Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 170 Oral History in Family Cultural Heritage

Chapter 170 Oral History Records in Family Cultural Heritage

After achieving remarkable success with a telemedicine collaboration project at a biotech company, Mu Yang became increasingly aware of the profound significance of cultural heritage for families and society. Family culture, like an invisible bond, connects generations. Among the many forms of heritage, oral history is a shining pearl, carrying family memories and emotions, a treasure that needs to be explored and cherished. Mu Yang resolutely decided to devote himself to the family oral history project, determined to ensure that his family's stories will never fade over the years.

Mu Yang first arrived at the family mansion. This ancient house, weathered by storms, still stood tall. The bluestone pavement, carved doors and windows—every detail exuded a rich, historic atmosphere. In the courtyard, an ancient locust tree stood lush and green, as if telling of the family's past. Mu Yang gently pushed open the heavy door, and its creaking sound seemed to awaken dormant memories.

The family elders were already seated in the spacious hall, dressed in traditional attire, their faces kind and solemn. Portraits of the family's ancestors hung on the walls, and under the dim light, their gazes seemed to be watching everything. Mu Yang stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the elders: "Dear elders, I have invited you all here today to record our family's story and pass it on to future generations. Our family has a long history, and we possess too much valuable experience and wisdom to be forgotten over time."

The grandfather, now over 70 years old, was the first to speak. He slowly stood up, his hand on a cane, his eyes gleaming with reminiscence. His voice, though slightly hoarse, was filled with affection: "Back then, our family migrated south from the north to escape the war. Along the way, we endured hardships, sleeping in the open air. I was still young back then, and I only remember following the adults on foot, eating dry food when hungry and drinking water from the roadside stream when thirsty. At night, we would find a cave or a dilapidated temple to rest. But our ancestors never gave up, supporting each other and eventually taking root in this land." The grandfather's story made everyone present feel as if they were there, and they felt the hardships and tenacity of their ancestors.

An uncle went on to say, "As for our family's business, it started as a small business and has grown step by step with honest management and hard work. I remember one time, a customer left behind important property, and our ancestors waited for three days and three nights until the customer came back to look for it. This integrity has also earned the family a reputation. In that turbulent era, reputation was the foundation of business. Our family has always adhered to this principle, which has enabled us to gain a firm foothold in the business world." The uncle gestured as he spoke, as if he had returned to that busy business era.

When talking about the origins of traditional customs, grandma said: "Our family's Spring Festival ancestor worship ceremony originated from the respect and gratitude of our ancestors. Every Spring Festival, family members will gather together, put out rich offerings, hold solemn ceremonies, and pray to the ancestors to bless the family with peace and prosperity. This is not only a ritual, but also a heritage, so that we will always remember the roots of the family. When I was a child, my elders taught me that I must be awe-inspiring when worshiping my ancestors and not be careless. There are strict regulations for the placement of each offering and the order of each step." Grandma's voice is soft, but full of power, which gave everyone a deeper understanding of the family's traditional customs.

The elders' stories unfolded slowly before everyone's eyes, like vivid scrolls. However, some minor incidents occurred during the recording process. A young family member didn't quite understand some of the ancient terms and expressions, and couldn't help asking, "Grandpa, what is this 'escort company' you just mentioned?" Grandpa smiled and patiently explained, "An escort company is equivalent to today's logistics companies, responsible for escorting goods and ensuring their safe delivery to their destination. In the past, transportation was inconvenient and public security was unstable, making it easy for goods to be robbed during transportation. Therefore, escort companies came into being. The escorts relied on their superb martial arts and connections in the underworld to ensure the safety of the goods. Our family also had a lot of cooperation with escort companies at that time."

After the recording work concluded, Mu Yang brought the materials from the elders' stories to a professional oral history recording studio. Inside, a variety of advanced recording and video equipment were placed, and the lighting was soft and bright. Mr. Wang, the head of the recording team, greeted Mu Yang warmly: "Mr. Mu, rest assured, we will use the most professional technology to perfectly record these precious oral histories. Our team has extensive experience in this area, having conducted oral history recording work for numerous families and institutions."

During the recording process, the technicians were completely focused, constantly adjusting the equipment's angles and parameters. Sometimes, nervousness would cause the elders to slip up or repeat themselves. In such cases, Teacher Wang would smile and reassure them, "Don't worry, let's try again. There's no rush. The elders' stories are so fascinating, and we need to ensure every detail is accurate." After several hours of effort, the preliminary recording was finally completed.

Next came the work of organizing, editing, and archiving. Staff members listened to recordings and watched videos word by word, clarifying ambiguous content and weaving together fragmented narratives into a coherent narrative. In the process, they were deeply moved by the family's history. "This family story is truly remarkable; every detail is filled with wisdom and courage. From the family's migrations to the development of their business, to the preservation of traditional customs, it all reflects the family's cohesion and vitality," one staff member remarked.

