1948 Edition Preface

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Our apologies. This is a first edit of the English translation. Much work needs to be done yet.

Re-edit Bright Creek Genealogy

These days, the country has been decaying from the top.  Traditional customs and values have been destroyed from the bottom. Everyone competes with each other for personal interests and concentrates on pursuing self-interests. As long as it is profitable, everyone will scramble to chase and use various convenient means to travel to somewhere to trade. Many people went everywhere to chase profits, in any business situation and many different metropolises. They do not return for many years. When they do come back, they regarded their siblings as strangers. And, when asked about their ancestors, they knew nothing about it. They are indifferent and are not ashamed. Even people who live together often feel out of touch and don’t get close to each other. What’s more, some people don’t interact with each other. Family is not so simple, so it is difficult for the country to rejuvenate and become stronger. At this time, it is important to understand that we are basically a harmonious family. It is probably more difficult to rely on the genealogy that has not been re-edited for decades. Although it is difficult, I am fortunate to have this genealogy. If these are not integrated, people will disperse as birds and beasts and forget where their families came from. Now when the genealogy has been edited, people from the same family get together and read it. Many people will say which are my ancestors and my brothers, and then they will no longer ignore each other, and they can be close to each other and not become strangers. This can still be done with our family genealogy.

The Bright Creek Ma clan family tree has not been re-edited for more than 30 years. This year its clan plan to re-edit it and ask me to preside over it. I was only four or five miles away from Ma Family homestead, and I knew people from their family, so I agreed. The Ma family people do a lot of farming, and there are also people who are academics and businessmen traveling outside of the village. They all agree that they have learned about genealogy. And said that after the genealogy correction is completed, they will definitely come back to see it and get together with people of the same family. I think that once this genealogy is completed, the people of Ma’s family will definitely be able to meet the people they didn’t know before and get close to those who should have been close. The harmony of the family will be born. The folk customs will return to simplicity. Who else believes that genealogy has nothing to do with the hearts and minds of the world? The people of Ma hope not to lose this heart and mind. And will do this genealogy task well.

Thirty-seven years of the Republic of China (1948) Written by Lu Zhiqiang, Leopard Mountain.