上村岌江坪永契休旷 - 1940 land deal

As the grave was located far away and inconvenient to visit for prayers, the descendants of the 14^th generation matriarch of the Tang family, decided to move her remains back to Yongqing village in Dapu district. 

The Tang matriarch graveyard was located at the upper village in Songnan.  It was sold to Mr Liang of Songkou, Meixian for two thousand five hundred republican dollars.

The piece of land was then transferred by Mr Liang to Gu Yongzhen.

This transaction was recorded on  12Jan 1940.

上村岌江坪永契休旷

     立永杜断大卖休旷契大埔县第一区永青乡唐姓十四世福德公德配

清得赠淑人克贞唐母黄孺人裔孙全体代表黄赞榜今有承先祖

遗下地坟一穴坐落松南乡上俊头地方土各岌岗坪晶各唐家处

形坐北朝南上与大路为界下与古姓桥会之田产墈为界左与古

仁榜公坟相连右与古姓祖批族孺人地坟相连左右前后悉依本日

公亲当众坚立之界址为界四址分明此业原系唐姓祖批克贞

黄孺人坟墓即系唐姓黄淑人裔孙所有之业今因该坟远隔每

逢祭祀挨得为艰由唐姓福德公德配黄孺人裔孙共同议决将黄

淑人移回原籍安壅即得原日克贞唐母在岌岗坪之休

旷四界内地基出卖与人侭问房亲人芳等俱各不愿承领托中

刘季鎔送与梅县松口梁特峰先生出首承买当日凭中三面言

宝依时值杜断卖价国币两千伍佰元正即日银契两交明白中

间并无债货准折短少等 情安无重复典当及包卖他人物业

等契 自卖之后即交手与梁特峰先生永远管业任从展筑

建造任何使用出卖人至亲人等永不得异言生端阻抗此委

系唐姓克贞黄淑人裔孙所有之有业倘有上手来历不明及包卖他

人物业等契不干承买人之乃系出卖人及中见人力抵当此系之比日

愿两无迫勒颓 后有凭立永远杜断大卖休旷契付执为据

批明即日实领到契内国两千伍佰元正立批

批明付有嘉庆十六年 （1822）四月十六日于古姓所订立合同一所立批

批明上手老契来曽寻护倘日后发现作为废纸立批

批明中金在外花押在内

批明此休旷及相连地段有本人赠与古永珍永远管业立批

赠与人               梁特峰

在见人               梁招抠

代笔人               梁 悟

说合中人           刘衍彬                刘季镕

现场公亲           唐赞则    刘友南   古一帆    古梓华  古玉偕   古节文 古荣华

领银人                唐赞榜

执笔人               刘季镕

民国二十九年 完月十二日永远社断卖休旷契人

大埔县唐福德公德配    黄孺人裔孙全权代表    唐赞榜

Of Wind and Water – 风水 - Spring of 1951

This is a fengshui divination by a geomancer in Mexian, on the date and timing to start construction work on grandfather’s grave, in the village of Songkou. 

The auspicious time to 

• Start construction work on the grave : 13May, 7-8am  (1951)
• Lay the grave stone                            : 20May, 7-8am

As was the custom, the year of birth of the surviving sons organizing the work was stated in the document, though their names were not mentioned.

The original document was interpreted by a Mr Li Zijun for grandmother. The detail is in the 2nd document.  

Grandfather passed away in the spring of 1948 and was buried in the autumn of that year.   It makes to wonder why the construction of the grave started only in spring of 1951, two and a half years later. 

1949 was a perhaps a busy year to continue to settle the inheritance matters. 

1950 as it was the year of the tiger, and perhaps a year to avoid. 

And thus 1951.  New China was a year and half old, and the land reform movement had not yet reached the village of Songkou.   

For 1st uncle was on the top of the list of the 6 living sons.  

During the land reform movement, 1st uncle who was born in 1905, was branded a land lord and executed during the movement.   As a child, had heard from elders  that his body was wrapped in a straw mat and buried in an unmarked grave.

2019 May, 68 years hence, 

• In Songkou village,  hair dressing saloon offers free wifi service to customers
• The villagers has been going cashless for some years,  using their hand phone QR code to pay for street food. 

And, while the trade war has just started in earnest, the Wind and Water in the mountain village continues in its endless cycle.

权中堂

涂日初世传日课

授男敬溪孙（日蓀 少敬）精明历算推造通书出售

馆在 （广东梅县 ）凌东路石牌楼巷上第七间坐北

吉地癸山兼丑一缘     兹(欲起工造坟柩葬事

主事人

乙已生

甲子生

乙丑生

癸酉生

丁卯

庚午

原楝四月初八癸丑日申时三刻空山起工造坟吉

详查此课山家大利日修造动土主事各均合凡忌

无干以之空山起 工 主用叶吉      凡未寅生人无近

原楝四月十五日庚申日申时三刻柩葬吉

辛卯

癸已

庚申

甲申

详查此课同在已月家大利日宜安葬主事

各造亦合但原帖无仙命此乃欵式不全若仙命

合诸空无犯乃主叶吉

如仙命有相冲则不合主用或犯六空亦

不宜用

凡寅生人勿近

Reference

2nd document - an interpretation