>Zhang Zhaohong: The mystery of the tombstone in "Alberta Chinese History and Culture Grand View Garden" (6)

>Zhang Zhaohong: The mystery of the tombstone in "Alberta Chinese History and Culture Grand View Garden" (6) Phoenix Zhang Zhaohong Ancestors...

Phoenix City Zhang Zhaohong

Ancestors and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery Management Center

(After the publication of the article "The Mystery of Tombstones", it caused a repercussions in the overseas Chinese community. Under the care and guidance of senior overseas Chinese leader Yu Wenjin, there are members of Fei Ni Chinese Welfare Association, Deng Gaomi Office, Kaiping Association, Overseas Chinese Federation, "Sunbird" Arizona Chinese Network, Spanish American Overseas Chinese Newspaper and other units, will celebrate May 26th (Falling Soldiers Memorial Day) At 10:30 am, go to Pioneer & Military Memorial Park, address: 1317 W. JEFFERSON ST Phoenix, AZ 85007, let’s commemorate Deng Xiangyuan, the ancestor of the Chinese people in Phoenix City. Friends who are interested in local Chinese history and culture are welcome to attend)

The new round of migration of the Deng family is going further, and they have gone abroad. The family has crossed the ocean and been scattered around the world. Even the most authoritative genealogy has lost its function of complete gathering. In the world, the most rigorous and unique Chinese characters must also be added with the characters of different countries, so that the genealogy can be more comprehensively displayed.

Deng Wendian, who currently lives in San Francisco, Canada, is a native of Hulonglou Village, Chikan Town, Kaiping. He is 86 years old this year. He came to the United States 65 years ago and returned to China in 1937. He was stranded due to World War II before returning to the United States in 1948. He was in poor health in his early years, but he continued to strive for self-improvement and later worked hard to become a successful person in the business and real estate industries. Deng Wendian loved his motherland and donated a total of 2 million yuan to support the construction of his hometown. He won the "Outstanding Chinese Award" and was widely respected by his hometown people. He initiated the compilation of "Liantangli of Overseas Chinese Village", which is known as "the first history of overseas Chinese villages in Kaiping".

I contacted Mr. Deng Wentian through senior Deng Yuedian. He was very happy that there are still people in the United States who are interested in the Deng family tree in Daduoshan Village. He treasures the "Manuscript of the Deng Family Genealogy", which helped me learn more about the Deng Family Genealogy and the story of Dalou Village. He said that DaDaou Village used to be composed of many villages, but the Deng family in DaDaDaou Village was more complicated. There were often cases where more people in one house bullied other houses than in other houses, and even violent fights broke out. His family is a single generation of seven generations, with a small population, so there are few people who cause trouble or go abroad to make a living. After listening to my inquiry, he said that among his clan members, he was of a lower generation, belonging to the "luck" generation, and his surname after marriage was "ruiyun". According to "Ze Ru Yuan Fang Yuan, career prosperous and prosperous" to rank, Deng Xiangyuan belonged to his great-great-grandfather's generation. However, due to the prosperous clan and distant ancestors, no information about Deng Xiangyuan could be found in his genealogy. He said that he would try his best to check the genealogy of the Deng family in his hometown in Kaiping, and he would notify me immediately if there is any news.

At this point in the query, I lost the clue again. Should you wait or continue checking? I decided not to give up. In order to collect more information, I found the version of "Deng Family Genealogy Manuscript" collected by Deng Yuedian on the Internet, as well as Mr. Deng Weirun's "Qushui Wencong", and referred to the "Chinese Deng Family Genealogy" and compiled the relevant content as follows:

