風采電子季刊
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The Yee Fung Toy Global Village Voice
風采電子季刊 |
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| Issue 36 | www.yeefungtoy.org/newsletter | 2013/09/15 |
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In this Issue:Message from the EditorYFT Chapter Reports
What is in the Next Issue?Message from the EditorWelcome to the 36th issue of the Yee Fung Toy Global Village Voice, an electronic newsletter for the World Yee community. In this issue we are featuring summer activities from the Yee family associations around the world. We welcome more Yee
chapters to contribute events and activities reports
from their locale. One of the interesting
things about learning Chinese is figuring out how to
address people. Growing up, I referred to my parents’
friends with the equivalent of “aunt” and “uncle,” but
it was important to get the right word for “aunt” and
“uncle” because, of course, there are different ones.
All of my blood relatives were a little easier to track,
up to a point, but I didn’t have a lot of interactions
beyond grandparents, aunts and uncles, and first
cousins. Therefore you can see why
the Chinese Family Tree is so complicated. If you are wondering why
is it so confusing? Well, please watch the video above,
from the Off the Great Wall channel on YouTube, it will
gives you a small taste of it behind the scenes of
making the Complicated Chinese Family Tree, you can see
what I meant.  In Chinese, there are so
many different terms for uncle depending on whether it’s
an uncle on your mom’s side or your dad’s side, whether
a paternal or maternal uncle is older or younger than
your dad, and whether it’s an uncle by blood or by
marriage. Not every family uses the exact same term to
address their relatives. So instead of just saying
"Hi" to your relatives, here is an interesting
Chinese Kinship terminology chart created by a
Kwan Family
web site, which you can use to look for the proper
terms of address to call them. Since there are so many
different relationship terms, the easiest way to find
the exact relationship you're looking for is to open up
the family title diagram.
Clicking a box on the diagram will automatically take
you to the corresponding spot on this chart. We thank all those who have made contributions to this issue, including:
Martin Yee, Vancouver Vancouver YFT Youth Members Historical Chinatown Tour  The Yee Fung Toy Society of Vancouver
Youth Committee met on Saturday, May 11 at the
invitation of Judy Lam Maxwell, to take part in one of
her very popular Historical Chinatown Tours. She is a
historian who specializes in the history of Chinatowns
and Chinese Transnational Migration.  The tour started off at the mouth of
the Millennium Gate, the official entrance to the
national historic site of Vancouver Chinatown. Just a
few steps away, the Shanghai Alley signifies the
epicentre of Chinatown in its earliest incarnation,
leading to once bustling courtyards of century-old
heritage buildings . A replica of the West Han Dynasty
Bell, given to Vancouver from the city of Guangzhou,
China commemorates the birthplace of this historic
community. Other points of interest included the Sam
Kee Building, Chinese Freemason Building, Yue Shan
Society of Vancouver, Wing Sang Building, and the Chin
Wing Chun Society of Vancouver.  Taken the fact of recent
developments, Judy also introduced many local
businesses that may seem unconventional to Chinatown's
traditional character, but all striving to revitalize
Chinatown by trying to meet the demands of present
demographics. Stores like cafes and pubs, restaurants,
art galleries, bike and longboard shops, and a German
sausage store are among the many additions to this
continuously evolving and diverse community.                It was an enlightening experience to
learn about Chinatown's segregated past from the rest
of the city, its dynamic and cutting-edge present, and
what might be in store for its future. Andrew Wong, Vancouver
Seattle Yee Fung Toy Family Association Acquired Property in Seattle Historic Day for Seattle Yee Fung Toy,
Purchases building to serve as Association's New Home
with the aid of YFT HQ and all our US and Canadian Yee
cousins. De Sum Yee, President, Fred Yee,
Chapter Advisor/Western Vice Grand President and Kevin
Lee, English Secretary of the Seattle Yee Fung Toy
Family Association signed final closing documents on
May 24, 2013 to acquire real property in Seattle's
Beacon Hill neighborhood for the Chapter's permanent
home. The purchase was made possible with generous
donations from Yee Fung Toy Family Association
Chapters in the United States and Canada, loan support
from the U.S. Yee Fung Toy Association Headquarters in
San Francisco, together with the similar level of
donations from members of the Seattle Chapter.   The purchase makes owning a permanent
home for the Seattle Chapter a reality, after it’s
over half century presence in Seattle. The signing
signifies a historical moment for the Seattle Chapter.
Western Grand President Alan Yi Shun Yee and William
Yu of San Francisco Headquarters flew up to Seattle to
witness and participate in the signing formality at
First American Title Insurance Company in Bellevue,
Washington. The Seattle Chapter has formed a
9-member Building Committee to manage the purchasing
process and a 5-member subcommittee was formed to
operate and manage the property after the purchase.
