Zi Ying is a small sea-side village located 150 kms east of Xiamen in the Province of Fujian. This is my grandfather’s hometown where his house still stands. During my first trip here in the late 1980’s, it was surrounded by dirt road and very few homes, which all needed major repairs. Today, all roads in the village are paved and the direct view of the sea from the house is a little obstructed with both new and renovated houses. The house was originally built in 1934 and an annex was added in the following years. During the Cultural Revolution and over the years, the house has gone into a state of disrepair. Renovations started in 1988 and was substantially completed in 2009.

Located less than a block away is the Ancestral Home, the site of the original family homestead and now serves as an altar for ancestors.

Scenes from the Neighbourhood