Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, has the oldest Chinatown in Australia. Barry Shiying, who is over 80, lives in the town of Braccrock, more than 20 kilometers from downtown Melbourne. Barry Shiying's great-grandfather, Mai Shiying, was one of the first recorded Chinese to emigrate to Australia.
He comes from China: "honest and respected character."
Deep in Melbourne's Chinatown, there is a five-story red brick building, where the Australian-Chinese Museum of History (see photo, taken by Snow White) is located. Stepping into the museum's red paint gate, as if into another time and space, a copy of materials, pieces of exhibits, will bring visitors back to the scene when Chinese immigrants landed in Australia 200 years ago.
According to existing data, Mai Shiying was born in Guangdong in 1796. In 1818, Mak Shiying, just in his early 20s, arrived at Jackson Port in Sydney as a "free immigration" on board the Yue Gui, becoming one of the first recorded Chinese immigrants to Australia.
No one knows why Mai Shiying has to cross the ocean alone. But to be sure, after coming to Australia, Mai Shiying, like thousands of industrious and brave Chinese immigrants since then, soon became familiar with the strange country and took root.
Ma Shiying stayed in Palamata, more than 20 kilometers west of Sydney, and passed an important stage in his life. He worked as a carpenter for John Braxland, a prestigious businessman at the time, and on the farm of John MacArthur, the big rancher. Because of his excellent work, Mak Shiying got the approval of his employers.
Jack Brooke, a local historian who has long been concerned about Chinese history in Sydney, wrote in his book courage from Guangdong: "that witty Chinese must have left a deep impression on his employer." Because on June 14, 1829, Braxland, John Harris and another person (whose signature was unrecognizable), on behalf of Macaulay, asked then Governor Lachlan Macaulay to grant him a piece of land. "
Braxland also wrote a letter of recommendation describing him as "honest and respected."
It was with the help of employers and friends that Mai Shiying soon gained a foothold in Palamata. He has bought and sold land and run small hotels. Later, Mai Shiying not only owned his own house, but also hired two servants.
In 1823, Mai Shiying and Irish immigrate Sarah Thompson marry, this marriage brought him four sons. In the early 1930 s, Mai Shiying returned to China, stayed for about five years, and returned to Australia. By this time, his wife had died. Since then, Mak Shiying has had marriage at least twice, but did not leave any more children, and both wives left before him.
For more than 30 years, I've been exploring: "it always feels like we have some kind of connection with China."
Barry Shiying is the grandson of George Hughes, McShiying's second son. As both father and grandfather died early, Barry Shiying did not know much about his ancestors. Even his great-grandfather, Michael, learned of it from Windsor Doyle, a distant relative.
"at the time, it always felt that we had some connection with China, but no one could tell what it was. Windsor did a lot of research and finally found what we now know," Barry Shiying said.
Windsor Doyle, the descendant of John James Shiying, Michael's eldest son, has been studying Mai Shiying and her family since the 1980 s.
"sometimes you want to know who your ancestors were and what his family was like. You keep looking back and studying where they were, and it's an interesting process," Windsor Doyle said.
However, with a long history, a lot of information has been lost, and it is not even possible to find a piece of Mak Shiying's photo.
"the most difficult thing is to collect data. You need to run a lot of places, dig up the information a little bit, and piece them together. At that time I did not even have a computer, can only be carried out in the most primitive way. Windsor Doyle said she ran past the museum, squatted through the library, checked government files and read old newspapers. In addition to photocopying a large number of materials, she also took notes, painter spectrum, and wrote some of her own thinking and research conclusions.
From the news of the Yuegui ship published in the newspaper to the early map of Palamata, from the payroll records of Michael to the old photo of other members of the family, over the past 30 years, Windsor Doyle has accumulated several thick piles of information. Not only is it Mai Shiying, but the life tracks of some other members of the family are also gradually clear.
"I'm not a historian or a writer. I just want to know my ancestors and understand his family. I hope my research can help people who want to study the history." Windsor Doyle.
Chinese surname: "leave a mark on your roots."
After coming to Australia, Mai Shiying went home and changed his name to John, but his Chinese name, Shiying, was retained as his new surname. "I don't know why he changed a westernized name, maybe to adapt to the environment at that time. I think he left his Chinese name with his last name, maybe to leave a root mark on himself," Barry Shiying said.
Time flies, time flies. Today's Palamata streets have long been difficult to find the footprints of Mai Shiying. His descendants have also been fully integrated into Australian society, but the Chinese blood, like the unique surname they inherited, is still irrevocable.
Windsor Doyle's home is full of Chinese ornaments, wood-carved birthday decorations, stone-carved fishermen and cute giant pandas. Many of the decorations are souvenirs she brought back to China.
Barry Shiying has never been to China, and it is difficult for him to get what he wants when he is 80 years old. Occasionally, he goes to the Australian and Chinese History Museum in Chinatown, downtown Melbourne.
Barry Shiying's youngest daughter, Diane, has traveled to China. Of the four grandchildren, Nicholas, 23, has not only been to China, but has also been interested in Chinese and studied for a few years.
Sometimes, I'm going to have Nicholas help me translate the Chinese mail that I received. It's a pity that I didn't learn Chinese, it's too hard for me. "I don't have much contact with the Chinese community, but I and my family are proud of the Chinese origin."
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the landing of Chinese immigrants in Australia. Today, Australia has a Chinese population of more than 1.2 million, accounting for more than 5% of Australia's total population, with a Chinese footprint all over Australia. The contribution of Chinese to Australia has also been recognized and respected by other ethnic groups. Chinese is the second most widely spoken language in Australia after English.
The establishment of the Australian-Chinese History Museum is also due to the increase in the number and influence of Chinese. In 1985, the Australian Chinese group founded the non-profit organization to record, collect, preserve and study the history and culture of Chinese and their descendants in Australia and the historical origin of relationship between China and Australia. At present, the museum has a total collection of more than 8000 exhibits.
"over the past 200 years, Chinese have contributed to Australia's development in all its aspects," said the chairman of the Australian-Chinese Museum of History, who hopes that more people will understand the history and culture of Chinese and their contribution to Australia.
Ma Shiying's story has been going on for 200 years, but more Chinese stories continue to be written in Australia.