In the last century, due to the small number of foreigners in Our country, coupled with the fact that people's ideology and social atmosphere were not open enough, it was still quite rare for Chinese to marry foreigners. Even throughout the year, the number of transnational marriages in the country can be counted by hand.
However, with the subsequent reform and opening up, more and more foreigners came to China to do business and settle down, coupled with the improvement of social atmosphere and the openness of the Chinese people's thinking. Transnational marriages are also increasing, and even in some parts of our country, marrying foreigners can be regarded as a face-saving thing.
But I don't know if you have imagined it, if the transnational marriage was shelved in the feudal period of the Qing Dynasty more than 100 years ago, what would be the end? Today, I will tell you about a transnational marriage that really happened in China in the 19th century.
With the end of the First Opium War, the British blasted open the door of the Qing Dynasty with foreign guns and cannons. In the middle of the 19th century, Hong Kong finally opened its port, ending the previous century of closed-door state. A large number of foreigners flocked to this nascent port to pan for gold, and naturally the most business-minded Jews were indispensable.
He Shiwen was such a Jew, born in the Netherlands, and like all Jews, he had a profit-seeking nature. Shortly after the Opium War, he came to Hong Kong, and with his talent for business, he quickly earned his first pot of gold.
In addition to the spring breeze in his career, He Shiwen also met his true love in Hong Kong. A Cantonese girl named Shi Di broke into his life, and she not only acted as Ho Shiwen's translator in Hong Kong, but also helped him a lot in his career. The two had a long-term relationship, and finally entered the marriage hall.
At that time, Shi Di's parents did not agree to marry He Shiwen, after all, it would be the 1850s, and most of the chinese people's thinking was still the old school of the feudal period. But Shi Di was deeply in love with He Shiwen, and in the end, she resisted the pressure and was still with He Shiwen.
Not long after, Shi Di also gave birth to He Shiwen 1 daughter and 4 sons, He Shiwen is also very happy, plus his business is also smooth, although Shi Di left the traditional hometown, but the life of the two is still quite colorful.
However, with the outbreak of the Second Opium War, the domestic situation was chaotic, and Ho's business became more and more difficult to do, and he finally decided to leave Hong Kong for other development. But they Jews had an unwritten rule that they could not marry foreign women. Therefore, when he left Hong Kong, he did not tell Shi Di, but stole it by himself and took all the money.
It is equivalent to saying that He Shiwen took the initiative to abandon his children and Shi Di, which is undoubtedly a thunderbolt on a sunny day for Shi Di. It was also because of the fallout with the family that Shi Di did not return to her mother's house. She swallowed all the pain of fate and took the initiative to pick up the burden of life. By working odd jobs on the docks, she struggled to raise her daughter and son and was a great mother.
And her children are also very sensible, and the eldest son, He Dong, is even more so. Since he was a child, he has been loved by his father, and when he was less than 8 years old, he picked up the beams of the family and helped his mother support the family.
As the saying goes, "the children of the poor are in charge of the family early", and suffering gives He Dong a maturity beyond age, plus his father is Jewish and his mother is Chinese. The descendants of the world's two most intelligent and economically minded races, He Dong showed an astonishing talent for business and communication. Step by step, he eventually became Hong Kong's leading richest man.
After having money, He Dong once found his father He Shiwen, who abandoned his family through his connections. And then He Shiwen has already entered the British nationality, it is reasonable to say that He Dong can also become a British national, which is also good for his business. But He Dong did not, he only acted as an upright Chinese, not a foreigner who abandoned his wife and son.
It is worth mentioning that Ho Tung's nephew is named Ho Hung Sun, who is now the richest man in Macau, and like his uncle and grandfather, Ho Hung Sin is also a patriotic businessman who puts the motherland first. From this point of view, the whole He family is really full of talents, and they are rich but do not forget their roots, and often have the virtue of a humble and pure heart, which deserves the respect of each of our Chinese.