Another Visit To Mom's China Village 中国小村 Hoiping (Kaiping) Near Toisan

Another visit to my mom's village in Hoiping, China. 中国小村 Also known as "Kaiping" in Mandarin. See what a house looks like in a Chinese village in southern China. Also see where my mom's original house was located. My mom used to tell us the first house was located far off in the back of the village. In fact, it's only a short distance, as you will see in the video.
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ANOTHER VISIT TO MOM'S VILLAGE IN HOIPING, CHINA
We get to check out the contents of some old suitcases. Later we visit the area where my mom lived until she was 5 years old. While at the village, a relative's son invited us to lunch in nearby Chiak Hom Town, also known as "Chikan" Town. This town is the former Market Town in the area. We go to a traditional Chinese restaurant that serves Chinese Village Style Cooking. Some of the dishes are similar ones served in Chinese restaurants in North America and throughout the world. Other dishes are not so familiar.

[@gimpygranny843]

I love when you visit your MAmas hometown, showing us all how it used to be. Thank you so much!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

You're very welcome. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping, China.

[@alicejung320]

Always good to follow you and mom to the old country! I love to hear the dialect!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

For sure, I try to include the dialect as much as I can. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village In Hoiping, china.

[@leelagurung4001]

The village is very beautiful and peaceful

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Yes, very laid back. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village.

[@ohitsmochi]

Thank you Brother

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

You're very welcome. Thanks for viewing my video.

[@sophiatseseligman616]

This video brought tears in my eyes. My Mother was born in that village and listening to the dialect was like listening to my parents again. Thank you for sharing this video

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

You're very welcome. I understand your emotions because I had strong emotions the first time I visited this village. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about your mom and dad. Thanks for viewing my video.

[@sophiatseseligman616]

@@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV I would really like to learn more about the village and the Seto Clan. Both my parents are now passed and want to get in touch with my roots and hopefully one day to visit China. I also leave in Canada

[@autumnloveist]

I was born in Hoiping as well but in another area. Thank you for this video. You reminded me about memories when I was a kid in Hoiping.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear you were born in Hoiping. Great people and great place. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village.

[@kenwu3516]

Thanks for sharing

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

You're very welcome. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@danielbakergill]

Spectacular video. I'm so glad you brought us with you again. The roast goose looked luxurious, downtown with all the old stone was breathtaking and I hope your lips were not permanently hurt from dryness. :P

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

The old town is undergoing major changes, but I hope it isn't too drastic. My lips get like that from dehydration, but mostly from hot spices and MSG, which I try to ask to be omitted. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping, China.

[@bettyhoo6604]

Watching this video reminds me of my own mother's stories. I can understand most of their conversations.i kept staring at the photos in the luggage in case they reassembled my mom's family pics. This is very enriching for me even though they are not my family!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear you have similar roots. Always hoping viewers see themselves or their relatives in our videos. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@cscratchy5126]

I can imagine my ancestral village to be similar, same county Hoiping. Nice that you can go with your mother so often.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Some of these villages have not changed much. With the age of the internet, I have sensed the changes coming ahead. I am lucky to be able to visit my ancestral villages and and surrounding areas. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping, China.

[@1changi]

Life was hard in China during those days. Uncivil unrest, banditry, natural disasters have given the push for people to relocate to another place. Being in the South of China has the advantage of access to a port in which ships can bring them to various countries of the world. They have lived well despite insurmountable difficulties in some countries which the locals or authorities have discriminated them.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Yes, very true. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@lemonfreshie]

Your visit to the village reminds me of my visit in 2009! My ancestors are from same area. Thanks for posting!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear your roots are from the same area. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@wai1689]

Dan, I wactched your video many many years, I come from hopping when I was thirteen, Thanks for your videos !

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to her your roots are from China. I missed reading your post from 2 years ago. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In China.

[@pandabear153]

Thanks Dan for the video! It's great to hear Hoisan vah spoken!!! Our generation hear in the States have all in inter married. So I only understand and do not speak the dialect! Greetings from Minnesota!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Greetings to you in Minnesota. It's still a good thing you can understand the dialect. A lot of times, when people go to visit these parts of China, they realise they can speak more than they think. In my case, it was the same. I learned to speak from my grandfather, so I sound like someone from 100 years ago. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping, China.

