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.