An Chiung Liu's Obituary
A LEGENDARY HEROINEThe story of Ms. An-Chiung Liu is one about a modern, legendary heroine. Her long life of 85 years consisted of many incredible stories where she made visionary, decisive moves and courageously took on the less-traveled roads to bring a better life for her family. Ms. Liu modeled traditional values expected from a Chinese woman, all the while demonstrating the qualities that a successful leader would exhibit in the modern world. Ms. Liu’s life was unique, unparalleled, and a beautiful legend to be enjoyed and deluged over and over again.Ms. An-Chiung Liu was born on December 3, 1933 in the Liu Village nearby lower Yi Luo River in the Teng Chong County of Yunnan Province in China. She ranked right in the middle of five siblings in the Liu family with two older brothers and a younger brother and a younger sister. Ms. Liu was born into a family of political influence with her father in a prominent role in the local government. Unfortunately, this also brought Ms. Liu a particular vantage point during the Sino-Japan war, where her family often attracted unwanted attention and had to hide in the bomb shelter dugouts. Through this experience, Ms. Liu developed a great sense of love and empathy for the less fortunate and continued throughout her life to offer help to those in need. When the Communist took over China in 1949 and Ms. Liu was just in her teens, she joined her family to climb over the mountains to flee China and settled in Burma.When she was 20 years old, Ms. An-Chiung Liu married Mr. Sze-Zhu Lin. Then in the following 22 years, between the age of 20 to 42, Ms. Liu gave birth to ten healthy children: seven boys and three girls. In the midst of political turmoil, Ms. Liu often had to take the entire family in hideouts away from the Burmese military forces. Others who were in the same hideout group complained about Ms. Liu’s crying baby and asked her to dump the baby for fear of giving away their hideout location. But her motherly instinct persisted and her wit helped her and family get away every time. Amidst shortage of food, Ms. Liu insisted on breastfeeding all ten kids to the point that she was so skinny in order for her ten kids to be plump, healthy and growing happily.At the age of 45, Ms. Liu foresaw the impending political unrest in Burma and decided that the kids must move to a more stable environment to thrive. With her husband still running a successful jade exploration and trading business in Burma, Ms. Liu decided to take all ten kids by herself, the youngest one being only two at the time, and move to Taiwan. One would think that caring for all ten young kids by herself was enough of a