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. entrance wristbandsblack rubber braceletspersonalized rubber braceletsflash drive wristbandthe wristband factory
Workers clean up trash washed ashore on Nim Shue Wan beach, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. Researchers say the waters off the city face challenges from pollution from many sources, including discarded waste and chemical pollutants. [Photo by Bobby Yip/Reuters] Researchers are working to preserve marine diversity in the city's coastal waters in the face of climate change, toxins and human activity, as Sylvia Chang reports. It's easy for people in Hong Kong to be complacent - or even a little smug - about the fantastic abundance of marine life in the waters surrounding the city. However, what most people do not see is the frantic juggling act underway to save many of these marine species from extinction. It's a work in progress, focused on scientific, region-specific criteria for every precinct of Hong Kong's marine environment. More than 6,500 marine species live in Hong Kong's coastal waters. These waters comprise just 1,650 square kilometers, or about 0.03 percent of the nation's coastal waters, yet they are home to 25 percent of all China's marine species. The diversity of marine life makes Hong Kong special and particularly important among coastal cities anywhere in the world. Hong Kong also is one of the biggest seaports on the globe. That's where the juggling act starts, because the waters adjacent are polluted by chemicals from nearby industries and even farms. The chemical-based paint on the hulls of vessels, accidents involving ships' cargoes and other misadventures pose direct threats to the city's marine life. However, behind the concerns about human activity are other vital issues, painted against the broader backdrop of global warming.
