May 13 2008
My paternal grandparents
Circa 1930, Grandma Qingpei Kong 孔庆佩, 字 玉贞(1902 Hefei - 1977 Taipei) and Grandpa Jingzong 景宗, 字 续堂 (1902 Jinan - 1935 Jinan)
义良朋乾坤后福寿门
善耕耘习文武荣国鳌
玉如石怀景常在 (Dabo Changfa said it’s 玉汝士懷景常在)
家传孝友万世存
Those two sets of couplets were my paternal family’s genealogy. It’s kept at Zhang’s shrine in Donge County, Shandong Province in China. Each word identified a single generation. The first verse had 18 words and the 18th generation that carried 鳌 Ao was ended around beginning of nineteen century.
Dad’s the Chang 常 and I’m the zai 在 generation. Since I’m a girl, Dad didn’t care if I carry the generation identifier. Dabo’s son is Zairong 在荣, and Zairong’s sons used jia 家 in their names too: Jiahong 家宏 (1985 Jinan -) and Jiawei 家伟 (1989 Jinan -). Erbo’s sons are Zaihao 在灏 (1966 Taipei - 2003 CA), Zaishen [can't get the character right here] (1968 Taipei - ) .. ..
My great grandfather was the oldest son, hence his branch was dafang 大房, that followed by his two kid brothers, Second Branch 二房 (three sons) and the Third Branch 三房 (two sons). The family used major ranking 排行 for the Jing 景 generation combining three brother’s boys and girls seperately. Great grandfather had a wife and six concubines, together they produced five sons.
Circa 1933, at 24 Xumo Jie in Tianjin. From L to R back row: Grandma’s holding Aunt Jenny
常华 - 三姑 (1933 Beijing -) and Grandpa.
Front row: Changluan 常鸾 - 二姑 (1924 - ), Changji (Patrick) 常胤 - 二伯 (1928 Tianjin -), Dad (1931 Beijing -), Changfa 常发 (其祥) 又名 岱鲁 - 大伯 (1927 -), Changying 常英 - 大姑 (1920 Beijing -).
Grandpa had one concubine, a modern singer Zhang Yunxin 张运新, she had a daughter Changhui 常辉 (1935 Beijing - 1982 Beijing) whom I called Xiaogugu, 小姑姑.
24 Xumo Street was in the Japanese Concession in Tianjin, Dad lived there for few years while his grandfather served in Beijing. When his grandfather passed away in Jinan in 1934, the family consigliere put all his properties in a hat for the five sons to draw. Grandfather drew the Thousand Bamboo Garden (now a public park), 9th grandfather got Xumo Street estate. .. ..