However, as the project progressed, funding issues gradually became prominent. The oral history recording project requires a large amount of capital investment for equipment purchase, personnel remuneration, data compilation, etc. However, the benefits of cultural heritage are difficult to be reflected directly in the short term. The financial manager approached Mu Yang with concern: "Mr. Mu, the capital investment in this project is getting bigger and bigger, and there is no obvious benefit at present. It cost a lot of money to purchase professional recording and video equipment, and it is also expensive to hire a professional recording team and compilation staff. Should we consider cost control? If this continues, it may affect the capital turnover of other businesses of the company."

Mu Yang fell into deep thought. He knew that cultural heritage couldn't be measured simply by economic benefits, but funding couldn't be ignored either. "We can't give up just because of the current difficulties. So, we should optimize our funding plan and carefully review every expense to see where we can make reasonable savings. At the same time, we should actively seek support from cultural funds or collaborate with cultural institutions to jointly advance the project. We can also attract more attention and secure social sponsorship by hosting family cultural events."

At the Family Culture Museum, staff are diligently transforming oral history materials into exhibits. They passionately plan the exhibition layout, striving to ensure that everyone who enters the museum is deeply captivated by family culture. The museum's halls are spacious and bright, with sunlight streaming through large windows.

"We can create an animated video about the story of our ancestors' migration south, giving viewers a more intuitive experience of that period of history. Using modern animation technology, we can recreate the hardships and dangers our ancestors faced during their journey south, such as crossing mountains and rivers. This will surely immerse viewers in the experience," one staff member suggested. Another suggested, "Audio guides are also crucial. We should hire professional voice actors to vividly recount the family stories. We can also incorporate historical sound effects, such as the sound of horse hooves and wind and rain, to enhance the story's appeal."

However, disagreements arose among family members regarding the allocation of resources for the family's cultural exhibition. Some wanted to highlight the family's business history, believing it to be the key to its success; others emphasized the family's cultural traditions and philanthropic achievements as more worthy of display. Each side held to their own opinion, refusing to compromise.

"Business development is the foundation of the family's rise. Without the hard work back then, how could we have the family glory today? The exhibition should showcase more of the achievements in business." A family member said excitedly.

"Cultural traditions and charitable deeds are the soul of the family. They reflect the family's values ​​and social responsibility, and should be the focus of the exhibition," another family member retorted.

Mu Yang called together representatives of family members and patiently mediated: "Everyone's starting point is good, and it is all for the purpose of better inheriting the family culture. Business development and cultural traditions are both important parts of the family. We can reasonably allocate exhibition space to fully display the family's style. For example, in the center of the exhibition hall, set up a comprehensive display area to showcase the family's overall development process; then, open different exhibition areas to provide detailed introductions to business achievements, cultural traditions, and charitable deeds. In this way, we can highlight the key points and allow the audience to fully understand the family." After some discussion, everyone finally reached a consensus.

During the exhibition preparation process, the differences and conflicts between the traditional family oral tradition and modern documentary culture in terms of format and standards gradually emerged. Traditional oral culture emphasizes emotional expression and storytelling, while modern documentary culture emphasizes accuracy and standardization. While compiling a family legend, staff discovered some ambiguity in the time and relationships between characters, requiring further verification. However, according to the traditional oral tradition, these ambiguities actually added to the story's mystique.

"We can't tamper with the story at will, but we also can't let false information spread." Mu Yang thought about it and decided, "We can preserve the original story and add annotations to allow the audience to experience the charm of traditional oral history while obtaining accurate historical information. For some difficult-to-determine dates and characters in the story, we can explain the current research progress and different versions in the annotations to guide the audience to further explore."

On the day the exhibition officially opened to the public, family members arrived at the museum early. With curiosity and admiration, they listened to the family's stories. One young member excitedly said, "I only knew our family was powerful, but I had no idea there were so many touching stories behind it. From our ancestors' migration south to their honest business practices to the legacy of traditional customs, every story has deeply touched me. I'm incredibly proud to be a member of this family."

Visitors were also deeply captivated by the family culture exhibits. One visitor from outside the city exclaimed, "This family's cultural heritage is so profound! Through these oral history records, I felt like I had traveled through time and space and entered their world. The exhibition format was also very innovative, with animated videos and audio guides, allowing me to fully understand the family culture."

Standing in the museum, Mu Yang watched the focused expressions of his family members and visitors, his heart filled with joy and pride. He knew that the family oral history project not only preserved the family's precious memories and cultural genes, but also revitalized the family culture in the new era. This legacy will be passed down from generation to generation like a torch, forever burning in the hands of family members.

"We will continue to work hard to enrich and improve the family's oral history records. Let the family stories inspire generations of people to contribute to the family's glory and the development of society. In the future, we can further expand the channels for the dissemination of family culture, such as using the Internet platform to let more people understand our family culture." Mu Yang said firmly, his eyes revealing a firm belief in the continuation of family culture.