[@suichin5686]

Hoiping is my parents hometown. I have never been there and I understand every word they said. It's nice to see the village is in good shape on your video. It reminds me of the old Hong Kong. Thank you for upload!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear your roots are from Hoiping. I agree when you say it reminds you of Hong Kong. I did not experience old Hong Kong, but I have seen old footage of old Hong Kong. Also heard it from my mom, who lived briefly in Hong Kong when she was young. TYhanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In China.

[@yuetng4648]

Hi Dan, I just happened upon your video, and it made me reminisce on conversations I used to have w my Dad about where he grew up, which is in Hoi Ping. Although my dad is no longer alive, I will definitely share this video w my mom, who also is from Hoi Ping! Listening to ur conversations w your relatives, it makes me hear and think of my aunts and cousins. Thanks for sharing!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Glad it brought back good memories to you. See if your mom recognizes any of the places that show up in some of my other videos. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@slammr28]

Hi Dan, thanks for sharing your memories. I was born near Hoiping in a village, and came to Canada when I was three years old. I was fortunate enough to visit twice. I speak a bit of Cantonese/Toisan, but never gone to school. I only learned through listening and speaking. It was nice to hear the conversations with your family. I understood some of it.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear you can still speak some of the old dialect. Hopefully in the future, I'll be doing some interactive broadcasts. I hope you can join when I do them. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@shirleyypy]

Hi Dan, I didn't know you could speak the dialect. You told your Mum to check out the old suitcases behind you. Inside the suitcases, there were old clothes, old pictures and old paperwork. I understand every single word you, your Mum and your relatives said. The video was very interesting, thanks a lot.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear you can understand the local dialect. Fewer and fewer people overseas can understand this dialect. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village In Hoiping, China.

[@shirleyypy]

Dan Seto , I learned how to speak the dialect from my Grandmother who looked after me. Little did I know the dialect turns out to be the most valuable gift she could ever give me. Greeting from the U.K.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Yes, for sure, learning to speak the dialect from your grandmother is fantastic. I learned mostly from my grandfather, so I speak like someone from 100 years ago. Like you, I feel it is a valuable gift to be able to speak the old dialect. Thanks for sharing your personal history.

[@peterluo1776]

'Check Ham' - a relative from my mums side lives there.. her brother in law from that area.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear you are familiar with that area. The whole area has been shut down for renovation. Do you happen to know what area most of the residents moved to? Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@thomashom7514]

great video. I have been back to my ancestral village in near Kaiping. Unfortunately my command of Toisan is mediocre but my Mandarin is at 80%. My first visit was when I was 22 but now I am pushing 70. It is getting a little more strenuous! Lol

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Mandarin is always handy and some of the Mandarin words have become part of the Toisa/Hoiping/ Sai Yip dialects. I wish I had started my first visit earlier like you, so I can see the changes over time. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village.

[@itawambamingo]

Sweet potato with mustard greens?!!!! I've got to try that. Will you make a video about it?

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Yes, hopefully I can do a video about Sweet Potato And Mustard Greens in the future. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village I n Hoiping, China.

[@prettytse7762]

WOW/////

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@prettytse7762]

This used to be granddad's house. May be for farming. Government ordered to abolish the house.

[@capdriving]

never been there I am a orphan but i relate to taishan culture. You relate to the few and you do a good job. Looks allot of my dad place. same brick wall and rice fields outside, only locals care but it is one history

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Yes, you are correct in that a lot of the villages look the same.

[@9363234]

Dan, good to see you up with a video, when exactly was this? yeah my dad's village is a stones throw from Chikkan. He's 90 & will visit the area in Oct/Nov. unfortunately I won't be able to. looks like your mom's village is very safe, my dads house is at the end of the strip & exposed to thieves that terrorize the village, they'll break in & steal just about anything that's not bolted down. your'e lucky you can still look thru the old suitcases filled with memories. One day we'll need to install cameras in there & catch these culprits. one of my dads relatives had a restaurant in Chek Hom owned & operated by his daughter, think it has closed due to the Gov't takeover of the city.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear your dad is going for a visit to Hoiping. Yes, I have heard there is a lot of theft going around in the area. A lot of changes going on in the old town. Someone, who has relatives over there, told me there are condos going in. I hope the changes are not too drastic, but probably will be. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping.

