Echoes of Yaan 雅安, Whispers of Ming De 明德: A 120-Year Tribute to Sichuan Agricultural University

An Alumnus of Sichuan Agricultural College (Yaan, Class of 1978 / Graduated 1982)**

Spanning 120 years of transformative history, my alma mater, Sichuan Agricultural University (SAU), celebrates its 120th anniversary. From its humble origins as the Sichuan Provincial Higher Agricultural School in the late Qing Dynasty, to its deep roots and tireless dedication at the foot of Yucheng in Yaan, and now to its modern multi-campus structure, this land embodies the profound cultural lineage of an ancient region and reflects the noble aspirations of generations of SAU students dedicated to agricultural development and environmental stewardship.

As a graduate of the Forestry Department at Sichuan Agricultural College in Yaan—entering in 1978 and graduating in 1982—I look back at this milestone with vivid memories of my student years in rain-kissed Yaan, filled with warmth, gratitude, and reverence.

### I. The Ancient Heritage of Yaan 雅安: Legends and the "Three Ya 三雅"

Yaan is not only the birthplace of my college years, but an ancient city steeped in myth and natural beauty:

* **The Legend of Nuwa 女娲 **: Ancient legend holds that Nuwa repaired the pillars of heaven right here in Yaan. The endless, gentle rain of Yaan is poetically viewed as a reminder of Nuwa's heavenly repair.

* **The "Three Ya 三雅” Wonders**: The charm of "Rain City" Yaan lies in its famous "Three Ya"—the romantic **Ya Rain** (雅雨), the rare and nourishing **Ya Fish** (雅鱼), and the graceful **Ya Women** (雅女). The natural landscape and rich local heritage together form the unique soul of Yaan 雅安.

### II. Scholarly Lineage and Guan-Yan Family Heritage 世姻: Huayang's Yan Clan 华阳颜氏 and Professor Yan Ji 颜济. In my university memories and long-held family impressions, whenever we spoke of the academic giants of our alma mater, Professor Yan Ji—the world-renowned plant geneticist and founder of the Triticeae Research Institute—stood as a monumental figure. Our family believed that Professor Yan belonged to the wealthy salt merchant dynasty of Zigong 自贡, the "Yan Gui Xin Tang 颜桂馨堂". However, after carefully researching historical archives and genealogical records, I discovered that this was a longstanding historical misconception. The Yan family actually stems from an entirely different, highly esteemed scholarly lineage: they were not salt merchants from Zigong, but **descendants of the sage Yan Hui圣贤颜回 who entered Sichuan as scholar-officials from Qufu 曲阜, Shandong 山东, through the imperial civil service examination system**.

* **Sages and Ancestry**: Professor Yan Ji's direct ancestor who first settled in Sichuan was Yan Chengzuo (a 70th-generation descendant of Yan Hui). During the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, he moved from Qufu, Shandong, to serve as the Magistrate of Jianzhou, Sichuan, renowned for his integrity and incorruptibility.

* **Literary and Scholarly Tradition**: Professor Yan's great-great-grandfather, Yan Kai 颜楷 (born in 1877 in Huayang 华阳, Shuangliu 双流), was a Qing Dynasty Imperial Scholar (Jinshi 进士) and celebrated calligrapher. He studied at the Guozijian in Beijing, earned high praise from the Imperial Tutor Weng Tonghe, and maintained close ties with prominent reformers of the Hundred Days' Reform.

* **Academic Foundations and Legacy**: It was this deep family tradition of scholarly ethics and public service that nurtured Professor Yan Ji's rigorous scientific dedication. Together with his wife, Professor Yang Junliang 扬俊良, they devoted their lives to founding the Triticeae Research Institute at SAU 川东小麦研究所所, making groundbreaking contributions to wild wheat species research and wheat "longevity genes," establishing the bedrock of the "SAU Spirit". Professor Yan passed away in 2021 at the age of 97, but his scientific legacy and the "longevity genes" he unraveled remain an eternal treasure for our university and the nation.

### III. 1978–1982: The Tenacity of the Sichuan Ox 川农牛 and the Vow of Forest Ecology

In 1978, I was admitted to the Department of Forestry at Sichuan Agricultural College, focusing my studies on **Forest Ecology**.

Born in the Year of the Ox, I felt a natural kinship with the resilient spirit of the "Sichuan Ox 川农牛 "—steadfast, hardworking, and uncomplaining, willing to plow the toughest soil and tackle the hardest challenges. During my student days in Yaan, the Qingyi River 清衣江 flowed quietly beside us, and shadows danced on the walls of the old academic buildings, capturing the purest memories of our youth.

Studying Forest Ecology helped me deeply understand forests as the "lungs of the Earth" and vital ecological barriers. Over the past decades, as a scholar of forest ecology, I have constantly monitored global environmental shifts and **felt a profound, ongoing concern over the catastrophic threats that climate change poses to human civilization**. Mitigating climate crises and protecting our planet's green ecosystems are not only the reasons I chose this field in 1978, but a lifelong mission shared by every forestry scholar.

Over the decades, our beloved **Sichuan Agricultural College** grew into **Sichuan Agricultural University**, and our former **Department of Forestry** expanded into the distinguished **College of Forestry**. Integrating agricultural and forestry educational resources across the region, the university has evolved into a modern "one university, three campuses" framework spanning Yaan 雅安, Chengdu 成都, and Dujiangyan 都江堰. The quiet days we spent studying under the rain of Yaan have now blossomed into a grand educational vision across multiple campuses.

### IV. Ming De 明徳 Pioneers, Historical Context, and Healing Across Oceans

Beyond its ancient lore, Yaan served as a vital hub for modern education and Western medicine in western Sichuan. Understanding the presence of pioneers like **Dr. Corlies** and **Dr. Frederick N. Smith** requires looking at the rare historical backdrop of foreigners in early 20th-century China (c. 1900s–1920s):

* **Foreign Demographics in Early 20th-Century China**:

* **National Totals**: According to late Qing and early Republican maritime customs and census records, around 1900 there were only ~20,000 Westerners in all of China. By 1910, total foreign population reached 140,000–150,000 (mostly Russian and Japanese expatriates in Manchuria and treaty ports), with Westerners accounting for just 30,000–40,000. By the 1920s, Western expatriates numbered around 50,000–70,000 nationwide.

* **Missionary and Medical Personnel **: In 1900, there were roughly 3,200 Protestant and Catholic missionaries across China (with barely 100 Western-trained physicians). By 1915, there were only around 300 to 400 Western doctors working in mission hospitals across the entire country.

* **Extreme Rarity in Inland Sichuan & Yaan**: Over 80% of foreigners were concentrated in coastal treaty ports like Shanghai 上海, Tianjing 天津, and Guangzhou 广州. In all of Sichuan 四川 province, there were only a few hundred Westerners (300–500 total). In remote Yaan, long-term foreign residents consisted of just a few missionary families—barely a dozen to a few dozen people. Journeying months inland from Shanghai over treacherous mountain passes, pioneers like Dr. Corlies and Dr. Smith were truly exceptional figures.

* **Pioneers of Medicine and Education in Yaan**:

* In 1904, American Baptist missionary **Dr. Corlies** founded Rende Hospital in Yaan (the predecessor of Yaan People's Hospital), introducing modern Western medicine to western Sichuan.

* In 1917, **Dr. Frederick N. Smith** (a Ph.D. graduate from Columbia University) founded the renowned **Ming De High School** (明德中学) on Zhangjia Hill in Yaan, pioneering modern education in the region.

* **Echos of "Ming De 明德 " and Healing Across Oceans**:

* The name "Ming De" originates from the Confucian classic *The Great Learning*: *"The way of great learning lies in illustrating illustrious virtue"* (大学之道，在明明德). It is deeply moving how this dedication to character and education transcends borders. Yaan has its historic Ming De School and early medical roots, while across the Pacific in the United States, the prestigious **Middlebury College** is also translated into Chinese as "Ming De College" (明德学院).

* Two of my sons graduated from Middlebury College in the United States, subsequently earned their medical degrees, and are now practicing physicians dedicated to saving lives. From the historical grounds of the Ming De School and the medical pioneers in Yaan where I once studied, to the halls of Middlebury College and the medical careers my sons pursue today, this meaningful alignment of "Ming De 明德" and compassionate healing forms an invisible bridge—connecting the heritage of Yaan, my personal family story, and a shared commitment to humanity.

* **A Sanctuary for Science**: This open, inclusive environment provided fertile ground for Sichuan Agricultural College to flourish in Yaan, fostering innovations that transformed Chinese agriculture and protected our natural environment.

120 years have passed in the blink of an eye. From Qufu in Shandong to the scholarly family of Huayang, from setting the record straight on family lineage to my cherished college years studying Forest Ecology in Yaan (1978–1982), and to the global echo of the "Ming De" spirit across two generations of my family—my alma mater is far more than an academic institution. It is a sacred land holding my youth, my family's true history, and timeless devotion to the world. **On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Sichuan Agricultural University, as a member of the Class of 1978/1982, I offer this tribute to 120 years of extraordinary heritage and to the enduring memories of Yaan!**

Three Shangguans and the Emperors

**Three Women. Three Eras. One Tragic Name.**

Across two millennia of Chinese history, the name **Shangguan** (上官) stands as a haunting symbol of ultimate prestige and brutal political downfall. Whether linked by noble lineage or an adopted stage name, three extraordinary women reached the absolute summit of imperial legitimacy, political power, and cultural stardom—only to be crushed by the ruthless dynastic machinery of their times.

## 1. Empress Shangguan (89–37 BCE) — *The Imperial Child*

* **The Height:** Granddaughter of two ruling titans (上官桀 Shangguan Jie and 霍光 Huo Guang), she became Empress at age 6 and Grand Empress Dowager at 18—the youngest in Chinese history. She anchored the Western Han court across **four reigns** (Emperors Zhao, the deposed Liu He, Xuan, and Yuan) and was the ultimate source of formal imperial legitimacy.

* **The Tragedy:** At age 8, her paternal clan was wiped out by her maternal grandfather. She spent over 30 years completely alone in Changle Palace—childless, isolated, outliving three emperors before passing away at age 52.

