My Generation - The Outside Relatives

In the words of my uncle:

Strictly speaking, all boys are inside relatives or clan because they retain the family name. All girls ultimately belong to Outside Relatives because once they are married, in or out, they change names and belong to other families.

Conclusions

1. Our ancestral tree shows good genetic traits.
2. Our general trait has been honest decent and upright people.
3. We had no outstanding governor, general, author or millionaire; but we also had no criminals, outlaws or mentally ill. We also had no known hereditary disease.
4. Many of our people were very talented, with good brain and good potential. Many were wasted and buried because of general poverty, ignorance and lack of educational opportunity.

Exhibits: Family Trees

Wongs
I-A:	Oi-Tong Wong, my father-in-law, a Lutheran minister of a German Rhenish Mission Church in Hong Kong. Wife, Yuet King Cheu, no schooling.
I-C:	Tak-Hing Wong, M.D., single, an aunt, famous obstetrician and gynecologist. in Guangzhou. Very wealthy. Supported many nieces and nephews' education. Founded and financed a high school in Hong Kong.
II-A:	B.A. Hong Kong University, business. Successful importer-exporter. Had traveled all over the world, including Russia. Oldest child and son in the family. Supported many of younger sisters and brothers' education. Had about ten children. Died of stroke in Hong Kong.
II-B:	Second brother, a soldier. Died.
II-C:	Third brother, an accountant and secretary. Died of heart disease.
II-D:	Fourth brother, M.D. Lin Nam University, Guangzhou. Had three sons and two daughters.
II-E:	Fifth brother, M.D. Hong Kong University. Practices in Hong Kong. Five sons.
II-a:	First sister, M.D. Ling Nam University, Guangzhou. Major first in OB/GYN, later changed to Pediatrics. Chief of Pediatric at Hackett Hospital, Guangzhou. Died in Hong Kong, of broken hip. (Wye Ching Wong, M.D.)
II-b:	Second sister, principal of a high school in Nanching. Now in a nursing home in Hong Kong. Diabetes and cardiac arrhythmia. (Sum Ching Wong)
II-c:	Third sister, M.D. Lingnam and Shanghai Medical Schools. Leader and unofficial head of the Wong family. Very capable and generous. Practiced in a missionary hospital in Wuzhou, Guangsi Province, then at the office of aunt I-C in Guangzhou, then in Hong Kong. Died of dissecting aneurysm, involved and occluded the coronary orifices, August 27, 1987 in Hong Kong. She was like a mother, physically, emotionally and financially, to the youngest three in the family, especially toward my wife. (Hang Ching Wong, M.D.)
II-d:	Fourth sister, a midwife nurse. Divorced a doctor. Died in Hong Kong May 7, 1987. (Sau Ching Wong)
II-e:	Fifth sister, a kindergarten and piano teacher. Husband He-Tak Wu, Ph.D. in education, Stanford University. Was vice president and professor of Chinese University in Hong King. Grand J.P. (Justice of Peace) by the Queen of England. He died of stroke in San Francisco, CA December 1978.
II-f:	Sixth sister, one year older than my wife. Died at age three, hit by car.
II-g:	Seventh daughter, my wife, M.D.
II-h:	Eighth sister, the youngest and the spoiled, Aunt Patricia, R.N. Husband Basil Chang, a Shanghai native, engineer, major in cement concrete manufacture. One son, Patrick Chang, B.A. in Administration, Fordham University, NY. Aunt Pat lives in Tampa and Rotonda, FL. Patrick and his wife Ann live in New York.
II-F:	Cousin number 1, B.S. Lingnam University, Guangzhou, China. M.D. Harvard Medical School, Boston. Board certified in surgery. Specialized in parathyroid. Was Chief of Surgery, Lingnam University and the affiliated Sun Yet San Hospital. In the late 1940's, he was one of the few men who performed vascular and thoracic surgery in China, including aneurysm. Now Associate Professor of surgery at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital. (Chiu-An Wang, M.D.)
II-G:	Younger brother of II-F, M.D, Guei Yang Medical College, Guei Yang, China. Radiologist (diagnostic) at MGH and Harvard. Assistant Professor. (C.C. Wang, M.D.)
III-A:	Fourth son of II-A, M.D. Hong Kong University, now practices in Australia. Wife Emma. Had several children, drove a Mercedes and owns a motor boat. (Kai Wo Wong, M.D.)
III-B:	Oldest daughter of II-A, a piano teacher. Married a jobless minister Tsai. Now in Australia, three sons, all accomplished musicians - Joshua Tsai (concert pianist, Australia), Caleb Tsai (concert pianist, Baltimore), Tom (cellist). The first two graduated from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
III-C:	Son number 6 or 8 of II-A, M.S. from a school in London, a scientist. (Kai Ming Wong)
III-D:	Adopted son of II-B, supported and raised by sister number 2, II-b. History teacher (Kai Chuen Wong)
III-F:	Kai Ping Wong, M.D. Hong Kong University, diagnostic radiologist. Australia. Wife Mable. Several children.
III-G:	Kai Fan Wong, B.S. Biology teacher at Hong Kong U.
III-H:	Kai Cheong Wong, M.D. Hong Kong University, Anesthesiologist at Hong Kong Univ. Hospital
etc:	Two daughters of fourth brother II-D, accomplished pianists.
III-i:	Ben Wu
III-J:	John Wu, lab technologist, B.S. and M.S., worked for Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Francisco area. Wife Dana is Japanese. Two or three sons.
	Five sons of fifth brother II-E: Robert, a journalist; Albert, engineer B.S. (or M.S.) University of Illinois; Ramon, also a college graduate either from Canada or Hong Kong. Robert remains single, a very devoted and diehard Christian. Albert and Ramon married and had children of their own. Fourth and fifth probably already married - 4th brother II-D: Chik On Wong, M.D.; 5th brother II-E: Tak On James Wong, M.D.