[@Bee-qu2sq]

AMAZING VIDEO Dan. I enjoyed this so much because my parents and grandparents are from Hoiping and I loved hearing their stories about them growing up in the villages and shopping at Chikan. Hearing you speak the Hoiping dialect made me feel so nostalgic. Do you by any chance know the name of your mom's village? I want to ask my parents and see if they have heard of it! Thank you for the video Dan, and I hope you vlog more of your Hoiping travels because they are such a joy to watch !

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear your family roots are from Hoiping. Stay tuned for more videos from Hoiping, including our latest visit to my dad's village. Thanks for viewing this video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village in Hoiping.

[@richseeto6872]

I am Richard Seeto from Australia and I visited my dad's ancestral home several times in Qibilli Village several times since 2006...I speak Seeyup and as soon as I set foot in Hoiping, I felt an ease that is hard to explain...For so many years, I have yearned to see my Mother country and when I arrived in Hoiping, I immediately felt at home and when I hear my Mother tongue spoken there, I know I belonged. Your video has re-visited many of the places I have been in Hoiping and Chekhom. You did not show the Szeto Library which houses many of the Clan's archives and records...Try to hold the video camera steady or use it on a gimbal. China makes the best ones and they are not expensive...

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear your roots are from Hoiping. It's good you can speak the dialect. I think I felt the same way as you the first time you visit Hoiping. For me it was kind of surreal. I sent a copy of an anthology with some of my short stories to the Seto library. When I visited the library for the first time, my mom and I found the book on one of the shelves. For me, it was one of those touching moments I shared with my mom. That's on one of my earlier videos. You're right about getting a gimbal. I was just experimenting with a selfie stick pointed from the ground. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Thanks for checking out my video.

[@singaporeprivatechef]

my parents are from Hoiping too.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear your roots are from Hoiping.

[@adriannaborsalini285]

Loved watching this video! My mom's side is from Hoiping and their last names were Kwan and Yeung. Always heard my grandma talking about this place "Cheuk Hom" maybe is over 35 years that I haven't heard that name till now! Still have 2 cousins in Jiangmen maybe and hope in the future can organize a visit with my family so they can know my origins. Thanks for uploading the video!! P.S. Fun was also hearing talking in Hoipinese dialect, something that I'm losing too!

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Thanks for your comment. I hope you do get a chance to organize your family to visit your roots. Feel free to ask me any questions. Cheuk Hom is closed now for total renovation and people have moved away. It won't be the same when it reopens. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village in Hoiping, China.

[@monadmartingale9577]

let me see,maybe cheuk hom=赤坎，kwan=关，yeung=杨.but most of hoipingness born oversee aren't able to recognize chinese characters.

[@monadmartingale9577]

many people whose last name is "关" lives in "赤坎", and many of they also moved to other country in the past.

[@monadmartingale9577]

@@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV hahaha,now cheuk hom is buliding many kinds of antique-style bulidings around kaiping num.1 middle schools.welcome home visit it again when it may open in 2023.

[@MissStephieTing]

I love the pictures of mum during her childhood days! She was adorable! Great video! It is so interesting to see neighbouring villages. Out of curiosity, did mum & dad meet from the same village? My grandparents were from neighbouring "chune". (Hope that makes sense.)

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

My mom and dad were from different villages close by. She said she used to see him walk by on the way to school. Yhanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village in Hoiping, China.

[@MissStephieTing]

Dan Seto that is very sweet! Mum looks very happy there! Thank you for posting and bringing us along 😃 As a CBC who has only been to China once, this is a wonderful treat.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Thanks very much. I hope you get a chance to experience more of China in the future.