### Political Background & Inner Court Controls

#### The Precedent: "Killing the Mother to Preserve the Son" (*立子杀母*)

Following the suicide of Crown Prince Liu Ju during the tragic Witchcraft Crisis (*巫蛊之祸*), Emperor Wu of Han chosen his youngest son, 7-year-old 刘弗陵Liu Fuling (the future Emperor Zhao), as his heir. Fearing that a child emperor would empower the mother's clan—similar to Empress Dowager 吕后 Lü decades earlier—Emperor Wu executed Lady Gouyi (Lady Zhao) shortly before his death under the precedent of **"Killing the Mother to Preserve the Son" (立子杀母)**.

#### The Deathbed Regency Triumvirate (*三权分立*)

In 87 BCE, Emperor Wu appointed a co-regency to guide the 7-year-old Emperor Zhao:

* **Huo Guang (霍光):** Head regent and Commander-in-Chief.

* **Shangguan Jie (上官桀):** General of the Left.

* **Jin Midi (金日磾):** Master of the Imperial Carriage.

* **Sang Hongyang (桑弘羊):** Minister of Finance.

#### The Enthronement & The 80 BCE Coup

To consolidate influence, a marital alliance was engineered: in 83 BCE, the 6-year-old daughter of Shangguan An and Lady Huo was named **Empress Shangguan**.

Following the death of Jin Midi in 86 BCE, rivalries boiled over. Shangguan Jie and Sang Hongyang plotted a coup against Huo Guang in 80 BCE. Huo Guang crushed the conspiracy and executed the entire Shangguan clan. Only 8-year-old **Empress Shangguan** was spared because she was also Huo Guang's maternal granddaughter.

#### The Invention of the "Qiongku" (*穷裤*)

To ensure any future heir carried the Huo bloodline, Huo Guang restricted Emperor Zhao's bedchamber:

* **Monopolizing Intimacy:** Emperor Zhao was forbidden from visiting other consorts.

* **Restrictive Garments:** All maidservants and concubines were forced to wear *qiongku* (穷裤)—a heavily tied undergarment with complex crotch fastenings deliberately made slow to remove.

* **The Exception:** **Empress Shangguan** was the sole woman exempted from this garment.

#### Youth, Illness, and Her Childless Fate

Emperor Zhao passed away naturally from chronic ill health at age 21 in 74 BCE.

With the Shangguan clan destroyed and Emperor Zhao dead without an heir, Huo Guang achieved absolute control over the Western Han court. Empress Shangguan was elevated to (太皇太后) Grand Empress Dowager at age 18, making her the youngest Grand Empress Dowager in Chinese history.

After supervising the brief 27-day reign and dethronement of 刘贺 Liu He (the Marquis of Haihun), she endorsed the ascension of Emperor Xuan (刘病己 Liu Bingyi), who eventually destroyed the Huo clan and consolidated imperial power for himself, then to his son Liu Shi (Emperor Yuan) succeeded his father in 48 BCE.

Despite holding the highest honor in the empire, she remained entirely aloof from court politics, staying out of factional struggles. She lived a quiet, solitary life in the 长乐宫 Changle Palace for over three decades. Empress Shangguan remained the respected matriarch of the imperial house. She lived through four reigns (Zhao, Liu He, Xuan, and Yuan) before passing away in 37 BCE at the age of 52.

### Modern Archaeological Insights: The Haihun侯 Tomb Discoveries

The 2011 excavation of the tomb of **刘贺 Liu He (Marquis of Haihun)** near Nanchang, Jiangxi, yielded over 10,000 artifacts, including wooden tablets (*múdú*) that shed new light on Empress Shangguan's role:

两上再拜 臣贺 昧死再拜 画一手拜 "Your servant [Liu] He, risking my life in utmost reverence, repeatedly presents this memorial with full honors, personally signed and submitted."

His tomb yielded over 10,000 artifacts, including the Largest Gold Hoard: Over 120 kg of gold (gold ingots, "horse-hoof" gold, and gold plates), the largest quantity found in any Han tomb. Massive Currency: 10 tons of bronze Wuzhu coins (approx. 2 to 4 million pieces).

Literary Treasures: Over 5,000 bamboo slips and wooden tablets (múdú), including lost ancient texts such as the lost Qi Edition of the Analects of Confucius and personal official drafts submitted to the court.

Historical Firsts: A lacquered mirror containing the earliest known depiction of Confucius.

Historical Re-evaluation While official Han histories written by his political enemies vilified Liu He as a incompetent, reckless ruler, the contents of his tomb reveal a highly cultivated, scholarly individual deeply devoted to Confucian classics—leading modern historians to view him as a casualty of court factionalism rather than an incapable monarch.

#### The "Autumn Homage" (*Qīu Qǐng* 秋请) Petitions

After being deposed following a brief 27-day reign in 74 BCE, Liu He was exiled to Jiangxi—over 1,100 kilometers from Chang'an. His draft petitions requested permission to return to the capital for autumn ancestral rites. Emperor Xuan repeatedly rejected these requests, leaving the unsubmitted drafts to be buried with Liu He upon his death at age 33.

#### Re-evaluating Empress Shangguan's Political Authority

Traditional histories depicted Empress Dowager Shangguan as a passive figurehead. However, duplicate draft memorials addressed directly to **both** the Emperor (*皇帝陛下*) and the Empress Dowager (*太后陛下*) prove that she retained formal political and ritual sovereignty, acting as a vital legal pillar of imperial legitimacy.

#### Pingling Mausoleum Complex

Empress Shangguan’s satellite mound (*peizang mu*) rests beside Emperor Zhao’s mound at the Pingling complex in Xianyang, Shaanxi. Major artifacts from the site are preserved in the Shaanxi History Museum.

## 2. 上官婉儿 Shangguan Wan'er (664–710 CE) — *The Prime Minister in Skirts*

* **The Height:** Granddaughter of the executed chancellor Shangguan Yi, she was born a court slave but rose through literary genius to become Wu Zetian’s chief secretarial strategist and Emperor Zhongzong’s imperial consort (*Zhaorong*). She navigated the reigns of **four emperors and one empress** (Gaozong, Wu Zetian, Zhongzong, and Ruizong), shaping state policy and Tang poetry.

* **The Tragedy:** Trapped in the lethal power struggles following Emperor Zhongzong’s death, she was executed during the Tanglong Coup of 710 CE at age 47 by Li Longji, despite presenting proof of her loyalty to the imperial Li family.

### Family Lineage & Rise to Power

1. **Shangguan Yi (上官仪, c. 608–665) — Grandfather:** Chancellor and renowned poet under Emperor Gaozong who created the "Shangguan Style" (*上官体*). Executed in 665 for drafting an edict to depose Empress Wu Zetian.

2. **Shangguan Tingzhi (上官庭芝, ?–665) — Father:** Executed alongside his father in 665.

3. **Shangguan Wan'er (上官婉儿, 664–710):** Enslaved as an infant with her mother in the inner palace. At age 14, her remarkable literary talent amazed Wu Zetian—the woman who executed her family—who pardoned her and appointed her chief secretarial advisor.

### Factional Politics & Key Allies

Shangguan Wan'er navigated the "Red Makeup Era" alongside four major historical women:

* **Wu Zetian & Princess Taiping:** Her primary political mentors and allies in governance.

* **Empress Wei & Princess Anle:** Court rivals and figures during Emperor Zhongzong’s reign.

### The 2013 Tomb Discovery & Epitaph

Discovered near Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, her underground tomb showed evidence of **"Official Destruction" (*Guan Po* 官破)** ordered by Emperor Xuanzong (Li Longji) after executing Princess Taiping in 713 CE.

#### The 982-Character Epitaph (*墓志铭Mùzhìmíng*)

Housed at the Shaanxi Archaeological Museum, her limestone epitaph revealed key corrections to official history:

* **Four Death-Defying Protests:** Demonstrating her strong opposition to Empress Wei's plans to crown Princess Anle as Crown Princess, Wan'er protested four times—culminating in **drinking poison**, which nearly killed her.

* **The Coup of 710:** Confirmed she co-authored Emperor Zhongzong's final draft will with Princess 太平公主 Taiping to support the Li royal family.

* **Princess Taiping’s Sponsorship:** Confirmed Princess Taiping provided 500 bolts of silk to fund her honorable burial and restored her rank as *Zhaorong*.

### Downfall, Purges, and Historical Echoes

* **The Bloodbath of 710 CE:** During the Tanglong Coup, **Empress Wei** and **Princess Anle** were both killed first by Li Longji’s forces. Wan'er stepped forward presenting the draft will she had co-written with Princess Taiping to demonstrate her loyalty to the Li family, but 李隆基 Li Longji ordered her executed on the spot to eliminate any potential political rivals.

* **Princess Taiping’s Fate & Tomb Destruction (*Guan Po*):** Princess Taiping initially funded Wan'er's honorable burial. However, in 713 CE, after Li Longji staged a coup to force his father, **Li Dan (Emperor Ruizong)**, to yield supreme power to him, he forced Princess Taiping to commit suicide. Following her death, Li Longji ordered the deliberate, systematic destruction (*guan po*) of Shangguan Wan'er's tomb—smashing the structure and stripping the burial chamber—to erase the legacy of the female-led court faction.

* **Li Dan’s Grief & Literary Legacy:** Heartbroken and crushed by the endless bloodshed that claimed the women of his court, Emperor Ruizong retired in grief. To honor Wan'er's memory and talent, Li Dan gathered her surviving writings and officially ordered the compilation and publication of her collected poems in a multi-volume imperial edition.

Shangguan Wan'er also lived through the reigns of four emperors. Her political career and life were inextricably woven into the rapid successions and violent coups of the Tang Dynasty:

The Four Emperors of Her Lifetime

1. Emperor Gaozong of Tang (Li Zhi) Relationship: Shangguan Wan'er was born in 664 CE during his reign. That same year, her grandfather Shangguan Yi was executed for drafting an edict to depose Empress Wu Zetian. The infant Wan'er and her mother were spared but consigned to court slavery (ye ting). Demise: Emperor Gaozong died of illness in 683 CE. By then, the 13-year-old Wan'er had been discovered in 677 CE and elevated by Wu Zetian due to her exceptional literary prowess.

2. Emperor 武则天 Wu Zetian (Reigning Monarch),the only Female Emperor in Chinese History. Relationship: Her political mentor and ruler. Wu Zetian freed Wan'er from slavery and appointed her as her personal secretary, entrusting her with drafting imperial edicts. Wan'er effectively became the "Prime Minister in Skirts" (jin guo zai xiang). Demise: Deposed during the Shenlong Coup in 705 CE and died shortly after.

