Alan Lowe (Liu Zhiqiang), former mayor of the city of Victoria, Canada, returned home to visit his family in Houshan Village, Zhongshan's Shaxi Town on March 2.
As early as 1910, Alan Lowe's grandfather had traveled crossed the ocean to seek a living in Canada. In 1957, Alan's parents immigrated to Canada, and a few years later, he was born and became the youngest child in his family.
Since 1990, Alan Lowe has dedicated himself to politics. In the 1999 mayoral election in Victoria, he was elected as the youngest mayor in the city's history. During his term, Victoria was recognized as one of the best tourist cities and one of the most livable cities in Canada, with the lowest unemployment rate across the country.
In 2000, Alan Lowe returned to his hometown for the first time. Since then, he has brought his family back with him every few years.
On March 3, Alan visited Yunhan Village, the birthplace of his father and grandfather. Over 1,000 Chinese living abroad, mainly in the United States and Canada, are from the village.
"The villagers are so hospitable that I feel a genuine warmth every time I return." Alan spoke in the authentic Longdu dialect and responded with a cheerful smile to his loved ones.
He also went to the Liu's Ancestral Temple to worship the ancestors. With the genealogical record in his hands, Alan said emotionally that he hopes the names of his descendants would also be recorded in the family tree, ensuring the continuous lineage of the family.