challenge, not to mention that Taiwan was an unfamiliar territory with a different dialect and culture. Yet Ms. Liu was never the one put off by challenges. Instead, she always saw opportunities on the flip side.When Ms. Liu was 53, unfortunately, her husband passed away and left her to be the sole parent for good for all ten kids, most of whom were still underaged. Hit by a sudden tragedy, absorbed by the grave loss of her partner… yet Ms. Liu barely had anytime to grieve and heal properly. She had to jump right in to care for and educate her ten kids. She began a life so busy and hectic that she barely had time for herself and that she couldn’t even afford to be sick herself. At the age of 58, when most people would be in semi-retirement mode already, Ms. An-Chiung Liu looked forward again for the next advancement opportunity for her children. This time, she decided to pack her bags again to move the entire family 5,000 miles away, across the ocean to settle in San Jose, California, USA. Once again, this was a completely foreign ground with a new language and drastically different culture that she must learn from scratch, when she was already approaching a senior age. This courageous move opened a brand new chapter for her children and brought about an incredibly expansive sky for them to soar in. Today, after all her sacrifices, Ms. An-Chiung Liu’s children have all grown to accomplished individuals with strong ethical values and success in their own individual fields. In addition, Ms. Liu left behind nine grandchildren. For the past 85 years, Ms. Liu’s family basked and thrived in the loving care and warmth of her intelligence, her vision, her decisiveness, her emphasis on ethical values, her courage, her calmness and grace under pressure, and her unique and powerful education focus. Ms. Liu was an amazing and loving mother and devoted her entire life to her children and grandchildren. She always saved the best for her family and always saw herself coming in second. Now that she has been invited to heaven, may she continue on her new journey and rest in peace. Although Ms. Liu is no longer in this world, her legacy will sure live on in her children and grandchildren for many, many generations to come.傳 奇 的 女 英 雄 關於劉安瓊女士的一生，是一個現代傳奇女英雄的故事，劉女士85年的時光，匯集了精彩的事蹟：英明的判斷、大膽嘗試前所未有的挑戰，既有傳統中國女性的美德、又有現代領導者的風範; 劉女士的一生是獨特的，是一個驚嘆號、一個值得細細品嘗回味的傳奇故事。劉安瓊女士於1933年12月3日誕生於中國雲南省下伊洛江附近的騰衝縣劉家村; 劉女士在家排行第三，上有兩位哥哥，下有一位弟弟和妹妹。劉女士出身官宦世家，但很小就經歷中日戰爭的洗禮，戰亂中躲過無數次防空洞，看遍了身邊的苦難，也因此從小就一直以慈悲為懷。後來又受到共產黨的威脅，劉女士十多歲的時候便跟隨家人翻山越嶺逃離中國大陸定居緬甸。在芳齡20歲時劉女士與藺斯柱先生締結連理，20到42歲期間生下十個健康聰明的小孩：七位麟兒和三位千金。在極度動盪的政局下，無數次攜家帶小在緬甸山軍的威脅下逃難，同行的人都勸她拋下襁褓中哭鬧不已的嬰兒，但是她用母愛偉大的力量通過重重的挑戰;在衣食短缺的狀況下，劉女士親自哺育十個小孩，自己已如簾捲西風般的消瘦，孩子們卻個個白白胖胖、健康快樂的成長。