"Long Yan - Where My Roots Are" Longyan by cheekychic

Longyan Travel Guide: 42 reviews and 67 photos

Road leading into town after paying highway toll

For many years, my grandparents have been urging their grandchildren to visit Long Yan, where our roots begin. I've never wanted to go due to "stories" I've heard from relatives. But I'm still intrigued by "stories" my grandpa repeated told me about his life in Long Yan. He goes back to Long Yan almost every 2 years for the past 20 years or so! So coincidentally after I resigned from my last job, my grandpa asked me to accompany him as my grandma was not strong enough for a trip. So I agreed.. cos all expense paid :)

To get to Long Yan, we took flight to Xiamen and stayed there for 2 days at my distant cousin's place. On the 3rd day, my cousin Pin drove me and Grandpa to Long Yan, the drive took 3 hours.

The Story

Grandpa, grandpa's sister-in-law, me

Both my paternal grandparents were bornt in LongYan, and come from poor families. Grandpa was a young policeman for the KuoMingTang, and he had to escape to then Malaya when the Communist took over China. He left my grandma and my one-year old father in LongYan, to seek for survival & refuge in Malaya. Both my grandma and father had to live with my grandpa's brothers' families. 8 years later, Grandpa finally managed to apply for grandma and my father to come to Malaya & reunite.

My grandparents have been returning to their homeland every 2-3 years. My father only made his first visit in year 2000, just 6 months before he passed away. I'm glad I made the trip to my father's homeland, to get to know where my roots begin.. Much have changed since my father left Longyan 50 years ago, from a small village to a moderate town.

Pros and Cons

Cons:Lots of motorcycles
In a nutshell:My origin

Last visit to Longyan: Nov 2003
Intro Updated Oct 30, 2004
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Reviews (15)

By Train Transportation (3)

The newly constructed LongYan Railway Station more travel advice

Highway Transportation (3)

Getting to Longyan by road is easier, by car or bus. No.319 and No.205 national highways run through the whole West... more travel advice

Tea Tasting Things to Do (7)

Free tea tasting at the tea house of the plantation. Oo Long tea is a famous produce of LongYan more travel advice

Tea plantation on the slope of the hills - Longyan

Tea Plantation Things to Do (7)

Located up on the hills, the private-owned tea plantation cum holiday chalet is open to the public. The chalets are... more travel advice

Local Customs (1)
Gracious host
Favorites (3)
See All General info

Off The Beaten Path (1)
Nature Reserve Park
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Travelogues (1)

Written Oct 27, 2004

6 photos

Earthern Houses (Tulou) in Yongding County

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Comments (9)

soundchaseruk Mar 9, 2008 at 10:28 AM Report Abuse

I stayed in Longyan last October. I had a rikshaw ride, and returned to Xiamen . I didn't see the Hakkas unfortunately I had under-estimated how long it was going to take me by bus to see the Hakkas and return the same day to Xiamen.
Jim_Eliason May 30, 2006 at 3:11 AM Report Abuse

Nice page!
dragontml Mar 30, 2006 at 7:49 PM Report Abuse

shannon, thanx for sharing the story !
diggingdeep Nov 28, 2004 at 7:59 AM Report Abuse

WOW, thanks for sharing your story of your origins Shannon :) Nice pages
petertktan Nov 26, 2004 at 12:56 AM Report Abuse

Shannon!Yr webpage makes me want to go back to Nagasaki Japan to visit my great great maternal grandparents grave!Went to Hainan Island, relatives lit up long stretch of firecrackers to welcome me!
Wild_Orchid Nov 26, 2004 at 12:56 AM Report Abuse

what a story! you know so much about your family history. My grandparents were never keen to talk about china...are you Hakka?
l_joo Nov 19, 2004 at 1:14 AM Report Abuse

The best page so far from what I read in all your pages, well done especially the ancestral tracing and your father's migration and your honesty in telling the truth, I am so happy to read this Penang page. Keep up the good work.
THLIN Sep 20, 2004 at 12:57 AM Report Abuse

I am not sure when i will go back to my root again...but mt great-grandma is still alive, so i think i'll be back soon...and my grandpa was born in FuZhou city...
kenyneo Aug 18, 2004 at 10:20 AM Report Abuse

Lucky you ..I dont even know my roots ..my paternal grandpa died after 2mth I was borned. And my grandma doesnt have ties with my grandpa's relative...I trace thru internet to a place called Yanbu :-) But dont know how true :-)