Zhaohong Zhang: The tombstone mystery of "Alberta Chinese History and Culture Grand View Garden" (10)

>Zhang Zhaohong: The mystery of the tombstones in the "Alberta Chinese History and Culture Grand View Garden" (10) Phoenix Zhang Zhaohong Tombstones have become the early pioneers of the Chinese in Arizona...

Phoenix City Zhang Zhaohong

The tombstone has become a historical witness of the early Chinese colonization of Arizona. Deng Xiangyuan's name will no longer be forgotten. Why solve the tombstone mystery? There are several reasons: first, to understand the history of the tombstone and the meaning of the inscription; second, to find the descendants of the owner of the tombstone, Deng Xiangyuan; third, through searching, to introduce the humanistic history of the overseas Chinese hometown and the changes in the past and present; fourth, through the story behind the "tombstone mystery", it reveals the process of overseas Chinese history and highlights the stories of the elites of the overseas Chinese community. In the process of searching, from the American cemetery to the hometown of overseas Chinese, from looking up names to reading genealogy, from following up on history to visiting former overseas Chinese, the direction changed but the goal remained the same. The clues were often broken but efforts were continued again and again, and finally the truth came to light. The discovery of Deng's family tree may be an inevitable accident, which is like providing help in times of need, providing an answer to the mystery; and the appearance of Deng Xinping's name is the icing on the cake, giving the story of the tombstone mystery a halo in the end. I have a deep impression that there were fifty Chinese buried in early Chinese cemeteries. They were of low status and discriminated against, both before and after life. In that era of Chinese exclusion, they had many sad stories. On the day I finished writing "Tombstone Mystery", I went to the cemetery to take a photo with Deng Xiangyuan's tombstone as a souvenir. At the same time, I also went to another "Greenwood Cemetery" and took a photo with the "Chinese Memorial Cemetery" monument there for comparison.

America's "Greenwood/Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery" was founded in 1906. In 1947, the Samway family established Greenwood Memorial Park on the west side of Phoenix Cemetery. In 1963, a memorial mausoleum and chapel were built, and the two cemeteries merged in 1989, thus creating the largest cemetery in Arizona. In 1992, Mr. Yu Wenjin, a well-known overseas Chinese leader in Alberta, felt that the Chinese cemeteries were not concentrated and were too close to the highway and were noisy day and night, which violated the traditional concept of Chinese people being buried in peace. Therefore, he worked with the Chinese Welfare Association and the management of Greenwood Cemetery to open up the first and so far only "Chinese Memorial Garden" in Alberta. Not only was there a commemorative cemetery stone, but a "royal cemetery" was built to symbolize the noble status. A Chinese pavilion with carved dragons and phoenixes was built above it, which fully reflected the respect of the senior management of Greenwood Cemetery for the status of the Chinese. This is a change that the Chinese could not have dreamed of more than a hundred years ago. Since the cemetery considers the Chinese people and respects their cultural customs, a large number of Chinese people have been buried there. I once took a series of photos of the Chinese cemetery in Greenwood Cemetery to participate in a photography competition. No matter how others view it, I just want to use the historical process of the cemetery to declare the changes in the status of the Chinese. I also used the Chinese pavilion in Greenwood Cemetery as the cover design of the book "Alberta Chinese History and Culture Grand View Garden". It is also used to express a kind of commemoration for us Chinese from the blue road to the open road, from being discriminated against to being respected.

After discovering Deng Xiangyuan's tombstone in the memorial cemetery, American scholar friends at that time tried to "research his life, thoughts, family, etc., so as to promote the glorious history of the Chinese pioneering the province." Later, a glorious figure really appeared. Justice Deng Xinping was not only the Deng family but also an outstanding representative of the Chinese people in the United States. Compared with his ancestors, he had greater ambitions and expectations because he was already standing at the commanding heights of the times. I found an article he wrote in 1978, which was written for the Chinese in Phoenix to celebrate the National Day of the United States: "Two years ago, when celebrating the Bicentennial of the United States, a Chinese lion dance performance appeared in the Phoenix celebration. This is something our forefathers could not have thought of when they formulated the Constitution. A very meaningful idea is that the spirit of freedom and the concept of democracy exist not only among white Americans who dance Cantonese dance, but also among those who love Mexican music and Chinese lion dance. Among the different ethnic groups. The program to realize the American dream was formulated 200 years ago. It is not perfect and needs continuous exploration. At the same time, we must carry forward and love your traditions and customs. The history of the Chinese in Arizona has been included in our American tradition and has become an integral part of it.” Today, the status of the Chinese has been significantly improved. As they continue to integrate into mainstream society, their concepts and minds are also constantly expanding. The Chinese no longer dwell on the injustices inflicted by history and society in the past, but face them more actively, contribute to the improvement of the system, and have the courage to participate in future development and innovation. On May 26, 2014, the overseas Chinese community in Phoenix went to the "Ancestors and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery" to commemorate and pay homage to the overseas Chinese ancestors. More than 20 members, including senior overseas Chinese leader Yu Wenjin, the Phoenix Overseas Chinese Federation, Fei Ni Chinese Welfare Association, Deng Gaomi Office, Yu Fengcaitang, Kaiping Association, Chinese Restaurant Association, Rongguang Association, Taiwan Federation, Longgang Office, academic circles, Sunbird Chinese Network of Alberta and other groups participated. Everyone presented wreaths and blue flowers to the Chinese cemetery, bowed to pay tribute to the ancestors of Phoenix City, and expressed their condolences to the Chinese ancestors in the final memory.

The overseas Chinese community in Phoenix went to the "Ancestors and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery" to commemorate and pay homage to the overseas Chinese ancestors. A hundred years ago, the tombstone of Deng Xiangyuan's ancestors looked short and thin, which seemed to be a portrayal of the low historical status of the Chinese in that era. Due to the age and the fact that Deng Xiangyuan's grandchildren were adopted and adopted respectively, it was difficult for him to return to his hometown and find his relatives. He has this only tombstone left, pitying himself in the wilderness and tombs, waiting in the lonely years of history... Today, the page is finally turned. The ancestors left a precious historical and cultural heritage for the Chinese in Alberta. In the future, "the first monument in the Chinese cemetery" and Deng Xiangyuan's name will no longer be forgotten. Although the story of "Tombstone Mystery" has been written, more than 20 Chinese ancestors are still buried in the cemetery. Should we build a monument for them? I have applied to join the volunteer team at the Memorial Cemetery to facilitate this work, so that these pioneers who pioneered the earliest Chinese immigrants in Arizona can get the status and respect they deserve. (Full text completed. The article is serialized in "Phoenix Art and Literature Network" http://www.paaca.us)