Moys
I-A:	Dung Sum, my grandfather. He died young.
I-B:	Dung Nap, died of cholera in 1942. Was in America.
I-C:	Dung Jik, my mother's third uncle, was in America. The wealthiest, died after the War.
I-D:	Dung Soon, fourth uncle of my mother, died of cancer of the larynx in New York.
I-E:	Dung Nan, was in America. A pioneer migrator from Taishan to Guangzhou, he moved his whole family from country to city as early as the 1910's. His family witnessed the massacre of the Communist cadets on the street of Guangzhou by Chiang Kai Shek agents in the early morning of April 12, 1927. He died of leukemia after the War.
II-A:	Dick Liang, my uncle. Died of TB (tuberculosis) in New York in the 1960's.
II-B:	Sui King Moy, my mother. Died in August, 1997.
II-C:	My younger uncle, who died at age 16 on the sea journey home from America, of unknown cause. He simply disappeared from the ship.
II-D:	The oldest child and girl in her generation. Married to Chen family, has one son and one daughter. Still living and well in New York.
II-E:	Dick Guing, died at age about 20, of cavernous thrombosis, due to a very innocent pyogenic skin infection of upper lip, the triangle of danger zone. He left a 17 year-old widow and a young infant boy.
II-F:	Dick Non, able to play many musical instruments, learned by himself. Disappeared during the War.
II-G:	Dick Chau, lost his mother in early childhood. Stepmother was mean to him. Disappeared during the War.
II-H:	Dick Foon, not very productive but very talented; able to smoothly talk his way out of trouble. Died in 1970's. He was one uncle who stayed in the village the longest, and thus closest to us.
II-i:	Died in New York in the 1970's.
II-J:	Dick Ching Moy, died in Hong Kong in the 1980's. Very talented, graduated sixth grade in Pui Ching School first in the class of about 100. His father would not support his further education. In Guangzhou, I learned to play Chinese banjo from him and a few other Chinese songs.
II-K:	Dick Gong, about two years younger than I. We two used to rent bicycles and drive around the street together. My playmate.
II-L:	Dick Jung, younger than my sister, very smart. Died of epilepsy before age ten.
III-A:	My cousin, Si Tan, one year older than my brother. The two were very close. In the early 1950's, he developed a perforated ulcer. There was no surgical facility in the village. So he died, age 32, leaving behind a young widow with five little kids, two boys and three girls. My grandmother was so broken-hearted and refused to eat or drink. She also died within months.
III-B:	Toy Ngor, my girl cousin, two years older than I. She and I are very close. Married a Leo who died in New York of lung cancer at about age 40. The whole family lives in Baltimore.
III-C:	Wah Ham Chen, died in New York a few years ago, of stroke.
III-D:	Jak Fun, a Christian. I learned harmonica from him. He also taught himself to play piano, accordion, etc. Family lives in New York Chinatown.
III-G:	Kwok Jiang, recently came to America, visited Baltimore relatives.
III-H:	Fung Lan, my next door girl cousin, R.N. She and her husband live in Los Angeles.
III-i:	Noi Fong, girl, died of brain cancer young.
IV-ABCDE:	Whole family lives in San Diego. The girl, IV-C, Shirley or Shelly Wong is the leader and most sensible one.
IV-FGH:	Mildred Leo married an American Buddhist, Tom Joray, a schoolteacher. She is a secretary. Lives near Baltimore, two children.
IV-i:	Nina Moy married Albert. They used to play together in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and grew up together. Her grandma took her to visit us in Baltimore in the early 1960's. When Albert took his residency training in New York, they met again. It was a fabulous wedding in New York and a grand family reunion. Hundreds of relatives and clans attended. My father was invited, with my mother's consent, to sit at the head table, together with my mother as the honorable heads of household.

Lais
I-A:	Gee Lai, my grandmother.
I-BC:	Were in America. Rich.
I-E:	Whole family moved to New York in the 1910's or 1920's. Only 7 years above my dad.
II-ABC:	My dad's age group. Died in New York. I never met them. C was my brother's paper father.
II-DEF:	not more than ten years older than my brother. D's whole family lives in New York. He died a few years ago.
II-E:	He was a G.I., a gunner, and therefore half deaf. I played with him when I was a kid. After the War, he returned home to marry a native girl. When he took his new bride back to America, they both stayed at our house in Guangzhou while waiting for the processing. His wife knew our family and my parents well. Yet, it was she who introduced and matched her aunt with my father.
II-F:	disabled by hunchback due to tuberculosis of spine. No family. Died in New York.
II-G:	Janet died of hypertension in New York several years ago.
II-HI:	Lilly is my age, was born in New York. My father took her to visit us in Baltimore before Linda was born. Has a nice and pleasant personality. Married a Ho. Has children. Lives in New York, not far from Chinatown. Worked at the Court House. Mary was also born in New York. Married a Chen, lived in New York.
III-A:	My brother and I were sent to attend his wedding when I was about 5 or 6 years old. My great grandmother spoiled me.
III-BCD and III-E:	BCD were girls, E a boy of my age. We played together once.
III-FG:	F, a girl. G, my age, an M.D.
III-i:	Mee Sem. Her paper was sold to my brother. She was somewhat limp, about my age.

My Generation - Our Family

Text is in my uncle's words unless italicized, which are my comments and updates since 1990.

My generation: I am the only college graduate in the whole village.

Next generation: All except Bryan are college graduates.*

X-G: My brother Uncle Sem (Mee Sem Lai), in Baltimore, owns a restaurant. (deceased). Five children: A (Albert), B (Brenda), C (Christine), D (Donald), and E (Edward).

Albert: M.D. University of Maryland undergraduate and medical school. Board certified in General Surgery, thoracic and vascular surgery. Capable to perform open heart surgery. Now practices in Battle Creek and Detroit area of Michigan. Five children (three boys and two girls), also named ABCDE. Married cousin Nina of Moy family IV-I. They grew up together.