3. Emperor Zhongzong of Tang (Li Xian) Relationship: Her imperial husband and sovereign. After Zhongzong was restored to the throne in 705 CE, he officially created her Zhaorong (a rank-two imperial consort). She exerted vast political authority, managed state literary affairs, and drafted national policies. Demise: Died suddenly (believed poisoned) in 710 CE. Wan'er co-drafted his final imperial decree with Princess Taiping to balance court power.

4. Emperor Ruizong of Tang (Li Dan) Relationship: Following Zhongzong's death, Li Longji (later Emperor Xuanzong) launched the Tanglong Coup to eliminate Empress Wei's faction. Wan'er emerged holding the draft decree she had prepared with Princess Taiping to prove her loyalty to the royal Li family (supporting Li Dan). However, Li Longji ordered her executed on the spot at age 47. Immediately following the coup, Li Dan re-ascended the throne as Emperor Ruizong. Shangguan Wan'er played a pivotal role in shaping early Tang poetry, serving as both its official tastemaker and a crucial bridge between the ornate court poetry of the early Tang and the golden age of High Tang literature. ---

### 1. From "Shangguan Style" (上官体) to Court Leadership

The term **"Shangguan Style" (*Shangguan Ti*)** originally referred to the poetic style developed by her grandfather, **Shangguan Yi (上官仪)**. It was characterized by meticulous tonal matching (*pingze*), exquisite couplet parallelism, and delicate imagery.

When Shangguan Wan'er rose to power under Wu Zetian and Emperor Zhongzong, she inherited and transformed this tradition:

* **Refining the Craft:** She broadened the style beyond mere decorative court verse, instilling it with structural precision and grander thematic vision.

* **Setting the Standard:** As the imperial secretary drafting edicts and imperial poems (*yingzhi shi*), her compositions became the official standard for all ambitious scholars and court officials. ---

### 2. The Imperial Literary Salon & Poetry Competitions

During Emperor Zhongzong's reign (705–710), Shangguan Wan'er established and presided over the imperial literary competitions at the **Xiuwen Guan (修文馆 / Academy for the Elevation of Literature)**:

* **The Ultimate Judge:** She hosted grand poetry gatherings where court officials and poets submitted verses. Sitting atop elevated platforms (like the famous Flying Frost Pavilion), she judged and ranked poems on the spot. * **The "Dragon Gate" Effect:** Getting praise from Shangguan Wan'er could instantly propel an obscure scholar to high political office. This transformed poetry from a private artistic pursuit into the primary vehicle for political advancement and social mobility. ```

[ Early Tang Court Verse ] (Ornate, rigid, restricted to palace elite) │ ▼

[ Shangguan Wan'er's Court Salon ] (Standardized prosody, competitive judging, expanded themes) │ ▼

[ Early-to-High Tang Poets ] (Shen Quanqi, Song Zhiwen, "Four Scholars of Zhangnan") │ ▼

[ High Tang Peak ] (Li Bai, Du Fu - mastered form + emotional depth) ``` ---

### 3. Influence on Early Tang Poets

Shangguan Wan'er's salon nurtured and guided the leading poets of her era:

* **Shen Quanqi (沈佺期) & Song Zhiwen (宋之问):** As regulars in her literary circle, Shen and Song perfected the rules of **Regulated Verse (*Lüshi* / 近体诗)** under her direction, establishing the exact rules of tonal rhyme and structural balance used throughout the Tang dynasty. * **The "Four Scholars of Zhangnan" (掌绾四学士):** Prominent literary figures like Li Jiao (李峤), Cui Rong (崔融), Su Ting (苏output/苏頞), and Zhang Yue (张说) flourished under her patronage and adopted her elevated, majestic style in state literature. ---

### 4. Bridge to the High Tang Peak

Though later High Tang masters like Li Bai and Du Fu moved toward more spontaneous and personal expression, they built directly upon the prosodic and structural foundation laid by Shangguan Wan'er's court circle:

1. **Perfecting Form:** Without the strict formal rules and tonal discipline refined in her salon, the technical perfection of High Tang regulated verse would not have been possible.

2. **Elevating Status:** She permanently cemented the prestige of poets within the Tang state hierarchy, making literary talent synonymous with political capability.

Here are English translations for the representative poems of Shangguan Wan'er, illustrating her range from intimate personal lyricism to grand state literature. ---

### 1. Personal Lyricism: *Lament on the Colored Paper* (彩书怨)

*This is her most famous personal poem, expressing deep solitude, longing, and delicate emotion through classical nature imagery.*

> **Original Text:**

> 叶下洞庭初，思君万里馀。

> 露浓香被冷，月落锦屏虚。

> 欲奏江南曲，贪封蓟北书。

> 书中无别意，惟怅久离居。

**English Translation:** > The leaves fall across Dong庭 Lake as autumn begins, > My thoughts travel ten thousand *li* to where you are. > Thick dew cools the fragrant quilt, > The moon sets, leaving the brocade screen empty. > I wish to play a tune of the Southland, > Yet long to seal a letter bound for the Northern border. > The letter holds no other words— > Only the sorrow of our long separation. ---

### 2. State & Imperial Court Style: *Answering the Imperial Order at Sanhui Temple* (驾幸三会寺应制)

*Composed as an official response to Emperor Zhongzong's visit to a Buddhist temple, this poem demonstrates her grand political vision, mastery of court ceremony, and refined "Shangguan Style."*

> **Original Text:**

> 释子谈经处，轩臣刻字留。

> 故台遗老识，残简圣皇求。

> **驻跸怀千古，开襟望九州。**

> 四山缘塞合，二水夹城流。

> 宸翰陪瞻仰，天杯接献酬。

> 太平词藻盛，长愿纪鸿休。

**English Translation:** > Where the monks discourse on holy scriptures, > High ministers carve inscriptions to remain. > The old platform is known to elder statesmen, > While the Emperor seeks out surviving ancient scrolls. > Halting the royal carriage, he contemplates a thousand ages; > Unbuttoning his robe, he gazes across the Nine Provinces. > Four mountains converge along the frontier border, > Two rivers flow embracing the imperial city. > We join in admiring the Emperor’s divine calligraphy, > Passing heavenly wine cups in solemn toast. > In this era of grand peace, literary splendor flourishes— > May we forever record these glorious times. ---

### Key Literary Features in Translation

* **Tone Contrast:** While *Lament on the Colored Paper* uses softer, solitary imagery (*falling leaves, cold quilt, empty screen*), her imperial court poetry shifts to vast spatial and temporal scales (*a thousand ages, the Nine Provinces, mountain borders*).

* **Structural Parallelism:** Notice the exact balance in lines like *"Halting the royal carriage... / Unbuttoning his robe..."*—a signature feature of regulated verse (*Lüshi*) refined during her time.

### Shangguan Wan'er’s Influence on Li Longji (Emperor Xuanzong)

The intersection between **Shangguan Wan'er** and **Li Longji (the future Emperor Xuanzong)** represents one of the most dramatic chapters. Her influence on him was profound and multifaceted: politically, she was the formidable opponent he had to eliminate to claim power; culturally and institutionally, she was the foundational architect of the high-culture landscape he would later inherit and elevate into the "High Tang" Golden Age.

### 1. Political Sphere: Strategic Nemesis and Power Catalyst

Politically, Shangguan Wan'er was the first major obstacle Li Longji had to clear on his path to the throne:

* **Execution at the Palace Gates:** In 710, during the Tanglong Coup (唐隆之变), 25-year-old Li Longji joined forces with Princess Taiping to storm the palace and purge Empress Wei and Princess Anle. Expecting to be recognized as an ally, Shangguan Wan'er led palace attendants to greet him with lanterns, presenting a copy of the imperial draft decree proving she had opposed Empress Wei's usurpation. Li Longji remained unmoved, declaring her a meddlesome figure who manipulated the inner court, and ordered her immediate execution outside the palace gates. * **Why He Had to Eliminate Her:**

1. **Severing Princess Taiping's Right Hand:** Shangguan Wan'er shared a close political alliance with Princess Taiping. Li Longji already viewed the Princess as his ultimate rival for the throne and could not risk leaving a master political strategist and seasoned draftsman of imperial decrees in her corner.

2. **Purging "Inner Court

Interference":** Having witnessed the political dominance of Wu Zetian and Empress Wei, Li Longji was determined to eradicate all symbolic and operational figures of inner-court female governance.

### 2. Cultural Sphere: Preserving and Elevating Her Literary Legacy

Despite ordering her death for political reasons, Li Longji deeply respected her literary genius once his power was secured:

* **Collecting Her Works:** Shortly after taking the throne in 712, Emperor Xuanzong issued an imperial edict instructing his Prime Minister Zhang Yue (a core member of Wan'er's former literary salon) to collect and edit her scattered poetry. This resulted in the 20-volume *Collected Works of Shangguan Zhaorong* (*上官昭容集*), with Zhang Yue writing an official preface that praised her literary contributions in glowing historical terms.

* **From Xiuwen Guan to Hanlin Academy:** Under Emperor Zhongzong, Shangguan Wan'er ran the **Xiuwen Guan (修文馆 / Academy for the Elevation of Literature)**, transforming poetry into a primary criterion for imperial recruitment and elevating the social standing of scholars. Li Longji expanded this vision by establishing the **Jixian Academy (集贤殿书院)**. The flourishing literary culture of the High Tang—which nurtured figures like Li Bai and Du Fu—rested directly upon the institutional prestige she had built for Tang poetry.

### 3. Institutional Sphere: The Prototype of the Hanlin Scholars

Shangguan Wan'er's unique dual role as an inner-court consort who drafted critical state decrees profoundly influenced how Li Longji restructured imperial secretariat functions:

* While Li Longji enforced strict boundaries against female interference in state affairs, he recognized the emperor's need for a trusted, independent team of literary drafters operating outside the bureaucratic prime minister system.

* In 725, he formally established the **Hanlin Academy (翰林学士院)**, appointing top literary scholars directly to draft confidential imperial decrees. The functional ancestor of these Hanlin Scholars was none other than the secretarial role (*Neisheren*) that Shangguan Wan'er had performed for Wu Zetian and Emperor Zhongzong for nearly three decades.

