Pearl of the Desert I Chinese Association in Arizona (2)

> Arizona Chinese Historical Association Zhang Zhaohong Yee Fong Toy Family Association…

Arizona Chinese Historical Association Zhang Zhaohong Yee Fong Toy Family Association

> Yee Fong Toy Family Association and its properties Photography by Zhang Zhaohong According to historical records, Duke Yu Jingzhong, who was regarded as the Taizu by the Yu family, was a native of Shaoguan, Guangdong in the Song Dynasty. He became a Jinshi and later became the Minister of the Ministry of Industry, and was as famous as Ouyang Xiu and others. At that time, there was a poem praising the virtuous minister Yu Jing: "There must be advisers who will serve the emperor at his right and move the court with more grace." This is the origin of the word "style" in "Yu Fengcaitang". And because there is a river in Shaoguan named "Wuxi", Yu Jing used this as his nickname and published an anthology of essays, so "Wuxi" became another nickname for Yu Fengcaitang. Yu Fengcaitang originated in China and developed overseas. More than a hundred years ago, the Yu clan in the United States established the "Yufeng Caitang" in the United States, which is a large clan organization among many overseas Chinese communities. Fei Niyu Fengcai Hall was established in 1961 and the lower hall was built in 1988. Since then, ancestor worship has continued and family reunions have been held every year. In the 1900s, Yu Kangzhong's family operated "Citi Restaurant", which was a restaurant operated by a small number of Chinese at that time. Yukang Middle School was proficient in Chinese and English, well-run, and had good political and business relations at the time. Many Yu family members who had just arrived in the port were taken in to work or helped to settle down and settle down. They were the heroes of the Fei Ni Yu family in opening the port. In the 1940s, You Yu Shanghe and Yu Yongxiang opened "Xingguang Margin", which could be called a "supermarket" at the time. "Margin" is the transliteration of "Market" in the Siyi dialect of Guangdong. There are also two warehouses opened by Yu Mingde. Yu Mingde was an active figure in the overseas Chinese community at that time and an important contributor to the establishment of the early Yu Fengcaitang. They have served the Yu clan for a long time, and without the spirit of clan rejuvenation, it is difficult to survive. During World War II, Sing Y. Yee, a soldier of the Ye family, died on the battlefield while defending his country. On September 2, 1945, Japan's surrender signing ceremony was held on the deck of the USS Missouri. A total of 11 people from the Japanese Empire boarded the Missouri and signed the "Instrument of Surrender" in front of representatives of nine countries, including China, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union. The U.S. Navy officers and soldiers witnessed the atrocities of the Japanese Empire bowing their heads and surrendering. There are 3.8 million people in all branches of the U.S. Navy, and only one in 10,000 officers and men can serve on the USS Missouri. Phoenix Yu's gunner Tom Bon Yee is one of them. He witnessed this solemn moment in history and added glory to the history of the Chinese in Alberta. In the 1950s, a Chinese school was opened in the Phoenix community. Yu Zichun, who immigrated to the United States after graduating from Lingnan University in Guangdong, became the principal of the Chinese school. At that time, Chinese children in the Philippines generally did not understand traditional Chinese culture. In order to ensure that the next generation would inherit Chinese culture and not forget the nostalgia of the motherland, Mr. Yu Zichun made a lot of contributions. In 1988, Fei Niyu Fengcai Hall decided to purchase a church hall, although it did not buy land like the Deng ancestors did to provide funding for the future construction of the hall. However, the Yu family members were very enthusiastic at that time and actively raised money for the construction of a new clubhouse. Within a week, they raised 150,000 yuan. Later, due to the expansion of the church hall, the amount of funds raised was pushed up to 230,000 yuan. Since the funds raised were enough to buy a house, not a penny of the NT$20,000 allocated by the main church was received, and was given to other clubs in greater need. Nowadays, Yu Fengcaitang generates property rental income every year and its business is booming.

When the foundation stone was laid for Yu Feng Caitang, a group of young men and women, headed by Yu Wenze and Yu Ruigun, the second generation of the Yu family, rolled up their sleeves and started planning. They started laying the floor, painting, and decorating the auditorium and kitchen equipment. The new hall was completed in a short period of time. The newly built "Yufengcaitang" is beautiful and practical. Every year, the ancestor worship in Yufengcaitang is very popular. Men, women, old and young actively participate in it. The six roast pigs donated by the tribe members are all "Taigong pork" after the ancestor worship. Everyone has a share, and the event continues year after year.

Today, the church affairs of Fei Niyu Fengcai Hall have been taken over by the middle and younger generations. Hall meetings are all held in English. The new generation respects the old overseas Chinese, develops conference affairs, and is enthusiastic about society. Nowadays, many clan organizations are worried about having fewer members and no successors, but Fei Niyu Fengcai Hall allows people to see the scene of vigorous development in which the firepower is passed down from generation to generation. The Yu family attaches great importance to cultivating the next generation. Yu Fengcaitang has issued scholarships year after year to train students whether they are studying English or Chinese. The efforts of the Yu family have come to fruition. The most famous figure in the Ye family today is Kimberly Yee, who has served as Arizona Secretary of the Treasury since 2018 and is also the first Chinese-American woman in American history to win an important public office in the state government. Among the ancestral halls of the Yu family in the United States, Fei Niyu Fengcai Hall is also a model hall. In terms of the construction of the motherland, the Fei Niyu family has a deep affection for their hometown. In order to rebuild the ancestral hall in their hometown, the head office of Yu Fengcai Hall in the United States raised more than one million, and the Fei Niyu clan donated 260,000. The Yu family is full of talented people. Yu Wenyu and Yu Wenjin have been honored with important positions in the World Yu Clan Association, and many members of the Yu family have served as presidents of the Phoenix Overseas Chinese Federation. The late Mr. Yu Wenjin was a senior overseas Chinese leader that everyone admired. The Yu family and talent have made positive contributions to mainstream society and the Phoenix Chinese community.