An Epilogue to the “Stories of my Mom & Dad”

In reminiscence over the events of my Mom and Dad,  there was one event concerning my Dad and Dr.Sun Yat-Sin which should not be overlooked.  It was an event which demonstrated a very touching Friendship and Trust which Dr. Sun had for my Dad  –  an event which might have a far reaching impact into the fate of the Republic of China.  This event was told to me by my Mom who was present at those visits from Dr.Sun.  She was deeply moved by his deep sincerity, openness, understanding, far sight and  immense love for the country and the people of China.  This narrative from my Mom adds more to the authenticity, credibility and excitement of the ‘Stories of my Mom and Dad’.   My Mom wanted all her children to know and to remember it as something worthy to be told  –  something reaching our hearts and souls.

BACKGROUND

* Who is who ? *

Dr, Sun Yat-Sin is well known as the Founder and the Father of the Republic of China.  He successfully led the revolution to overthrow the Imperial Qing Dynasty.    He was the First President of the New Born Republic.  In his Cabinet of Ministers, my Dad (Abraham Lam) was his Military Chief,  in command of all the armed forces of the Republic.

The names of Dr.Sun and Abraham were linked together throughout the revolution …  through bitter battles  … through life and death … through thick and thin … through sleepless days and sleepless nights.  Their names, in the minds of the Chinese people, were images of complete dedication, of continuing fearless sacrifices, and of relentless efforts to achieve the ‘Aim and Purpose’ of the revolution which is the ‘Freedom and Equality’ for the people of China  –   within the nation and among all other nations.

* When is when ? *

It was at a Ministerial Meeting at the Presidential Headquarters when an issue was brought up on the need to establish a Military   Academy to train cadet officers similar to the West Point Military Academy in the U.S.A.   The Need was unanimously agreed upon,  and subsequent motions of a suitable Site for the Academy and the allocation of Funds  were also discussed, voted on and passed.  There was, however, one issue remaining.  It was the appointment of an appropriate person to head this Academy. This required much more elaboration and deeper consideration before a decision could be made.  It was deferred for further discussion at the next session of Ministerial Meeting.   There were two obvious candidates from among others on the list.  One was Abraham Lam who was the current Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces, and the other one was Chang Kai-Shek who had just returned from Japan after completing his training with outstanding credits at the Japanese Military Academy, and who was serving as a member of the Staff Committee under the President.  The choice between the two is a very sensitive one .

* Why is why? *

Why is the choice so sensitive and important ?  To understand why, it is necessary to understand the very touchy political and military situations at that particular period when the New Born Republic was still in its cradle.  There were multiple reactionary Warlords who outwardly pledged their loyalty to the Republic, but who inwardly were opposed to progress and reforms.  There were then dominant insurgents lurking in wait to break up the republic.  The whole situation is therefor like a Chessboard with all the playing pieces of both sides tensely hooked up  –  any false move of one piece would mean the losing of the whole game.

* 1ST VISIT FROM DR. SUN YAT-SEN *

* The President in his jovial chatting mood *

It was in an evening in Mid-Autumn when the sky was tinted with glorious colorful sun-set clouds,  and trees and plants were yellow and red and gold.  It was an ideal evening for a stroll in the cool evening breeze to blend oneself with the soothing and cheering ‘Mother Nature’ –  Dr.Sun, the President was one of those strollers.  There was a ‘ ‘ ‘Knock, Knock’ at the door of the home of my dad and mom.  The President entered apologizing for his unannounced visit.

Seated down with the warmest welcome from my dad and mom, and being offered with a cup of hot herbal tea,  the President opened up his heart.  Like in his own home and family,  he chatted  –  chatting   with the ease, joy and humor he was well known.  The three, (President, dad and mom) began their chat with anything that came to their mind.   Their talk covered a lengthy period of past, present and future.  Their talk carried on until late in the night,  unwilling to stop.   At one point in the midst of their talk over some of the mistakes they made, though sensible at the time, but were very foolish and laughable.