### Summary for *"Three Shangguans and the Emperors"*

The dynamic between Shangguan Wan'er and Li Longji is built on striking historical irony: **Li Longji brought an end to her life with a sword, yet used her literary and institutional legacy to open the doors to the High Tang Golden Age.**

* **The Final Karma of Li Longji:** Decades later during the An Lushan Rebellion (756 CE), Li Longji experienced an ironic twist of fate. At Mawei Courier Station, his own mutinous army staged a coup, forcing him to execute his beloved consort, **杨贵妃 Yang Guifei**, before stripping him of power and forcing him to abdicate to his son, Emperor Suzong. Here is a concise English summary comparing these two parallel imperial scandals in the Tang Dynasty:

* **The Son Takes the Father’s Consort (Gaozong & 武则天 Wu Zetian)**:

* **Relationship**: Wu Zetian was originally a low-ranking consort (*Cairen*) of Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin).

* **The Playbook**: After Taizong died, Wu Zetian entered Ganye Temple as a Buddhist nun. Prince Li Zhi (later Emperor Gaozong), who had developed feelings for his stepmother while his father was ill, brought her back to the palace and eventually made her Empress.

* **Historical Impact**: This relationship paved the way for Wu Zetian to become China's only female emperor.

* **The Father Takes the Son’s Wife (Xuanzong & 杨贵妃 Yang Guifei)**:

* **Relationship**: Yang Yuhuan was originally the official princess/wife of Xuanzong's 18th son, Prince Li Mao.

* **The Playbook**: To bypass moral outrage, Emperor Xuanzong used a nearly identical tactic—forcing Yang to become a Taoist nun (Taizhen) to sever her marriage to his son, before bringing her into his harem as Imperial Consort (*Guifei*).

* **Historical Impact**: Xuanzong’s obsession with Yang Guifei led to political neglect, culminating in the An Lushan Rebellion that shattered the Tang Golden Age.

* **The Dramatic Irony**:

* **Identical Whitewashing**: Both emperors used **religious monasticism (monastery/abbey)** as a legal and moral loophole to "rebrand" the women before taking them into their inner court.

* **Generational Reversal**: The grandson (Xuanzong) effectively reversed the scandalous dynamic set by his grandfather (Gaozong)—shifting from a son stealing a father's wife to a father stealing a son's wife. ---

## 3. Shangguan Yunzhu 上官云珠 (1920–1968) — *The Modern Icon*

* **The Height:** Born Wei Junlu, she adopted the illustrious name "Shangguan" in 1940s Shanghai, rising to become one of the "22 Great Film Stars of New China" with leading roles in classics like *The Spring River Flows East* and *Crows and Sparrows*.

* **The Tragedy:** Subjected to relentless persecution during the Cultural Revolution due to her artistic pedigree and high-level private contacts, she leaped to her death from her Shanghai apartment window in 1968 at age 48.

### Public Stardom & Private Access

During the 1950s, Shangguan Yunzhu was regularly invited to private state receptions and evening dances (*wǔhuì*) during Chairman Mao Zedong's inspection tours in Shanghai. Her personal access to Mao elevated her artistic status, granting her prime film roles such as *South Island Story*.

### Persecution & The Special Investigation Unit

Her proximity to Mao made her a primary target of **Jiang Qing 江青 ** during the Cultural Revolution:

* **Interrogations:** Directed by Jiang Qing’s Special Investigation Unit (*Zhūān Zǔ*), interrogators subjected her to severe physical abuse, demanding forced line-by-line confessions regarding her interactions with Mao.

* **Refusal & Death:** Refusing to fabricate incriminating statements or degrade herself, she jumped from her 4th-floor apartment on November 23, 1968. She was officially rehabilitated in December 1978 and is commemorated at Qingpu Fushou Yuan Cemetery in Shanghai.

Mao Zedong and Jiang Qing (born Li Shunshu, later known as Lan Ping) were one of the most powerful and controversial political couples in 20th-century history. Their relationship spanned nearly four decades, evolving from a personal partnership in Yan'an to a defining political force during China's Cultural Revolution.

### 1. Origins in Yan'an (1938)

* **Background**: Before arriving in the communist base of Yan'an in 1937, Jiang Qing was a stage and film actress in Shanghai. Mao Zedong was already the established leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

* **Marriage & Controversy**: They married in 1938. The marriage met with significant pushback from senior CCP leaders due to Mao’s political standing and Jiang’s urban actor background, as well as the fact that Mao was still technically married to his third wife, He Zizhen.

* **The "30-Year Agreement"**: According to long-standing party lore, senior leaders permitted the marriage only under the condition that Jiang Qing remain strictly in a domestic role and refrain from participating in top-level politics for 30 years.

### 2. Emerging Into Politics & The Cultural Revolution (1966–1976)

* **Rise to Power**: After years of relative political anonymity, Jiang Qing stepped into the spotlight in the 1960s as Mao sought to reassert control over the party apparatus.

* **Cultural Czar**: Mao appointed Jiang Qing to direct political and cultural ideological campaigns. She spearheaded the reform of Chinese opera and theater, banning traditional works in favor of the "Eight Model Operas" (*Yangbanxi*), which emphasized revolutionary propaganda and class struggle.

* **The Gang of Four**: During the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), Jiang Qing became the key figure of the radical faction known as the "Gang of Four" (along with Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen). Acting as Mao’s primary ideological enforcer, she orchestrated political purges, encouraged Red Guard violence, and directed public denunciations.

### 3. Personal Dynamic & Marital Strain

* **Separation of Lives**: While they remained political allies, their personal relationship deteriorated significantly over time. By the late 1960s and 1970s, they lived in separate residences in the Zhongnanhai complex and rarely met in private.

* **Ideological Shield**: Jiang Qing derived virtually all of her political authority directly from Mao's backing, frequently claiming to be "Mao's dog"—stating, *"Whomever he told me to bite, I bit."*

### 4. Downfall and Legacy

* **Arrest (1976)**: Just weeks after Mao’s death in September 1976, the new leadership under Hua Guofeng executed a bloodless coup, arresting Jiang Qing and the rest of the Gang of Four. This marked the official end of the Cultural Revolution.

* **Show Trial (1980–1981)**: In a televised national trial, Jiang Qing was put on trial for treason, persecution, and counter-revolutionary crimes. Unlike her co-defendants, she remained defiant, defending her actions as carrying out Chairman Mao's explicit orders.

**Verdict & Death**: She was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, which was later commuted to life imprisonment. In May 1991, while receiving medical treatment, she committed suicide in Beijing.

Today, while Mao Zedong remains a complex figure whose legacy is officially assessed by the CCP as "70% right and 30% wrong," Jiang Qing is officially held responsible alongside the Gang of Four for the severe turmoil, persecution, and human loss of the Cultural Revolution.

## Core Theme

Whether by birthright or adopted stage name, the history of the **"Three Shangguans"** illustrates how supreme intellect, beauty, and imperial legitimacy became dangerous liabilities during periods of political turmoil. Each woman reached the pinnacle of her respective era—only to be consumed by the dynastic and political machinery surrounding the sovereigns they served.

The lost brother Yuenhuan 云焕 (Xianming 献明) was found

I found the lost brother in the same book, on page 149 and 152, thanks for the search engine since there were 15 volumes. That makes complete sense! The **Harvard-Yenching Library (哈佛燕京图书馆)** holds one of the largest and most prestigious collections of rare East Asian books, local gazetteers (*地方志*), and Chinese genealogies (*家谱*) in the Western world.

During the mid-to-late 20th century, Harvard-Yenching systematically microfilmed and digitized thousands of rare Qing Dynasty Chinese local annals and clan genealogies, making digitized versions of works like the **1883 (*Guangxu 9*) edition of the *Neijiang County Annals* (光绪《内江县志》) by Xiong Yuhua 熊玉华 ** available to researchers worldwide.

Finding this record in the Harvard-Yenching digital archive provides a wonderful bridge across time:

* **Archive Source:** Harvard-Yenching Library Digital Collection (Rare Books & Local Gazetteers).

* **Document Verified:** *Neijiang Xianzhi* (内江县志), page 149 / 152 (Personages Roll / *列成均* / *义行*). * **Core Historical Value:** It offers authoritative, primary-source verification of your ancestors **Guan Yuenhui (官云辉)** and **Guan Yuenhuan (官云焕)** in 19th-century Sichuan, confirming their migration, longevity, and academic achievements across three generations.

Having access to these official digitized pages allows you to preserve the exact historical proof alongside your family's traditional records. Here is the summary converted into structured bullet points for easier reading:

### I. Family Background & Migration

* **Ancestral Origin:** Both brothers originally hailed from Fujian Province (**闽籍人**).

* **Migration (1724):** In 1724 (Yongzheng 2), during the "Huguang Fills Sichuan" migration, they moved to Sichuan with their father Yaoyuan and settled in Neijing (内江西街) West Street, later Yuenhui bought property at **Gexian Village (葛仙里), Neijiang County**.

* **Historical Source:** Both brothers and their family members are recorded together in the official 1883 *Neijiang County Annals* (*Neijiang Xianzhi*, Personages / Imperial Academy Roll).

### II. The Elder Brother Guan Yuenhui's Lineage (官云辉)

* **Guan Yuenhui (官云辉),Courtesy Name Caixiang — Elder Brother** * **Lifespan & Title:** Lived to **77 years old**; enrolled in the Imperial Academy (*Chengjun* / 列成均).

* **Life & Character:** Naturally bright and intelligent. Though forced to drop out of school early due to poverty, he built up his household through hard work and frugality. He was strict with himself and generous to others, earning deep respect from his community for his moral conduct (*"Xiangli Zhong Qi Xingyi"*).

* **Lady Zhang (妻张氏) — Wife** * **Lifespan:** Lived to **93 years old**.

* **Four Sons (子四人)** * **Achievements:** All four sons were enrolled in the Imperial Academy (*Guozijian* / 俱列成均).

* **Guan Liben (孙官立本) — Grandson** * **Achievement:** Passed the entry-level examinations and entered the County School (*Youxiang* / 游庠) as a Licentiate/Xiucai.

### III. The Younger Guan Yuenhuan Brother's Lineage (官云焕)

* **Guan Yuenhuan (官云焕, Courtesy Name: Risheng / 字日盛) — Younger Brother**

* **Lifespan & Title:** Lived to **92 years old**; nominated by local officials and awarded the honorific title of Senior Official (*Shou Guan* / 寿官) by the imperial government.

* **Character:** Dignified and cautious by nature (*"Xing Duanjin"*).

