After WWII, our evacuation ended and we returned to the Guangzhou house. Father started his civil servant job in the provincial government. His work took him to many places to meet with local authorities. Every time he travelled, he carried a declaration issued by his superior. The declaration stated that he is on government business, and that no inspection of his luggage contents is necessary. Later, I learned the reason why. For his protection and safety, he carried a hand gun, so that paper made going through local police check point a simple process.
with sister, parents and Grandma Yee
I lived in our Guangzhou home about the first four years of my life. It was at 23 錦 榮街 / Gum Wing Street, and was several minutes walk from the current site of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Memorial Hall / 中山紀念堂. The 3-storey building was made of concrete, and our home was on the ground floor with a yard with a flower garden and a detached kitchen. There was a large iron gate wide enough for a car to drive through although they did not have a car. Levels 2 and 3 each had two flats rented out to tenants.
As a young boy, I ventured out to play with other children. I walked through a quiet neighbourhood with single houses on large lots similar to the atmosphere of the 1950s Kowloon Tong estate in Hong Kong. Next, I walked through rice paddies to join with my friends. Grandma was assisted by her daughter (my aunt) and subsequently her grandson in managing the property.
Seventy years have passed, and the area is now part of a dense busy metropolis. Tall buildings are everywhere, and amazingly, our three-level former home remains standing but I don’t know for how much longer.