Albert and Nina have six children: Aaron, Byron, Clement, Daphne, Enid and Felix. Daphne is married to Jacob Kim?  Aaron is married to Kai Chen.

Brenda: RN University of Maryland. Head Nurse, Nephrology, Unit of Dialysis, University Hospital, Baltimore, MD. Husband Patrick: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland. Three sons, Gregory (5th grade), second son Derrick (1st grade), youngest son (1 year old). Family lives in Baltimore area, MD.

Christine: Physical Therapist, B.S. University of Pennsylvania. Husband Willie: Architect, B.S., University of Pennsylvania. Practices in Hawaii. Two sons Jason and Justin. Father-in-law is a diplomat of Taiwanese government, native Hu-pei.

Donald: M.D. University of Maryland. B.S. University of Pennsylvania. Wife Rose: B.A. University of Pennsylvania. Donald practices cardiology in Sacramento, CA. Two sons (Michael and Philip) and one daughter (Alison).

Edward: Lawyer, from a small law school in San Francisco area. B.A. either University of Maryland or Penn.

X-H: Myself, Chi-Chao Chiu, M.D. Hsiang Ya Medical College, Changsha City, Hunan Province, China. General Surgeon, Lt. Col. USAF. Wife Yung-Tsing Wong, M.D. Hsiang Ya Medical College. Pediatrician. The Wong family was native of Dung-Guoon County, between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. My wife was born in Hong Kong, number twelve of thirteen, number seven of eight girls.

My wife and I have two children.

Linda: M.D. Duke University Medical School, B.S. Princeton University. Husband Ben Hole, M.D. (and B.S.), Stanford University. Divorced. Practice in Spokane, WA. Three children, Ben Ben, Fritz, Tara.

David: Lawyer, Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, OH. B.A. Duke University. Now Assistant State Attorney in Baltimore.

X-I: My sister, Julia Shun-Ying Yau, R.N. Hackett Presbyterian Hospital, Guangzhou. Husband Bing C. Bock, (deceased 2005) electrical engineer, B.S. University of Maryland, B.S.E.E. Johns Hopkins University. Four children.

Donna Bock Felker: B.A. Cornell University, chemistry. M.B.A. Columbia University Business School, marketing. Husband Wade W. Felker, telecine colorist, B.S. University of Texas. Two children, Kiana and Sean. Live in Los Angeles area.

Mona Bock Kiely: B.A. University of Md., Graphic Design. Husband Marty Kiely: classmate. Divorced. Two children, Marilyn and Max Kiely. Lives in Baltimore area.

Cynthia Bock Ellis: Pharmacist, University of Md. Baltimore Campus. Husband Brian Ellis: classmate and also a pharmacist. Three children, Brendan, Alexandra, and Christian Ellis. Live in Bel Air, MD.

*Bryan Bock: B.A. Towson University College of Business and Economics. Wife Katie Tudahl Bock. Two children, Logan and Leeana Bock. Live in Nashville, TN area.

My comments:

*In a single generation, this family went from simple village folk in China to a people of astounding achievement and prosperity in America. I have added updates since the writing of this piece 25 years ago. The combination of a belief in education, traditional Chinese work and family ethic, and the forward thinking which led us to America propelled us to a high level of prosperity. Overall, our family remains humble, hard-working, with a positive attitude toward the future.

My Parents - Part 5: A Tragic Split

 In the words of my uncle:

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.

My father calculated that
(1) The family trapped under Communists could be for another five to ten years. By then he would be over 60 and his life would be over.
(2) My mother was old, old-fashioned, stubborn and unchangeable anyway.
(3) My wife and I, being modern, educated and open-minded, would understand and accept his desire to start a new family, a new life, no longer a bachelor's life.

If those were in his mind, he was wrong. All three of us independently voiced strong objection for what he did. He insisted to have his way, and threatened to cut off relationship with all of us if we objected. My mother took Albert to Hong Kong to confront with my father. My father begged my mother to accept his new wife as concubine who would be willing to be my mother's faithful servant. My mother refused.


The tragic split of the family became final.

My wife and I took over the family responsibility and sent money through Hong Kong to support the family in Guangzhou. Then step by step, we got all of them out of Guangzhou to Hong Kong, and from Hong Kong to America. By 1966, my sister, my brother and his whole family and finally my mother were all here in Baltimore.

My father did not reestablish relationship with the rest of the family until Feb. 25, 1968, when Linda was hit by a car and he later came to Baltimore to see Linda. He expressed regrets for what he did. He was happy to see all of us here in America, and each of us had remarkable achievements. To his new family in New York, it remains incommunicado according to his wishes and his will, until and except at his own funeral. He was buried in Brooklyn, NY at the cemetery near Bushwick Ave. and Conway Street. My brother, sister and I with our spouses attended his funeral and burial, together with his new family (one wife, one step daughter, and three daughters). We met many relatives there whom we hadn't seen for over forty years. My father died of atherosclerotic heart disease with arrhythmia and congestive failure, complicated with gastric bleeding, hypovolemia, kidney shutdown and uremia. Gastric bleeding was most likely due to ingesting of anti-arthritic drugs, unlikely due to terminal stress ulcer. He never had chronic ulcer symptom in his life, although still possible. I, then Donald, treated him while in Baltimore.

My comments:

At the age of 15 or 16 I remember an older man coming to visit us at our home in Silver Spring, MD. My parents told us to meet our grandfather. We didn't even know we had a grandfather (my father's father had passed away even before I was born). Until that day, nothing was spoken about him. So that was strange to find out all of the sudden that we actually had a grandfather that was alive and living his life with another family.