While the President and my  dad were still pointing their fingers and laughing at each other, my mom put in a very playful question to the President, asking ” Were you ever scared during those fearful battles ?   The President replied, in his usual humor, that he would be the biggest Liar in the world if he said ” No ! “.   He said that in each and everyone of those battles, his mind was so busily and fully occupied with the need to adopt different tactics to meet the ever changing battle conditions, that there was no room in his mind for fears.  But, when the battle died down and the gun smoke cleared away ……   with no more enemies in sight,  his shirts and pants were soaking wet with either sweat or urine, or both!   At those words, the threesome were truly hilarious!

At another point when the talk turned to current events, my mom asked the President for his views on China, nationally and internationally ?!   The President said that all the nations of the world were watching closely with interest and curiosity how the young Republic was faring.  He was happy that the steady and very obvious progress we made had amazed them and had won their acclaim and support.  Agriculturally we had improved our irrigation system and had turned much arid land into crop producing fields.  Loans were made to farmers to obtain modern machinery to enhance better farming.  Communication-wise, new road and railway networks were quickly setup, with a quicker cargo flow and man flow. Commerce  was stepped up with more ease and bigger profit.  Educationally,  better staffed and better equipped schools sprang up in cities, towns and villages. Enthusiastic and dedicated teachers came by the hundreds. from overseas.  International relationships were improved by leaps and bounds.   Extensive plans of student exchange were being implemented.  They included scholarships for advance studies, in literature, music, arts, … in practically all fields of learning.  Expert consultants came in from England, France, Germany and Russia … experts in hydro-electronics, in water dam construction, in engineering .. experts in science, commerce and   industries.   In short,  China was hitting milestones after milestones in amazing speed.  The outlook for China is indeed glowing with hope.

With this glowing hope,  mom realized it was time to bring in some refreshments for the party.   She set up a table with some roast pork and chicken, some vegetarian delicacies, some specially roasted peanuts, some fruits, and of course a bottle of Chinese wine. While the party were eating merrily and the conversation turned to more casual talks,  the Clock struck 2 am which was really late in the night  and was time to take the President home.  Very reluctantly the party ended.  My dad personally escorted the President to get home safely.  The night was peaceful and calm !  The sky was starry and bright !   It was a night warm and unforgettable as an Autumn night could be !

An Epilogue to the “Stories of my Mom & Dad”

In reminiscence over the events of my Mom and Dad,  there was one event concerning Dr.Sun Yat-Sin, the Founder and the Father of the Republic of China, and my dad that should be remembered and cherished.  It was an event which demonstrated a very touching Friendship and Trust which Dr. Sun had for my Dad  –  an event which might have a far reaching impact into the fate of the Republic of China.

This event was told to me by my Mom who was present at those visits from Dr.Sun.  She was deeply moved by his deep sincerity, openness, understanding, far sight and  immense love for the country and the people of China.

The next blog will be a narrative from my Mom about the visit(s) which adds to the authenticity, credibility and excitement of the ‘Stories of my Mom and Dad’.   My Mom wanted all her children to know and to remember it as something worthy to be told  –  something reaching our hearts and souls.

ABRAHAM LAM – THE BOY

My dad’s father was the headmaster of a village school, a huge 6-foot tall scholar with a baby face. Kind, gentle, loving, and very much respected in the village.  My dad was the eldest of his 3 children.  As the eldest boy in the family,  he was loaded with responsibilities.  He had to help his mom in tending the family live stocks of pigs, goats and a cow, in feeding the poultry and planting vegetables in the backyard, carrying water from the well to the kitchen, collecting fire woods, and an endless list of household chores.   Besides helping his mom, he had to run little errands for his dad in the school.  He was also the school janitor.  At home, oftentimes he had to baby-sit his little sister and brother.  In spite of his triple responsibilities,   which was more than a full time job, dad still found time     and energy to play other roles in the village.

a)  A teacher  –  giving private tuition to students  who needed help in catching upwith their school work.

b) A mediator –  whenever there was a major dispute or problem in the village, dad was able to give an opinion or solution acceptable to all the parties concerned.

c) A detective – Because of his many playmates and   friends who are his eyes and ears,   dad was able to quickly trace out who was the culprit when somebody had stolen something from somebody.

d) A sharp shooter –  Dad’s father, who being very pleased with his diligent work at home and at school, gave him a hunting rifle as a gift.  Dad loved it and played with it whenever he had time.  He was known as a sharp shooter and was always invited to join the village game parties.  Dad often brought home birds and hares for mom’s kitchen.

e) A witty boy –  Dad was a boy with a stock of jokes, humor and stories.  He was the        life of all school parties.  He brought fun and laughter to all village gatherings.

