Revisiting the past — Part 1: Changning Hunan

This year, I took the leap and returned to the city where I was found: Changning (常宁市) in Hunan Province (湖南省).

25 years ago, I was left as an orphan on the street. I spend 9 months of my life in the orphanage Changning Children’s Social Welfare Institute (福利院), until I was adopted by Belgian parents.

Roots Trip

My original intentions were to travel through Hunan Province. I wanted to learn more about China and reconnect with the Chinese identity that I had always pushed away.

I had not expected to feel a growing curiosity and yearning for answers to questions that I had always avoided. ‘Who were my biological parents’. ‘Where did I come from?’ and ‘What would my life have been like?’.

With these questions in mind, I started going through my adoption documents with my fiancé. We made copies of every important one to take with us on this trip. I had little hope of finding the orphanage and my nurse (the woman who took care of me in the orphanage). I only had pictures and my parents were told that the orphanage had been destroyed.

Preparations

The evening before our flight we (my fiancé and I) got in contact with a girl who helped me get information on how to find my biological parents. We were both from the same orphanage and she had visited it some time ago. This meant that it was probably not completely destroyed.

It felt like fate. When I thought of finding my biological parents, I never knew where to start. But then all of a sudden I saw a road that I was determined to take, regardless of the possible disappointments.

The goal was clear now. Firstly, I had to take a DNA test and add my information to the Chinese database. Secondly, I had to visit my orphanage, meet my nurse and start searching for my biological parents.

I knew this would be a difficult quest. Since I did not hire a guide nor a translator and I do not speak any Chinese (my fiancé speaks a little Chinese).

But I was excited to go on this adventure and make the best of it.

Changning (常宁市) – view from our hotel

DNA test

On our first full day in Changning, we decided to pay a visit to Yiyang police station (宜阳派出所). This is the police station where I was brought to when I was found according to the documents.

Once we were there, I explained who I was, asked if they had more information regarding my biological parents and if I could do a DNA test.

They told us to visit Changning Children’s Social Welfare Institute (福利院) for information, since their social security system has only been active since 2011. This was a confirmation that the orphanage still existed. And luckily for us, it was only a 1.4 km walk away from the police station.

For the DNA test, we appeared to be at the wrong adress. The test had to be done in Changning Public Security Bureau (常宁市公安局).

However, there was one police officer who did not want to leave us empty-handed and was determined to help us. She arranged a police car to bring us to the destination and helped me get a DNA test. When the test was done and my information was added to their system, she brought us back to Yiyang police station. I am extremely grateful for her efforts to help us.

The kindest police officer from Yiyang Police Station (宜阳派出所)

Orphanage

In the afternoon we started looking for Changning Children’s Social Welfare Institute (福利院), with the assumption that we probably would not get in without guide or appointment.

We were wrong.

Once we arrived at the location, local people started approaching us. They asked us what we were looking for. After I explained my story, they became incredibly helpful. An old lady started calling around and in no time the current director of the institute arrived.

The current director called the institute to find my nurse, the director from the time I was there and my file. Whilst he was arranging everything, he invited us for lunch.

During our lunch he explained to us that the old building of the Changning Children’s Social Welfare Institute (福利院) was renovated and that it now serves its purpose as a home for the elderly.

Left: The building after renovation | Right: The orphanage in 2000

The institute had relocated (address: 中国湖南省衡阳市常宁市培元小学往洋泉) and is now a temporary rescue shelter for children.

He also told us that two months prior, an American girl had come back to visit.

After the lunch the current director announced that they found my nurse and the old director.

Before he brought us to them, we visited the old location.

Left: The entrance now | Right: The entrance in 2000

When we arrived at the new location, the old director and my nurse were waiting for me.

The old director told us that he had worked there for 8 years. In those 8 years, he had seen about 1700 babies come and go. He also told us that he still remembers me and my group. Because when I was adopted, 5 other babies were adopted too and we all left for Belgium at the same time as a group.

The old director – me – my nurse

I also got to look at my file. Which contained no new information.

When the introduction was finished and I had no more questions, the current director proposed to visit the place where I was found (according to the documents) NanLuKou (Southern Intersection). There currently is no place in Changning with that exact name.

He brought us to the intersection that was the biggest and busiest back in 1999 (the year I was found). It is located in what is currently known as the ‘old part of the town’. Since Changning has grown tremendously in the last 25 years and now has 1 million inhabitants.

After that, the current director showed us around the whole city by car.

Reflection

I never thought that I would achieve so many things in such a short period of time (1 day). It was overwhelming, heartwarming and heartwrenching all at once.

However, the journey is not over yet. I am still waiting for my DNA results and I will not stop searching for my biological parents.

And I’m definitely going to learn Chinese now.

Feel free to contact me: faye-li.vankers[at]hotmail.be