tree
This is a tree that cannot be chopped down, or I suppose you could if you join the DINK (Double Income No Kids) generation. There seems to be an increasing trend among Britons to discover about their family histories. Two years ago when I spent Christmas holidays with N's family, N's dad received a book on genealogy as a present. It appears that he would like to know more about his surname. In the British Library there's a pamphlet that introduces you to the resources to study personal history. And then there's BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? I enjoyed the series immensily and thought that it would be a good idea if Taiwan came up with a similar programme. The ruling party is much too concerned with constructing an ideology centered on Taiwan, denying history related to China. A programme like this traces your family line way back to the Mainland, perhaps allowing you to put politics aside. Whether you're a descendant of Noah or William the Conqueror, or children of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang, it's a beginning of an interesting story I say.