Robyn's China Memories

It’s been just over a month since we’ve been back from China, but I remember it all like it was only a week ago. Mike and I seem to keep referencing things we did/saw/memories from China on a daily basis. (referencing the weather: “it wasn’t even this cold on Yellow Mountain” or crossing the street and having a car cut us off and thinking that it wasn’t as crazy as the drivers in China or watching a movie and saying “we’ve been there!”.) This trip was certainly a trip of a lifetime.

I am so grateful to be included with the Sung family on this trip and to meet and hang out with everyone. It wasn’t until after I met Mike that I realized how important a spouse’s family is. And after spending two weeks with my in-laws I see all the love and respect everyone has for each other. And this philosophy of family, love, respect, started generations ago.

Below are some of the things that stuck out in my mind during the trip:

1) Hanging out with all the family and being included as part of the “Yang/Sung” clan. Very grateful to have such wonderful in-laws.

2) Hearing the first hand stories and memories of Grandma, San Yi, and Xiao Yi at their old house in Tianjin. When the kids played majong on the roof and having their dad’s driver honk the horn to warn the kids that dad was coming home was my favorite story. And then standing on that very same roof top was incredible.

3) Touring the Di Yang old factory and the Di Yang part of the textile museum and seeing all of the old pictures of Great Grandfather Song Feqing. And seeing how much bigger the Di Yang portion was compared to the other textile companies.

4) Climbing up the Great Wall (but not getting stuck in the guard tower on the way down!) and having Christine and Matt, who were behind us in the crowd, beat us down the wall.

5) Experiencing all of the “big” tourist things: Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Bird’s Nest, a rickshaw tour of a Hutong village, Qingdao beer museum and Yellow Mountain.

6) Lunches with the government officials and movie producers – something most tourists don’t get to experience (especially the local cuisine – scorpions anyone?!)

7) Dinner at the underground food court area in Beijing with Darryl, Matt and Mike – thank goodness Darryl was there or who knows what we would have ordered since the entire menu was in Chinese!

8) Being squished in and out of the Beijing subway during rush hour. Christine and I had to make sure we held on to something or else we would have been swept away with the mob at the wrong stop!

9) All of the wonderful breakfast buffets each morning. Favorites were at the Shangri-La Hotel in Qingdao, Shan Dong Hotel in Ji’nan, and the Sheraton Hotel in Tianjin.

10) Train station “mishap” with the swords and having the security guards let us on after they found out that Grandma, San Yi, and Xiao Yi were Song Feiqing’s daughters and traveling/visiting with family.

11) Being able to stay in the Shan Dong Hotel in Ji’nan that Mr. Fang had arranged for us after all the other hotels in Ji’nan were booked.

12) Being escorted by three black sedans to the Song Village and visiting the Song Village. A very humbling experience and to think that my own Grandma grew up in a similar type village.

13) Having the trip pre-arranged and organized! Not having to worry about all of the “little” details I was able to enjoy the full experience of our trip.

I realize I just listed a bunch of things that we all experienced, but that was one of the bests parts; experiencing this with you all. I know that tomorrow I’ll want to add more…maybe why I’ve been procrastinating finishing this list…I don’t want it to be over…

Anyways, a huge “thank you” to San Yi for organizing and financially supporting most of this trip. Also to Grandma and Grandpa Yang who contributed to the Yellow Mountain part of the trip. And to Mom and Dad for the Xi’an part of the trip and all the other incidentals.

My China memories (Steven)

Apologies for the delayed post and thanks to my Mom for the reminders. I can blame my current boss who could learn a few lessons from my Grandfather about how to be more enlightened with his employees and their workload.

This trip was truly amazing on many levels. Thanks very much to 3 yi for your generosity and perseverance for making it happen. Your attending to all the little details (which was probably very tough for you) made this trip such a success. I cannot believe that you were the only one out of the 14 of us that didn’t get sick and yet you were under the most stress on this trip. It was great to have the book to provide a historical backdrop and provide context for the trip. I cannot imagine the time and effort that you must have gone into getting the book finalized and translated. It is an amazing accomplishment to have achieved. The trip itinerary and being with the older generation (Dayi, 3 yi, Mom) who could recall the events firsthand really brought the book to life. Thanks also to Mom and Dayi for sharing your experiences with us on this trip.

I have a much stronger appreciation of the achievements and the personal character of Grandfather after this trip. I have seen a lot of successful entrepreneurs and all without fail have flawed personal characters which sadly often help them to be successful. In Grandfather’s case, it seems that he was able to be successful as an entrepreneur while pursuing a corporate culture where he was a very decent person especially to his employees. In China where the rich and successful will have no qualms about pushing and abusing their influence over others, which still persists today, it is refreshing to see that Grandfather was practically the opposite of that. Most successful business people that I see feel that their employees are just a tool for them to use to make themselves or the company more successful, with an attitude of they pay you, they own you. It is amazing that Grandfather pulled it off with such success and on such a large scale. It is sad to see the events of history tear that apart so that what remains are memories and a shell of what Dongya must have been in its heyday.