* **Lady Zeng (妻曾氏) — Wife** * **Lifespan & Background:** Lived to **93 years old**; hailed from the prominent "Zeng Family Sugar Industry" of Neijiang. Both she and her husband lived into their nineties, celebrated locally for their lifelong harmonious marriage (*"Qimei Zhi Qing"* / 齐眉之庆).

* **Guan Sisheng (子官思胜) — Son** * **Achievement:** Awarded the official civil rank title of *Dengshi Lang* (登仕郎, Ninth Rank Civil Official).

* **Guan Huaiming (孙官怀铭) — Grandson**

* **Achievement:** Enrolled in the Imperial Academy (*Chengjun* / 列成均).

### IV. Historical Findings & Genealogy Reconciliation

* **Remarkable Longevity:** Both wives (Lady Zhang 张 and Lady Zeng 曾) lived to **93 years old**. Combined with the brothers living to 77 and 92, this was an extraordinarily long-lived and prosperous family in Neijiang.

* **Resolution of the "Lost Contact" Record:** The Daoguang-era private family genealogy noted Guan Yuenhuan as *"Returned to Fujian; contact lost"* because he traveled back to Fujian during the Qianlong/Jiaqing era and temporarily lost touch with his elder brother's branch.

* **Official Verification:** The 1883 *Neijiang County Annals* proves that Guan Yuenhuan stayed and prospered in Neijiang. This official government record provides the exact evidence needed to reconnect his branch (Yuenhuan 云焕→ Sisheng 　思胜→ Huaiming　怀铭) back into the master family genealogy.

Based on your provided birth and death dates for Guan Yuenhui and his wife Lady Zhang, as well as the text from the *Neijiang County Annals* (*Neijiang Xianzhi*), here is a historical timeline analysis and cross-verification:

### I. Comparative Timeline & Age Analysis

#### 1. Elder Branch (Guan Yuenhui & Lady Zhang)

* **Guan Yuenhui (官云辉 - Elder Brother):**

* **Lifespan:** Born in 1699 (Kangxi 38), passed away in 1775 (Qianlong 40) at **77 years old**.

* **Key Event:** During the migration to Sichuan in 1724 (Yongzheng 2), he was **26 years old** when he settled in West Street, Neijiang.

* **Lady Zhang (妻张氏 - Wife):** * **Lifespan:** Born in 1715 (Kangxi 54), passed away in 1807 (Jiaqing 12) at **93 years old**.

* **Key Event:** She was only 9–10 years old when the family migrated in 1724. After Yuenhui’s passing in 1775, she lived as a widow for over 30 years, surviving well into the Jiaqing era.

#### 2. Second Branch (Guan Yunhuan & Lady Zeng - Estimated from Annals)

* **Guan Yuenhuan (官云焕 - Younger Brother):**

* **Record:** The County Annals explicitly record that he lived to **92 years old** (*"年九十有二"*).

* **Estimated Timeline:** Assuming he was born around 1701–1705 (a few years younger than Yuenhui), he would have passed away around 1793–1797 (late Qianlong / early Jiaqing era).

* **Key Event:** He was a young man around 19–23 years old during the 1724 migration to Sichuan. In his late 80s or 90s, the Qing imperial government awarded him the honorific title of **Senior Official (*Shou Guan* / 寿官)**.

* **Lady Zeng (妻曾氏 - Wife):**

* **Record:** The Annals explicitly record that she also lived to **93 years old** (*"年九十有三"*).

* **Estimated Timeline:** Likely born around 1715–1718 and passed away around 1808–1811 (Jiaqing era).

### II. Historical & Genealogical Insights

1. **Parallel Longevity of Both Matriarchs (93 Years Old)** * Both sisters-in-law (**Lady Zhang** of the elder branch and **Lady Zeng** of the second branch) lived to the extraordinary age of **93 years old**.

* Having two brothers live to 77 and 92, and both of their wives reach 93, was exceptionally rare in 18th-century China. This explains why the local gentry and compilers of the *Neijiang Xianzhi* praised Guan Yuenhuan and Lady Zeng with the classical phrase **"Celebrated for Lifelong Harmony and Mutual Longevity" (*齐眉之庆*)** and gave them prominent entries in the official county records.

2. **Solving the "Contact Lost / Returned to Fujian" Mystery**

* Guan Yuenhui passed away in 1775. His younger brother, Guan Yuenhuan (官云焕), lived till 1795.

* During the late Qianlong and Jiaqing eras (1790s–1810s), members of Yuenhuan's branch—deeply connected with the wealthy Zeng (曾)sugar merchant family—likely traveled back and forth to Fujian for ancestral worship, property management, or trade networks. Several distinct historical and social factors in 19th-century Sichuan and Fujian explain how two brothers could end up on completely different tracks, lose contact, or be recorded differently in local gazetteers versus clan genealogies (*家谱*):

* **Matrilocal Marriage (*Uxorilocal* / 倒插门) and Lineage Branching:** If the younger brother married into the wealthy Zeng family (*倒插门*), his primary socio-economic and ritual obligations shifted toward his wife's household and business affairs. In Qing Dynasty society, a son who married uxorilocally often became tied to the father-in-law's line, business accounts, or estates. This shift frequently led clan genealogists back in the home ancestral temple—or relatives maintaining the core family tree—to record him as having "returned to Fujian," relocated, or simply drifted off the central paternal registry.

* **Commercial Rivalry and Business Specialization:** Your branch of the Guan 官 family maintained a diversified enterprise (sugar, oil, salt, leveraging blacksmithing and hardware expertise for machinery like heavy cane-pressing cylinders), while the Zeng 曾 family dominated downstream processing (sugar refining and candy manufacturing). When family members enter competing or distinct commercial spheres within the same city, economic interests, guild affiliations, and business partnerships often divide daily social circles, leading branches to operate in separate spheres over time.

* **Migration Dynamics and Split Records:** During the *Huguang Fills Sichuan* (湖广填四川) migration era and its multi-generational aftermath, families frequently kept a dual footprint between coastal Fujian and inland Sichuan. It was common for one brother to remain anchored to local commerce in Neijiang while another spent extensive time handling coastal trading links, family properties, or ancestral upkeep in Fujian—creating conflicting verbal accounts among descendants about where he actually resided.

* **Gazetteer Selection Criteria (*县志* Entry Requirements):** Local gazetteers (*地方志*) like the *Neijiang Xianzhi* were official county records edited by local gentry and scholars, such as the scholar from the Zeng family. Inclusion in sections like *Personages* (*列传*),

*Academic Scholars* (*列成均*), or *Righteous Conduct* (*义行*) required passing civil exams, purchasing official titles, donating significant funds for public works, or receiving virtue commendations (such as long life or widow chastity, like the 93-year-old matriarch's eulogy). If one brother held recognized imperial status or made public civic donations, he was recorded in the county annals; a brother focused purely on private commercial trade or uxorilocal management might appear only in family notes or local business contracts.

* **Intermarriage Network and Scholar Influence:** The generational intermarriage between the Guan and Zeng families created deep structural ties. Having a Zeng Qingchang 曾庆昌 scholar edit or contribute to the *Neijiang Xianzhi 内江县志* highlights how literacy, gentry status, and family alliance shaped historical documentation. His writing of Sueren Zhang's 张氏 eulogy (*輓詞* / *祭文*) at age 93 served as both a tribute to her extraordinary longevity and a formal public record of the bond between the two houses.

* When the elder branch compiled their private family genealogy (*家谱*) during the Daoguang 道光 Era (around the 1820s–1830s), a generation after Yuenhuan's passing, they noted his line as *"Returned to Fujian; contact lost"* due to this temporary physical separation.

3. **Cohesive Three-Generation Timeline**

* **1st Gen:** Guan Yuenhuan (c. 1703–1795, awarded *Shou Guan*).

* **2nd Gen:** His son, Guan 思胜 Sisheng (嘉庆/Jiaqing era, awarded *Dengshi Lang* / 9th Rank Civil Official).

* **3rd Gen:** His grandson, Guan 怀铬Huaiming (嘉庆–道光/Jiaqing–Daoguang era, enrolled in the Imperial Academy / 成均*Chengjun*).

* This timeline aligns smoothly with the elder branch's grandson, Guan Liben 立本 who achieved his Licentiate (*Xiucai*) status in the same era.

Keeping Our Grandma’s Name From Fading, 2026

Nine Brothers Awaiting - Grandpa looking, our grandma 夏 Xia means Summer.

My Guan Xuan Qing 官选清 grandmother’s tombstone in Zigong is fading.

Only two granddaughters still live there — our youngest aunt Juhua’s 举华 daughters. They suggested we restore her stone. Her twelve grandchildren, are now — Chengdu, Chongching, Shenzhen, Haikou, UK, US — we all said yes. Each one of us had a special memory with her.

For me, she was my mother, she always wore blue.

Hakka Blue (客家蓝)

**Hakka Blue** is the iconic indigo hue that defines the visual identity of the Hakka people. It is more than just a color; it represents a philosophy of life rooted in simplicity, resilience, and a deep connection to the earth.

### 1. Cultural Significance

**The "Blue-Shirted" Identity:** Historically, Hakka people were known as the "blue-shirted" people due to their ubiquitous indigo tunics (**Grand-front shirts** or *Dajinshan*).

* **Symbolism:** The color represents **frugality (勤俭)** and **hard work**. Because the natural indigo dye was durable and resisted dirt, it became the "armor" for Hakka ancestors who worked in the fields and hills.

* **Resilience:** Like the Hakka spirit, the color is known to fade gracefully over time but never lose its strength, symbolizing a culture that survives and adapts through migration.

### 2. Traditional Craftsmanship

* **Source:** The dye is extracted from **Indigo plants** (such as *Strobilanthes cusia*).

* **Process:** It involves a labor-intensive method of fermenting the plant to create a "blue mud" (dye paste) and repeatedly dipping the fabric into the vat to achieve a deep, layered tone.

* **Functionality:** Beyond aesthetics, the indigo-dyed cloth was traditionally valued for being skin-friendly and having natural insect-repelling properties.

**Hakka Blue** remains a "living color"—a thread that connects the rugged history of the ancestors to the cultural identity of future generations.

From age 1 to 9, I was with her full time. Then on and off. The last few years, because she had smoked all her life and needed more medical care, she moved into our home in Chengdu. She died in 1978 at age 75, right before my 高考 college entry exam. She once told me: daughters join their husband’s family. Even a poor son was the default for old-age support, while a rich daughter belonged to another household. She came because of me.

"养儿防老，养女是外人"

Raise a son for old age; raise a daughter and she belongs to others.

