ABSTRACT
My father, Li Zhenggao, was born in 1823 at Heguling, a village of the Qingyuan district of Guangdong province. His father was literate and held school in a village. He also farmed. From his eighth until his fifteenth year, Zhenggao attended the village school. In school, he practiced the reading and writing of characters and thoroughly learned a part of classic Chinese philosophy. In his twentieth year, he married, and already in the following year, he was able to enjoy the pleasures of parenthood with the birth of his fIrst-born son. Beyond this there followed three more sons and three daughters. After his marriage, his father handed over to him the direction of the household affairs.
