A couple tie the knot again after six decades of separation

CHANGHUA, Taiwan -- A 92-year-old veteran and his “former” wife tied the knot again Sunday, after being separated for decades with one in Taiwan and the other in China as a result of the Chinese civil war more than 60 years ago.

Lee Fu-tang, dressed in a trim business suit, arrived in a limousine to marry Kuan Wen-ying, 85, at his home in Yuanlin township in the central county of Changhua that morning.

A wedding ceremony was held at the courtyard of Lee's home, where the couple has lived since 2007 after Kuan came to Taiwan from their hometown in China's northern province of Shandong. The ceremony was followed by a wedding banquet, also held in the courtyard.

The wedding was organized with the assistance of the Taichung City-based Hondao Senior Citizen's Welfare Foundation.

The foundation decided to help organize the wedding after hearing of Lee's long-held hope of being able to remarry his wife in a “more formal wedding ceremony.”

Lee said that he and Kuan used to play together as children when they were neighbors back in Shandong. They were later wed through a marriage arranged by their parents, but only over a table at a small restaurant with just their parents attending.

Lee said he left home three years later to join the Nationalist army and fight against Japanese invading troops and the emerging Chinese communists. Their son was also born at around that time, he went on, adding that he did not see Kuan and their only son again until 1993, when he got in contact with them and they began exchanging photos.

He traveled to Shandong to bring Kuan to Taiwan to live with him in 2007 — after nearly 60 years of separation across the strait, during which they both remarried and had families of their own. Both Lee's Taiwanese wife and Kuan's Chinese husband had died by the time Lee made the trip to Shandong.

Lee kissed a shy Kuan on the cheek during the wedding ceremony, in which the couple vowed to keep each other company for the rest of their lives.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here
Comments
June 2, 2009    jchan3@
Wars, like accidents, can be very cruel. It's so wonderful for the couple to be reunited after decades of separation. I wish them good luck and many happy years together! JYC
Write a Comment
CAPTCHA Code Image
Type in image code
Change the code
 Receive China Post promos Respond to this email
 A couple tie the knot again after six decades of separation 
Lee Fu-tang, 92, kisses his his “former” wife. The couple tied the knot again, yesterday, after being separated for decades with one in Taiwan and the other in China as a result of the Chinese Civil War more than 60 years ago. (CNA)

Enlarge Photo
china post
Subscribe  |   Advertise  |   RSS Feed  |   About Us  |   Career  |   Contact Us
Sitemap  |   Top Stories  |   Taiwan  |   China  |   Business  |   Asia  |   World  |   Sports  |   Life  |   Arts & Leisure  |   Health  |   Editorial  |   Commentary
Travel  |   Movies  |   TV Guide  |   Classifieds  |   Bookstore  |   Getting Around  |   Weather  |   Guide Post  |   Student Post  |   English Courses  |   Terms of Use  |   Sitemap