[@rlouie05]

If I still have enough money and am still healthy once I retire (which isn't happening for an extremely long time given that I need to work shifts to keep paying the rent), I'd love to tour the region as much as possible with whatever time I have left, as most of the historical buildings are still intact, though the bottom floors of most historical buildings are all modern shops by now. It would be nice if I could communicate with the locals in all dialects, but I'd settle for Mandarin if there was some way to learn it easily and quickly vs. things like Rosetta Stone.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

I hope you do get a chance to visit there. Many changes are happening , but still a lot of places are the same. Thanks for viewing my video on Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@Rliang7070]

That place looks very familiar, I think my grandma lives around there

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Many of the villages look similar and if your grandma has roots from southern China, she probably is from this region. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@jennellegee2634]

Nice video. It's one of the only places I have seen or heard of someone mention "Chek Hom" (as my great great grandmother wrote) throughout my search for my ancestor's villages. While I have the addresses for both her village & my great great grandfather's, nothing comes up despite my best efforts. Does your family still live there?

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Members of our family left their villages a long time ago. From what I understand, a lot of the old names of villages have been changed to new names. Also changes in street names and areas. If you know the names of the villages or the area of location, I could ask my mom. Also I have some contacts that I could ask for you. Thanks for checking out my video. Best of luck in your search for your roots.

[@jennellegee2634]

@@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV Thanks for your reply. That’s definitely what it seems like from my research! They don’t make it easy. Haha. I do have addresses for both GG grandparents and I believe I found them on Friends of Roots and/or Baidu after days of searching and cross referencing, but it’s still difficult to know for certain. My family members don’t remember enough about their visits, unfortunately. If you’d be willing to ask, that would be so helpful as I plan to be there next month. Is it possible to email you? I have some documents & photos that could help.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

@@jennellegee2634 Just saw this message now. Yes, just email to [e-mail] on a private email away from this channel.

[@prettytse7762]

Your dad is from the village of SETO(?)

[@yuchoyho1381]

靠近水口，龙塘，袓祠吗？

[@prettytse7762]

Hung-Hing Restaurant////

[@conmanumber1]

Hi Dan. May i ask what your Moms family name is?. My Family homes look similar to these but the humidity is so great by the looks of things Gosch i understand 80 % of everything you guys are saying. Cheers Carl Gin

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Hi Carl, Just out of respect for the people still in the village, I don't give out the name of the village. Sorry about that. That's great that you can understand 80% of the dialect. Some of the words and phrases we use goes back to the days of my grandfather from the early 1900's so it's not part of the common language anymore. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Thanks for viewing my video.

[@sfdanceron1]

The goose and pork look pretty damn good. Like to have been there with you enjoying that food. I haven't seen pork prepared like that in Southern Styled restaurants here in the States. I'm assuming the goose preparation is similar to duck.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

The pork would be similar to a Char Siu Barbeque Pork recipe, which is common in some parts of North America. You can find some recipes on my channel or if you search for "Char Siu Chinese Barbeque Pork". Yes, the recipe for roast goose is similar to roast duck. Goose is more popular in this part of China. In Canada, a goose would cost about 3 to 4 times the cost of a duck, although it would be larger. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village In China.

[@lunghingyuen6141]

dan can we do the down fire fighter removing in toisan ?

[@yuchoyho1381]

在开平什么里？

[@f1uzure]

What is the name of your moms village? Dad's village name? Your fortunately to see your family village Dan

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Yes, I consider myself very fortunate to visit my ancestral villages. For the privacy of residents still in the villages, I don't disclose the names of their villages. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mon's China Village. Take care and stay safe.

[@robertwoo230]

Great to see the village. We are planning on taking my Mom back next spring. My parents (Woo - Leung Sui Cheng) village is directly adjacent to the Seto Village. I cannot find it on a map, but I know it is in Ruliang. Can you locate the Seto Village on a aerial photo or with Lat Long Coordinates?

[@pq859]

Ruliang would be 儒良鄉--a group of villages (all Woos) west of Chikan (赤坎) while the Setos (司徒) are at the eastern end. Ruliang is Mandarin while the native pronunciation is Yee-liang.

[@pq859]

Oh, Leung Sui Cheng could be 凉水井村, meaning the village with cool water well.

[@شموخرجل-ع6ب]

جميل جدا ً

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Thank you for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping, china.

