communism

The Communists took over the whole of China on October 1, 1949, and broke relations with the U.S. The family was trapped in China.

Almost immediately after the October 1, 1949 takeover, the Communists launched a series of land reforms, purges, and persecution of landlords and rich people. Terror swept quickly throughout the country. In our native village, our closest relatives from branch VIII-B placed our family name on the purge list. The village representatives came to Guangzhou, knocked at our door and took my brother to the police station. In those days of terror, once you were called in, you seldom came out. Fortunately one of the representatives, a nephew from clan IV-B, about five years younger than I, spoke up in favor of my brother, "Yes, Uncle Kai-Hong really didn't know anything about the village, because he left the village when he was very young." My brother was released home safely. During a public trial in our native village, the relatives from branch VIII-H stepped forward and defended us vigorously. Our name was thus erased from the black list.

For three consecutive generations, my grandparents, my parents and we three were never involved in any trouble with anybody. We never oppressed, exploited or mistreated anyone, poor or weak or anybody. We were always kind, generous and charitable to others. My mother did even better than my grandmother. The accumulation of those good deeds handsomely paid off during the Communist revolution.

My father sent money to a relative in Hong Kong, who in turn sent money to Guangzhou to support the family. From October 1949 to 1955, Albert, Brenda, Christine, and Donald were born in Guangzhou. Edward was born in 1957 and David was born in 1957, both in Baltimore, MD.

As soon as my wife and I started practice in March 1956, we persuaded my father to retire and go back to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, perhaps he could get the family out from Guangzhou. My wife and I would take over the daily responsibilities and support the whole family. He baby-sat Linda a while, then went.

Once in Hong Kong, my father married another woman. He was 55. The woman, a widow, was in her 20's.

That shocked the whole family.