I travel a lot for work and those trips always become one big blur of meetings, albeit often in exotic locations and nice hotels, restaurants, etc. In contrast, I don’t recall having so much fun and being able to be relaxed so long since our Chan family trips from when we were growing up and went on long trips throughout the US camping. I realized now that it is really rare in life to be able to do these sorts of trips as an adult. As a child, I became used to having regular family vacations that were fun and relaxing. But as an adult they are few and far between, and makes me treasure this trip even more. Although I have to say, I was very grateful that we weren’t camping or backpacking throughout China as I have gotten pretty soft these days. Thanks to 3 yi for putting us up in style in 5 star hotels with the amazing buffet breakfasts. It was also fun to have Darryl as my roommate, which I don’t think has happened 25+ years, and sorry for snoring so much that you had to wear earplugs!

I also have traveled within China a lot too. But I have never traveled with 14 of my relatives, especially in 9 hotels in 12 days. It was a lot of fun to be able to get to know everyone and share these experiences together. It seemed every part of the trip had some positive meaning that we could appreciate and experience together. It was very especially impressive that Dayi at your age was so strong throughout the trip. Matt’s blog is amazing in its detail and ability to blend our experience with the background of the book. I don’t know how you did that on the Kindle and didn’t get carpel tunnel.

Some of the highlights that stood out for me included:

• Grandfather’s office. Even if it is renovated, somehow the feeling with all the pictures really made his presence with the positive impact that he had with the success of Dongya come to life for me.

• The old family house. I had heard stories from my Mom about growing up at that house such as the area where they stored baicai and luobuo in the winter, where they blocked off to create an ice rink and where the helpers stayed. It was neat to actually go to the house and be able to go inside. Sandy and I were actually brought by Liuyi to the house in 1986 and maybe even to the Dongya office too but I don’t remember it at all. All I remember of that trip was that Sandy’s face got all black because we were on a coal fired train from Beijing, the train window was open, Sandy was downwind from the train exhaust, and I thought it was hilarious. Another reminder of how things have changed with the new bullet train being probably the most modern in the world.

• The Song village. You hear about these rags to riches stories as a cliché but I seeing how simple and non modern the village was, it really does remind me that everyone comes from somewhere and that is often worse than where they are now, and makes me grateful for the fact that my ancestors before me had reached some level of success that I didn’t have to grow up in a village. Everyone in China that I deal with live in cities and frankly they all look down on village or country people. I often heard people who want to insult people or make it clear that they think they are have some crude behavior to often would refer to that person as a nongcuenren (country person). I got to say, it is admirable for the villagers to stay there and try to make a go of it. If I had to live in the village, it would send me into quite a depressive state. The village also served as a stark reminder to me as to how much we have to be thankful for in all that we have in our lives. Frankly, it must be much harder in many ways to live in a village than a city, and if anything, the villagers should look down on the city people. I mean they can survive on no ice cream, no TV, no movie theater, no restaurants, no foot massage…

• Speaking of foot massage, my final highlight was the one that that we had as a group in the Huangshan city. It was my honor to translate for the stocky, handsome Buddha impressionist David and his very handsome sons, who look like Vickie and not David. And I have not laughed so hard in my recent memory to translate the one liners that were coming out of my masseuse and directed at David.

Looking Back

I’d like to start off by saying one word:

WOW!

It boggles my mind to think about how much we were able to do and see in just 2 short weeks. From Xi’an to Yellow Mountain and everywhere in between, there was never a dull moment. Looking over everyone’s pictures, it doesn’t seem possible that we were able to see and do so much. At one point in Beijing, I remember playfully impersonating the tour guide by saying, “Here is one of the most famous places in the ENTIRE WORLD…and you have 5 minutes to look around.” What made it so funny at the time was because it was absolutely TRUE! I am very grateful that Matt took the time to jot down notes and write on his blog because there’s no way I would have remembered half the stuff we saw and did.

Overall, it’s safe to say that we did our our best impersonation of the old Steve Martin and John Candy movie called “Plains, Trains and Automobiles.” Despite the crazy schedule, Sun Yi did an amazing job organizing the trip and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I felt so privileged and lucky to experience going back to see the village, home, factory and museum with Grandma, Sun Yi and Xiao Yi. Hearing all of their childhood stories and experiences first hand was unforgettable and very moving. It was particularly special being able to hear about Great Grandfather.

My whole life I have only heard scattered stories and bits of information about the man that was my Great Grandfather. In addition to being an important, innovative, and peerless businessman in the Chinese textile industry, I knew that he was a man of uncompromising generosity. I also understood that he had lost everything during the Chinese Civil War and was forced to flee China many years ago. However, beyond these vague generalizations of his life, my overall knowledge of him had always been embarrassingly limited. Here I was, related to this great man and historical icon of China and I probably could not have written more than 2 paragraphs about his life! Now, thanks to Sun Yi's efforts with the trip and especially the book, I finally have the knowledge and appreciation of our family's past that I've always wanted.

The following were some of the other experiences from the trip that stood out to me:

• THE BREAKFASTS! Man, there’s no doubt that I was consuming twice as much food during breakfast as I was for dinner!
• The quintessential tourist spots such as the Great Wall, Bird’s Nest, Tienanmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace were all great. Having a 53 person bus for our group of 14 (and sometimes 7) was pretty hilarious, especially when you looked out the window and saw 100 locals squished into a 40 person bus.
• The hotel location in Beijing was great and it was very fun being able to explore the stores while drinking a cold TsingTao beer in balmy 40 degree weather, lol.
• The crowds at the dumpling restaurant and in the subway gave me a real sense of what life would be like living in such a populated city. Fun to experience, but not to live in.
  
