May 10 2007
My maternal grannies.. 吕训卿 and 刘佶生
Wellington Lyu 吕训卿 (1903 - 1983; Lujiang 庐江 Anhui - Beijing)
Liu Jisheng 刘佶生 (1901 - 1980; Shanghai - Beijing)
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Shanghai, summer 1932. My maternal grandparents’ wedding.
It’s Yeye’ second and Popo’s first. The elaborated affair was The Eventhosted by Liu Huizhi.
Popo was born in Shanghai but grew up on the Zhou’s compound in Tianjin. Because her mother had passed away right after giving birth to her kid brother. Fearing step-mother, Madam Zhou asked Liu for her grandchildren. It’s surprise that the Lius had consent the request. After long number of years, Popo and her kid bro moved back to Shanghai. Their uncle Liu Huizhi was the most successful son hence became the head of the family who made all the important decisions. He quickly found an appropriated bride for the brother. It would take him a decade to found Yeye for his niece. He and Yeye’s dad were old friends during his time in Beijing. Yeye’s Dad went to Shanghai in 1931 on a business trip, Liu learned his old buddy’s son had widowed, so he sent his butler to the hotel broke the marriage. And insisted to host the wedding in Shanghai. It’s Yeye’s second marriage, so his parents declined to go, sent Yeye on his nuptial voyage with a butler and an older cousin. Secretly, Yeye also took his favored concubine at the time, Little Willow with him.
Note: By tradition, maternal grandfather/mother are usually addressed as Gonggong 公公 n Popo 婆婆 or Weigong n Weipo respectively. Yeye 爷爷 n Nainai 奶奶 are reserved for paternal grannies. However, there are exceptions. My maternal grandfather whom I called Yeye was born Lü Xiaohua 吕孝华, Xunqing 训卿 was his style. Lyu is for easy spelling on an English based keyboard. Yeye was very dapper and the poster boy for debunchery.
When I was born, he’s living with his last concubine Qian Ruohua 钱若华 - Qian the Splendid - whom I addressed as Nainai. Popo Liu Jisheng was living with Jiujiu, her only son.
My paternal grandfather had passed away in 1930s shortly after the Baron, and grandmother was in Taipei, who eventually passed away there in 1972. The chance of ever meeting her was slim. So, my maternal side of the family decided, grandpa would be called Yeye, his most favored Shanghai courtesan be Nainai and his lawful wife should be Popo.