Ying Cai Lu

Tribute to Ying Cai Lu (Age 94)

 Ying Cai Lu was born on April 27, 1927 in Jea Shing, Zhi Jiang, China, to a wealthy landowning family.  Her father, Xi Yan Lu, was a scholar in the feudal era of the late Qing Dynasty who crossed the ocean to study in Japan and Germany.  Her Mother, Jing Jun Yuan was a kind, loving, traditional woman and a faithful Buddhist.  As a child, Ying Cai Lu was considered smart and lovely and was loved by her family.  She was the second of five children.

 When the Second World War began, the Japanese invaded China in 1937 and Zhi Jiang was bombed by Japanese military aircraft, so the family fled toward Shanghai.  While crossing a river in a small boat, a Japanese Warplane dropped its bomb immediately next to the boat containing the family.  The bomb splashed into the water but did not explode, it was a dud.  The family relocated to Shanghai.

 Because of the influence of Western culture, her father Xi Yan Lu was very concerned about the education of his children.  Ying Cai Lu loved cooking, playing the piano, had a gifted aesthetic, and knew English.  Ying Cai Lu attended a Roman Catholic High School and Catholic Aurora College for Women, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree.  Under the influence of the Church, she became acquainted with Catholicism, professed faith in God, was baptized and became a Catholic.  After graduation from College, she worked for the Catholic Church as a secretary in the Sacred Heart Catholic Charity, which was managed by a priest.

 In 1949, after the Chinese Communist Party came to power, Roman Catholicism was banned and Ying Cai Lu experienced various political movements, but her strong faith never changed or yielded. A few years later, she met Shun Qiang Wang, the third son of Wang Kai, the founder of the Wang Kai Photo Studio in Shanghai, and they fell in love. They had two daughters, Mary and Lili, who were baptized in the Underground Catholic Church. Through their Mother's instruction, Mary and Lili came to know God.

 In 1966, during the Cultural Revolution, the family underwent tremendous changes in one day.  The family was raided and persecuted, husband Shun Qiang Wang was imprisoned and isolated, and Ying Cai Lu and her children had no news of his whereabouts for 40 days.

 In 1987, Ying Cai Lu immigrated to the the United States and originally lived in San Gabriel with her youngest daughter Lili and son-in-law George Kao.  In 1993 Ying Cai Lu was joined by her husband Shun Qiang Wang, and they settled in Alhambra.  Both eventually earned U.S. Citizenship, which they cherished greatly.

 Ying Cai Lu's life was selflessly dedicated to Jesus and her family, never thinking of herself, "As long as you are all well, I am at ease."  In the last weeks of her life, she was still thinking of everyone. She was a lover of God, a good kind person, a helper and a giver.  She regularly attended Mass on Sundays, prayed the Rosary every day, and prayed for people. She often read and translated English letters for her Chinese friends and neighbors.  Ying Cai Lu lived frugally, but always helped her Chinese sisters.  She also donated to the Church regularly, especially remembering to give to the poor children in Haiti.  After a long and meaningful life, Ying Cai Lu passed away on January 24, 2022, at the age of 94, having passed into eternal life with God.  Her most precious legacy to her family is the presence of God and faith in their lives.

 Ying Cai Lu is survived by her brother Zhong Cheng Lu, daughters Mary Wang-Sugg and Lili Kao, grandsons Patrick Kao, Andrew Kao, David Sugg, and son-in-law Gary Sugg.

 Ying Cai Lu was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Shung Qiang Wang, brother Zhong Hwa Lu, and sisters Ying Chun Lu and Ying Zhen Lu, and son-in-law George Kao.

我們的母親

母親陸穎才，中國渐江嘉兴人，1927年4月27日出生在一个富裕的地主家庭，外公陸希言是晚清封建時代的秀才，他漂洋過海，留學日本和德國，學成回國后，生了母親，她是6个兒女中排第二，外婆袁静君是一位善良慈愛的传统女性，虔誠的佛教徒。母親幼年時，聪慧可愛，得到全家宠愛。二次世界大战开始了，由于日本入侵中國，母親的家園遭受日本飛机轰炸，外公帶着全家背井离乡，开始了逃难的生活，乘船离开時，炸弹就落在后面，所幸沒爆炸，得以逃生，来到了上海。

由于外公受了西方文化和宗教的影响，很注重兒女教育，母親及后面的弟妹，不分男女，都送入學校，母親被送入了天主教拯亡會修女开办的启明女校，畢業后進入了天主教神父创办的震旦大學文理學院，主修社會学。她爱烹飪，弹鋼琴, 有天賦的审美观，懂英文。在教會的影响下，認识了天父，信奉了上主，接受了洗礼，成爲天主教徒。畢業后，在神父管理的圣心會机构当秘書， 為天主教會工作。

1949年，中國共产党执政后，罗馬天主教被禁，经历了各种政治运动，她坚定的信仰从末改变和屈服。数年后，她認识了上海老字號王開照相館创办人王開的第三个兒子王舜强，他們情同意合，互相爱慕，于1954年12月12日结婚，成了王開的三媳婦。先后生育了二个女兒，爲她們行天主教的受洗礼。在母親的言传身教下，我們姐妹認识了天主，成爲了天主教徒。

1966年文革期間，一天之間家中發生了巨大的变化，被抄家和迫害，父親又被关压和隔离，家中全无父親的消息40天，母親依靠天主，不断祈祷，勇敢面對，带領我們走過艰难時期， 同時也坚定我們的信仰。

1987年，母親由居住在美國二女兒和女婿申請到美國洛杉矶定居，六年后父親也来一起定居，在母親的影响下，同年父親接受圣洗，成為天主教徒。母親一生无私的奉献给了主耶稣和家庭,  从不為自己考虑，“只要你們都好，我就放心”。在她生命的最后几周，還記挂着大家。她热爱天主，正直善良，待人和善，乐意帮人，原意付出。主日定去参加彌撒，每天念玫瑰经，爲人祈祷。常爲華人朋友邻居讀英文信和翻译。自己生活节省，但一直帮助中國的姐妹。另外经常捐款給教會，特别記得捐給海地的穷苦孩子。她與父親度過了有意義的一生，於2022年1月24日去世，享年94歲，囘到了天主永恆的生命中。母親留给我們最珍贵財富，就是在我們的生活中有天主和信仰。

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