• I got a kick out of Mark’s Bloody Mary drink from the hotel bar, which had a tart taste to it and was yellow! Definitely NOT a bloody mary.
• The hotel room in Jinan was definitely the nicest room I’ve ever stayed in. The Wonton soup for breakfast was something I could get used to.
• Although a little time-consuming, the extravagant banquets with the government officials and movie producers was very eye-opening. Most tourists to China don’t get to experience things like that and I tried to soak it in as much as I could.
  
• The bullet train was awesome! Definitely enjoyed seeing us fly by the cars on the freeway.
• I was simply blown away by the size of the exhibit at the museum for Great Grandfather. I could have spent all day there looking at every little detail.
  
• Going back to the village was very humbling and surreal.
  
• Qingdao was a beautiful city and I really enjoyed going on the Tsingtao brewery tour. I bought a XXL shirt souvenir, washed it once and now it’s probably too small for Robyn!
• Shanghai was a massive and it was definitely the biggest city I’ve ever been to. Really liked seeing the tea house and the old embassies. Cabs were dirt cheap. Something like 2 dollars for a 15 minute cab ride.
  
• After being “High-Jacked” by our tour guide, the foot massage in Huangshan was definitely a highlight of our trip to Yellow mountain. Sitting around listening to the locals compare my dad to Buddha was priceless!
• Our drive up to Yellow Mountain reminded me of Xi’an. Apparently double yellow lines and oncoming traffic are optional suggestions NOT to pass. When I wasn’t bracing myself for impact, it was actually very entertaining.
• Can’t believe how lucky we were to have the fog clear out as we were leaving Yellow Mountain. Some of the prettiest settings I’ve ever seen. I also enjoyed the down jackets provided by the hotel.
  

With all that being said, the one item I treasure above all else was being able to experience such a trip as a family. We may all live in different parts of the country with different lives and different schedules, but for approximately 9 days we set all those things aside and came together to share in our amazing heritage. It’s been so many years since I last saw many of you and getting this opportunity was a great thrill. I certainly hope we do not let so much time pass before getting together in the future. I’m also very happy that all of you were able to spend time with Robyn and now you know why my own parents like Robyn more than me!

In closing, I’d like to offer endless thanks to Mom, Dad, Sun Yi, Xiao Yi, Da Yi (Grandma) and everyone else that made this all possible. It was without a doubt the trip of my life!

Memories of China Trip (Mom/DaYi/Grandma)

After almost a year of talking to Roberta about the China trip I almost did not make it. First, I was worried about my 82 years old traveling the long distance. Secondly, my arthritis in my hips and legs. Last and most, leaving Chris at home by himself was unthinkable, especially after his 2 falls and 2 emergency trips to the hospital.

Then, a week before the trip, Chris volunteered that he would go to a retirement home so I could go to China because he thinks I should go on this trip. My heart opened up with joy, excitement and appreciation of his consideration.

Let me begin with the highlights of this trip

for me.

* Our first stop at the old Wang-Fu Jing in Beijing had brought back so much memory from my days there. It used to be the main and busy pedestrian section whiles I was growing up, but not nearly as busy and many people as now. Thanks Roberta for booking the hotel nears by so I could relive the old times.

* The bullet train was incredible! Out trip 2006, it took us 3-4 hours driving from Beijing to Tainjing. Now, 28 minutes!

* My biggest highlight was visiting Dongya Textiles, father's old factory office. Upon arriving the old factory headquarter, there was the Butting Rams statue with "1932" on the front. When I saw father's large bronze picture on the wall I just lost it.

I wanted to hug him and to tell him how much I love him, miss him and proud of him. I just felt he was with us the whole time we were in Tainjing. As I and writing this blog now, tears swells my eyes.

* After Roberta's last trip back, she told me that one has to be there to see, hear and feel how much people remembering and admiring father. She was so right! At the Tainjing Textiles Museum , there was one room that dedicates father and Dongya only. With the TV crew there to film us because we were the descendents of our father/grandfather/great great grand father, not because we were from America. How proud was I to feel he was my father! After 60+ years, he is still remembered as the country treasure.

* Then, Roberta's TV interview at the government museum and the talk of the director of the museum were all about father and his accomplishments. One could not imagine how respected and admired they have for father. This only made me more proud to be his daughter.

* I've been back to the Song/Wong Village with Roberta and Rebecca before, but we did no have the 3 sedans' escort....It was quite an honor, Roberta!

* At the Tianjing train station, we were stopped by the security check because of the souvenir swords Matt, Mike and Mark bought. Upon learning who our father was decided to let us through. The supervisor told us he was an admirer of Mr. Song and all he had done for the people of Tainjing. I still cannot believe how those ordinary citizens would know about our father.

* I enjoyed the 100 floors high Shanghai Commercial Building (Tallest in the world). It took less than one minute reaching the top in the elevator. Then, to walk on the glass floor to get dizzy....It is definitely one of my life time adventure.