[@prettytse7762]

Little Piglet Row////

[@kaelhonda]

Everyone sounds like my grandma and my mom but I never learned toisan :((((

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

We speak Hoiping, which is very similar to Toisan. Both Hoiping and Toisan are 2 of the original Four Counties dialect of southern China. Hoiping and Toisan sound so similar tthat it's hard to tell the difference. Some words are pronounced differently and some phrases are different. I'm thinking about teaching the old dialect online. Stay tune and I hope you will join in. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village.

[@leekan4555]

Hi Dan. I am going to Hoiping this coming week. If we only have 2 days in the city, can you recommend which part of town/streets would be the best to walk through? It would be good to get a good perspective on the old and new areas of Hoiping. Thank you.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Great to hear you are visiting Hoiping. The area where the main bus station I guess would be considered downtown. Lots of shops and restaurants in the area. There's a congee place for fish congee called "dak yu jook" which is really popular and the locals would know about. On the side streets in that area there are street food eateries that serve steamed buns, noodles, etc. which I really like but may not be up to North American standards. Also by the main bust station, there was a lady that sells doong, the sticky rice wrap in /bamboo leaves... really delicious but not sure if she is still selling there. Not sure if you are going with family or by yourself but the drivers in the vans shaped like bread trucks are good as tourist guides. If you speak the local Hoiping dialect it would be great but most drivers don't speak any English. The main tourist site is called Li Gardens, known as "Lep Yuan" in Hoiping pronunciation. Hoiping is famous for the dialolou guard towers so there are a few popular tourist ones. The famous town in Kaiping is called "Chiak Hom" or Chikan in |Hoiping. It's undergoing major renovation but I'm not sure if it is reopen again. In that area are rural villages which I have wondered around but are private property. Let me know if you have anymore questions. Have a great trip. Safe journey.

[@leekan4555]

Thank you so much for your detailed reply! That’s really helpful!

[@SuiLiF]

Mama was so pretty. How old is she now?

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

She prefers to be known as a young at heart senior citizen. Thanks for viewing our video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village In Hoiping, China.

[@zhenweixuan8868]

root house,you family got lost pics,looks like rich tho that time.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

My grandfather built this house when he was doing fairly well in business. Later he encountered hard times. My other grandfather went overseas and he was doing fairly well. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village.

[@prettytse7762]

Chek means Deep Red(?)

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

I'm not sure about the meaning, although in the Mandarin translation it means reds. I'll have to do some research on this because I'm curious now.

[@johnwong3858]

Where and who do the cooking ？

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

We had a private room in a restaurant on the edge of Chikan Town in Hoiping, China. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village.

[@prettytse7762]

Ga-LaDai///Mee-Kowk////

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

Your Chinese seems pretty good.

[@capdriving]

why we want to go back even though we make over 100 grand a year. strange there is a connect. being a orphan I have pic of old taishan

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

As we get older, I think there is a need to get in touch with our roots. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's Village In Hoiping.

[@smw.4272]

Spectacular video!! Many thank you’s for sharing. We would love to visit our ancestral villages someday, in search of our roots. Would you be interested in PM’ing me to give some help/ guidance/ insight on how to begin our journey? If you could let us know either way, it would be great. Many thnx.

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

You're very welcome. If you have any questions, send it to the email I have on my "About" page for this channel. I can probably answer general questions but to actually find your specific village would probably be out of my scope, but I can at least ask my mom. If you know the name of your village, that would help. Your last name would also indicate what area you are from. I have some videos I'm posting up regarding bus routes and local travel, so stay tuned for those. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To Mom's China Village. Like I say, if you email some details, I might be able to direct you further.

[@yanfenghu7171]

Will you live in China?

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

I would like to live in China. Thanks for viewing my video on Another Visit To My Mom's Village In Hoiping, China.

[@prettytse7762]

Blogger///

[@jiaronghuang8660]

Hong Xing triad lol

[@prettytse7762]

L

[@yuchoyho1381]

在开平什么地方？什么里？

[@DanSetoChineseCanadianRootsTV]

这个村子在开平。 感谢您观看我的视频。