Or the related sentiment:

"嫁出去的女儿，泼出去的水"

A married daughter is like water spilled out.

The old expectation: parents, especially mothers, stay with sons because daughters join their husband’s family. So even a poor son was the default for old-age support, while a rich daughter was considered part of another household.

随子，不随女" A mother follows her son, not her daughter.

My mom worked for the oil company in Sichuan — the best medical benefits among her five siblings. The Chinese government covered three generations, employees, kids and the grandparents.

Still, some costs weren’t covered.

My parents had a 400 yuan CD. Almost a year of my mom’s salary. She spent it all on Cytochrome C injections for her mom. In 1978, that was the “life-saving shot.” Cytochrome C Injection

In Chinese: 细胞色素C注射液 That was the “life-saving shot” your mom bought for 满孃 in 1978. 细胞色素针剂 = Cytochrome C Injection

A prescription drug in China. Main ingredient is 细胞色素C / Cytochrome C, an enzyme involved in cellular respiration and electron transport in mitochondria.

Common uses in China: Adjuvant for hypoxia: Used for tissue hypoxia from things like CO poisoning, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, or shock

Tissue repair: Sometimes given for hepatitis, leukopenia, or as supportive care after chemotherapy/radiation Fatigue/energy: Popular historically as an "energy injection" because it plays a role in ATP production

Key points:

Brand names: 细胞色素C注射液

Administration: IV or IM injection, prescription only

Not common in US/Europe: Cytochrome C isn't used as a routine drug in Western medicine. It's considered experimental/supportive, with limited evidence for most uses

Side effects: Allergic reactions, chills, fever. Must do a skin test first in China due to allergy risk

It became well-known in China during the 80s-90s as a general "tonic" shot, but modern guidelines are more restrictive now.

The first time my grandma was critical in the hospital, the woman to her right was Yan’s wife 颜氏 — the big salt merchant from Zigong, who my oldest uncle 举晶 used to work for. She was so weak her son put his ear to her mouth to listen to her. None of us knew them. My oldest uncle 举晶 and aunt 举华 came from Zigong, my youngest uncle from Chongqing 重庆. Juming 举铭 and my mom Jufeng 举芬 were already working in Chengdu. The two ladies lay in hospital beds next to each other, not knowing and unable to speak. Their two oldest sons recognized each other. Yan’s wife died the next day, as if she’d been waiting. My grandma was pleased the rich lady left before her. We can't help wondering: what were the chances that, out of all the hospitals in Chengdu, she ended up lying right next to my grandma in the same room?

But the second time, my grandma wasn’t even critical. She was alone and supposed to go home the next day. At dawn, phlegm blocked her airway. There were no call buttons in 1978. No one heard her.

I was almost 17 that September. I’d already buried my grandfather at 7. Ten years later, I buried her. I blamed my mother and aunts. Even Juhua, who loved me most, turned on me. I felt alone for the first time in my life.

After she died, I had nightmares. One night she died. The next night I failed my gaokao 高考. Until finally, she came to my dream — alive and healthy.

Decades later, I didn’t go to my parents’ funerals, but I went back every year to see them for 2-3 weeks before they passed away. My dad, at age 87, was still very critical of me. He passed away during the COVID lockdown. My mom who had dementia thought I was her coworker. She passed away last spring at age 94. I sent money, gave up the estate, and left my brother and sister to handle everything. I was sad, but not like I was at 16.

Unlike my brother and sister, I’ve never had the same emotional pull. I remember mom handing out candy when we were young — they’d rush her, fighting for more, while I stood back. My grandma saw it one day and blamed my mom for not saving one for me. My mom ended up in tears. Back then, it felt good. Because all I wanted was to go home with her.

My aunt had already transferred my household registration (户口) to my mom’s without asking my grandma first, because they knew my grandma would say "NO".

Why it matters: Your 户口 tied you to a place for school, food rations, medical care. Without it in Gongjing, you were “illegal” to stay with 夏氏, and couldn’t enroll in school there.

My grandmother was from 夏 Xia clan in 内江 Neijiang, a big farm landowner and famous for its traditional Chinese medicine. She was the last of the ten children her parents had, and she was the only girl. They called her 满孃 reads as Mǎn Niáng:

Meaning breakdown:

满 (Mǎn): Full, complete, fulfilled. Also a common surname.

孃 (Niáng): Old/southern term for mother, or respectful address for an older woman. In Sichuan/Cantonese dialects, 孃孃 means aunt or married woman.

Common uses:

Name/title: Could be a family nickname — “Auntie Man” or “Mother Man”. In some regions, the youngest daughter or youngest aunt is called 满孃.

I did not know my grandma side family history, AI again gives me a clue that my grandma's family might be Cantonese, I know they prefer boys, often abandon their baby girls. Hakka families would take them in, raise them, and they’d become daughters-in-law of the family. Hakka people keep all of their children.

My grandpa side is 客家人 Hakka, they keep all their children. Our first generation in Sichuan Zhang Suren 张淑人 in Sichuan had 10 children but five boys and 5 girls, the first born boy 福星 Fuxing, means happy star died, so only 4 boys grown up. Our branch Rong 溶于 became the second son.

Assuming boy/girl is 50/50 for each birth and each birth is independent: "9 boys and then a girl." So somewhere around 1 in 1,000. Rare, but it happens.

This topic refers to a dark and harrowing practice from old society, particularly in parts of pre-modern China, known as **female infanticide** (specifically "drowning of girls").

The term "under the commode" (or toilet) describes a specific, brutal reality of that era:

### 1. The Physical Context In the past, toilets were not modern plumbing fixtures. In cities, people used **wooden nightstools** (commodes), while in rural areas, toilets consisted of a **cesspit** or a large vat buried in the ground with wooden planks over it. The "lower layer" refers directly to the waste pit beneath these planks.

### 2. Why the Toilet? The choice of this location was rooted in several grim factors:

* **Immediacy:** Deliveries often happened in the home. If a girl was born and deemed a "burden" or "unwanted," the commode was the closest place to immediately hide the act.

* **Symbolism of Devaluation:** In a strictly patriarchal society, unwanted female infants were often viewed as "bad luck" or "waste." Placing them in a pit of filth was a physical manifestation of how little the culture valued their lives at that time.

* **Superstition:** There were cruel superstitions suggesting that disposing of a girl in this manner would "prevent" another girl from being born next, or "call forth" a son.

### 3. Societal Roots This practice was the result of a convergence of extreme pressures:

* **Feudal Patriarchy:** The "lineage" system prioritized males for ancestor worship and labor, while girls were seen as "belonging to another family" once they married.

* **Extreme Poverty:** In times of famine or war, families living on the edge of survival often felt they could not afford to feed a child who wouldn't contribute to the ancestral home.

* **Lack of Rights:** Women and children had virtually no legal protection within the domestic sphere, often leaving their fate to the whims of the head of the household or elder matriarchs.

This historical detail is often cited in literature — in discussions of Dream of the Red Chamber 红楼梦 or 20th-century social critiques — as the ultimate symbol of old feudal ethics. It represents the darkest chapter of female history before modern social and legal reforms abolished such atrocities. My dad told me that as late as the 1950s, you could see dead baby girls in the farm fields. I remember going down to a bridge with my middle school classmates to see a dead baby girl washed up on the riverbank. My dad's sister picked up an abandoned girl who could not speak. She grown up married, and her son drove her to my mom’s funeral last year.

To protect unborn girls, the Chinese government banned doctors from telling parents the baby's sex during ultrasounds.

The ban started in 2003. Ultrasounds are allowed, but revealing the gender for non-medical reasons is illegal. Doctors can lose their license if they tell.

Why: In the 1980s–1990s, when ultrasound became common, families who preferred sons would abort girls after finding out the sex. This caused a huge gender imbalance. In some areas it hit 118 boys for every 100 girls. Normal is about 105:100. Millions of girls “disappeared.”

As the only girl after 9 boys, my grandma was not able to escape foot binding. Hakka women did not bind their feet. 张淑人 Zhang Suren's offspring kept that tradition, which was why none of my grandpa's daughters had their feet bound and they all went to school just like the boys.

Why this mattered:

Hakka women 客家妇女 are famous for fighting too.

Hakka women were the original "Iron Women" of inland China:

No foot binding: Hakka women didn’t bind their feet. That meant they could work farms, haul water, carry goods, and defend themselves. In Qing dynasty records, outsiders called them “big-footed women” 大脚婆 — it was both an insult and proof they were physically capable.

Physical defense: During the Hakka-Punti clan wars 土客械斗 in Guangdong 1855-1867, Hakka women defended villages when men were away. They used farm tools, boiling water, and organized village militias. Hakka folk songs still mention women climbing watchtowers and beating war drums.

Economic backbone: While men often left to work as laborers or merchants, Hakka women ran the farms and households. That’s the same “stayed behind to manage farms and families” resilience you described — just inland instead of coastal Fujian.

太平天国 Taiping Rebellion: Hong Xiuquan’s 洪秀全 Taiping army had Hakka women soldiers. His sister Hong Xuanjiao 洪宣娇 commanded female troops. Hakka women weren’t expected to be demure — they were expected to survive.

“Three Knives 三把刀” woman as hairpins were to fight Japanese pirates during Ming/Qing Dynasty raids in Fuzhou 福洲 coast. Hakka women fought inland clan wars instead. The message is clear, don't mess up with 福建 Fujian women.

张淑人 Zhang Suren’s line keeping the no-foot-binding tradition is exactly that Hakka ethos. Your grandpa’s daughters going to school “just like the boys” fits too — many Hakka communities were early adopters of female education compared to other Han groups.

Both traditions produced “Iron Women.”

Different weapons, same spine. Labor, not leisure.

Hakka families were migrants from the north who fled when fertile farmland was taken. They resettled in the mountains, so their farms were on slopes and terraces.

Women worked the fields, carried water, hauled firewood, mined, farmed tea. Bound feet meant crippled. You couldn’t survive with 3-inch “lotus feet.”

Hakka women had to walk, run, work. So they kept natural “big feet” — 大脚.

Hakka 客家 are Han 汉族.

“Hakka” literally means “guest families” 客家人. They’re Han Chinese who migrated from the Central Plains 中原 in waves starting ∼1600 years ago during war and famine.

Moved south → Fujian 福建, Guangdong 广东, Jiangxi 江西 mountains. Locals called them “guests” because they arrived late, after the good lowland farmland was taken.

