Main road into the commune. Hard to believe the town is just minutes away.
Dirt path next to the commune's store. Motorbikes abound in China.My father had 2 specific goals in mind when we arrived. The first concerned the ancestral property that my father and his brothers inherited from their parents. Apparently the commune claimed ownership of it. I don't know the details but with our family having completely emigrated from China well over 30 years ago I suppose something like this shouldn't be a surprise. My father was trying to get the commune to transfer the ownership back. He made several trips and spoke at length with the commune's administration. With a small amount of money he was ultimately successful.
The second was for my father and for us to pay our respects to our paternal grandparents. As I mentioned before, my father rarely travels and with nearly 20 years since his last visit I'm sure he has been wanting to do this for a while.
Hanging out in front of the commune`s shrine.
This is the gate leading to the house of our grandparents.
The room containing the family altar. A picture of my paternal grandparents is on the left side of the shelf running across the top. I personally believe that all people over the age of 60 should be forbidden from climbing ladders.
Here I am bowing before my grandmother's grave with Dad looking on. Three times on hands and knees.
We visited the ancestral home and I noted how small it was -- a single room the size of a bedroom and then a separate room for the washroom and kitchen. We burned incense and "spirit money", lit candles, and made offerings of food. I groaned when my siblings took out the Costco packs of chocolate bars -- I told them I wanted to eat healthy food when I turn into a spirit. It's the thought that counts I guess! Mind you, those same chocolate bars were pretty popular with the fellow communers although they were mushy in the 30+C heat. We bowed before the ancestral altar and repeated the little ceremony at the commune's shrine.
We also took a look at what I think was the main property which my grandfather built but was now currently rented out to other people. It was much bigger and I could envision my father and his 6 siblings growing up there.
Lastly, we headed out to the grave of my paternal grandmother and repeated the little ceremony. I vaguely remember doing the same thing 20 years ago but the place had changed drastically. Before it was surrounded by green fields and now it was hemmed in my development and low-rise buildings. There was no grave for my grandfather -- during the Cultural Revolution he was taken away by the Communists and never to be seen again. Presumably his crime was that of being a business owner. While I shake my head at the madness that was the Cultural Revolution this familial tragedy is just one of many misdeeds committed by the Communist Party of China.
The solemn day complete, we returned to the city.
The second was for my father and for us to pay our respects to our paternal grandparents. As I mentioned before, my father rarely travels and with nearly 20 years since his last visit I'm sure he has been wanting to do this for a while.
Hanging out in front of the commune`s shrine.
This is the gate leading to the house of our grandparents.
The room containing the family altar. A picture of my paternal grandparents is on the left side of the shelf running across the top. I personally believe that all people over the age of 60 should be forbidden from climbing ladders.
Here I am bowing before my grandmother's grave with Dad looking on. Three times on hands and knees.We visited the ancestral home and I noted how small it was -- a single room the size of a bedroom and then a separate room for the washroom and kitchen. We burned incense and "spirit money", lit candles, and made offerings of food. I groaned when my siblings took out the Costco packs of chocolate bars -- I told them I wanted to eat healthy food when I turn into a spirit. It's the thought that counts I guess! Mind you, those same chocolate bars were pretty popular with the fellow communers although they were mushy in the 30+C heat. We bowed before the ancestral altar and repeated the little ceremony at the commune's shrine.
We also took a look at what I think was the main property which my grandfather built but was now currently rented out to other people. It was much bigger and I could envision my father and his 6 siblings growing up there.
Lastly, we headed out to the grave of my paternal grandmother and repeated the little ceremony. I vaguely remember doing the same thing 20 years ago but the place had changed drastically. Before it was surrounded by green fields and now it was hemmed in my development and low-rise buildings. There was no grave for my grandfather -- during the Cultural Revolution he was taken away by the Communists and never to be seen again. Presumably his crime was that of being a business owner. While I shake my head at the madness that was the Cultural Revolution this familial tragedy is just one of many misdeeds committed by the Communist Party of China.
The solemn day complete, we returned to the city.
