Once, there was a young cowherd who lived in China. Times were hard and food was scarce. When he was 9 years old, he saw a ship setting sail to far-off lands. “Tell my mother I’m going to Nanyang (Singapore)!,” he shouted to the townspeople.

He went onwards to Malaya (Malaysia), during its golden age of tin mining. There, he met his weaver girl (a seamstress actually) and settled in the town of Kampar.

Upon the birth of his 6th child (there would be a 7th later), he had this photo taken and two prints made, one for himself, the other for his mother in China whom he never saw again.

And that, everybody, is the story of my grandfather. ~shared by @etui_trove