Birthplace Of My Maternal Grandmother
The Hong Kong Big Buddha is one of the largest seated big Buddha in the world. Tian Tan as the Big Buddha is known is made of bronze and was erected in 1993.
March 4, 2014
Hong Kong , China
A few times a year during my childhood, my grandmother and I sat around an old heavy chest. She would pop it open and take out some documents, but she always pulled out a very frayed black and white photograph. The chest was like a Pandora's box to me. It held more stories and secrets than the birth and marriage certificates, and all the immigration papers and letters ever revealed.
My maternal grandmother was born in Hong Kong in 1905 but lived in Macau until she was 16 years old. Her mother was an English lady from Liverpool and her father was from Macau. The many times my grandmother opened this Pandora's box, out came her picture on a rickshaw. She had long hair in pigtails, and she was wearing a Cheongsam. Soon after that picture was taken, she said, her own mother died of some complication, and her little brother died of bubonic plague, after being bitten by a rat while he lay asleep on the mat. I know this story so well and have heard it so many times.
According to my grandmother her father swore that he'd never return to Macau or Hong Kong. It was dirty, congested, and it was where he had lost his wife and son. We've also heard that it was the reason why her father, out of despair, promptly took the family and moved them to Manila. That story resonated all the time and almost became a mantra within our family. My maternal grandfather on the other hand had a Portuguese mother and an English father. She was from Lisbon and her family owned the Bothelo freight and shipping line. Their freighters regularly sailed to Macau and Manila. In the Sunday newspaper, we'd always see the advertisements for their freight line. It was always a front page ad in the business section.
The Ngong Ping Cable Car ride offers the serene panorama of Lantau, Hong Kong.
My grandmother passed away when I was 16. Now, forty five (45) years later, I still had a strong yearning to see for myself what was the real Hong Kong and Macau, even though I had visited the city many times before. Of course I was well aware that it is now full of mega buildings, and I would never discover the Hong Kong of my grandmother. Somehow though, I felt I had to make this trip as a pilgrimage for my Chinese and Portuguese ancestry.
We were staying overnight in Hong Kong and that left us plenty of time to explore the small, special Administrative region, (SAR), of China. On our first day, I chose to visit Lantau island. For US$15 it took us 55 minutes on a route to the Ngong Ping 360 to Lantau island. Together with friends Karen and Morris, we discovered the world's tallest, outdoor, bronze Buddha. It sits serenely atop Ngong Ping plateau amid the spectacular mountain scenery of Lantau Island. Next to the Big Buddha, is the Po Lin Monastery which is the largest of Hong Kong's Buddhist temples, and a major point of pilgrimage for Buddhists. More than a century has passed since the founding of the Po Lin Monastery and there was much to see with its various figures of Gods, and other colorful manifestations of the Buddhist religion.
From the monastery our next destination was Tai O fishing village. Stepping into the village,was a step back in time. Most of the houses are on stilts and are still visible, alongside the narrow old steel bridge with it's timeless traditions. I wondered if this was similar to what my grandmother had experienced. On this trip, I found Hong Kong surprisingly beautiful with the laid out charms of both British and Asian sensitiveness. I wondered, if my grandmother had not left Macau and Hong Kong, would my Mother have been born? Would I, or, the rest of my siblings been born? Would we have lived a different life?
At a wet market, a place where everything from poultry, to fish, and reptiles are sold out in the open.
Certainly, our grandmother's departure from Hong Kong and Macau played a big role in our lives now. On our second day, my husband and I hurried off and joined the other tourists to explore Hong Kong's historical center. In contrast to the minefield of glitzy department stores and pulsating mood, the landscape is forever changing. It is definitely a fusion of an historical, and cultural scene, and a feast for the senses. Just like the way my siblings and I grew up, we were always called “chopsuey” kids, or mixed blood kids.
As my husband and I left, I truly felt that I had traveled back in time. My grandmother may have only remembered the Hong Kong and Macau of her times, but surprisingly, I found it enjoyable, and I wanted to stay longer. I finally comprehended its spirit. I'm glad I came to see it and I know, I have Hong Kong in my blood!
Comments
"Chopsuey" kids are known for their handsomeness and smartness. I can see these in you, Charlotte. We were in Lantau too, and had a tour of its newest, and state of the art airport. Jesse is glued to the TV for the March Madness basketball tournament these days. Can you see the Final Four next Thurs.? Snow has been receding slowly now which is good news for people who live south of us not to worry of a big flood. We had some warm days, more to come, hooray! Spring is around the corner. T hank you for the good HK photos. From Kim L, on Mar 16, 2014