ABRAHAM THE MAN

His role in the revolution and in the new born Republic

As I mentioned earlier,  I leave this part to historians to write and to comment.  I was not born yet at that time. I had no first hand information in the historic events.   However,  history remembers my dad and makes him   stand out as a hero and a leader in battles during the revolution.  His dauntless spirits and his dedication to the cause will be high lighted in the pages of history of China. Those were the early days when the Republic was still in its cradle, and the nation was fighting desperately for a place in the World of Democracy and Freedom. I wrote an article in WordPress titled ‘Escape from the Jaws of Death’ , telling the story of an insurgent plot to kill the President and my  Dad, and all the Ministers and Officials in the Presidential Headquarters.   It was a very narrow and hazardous escape.   Impenetrable lines and lines of insurgent soldiers were surrounding the Presidential Headquarters.  Every streets in the whole city of Canton were guarded and patrolled by the insurgent troops searching and questioning every passers-by.  It was a sure death trap.  But my Dad and the President out-witted them all and came out of it unharmed. This historic melodramatic event was recorded and applauded in some history books.

RETIREMENT PHASE OF HIS LIFE

In the 4,000 years of Chinese culture, it was the retirement dreams of people of all walks of life, to return to the quiet life in a village of natural beauty and peace.  My dad had his dreams come true when he retired from his active military services and rejoined his family with 21 kids. He had chosen for us a permanent home by the seaside in a quaint fishing village about 16 miles from downtown Hong Kong.

A home by the seaside

Our home was situated at the seaside overlooking a winding bay which stretches out to sea. The house was like a painter sitting in front of a panoramic view of the sea and sky.   The bay, blue as jade and sparking with waves under the sun, was dotted here and there with exotic fishing boats,     going out to sea or coming home with their catches. The sky was a dome of blue,  displaying dreamy clouds,with ever-changing shapes of horses, dragons, whales,    dolphins … in their various sizes and moods. Such views, such sights would fascinate and inspire any painter, any poet, anybody!
And, in a moonlit night, the bay was like a basin of liquid silver, so unreal, so like magic.  Moonlight, beaming down  upon the earth, would take us by the hand and lead us waltzing away to another planet of dreams. Dreams of strange adventures in the outer space.

No lack of Entertainment

There was no lack of entertainment in this quaint little village. The Big Circus would come around once every year, which   grownups as well as children anxiously looked forward to.     Elephants, lions, tigers, horses and all sorts of circus animals would be transported into the village, and the big tops put up.  It was then great excitement in the villages for miles and miles around.  There were then parades  of Circus animals and clowns, flower floats with bands playing and pretty costumed dancers dancing. The streets were lined up with crowds and crowds of cheering kids and curious adults. Tickets were sold out quickly and every show was fully packed.

Then there were the Annual Chinese New Year Operas, showing the Classic Chinese Operas with colorful costumes and exotic Chinese instrumental music. There were also street shows of “Lion Dances” .. “Kung Fu Dances” .. and Ethnic Tribes Dancers in their attractive traditional clothes.. etc.etc.

Such were occasions of infinite excitements for all the villagers!

Sun-deck, Moon-deck, Star-deck And A miniature Hollywood Bowl

Our home, a huge village type house with many rooms, had  a huge kitchen and dining room much like a school canteen. Pots and pans hung around kitchen walls. Barrels of foods and drinks lined up at kitchen corners. The dining room had tables of different sizes with table-cloths of different colors and designs to suit the different tastes and moods of the     family.  At dinner times, Grand-parents, Parents and visiting Guests sat at the Head Table, and kids packed themselves at the tables befitting their ages and sizes. Meals were served and dishes were cleaned by house maids.   The prime hours of the evenings were after dinner meals, when everybody moved out onto the Sun-deck which would turn into a Moon-deck or Star-deck when the Moon or the Stars began to shine. To us the deck was like a miniature Hollywood Bowl, where Grandma and Mom,  who were great   story-tellers, told their inexhaustible old time legends and stories. Grandpa would gather as many kids around him as he possibly could, with the smaller ones climbing up onto his laps and shoulders. He liked watching them playing games, yelling, laughing, chasing each other.  They would sing songs and perform dances which they learned at school. The climax of the evening came, when on occasions, such as after a Circus Show or a Chinese Opera Show, the children (some got talents !) would imitate the Circus clowns or the opera singers.  They could put up some hilarious shows that made everyone roar with laughter.
God be praised that some of them were born performers. They came on the stage with no rehearsals, no directors. They just did it !   And not bad at all !