The Chapter will spend the next several months to
repair and update the property with a grand opening
aimed sometime in 2014. Fred Yee, Seattle
Southern California YFT 5th Chinese Opera Announcement To honor the elders, we will host our
5th Guangdong operatic song appreciation luncheon
which is free for the elders on November 2nd, 2013 (10
AM-4 PM). Please request for tickets from the
Yee Association on October 16, 2013. President Kenneth Q. Yee （國恩） Chao Yu, Southern California
Singapore Yees 2D1N Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia, Tour On June 15th, it was a fine Saturday
morning , fourteen members of Yee Clan Association
assembled at Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.  They cleared Singapore Immigration and
embarked in a luxurious high speed catamaran ferry
ride to Pulau Bintan. A local guide welcomed them at the
exit. First stop was an ancient temple at Senggarang,
about an hour’s drive away. The temple was thought to
be more than 300 years old. An equally old banyan tree
enclosed the temple’s roof – akin to that of Angkor
Wat temple.   “Tien Shang Miao Temple.Originally this was the residence of a Chinese captain named Chiao Ch'en, 1811. It was abandoned and later became a Senggarang Chinese community as a place of worship. Winding tree roots of banyan fig tree on the temple building indicate that this temple is very old.”
Next, visit to the 500 Lohan Temple. Please see photos of temple elsewhere in our Facebook or Flickr. Lunch was at a famous local restaurant called Java Timur. It served authentic Indonesian food. Leisurely shopping at Ramayana Mall. Followed by a visit to a famous dried cuttlefish factory.    Finished off Day 1 tour with a
sumptuous seafood dinner. Peter Yee, Singapore
2013 New England Yee Fung Toy Summer Outing   On Saturday, July 13, 2013, Yee Fung
Toy of New England held its annual summer outing at
AMVET Post 79, Natick. The post is located on the shore of
beautiful Lake Cochituate. Over 95 people attended. Many members
and their families brought along their friends as
well.   This year’s outing featured the first
lobster feast. A one to one quarter pound lobster was
served to everyone along with steamers, corn, hot dog,
green salad, pasta salad, and/or cold slaw. For
deserts, we all have cookies and watermelons. Following the feast, the games begin.
There were watermelon eating and cupcakes eating
contests.   Several children were mummified. (see
photos) Finally, a piñata was hoisted onto a
tree and all the children were given a chance to
strike it open for all the candies inside. New England YFT
2013 Detroit Yee Fung Toy Association Annual Picnic          The Detroit chapter Yee Fung Toy
Association picnic was held at Handy Park in Redford,
Michigan on July 14th. Attendees enjoyed a lunch of
fried chicken, pizza, chili dogs, fried rice, noodles,
and watermelon. There were games for young and old as
well as door prize and donor raffles. We also
recognized the educational achievements of our young
scholars with the distribution of scholarship funds.
Picnic photos - courtesy of Ron Yee and Cathie
Agacinski. Edward Yee, Detroit
Malden Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy Returns as Champions from International Competition   Yee Fung Toy of New England is proud
to announce that Sifu Mai Du led her students of Wah
Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi School of Malden to win the
most numbers of medals in an international martial art
competition, the 25th annual U.S. International Kuo
Shu Championship Tournament. On July 27th and 28th, 2013, New
England YFT Association member, Sifu
Mai Du led a team of 31 students with ages 6 to
50 plus to compete in the 25th annual U.S.