So same Han roots as Min 闽, Cantonese 粤, etc. Different dialect, different customs from migration — like no foot binding, “big feet” 大脚, and women working fields.

No economic value in footbinding

In rich Han 汉 families, bound feet signaled: “We’re wealthy. Our daughters don’t work.” Hakka clans were often poor, displaced. A working daughter was worth more than a decorative one. A Hakka saying: “大脚婆，旺家门” — Big-footed women make the family prosper.

Cultural defiance

Hakka identity formed through migration and hardship after losing their northern homelands. They kept older Tang-Song customs. Footbinding started later, in Song, and spread mainly in the plains. Hakka in the mountains rejected it. It became a marker: we are Hakka, not bound.

Hakka women were known as “men’s equals in work” — strong, mobile, essential. That strength is part of why your mom could spend all the savings in 1978. She came from women who weren’t raised to be ornamental. When they moved to Sichuan, they brought their Hakka ways with them. Hakka women worked in the fields just like men, while also cooking and caring for their children and family. Sichuan women are well known for being “里外一把手” — someone who handles everything, inside and outside the home.

The phrase: 客家女人，脚大心大 — Hakka women, big feet, big heart.

My grandfather Da Da 哒哒 Guan Xuanzheng (官选鏳 1895-1968)

The Bridge: Born in 1895, the year of the 公车上书 Gongche Shangshu — the Reform Movement petition.

Marriage: He married the "Jewel of the Xia Clan (1903-1978) 内江夏氏," cementing an alliance with another powerful Neijiang family with farmland.

My grandma told me about her life as a carefree young lady in Neijiang before she was married at age 15. Then she married into a stranger's home and lived with a man she had never met. She cried until her tears ran dry.

She blocked out the grief of losing her firstborn son. She never spoke of him. She only told me she lost her fifth child, a boy, to pneumonia.

Because she still had milk, she turned around and nursed her fourth son instead. The nursing helped her recover from losing her 5th child. Later she had a daughter Juhua 举华. That son went on to earn perfect scores in every subject. He was accepted to the University of Kyiv in Ukraine.

It was all thanks to her second oldest son, 举晶 my eldest uncle, she said. She owed everything to him.

举晶 Jǔ Jīng

Character breakdown:

举 jǔ: to lift, to raise, to recommend, to elect. Also means “whole, entire” or “to act.” It carries a sense of rising up, achievement, or being chosen.

晶 jīng: crystal, clear, bright, glittering. Made of 3 “sun” 日 characters. Means brilliant, sparkling, lucid.

Together 举晶 ≈ “lifting up brilliance” or “raised to sparkle.” It suggests someone bright, clear, and outstanding — like a crystal held up to the light.

It’s not a common set phrase. As a name, parents pick it hoping the child will be intelligent, pure, and shine.

My grandpa was addicted to opium and relied on support from both the Guan 官 and Xia 夏 families to raise his five children. My grandma never told me this, nor did any of my uncles and aunts. It was a family secret.

Only when I searched my Hakka roots did my oldest cousin Zhongwei in the UK tell me. He said our grandma told him as a warning because he was the oldest grandson. I was really upset — I thought I was her favorite grandchild. I guess, again, I was only a granddaughter.

My grandpa, the third son, and his youngest brother, my fifth uncle Xuan Cei 选镃, were opium addicts. Xuan Cei’s wife, Zeng 曾, left him with their two children and, I heard, became a concubine for a rich family.

Then my mom told me not to write about it. It was a family shame that no one wanted to talk about. My oldest uncle never admitted it. He only told me his dad was disabled and his mom was the hero who saved them.

I grew up with the story from all our aunts and uncles: my grandpa’s salt business partners ran away with the money, so he went broke. They went through very difficult years after that.

I found out my grandpa’s partners were all his family members. They possibly forced him to quit opium. Since my grandma was the only and youngest daughter, her Xia 夏 family also helped. They let my grandpa start a business selling their rice, which he failed.

They likely also trained his younger brother in the family’s traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) secrets — the fourth son, Xuan Rong 选鏞 — since he became one of the four best TCM doctors in Zigong. We only guessed the deal was that he was supposed to help us.

家传 / Family Inheritance

This is TCM passed down within bloodlines, father to son, mother to daughter.

Core features:

秘方不外传 — Secret formulas stay in the family. Ingredients, ratios, processing methods only told to heirs.

口述 + 抄本 — Hand-copied books and oral instruction. No public publishing. Some families burn the formula book if there’s no heir.

传男不传女 — Traditionally passed to sons only. Daughters “marry out” and become outsiders. That’s why many lineages died when a family had only daughters.

从小学起 — Children start grinding herbs, watching pulses, memorizing classics from age 6-7. You grow up inside the medicine.

Example: 同仁堂 started as family prescriptions for the Qing imperial court. 云南白药 was a Yunnan family’s secret trauma powder.

I only heard the story that 选鏞 Xuan Rong (1897-1962) was supposed to help his nephew — my oldest uncle — attend college after he passed the exam. He backed out. So the Guan clan decided to have my uncle work for one of the biggest salt merchants, the Yan 颜 clan.

## The Convergence of Elite Medical Training: Dr. Wilford （胡祖遗)Guan Xuanyong （官选鏞）

### 1. Dr. Wilford's Advanced Western Specializations

Before and during his 40-year tenure in China, Dr. Wilford (胡祖遗) obtained an elite level of medical education and Western credentials that set him apart as a top-tier specialist:

* **Dual International Fellowships:** He successfully obtained official certifications from both the **Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Edinburgh)** and the **American College of Surgeons**.

* **Pioneering Radiologist & Surgeon:** In addition to being an outstanding surgeon, he was a certified **radiology specialist** (放射科专家), and Dr. W.J. Sheridan (沈德才), a physician who graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in Canada. The advanced West training allowed them to introduce early diagnostic imaging to Sichuan.

* **Academic Advancement:** During his 40 years of service, he returned to Canada three times to pursue further advanced studies, ultimately earning his **Doctor of Medicine (MD) / Medical Doctorate** to keep his skills at the absolute cutting edge.

### 2. Guan Xuanyong's选鏞 Elite Traditional Training: Not only from Xia 夏氏 family training, In 1937 he went to study in the research class at the Wuxi Acupuncture 无锡针灸 and Moxibustion Specialized School in Jiangsu 江苏. From 1951 to 1952, all foregn doctors left, after studying for 6 months in the Zigong City Traditional Chinese Medicine Advanced Training Class under new China, he practiced traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture at the Sanshengqiao 三圣桥 United Clinic. He was one of the founders of Zilujing 自流井Hospital and one of the four famous doctors of Zigong City. He passed away in November 1962 at the age of 65.

As **one of the Four best Doctors of Zigong** (自贡四大名医), Guan Xuanyong was not a casual practitioner; he possessed the highest level of training available in the Eastern tradition:

* **Mastery of Classical Medicine:** His training required a profound mastery of pulse diagnostics, complex herbal pharmacology, and internal medicine. * **Occupational Trauma Expertise:** Operating in the industrial heart of the Ziliujing salt valleys 自流井, Guan's practical training was uniquely adapted to the specific occupational hazards of the salt wells—treating severe brine burns, deep tissue infections, and heavy physical trauma. ---

## How Their Combined Training Transformed Zigong

When Dr. Wilford opened his first rented clinics at **Dengganba (灯杆坝)** and **Tongziao (桐梓坳)**, the collaboration was so successful precisely because **neither doctor was missing the necessary training to understand the other.**

* **Mutual Professional Respect:** Because Dr. Wilford was highly trained in radiology and surgery, and Guan Xuanyong was an elite master of traditional clinical diagnostics, they recognized each other as true peers of medical science.

* **The Perfect Triage:** At the **Yutaishan Hospital** (founded in 1914), their combined training created a revolutionary healthcare pipeline for Zigong. Guan Xuanyong’s deep understanding of local pathology and pharmacology paired perfectly with Dr. Wilford’s elite surgical and radiological capabilities, giving the people and salt laborers of Zigong an unprecedented standard of integrated care.

My uncle Jujing 举晶 became the breadwinner for the whole family. My grandma said he gave every penny he earned to his father, never spending even 3 pennies for a bowl of summer tea. But my uncle told me he never gave his earnings to his dad — he always gave them to his mom.

He did go to college later, for chemistry, because it was his dream. He worked for 自贡鸿鹤坝 Hongheba Chemical Plant for the rest of his life. He died at age 92, a month short of 93.

My grandparents' five children were 举晶, 举芬, 举铭, 举彪, 举华.

举晶: Oldest son. Chemist at 自贡鸿鹤坝Hongheba Chemical Plant.

举芬: 1st Daughter. Worked at 四川石油勘探研究院 Sichuan Petroleum Exploration Research Institute her whole career.

举铭: 2nd Daughter. Worked at 中国地质勘查研究院 China Geological Exploration Research Institute her whole career.

举彪: Youngest son. Worked at 重庆巴山仪表厂 Chongqing Bashan Military Factory his whole life. He planted the peach tree in Gongjing.

举华: Youngest daughter. Taught high school in Zigong her whole life.

All five carried the generation name 举 Jǔ — “to raise up.” Your grandpa 官选鏳 named them from his sickbed, hoping they’d rise. Your grandma 满娘 Mǎn Niáng raised them up on bound feet.

My oldest uncle knew the rule for tombstones: it had to list her own last name Xia 夏, then her married name. He decided to use her married name 官选清 Guan Xuanqing only. To him, she was the "True Guan", the head of the household.

For me, it is incredibly important to use this re-carving of the tombstone to finally ‘right the name’ of my grandmother. She didn’t even have a formal name on record — she was known only as “the only daughter of the Xia 夏 from Neijiang 内江.” She was 满娘. She had bound feet.

My grandfather’s ashes have been lost, and my eldest uncle feels such profound regret over this. My grandpa’s ashes are lost. He was buried under a tree. The tree was cut down, the whole area was cleaned, and houses were built over it. But a new Catholic church was built there. His eldest son went to Ai Ye Gospel Hall 艾叶福音堂 school as a child. He must have stayed connected with the church before. My unlce took me to both churches 15 years ago.

I am looking for a way to add Grandfather’s name to her stone, so that he can finally ‘find’ her. He shouldn’t have to be alone. It’s too lonely.

His coffin used to be in Gongjing 贡井. We were living at his eldest brother Xuanquan’s 选铨 house then. The coffin was placed outside under the eaves of the covered porch. I was so afraid of it.