Later, while living in New York, I would actually run into my grandfather occasionally at wedding banquets in Chinatown. I was pleased to learn that he spoke some English (unlike my grandmother who never learned any for all the years she lived here). When he died, I joined my mother and father in attending his funeral services. I arrived straight from my job in midtown Manhattan, and my father grabbed me and told me to just follow his lead through the foreign (to me) Chinese traditions and procedures throughout the funeral. Although my grandfather had another family, my mother and her brothers still maintained the "first" position in the rank order at the funeral proceedings.

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.

My Parents - Part 3: Post War

In the words of my uncle:

The U.S. Immigration authority long realized that most Chinese in America were on false names. While in the U.S. Armed Forces, the Immigration Service gave the Chinese G.I. a break. They offered the Chinese a chance to come forward, confess, and rectify to their own real names, with no strings attached and no penalty. Less than 10% of Chinese G.I.'s dared to accept the offer and later were extremely happy with it. Over 90% of Chinese G.I.'s dared not accept it, for fear of hurting other relatives, and later deeply regretted it. My father and brother dared not. In the case of my father, it later became a factor of the tragic split in our family.

My father advised my brother to marry any girl that he loved, any native from anywhere. My mother disagreed. Being old fashioned, she believed her dear older son should marry a native girl, at our native village. My mother won. After my brother happily married a native girl, the whole family moved from Taishan back to Guangzhou, and my sister returned to school. My father advised that his new daughter-in-law should go to school, too. My mother disagreed. She believed a married woman should belong to home, not school. My mother won. Then it was time for my brother to return to America to work. My father advised my brother to bring his new wife with him, as all other G.I.'s did, so his own son would not repeat the same kind of bachelor's life as he did. My mother disagreed. She believed at least the first daughter-in-law should live with her mother-in-law, just as she herself and all the previous generations did. My mother won. I was in medical school and saw no peace in the family. My brother's wife's third uncle happened to be my sixth grade classmate. He tried to stir up trouble. I made a special trip from Guangzhou to Taishan, scolded him in front of his father, and shut him up. I also squarely blamed by brother's own indecisiveness as the root of the whole trouble. My father disagreed with me and ordered me to apologize to my brother. I did, and appealed to my father to come home to straighten out the mess himself.

My father came home in 1946. After twenty long years away from home, he saw his three-year-old son now became a young medical student, and his unborn daughter now became a young lady and soon would be a student nurse. He was very proud of us. We were, and are, very proud of him, too. He was young-looking, pleasant, kind, strong and open-minded. On the other hand, my mother already looked like an old lady. my father offered to rectify the paper and bring my mother to America, then step by step take me and my sister to America, for my brother could take his own wife there. My mother disagreed. She believed both I and my sister were not settled yet and should not be left alone in China. My mother won. My brother in America worked very hard and pumped all the money home. My father bought another new house at No. 2, Go Wah Li, Duk Jing Jung Road and the whole family moved to the new house. Then my father and brother traded places - my father returned to America to work and my brother returned home to be with his wife. My brother came home in 1947. I came to America on August 31, 1949 for internship.

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

My Parents - Part 2: Under Japanese Occupation

In my uncle's words:

On July 7, 1937, Japan invaded China. Guangzhou was evacuated. We had to give up our new house and all the new furniture, and went back to our native village in Taishan. Shortly thereafter we moved to Hong Kong to continue school. In Hong Kong, something tragic happened to my brother. He suddenly developed paralysis and hoarseness, unable to walk and unable to talk. My mother and sister took him back to our native village. Fortunately with constant tender loving care, he slowly, steadily and completely recovered in a year. I speculate now that what he got then was Guillain-Barre syndrome. My brother then decided to come to America instead of continuing school. My father advised him not to but he insisted. My father thus bought him a paper from the Lai family, to take the name of Mee Sem Lai (III-i, a girl), cut three years from his own age, and let him come. Meanwhile, my mother, I and my sister lived in Hong Kong and continued school.

On December 8, 1941 Japan started World War II. Hong Kong fell within three weeks. We were trapped in Hong Kong under the brutal Japanese occupation. For about five months, we lived in fear and half-starvation. Then the Japanese decided to let people go in order to ease the food shortage. We again went back to our native village in Taishan, accompanied by cousin X-W. From Taishan we reestablished communication with America and received money from father. Then I took enough money to set out and walk north, to continue my education. Mother and sister kept some money at home and remained in our native village.

Shortly after, both my father and brother were drafted into the U.S. Army and the communication between Taishan and America was completely cut off. The money supply from father to me, in the interior of China, stopped. My communication with Taishan was also cut off. It was the most difficult time for our family. We were not alone. Thousands of people starved to death along the roadside. Dead bodies were seen everywhere. My mother and sister had to struggle to survive, on the two-thirds acre of inherited land and one or two additional acquired land. Then my brother was assigned to the U.S. Air Force and stationed in India. He immediately reestablished communication with me and sent me money. When I walked from Guei-lin to Guei-yang and entered a medical school, he happened to pass through Guei-Yang. He and his several buddies, in sharp-looking khaki U.S. uniforms, looked for me and found me. We met for a couple of hours. We embraced, we cried, we laughed, we dined. That was a joyous moment in my life. My brother have me everything that he could spare: money, a top coat, jacket, trousers, a pair of leather shoes. Luckily we wore the same size, and still do.

In the winter of 1944-45, Guei-Yang had to be evacuated, and I walked, with the school, from Guei-Yang to Chungching. In Chungching, the communication between Taishan and the interior of China was reopened. My brother sent money to me and I sent money home.

On August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered. War ended officially on September 3, 1945. My father sent my brother home to get married. My family thus began a new beginning.

