CHINA DAILY Lan Honglin, head of the Lan Family Association in Zhangpu, Fujian Compiling genealogies and building ancestral temples are Chinese traditions. They connect people who have the same family roots and promote their sense of belonging. Genealogies, or family trees, are the best resources for discovering family histories, because they can answer the philosophical question of where we come from. To some extent, genealogies are like identity cards for families. They contain excellent information, including the names and deeds of each generation. One significant practical function of genealogies is to help those who have moved away from their hometowns to trace their roots. Every family establishes a temple where their ancestors are enshrined and worshipped. Traditionally, when a family member dies, a tablet that embodies his or her spirit is made and placed in the temple Most people in Zhangpu village, Nantou, Taiwan, have the Lan surname. Their ancestors were soldiers from Zhangpu, a county in Zhangzhou, Fujian province. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), three generals - all members of the Lan family in Zhangpu - were sent by emperors successively to suppress rebellions on Taiwan. Most of the soldiers who accompanied the generals were also members of the Lan family. When the fighting ended, many stayed on the island because the land was fertile but the population was small. About 56,000 people on Taiwan are descendants of the original Lan family. They are proud of their family histories and help each other. In the 1980s, they started returning to Zhangpu and the ancestral temple. They bring their genealogies and ancestral tablets so they understand which generation they are. No matter what job they do, whether they are rich or poor, successful or not, when they visit the temple they all kneel and pray before their ancestors and they recite the family maxims that have been passed down for centuries. Lan Honglin spoke with Zhang Yi. wristbands comevent wristbandsprinted wristbandsbatman wristbandcool wristbands1 inch wide rubber bandscustom printed wristbandsyouth wristbands
CHENGDU - Giant pandas Meng Meng and Jiao Qing took a Lufthansa cargo flight from their home in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, for a 12-hour flight to Berlin on Saturday morning. The plane took off at 9:35 am, taking the pandas and 1,000 kilograms of bamboo, apple and a large number of biscuits. They were accompanied with two keepers from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and a senior vet from Berlin Zoo. The keepers said that apples and Wotou, a Chinese steamed bread, are the pandas' favorite food, which can help them relieve their tension and irritability during the long journey. Their plane will make a stop-over for refueling in Novosibirsk, Russia before arriving in Berlin Saturday afternoon local time. Four-year-old female panda Meng Meng and seven-year-old male panda Jiao Qing were in good health before the flight. Meng Meng is not yet adult panda. She is expected to be mated with Jiao Qing, after she turns six years old. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany. The pandas were sent as envoys of China-Germany friendship. They will live in Berlin Zoo for the next 15 years.
