我曾經問過父親，我們的家族淵源可以追溯到多遠？他告訴我，我們的祖先原本來自中國廣東。不過，到了我曾曾曾祖父那一代，家族的人已經是在台灣出生和生活了。

我記得祖父的家裡有一個大廳，用來紀念已經過世的家族成員。那裡陳列著許多老照片，但我其實並不知道照片裡的人是誰。我從來沒有問過父親，他也沒有向我解釋過。我隱約記得哥哥曾提過，有一個堂弟那邊可能有一本不完整的家譜，但他從未多問，因爲堂兄說有很多代的名字都找不到。所以我也沒再進一步追究。

對我來說，家譜似乎並不那麼重要，因為我並不認識上面記錄的那些人,而且生活已經很忙，往前走比回頭看更重要。

有一次，父親帶我去參觀家族的祖墳。那座墳地位在一座屬於我們家族的山上，埋葬著我的祖父母，以及他們之前的許多代人。我記得沿著山坡，一座座墳墓依序排列著。那時，父親告訴我，將來有一天，他也會葬在那裡，記得那是一個很安靜、風水很好的山頭。

講到這裡，我發現自己對孩子們給的這個題目其實沒有太多資訊可以分享。我對自己的家族淵源並不十分了解，也很少去思考這些問題。對我而言，這些故事顯得有些遙遠，而日常生活也從未要求我回頭追溯得那麼久遠。

此外，從我的信仰角度來看，我對祖先的理解最終是從亞當和夏娃開始的，他們是全人類的始祖。比起家族血脈與世代傳承，對我來說更重要的是相信：有一天，所有人都將復活，接受上帝的審判，並在新天新地中開始新的生命。到了那時，誰是誰的祖先，將不再重要。

.................

How far back can you trace your family ancestry?

I once asked Agong how far back we could trace our family ancestry. He told me that our ancestors originally came from Guangdong, China. However, by the time of my great-great-great-grandfather, our family was already born and living in Taiwan.

I remember that my grandfather’s house had a large hall that was used to honor family members who had passed away. There were many old photographs displayed there, but I never really knew who the people in the pictures were. I never asked my father about them, and he never explained them to me either. I vaguely remember my brother mentioning that one of our cousins said he may have  a family genealogy book, but it was not complete . My brother said he never saw it and he was told by my cousin that many names were still missing. I never follow up. To me, the family genealogy did not seem very important, because I did not know any of the people recorded in it anyway.

Agong once took me to visit our family graves. They were located on a mountain that belonged to our family, where my grandparents and many generations before them were buried. I remember seeing one grave after another spread across the mountain. At that time, Agong told me that one day he would be buried there as well.

I’m sorry to say that when it comes to this topic, I realize that I do not have much information to share. I simply do not know very much about my family ancestry, and I have rarely thought about it before. For me, these stories feel distant, and my daily life has never required me to look that far back.

Also, from  my perspective, my understanding of ancestry ultimately begins with Adam and Eve, the first parents of humanity. Beyond family lines and generations, what matters most to me is the belief that one day all people will be resurrected, face God’s judgment, and begin life anew in a new heaven and a new earth.At that time, who is whose ancestor will no longer matter.