My Parents - Part 1

My mother was a very good mother, too. Without my father, she alone raised up us three children. There was a bad tradition in the villages: "Only poor people do manual labor. Rich people do not dirty their hands or feet." Those families who had fathers in America were considered rich. Therefore many of my uncles and cousins had no initiative to do labor work or farm work, and yet were not smart or ambitious enough to pursue higher education. My mother had a far better foresight than her peers. She believed that kind of attitude was wrong. She taught us to do every thing we could. "Any productive works are good for us." Ever since we were little kids, we helped wash dished, feed the chickens, tend the hog, carry water from the river, carry water to irrigate the garden vegetables, clean house, etc. We went down to the rice field (full of leaches) to help pump water for irrigation, or to weed. All three of us grew up decent, clean and upright, "smart enough to hold up a pen, and not ashamed to hold the plow." We are far better kids and more successful than any of our cousins. Even my little sister, a city school girl, during the War in the village, she did more farm work and hard labor than my brother or I ever did.

In Guangzhou, we, with the help of my mother's fifth uncle's family (I-E, Moy), who moved to Guangzhou in the 1910's, lived at No. 20, Nga-Yiu Rear Street in Dungsan District, next door to my mother's cousin's (II-i) wife and two daughters. My brother went to Baat Guei High School. I went to Pui Ching School, my sister went to Guong Dong Elementary School. Within a year, we bought a house and moved to No. 8 of 8, New South Street, Dung Wah Dung Road. It was a solid two-story house, brand new, about 100 yards from the railroad tracks. Since we seldom saw a train or steamboat in our life, it was quite exciting to watch an occasional train passing by every day.

In my words: 

The little sister that did all the farm work was my mother, Julia. I still remember her telling us kids the stories about the leaches in the rice fields.

Present Generations - Part 2

(in my uncle's words) 
 My Parents:

Chai Joon Hugh: October 1, 1901-November 27, 1989
Moy King Hugh: April 22, 1901 - August 31, 1997

My father was born in our native village and died in New York. His milk name (given at birth) was Ming Dung. His official name (given at marriage or age 18) was Chai Joon. His paper name in America was Doo Chong Hugh. He took another name for himself, so-called school name, Ngai Ngan which only he and a few other people knew.

My father was a very intelligent and smart man. He was also known, and so nicknamed, as a quiet man. He lost his own father when he was only 6 years old. He spent a good part of his childhood and education with his maternal grandmother. Naturally all the Lai would love him and spoiled him. His grandma was a very kind person. We met this great-grandma when we were kids. His rich uncles who came to America were also kind to him, once took him to Guangzhou to learn a trade. So he was exposed to city culture in his teens. He was the best behaving and the smartest boy among all his cousins. In his final years of school, 8th grade, he graduated first in his class of 120.

My father was good in Chinese classic literature. His handwriting was beautiful. His composition was classic and fluent. He was a typical intellectual and gentleman.

My mother was born in the village of On Fun District from a Moy family. Today, Feb. 20, 1990, she is still living and well in Baltimore. She fractured her T-12 and L-1 spine Jan. 9, 1990 when she slipped on ice.

My mother's father was the oldest son in a family of 6. Being the oldest, he had to look after all his four younger brothers and one sister. The family was in fish business, not catching fish, but selling fish. He died young. Later all his four brothers came to America. So the family became "rich."

My mother's mother was from a Loo family in a faraway county Nam Hoi, a county town called Fut-san. That was very near Guangzhou, the most fertile land in the Pearl River delta. Therefore she brought in new genes and new blood to our family. My maternal grandmother was the kindest woman in the world. We grew up on her lap. She told us stories, taught us what's right and what's wrong, what's good and what's bad. She died in the early 1950's. My mother's older brother died of tuberculosis in New York in the 1960's. My mother's younger brother died at age 16 on his sea journey home from America.

My mother never did attend formal school. She attended only two intermittent years of informal private group tutoring. She could write simple letters and read newspapers. My mother is a small person, somewhat frail. She is calm, kind, pleasant and soft-spoken. She is very intelligent and smart. Her power of observation, analysis and judgment was most remarkable. She loves to explain things from the beginning to the end, in great detail and logistic sequence. I love to have conversation with my mother all day and all night ever since I was a little kid. Although outwardly she is small and frail, but inside she is very strong, rational and determined. In her generation, many villagers, men and women, also sought her advice and counsel often, more so than to my fraternal grandmother.

My father and mother were married on November 9, 1919 when they were 18. It was a customary and traditional matchmaker arrangement. However, my mother's mother was modern and bold enough to break the tradition - she secretly took one look at my father before she accepted the deal. My parents' first son was a stillbirth. Second one was my brother who almost didn't make it, because my mother had malaria and jaundice during pregnancy and post partum . Grandmother died at age 51 when my parents were 21 and my brother was only 2 years old. I was born a year later, October 22, 1924 (lunar calendar).

My father taught school either shortly before or after he married. He first taught in a one-man school, one teacher taught all six grades and was away from home most of the year. Later he taught in our own district school where they had 4 or 5 teachers for all six grades. His income was about 400 silver dollars a year, hardly enough to make ends meet. He was a very good teacher.

Present Generations - Part 1

In the words of my uncle:
Generation "X" does not mean the post-baby boomer generation; it means generation #10 in the village rank hierarchy.  Generation X is my uncle and my mother's generation.

Present Generations

My uncle's generation (letters matching a hand drawn family tree diagram above):
A and B in our village. Revitalized under Communists.
C, D, E, F: In Hong Kong, Guangzhou, or village.
J: a bum. That branch is almost extinct.
K, L: In village. Revitalized under Communists.
M: hanged himself during the land reform.
N, O: Hong Kong.
Q: America
P: A girl, died in childhood of epilepsy.
R, S: In New York. R died of heart attack in January 1990.
T: In New York, with his sons.
U, V: In the village.
W: Died of internal bleeding, on the operating table in New York in the 1960's. His widow and three daughters are very close to our family, living in New York and Baltimore areas. His brother X: my age, my class, died of tuberculosis in his late teens.