Once a soldier always a soldier !

What happened to Abraham the soldier? My dad was never able to wean himself of his habits and lifestyle of a soldier.  He had thick dark hair and could let it grow as attractive as Valentino.  But he still kept his army short-cut hair which nowadays in the United States is called the ‘ G.I. cut ‘  !   He said it was a no-fuss-cut ! with which he could jump into a shower anytime and keep himself clean from sweat or dirt. He was always  an early bird  –  getting up with the first light of dawn. He love watching the gorgeous sunrise !  He said those were moments of magnificent colors and infinite inspirations.   When he was in the army, those were moments for him to make his battle plans, which often surprised himself as well as his enemies.

His morning exercises were a 1/2 hour run along the freeway or railway nearby our home.  He would then eat his breakfast like a hungry tiger.  There were 2 hours every afternoon reserved solely for his study of Chinese classics and calligraphy.

He would not let his spare time run waste.  He would make repairs around home, or trim trees, or clear away clutter  – always doing something.

* A quiet peaceful Retirement Life ? *

Such things do not exist in the world of Abraham!  Contrary to what he thought, my dad’s retirement turned out to be busier than he ever was  –  the word ‘busy’ in his dictionary took up several pages.   He was truly busier than a bumble-bee.

*Abraham the swimmer*

He was a born swimmer, like having propellers in his feet, he would spin around in ponds, streams, rivers, lakes and sea. He said swimming had once saved his life when he
was actively involved in the revolution and the Imperial troops were searching everywhere for him day and night.  There was one night when his only chance of escape was swimming out to sea, taking refuge in fishing boats, disguising as one of the fishermen.  He was finally taken to safety at another port.

His retirement dreams came true when he could enjoy to his heart’s content those beautiful sandy beaches or picturesque mountain streams, which were abundantly
found nearby his retirement home at the seaside. His greatest joy was to take his family of 21 kids out to swim.  He would hire a motor boat to explore those quiet bays with golden sandy beaches.  We would anchor our boat.  Mom would cook on board some simple noodle meals for us.  We could then eat, swim and snorkel there all day. Other times,  dad would take the family for a long hike up the mountains till we reached our favorite natural pond with water running down from a mini waterfall.  There again, we could swim with the cliffs echoing back loud and clear our screams and our laughter. Mom always made sure that she had prepared enough food to feed the 21 hungry mouths of kids.

* Abraham the hunter *
My dad was fond of hunting.  He loved to get into the deep forests to have a closer view of nature with all its trees, plants and animals.  China is the best place to find such magnificent and spectacular forests.  So, his retirement plans included organizing hunting parties in China with his hunting friends.  They would map out target trips during the months of Autumn when weather was mild and wild animals and birds were abundant for hunting.  There was one year, the hunting party brought back a baby tiger and a baby
deer from China and Dad presented them to the Zoological Garden in Hong Kong.

* The Mountain Trail Hiker *
In the Kowloon Peninsular, across from the Island of Hong Kong,  there are some very picturesque mountains with queer shaped peaks which people can see and
admire from miles away.  The most popular of these mountains are :-

a) The big foggy mountains –  As the name suggests,   they are most of the time covered in thick fog.   On a cold wintry day, people like to drive up to   the tops to see the frosted trees and plants and the mountainside thinly covered with snow.  It is
an exciting sight for the local residents who rarely see any frost or snow.

b) The Horse-saddle Mountain  –  A comparatively   low mountain, very green and beautiful, like a horse-saddle sitting along the side of a bay. It is easy to climb and is very pleasant to roam around on a weekend.

c)  The 8 Fairies Mountains  –  so called because it is a chain of mountains with 8 steep peaks towering on the tops of these mountains which look like 8 fairies sitting up there, blessing the villages down below. These mountains are popular for their  exquisite scenery and spectacular views. There are innumerable rock cliffs, caves, water falls, streams, murmuring brooks,cascading rapids … for the adventurers to explore, ….for the photographers, painters  poets to amuse and enjoy. My dad liked most of all those almost endless trails for hiking.  At every turn of the trails, there is a different view to charm you and to give you the feeling of entering in a fairy land.

