Father
left behind a certificate of recognition that could not talk,
a political status that was good for a time, and a void that can
never be filled. Mama alone had to bear all the consequences
of a family without husband and father. She had to try really
hard to keep both ends meet.
Papa's tomb, we came pretty often.
To pray for his blessings, and to say we are still OK.
certificate of recognition:
Cornerstone of New China
“新中国的奠基石”
Mama when she was
still young
年轻的妈妈
This picture was
taken in about 1952 when my uncle from Burma (middle, in suit)
came for a visit. I was not in the picture because I was away
in
Fuzhou attending an elementary school. Alongside of our uncle
from Burma were my aunts and uncles, and my mom. Seated were my
grandma and grand-aunts. Standing in the front, all barefoot,
were my cousins and my brother, who leans against grandma.
Yannan and his brother in the
Spring Festival of 1962 in front of the mausoleum in Xiamen in
which their father’s remains were buried.
燕南和他弟弟1962年春节在厦门市烈士陵园。他们的爸爸的遗骸就在这里。
Yannan’s mother and brother
paying respect to the mausoleum during the Cultural Revolution.
They are laying flowers cut from paper. The big-character poster
on the wall is part of a slogan that probably says “Carry the
Cultural Revolution to the end!”
燕南的妈妈和弟弟在烈士陵园扫墓。时为文革，可见“把文化大革命进行到底”类的大标语。
Yannan, Li-qing, Hong, Wei,
and Fangfang (niece) on the mausoleum in 1983
1983年 燕南、丽卿、宏、伟和芳芳(外甥女)在烈士陵园
Mama and son and grandsons in
about 1985
妈妈与我和宏伟两个孙儿在烈士陵园，时间约为1985年
Yannan and Li-qing with Fangfang
(niece) in about 1987
我和丽卿及外甥女芳芳在烈士陵园，时间约为1987年
Yannan's mother, brother, and
niece in front of the monument to the mausoleum in 2001
