不孝有三，無后为大。This Chinese "slogan" led to families having lots of children, sometimes with multiple wives, just to have baby boys before 1949 in Mainland China and all over the world.
A Chinese man was often asked to marry again just to have a male heir in the past. And this led to a lot of anguish among the women, some fought against the practice, some committed suicide,some remained passive, some even join a nunnery!!
The Chinese concept of having male heirs was so paramount that mothers having given birth to baby boys must get their babies photographed in that way.
Some of these photos would bring home the father who have left them for another wife, sadly.
Some would be given as a souvenir to the Nanyang father who might have married again in a foreign south sea island and he would ever acknowledge the wife he left behind. Some would however and later, the half siblings would meet up ..
... Some might be sent to a foreign land and would never be received by the addressee.
These stories have been portrayed in movies and tv dramas.
Many of these baby photos would be the only photo used to claim an inheritance according to an aunt who later migrated to Sabah.
So the words at the back of the photo are very important. She said this "black and white" may mean an inheritance can be saved.
But today having smart phones save a lot of trouble to let the father and paternal grand parents know about the birth of a baby boy.
However, it must be noted that some boys would grow up and feel very embarrassed.
P/s apologies to this baby boy. I managed to acquire this photo from some one. I am afraid I do ot know who this baby boy is even....Foochow would say, "cannot recognise"...May God bless him...
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