Crossing the Pacific : The Family Stories of a Chinese Immigrant

At the turn of the twentieth century, China was still in the hands of the imperial Qing Dynasty government. In 1911, the revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen finally succeeded in overthrowing the corruptive Qing Dynasty, and the Republic of China was born. In subsequent decades, the Nationalist government was exhausted in fighting consecutively wars against the Chinese War Lords, the war against the Japanese aggression, and the Civil War with the Chinese Communists. Chaotic situations in the nation had lasted for most of the twentieth century.

My parents and my siblings of five lived our lives in that century. Although our family, except for my sister and her family, had fortunately escaped the unprecedented massive destruction, the associated social turbulence, and the political persecution by the Chinese government toward its citizens in the decades of the twentieth century, we were forced to leave mainland China. Our parents and many people in their generation lived the rest of their lives overseas like drifting leaves in unfamiliar societies with nostalgia. My parents passed away in Taipei, Taiwan and in Manhattan, Kansas in the 1970’s. What they wished and longed for was simply the togetherness of family members, and was never achieved in their lives.

Because of the age differences between our siblings, the experiences of our lives were quite different. We each managed to find a way to make a living, strive for the best and we all survived under various circumstances during the turbulent times. This book "Crossing the Pacific" describes the true family stories of an ordinary Chinese immigrant. Just because of its ordinary nature, these stories would certainly not be able to make their way to the history books. However, these true family stories which fully reflect the complicated historical events of our times are surely worth writing down and leaving them to our children and future generations in America!

二十世紀的中國，從腐敗的滿清政府開始，辛亥革命，中華民國建國，隨即軍閥割據，抗日戰爭，國共內戰。外侵內患而造成國家社會的大動亂，幾乎佔了整個世紀。

我的父母和姐弟五人，就是生長在那個國家多難，社會不安的時代。後來除了姐姐和她的家人之外，很幸運的，我們逃脫了中國大陸，在上個世紀中期史無前例的政治迫害，及社會不安的浩劫。但是我們的父母也被迫地，離開了中國大陸，連根拔起， 流亡海外。當時我們所渴望的，是在安定的環境中成長。而我們父母畢生追求，而沒法達成的奢望，竟是簡單的家人團聚！我的父母就是懷著『有家歸不得』，和『家人無法團聚』的雙重思念和感受，飲恨終生。於一九七○年代先後在台北和在美國謝世的。

我們姐弟，因為年齡的差別，我們一生的經歷就迥然不同。在時代潮流的巨浪中，各人走出一條生路，努力地奮鬥了一生。這本書是記述一個很平凡的中國家庭的真實故事。就是因為平凡，我們家的故事，是在報章雜誌中，和歷史書上找不到的。可是我們這些升斗市民的親身經歷的故事，是可以充分反映出當時的時代背景。足以值得記下來，留給在海外生長的後代子孫。

Y. P. Lu received his Mechanical Engineering degrees from the National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan in 1958, and from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in 1964 and 1967. After receiving his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, he spent his entire professional career at the David Taylor Research Center in Annapolis, Maryland as an engineer / scientist / technical manager until he retired in 1995. In the intervening years, he also taught at different times at the University of Maryland, the United States Naval Academy, the Catholic University of America, the National Taiwan University, and the National Taiwan Ocean University. He co-authored a graduate level technical book entitled “Vibration Damping of Structural Elements” in 1995. After retirement, he authored “Drifting Roots” (in Chinese) in 2013. While studying at the National Taiwan University in the mid 1950’s, he was the captain of the University’s varsity basketball team. He was also a member of Lan Sheng, a rather famous basketball team on the island of Taiwan in the 1950’s. He and his wife Cecilia currently reside in Odenton, Maryland.

盧業裴，祖籍湖北省天門市，國立台灣大學機械工程學系畢業，獲有美國德克薩斯州，州立休士頓大學，機械工程碩士和博士學位。畢業後，任職於美國泰勒研究中心，畢生從事於高科技研發工作，曾任工程師，科學家，和科技管理人員，直到一九九五年退休。在工作年間，先後任教於美國馬里蘭州立大學，美國海軍官校，美國天主教大學，國立台灣大學，和國立台灣海洋大學。一九九五年，合著有高科技『結構的振動阻尼』(Vibration Damping of Structural Elements)一書（英文版），二○一二年，著有自傳體的回憶錄『漂泊的浮萍』(Drifting Roots)一冊（英文版）。在大學期間，曾任國立台灣大學籃球校隊隊長，也是當年頗具盛名的『籃聲』籃球隊的隊員。現居美國馬里蘭州。

Table of Contents
About the Book
About the Author
Table of Contents
Acknowledgment
Prologue

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Remembering Family Past in China
2-1. In Remembrance
2-2. During the War: On the Run
2-3. During the War: Helping Relatives
2-4. During the War: In the Village
2-5. During the War: Life under Mother’s Guard
2-6. Leaving the Homeland

Chapter 3. Life on the Island of Taiwan
3-1. Finding New Lives
3-2. High School Days (1948-1954)
3-3. Recollection of Campus Life
3-4. Recalling College Years (1954-1958)
3-5. Taipei, Taiwan: Our Second Hometown

Chapter 4. A New Endeavor A Recollection of Life in Graduate School (1962-1967)
4-1. Looking Back
4-2. In the Beginning
4-3. Getting Started
4-4. Helping Hands
4-5. In Appreciation

Chapter 5. Our Life in Maryland
5-1. Fond Memories
5-2. Swimming: A Family Activity
5-3. Memorable Visits
5-4. Striving for Success

Chapter 6. In Memory of Beloved Parents
6-1. Goodbye, Parents!
6-2. Paying Respects with Love
6-3. Rest in Peace
6-4. In Commemoration
6-5. Belated Reunion

Chapter 7. Sabbatical Tours in Taiwan
7-1. A New Experience
7-2. Extracurricular Activities
7-3. A Family Vacation
7-4. An Exciting Experience
7-5. Work in Retirement

Chapter 8. Life in Retirement
8-1. In Retirement
8-2. Household Downsizing
8-3. Various Activities
8-4. The Spirit of Giving
8-5. Beautiful Setting Sun
8-6. Work of a Volunteer
8-7. A Letter to Our Daughter

Chapter 9. A Journey to China
9-1. En Route
9-2. Touring the Capital City
9-3. Enjoying the Mountains
9-4. The Yangtze River Cruise
9-5. Tracking the Southwest Route
9-6. Traveling in the South
9-7. Coming Home

Chapter 10. Sweet Memories
10-1. Remembering My Elementary School Era
10-2. Brethren in Bond
10-3. Reminiscence with a Smile
10-4. Nostalgia of Bygone Days
10-5. Our High School Class Slide Show

Chapter 11. Class Reunions and Reminiscences
11-1. Class Reunions in Early Years
11-2. A Disastrous Earthquake in Taiwan
11-3. Millennium Class Reunion
11-4. College Class Reunion in Hawaii
11-5. College Class Reunions on Cruises
11-6. Energetic Years

Chapter 12. In the Land of Opportunity
12-1. Enjoying the Fruits
12-2. Growing Roots after Landing
12-3. Our Life before Sunset

Chapter 13. Two Groups in Our Generation
13-1. Happily Together
13-2. An Extraordinary Generation
13-3. Family Gatherings

Chapter 14. Drifting Roots
14-1. Cherishing the Memory of My Hometown in China
14-2. Falling Leaves Returning to Roots?
14-3. New Homeland in America
14-4. The Challenges of Seniors
14-5. The Relationship between Parents and Childre

Chapter 15 Conclusions