Ahoy from Amoy! (historic Xiamen, China).I received an interesting letter today from a 5th generation descendant of Pastor Iap Han Chiong, the first Chinese pastor in Amoy (and given that the Amoy Mission had China's first Protestant church, that pretty much makes Pastor Iap China's first Chinese pastor.
Iap is of course mentioned a lot in my old books and letters, and later I will post more about him. For now, here is Emily's letter. If you have more information about Pastor Iap or others in old Amoy, please share it (I just scanned 184 photos from the photo album of Andrew Bonthius, who was a doctor at Hope Hospital on Amoy's Gulangyu Islet from 1909 to 1915 and who built the Hope Hospital chapel as a memorial to his mother; very exciting to see all those old photos--a big thanks to Andrew Bonthius' grandson--also named Andrew Bonthius).
Oct. 31, 2016 Email from Emily Cheng, 5th Generation Descendant of Pastor Iap Han Chiong 葉漢章牧師. [again, if you have more info, please share it!]
Dear Mr. Bill,
Since I read your blog, I have some information for your interest. Perhaps you maybe able to add to your historical accounts.
We are the fifth generation of pastor Iap Han Chiong - who was the first pastor of the bamboo church. You can check with the bamboo church.
We still have relatives with photos of that generations who were the first midwives of gulangyi ( kolongsu island). My aunty ( now 96 residing in Vancouver canada was a student of the famous girls school founded by Dr.Talmage. Aunty Peggy Hwang has a hard copy of 40 years in southern China - an autobiography of DR. Talmage.
Dr. Talmage, Dutch reform pastor was the person who lead Rev yap Han Chiong whole family to Christ, as a matter of fact, I was told- my family- has become a gateway of missionaries staying over- in their mission trip- the house was 24 Chong Hua road in kulangyi.
Midwives - YAP ko new ( 葉姑娘) in the photos are when they， were in their teens - 葉亮彩and 葉友益( she's called the first midwives of kulangyi ) and has delivered most babies in those times.
Here are the links of 300 over pages of the history of the set up of the girls school ( where my grandma and aunties were educated and how they have develop ROMANISED fookien language. Speak to Peggy Hwang who is now residing in San Francisco who can give you accurate accounts.. or my aunty Dee, in Vancouver who still recalls many stories.
I still have families from that region- that migrated to Australia like us.. my dad is 90, most of them are still fluent in speaking English and are students of the boys school Eng Hua in kulangyi.
Anyway, here's the book that may interest you - only 2 hard copies are available in the world - state library in the states ( Peggy will know as she has the other copy). Fortunately it's scanned - so here's the link to it. This book" 40 years in china" is written for Rev John van nest Talmage autobiography and about kolongsu island ( now is gulangyi) PASTOR and published in 1894. A copy is kept in State library, USA
https://ia700404.us.archive.
Page 303 Rev IAP Han Chiong
Page 201 photo of Sio-Ke valley
Page 275 photo of women school giok-tek now
Page 169 Rev IAP Han- Chiong 葉漢章牧師 family
David yap chi beng father is 葉克寬mother is 李淑義
Thank you, Emily, for your email! I'll post more from my own collection about Pastor Iap when I have time.
Pastor Iap, by the way, wrote a Tribute to John Van Nest Talmage, which gives insights into the values and character traits that Iap thought important. Click Here to read it.
Enjoy Amoy!
Dr. Bill
School of Management, Xiamen University
Amazon eBook "Discover Xiamen"
www.amoymagic.comAmazon eBook "Discover Xiamen"
Bill Brown Xiamen University www.amoymagic.com
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