My dad was a frequent hiker on those trails with his ardent friends.  There were a few occasions when he wanted to take his children along.  He would announce his wishes at Breakfast! And we, his 21 kids, knowing well that we were only Ducks !  and NOT Goats !  and that those high mountain trails are No Place for Ducks !   We ran and hid,  disappeared like a breeze ! Dad quickly and loudly yelled,  ” Come back !   Come back !  Those who come hiking with me will have a nice supper with me at the restaurant and each will get on top a silver coin ! ” 21 kids quickly reappeared like little ghosts from behind nowhere ! The mountains would then witness the strange sight of 21 little ducks trailing behind their dad  – happily parading and waggling their little tails.

* My Mom *

It is generally believed that behind every successful man there is a woman who makes his success possible.  My dad used to say that it was my mom who gave him the spirit of the dragon in battles and in life.

* A small farming village *

Let me start my mom’s story with the place where she was  born and where she grew up to her teens.  It was a small farming village, about a day’s driving distance from the           world famous scenic city of  ‘Kwei-Lin’ ,   renounced for its queer shaped mountains and jade blue streams.  Just like the majestic beauty of the Canadian Rockies tailing off in the  region of Banff which people called the ‘little Switzerland in Canada’ ,  the natural beauty of ‘Kwei-Lin’ tapers off here in  the area around this small village which abounds in the       charms and magic of mountains and streams.

It was also believed that In an environment of such peace  and beauty, boys were born strong as rocks, and girls as attractive as the streams.  My mom was one of those girls.

But my mom was not contented to be the little bird hopping from tree to tree in this village.  She was born an audacious little eagle that flies, up high over hills and vales, exploring   neighboring villages and towns. visiting relatives and friends.  And that was how mom met dad, and how her vivacity and intelligence had won the hearts of dad and of his parents.     She was married to Dad at the age of 16.

* A favorite and a welcome visitor *

In my dad’s family, mom was a favorite, and in dad’s village she was a welcome visitor to relatives and friends.  She had a way of endearing herself to people she came to meet. Her cheerfulness and readiness to help was her key to open up almost very heart and every door to receive her everywhere she went.

* A lover of nature *

Mom was a lover of nature.  She loves all trees and plants, flowers and butterflies, birds and fish  –  in fact she loved all the animate and inanimate objects of God’s creation.  She talks even to rocks and plants.  She says that if we listen carefully we can hear them talk and sing.  She says that they understand us and share all our joy and tears.  Such         are glimpses of her many incredible deeds and beliefs.

* A honey bun for children *

Children flock to my mom like little bees to homey.  She would tell them fairy tales and teach them to sing songs. She knew how to make very pretty toys with wood or           bamboo,  and from weeds and tree leaves.  She gave them as presents to children who scored high grades in schools or who did something very sweet and praise-worthy.  She had a way of wiping away their tears and making them smile again their great big smiles   She was the honey bun to all of them.  It was very touching to hear children greeting her so sweetly almost everywhere in the village.

* A mother of 21 kids *

Incredible ?   Yes, mom had 21 kids  –  born of 3 mothers.  In those days, a husband could have more than 1 wife and my dad had 3. !   It was not his lust for many wives.  It was his mother’s idea that he should have 1 more wife to help in the daily household chores.  So, while his mother was busy selecting a suitable girl for him, my dad’s fancy was caught by a girl whom he wanted to bring home as a second wife. So it came to pass that 2 girls were brought home at the same time,  one selected by the mother and one picked by himself.  So, instead of rejecting one of them, both were accepted by dad’s mother. Approval was also given by my mom who was given the final say.  So that was the story of how my dad had 3 wives and how my mom had 21 kids  –  9 by herself and 12 by the other 2 wives (concubines). Incredible as it might seem,  all 21 kids looked to mom as  the one mother we all loved and the one mother around whom we huddled and played.  In another article written  by me, published earlier titled  ‘Ducks! ducks ! ducks !’,  I wrote about my 21 brothers and sisters. We were a strange sight to the villagers of a quaint seaside     village where we lived.  When the family went out on a swimming trip and passed by the market place,  we could see and hear the people there, pointing their fingers, and curiously counting , Papa duck ! Mama duck !  1 2 3 and 4,   ….. 9 10 11 and 12………18 19 20 and 21 !   Altogether 21 little ducklings !  Happily parading with waggling tails !

