Friday, June 19, 2026
Dear You”给阿嬷的情书
Instead of watching the latest C-drama “Pursuit of Jade 逐玉”on Netflix，tonight I watched a low budget Chinese movie “Dear You”给阿嬷的情书”which had great reviews to date. The story is about a young man who travels to Thailand to track down his long-lost grandfather. His grandfather, “Zheng Mushen 郑木生” had fled Chaosan to South East Asia during the Chinese civil war to avoid forced military conscription. Mushen was very frugal and saved every penny so he could send money back to his wife Ye Shurou叶淑柔 and 3 kids back home in China.
The film employs remittance letters “qiaopi”, between Mushen and Shurou. I am not going to go into the story plot but the story echoes the same sentiments of hundreds of thousands or millions who fled extreme poverty and wars in China to etch an existence in South East Asia 漂洋过海。They sacrificed a lot in order to have a better life for their next generations.
The story resonates with us
The story of the Hakkas, Cantonese, Hokkiens, Teochews and Hainanese in South East Asia is about hard work, perseverance, blood & sweat and later being industrious. It is little wonder that most of the richest families in South East Asia are of Chinese descent. Billions were sent back by the Chinese diaspora to build bridges, roads, schools and even just sustenance during the hard-times.
My grandmother was literally sold to work in Malaysia as a 13 year old maid servant, and later married my grandfather. I learnt that grandparents too were sending remittance letters back to China and also pork lard/oil which could be exchanged for cash or rations back home in China.
情谊/情义
Mushen ended up in Thailand after a stint in Malaya. He stayed in a little Hostel Inn initially without paying rent. Mushen ran into the blazing fire to save his Thai friend’s Xie Nanzhi’s dad. He got killed while helping a friend’s boat that was being robbed by intruders. Hence the movie is not really about romance and remittance letters; but of friendship, kinship, mutual care, love, and deep affection between our forefathers who shared the same plight and cultural links情谊/情义.
Throughout Malaysia we still have our clan association buildings that our forefathers founded be it Hakka or Teochew Associations. They were not only used to have gatherings during festivities, but to house those from their clans who just arrived in Malaysia for a period, till they found their own feet. These associations also founded and funded local Chinese schools which to date are still operational. I learnt a lot about our heritage during the 2 decades accompanying my dad as his chauffeur when was the 会长 of our clan association 嘉应会馆（梅州）in KL/Selangor and 懂事长 of 中国学校 in Loke Yew, SJKC Batu 14 Hulu Langat and 总务/副会长 of Kwong Tong Cemetry 广东义山.
Early Chinese Christians
Yes we had heard about how the early Christians in China were persecuted, very poor and without Bibles. I read most of Watchman Nee’s books as a baby Christian and treasured it. I loved the very anointed Cannan Hymns written by 小敏 and did regularly sing them. Then I read about Brother Yun and listened to his son Isaac Liu preached competently in English.
The aftermath of persecution and the blood shed by Christian martyrs in China is REVIVAL. Today the greatest revival on earth is happening in China and with between 100-200 million Christians and rapidly increasing, it will soon be the most populous Christian nation in the world. Because the Christians in China are praying for their government and country, it is now the most prosperous nation as measured by GDP PPP (Gross Domestic Product adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity).
My parents are not Christians but I can literally see my friends whose parents are Christians had a smoother life than me – in childhood, career and marriage. I am still yet to find a wife but believing God is preparing someone for me. A lot of generational Christians take all these generational blessings for granted.
It is easy as a 3rd or 4th generation Chinese in Malaysia/Singapore to take for granted the relatively good life the Lord has given our generation. Of course many of us are still found wanting, but in these end-times it is about how we can leverage on the advantage or forefathers had given us to serve the Lord and spread the gospel. The spiritual atmosphere is shifting more rapidly than ever before, and it is not a time to be spiritually complacent. A lot of younger generation lack perspective of the sacrifice of our forefathers, the movement of God, and the spiritual urgency of the hour.
Are you a believer who will follow Him till the end, regardless of the cost? Are you willing to give up that habit, or that relationship that you know is not the best for you? Most of us are willing to follow when the going is easy and good, when it suits our desires, when we are comfortable and there is no major sacrifice. However, when the cross comes demanding that we crucify our soul-life with our own desires, we are hesitant to go on the cross. A faith that loses nothing is usually worth nothing.