According to the "Deng Family Genealogy", the Deng family's original surname was Ji, which originated from the country of Wu Liman, Deng Mihou in the Yin Dynasty, and belonged to Fuhong County, Fengyang, Henan Province. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the sixteenth son of King Wen of Chu was granted the title of Deng Guo, and later took the country as his surname (the reason for the Deng family name). From the Zhou Dynasty to the Qin Dynasty to the Han Dynasty, Deng Yu, the great ancestor, followed Emperor Guangwu to revive his foundation and succeeded, and was granted the title of Marquis of Gaomi (this is where Deng Gaomi was named). Although the Deng clan has a long history and numerous branches, Deng Tao from the Song Dynasty is generally regarded as the ancestor of the Deng family in Guangdong. Deng Tao's son Deng Linqiao (the first ancestor) became a Jinshi in the fifth year of Jiading. Later, he was relegated to Nanxiong Mansion in Guangdong for disobeying the imperial decree (the Deng family moved to Guangdong). Dongyuan), Deng Yingfu, the son of Lin Qiaogong, moved to Gugang Prefecture (today's Xinhui City) from Zhuji Lane in Nanxiong in 1272 AD. His eldest son Deng Ji had four sons, and the third son was named Youqing. Duke Youqing later moved to Jingtou Village in Taishan. Duke Youqing had two sons named Wanrong and Wanjing. In the evening, Duke Jing moved from Jintou Village to Hulong Letu Village in Kaiping. (Since then, the foundation has been established to protect the dragon, and the order of life characters has begun).

Wan Jinggong had three sons: Jiyu (the eldest), Jirui (the second) and Jirun (the third). By their generation, they were already the 100th generation of the Deng family. According to the customs of Hulong Township, men were not assigned names when they were born. After marriage, they were ranked according to characters and announced in the ancestral hall to indicate their seniority. There are very few descendants of Jirui, the eldest brother, and there is no record of the character sect in the genealogy. The ancestral character sect of Jirui of the second family is: "Jiahou Yuan Fangyuan, the industry is prosperous and the world is prosperous; the foundation is Yanyi, which makes the fortune prosperous." The life character of the third family Jirui is different, it is "Ze Ruyuan Fangyuan, the industry is prosperous, and the fortune is prosperous." After the liberation of Kaiping in October 1949, Hulong Township no longer practiced the custom of naming people after marriage.

I checked Deng Wentian's "Manuscript of the Deng Family Genealogy" and found that the chronological record of the Sanfang people only records the 110th generation of Duke Deng Qiongong. He was born in the 53rd year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty and ended in the 36th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1714-1771). He was 57 years old. But unfortunately, in the next generation of Guan Jian's "yuan" generation, there is no record! At this point in the investigation, the identity of Deng Xiangyuan in the "Tombstone Mystery" is still an unsolved mystery, which makes people sigh!

Why is there a gap in the records of the Deng family tree from the "Fang" generation to the "Yuan" generation? , I think there must be some reasons that cause this kind of loss. What is the reason? After careful consideration, I suddenly realized that the Deng clan in Kaiping started a new round of migration starting from the "Yuan" generation (including many Chinese in coastal areas in this era), and this migration was more complicated, farther and more dispersed than that of their ancestors. They have crossed the country, traveled across oceans, and gone global. Even the most authoritative genealogy has lost its function of complete gathering. In the world, the most rigorous and unique Chinese characters must also be added with the characters of different countries, so that the genealogy can be more comprehensively displayed. At this point, I understand why there is a saying of "two Kaipings" in the world. Even the reason why there are currently 30 million overseas Chinese overseas probably originated from the immigrants of this era. Descendants of overseas Chinese such as Deng Yuedian from Phoenix City and Deng Wendian from San Francisco, although they are strangers far away from their motherland, and regardless of whether their descendants will understand the meaning of inheriting genealogies, they resolutely regard the task of compiling genealogy as their own responsibility. Because they have been influenced by Chinese culture, because of their deep love for their hometown, and because of their loyalty and respect for their clans that have lasted for thousands of years, they are so dedicated to bringing the genealogy abroad and extending it. The reason why the Chinese nation has a long history and deep roots is because there has always been a group of descendants of Yan and Huang who have not forgotten their ancestral traditions, are tenacious, and carry forward the past and the future! At this point in writing, although it is certain that Deng Xiangyuan is of a very high generation, came to Phoenix very early, and the tombstone and inscription are unique, other mysteries remain unsolved. So, what’s next? Edmond Rocca of France once said: "Everything you pass must leave traces." I believe that Americans are no worse than us in pursuing historical monographs, so I have a cry in my heart: Go back to the cemetery, there must be something we are looking for! (To be continued, the article is serialized in "Phoenix Art and Literature Network" http://www.paaca.us)

Deng Wendian of San Francisco collects the "Manuscript of the Deng Genealogy"

The Deng Family Genealogy edited by Deng Yuedian of Phoenix City