Grandma and her Brother: Divided Still Photo Gallery by Jennifer Zhou at pbase.com

Grandma and her Brother: Divided Still

My grandma and and her long separated brother from Taiwan came to visit us recently. Grandma is now 90 years old and her brother is 84 years old. Back in their 20s, they had left home to pursue separate dreams. Grandma joined the Communist Party, while her brother joined the Kuomintang.

As we know these two parties have been in conflict for more than 50 years -- even now, the realtionship between China and Taiwan is still very tense. Grandma and her brother haven't seen or spoken much to each other over the past years. They finally got the chance to stay for a few days together on neutral ground -- our house. Their different beliefs still bring arguments between them. No matter how close they are, or how much they may love each other, neither will give an inch when it comes to politics.

This three picture story defines their attitudes, which seem to mirror, in a way, the gulf that divides China and Taiwan.

14-APR-2005

Taking Morning Pills, Shanghai, China, 2005

My grandma and her brother are getting ready for their morning pills. When they were young, they were tireless and fearless soldiers. Now they depend on medicines to keep functioning. They may have changed physically over the years, but their loyalties to opposing political parties remain unchanged. They have just had a political argument, and, as always, it ends in a stalemate.

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14-APR-2005

Distance, Shanghai, China, 2005

Getting water for his pills, it is now the brother who turns away from his sister. After an argument, they retreat to their own space, as if distance will somehow lessen the pain and frustration they must feel.

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14-APR-2005

We are Family, Shanghai, China, 2005

Although the political differences remain, my grandma and her brother are still bonded together -- the same blood flows in their bodies, and as they grow older, they can still love and support each other spiritually. I see them here as walking towards the same place. I hope they eventually can heal the wounds that separate them -- just as I hope that Taiwan and China can someday resolve their differences to become a family once again.

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Guest		05-Dec-2008 14:12
what a story. beautifuly told. no reason is good enough to separate people who love each other. it always makes me angry when i read about such tragic stories and people like your grandparents, who in fact are victims of others and their sick ambitions that won't let them stop at nothing before they get what they want - power, money, both.

Herve Blandin		19-Aug-2006 04:14
Hi, Jennifer Very impressive effort, we do sens the divide, the unachieved kinship, and at the same time, we guess the little domestic chores, the little nothings of life may provide that kinship. I wonder if deep inside, camping on their beliefs does not mean not having to face all that time and love lost. I want to read this in your Grandma's face in the first pix. Saying no to oneself more than to the other.

Guest		08-Jul-2005 20:35
The photos on their own are excellent photojournalism. The story is poignant and very heartfelt. If there was a Pulitzer Prize for PBase you should win

chyeheng		06-Jul-2005 15:19
A touching story unfolded by your photos and narrations. Regardless of the differences, I hope both Taiwan and China will walk towards the light just like the last picture depicted. Too many have lost their lives in the civil war let alone the Jap invasion...

Guest		12-May-2005 16:13
Jennifer, Coming from a Taiwanese native and a Chinese, I find this work to be very touching and poignant. It really speaks to my generation and I wonder if such political loyalty is really worth the seperation of blood and race. I can't see myself disregarding another human being for that reason.

windybaer		29-Apr-2005 15:43
I would like to comment on this set of journalistic images, and the gulf they represent. This gulf is not just between the symbolic reps of a divided culture. The starkness and power of the b&w images resonate with the separation they represent. These images seem as strange to me as the gulf that exists between our cultures. Whereas pride of self exists in both this culture and my own, the "pride of intellect" is the hidden shadow between these independent images. And it is not the choices each have made but the choices they have made within their ability to choose alternatively. I feel a great sadness and a weight, not just for these two but for all those that are forced to choose, without a truly free option. Thank you for sharing your family with us. My prayer is for their reconciliation, as well for all mankind.

Leo		25-Apr-2005 09:07
I also want to add another comment: People make history, and history always fools people. It means no matter how wishful thinking people can carry, ordinary people will always suffer when the political confrontation breaks out. So, peace seems at hand, while war is looming at the future. One good thing, at least, the two elderly people will not live to see that. Let's pray for a peaceful unification.

Brian Lai		23-Apr-2005 16:25
I'm sorry that your families had been suffering this separation . Many people from China to Taiwan in 1949 failed to meet their separated families in China till they died in Taiwan. The others finally allowed to visit China by both Governments in late of 1980's, but they have been facing more complicated emotions and the big difference between two cultures, some had happy endings but some got a sea in their minds even wider than what separates China and Taiwan. Your Grandma and her brother were blessed by their parents to live long enogh to have the chance to get together, I wish them enjoying the reunion in China and hope it would be soon again in Taiwan. Taiwan was returned to China in 1945 from the Japan's governance of 50 years, 4 years later the KMT(the Nationalist Party founded by Dr. Sun Yatsen) withdrew from the Main Land China to the Taiwan Island. There were million soldiers,officials and merchants migrated to the small island, they had different language from Taiwanese, they had different culture form Taiwan's Chinese and Japanese mixed culture, but they came and ruled the island and this soon led to many riots to resist the KMT and sadly ended by the military of KMT, hundreds thousand of outstanding Taiwanese were killed by KMT. After 50 years from 1949, finally the pure Taiwanese party - DPP(Democratic Progressive Party) won the President eletion in 2000 and again in 2004. Now KMT is quite different from what it was and lose the support of those old soldiers-old KMT members, but recently the KMT tried to shake hands with China Government and Chairman of KMT will soon visit China in this month. The DPP is angry about this, but at the same time understood the best way is remaining low key because no one really knows what people are thinking about the future relationship between two places. Now, it is neither KMT nor DPP can decide the future of Taiwan, actually people in Taiwan will do this job and the reunion is not the yes or no issue but only how and when . Hope you'll be able to visit Taiwan soon! Brian

Guest		16-Apr-2005 05:45
Very insightful. I think it is an important realization, that one can hold an opposing view and not be evil. I hope they take at least that from their relationship.

Phil Douglis		16-Apr-2005 05:02
****A remarkable three picture story that says all there is to be said. It is rich in incongruities, well abstracted, and above all full of human values such as conflict, unshakeable beliefs, and potential reconciliation.

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