*** Last and the most, I feel blessed to see the family and the cousins got so much closer in the 2 weeks of time. How, when and where could we have another opportunity like this otherwise?

Thank you Roberta for what you have done for this family. The 5 stars hotels, official escorts, banquets and sightseeing besides the ancestral village visit are all beyond our expectation.

With my love,

Big sister Rachel

China 2010

Finally......I can see I am in trouble in the future....... it has taken me days, many emails to Matt, and a telecon before I figured out how to even get to this point, and I don't even know if what I am writing here will get posted in the right spot.....? :)

I am not sure how this "blog" will post my blog, or if it will identify me.......so in case it does not in some way........ this is Dave.

What can any of us say about the trip .......except first of all thanks so much to sanyi....... without ALL that you did, this trip would not have happened. You deserve all the thanks, kudos and credit. Hopefully, our posts will be a "reward" for all your countless hours of effort...... not only in organizing the trip, but all the previous trips in negotiating with the various groups in China and in getting the "family" biography of grandpa written as well as the English translation. Thanks so much to Chinnie for the many hours of help you contributed for this as well.

There was so much that I enjoyed. As shaoyi put it ...... "China is a country of contrasts"...... and I would say my emotions ranged to both ends of the spectrum as well. As I remember and reflect, some of the items that stand out for me the most were:

* spending time with relatives and getting to know everyone better. There is nothing that can
take the place of spending time together and creating memories. I loved Steven's
translations for me at the group foot massage and how we could laugh at the humorous
ways these translations could differ from their intentions. :):) The term ".... she would like
to clarify....." was immortalized in my memory and will always make me laugh.....

* to see that "progress" has barely touched the lives of the villagers, that their lives appeared
to remain one of basic subsistence.......and that the governments' uncaring attitude for
these villagers (making them walk miles and miles to their farmland rather than being
allowed to farm the land right at the edge of their own village) remains in stark contrast to
how grandfather treated them .... to the extent that they protected the grave stones during
the Cultural Revolution and the continued respect they have. What a contrast in how
these villagers have been and continue to be treated. To know that there may never be a
way for any of us to help these villagers/relatives? monetarily or in any other way.....

* The magnitude of what both great grandfather and grandfather accomplished from such
humble and meager beginnings. Having a small business allows me to glimpse at the
enormity of their accomplishments in building successful businesses and keeping them
going through so many trials....... many of which we do not have to face in this country.
But, throughout history there have been, and will continue to be, many people who have
been, and will be, very successful in building businesses....... What truly made grandpa/
grandma different was not just what they "made", but what they "gave back". A person
who can build a large corporation is very very rare, but to do so while caring for other
people with their actions and money is far far more rare in the history of mankind.

* getting a better appreciation for our family history back through great grandfather. To see
how far they had to take the firewood each day......12 km ........ and to see the church that
was so instrumental in their lives, and realizing this is where Pastor Couling and his wife
brought grandpa/great grandpa to the Lord, which laid the foundation for the values that
they operated their business empires by.

* To witness a two examples of how grandpa's concern for the people of China is appreciated
even to this day ....... by that security guard at the train station in Tianjin and the camera
man at the Tianjin Textiles Museum. It was rewarding to see that even with all the
beautiful buildings, glowing accounts, books written and to be written, etc., that these
everyday people in Tianjin could see through all of that and appreciate the real value of
what grandpa and grandma accomplished.

* realizing that the probable reason the "government officials" rushed us through our visit to
the village and the church because they had a lunch for us and the #1 official had his other
3:30pm meeting ....... so we had less time to meet with the villagers/relatives?, yet the
villagers masked any disappointments they may have had and cheerfully waved goodbye.
And the church elder who obviously had planned for us to sit for awhile ...... and when we
were ushered on how he "gifted" the fruit to us to take..... again masking any disappoint-
ment he may have had. Examples of "caring" by the officials? Contrasted to the
memories these local people had of how they were treated by grandpa/grandma?

* seeing how hard some people had to work, such as carrying heavy burdens up Huangshan,
and how little they were compensated. Contrasted to our 6 star hotel, the Shangri La......
and contrasted to the "partying" by the large group of government people on the cruise
ship as observed by shiaoyi........

So how does one summarize their final thoughts? Without question, for me, it comes down to grandpa's/grandma's "legacy"? One cannot help but be awed by how their Christian faith sustained them through the countless tragedies in their lives ....... how that faith gave them the strength to continue caring about people regardless of their own circumstances. That legacy was confirmed in my mind by the Tianjin railroad security guard, and the Tianjin TV station camera man ....... true love is not selfish ...... so I believe that grandpa/grandma will be remembered for generations to come in Tianjin and China. As I reflect back in my life, it is not lost on me that grandma did her part to pass on the "legacy" in her own humble way. Before she passed away, she gave me a present for Christmas in 1973 that she signed and that I believe she was passing on to me as the heart and soul of their legacy ....... the Holy Bible. As Christ sacrificed himself on a cross for all of us, grandpa/grandma lived their lives sacrificially for their family, employees, friends, acquaintences, the villagers, and their country, China. Sacrificial love for others endures, so Christianity will endure, and therefore, I believe the memory of how grandpa/grandma lived will as well.