* She dares to dream and she has visions *

As a young girl, my mom had ideas, notions and daring  dreams of her own  –  crossing countries to distant lands, or even putting on wings to fly off this planet to reach the moon and other planets in the outer space.  She owed this attribute of visions probably to her father who was in the shipping trade, who made full use of the inexpensive water-ways  –  rivers and canals, lakes and open seas.  Their ships brought cargoes, traders and travelers to all parts of China and even overseas to Malaysia, India and Indonesia.  He believed in free trades and in unhampered exchange of cultures and beliefs.  From him, my mom got  her vision of stripping down all walls between nations, let there be only  ‘One Nation under the Sun’  –  One Nation of all races and creeds !  This notion coincides with the hopes  and dreams of my dad.  The dreams of a New China.

I have reasons to believe that these stories when written will make interesting readings, and that readers will like to hear more.  It was because each and every time I told and retold these stories to my children, I could plainly see the bewilderment and thrill in their wide-opened tell-tale eyes  – wishing earnestly to hear more.  The same kind of thrills were also clearly displayed in the much amazed eyes and delighted faces of my friends in church and at work, when  I happened to be telling some of these stories to them.

So here I am, putting pen to paper – hoping that, in reading them, readers will fall in love with my mom and dad too!

* The Scene of the stories *

They all took place in the Land of the Dragons, the land  where all the people living in it, believed that they were, ever since the world began, the sons and daughters of the peace-loving and spirited dragon.

This Land was also believed to be the Center of the Earth, surrounded by mountains and oceans on all sides.  And, over this good Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and all the heavenly bodies revolved.

In this Center of the Earth  (???, through the 4000 years of written history, Empires were built  –  with good Emperors continued to rule, to maintain peace and to look after the welfare of the people, and with the bad Emperors quickly eliminated.

The only threat to peace in this Land was from the barbaric nomad tribes who in their search for food and shelter made attacks from over the mountains in the North. To keep them out, the `Emperor Qin` built the Great Wall, stretching over a thousand miles, on the mountain tops overlooking the wilderness of the North.  On this Great Wall, signal towers were built within sight of each other, to give smoke warnings to the garrison troops nearby. This formidable Wall did successfully keep all invaders away.

* The  Period of these stories *

These stories occurred at a time when this Great Wall was no longer able to keep off undreamed of enemies from the countries in the West  –  enemies with battleships, armed with modern weapons of guns and canons, capable of making attacks to the ‘Center of the Earth’ from across oceans and seas.

It was at a time when the ignorant ruling Empress was totally unaware of the rapid advances in war-weapons in the western countries.  She was still complacent in the defending power of her Imperial Armies, with heroes and masters of swords and arrows!   Her complacency led her to empty out all her Treasury Reserves to build an ‘Imperial Garden’ resembling the incredibly beautiful `Kun Ming Lake`,  and capturing all the attractions of the picturesque `Hang Chou` City. The vast expenditures involved, included the use of the budgeted fund for the ‘modernization’  of the Imperial Navy –  the replacement of old warships in wood with modern battleships in metal.  This resulted in the total annihilation of  the Imperial fleet by the modern Japanese Navy in a naval battle at the Yellow Sea, during the War with Japan in the early 19th century.

This national shame and disaster had awaken the Sleeping Dragon.  A revolution was underway.  Dr. Sun Yat-Sin was the leader. Under his leadership were gathered together all the sons and daughters of the dragon who were ready to dedicate their lives to overthrow the corrupted Imperial rule and to the building of a new democratic Republic with freedom and equality for all the people.  My dad was one of those revolution pioneers.

….more to come!