Y: one year above me, my class, in Chungching with me. I was at Medical school and he was at Police Academy. Became a prisoner of war when the Communists took over the country. One day all his belongings were sent back to his wife in the village, then not a single word was heard from or about him. Presumed executed by the Communists. His brother Z, half deaf, is in Boston.

U and W were my brother's age, his classmates and playmates. X and Y were my age, my classmates and playmates, both were very talented. In my first grade, I was in first place and X was second in the class. In my sixth grade, I was first and Y was second. In my brother's sixth grade, W was second and my brother was third in their class.

One of the branches from Generation V (V-C) remains in the village.

The Family

The family consists of the offspring from my grandparents. The count before my father died was 42, including my parents and 3 children, 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, and all the in-laws.

VIII: My grandparents:

Sau Jiang Hugh 1871-1907; Gee Lai 1871-1922

My grandfather was an intelligent and smart man. He was one of the few intellectuals in the village. His older brother Sau Pang was away and in the U.S. so he took over the carpenter shop and was also a part-time contractor. He was very sharp in the business. When he built the temple in our adjacent Tow Village, his estimate on the total use of bricks and lumber was so close and accurate that it amazed his customers. When he inherited our house, it was only two thirds complete. He used the leftover materials from the shop and completed the remaining third. He also made a specially designed bed for himself, with a secret compartment underneath the pillows for hideaway of valuables, and shelves at the foot of the bed for books.

My grandfather was also good in kung fu, and belonged to the Kung Fu Club of the village. When the club was disbanded, he received a fork for his share. That fork was used as a laundry pole when we were kids.

My grandfather came to America in his late 20s, for a short stay in Boston. He had to return home because he had no son at the time. After my father was born, there was a twin birth to follow my father, one boy and one girl. Both died in infancy. My grandfather died of tuberculosis at age of 36.

My grandmother was from a Lai family in Hoi Hau District. Being the oldest in the family, she had to look after all her three younger brothers and one sister. Her youngest brother (1-E on diagram below) was only 7 years older than my father.

My grandmother had a very strong personality and determined character. She was known to be upright and strict, and outspoken against anyone who did her wrong. One time a group of men tried to set up an opium den in the temple near our house. No one dared to raise objection although the whole village didn't like it. My grandmother, as soon as she found that out, single-handedly took one broom in her hand, thundered into that den, scolded each and every one of them, and chased them all out.

My grandmother was a wise person. She was highly respected by both men and women in the village, and her advice and counsel were often sought by many. One time the bandits broke into our house at night, because my grandfather returned from America and our family was considered rich. My father was only 2 years old. My grandmother held my father in her arms sitting on the pillows, partly scolding and partly pleading to the bandits. The bandits broke a hole into a trunk but did not touch the valuables hidden in the secret compartment underneath the pillows. When we were kids, we still saw that repaired hole on top of the trunk.

One time she and another lady companion were detained for collecting firewood at a hillside, which was public land but illegally claimed by a powerful local landlord. She scolded them and then fainted. That landlord sent her home in a special carriage, with special escort and an apology. My grandmother was never afraid of anyone who did her wrong.

My grandmother was a neat, tidy and well organized person. She was also very good in sewing. My great grandfather always favored this younger daughter-in-law, not the wife of VIII-B who was messy, untidy and mumbling. After my grandfather died, my grandmother earned a living by sewing. At the time, the clan of VII-E owned a cloth shop and could supply her plenty of work. My parents found a couple of hundred dollars hidden after she died.

My grandmother died at age 51 when my parents were 21 and my brother was 2. She died of ascites after a long illness, with no cachexia, no pain, no jaundice. I speculate that it was cirrhosis secondary to malnutrition and superimposed with parasitic disease.

My granduncle VIII-B died young. I knew nothing about him.

My grand-aunt was a short and stout person with a very kind and soft face. We nicknamed her "Pastry Grand-Aunt", because one kind of Chinese pastry was bloated when made, but flattened after cooking. She visited us on occasions and often stayed with our family. She died during the War. The messy widow of VIII-B died after the War.

Recent Generations

My uncle's words:

Sing Bing, my great great grandfather, had five sons.

Recent Generations

Jing On, my great-grandfather, was known to be strict, conscientious and meticulous, even nicknamed "Meticulous Jing On." Being the oldest, he had to look after all the younger brothers. He also owned a carpenter shop, as a part-time contractor.  He married a Tow who had curly hair. Jing On had two sons and a youngest daughter; the oldest Sau Fang, my grandfather Sau Jiang, and my grand-aunt.

Jing Lam was a very weak branch. His descendant, my uncle, was a carpenter, learning the trade from our carpenter shop. He stuttered. His son was adopted, about five years older than I am. He later wandered into Chungching. During the war when I was attending medical school in Chungching, 1945-1946, my father told me to look for him. I couldn't find him. After the war, he returned to the village, like a bum.

Jing King was also a weak branch. He had a wife nicknamed "Black Face" and he also had a concubine. Black Face had one son and her concubine had a daughter and a son. Black Face was known to be mean. We always were afraid of her when we were kids. A grand-uncle from this branch was about my dad's age, lived in New York for decades and died two years ago (1988) of paralysis(stroke). His widow and son still live in New York. He was bald. We called him "Bald Grand-uncle."

Jing Nga was a very strong branch. He also owned a brick factory. Blind for many years before he died. Had four sons - the wife had the oldest son and the concubine had the younger three.

The last of the sons had no offspring.

My grandfather's generation began a new era. Many of them went abroad to America. My grandfather and his older brother, and cousins did it. More family members going to America meant income jumped many fold without farming, more children attending schools and more new housing.

