社区生活

Young overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia loved badminton, so the hall was not only a meeting place but also a popular spot for students to play after class. Light, white shuttlecocks traced graceful arcs overhead, accompanied by the crisp sound of rackets. Everyone was absorbed in the pleasure of the game.

There were no walls here; the grounds connected freely with the outside, and people were not cleared out. Everyone was considerate and did not interrupt PE lessons. Most came to play after four in the afternoon, except on holidays. With no floodlights, games usually ended at dusk without disturbing the neighbours.

Life in Huaqiao Xincun was concentrated within the neighbourhood. Besides daily classes, there were many extracurricular activities: dance classes, sports and school-organised factory and farm work. Each week, half a day was spent working in the school factory, for example packing crayons, or learning farming outside school, such as planting castor beans. The school emphasised all-round development.

The school had a large Soviet-style assembly hall, an unusually large gathering place in Guangzhou. It often hosted meetings, ceremonies and social celebrations for overseas Chinese.

During the summer holidays, the school organised study groups in selected classmates’ homes. In the spirit of Lei Feng, pupils often helped neighbours weed their gardens, expressing friendship and a willingness to work. Returned overseas Chinese families also frequently exchanged food and culture, sharing snacks from the countries where they had lived, including Southeast Asia and North America.

My father was quiet by nature, but many well-known people lived in Huaqiao Xincun, and some friends from the cultural world visited him. The celebrated Cantonese opera performer Hung Sin-nui lived opposite and often dropped by, calling him “Uncle Yu”. He also painted her portrait.

Today, the lively fences have been replaced by brick walls two metres high, making it harder for neighbours to chat across them. It is a striking contrast with the past: residents once leaned against bamboo fences to talk, whereas high walls now quietly reduce everyday interaction.