為了追求安穩的環境，劉女士在45歲那一年讓先生留在緬甸管理事業，獨自帶領十個小孩遷徙到寶島台灣，語言不通、文化不熟悉，當時最小的小孩才兩歲多。劉女士在53歲時夫君不幸早逝，留下十個小孩，大多數都尚未成年; 面對突來的噩耗與失去伴侶的傷痛，她卻沒有時間療傷，就要立刻一個人扛起養育、教育十個小孩的重責大任，忙得連生病的時間都沒有。為了給孩子更優越的教育環境，劉女士在58歲時再度舉家移民美國加州聖荷西，挑戰陌生的環境，這個偉大的舉動開展了全家人新的篇章，對子女的影響十分深遠。如今孩子們個個事業有成，已經成為各領域的菁英，劉女士的膝下也已經兒孫滿堂。奇女子劉安瓊的優點甚多，以下簡述幾個尤其突出的特長： 劉女士是一個非常聰明的奇女子，從小學習能力就特別強，小學的時候樣樣第一名，是學校頒獎台上的常客! 由於男尊女卑的社會觀念，無法繼續上學，好學的她靠旁聽就能背下古文觀止，讓兄長讚嘆不已! 後來生活穩定下來後，有感於年輕時無法深究學業，劉女士在台灣註冊了弘道國中的夜校補讀國文英文。上進好學的心，讓她以50多歲的高齡跟十多歲的青少年競爭，還勇奪第一名，讓校長讚譽有加! 除了學業之外，劉女士白天還學習土風舞、參加合唱團，擴展社交圈。後來搬到美國以後，她依然不忘記進修，在Adult School學習英文，60多歲的年紀仍苦背單辭，學習開車並順利取得駕駛執照，更活躍於老人中心的合唱團、舞蹈團、社交活動、暢遊世界各地…她為孩子們樹立了最好的榜樣：因為對劉女士而言: 學習是快樂的，生命是熱情的!劉女士還是一個十分有遠見和果斷的領導者，她的眼光從來不侷限於眼前的柴米油鹽，在安穩生活之餘，不斷的往前規劃大方向目標。先生在緬甸生意順利的時候，她已經前瞻性的意識到大局不穩定，並且深信孩子們必須接受傳統中國教育，於是毅然決然的獨自帶著十個小孩搬到台灣闖蕩。許多在緬甸的親朋好友們都不明白：劉女士堂堂玉石大老闆娘的身分，為甚麼拋開安逸的生活，而要帶著一大群未成年的小孩，重新到一個完全陌生的環境奮鬥? 但這就是她獨特的地方：能看到未來的方向，而且一旦鎖定了方向，就不畏艱難的往前衝; 當孩子們逐漸適應台灣的生活，開始進入台大電機、台大醫學等名校名科系後，親戚朋友們才驚嘆到劉女士英明果斷的決策，也跟著開始逐一申請來台手續。但這個時候劉女士又開始往前規劃了：在58歲的那一年，一般人早已進入半退休狀態時，她為了給孩子們更優越的教育環境，再度孟母三遷式的舉家跨洋過海，來到美國加州聖荷西市定居; 同時也再度以身作則的教育孩子們：不要畏懼，陌生的環境看似挑戰，但更要看到的是滿滿的機會! 認真的做人、盡情的追夢!在中國傳統美德這個科目上，劉女士絕對是滿分的：她克勤克儉，家務能力特別強，更燒得一手好菜! 她總是在晚餐時間像變魔術一樣的變出一桌好菜，和麵擀餃子皮、包子、饅頭、包粽子、灌香腸、醃醃菜、泡菜、酒釀等; 劉女士均無師自通，往往一看到新的菜色，就能在餐桌上變出來…只要孩子們想吃的東西，沒有她做不出來的美食! 除了烹飪之外，女紅亦無不擅長：繡花、編織、裁縫等等;孩子們小的時候穿的衣服鞋子都是她一針一線密密縫出來的; 她特別喜歡採買各式各樣的布料縫製自己和兒孫的衣服，甚至連小孩芭比娃娃的衣服都是她做的。劉女士另外一個奇女子的特質是勇敢 、鎮定、臨危不亂。住在緬甸的時候劉女士搬了幾次家，到了抹港之後才想起在帕港的舊家曾經埋了一些金條…於是她挺身而出，一個人回到帕港挖金條，縫在腰帶的內側、披著大衣徒步走回來。路上遇到過山軍，機伶的她不慌不忙的捐了一些錢給山軍，幸運的避開了盤查，平安的回到了抹港; 也是因為這些金條，全家生活有了保障，先生也才有了日後做生意的本錢。在41歲時，劉女士又隻身帶僅有8歲的大女兒從緬甸去中國會見先生的大姊 ，她把大額度的錢放在衣服兩旁的口袋，用別針別起來。突然有一天，中共官員找她去辦公室審問：到中國來做甚麼、會見甚麼人，還約好第二天要繼續談。劉女士擔心中共的官員沒收身上的錢，於是連夜帶著女兒撤離，當天晚上到了緬甸邊界的尼姑庵借宿兩晚，第三天戴上帽子、包上面巾、裝扮成山地人、坐上大卡車逃亡; 中途遇到山軍攔截，她沉穩的讓女兒低下頭來假裝是行李，終於千鈞一髮的逃過山軍。劉女士生活的年代其實是一個男主外、女主內的社會，但是她不一樣，絲毫不畏懼，很多事情獨當一面、勇敢挺身而出，而且遇到事情臨危不亂，著實令人佩服!關於教育小孩這方面，劉女士尤其優秀! 她常常嘆息年輕時沒有機會好好讀書，也沒有特別上過如何教育子女的課程，但其實她有自己獨特的一套方法，無師自通，甚至比所謂的教育專家更擅長! 劉女士教育出來的十個小孩，個個品學兼優。劉女士是一個擇善固執的人，從小就特別注重子女的品德教育，言教加身教循循善誘小孩們要忠厚老實、腳踏實地的做人，不要想一步登天，而要專注於如何默默耕耘。看到身邊優秀的人，她會教子女們學習人家的長處，若是看到他人不良的舉動，她會提醒子女們引以為鑑。街坊鄰居總是稱讚她的子女們有多乖、品行有多好，一看就知道是劉安瓊女士教育出來的小孩! 除了品德教育以外，她也特別注重孩子們的學校教育：先生過世以後，家裡一下子沒有了收入，她當然了解坐吃山空的壓力! 但是她從來不會讓子女們感受到絲毫的壓力：為了節省開銷，劉女士請親戚幫忙讓她到軍公教福利社購買大量的生活用品，又在七張附近的批發水果行購買一箱一箱的水果，走路拖回在永華街的家; 然後劉女士天天自己煮飯，天天讓小孩帶便當去學校，這麼多嗷嗷待哺的小孩，光是燒飯的工作量便非常大! 她雖然努力節省生活開支，卻不惜代價的讓孩子們去補習，該上的課，孩子們從來沒有缺席過，甚至在小女兒國小一年級的時候就讓她和她最小的哥哥去補習英文! 在那個年代英文補習是一種奢侈，但是在劉女士的眼中：小孩子的教育永遠是最重要的!若是沒有當時她對教育方面的執著，今天就不可能有知書達禮的兒女們!在1933年的12月3日誕生了一位聰明、有遠見、果斷、傳統美德、勇敢、鎮定、臨危不亂、擁有教育小孩獨特一套的傳奇女英雄。她是一位偉大的母親，照顧了子女一輩子，為孩子們奉獻了一生;勤儉持家，總是把最好的留給子女，自己卻沒有怎麼享受過。現在上天召喚了她的名字，邀請她進入永恆的西方極樂世界去享樂。雖然她已經離開了這個世界，但是她在這個世界上留下來的傳奇故事，會永遠留在兒孫的心中，一代一代的流傳到永世!
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