My uncle's grandfather's cousins in America:

"G" I met him in Chicago in the early 1950's. He died of a broken hip.  Had two sons and three daughters, the oldest son was one year younger than my dad, and was my school principal and taught me arithmetic when I was in first grade. This oldest son died of lung cancer in Chicago. His daughter died of epilepsy in early childhood. The younger son also died of lung cancer in Chicago. We met his two sons in New York, with their wives. One was very helpful during my dad's funeral. He was found dead in sleep in January 1990, from an apparent heart attack. Second daughter is in New York, also suffered from blindness similar to her grandfather, inoperable. The third daughter also lives in New York and visited us in Baltimore on occasions.

"H" died in Chicago. His daughter is in Chicago and has a nice family. Two sons died of starvation during the War. It was the wives of this branch who courageously stepped forward to defend our family during the Communist land reforms and purges in the village.

"I" died young in New York of gunshot wound during one of those Tang wars in Chinatown. He had two daughters and a son in between them. All three are talented. Since their father died young and their family became poor, my father encouraged and supported the son to continue his education and he became an artist. Another cousin supported him to come to America in the late 1950's. He had duodenal ulcer, was once perforated and debilitated. I operated on him at South Baltimore General Hospital (hemigastrectomy and bilateral truncal vagotomy) and restored his good health. He is now in Los Angeles. His younger sister was about three years older than I am, and was competing with me during my second and third grades for first place in the class. I won.

"J" was the only literate grand-uncle around in my childhood. He thought all three of his older brothers were in America and he would be well cared for. So he  never worked, never held a job and never earned a single penny or plowed a single inch of land. He was just a bum. Buy he was very good to me. We called hom 4th grand-un. During the summer vacation, I always hung around with him all day, begging him to tell me the Three Kingdoms stories. He did, and did well. When I reached the fourth or fifth grade and was able to read, I borrowed all his books and read all of them by myself. As it turned out, all those books originally belonged to my father.

"J" died during the War and his only son died after the War. He had two daughters. The oldest daughter was a nobody-care-for character, but became a colorful celebrity under the Communists. She lost her husband and chopped firewood, straw and hay in the mountain for a living. One day while working in the mountainside, she heard gunfire. The Nationalist troops were in hot pursuit of a Communist cadet. That cadet ran into her and begged for help. She hid him under the piles of firewood and straw. When the troops arrived a moment later, she pretended she didn't see anyone at all. After the troops left, waiting until dark, she smuggled that cadet to her own home for safety. Shortly thereafter, the Communists took over the whole country and that cadet became the chief executive of our Tai Shan County. "My Aunt" became an instant celebrity. During the harsh land reform and merciless purge and persecution of the landlords in our village, this "no-good" aunt saved the necks of many of our innocent relatives.

My comments:

When Uncle Chiu refers to some ancestor as a "weak" branch, I think he means a branch that doesn't produce many descendants, especially from the males. Perhaps he also means that the descendants aren't as prosperous.

Uncle Chiu's handwritten family trees contain all the Chinese names but for conciseness he labels the main characters with letters, hence the letter names for the cousins of his grandfather. You will notice that being a doctor, he goes into great detail describing the ailments and the causes of death of various people. I remember going to his medical office in Baltimore as a child, he was soft-spoken, meticulous, and gentle as a doctor. He is very precise and organized, which must have served him well in the Air Force.

The Clan - Early Generations

The words of my uncle:

The Clan
Our family name is pronounced as Chiu in the Beijing dialect, the Common National language; as Yau in Cantonese, the provincial dialect; and as Hugh in Taishanese, the Taisan county dialect. Most names in the clan will be more conveniently translated according to Cantonese pronunciation, and partly to Taishan pronunciation.

Early Generations
Jung Yoon was considered the founding father of our Na Tai District. He and a branch headed by Jee Pon arrived at the area almost simultaneously. Jee Pon's offspring represent a mere 1-2% of the local population, only a handful of families at Yin On Village. Jung Yoon's offspring are 98% of the local population, making up the overwhelming majority.  We belong to this line.

It was said that Jung Yoon migrated from the north as a refugee, passed through Nam Hung, a town that bordered Jiangsi Province. As soon as he arrived at the area, he claimed ownership over the very wide territory of lands. That was about one thousand years ago.

Jung Yoon had five sons and one daughter. The daughter married a Yuen. Since the daughter had no inheritance right to the lands, Jung Yoon let the Yuens collect the rents of certain lands as long as she lived or for a certain number of years, after which the lands would be returned to the family. The Yuens disputed the deal and murdered Jung Yoon, the father-in-law. Jung Yoon ordered two inclusions into his will just before he died.  First, no Chiu will ever marry a Yuen; and second, his blood-stained robe would be displayed at his temple during every annual festival so that all his offspring will never forget it. The first edict was strictly followed to this very day. The robe was lost or disintegrated at about the time of my grandfather's generation.

The eldest son of Jung Yoon had three branches (sons), very populous and prosperous. The second son of Jung Yoon is our ancestor. He had one son.  The other sons of Jung Yoon migrated to areas further west.

The grandsons of Jung Yoon descended from the eldest son spread out and settled three villages: Ox Head, Six-Homes, and Jung-Wo. Our ancestor's descendants, the village generations, became the majority in our village.
(Click on the image to see a fuller image)

    

Village Generations
Each of the next 20 generations began with a designated middle name, in the following order:

I belong to generation X (10), Ping rank. My milk name is Chi-Chao (in Cantonese, Kai Chiu). But my married name should be Ping Hoi as registered at our village temple, if the Communists had not interrupted the tradition. My father belongs to generation IX (9) and Chai rank. My grandfather belongs to generation VIII (8) and Sau rank. Etc. The number of generations does not matter. The rank means everything. Within the whole Jung Yoon clan, about 98% of the people in our Na Tai District, when you meet someone and are not sure what to address him, all you have to ask him is "What rank are you?" If his answer is Chai and you are a Ping, then you should address him as Uncle, because that guy is in the same rank as your dad.