So as I look forward......what will I do to further what I believe is their legacy?

A Journey to Last a Life Time (Vicki)

Through the years I have heard bits and pieces of the Sung family history. It took me a while to figure out that Sung was Song in China and was the same family. (OK, I may be a little slow, but remember, I'm just a 4th generation farm girl from the Willamette Valley.) Stories of factories, missionaries, tough times, Argentina and of a man that was Dave's grandpa were all jumbled in my mind. I didn't know his first name or what he looked like, but understood (I thought) what kind of man he was...a very intelligent businessman, father of many kids and his wife was the heart of the home. All of this is true, but it is only a shallow description of the heritage of Song Feiqing.

I am humbled and contemplative as I think back over our two weeks of travel through China. What fun we had sharing much (including sniffles and massages), laughing together, and at other times quietly absorbing the beauty of natural China and her people. How can one describe the sight of a perfectly formed man made out of terra cotta from 200 BC or the smiles and giggles I shared with a little 4 year old and his grandma in the KFC at Huangshan? My heart has been touched and changed by this country called China, and most of all by a family named Song.

Thankfully, I had read HIS DREAM so the foundation of who, what, when and where had been established. Though again, as soon as it went into my brain it seemed to jumble all the names and places. But the parts that stayed with me were the lives of wonderful people that have entwined to bring us to that little village of Songwang we visited on October 21, 2010.

What a humble village, but such open and friendly faces. So much is said without speaking a word. Though we live in two different worlds, we were bound by love for these amazing Song men generations earlier. At the time I was torn between wanting to just sit and listen to these sweet people, (OK, Steven or Darryl would have had to translate) and being nervous that we were there and worrying that maybe their life would be affected by all of us tromping in. But when we walked to the grave site, it all came together. They were not worried, because their lives and families had been touched by those we honored in the graves, and they wanted us to share in that.

It was such a long drive back to the village where the church was. Did he really push a cart with firewood that far with his young son? Did that missionary ever get tired of sharing God's love with people walking by? Did he know how God was going to change the Song family for generations to come? What a lesson for me to be obedient to God, for we don't know what His ultimate plan is! At this point in our journey, I truly realized what an amazing gift Aunt Roberta had given to us. We were able to travel to where the incredible family story began.

What fun to climb the stairs in the family home and peek into Aunt Roberta's and Aunt Rebecca's bedroom. We heard such great stories of brothers and sisters just living life with two loving parents. Such generous and unassuming people Song Feiqing and his wife were. Their generosity and care for all, no matter their status, is probably the greatest souvenir I took home with me.

Song Feiqing lived his dream and built a successful company. That alone is accomplished by so few. He suffered unwarranted and devastating setbacks, but never lost who he was. This is the truly inspiring and humbling aspect of his life. It might be the story behind the story, of how he lived each day with grace and character, no matter the circumstances surrounding him. Synonyms for the word CHARACTER are: COURAGE, HONOR, INTELLIGENCE, REPUTATION, UPRIGHTNESS. That is this man Song Feiqing, who you have the honor of calling Father, Grandpa, Great Grandpa. I, too, feel a part of this great heritage. Thank you!

The Process

Little did I know that my mother's hand written note on a little piece of paper would launch a project which would take more than 10 years and 6 trips back to China to complete. I sometimes wondered what if I had just ignored the note or never found it at all. Well, it seemed we were destined to recapture our past with pride. Luckily, with Aunt YuYing recently retired then, the timing was perfect. She was determined to help me whole heartedly to the end. Thus, the book 'His Dream' was born.

Many people helped and gave constructive advises during the process. I can't thank them enough. Many of the older generation from that era read the Chinese version with tears and sadness, because they knew a great patriotic man had struggled so much during the most turbulent years in the history of China.

For the non-Chinese readers among our family and friends, Aunt Rebecca and Aunt Chinnie put in countless hours to complete an English version, which would also be accessible to the general public.

Even after the book was written, I was still unable to convey to everyone how much our ancestors meant to China. As I counted the number of my Chinese visas, I found I have been back a total of 8 times already. I met up withe the officials at least 6 times. Their interest and admiration for our ancestors were authentic and unwavering and they have made plans for a TV mini=series about our father. Their enthusiasm really humbles me. It is both touching and gratifying to have father's life depicted on the screen to be remembered after almost seventy years had gone by.

I wanted very much to share this exuberant feeling with my family. I did not know how to do it. I finally decided that I will have to take everyone on this root-finding trip and let each and everyone experience in his/her own way our family past. Unfortunately, we had to cramp in a lot in a very short time.

I am very happy that all seemed moved by what they saw first hand. Being there to see with your own eyes and feel with your heart is very powerful and different. Indeed, we have lots to be proud of!

p.s. don't worry that the Textile Museum is just on the outskirt of Tianjing city now. At the rate the cities are growing, in no time it will be part of the city. Besides, Tianjing city is trying to get back to the glorious days as being the most important port closest to Beijing.

3Yi or Aunt Roberta

Reminiscing about China (Christine)

This trip was my third time in China. Each time provided many treasured moments as well as a means to contrast the drastic changes that have occured in the country. The first trip I was in awe of everything - all the historical sites, the history that accompanied those sites, the people, and the differences between the US and China. I just followed mom around, and she took care of everything - I just reveled in the experience.

