Family : Fuqing

I was fortunate to be able to join a Church group to do some field work in Fujian in May 2015. The weather was not too good as it was the rainy season but we had a careful driver who was able to manage all the twists and turns in the mountain road. We did not get car sick at all.

The visit to Fuqing was amazing. My father used to tell us just a bit about his mother - how she could read English and how she helped grandfather operate machinery. Though born in Java, her ancestors came from Fuqing, not like Grandfather who was born in Minqing, more upland, in more difficult terrain.




There are actually not many Fuqing migrants in Sibu, as most of them had migrated earlier than Wong Nai Siong and the 1118 Foochows to Sibu in 1901. According to records, some Fuqing (Foochows) had reached Java in 1800!!

My recent trip to Fuqing enabled me to understand my Grandmother's ancestral land, a tiny little bit more.

We stayed the night at a good hotel and visited Shizhu Mountain early in the morning. It was a rainy day again. Shizhu Mountain is located in Honglu County in Fuqing City of Fujian Province. It is one of the 10 major tourist attractions of Fujian Province and has recently been officially listed as an intangible cultural heritage. 

It is named after its bizarre rock formations and beautiful bamboo. While there we spoke with several pilgrims and a few Taoist priests. We were told that the holy mountain welomes more than 500 thousand tourists every year. 

The mountain has 128 scenic spots, including Shizhu Temple and Lion Rock. During the Ming Dynasty traveler and geologist Xu Xia-ke visited Shizhu Mountain. He said, "The Mountain has the most bizarre rocks and is a wonderful place for dream-praying." 

The Dream Praying Hall on the mountain is a major allure for tourists. Many people dream in the hall, in order to get a sign from the gods, and often their dreams come true. The magic power has let the Shizhu Mountain being called the "Chinese Dreamland" 

Shizhu Mountain is a good showcase of tolerance in Fujian as it is home to all three dominant religions in China: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, although Taoism is the most popular. The Shizhu Temple, first built during the Tang Dynasty, is worshipped widely by Taoists. 

Many famous personalities have been to the Mountain and left their carvings and poems, including the philosopher Zhuxi of the Song Dynasty and Chen Baochen, the teacher of Emperor Puyi in the Qing Dynasty. 

The Shizhu Lake is at the foot of the Mountain. It serves as a reservoir which provides water forFuqing City and is also known as 'Carp Lake', as the island in the middle of the lake is shaped like a fish. 

The Ziyun Tower is built on the Liwei Mountain, which is on the Carp Lake opposite the ShizhuTemple. The tower is a pavilion-like granite building and was constructed during the Ming Dynasty. 

The area of Shizhu Mountain receives support from the large community of Chinese living abroad that originate from Fuqing City. 

Many pilgrims to the Mountain believe it is home to fairies. There is a saying, "No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is an enchanting fairy." 

Our team leader was given this book for reference after visiting the Qiao Lian office in Fuqing.

We were so warmly welcome by the government officials.

I wish I can find out more about my paternal grandmother's family and their descendants in China and Java.