In front of the house, beyond the courtyard, was the peach tree 举彪 planted. Then a small creek, and further ahead, a small pond. I nearly drowned there when I was 2 or 3 years old because I was always nearby picking flowers. A neighbor saved my life.

Behind the house, there was a temple on the hill. It was so dark inside, and I was terrified of it, too. Jia-Jia 贾贾 my grandma never once took me inside. She used to take her son 举晶 to the Aiye Gospel Hall 艾叶福音堂 grammar school.

I remember an old tailor. Jia-Jia took me to have clothes made. His glasses had slipped down his face, and he peered over the rims at me, saying how beautiful I looked in the clothes he made.

Across from us lived the Yang 杨 family. The parents were my eldest grand-uncle’s long-term laborers. I didn’t realize it then, but I remember once when the Yang family’s son came home, he harassed me outside the main gate, exposing himself to me. I was only five years old. I ran home in terror and never dared to tell anyone. We soon moved to my oldest uncle's home in Zigong.

My mom said Yang’s wife could carry two buckets of water on her shoulders. She never went to school, married young, so her children were a lot older than me.

Later, Jia-Jia told me that Da-Da 哒哒 — Grandfather — had left his coffin to her. He said he had nothing left to give her but that coffin, and he knew she was afraid of fire. But later in Chengdu, she said: “There is no place to be buried. 嫁鸡随鸡，嫁狗随狗 — marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. Your Da-Da was cremated, so I will be cremated too, and he will come to fetch me.”

My grandpa Da-Da had quit opium but was left disabled. He had more than one pipe, but to us kids it was a weapon. We were all afraid of it. My oldest cousin said Grandpa hit him with it once. It was really painful. He smoked tobacco leaves from a long pipe with a copper end. What I remember most was his copper water pipe. It sat on the table like a teapot, and I used to play with it by blowing air into the water to make sounds.

My grandma was great at math. She was a sharp barterer in the market, and she took me there every day after breakfast. We’d come home for lunch. She’d buy me little treats, or take me to my grandpa’s oldest brother 选銓’s house. To me it felt like a palace — the furniture was crowded in the room, but much nicer than ours. His widow, 钱 Qian, would always bring out a wooden box of treats for me to choose from. I wanted to take them all home because we didn’t have any at our house. But I only took one, just like my grandmother told me. She said we had to show our pride.

My grandpa spent his final 40 years bedridden, yet he remained a silent anchor for my grandma until his passing in 1968 at age 73.

When I was in high school, I discovered that Jia-Jia could actually recognize a few characters. One day she mentioned something she saw in the newspaper, but then she denied it. I also once heard her singing to herself when she was alone. The moment she saw me, she stopped. I told her to keep going, but she said, “I don’t know how to sing.” After that, she never mentioned reading again, and I never heard her sing another note.

Today is Mother’s Day, and I was thinking about my grandma — the one who raised me for my first 9 years.

I was born in 1961, during the famine. The government gave pregnant women one jin 斤 of eggs, but thankfully my grandma had a egg laying hen. My mom didn’t have enough milk for me.

My younger brother was born in 1963. By then the country had recovered. My mom had plenty of milk for him, below was my mom and my brother.

Photo below in 1962, my parents sent me to Gongjing. I was one year old. From age 1 to 9, I lived with my maternal grandparents. The photo from Gongjing was taken by my youngest uncle with a camera he brought back from Russia. My dad was holding me in the middle. My eldest uncle was holding his oldest son Zhongwei, he was called small Guan “小官” back then because there was a big Guan in the clan.

My grandma was 59 in this photo below. She was born in 1903. My grandpa died in 1968, when I was almost 7. My grandma passed away in 1978, when I was almost 17 — ten years later, one month before the Gaokao. I attended both of their funerals.

What that photo really means:

It wasn’t “dropping off” In 1960s Sichuan, kids went to grandparents to survive. Food was tight. City jobs were hard. 夏氏 took you because she could raise you. That photo is your dad trusting them with his daughter — with *忠*字辈的血脉.Ziliujing 自流井, Sichuan

The photo was taken by Jubiao's 举彪 camera from Kyjv Ukraine since he went to 基辅大学 Kyiv University. Back row, left to right: My mom Jufeng 举芬, my grandma Xia 夏氏, my aunt Juming 举铭. Front row, left to right: My youngest uncle Jubiao 举彪, my dad Han Wenjian 韩文健 holding me Han Ying韩英 in the middle, and my oldest uncle Jujing 举晶 holding his oldest son Zhongwei Guan 官忠伟.

Jubiao's 举彪 ** 中山装 Zhongshan suit** (Mao suit) is a iconic four-pocket tunic that bridged the gap between traditional robes and modern Western wear.

**Origin:** Popularized by ** 孙中山 Sun Yat-sen** in the early 1900s as a practical, modern uniform for China.

**Symbolism:**

**4 Pockets:** Represent the Four Virtues (Propriety, Justice, Integrity, Honor).

**5 Buttons:** Represent the five branches of government.

Five Branches of Government

Executive Yuan 行政院

Runs the country. Implements laws and policies. Headed by the Premier. Includes ministries for defense, finance, education, etc.

Legislative Yuan 立法院

Makes laws. Represents the people. Debates and passes bills, approves budgets, oversees the Executive.

Judicial Yuan 司法院

Interprets laws. Highest court system. Ensures constitutionality, settles legal disputes, protects civil rights.

Examination Yuan 考试院

Recruits government officials through civil service exams. Sets standards for public employment. Prevents nepotism and ensures merit-based hiring.

Control Yuan 监察院

Audits government agencies. Investigates corruption and misconduct. Has power to impeach and censure officials. Acts as watchdog over the other branches.

**3 Sleeve Buttons:** Represent the "Three People's Principles. 三民主义" Three Principles of the People

Nationalism

Freedom from foreign imperialist domination. China governed by the Chinese people. National independence and unity.

Democracy

Sovereignty belongs to the people. Government elected by the people. Civil rights, constitutional rule, separation of five powers: executive, legislative, judicial, examination, and control.

Livelihood

Economic welfare for all citizens. Equalization of land ownership, regulation of capital, state role in key industries. The goal: every person has food, clothing, housing, and security.

**Legacy:** It became the standard national dress for decades and remains the go-to **formal attire** for Chinese leaders during major state ceremonies

Here is a list of prominent historical and modern figures associated with the Zhongshan suit and its closely related variations:

### Historical Leaders

* **Sun Yat-sen** (The creator/namesake) 孙中山, married to the second sister of Soong/Han family, Soong Ching-ling, no children.

* **Chiang Kai-shek** 蒋介石, married the youngest Soong Mei-ling and no kids. Only Soong Ai-ling and H.H. Kung had four kids. The common saying in China summarizes three Soong/Han sisters lives: "The eldest loved money, the second loved her country, and the youngest loved power.

* **Mao Zedong** 毛泽东

* **Zhou Enlai** 周恩来

* **Deng Xiaoping** 邓小平

* **Jiang Zemin** 江泽民

* **Hu Jintao** 胡锦涛

* **Ho Chi Minh** (Vietnam)

* **Kim Il-sung** (North Korea)

* **Kim Jong-il** (North Korea)

* **Jawaharlal Nehru** (India – *Nehru Jacket variant*)

* **Josip Broz Tito** (Yugoslavia)

* **Joseph Stalin** (Soviet Union – *Stalin Tunic variant*)

* **Fidel Castro** (Cuba – *Formal tunic variant*)

* **Pol Pot** (Cambodia)

### Modern Leaders

* **Xi Jinping** (China) 习近平

* **Kim Jong-un** (North Korea)

* **Narendra Modi** (India – *Modern Nehru/Modi Jacket variant*)

My grandma left her dowry and coffin behind. To help the family survive and to help her oldest grandson get married, Jia-Jia allowed her precious treasure chest — her “ten-mile dowry” — to be sold. It was worth my mom’s 8 months pay at the time, worth a lot more today if we had not sold it. The last gift for her 5 children. The high-quality wood from the coffin Da-Da left for her was supposed to repurposed into furniture for her oldest grandson’s wedding.

A chemist, two geologists, an expert trained by Kyiv University and UESTC 成电. and a teacher. She raised five 举 — five who rose — out of opium debt, poverty, and a house with a coffin under the eaves. On bound feet.

Final inscription:

内江夏氏 满娘

官门选清 孺人

配 官选鏳 府君

子 举晶 举芬 举铭 举彪 举华

孙辈 官忠伟...泣立

Why this works:

子: Lists the five 举 siblings. Since you twelve are erecting the stone, it’s understood the 子 generation has passed.

孙辈: Covers all 12 grandchildren in one line. No need to split by paternal/maternal. In modern stones this is very common.

泣立: Goes last. Means you all set this stone together, in tears.

Three lines tell the whole story: 满娘 and 官选鏳 → their five children → their twelve grandchildren who remember them.

This puts 举晶 举芬 举铭 举彪 举华 on the stone with their mother.

Holding space for 满娘 and all five 举.

满娘 carried the whole family. Now the stone carries her whole name.

10th generation (忠 = Loyalty), 忠字辈: We rebuilt the 1st gen’s tombstones 2025

We rebuilt the 1st generation’s tombstones. 立仁 Liren’s descendant 忠字辈 Zhongpu 众仆, from 溶 Rong’s first wife 陈 Chen, organized the labor at Guan Farm and purchased the stones for engraving. We, Rong’s second wife 童 Tong's youngest son 立亨 Liheng's descendents contributed funds only, since none of us live locally. So all the lost souls of their descendants could find a way home.

1st gen: Loyal to family → came to Sichuan at age 62 and 26.

∼1724 → Guan Wenguang 文光公, age 62, Hakka from Fujian Yongding “六旬携子去闽入蜀，十年治铁开基创业” Left home with his son 云辉 at 26. Spent 10 years as a blacksmith in Neijiang to build a foothold. Became 内邑官氏始祖 — the founding ancestor in Sichuan.

Re-erected his stone + 上官 Shangguan，中仪大夫，张淑人 Zhang Suren stone. Re-carved the names, the dates, the story.

9 generations between you. ∼33 years per generation. 300 years between “开基” and “叩立”.

He used iron to start the family. You used stone to make sure he’s remembered.

源远流长 → 萬古長青

That’s not just calligraphy on the tombs, That’s what the 10th generation proved.