Tai Shan - A trip to Mom's Village

After the festivities, and lunch, our group headed out to see if we could find Mom's house in her village. Our guide could find the village, and Mom knew which road it was on. We even had a house number (which turned out not to match the number on her house).
We also knew there was a caretaker living there but we certainly didn't have keys to the place.

Mom and Dad at the marking to the entrance of the Chin Village.

We exited the Chin Village over the small bridge, under the inflatable banner hoisted for the celebrations. Many were still eating back at the new building but we snuck out anyway.

We drove the short distance to Mom's Village located in a small nearby town. Her building, once a thriving shop, was located on a wide street, only we weren't quite sure which building it was.

We found Connie and Margaret's home and Mom knocked on the door until some woman finally answered. I guess she was as surprised to see us as we were to see her.

Mom told her that her house was somewhere down the street. We had no idea which one it was.

Dad is saying - I think it's this one.

So again we approach the house we believe to be Mom's and yelled through the upper open part of the door. Someone finally came down from upstairs to let us in. So we explained who we were and made our way into the house.

It was indeed Mom's house, although obviously not as she remembered it to be the last time she saw it over 60 years ago.

The kitchen in the house. Not sure what was in the buckets.

The caretaker of the house was obviously stunned to see us.

We came unannounced and made our way through the house like the authorities.

The back of the house opened up to a small river, or canal, which mom said they used to catch shrimp from.

Low and behold, there is even a picture of Ed at 45 days old on the wall.
I guess this proves that it is indeed Mom's house.

What remains unclear is why Ed's picture was on the wall (birther alert! I haven't seen his birth certificate, have you?).

We were all surprised to see pictures of Mom, Dad, Ed, and Grandma on the wall of one of the rooms upstairs.

It seemed a bit strange that pictures of Grandma and Dad were on the wall since it was not really their house.

And the pictures of Mom's Dad in the shrine at the corner of the room.

It was certainly an enjoyable and very emotional visit for Mom, returning to the house where she was born in.

So we left satisfied.

After visiting Mom's Village, we headed back to the Chin Village for yet another meal with the relatives. We first paid our respect at Dad's home again, Auntie May, Faye, and Sylvia in Uncle John's home next door, then assembled in the home belonging to our grandfather's oldest brother.

Here she is again. Perhaps the most visibly happy relative to see us. She's currently occupying the house belonging to Uncle Paul's family.

Tai Shan - big day at the Chin Village

Lindsay started off her day with chicken feet and watermelon.

Our group then headed off to the Chin Village.
We arrived at the village just before 9 am. We all got off the bus at the main entry gate leading into the village, right into the throngs making their way in.

We're greeted by some relatives, then lead off to the house to pay our respects.

More relatives.

The main entrance to Dad's house in the village.

Pictures inside Dad's house.

Mom and Dad back in the house they lived in over 60 years ago, paying respect under the shrine, before we attended the dedication ceremony of the new building.

Mom and Dad sitting on the bed that was built for them when they were married. It, along with the rack on the right are the only two items in the room.

The shrine in the main room of the house. In every home in the village, there is a shrine where all the ceremonies within the house take place.

A storage area just outside the kitchen.

This is the woman who is the current caretaker of Dad's house.

Firecrackers going off outside the main entrance to the house.

A view of part of the village from the roof of the new building. The entire village is a cluster of buildings about one square city block surrounded by fields of rice and vegetables.

Seated and waiting for the ribbon cutting ceremony are Sabrina, Auntie May, Sylvia, Faye. Behind them are Sabrina's Mom, and housekeeper Fong. Fong accompanied us throughout our trip in China and Hong Kong. Her trips to Macau and Hong Kong were the first she had taken out of China.

From the roof of the new building overlooking part of the crowd assembled for the ceremony.

Plates of chopped chicken in the kitchen.

The ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the new building.

There were around 40 people from the US on hand, which included our group of 15.

End of the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Here Dad is pointing out all our names on the dedication wall.

The shrine room in the new building.

Chopping up roast goose in the kitchen area.

Three roast pigs were brought in for the celebration.

The food was catered by the best restaurant in Chong Lo (the main town servicing the nearby villages). Some of it was cooked onsite in the large kitchen adjacent to the new building.

Plates of roast goose waiting to be served.

Bev standing outside the new building in a sea of spent firecrackers.

Our group of 15 were scattered over three tables, each seating eight, in the upstairs room. We sat on sawhorse looking benches.

Tables were set up outside for those who were not lucky enough to have a seat inside. It did begin to sprinkle a bit during the meal.

The main room on the ground floor of the new building was filled with people eating.

There are about 150 people living in the Chin Village but around a thousand people attended the festivaties, most from neighboring villages.

Alan chowing down with our Lew Family guide and bus driver. The food was actually quite good. Gone are the swarms of flies we encountered on our last trip back in 1986.

There was also some whiskey, or rice wine, to kill off anything we were afraid of having ingested.