Jee Loon, our ancestor, (generation IV) was considered the most populous, prosperous, intelligent and prominent clan in the whole village, or even in the whole district. In the past 50 to 100 years, this clan had more weddings, more children attending schools, and more houses built than any other clans. This clan also appears to be more close-knit, exhibiting more caring and sharing, and more togetherness. Jee Loon had four sons.

Son A: Very weak branch. The line only produced a single son for two generations. The grandson did not even have one son so the great-grandson and his wife were adopted. I remembered both of them had an accent different from our local dialect. This granduncle also had a chronic varicose ulcer. Their descendants in the 10th rank were about five years younger than I, and revitalized the family after the Communist revolution.

Son B: Our branch, the strongest. He had one son who in turn had five sons. The second of those five sons is my great great grandfather, Sing Bing.

Son C: A weak branch. My grand-uncle from this branch was adopted, he lived in Long House Hill Village. His two sons were diligent peasants when we were young kids.

Son D: A weak branch for three generations. Then one great-grandson had three sons. Our clan helped him to go to America and he in turn helped all his three sons get to America, thus revitalizing the family. First uncle used to work at Lotus Inn in Baltimore as a cook and brought us a West Lake duck on two occasions. Second uncle was a laundryman in New York. His three granddaughters, all married, now live in New York and Baltimore areas, visit our family in Baltimore quite often. Third uncle was an alcoholic. All three uncles died in New York.

Sing Bing, my great great grandfather, had five sons.

History of Jiang Ziya

Jiang Ziya was a real historical figure who is credited with the writing of The Six Secret Strategic Teachings (Liutao). His ancestral name was Jiang. Jiang Tai Gong, or Jiang Ziya was a government official employed during the reign of the last king of the Shang dynasty. The king (named Zhou) was a very bad and corrupt king, and Jiang was either fired or resigned from his position. As a senior citizen, over age 70, he spent his time fishing along the shores of the Wei River. 
 

The Sage Jiang Ziya Fishing in the Wei River

Source: Harvardartmuseum.org

One day, King Wen, the king of Zhou, was hunting on the northern shore of the Wei River. He saw an old man quietly fishing by the shore.  Wen was curious about this old man especially since he was fishing without a hook (or in some versions, with an unbent needle). Why was he fishing in this way which was impossible to catch fish?

As King Wen began to chat with him, he thought of a prophecy that his grandfather had made, that someday he would find a wise and virtuous man that would aid him in overthrowing the tyrannical King Zhou and bring prosperity to the Zhou state.  He realized that this man was a brilliant political strategist and the sage his grandfather had foretold.

King Wen gave Jiang Ziya a title of respect, "Jiang Tai Gong", meaning "The Great Duke's Hope." With the assistance of Tai Gong as a mentor, the Zhou state became very prosperous and eventually became the ruling dynasty of ancient China.

Early Ancestors

The words of my uncle:

Origin

Jiang Tai-kung was considered to be the common ancestor of all Chiu's. Originally he was a low-ranking official serving the last king of the Shang dynasty (1600-1027 BC), who was very mean and corrupted. Jiang proposed some reforms to the king, was fired and almost executed. Jiang escaped far west to the tribe-state Zhou, capital at Si-an. Being jobless and disappointed, he spent his days fishing at the bank of Wei River, a branch of Yellow River. The king of Zhou, King Wen, discovered him and immediately appointed him as Zhou's prime minister and chief general. By then Jiang was already 80 years old. Jiang was a top military strategist and geo-politician. He aided King Wen to strengthen Zhou, and the succeeding King Wu to conquer the Shang dynasty and establish a Zhou dynasty (1027-222 BC). Zhou dynasty adopted a feudalistic system, divided the whole country into over 800 major states, or dukedoms, and granted each state to their sons, brothers, cousins, generals and ministers. Jiang, being the MVP (most valuable player), was granted to be the Duke of a large and strategic state in the far east, Chi. Jiang set his capital at Ying-Chiu, near today's Chi-nan. Therefore, one of Jiang's branches is surnamed CHIU.

That was about 3,000 years ago.

Migration

The Chiu's migrated southward, just like all Chinese, throughout the dynasties and centuries, slowly and steadily. The Chiu's took three routes: through Hunan province, then Guangdung; through Jiangsi province, then Guangdung; through Fujian province, then Guangdung and Taiwan.

Today pockets of Chiu's were found in Hunan, Fujian, Taiwan and Guangdung. I met them and verified the fact personally. I never met one Chiu from Jiangsi or north of Long River.

In Guangdung province, at least three pockets of Chiu's were found: one in Bao-an County; one at Lop Joke Kup town; and one at Na Tai Town, our branch.

All Chiu's have one thing in common. At the huge stone frame of the front door of each village temple, these words were expertly carved: "Blessings to the Offspring of Wei River, Blessings to the fragrant fountain South of Long River."

I questioned all the Chiu's I met, and never failed to point out this common link, in spite of our incommunicable dialects.

The causes for migration were many:

1. Natural calamities: famines, drought, flood, earthquake, locusts, and epidemics.
2. Inheritance tradition: Only the sons of the rightful wife had the inheritance right. The offspring of the concubines had not and they had to leave and migrate somewhere else to settle. Some feudal lords even persecuted and eliminated all the brothers and cousins in order to get rid of the competition.
3. Dynasty and power change: The clan of the loser was usually exiled, enslaved or executed. Therefore, when your clan was "down" it was wiser to run out of town as quick and as far as you could. For example, during the era of South-North Dynasty (420-618), the whole northern half of China, Yellow River basin, was conquered and occupied by foreign tribes. Massive migration shifted the population to Long River basin, the south.
4. Guangdung province was a jungle, barbaric, hot and humid, full of tropical disease, yet very fertile and good for farming. It was at the southern end of the land, the end of the road. Therefore, it has been a favorite place for exiles and refugees.

My comments:

The character of Jiang Tai Gong was a real person in history.