International Kuo Shu Championship Tournament. Sifu Mai Du has run a Wah Lum Tam
Tui Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu & Tai Chi
School in Malden, MA since 2006, and she has brought
her students to this competition in Baltimore since
2005. Sifu Du served as a judge at this event, and
gave a phenomenal performance along with other kung fu
masters of many diverse styles. For more details, please click here. Warren Yee, New England
Persatuan Keturunan Yee Malaysia Secretary Visited John M. Yee Yee Kai Yon, Malaysia
Persatuan Keturunan Yee Malaysia Secretary Visited Southern California  I visited Southern California recently
with my youngest son, George and daughter-in-law,
Pamela. We were kindly met by the Southern California
YFT Chapter's President, Kenny Yee and the Western
Grand President, Alan Yee. We had dinner together at
the NBC Seafood Restaurant. We thank them for
their hospitality. Yee Kai Yon, Malaysia
Singapore Yee Clan Association 7th Month Celebration    Just as the West has Halloween for
ghosts and ghouls, so also does the East have a
holiday to fete the departed spirits of the underworld
: Also known as the Ghost Festival, a popular occasion
celebrated throughout China on the 15th day of the
seventh lunar month. Historically, families offer sacrifices of the newly harvested grain to departed ancestors on this day. Chinese Halloween lasts more than one day. It starts from the first of July (Lunar calendar) and ends on the 14th of July. In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm. During the Qingming Festival the living descendants pay homage to their ancestors and on Ghost Day, the deceased visit the living. The Singapore Yee Clan Association
Celebrate Chinese Halloween
on August 11 at noon. For more photos, please click here. Yee Clan Association, Singapore
US YFT Headquarters Annual Scholarship Award Ceremony     The Yee Fung Toy Family Association
Headquarters in San Francisco's
annual scholarship award ceremony was held on
August 11th, 2013. Mr. Damon Yee (World Yee Family
Association Honorary President, Yee Fung Toy Family
Association of USA HQ Grand Elder and President of The
Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association), Yee Fung
Toy Family Association of USA HQ Western Grand
President Alan Yee, President Eddie Yee, Vice
President William Yu, Grand Elders: Jack Yue Yee,
Joseph Yu, and Larry Yee; Grand Advisor James S. Yee,
and Advisors: Wesley Yee, Philip W. Yee, Gene Yee and
Zhen Zhao Yu; Chinese Secretary Tony Man Yee, English
Secretary Man S. Yee and Kin F. Yee, and Women
Auxiliary Chair, Mrs. Eddie Yee and Vice Chair Mrs.
Wesley Yee, and board members all attended the award
ceremony, awarding to 15 outstanding students. President Eddie Yee welcome everyone
to the annual scholarship award ceremony. He conveys
his congratulations to all the students of this year
scholarship awards. The Yee Family Association always
believes that students' hard work and dedication to
their studies would always provide better
opportunities and benefits in life. This scholarship
is one such benefit. Yee Fung Toy Family Association,
San Francisco
New York YFT 2013 Scholarship Award Ceremony   The New York Yee Fong Toy Family
Association held its annual scholarship awards
ceremony on August 11th, 2013. Yee Fong Toy Family Association,
New York
Macau Yu Clansmen's Association 2013 Scholarship Award Ceremony The Macau Yu Clansmen's Association
held its annual scholarship awards ceremony on Sunday,
August 18th, 2013. The Yu Clansmen's Association,
Macau
Houston Yee Summer Fun and Scholarship Awards  There were talks about chartering a
bus to visit Blue Bell Ice Creamery, Chapel Hill
Lavender Farm, and Pleasant Hill Winery, all in and
around Brenham within 60 miles of Houston. It would
have been a good gathering of the Yee clans were it
not for the intense Texas heat and humidity, in
addition to risking a chance of inclement weather and
persistent insects, despite the comfort of
air-conditioned tour bus. We finally resorted to our
customary good old reliable format of indoor bowling
and luncheon on August 18.  The exclusively reserved Café Chino restaurant
afforded us the opportunity to visit and mingle
freely, particularly the children. Elder David Chung
delivered grace, thanked God for our gathering, and
implored Him to bless our younger generations. Uncle
Lewis, 91 headed the upper and Lyla Mathews, 4 months,
the lower age limits. This summer activity heralds the
coming of our next generation. We like to see them
growing up and remembering what Yee Fung Toy
Association is all about.   The nearby Palace Bowling on Bellaire
Blvd. provided us a place for participants to bowl and
for non-participants to catch up socially. It is
gratifying to see three generations competing on one
lane as witnessed in the following photographs. The Yee annual summer function is open to all Yee clans and friends. It is a function we all cherish and are proud to participate. We look forward to many happy events in years to come. Frank Yu, Houston
Columbus Yee Fung Toy Association Annual Picnic and Scholarship Awards  The Columbus Yee Fung Toy
Association's annual picnic and scholarship awards
ceremony was held at the Whetstone Park of Roses
Shelter House on August 25th, 2013. About two hundred
Association members and friends participated the
weekend outing. A total of $6,000 was awarded to the
well deserved scholarship students this year. East Grand President Peter Yee and
spouse, Chapter President Robert Yee and spouse and Ohio
Chinese School Principal, Ms. Spring Zhang were
in attendance. Grand President Peter visited the Ohio
Chinese School afterwards. Yee Fung Toy Association, Columbus
What is in the Next Issue?The next issue of the Yee Fung Toy Global Village Voice will be published in mid December, 2013, featuring current events and activities of the Yee Fung Toy associations across the world. Please submit your articles to the Editor via email (world.yee @ gmail.com) or postal mail (The Editor, 226 East Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6A 1Z7) by November 15.  |
