Jiaji Village - Taihai Magazine Article (2020)

Source Information

Title: 永春夹际村：百年书卷气 十里稻花香 Translation: “Yongchun Jiaji Village: Century of Scholarly Air, Ten Miles of Fragrant Rice Flowers”

Publication: 台海 (Taihai) Magazine Date: June 3, 2020 Author: Lu Yan (卢燕), journalist Photographers: Pan Deng (潘登, Taiwan photography competition winner), Yao Dechun (姚德纯, correspondent) URL: http://taihaizazhi.com/index.php?s=/Home/Article/detail/id/479.html

Summary

This feature article documents Jiaji Village (夹际村), a traditional ancient village in Yongchun County, Fujian Province, as one of Fujian’s Top 10 Traditional Ancient Villages. The article describes the village’s 560-year history since the Zheng family migrated there in 1458, its beautiful natural setting, preserved ancient architecture, scholarly traditions, and remarkable overseas Chinese diaspora.

Key Findings for Family Genealogy

Village Identity Confirmed

The article confirms that Jiaji Village (夹际村, also written 夹漈村) in Yongchun County (永春县), Fujian Province is the ancestral village for the Zheng/Cheng/Chan family.

Key details:

• Location: Xianjia Town (仙夹镇), Yongchun County, at intersection of three counties (Anxi, Nan’an, Yongchun)
• Established: 1458 (Ming Dynasty, Tianshun 2nd year)
• Origin: Zheng family migrated from Putian via Dehua
• Generations: 560+ years, currently at 24th-25th generation
• Population: 3,000+ residents, all surnamed Zheng (郑)
• Diaspora: Nearly 20,000 overseas Chinese from this village

Name Variations Explained

The article explains the multiple names for the village:

1. 夹际 (Jiaji) - Standard Mandarin name
2. 夹漈 (Jiaji) - Alternative writing, referencing ancestor Zheng Qiao (夹漈先生)
3. 乞蔗 (Hokkien: “Khi-tsia”) - Local Minnan/Hokkien pronunciation
4. 吉蔗 - Alternative writing from Putian dialect

The name derives from:

• Geography: Village sandwiched (夹) between mountains with stream in middle
• Ancestor: Zheng Qiao (郑樵), Song Dynasty historian known as “Jiaji Xiansheng” (夹漈先生)

Ancestor: Zheng Qiao (郑樵)

The article identifies the Zheng family’s distinguished ancestor:

Zheng Qiao (郑樵, 1104-1162):

• Title: “Jiaji Xiansheng” (夹漈先生)
• Occupation: Famous Song Dynasty historian and bibliographer
• Achievement: Compiled “Tong Zhi” (通志), comprehensive historical work
• Legacy: Descendants migrated to this village, naming it after his title

This means Jesse Chan descends from a Song Dynasty scholar-official lineage.

Four Notable Figures from Jiaji Village

The article lists four most distinguished people from the village:

“清朝进士、菲律宾侨领郑玉书、民国时期的画家唐蕴玉、东南亚面粉大王郑仓满、菲律宾金融界的龙头郑少坚，无不是各行各业的翘楚。”

Translation: “Qing Dynasty scholar and Philippine overseas Chinese leader Zheng Yushu; Republican-era painter Tang Yunyu; Southeast Asian Flour King Zheng Cangman; Philippine finance leader Zheng Shaojian — all are outstanding exemplars in their respective fields.”

1. Zheng Yushu (郑玉书)

   • Qing Dynasty jinshi (进士, highest scholar degree)
   • Philippine overseas Chinese leader (菲律宾侨领)

2. Tang Yunyu (唐蕴玉)

   • Republican era (民国时期) painter
   • Cousin Jimmy’s mother
   • Shanghai house preserved with commemorative plaque

3. Zheng Cangman (郑仓满)

   • “Southeast Asian Flour King” (东南亚面粉大王)
   • Born in village 1924, migrated to Indonesia
   • Founded Primamix (百龄麦) in Singapore 1961
   • Became international flour industry leader
   • Major philanthropist to village and Yongchun

4. Zheng Shaojian (郑少坚)

   • “Uncle George” (Betty Chan’s brother)
   • “Dragon head” in Philippine finance (菲律宾金融界的龙头)
   • Finance industry leader

Village Saying

“夹际人出海成龙” Translation: “Jiaji people who go overseas become dragons”

This proverb reflects the village’s tradition of:

