Before reading, please click "Follow"
Make it easy for you to share and discuss with more people
Follow the global character history together to taste different lives
Wen 丨 Global Biography
Editor丨Global Biography
preface
In 2018, the 76-year-old Dutch Jack flew to China with Dutch television, and his purpose this time was only one: to find relatives.
And the reason why Jack, who is already in ancient times, came to China to look for relatives is an insurance policy from 81 years ago.
Why do Dutch people come to China to look for relatives? What hidden secrets are behind this 81-year-old policy?
Jack
Jack's merchant father - Wu Chengbin
In 1926, at the age of 21, Wu Chengbin (Jack's father) left China for France at the request of his father. After arriving in France, he began to help his father with his business. In just a few years, Wu Chengbin has left his mark in many European countries with his business talents.
A few years later, 29-year-old Wu Chengbin came to the Netherlands alone to do business in order to broaden his business. At that time, Wu Chengbin opened a textile company called "Firma La Prosperite" in the Netherlands. With his years of rich experience and painstaking management, he has made the company's performance also among the best.
At that time, Wu Chengbin was invited to appear in a video made by the Dutch because of the good operation of the company, and he became a well-known local Chinese.
During this period, Wu Chengbin married a woman from his hometown, Wu Lingxiang, and after marriage, Wu Chengbin did not give up his career because of marriage and continued to come to Europe to work hard.
The outbreak of the civil war caused Wu Chengbin to not return to China for several years and cut off contact with his family. Wu Chengbin, who felt lonely, started a new family in the Netherlands.
Wu Chengbin rebuilds his family in the Netherlands
By chance, he met a Dutch girl named Elizabeth, and they fell in love at first sight.
At this time, although Wu Chengbin was 35 years old, due to his handsome appearance and his successful business background, many local women in the Netherlands had a heart of admiration for him, and the young and beautiful Elizabeth was no exception.
Then, in 1941, 36-year-old Wu Chengbin and 20-year-old Elizabeth were married. And the following year, their son was born. Wu Chengbin gave her son a Chinese name: Wu Riguang, while Elizabeth gave her son a Dutch name: Jack.
Elizabeth and Jack
The birth of Jack undoubtedly brought a lot of happiness to Wu Chengbin and his wife, but as Jack grew up, Wu Chengbin and his wife quarreled more and more, and the difference in the living backgrounds of the two countries made the relationship between the two weakened day by day.
Wu Chengbin left his wife and children to return to his hometown
Fast forward to 1946, Wu Chengbin's father Wu Yaozhai has long passed away in France, and his stepmother in China has been maintaining family affairs, but on October 23, 1946, Wu Chengbin's stepmother also passed away due to illness, leaving the Wu family without a principal for a while, and the Wu family also declined.
At this time, Wu Chengbin's father-in-law Wu Chengbin's hometown could not bear to see the decline of the Wu family, so he wrote a letter to Wu Chengbin, which wrote: "My son-in-law has been away for more than 20 years, and foreign countries are not the land of love, so they should return to China as soon as possible to revive the family's voice."
After receiving the letter, Wu Chengbin was full of thoughts in his heart, and he was entangled in whether he wanted to return to China. The palms and backs of the hands are meat, on the one hand is his wife and children and the career he has worked hard for, on the other hand is his own roots, and the country is still in the midst of a civil war, and returning to China is equivalent to starting over.
Childhood Jack
Wu Chengbin has a unique family complex of Chinese children, and he hopes that Elizabeth and her son can go to China with him, but Elizabeth, who grew up in the Netherlands, is reluctant to return to her hometown and say that she is not willing to come to China with Wu Chengbin. Just like that, they divorced, and five-year-old Jack began to live with his mother.
Because Elizabeth was dissatisfied with Wu Chengbin's departure, she destroyed all the photos of Wu Chengbin in the family, so that later Jack's impression of his father only stayed when he was 5 years old, and his appearance of his father gradually blurred with age.
In 1947, 42-year-old Wu Chengbin gave up his hard work in the Netherlands in order to revive his family business, and returned to China alone from the Netherlands.
After Wu Chengbin returned to China, he found that his family was in the middle of the road, and the domestic business environment was not good, which was not conducive to his entrepreneurship. The family had to rely on the old book to live first. During this period, Wu Chengbin and his original wife gave birth to their son Wu Ruomin and daughter Wu Mengjiao.
After the founding of New China, Wu Chengbin followed the national policies of the time and became a farmer. Wu Chengbin, who has never done farm work since he was a child, looks particularly "layman" in front of other farmers. In order to make money to support his family, he worked hard every day, and the heavy farm work made Wu Chengbin's health much worse than before.
In later days, Wu Chengbin often recalled his days in the Netherlands, not to mention millionaires, which were also small assets. Now he is living a life with no upper and lower meals, often filling himself with water, and the huge gap makes Wu Chengbin's heart very uncomfortable.