The second time showed a marked contrast at the historical sites ... Xian was no longer a small, rural village with a tent protecting some uncovered terra cotta soldiers in a farmer's field. It was now a modern city and the soldiers were enclosed in a beautiful building that was joined by other buildings which also housed excavation sites and a meticulous museum. From what Dave described, the area has been even further developed since 2007!

During this second trip, the Yang family (Dave, Vicki, Bob, Olga, mom and I) were able to get a taste of our roots. The book that was lovingly created by San Yi and her dedicated contributors (Xiao Yi, Liu Yi, and Aunt Chinnie among many others) was in the midst of being translated, and Xiao Yi fed us as much as she could so we could have some background on our history before visiting Tianjin. It was wonderful being able to go to Tianjin with mom, Liu Yi, Uncle Yang and Maya. We were able to go into the house's courtyard and hear a few stories from mom and Liu Yi about the house. We were also able to visit Dongya prior to its recent renovation. At the time, the production factory had already been moved but the original site still held a showroom where we could see samples of the wool/yarn. It was a highlight being shown the many picture albums, and though we were hosted by government officials (at least one was from the communist party), our "lunch banquet" seemed to be much more down to earth and less showy. Again, the contrast of the old to new on this 2010 trip was drastic - but also, very comforting to know that they valued this original building enough to preserve it and honor Grandpa and what he did.

It was also interesting to see the house that the government had originally deemed to be Grandpa's and the process mom and Liu Yi had to go through to "prove" that the Sung house was indeed more modest and in a different location. It seems that the plaque on the original house gave a higher historic rating than the current plaque on the correct house ... wonder why?

This third trip, however, was probably the most touching, emotional, and meaningful to me because this trip was focused on our family and places that played a significant role in our history, not just on seeing the tourist sites. So many people research their geneology and try to piece together the journey taken by their ancestors who landed in the U.S. looking for a better life. We had it all hand-delivered to us in the form of a book and a personalized tour - thank you, San Yi, that gift is priceless.

Like Matt, I'm not even sure where to start in describing the impact this trip had on me, and I don't think I can even articulate everything I'd want to say. One of the biggest revelations was just how much Grandpa touched the lives of people in China. I've always heard about the amazing things he did in his life - his factory, his treatment of others regardless of their social status, his generousity and selflessness, his loyalty, his charitable contributions, and so much more. I always knew he was special, successful, and well-known during his time. But on this trip, I got a sense of just how "big" and influential he really was - and still is. And I couldn't help but wonder what things would have been like were he still alive ...

Having the 3 car escort, elaborate banquets, and government officials obviously added to my impression, but even more meaningful were incidents such as at the train station when Mark got stopped and his sword confiscated, and how the mention of mom being grandpa's daughter was enough to change the tough stance of the security guard who had nothing but praise for Grandpa. Also, the camera man at the textile museum was a student at one of Grandpa's Dongya schools and he freely discussed how he admired and appreciated Grandpa for all he had done. Seeing, in person, how Grandpa affected the lives of ordinary people was something that cannot be explained or felt unless you are physically present to experience it ...

The visit to Tianjin was also heartwarming. Though I had been to the house before, this trip was different. Not only did we get to see the inside of the house, but 3 out of the 9 Sung children were there to personally share their memories with us. It's one thing to hear stories, it's another to be able to really visualize them while standing in the exact spot you are describing. I could almost see all of you chasing Uncle Albert up and down the stairs after he spit in the food ... or see LauLau playing Mah Jong or sleeping on the landing. And, it was fun to see the bedrooms you each grew up in, and the balcony that poor Uncle Allen and Alfred had to leave their stinky shoes ... Xiao Yi, you described your experiences at 7 years old ... that's Michaela's age right now ... I can't even imagine ...

I was also very impressed by the special room dedicated to Grandpa at the textile museum. I'm not sure how many people will actually see it, but it once again drove home the sense that Grandpa was so much more influential than I originally imagined. Having never met Grandpa makes him seem more distant, or intangible. However, seeing the government officials pamper the Sung sisters and various groups wanting to interview you three made me realize that I'm not that far removed from him. This thought is bittersweet ... it is amazing to experience how important Grandpa is by seeing how you three were respected and treated by others. But sad to think that with my generation and the next, some of that "respect connection" will be lost. Having said that, I am grateful that you took us on this trip so that we may in some way keep the flame going ...

And lastly, the most moving moments had to be our visit to the Song Village. I'd heard stories about your prior visits to the village, but it wasn't until I actually stepped foot in the village that I understood. At times, reading the book about Grandpa, Great Grandpa, and Great Great Grandpa was hard - learning about the many hardships, horrors, and betrayals to our own relatives is much harder than reading about a stranger. It was heart-breaking to see how rural and poor the village still is, and to see the unkept graves. Again, what a contrast to see the tributes to Grandpa in the big city vs. these unkept graves.

I kept wondering - what do the villagers think of the Sungs? Are these unkept graves a result of their hardlives such that they do not have time to tend them? Or, is there another reason why they are overgrown? What can we do to help them? Do they want us to help them? Why does the government make sure grand gestures toward Grandpa's direct family, but allow these other relatives to live in such poverty?