• Emigration to Southeast Asia
• Remarkable success overseas
• Returning wealth to support village
• Pride in overseas achievements

Village Features Described

Natural Environment

Geography:

• Mountain basin surrounded by peaks
• Jiaji Stream (夹际溪) running through center
• Terraced tea fields and rice paddies
• Dense forests and ancient trees
• Remote location (difficult mountain roads to access)

Ancient Trees:

• 350-year-old “Marriage Ginkgo Tree” (夫妻银杏树)

  • Planted by Qing scholar Zheng Liangshi and his bride Zhou in 1648
  • Tree splits into male (outer) and female (inner) trunks
  • Symbol of marital harmony and family continuity
  • Considered sacred by villagers

• “Connected Trees” (连理树)

  • Chinese hackberry and camphor tree grown together
  • Legend of separated couple reuniting when trees joined
  • Symbol of faithful love across distance

Architecture and Buildings

Bixi Academy (碧溪堂):

• Name meaning: “Green Stream Hall”
• Structure: Imperial palace-style building
• Layout: “Nine Halls, Eighteen Rooms” (九厅十八房)
• Function: Traditional private school/academy
• Design: Stream flows through building from back to front
• Purpose: Students could hear flowing water while studying
• Current use: Children’s study space, educational activities

Ancient Residences:

• 60+ preserved traditional houses
• Red brick construction with distinctive swallow-tail roofs (燕尾脊)
• Multi-courtyard layouts with 20-30 rooms each
• Built by returning overseas Chinese
• Examples: Shanglin Ancestral House, Xingchun Hall, Shouxuan Hall, Huaduan Hall

Overseas Chinese Buildings:

• Elementary school built by overseas Chinese donations (Republican era)
• Now preserved but no longer in use
• Spanish-style floor tiles (from Southeast Asia)
• Wall murals and decorative elements showing overseas influence

Scholarly Tradition

The village emphasizes education and culture:

• Bixi Academy continues as study space for children
• Elderly villagers read books (article profiles 80-year-old reading medical texts)
• Historical production of Qing Dynasty scholars
• Genealogy preservation (Zheng family genealogy books)

Overseas Chinese Connection

Migration pattern:

• Many villagers went to Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia)
• “Nanyang” (South Seas) migration during late Qing and Republican eras
• Success in business, then remittances and return visits
• Grand houses built by returning emigrants

Zheng Cangman example:

• Left village in 1924 at young age (poverty)
• Built flour empire in Singapore
• Donated extensively to village since 1955:
  • Jiaji hydroelectric station
  • Jiaji Middle School auditorium
  • Yongchun Hospital building
  • Roads connecting village to towns
  • Kindergarten and sports field
  • Disaster relief and student scholarships

Longevity Village

The article notes:

• Villagers describe city life as uncomfortable
• Prefer village air and environment
• Many elderly live to advanced age
• Profile of 80-year-old active reader
• Profile of retired man who returned from Xiamen to tend gardens

Historical Context

Ming Dynasty Establishment (1458)

Zheng family migration:

• Originally from Putian (Zheng Qiao’s homeland)
• Moved to Dehua
• Finally settled in Jiaji in 1458
• Named village after ancestor Zheng Qiao’s title

Qing Dynasty (1644-1912)

Scholarly achievements:

• Zheng Liangshi (郑良士): Born 1648, became scholar, planted ginkgo tree
• Zheng Yushu (郑玉书): Achieved jinshi degree, led Philippine Chinese community

Republican Era (1912-1949)

Cultural flourishing:

• Tang Yunyu: Painter whose Shanghai house preserved
• Overseas emigration accelerated
• Grand houses built with overseas wealth

Post-1949

Challenges and preservation:

• Communist revolution (land reform)
• Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) - uncertain impact on village
• Economic reforms (1980s+) - rural depopulation
• Recent designation as protected traditional village
• Tourism development beginning

Significance for Jesse Chan’s Story

Confirms Ancestral Village Location

This article definitively identifies:

• Jiaji Village (not just “Yong Qin”) as the specific location
• Yongchun County as the administrative region
• Xianjia Town as the township
• Village can be located and potentially visited

Family Connections Clarified

Uncle George identified:

• Zheng Shaojian (郑少坚) is Betty Chan’s brother
• Listed among village’s four most notable figures
• Jesse’s friend became his brother-in-law
• Both from Jiaji Village Zheng family

Cousin Jimmy’s mother identified:

• Tang Yunyu (唐蕴玉), the painter
• Shanghai house preserved
• Connection to Zheng family through marriage or maternal line

Jesse’s Wartime Refuge (1940s)

The article context helps understand:

• Remote location - why village was safer during WWII
• Mountain terrain - harder for Japanese to control
• Family network - uncle in village could provide refuge
• Ancestral obligation - village custom to shelter displaced family
• Zheng clan structure - all villagers related, mutual support

Genealogy Book Connection

The article mentions:

• Village maintains Zheng family genealogy records
• Tradition of documenting lineage
• Jesse’s genealogy book project fits this tradition
• 560+ years of family history to document

Research Implications

Names and Identities Resolved

Jesse Chan = Zheng family:

• Jesse’s surname is Zheng (郑)
• Romanized as Chan, Cheng, Tee (different dialects)
• Both Jesse and Betty are from Zheng family of Jiaji Village
• Marriage was within extended clan network

Betty Chan = Zheng family:

• Maiden name “Lo Kuchiam” may be village/branch name
• Actually Zheng family (brothers George and Henry are Zheng Shaojian, etc.)
• Uncle George and Uncle Henry are Zheng from Jiaji

Visiting the Village

The article indicates:

• Village still exists and is inhabited
• Designated as protected traditional village
• Some tourism infrastructure
• Ancient residences preserved
• Bixi Academy open for visits
• Family members could potentially visit ancestral village

Additional Research Needed

From the article, new questions arise:

Jesse’s family:

• How is Jesse’s father connected to village? (Direct descent? Which generation?)
• Which branch of Zheng family is Jesse’s line?
• Is Jesse in the genealogy records maintained in village?
• Which of the 60+ ancient houses belonged to Jesse’s family?

Village records:

• Does village still maintain complete genealogy records?
• Were records destroyed during Cultural Revolution?
• Can descendants access family tree records?
• Are there photos or documents about Jesse’s father’s generation?

Other family connections:

• Are there other Chan/Zheng family members from Jiaji in Philippines/Taiwan?
• How many Jiaji emigrants went to Philippines vs. other Southeast Asian countries?
• Did other siblings or cousins also seek refuge there during WWII?

Timeline

1104-1162: Zheng Qiao (ancestor), Song Dynasty historian 1458: Zheng family establishes Jiaji Village 1648: Zheng Liangshi born, later plants ginkgo tree Late 1800s-early 1900s: Major emigration to Southeast Asia begins 1924: Zheng Cangman leaves for Indonesia 1940s: Jesse Chan takes refuge in village during WWII 1955+: Zheng Cangman donations to village 1961: Zheng Cangman founds Primamix in Singapore 2020: This article published, village designated as traditional village

Related People

File	role
Tang Yunyu	-
Jesse Chan	-
Zheng Shaojian	-

Related Places

• Jiaji Village - The village itself
• Yongchun-County - County location
• Fujian-Province - Provincial location
• Philippines - Where Zheng Shaojian and others migrated
• Singapore - Where Zheng Cangman built empire
• Shanghai - Where Tang Yunyu’s house is preserved

Notes

Importance of This Source

This article is crucial for family history because:

1. Confirms precise location of ancestral village
2. Identifies Uncle George by Chinese name (Zheng Shaojian)
3. Identifies Cousin Jimmy’s mother (Tang Yunyu)
4. Explains family surname (Zheng/Chan/Cheng variations)
5. Provides 560-year context for family lineage
6. Documents village traditions Jesse would have experienced
7. Shows pattern of success (“Jiaji people become dragons”)

Cultural Significance

The article reveals:

• Scholarly tradition (descended from Song historian)
• Overseas success (four notable figures all succeeded abroad)
• Family values (marriage tree, genealogy preservation)
• Community bonds (all villagers surnamed Zheng)
• Educational emphasis (Bixi Academy, continued study culture)

Connection to Loui Family

Through this article, Nicholas, Ryan, and Samantha Loui can trace:

• 27+ generations back to Zheng Qiao (Song Dynasty)
• 560+ years of Jiaji Village history
• Specific location they can visit in China
• Distinguished lineage (scholar-official ancestry)
• Family network of successful overseas Chinese

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This Taihai Magazine article provides crucial documentation of Jiaji Village as the ancestral home of the Zheng/Chan family, confirming the location Jesse Chan fled to during WWII and revealing the distinguished scholarly and entrepreneurial heritage of the family lineage extending to the Loui family today.