Wu Chengbin died with regret
In the fifties, Wu Chengbin had the idea of returning to the Netherlands, and it happened that his Dutch friend Cheng Yabiaojun also wrote to him, wanting Wu Chengbin to return to the Netherlands to assist his cause and was willing to sponsor his travel expenses.
Now Wu Chengbin is middle-aged, and he inevitably misses love, and he also wants to return to the Netherlands to see Elizabeth and Jack again.
But the reality was always so unsatisfactory that Wu Chengbin did not fulfill this wish until 1969, when the 64-year-old died of this wish.
Due to the domestic situation at that time, going abroad was strictly managed, and ordinary people basically could not go abroad. However, a few privileged levels still have the opportunity to go abroad, but the number is also very small, so it is not easy for Wu Chengbin to go abroad.
On February 5, 1958, Wu Chengbin entrusted the Qingtian County Committee to write a letter to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Wenzhou Special District, in which he said: "There is Wu Chengbin, a villager of Sanxikou in his own township, aged 52, with a clean history, and active in the village, but due to the weak labor force and excessive burden, the existing Dutch friend Cheng Yabiaojun invited him to go abroad to help the cause, and said that he still has a seventeen-year-old son and a batch of property in the Netherlands, and needs to deal with it personally..."
This was Wu Chengbin's first application to go abroad, but unfortunately he was rejected. Later, in 1960 and 1961, Wu Chengbin submitted two applications to leave the country, but in the end, he was unsuccessful. Helpless, he could only bury the idea of seeing his wife and children in his heart, which became an eternal regret in his heart.
Wu Chengbin, who had no hope of going abroad, found the watch that his friend had given him when he was in the Netherlands when he was cleaning up his home. Now that the family is down, these things are no longer needed, and solving the current hunger is the top priority.
In order to alleviate the embarrassment at home, Wu Chengbin took the watch to Wenzhou City for resale, hoping to exchange some money to supplement the family. Unexpectedly, it was discovered by the Wenzhou Tax Bureau, the money was gone, and even the watch was confiscated.
Wu Chengbin was very dissatisfied with this matter and took the tax bureau to court for a while, but due to various reasons at that time, Wu Chengbin did not win the case, and the matter was closed.
Wu Ruomin and his sister returned to China to sort out their father's relics
With the country's reform and opening up, the economy has gradually developed. Wu Chengbin's children chose to leave their hometown, follow in the footsteps of their fathers at home, and go abroad to Italy to work hard.
A few years passed in the blink of an eye, Wu Ruomin also became a middle-aged uncle, and the homesickness of the middle-aged man became stronger and stronger in his heart. In 2016, Wu Ruomin decided to return to her hometown with her sister Wu Mengjiao.
Wu Ruomin
The two brothers and sisters who returned to the old mansion, looking at the old mansion that had not been cleaned for many years, felt very desolate in their hearts. Armed with brooms, they gathered together the thick fallen leaves in the yard and cleared a path to the main house.
As they cleaned up the house, they turned over the relics left behind by their father. Through these relics, I learned a lot about my father's story. In their view, this life experience of their father, from the Dutch merchant to the landed peasant, was not easy.
The attentive Wu Ruomin found an inconspicuous piece of paper, which was full of foreign languages. Since Wu Ruomin was not short in a foreign country, he quickly translated it as an insurance policy worth 150 guilders, purchased in 1937, and the beneficiary of the policy was Elizabeth.
Policy
Over time, 1937 was when my father was in the Netherlands. At this time, Wu Ruomin remembered some of the past stories that his father had told him before.
As early as when his father Wu Chengbin was in the Netherlands, he had a marriage and had a child named Wu Riguang, but after his father returned to China, under the influence of the conditions at that time, his father could not see him again.
Wu Ruomin recalled his father's face full of regret when he left, and wondered if it was caused by not being able to see his eldest son Wu Riguang before he died. So he decided at that time: I will help my father fulfill his wish and find his brother in a foreign country.
In 2017, Wu Ruomin returned to Italy after donating all his father's relics to the Qingtian County Overseas Chinese Federation Historical Museum.
Wu Chengbin's relic
An insurance policy from 81 years ago
Wu Ruomin did not know that it was this move that accelerated his journey to find his brother.
The staff at that time found this insurance policy when sorting out Wu Ruomin's father's relics, and they speculated that this Elizabeth was probably Wu Chengbin's wife in the Netherlands, and perhaps Wu Chengbin's Dutch son could be found through this wife.
Subsequently, Wu Ruomin may be able to find his brother through this insurance policy. In this way, Wu Ruomin, who had a clear clue, was even more determined in his heart to find his brother.
The next day, Wu Ruomin got in touch with Mr. Chen Long, president of the Dutch Qingtian Hometown Association. After learning about Wu Ruomin's search for relatives, Mr. Chen Long was moved by Wu Ruomin's emotions and promised Wu Ruomin: I will do my best to help you.