As much as this village visit was the biggest highlight of the trip, it was also the greatest disappointment. I felt we were way too rushed. I had been looking forward to visiting the village, but didn't feel like there was much time to just soak in the significance of the surroundings. And as Xiao Yi and San Yi stated, we didn't get to talk to the villagers, let alone get introduced to the few relatives who met us. I would have liked to have seen the other home this family lived in ... if nothing else than to make me feel better that they did have a real floor beneath their feet, and not just packed dirt as we saw in the one relative's one-room hut. I would've loved to have visited their fields and understood what their lives were like. So many unanswered questions ... but, San Yi, I am still grateful for the short time we had - thank you for including this part in our tour and opening up the question - what can we do?

The banquets were quite elaborate, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience them. I doubt I'll ever be invited to something quite like it again! And though I won't miss being served scorpions, cicadas, and the like, I was facinated by the unsual food affair ... and it makes for interesting conversation! And, I too, was disappointed that the visit to our home in Jinan did not happen ... guess you'll have to arrange another tour back to China for us!

To wrap up my ramblings, the entire trip was, to use Matt's word, "Amazing". All the details you built into our trip made our experience more special. Thank you for your flexibility in allowing us to "customize" our itineraries to visit other places as well as our family heritage sites. I know it literally caused a huge headache for you! And most importantly, San Yi, thank you for sharing our family's history with us, taking us on this trip, and giving us the opportunity to get to know each other better. We had such a fun time on this trip - from experiencing our history to sharing germs to getting a group massage! As with most things, it's the people who make the trip - and the bond we now share is a direct result of this trip. Thanks again, San Yi, and to all of you peeps who helped make this trip so memorable!

Love,
Christine

My China Trip experience (Darryl)

My trip actual began when I started reading My Dream. All the trial and tribulation that Great Grandpa and Grandpa went through were amazing. I'm still in awe as to how Grandpa was able to kept his company running through those the most turbulent years of China. This just showed the heart and soul of grandpa of how his love of his country was able to overcome so many obstacles and at the same he had helped so many people. It was just so unfortunate that his own employees and his beloved country turned on him when the new government finally took over.

The book is an amazing account of our family heritage and history, history that I have not learned in school. 3 yi and all the contributors (Liu Yi, Aunt Chinnie, and others) did such an excellent in research and investigation. It's no wonder that TV producers wanting to create a series about Grandpa.

Being my first time in northern China, everything that I saw and felt was amazing. Beijing is an amazing city with so much history. I sensed that there is a certain pride with the citizen of Beijing, especially after the amazing 2008 Olympics. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall or the Olympics site are the old and modern miracles and pride of China.

Going to Tianjin to see Grandpa's office and your old home was an awesome experience. It was so nice to see that the office is being use even today. Imagine this was the place where all of Grandpa worked hard and long to make such a difference to so many people. There must be so much memory flooding back for the Aunts to visit the old home. The home is still in very good condition. I just loved to listen to all the stories from your child hood.

The journey to the Song village was very interesting. The escort by the officials seemed fascinating. There were a number of villagers greeted us. There seems to be many official on hands to greet us also. As the journey continued, I felt like the official were controlling our time, not letting us spend time with the villages, urged us to move on to here and there. I wonder if the villagers are under watch also. For some reason, great grandpa's burial ground is in the middle of a farm land. I sensed that there is a certain struggle between the villagers and the officials. The local delicacies of scorpions and cicadas was too exotic for me. Good thing they ordered jiao zi (餃子), definitely a good filler for the void.

I actually enjoyed the Kite factory. It's amazing to see people are still putting so much manual labor to make those kites.

The visit to Huangshan is yet another highlight of so many through out this trip. What hit me most is discovering the hard work so many workers are doing to make our trip comfortable in the mountain. In many way, I feel guilty to even be there. I felt so fortunate to be able to get a glimpse and capture some pictures of the natural beauty of the mountains between the fog layers.

I want to thank 3 yi for putting all this together, making so many arrangements, writing so many email and countless calls to make this all happened. To top that off, she patiently clarify the mix up and billing issues with the hotel because the itinerary for everyone is different and complicated. The book provided so much history and insight into how lives were during those turbulent period of China. It is gratifying to see that China is honoring and remembering our grandpa, even when China still find ways to use it to their advantage.

I also want to thank Steven to take care of and rescue all of us when we are lost in the city, finding out the hard way that China does not take our US credit cards, and bus us around to and from airport with his company's shi fu (師父). All of this made our trip so much more smoother.

Lastly, this was a trip of a lifetime. I will always treasure the experience, the memories and the company. My hope is that we will have more future trip together.

What this trip meant to me (Matt)

Where can I start? I think the best way I can describe what this trip meant to me is that when I have a friend or acquaintance ask me how the trip was, all I can say is "Amazing", and then I'm at a loss for words as to how to continue. I feel like unless I break out the slide projector and sit the person down for a 45 minute lecture on everything about the trip, I'm doing it and the history of our family an injustice. I feel like no matter what I tell these people there's no way I can convey the significance of what this trip meant to me and I'm sure what it meant to everyone else.

