Interview Transcript
Part 1
Jordan
Why does my grandfather give my siblings and I gold bars after he passed away?
Answer
Giving money to descendants when someone passed away is a part of Chinese culture because the money is a representation of the blessings and care from the older generations. However, instead of giving money, my grandfather, according to his will, gave each of his grandchild a gold bar as a memento and financial aid.
Jordan
Where do the gold bars come from?
Answer
When my great-grandparents retrieved from China, they brought twelve gold bars with them in case they faced some economic difficulties after arriving in Taiwan. Afterwards, the twelve gold bars were given to my grandfather and his sister. My grandfather received seven, while his sister received five. Unlike money, gold bars cannot be easily wasted. Only under extreme economic plight are we allowed to sell our gold bars and exchange it into money. Luckily, no gold bars have been exchanged so far. If nothing goes wrong, the gold bars will also be our family heritage that will be passed down to the future generations.
Jordan
Of all these years, where are the gold bars being stored?
Answer
Before my grandfather passed away, my grandmother took home all the precious belongings that were normally stored in the bank his safe in the bank; this is when she found out that in the safe, there were plenty of relics and mementos from my great-grandparents, and gold bars were among one of them. Since the gold bars were purchased, they have been accompanying my family for more than 70 years.
Jordan
What are the significance of the gold bars to our family?
Answer
The gold bars given by my grandfather have different meanings to our family. According to my grandmother, when my family had to retrieve to Taiwan, they could not bring too much cash. As a result, gold was the best options because the value of gold wouldn’t be easily affected by inflations or during other economic crisis. What’s more, when facing financial difficulty, we can exchange gold into paper money. Since the gold price is relatively steady that will not be fluctuating with the current cash value, my grandfather decided to give us the gold bars, not just as a memento, but also financial aid.