Dutch Qingtian Hometown Association
Chen Long picked up the insurance policy, which had been kept for 80 years, and carefully looked at the company name and company icon on the insurance policy. It was determined that this insurance policy should have been underwritten by the predecessor of the current well-known local insurance company (ASR) in the Netherlands.
Just when Wu Ruomin felt that his brother was about to be found, something disappointing happened...
After Chen Long contacted the manager of the company, the manager said that the beneficiary of the insurance did not make a timely address change declaration after moving, and the insurance company did not know Elizabeth's current address. The manager's words undoubtedly extinguished the flame of Wu Ruomin's hope.
The disappointed Wu Ruomin told Chen Long: "If it doesn't work, forget it, too long has passed, I don't want to cause you any more trouble!"
Jack sees the insurance policy on TV
Chen Long couldn't bear to see Wu Ruomin so disappointed, and through several days of multi-party inquiries, he learned that there was a local Chinese family search program in the Netherlands called "Long-term Separated Families". Then he handed over all of Wu Ruomin's information to this TV station, hoping that the media could help Wu Ruomin find his brother.
A few days later, the TV station broadcast Wu Ruomin's story of finding relatives, and a dramatic scene followed.
When Wu Ruomin's story was broadcast on TV, it happened to be seen by Jack, Wu Ruomin's brother, who was 75 years old at this time, and his mother Elizabeth had long died.
Jack has known since he was a child that his father is a Chinese, and he has always wanted to find his Chinese relatives, and for this kind of relative-seeking program, he insists on checking in every day, eager to alleviate his pain of missing relatives by seeing other people's relatives and friends reunited.
Jack saw the insurance policy on TV and found that the beneficiary was his mother's name, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief and looked at it carefully. Excited, Jack immediately called the TV station, and by comparing with the various clues of the TV station, Jack decided that he was the Wu Riguang they were looking for.
At this moment, Jack also learned that his younger brothers and sisters who were originally in China were looking for themselves, and Jack's heart was warm, how could this not be regarded as a two-way rush!
Jack is reunited with his loved ones across borders
On the morning of May 9, 2018, 76-year-old Jack followed the TV station to China. Before that, Wu Ruomin and Wu Mengjiao also flew back to China from Italy.
The three brothers and sisters agreed to meet in front of the old house of the Wu family in Sanxikou Village, Yalin Village, Renzhuang Town, Qingtian County.
After arriving, Jack did not go to the old mansion to make an appointment with his younger brothers and sisters at the first time, but first came to the Qingtian County Overseas Chinese Federation Historical Museum.
He wanted to see what his father had done, and he had an important purpose: to take a picture of his father.
Jack was still young when his father left, and the appearance of his father in his memory gradually dissipated with age. Now that Jack is old, the picture of his father playing with him as a child often appears in Jack's mind, so he wants to bring a photo of his father as a souvenir.
The staff of the historical museum were touched by Jack's words and said: We can help you print one and take it back. Jack carefully put away the photo given to him by the staff and left the historical museum.
Then, according to the previous agreement, Jack came to the door of the Wu family's old mansion. Here, he saw his Chinese relatives, and after years of anticipation, the three brothers and sisters who finally met him hugged and cried.
Wu Ruomin held Jack's hand tightly and cried bitterly: "I'm looking for you too!" ”
Just because of an insurance policy from 81 years ago, you can reunite relatives who are thousands of miles apart, which shows that blood ties are really a wonderful thing.
After lunch, Jack followed his brother and sister to his father's grave and learned how to worship his ancestors in Chinese way.
Jack spent nearly a week in China, during which the three brothers and sisters lived together every day and felt the joy of family affection. In addition, Wu Ruomin and Wu Mengjiao led Jack to walk a lot of the way his father had walked, touring the places where his father had been, as if their father was also by their side.
Jack and loved ones
The three brothers and sisters separated
On the occasion of separation, the three brothers and sisters hugged each other reluctantly, and the people around them also wiped their tears when they saw such a scene. However, thanks to the rapid development of the times, they can talk on the phone and video when they miss each other, and their missing hearts are not so empty.
Before leaving, Jack said: I can't imagine that I can still find relatives in my ancient years, and I will remember everything that happened to me here and cherish this hard-won family relationship.
After Jack left, Wu Ruomin and his sister also flew back to Italy, because Italy and the Netherlands are European countries, and they are not far apart, the three brothers and sisters can see each other almost every year.
Jack and his loved ones are reunited in the Netherlands
epilogue
We often say that between family affection, blood is thicker than water, it is concern, warmth, and mutual longing in the depths of time. It is precisely because of the thoughts between the Wu Ruomin brothers and sisters and Jack that they can cross thousands of miles to meet each other.
Here, I also hope that the relatives of the whole world, no matter how far apart they are, no matter where they are, can finally reunite, so that their hearts will not leave regrets!
Thanks for reading, I hope you click Follow + Comment to understand the different opinions of different people on this story.