China - The Middle Kingdom 

Kaiping, Guangzhou province
Chinese American Warlord's House - An overseas Chinese from Chicago spend 10 million yuan in building this private estate in Kaiping.   He had three wives and owned a Chinese medicine and garment shop in Chicago during the prohibition times.  Looks like he was friend of Mr. Capone. This estate has become a tourist attraction and was opened to the public in 2001.  Lots of photographers were taking pictures.
Kaiping Estate - Restored Guard Tower and mansion. Goldfish Pond - Hundreds of carp. Nice and tasty fish.
Last Stand on the Pearl River - This is one of the Guard Towers that stand all around the Taishan and Kaiping counties. Built as a civil defense against bandits attacks from Yao tribesmen from the mountains and Hakka clans in the 1920's.  Here it is a memorial now to the 7 Chinese men that fought the Japanese in WWII and halted their advance down the Pearl river.  There are large holes from artillery fire and bullets in the Guard Tower. Local Guard Tower - This one is down the road from my ancestral village.  It was at the entrance to the local cement factory.  These were guard posts during the years after the fall of the Qing Dynasty and during the start of the Republic of China.  Bandits and mountain tribesmen would roam the countryside looting and pillaging remote village communities.  Overseas Chinese sent money back to build these towers during a time of lawlessness.
Grandfather's Store - My grandparents saved enough money to build this building in a suburb of Kaiping during the 1920s.  They set up a Chinese grocery store and rented the top floor as apartments to the local girls school.  Unlike the American Chinese warlord, they did not make millions.  My father said he lived upstairs when he was sent to school. My father said he sold buns to Nationalist soldiers during the WWII.
Primary School - My father's school was down the street from the store.  He said that he was the second best student in his class.  There were only 2 students in his class. Relatives - My cousin from my grandmother's side, second Uncle Fei Hung, and Uncle Fai-Nang.  Resting before the big mah jong game and karaoke.
Yee Clan Banquet - My father and uncles held a Yee clan banquet for the 97th birthday celebration of this man in the middle.  He looks like my grandfather and is the oldest man in the village. On the left is Uncle Fei-Hung's father.  There were a few 75 year old ladies who attended that said it was their very first time ever in a restaurant and thanked my father graciously for the experience.  We also doled out packs of cigarettes and glasses of Remy Martin. Cousins - My dad with his cousin.  Supposedly, when they were 8 years old they almost burnt down the neighbouring village as a prank.

© 2002-2005 Stanley Yee