When I look back at all the things we did in those two weeks and I think of the grandeur of the Forbidden Palace or the Great Wall, I almost can't believe that I was really there. But even as amazing as those places were, the most impacting memories I have are things like being in the humble Songwang Village and standing in the middle of a field, eating scorpions or even just riding in the bus with the whole group there. Like Aunt Rebecca said, one of the greatest aspects of this trip was that we were able to experience it together as a family.

Aunt Roberta, thank you so much for all the work you put into everything logistically and financially, I don't know how things could have been any better! It was an amazing mix of national history, family history and fun and I wish I could have stayed on for a couple more weeks. Not to mention all the work on the book, I can't wait to someday go back with the future generations and be able to reference all that history and know that no matter how the government over there distorts the facts, we have a first hand account of the truth that cannot be taken away.

Also, thanks so much to Grandma Yang for the Yellow Mountain/Huangshan portion of the trip, I think the hours of fog and clouds only made the 20 minutes when it was clear that much more amazing! And thanks to everyone else on the trip as well for all the help translating, for putting up with us sickies, for making everything possible and for making this really a trip of a lifetime. This was an experience most people on this Earth wont ever get to go through, and I feel lucky to have gone through it with all of you!

Aunt Rebecca's/Mom's Memories of China Trip ...

I am very thankful that so many of you were interested and were able to come on this journey to the past with us. I am very thankful that 3yi had put her heart and soul for the past 14+ years into reviving the past so that we’d all benefit from learning and discovering our heritage. She was determined to bring our father’s biography into completion. And she continues with her dedication to pass on all that she knows to the next generation so that a glorious heritage will not end with our generation. I am also thankful to Liu Yi, without whom the book could not have been written. She helped 3yi read through all the stored written materials, found the author for the book, arranged meetings with DongYa officials, went with us to Tianjin, helped proofread the author’s work, etc etc. Every morning while staying with 3yi, LiuYi would be up before the crack of dawn already deeply absorbed in her readings.

Being the youngest of 9 children, I was only 7 when we left Tianjin as refugees. My memories of the first 7 years were minimal. I never knew our father as anyone other than my Baba. In fact, he never talked about his business affairs or accomplishments at home. He was often away from the house and we spent limited time with him in Tianjin. But I do remember that when he was in a relaxed and jovial mood, he’d play with us and we could do anything to him... very unlike the stern and remote fathers of his days. I do remember that once I used his big forehead to wipe my greasy mouth and all he did was laugh.

My clearest memories of Baba were the years we spent in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Baba was home most of the time because he was forced to leave the country when the communists came. And he was available to 3yi and me almost all the time. He taught himself Spanish so that he could tutor us when we got home from school. He tutored us also in English. We spent time together playing canasta and croquet as a family of four ... Baba, Ma, 3yi and me.

Why am I rambling on about all this? It’s because when I went back to Tianjin, especially to our old residence, many of the memories came back to me. These are things I have not thought about for many years. Looking at the front gate did remind me of the times I had blocked the entrance so that our pedicab driver could not enter into the courtyard. Don’t ask me why I was so mean! Without 3yi telling you about my misbehaviors, I do remember them myself. I remember very clearly how I used a ping pong paddle and knocked “gently” on the glass panel to the Living Room until the glass broke. I also remember swinging with one arm on Baba’s desk and the other arm on the bed until I fell ... but how did I crack the glass top with my chin? I also remember cutting all Baba’s brushes flat across the top because I was trying to be helpful... and inserting my finger into the pencil sharpener and getting my foot caught in the pedicab wheel and deliberately eating fish bones until one got caught in my throat. Ahhh... all the childhood memories came flooding back as we walked around the old house.

When we visited Baba’s office in DongYa, the Textile Museum, and the Archival Museum, I find it hard to believe that after 80 years, people are still honoring him in such a way that makes me very proud to be his daughter. But I do have misgivings about the way the government handled everything throughout the years. The Communist Party had persecuted him for no other reason than he was an industrialist. They forced him to leave the country he loved. And now they want to honor him in every possible way? And now they want whatever we have that belonged to him? Isn’t it ironic? I find it very difficult to even contemplate cooperating with the Party officials in any way.

I have very mixed emotions over each trip we make to Tianjin and the SongWang Village in Qingzhou. What I dislike the most is having to go through official channels in both places. It ruins the purpose of our return. We want to see the real Tianjin, the real DongYa, and the real SongWang Village and its people. Instead, we are forced to spend time with all these government officials who put on ostentatious banquets to impress us? to appease us? to honor us? Who knows what their intentions are! To me it is a total waste of time, precious time that we could be spending to talk to the villagers, to ask and see if their lives have improved over the years, what their needs are, and perhaps find a way to help them in some concrete ways. And we sure would like to know if the new company is still DongYa or is it part of a holding company, etc? And why did the official feign ignorance when we asked about our grandfather’s place in Jinan?

Besides being there and reliving our family history, what made this trip special was having the second generation and the third generation with us. This trip not only introduced them to their roots but it also afforded them/us the opportunity to get to know one another better and bond in a special way. I know from here on, we the “China group” will always feel differently toward each other.

Again, thanks to 3yi for her dedication and her focus and her generosity. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.