I had my free time on 10 November. I arranged to meet Zexiong, Nanfeng, Thomas and Danhong. I would meet Jinyu in the evening.

I called Eric Tan to let him know that we stayed in another hotel. I have given his hand phone number to Jinyu. So that it would be more convenient for her to arrange the interview with Eric. Jinyu is working with China Radio International based in Beijing. She came to Shantou from Beijing a few days earlier then me.

Zexiong

I contacted Zexiong after my breakfast.
When I decided to come to Shantou, I immediately thought of meeting Zexiong who stays in Shantou. I used to read his articles in introducing the Teochew Opera VCD in the forum. Sometimes he gave his opinion and has never written any irresponsible comments. When I wrote to him, he asked me what I wanted to have. I told him that I would like to have a book recording the Teochew Opera events in 1992. He found it in a bookshop soon. I created a column in my website (《戏曲天地》的《泽雄碟报》栏目). He ever sent me his photo. But I was amused to see his baby face when we met. I brought him a 33 rpm record as a souvenir. I also bought some CD of songs he liked from the second-hand shop.

Zexiong stayed near our hotel. He walked to the hotel and brought me to his apartment. I met his parents too. Although that was the first time his father and me met each other, we talked frankly. We talked about the past years. His father was friendly, humble and patient.

Zexiong was off duty. He sent my back to hotel by motorcycle. He was as careful as Hui Laoshi when I took his ride. We contacted Nanfeng, Thomas and Danhong to arrange the meetings.

Nanfeng and Thomas

Zexiong helped to contact Nanfeng and to find out the hotel Thomas and him stayed. After that, Zexiong took me to meet Nanfeng and Thomas by his motorcycle. When we reached the hotel, they were outside the hotel to receive us.

Thomas is a Singaporean. We talked to each other through phone a few times. But we did not meet in Singapore but in Shantou. It was wonderful. Thomas always watched and recorded the Teochew Opera in Singapore. He has a web blog with many of his works on Teochew Opera. He also shared them in the forum. I was happy that he recorded those events which might be soon vanished.

When Thomas thought of coming to Shantou for the Teochew Opera Festival, he did call me and discuss with me. As we would be received by the Government bodies and we had to adhere to our schedule, therefore I did not invite him to join us.

I came to know Nanfeng when I read the articles on his business trip to Quanzhou. I have not been to Quanzhou, but I have a favourable impression of Quanzhou. It was because that was the hometown of Chensan, the scholar in the Teochew Opera "Chensan and Wuniang"(《陈三五娘》). Quanzhou is also well-known of its Chinese music Nan Yin (南音). I did not bring any Teochew Opera VCD for Nanfeng, but VCD on Nan Yin. I am fond of Nan Yin and the VCD consists of a piece of work by Lin Shao Ling, the teacher of Nan Yin.

Thomas talked more rapidly than Nanfeng which talked in the way like us Singaporean. But Nanfeng talked in a very relaxing manner. Thomas came to china with the help of Nanfeng in arranging the transport and accommodation.

When talking to Nanfeng, I felt like walking beside the slow flowing rivulet. He is the third person I have met who made me very peaceful when talking to.

Nanfeng gave me a leaflet printed by the Shantou Tourism Office. It was the guideline in advising the Chinese nationals the ways to behave when they are aboard. It was released on 2 October 2006 and I also put it up in my Chinese website.

We talked about the young people in China. There were extremists who got angry with minor matters. They had a lot of complaints and without any constructive suggestions. When the Sichuan quake happened in May 2008, there were people brought out a lot of queries. They thought the government bodies did not do the right thing. But they did not understand certain actions could not be taken under certain circumstances. I was unhappy. When I discussed with a friend in Beijing. She was more broad-minded than me. She said that there were people who concerned about the country, but expressed in different manners.

We went for lunch as it was noon. Nanfeng suggested we went for vegetarian lunch. He read my articles of the Chaozhou trip and noticed that I liked vegetarian meals. He is a careful and attentive friend. We had a good time over our lunch.

Teacher Danhong

I brought the gift to be given to Teacher Danhong when we went to meet Nanfeng and Thomas. I thought Zexiong could take me to the Shantou Opera School after lunch. But Teacher Danhong had gone home and she would meet me at the hotel.

Nanfeng and Thomas took a taxi back to their hotel. Zexiong took me back to hotel by his motorcycle. We would wait for Teacher Danhong in hotel.

I met Teacher Danhong in November 2003. She came to Singapore with a group of students from the Opera school. They performed some programmes at the 12th International Teochew Businessman Conference. I brought my son Solomon to visit Danhong in hotel. Solomon took along his camera. When he noticed we kept talking and did not take any photo, he reminded us and took pictures for us. Teacher Danhong was happy waiting to meet Solomon. But he changed his mind and did not come with me to Shantou. We forgot to take picture again this time. I realised it only when Teacher Danhong had left the hotel.

Teacher Danhong gave me three books written by herself as well as Teochew Opera VCDs that she took part in planning.

Teacher Danhong is dignified. We knew each other through a forum of Teochew Opera. Since there were once some nonsense articles in the forum and I did not like to visit it anymore. She knew about it and mentioned that we knew each other from the forum. Therefore, I later turned up again. There were a few persons, such as Teacher Danhong, Jimmy and Zexiong, who contributed toward the forum and did not do any nonsense.

My Younger Sister Jinyu

Jinyu is working in China Radio International (CRI) based in Beijing. In 2004 when she wanted to carry out a project and she asked for assistant in the Internet forum. I responded and gave her support. From then she called me as big brother and I addressed as younger sister.

I visited Beijing with Hui Laoshi, a friend in Chaozhou City, in 2005. Prior to our departure, Jinyu knew that I would like to visit the courtyard dwellings (四合院), she visited one of them and did a related CRI programme. When we visited it, we found that it was the same place as Jinyu visited.

We missed the opportunity to meet each other in Beijing. When we were back to Chaozhou City, Jinyu came and met us at the Teahouse beside Han River.

I then assisted her to interview seven amateur Singaporean Teochew Opera Artists a few months later. It took a few weeks to broadcast over CRI.

I visited Henan and stayed a few days in Beijing in May 2008 before coming back to Singapore. I asked her what I should bring for her. She asked me to bring masks and tents for the Sichuan quake victims. It was inconvenient for me to bring the tents, therefore I brought the masks.

She arrived in Shantou on 5 November 2008 for the Teochew Opera Festival.

I contacted her at once when I arrived in Shantou. As I only had the free time on 10 November, Jinyu came to the hotel around 9.30 p.m. after a busy day. Although she reminded me to bring anything for her because it was be difficult for me to carry, I still bought a book for her. It was the Book 1 of Mrs. Lee's Cookbook. I could not get the Book 2 when I left for China.

I arranged the interview in my room. I wished that Jinyu could interview the four artists of the Teochew Opera "Stone Decocting". But the guest artist Doris Chua was presenting a performance at that moment. Therefore, only Lin Hui Zhu, Lin Jia and Lin Jin Sheng were interviewed.

It was about 11 p.m. when the interview ended. I sent off Jinyu at the lobby. The organiser provided the transport for her.