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Lien visits ancestral hometown

By Hu Meidong and Li Dapeng (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-04-20 06:42

XIAMEN: Lien Chan, former leader of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, and his family members worshipped their ancestors at his hometown of Maqi Village in Zhangzhou, a city in East China's Fujian Province yesterday.

It is the first time that Lien and his family have come back to their ancestral home on the mainland.

Accompanied by relatives of the same clan in the village, Lien and his family members burnt incense, offered sacrifices and knelt in reverence of their ancestors at the ancestral hall.

"Grandpa, I've finally come back," the 70-year-old said.

"I'm very, very happy to have realized my dream of worshipping my ancestors at my hometown today," Lien said in a local dialect, expressing the hope that he could maintain frequent contact with his fellow countrymen in Maqi Village in the future.

"Zhangzhou, as well as the whole province of Fujian, are very close to Taiwan across the Straits. People on both sides have the same ancestors and also the same destiny," said Lien.

"We should not only remember our ancestors, but also carry their diligent spirit. This is the responsibility of our generation," Lien added.

According to Lien, his ancestors moved to southern Taiwan from Fujian in 1628. He is the ninth generation of his family in Taiwan after the move.

Lien also swept the tombs of his ancestors.

Many old villagers were waiting to welcome Lien when he arrived. "This is the most important of local customs to show respect in greeting our family members," said Lian Hongju, president with Lien Chan's family clan association in the village, who is also in the same generation as Lien.

"We are very proud that Lien and his family have always been true to their words loyalty and filial piety are the most important of virtues for the Chinese," Lian said.

In the afternoon, Lien received an honorary doctorate degree of law granted by Xiamen University, becoming the first Taiwanese to win an honorary doctorate degree awarded by a mainland university.

(China Daily 04/20/2006 page3)