A man in China who was asked for a simple favour from a fellow traveller realised that the tourist he had just met was actually his long-lost relative.
A man in China who was asked for a simple favour from a fellow traveller realised that the tourist he had just met was actually his long-lost relative. The reunion, which unfolded by pure chance, has captivated social media users across China. The story was shared by Chen Jie, a Shanghai resident, and later reported by the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
Earlier this month, Chen travelled to Yunnan province on a business trip. During his free time, he visited the breathtaking Lugu Lake, where he headed out before dawn on July 9 to watch the sunrise. As the first rays of sunlight lit up the lake, an elderly tourist approached him requesting to take a photograph.
The brief interaction quickly turned into an engaging conversation. Chen discovered that the man, whom he respectfully referred to as an “older brother,” was from Kaohsiung in Taiwan, but his ancestral home was Puyuan, a small town in Zhejiang province.
The revelation instantly caught Chen’s attention because Puyuan was also his hometown. Before parting ways, the two exchanged social media contacts and took a picture together. Chen later noticed that the tourist’s surname was Fei, sparking a suspicion that they could be related.
Curious, Chen shared his observations with his father, who immediately asked him to find out whether the man’s father was named Fei Yunfeng.
When Fei confirmed the name, Chen followed up with more questions over a phone call. The answers erased all doubt—they had just uncovered a family bond that had been lost for decades.
According to Chen, Fei’s father and Chen’s grandfather were biological brothers. Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Fei’s father had moved to Taiwan with the Kuomintang forces, while Chen’s grandfather was later adopted by a family with the surname Chen, permanently changing his family name.
“Based on the seniority in our family, I should call this older brother my uncle,” Chen was quoted as saying.
“I shared this discovery with my extended family of about 20 members. All of them said this was incredibly coincidental and it was a magical experience,” he added.
The families had remained separated for decades. Although Taiwan later allowed residents to visit relatives on the Chinese mainland in the late 1980s, Fei’s father never managed to make the journey.
Instead, in 1991, he sent a heartfelt letter to his brother along with US$200 through intermediaries—a substantial amount at the time.
“At that time, people on the mainland generally lived a poor life. US$200 was a stupendous sum!” Chen said.
His family has carefully preserved the letter for more than 30 years.
“The money represents my concern and care for you. I cannot return to the mainland this year. Let me find an opportunity next year. I wish my relatives to be healthy and happy,” the senior Fei wrote in the letter.
Sadly, both Fei’s father and Chen’s grandfather passed away years ago without reuniting.
Fei said he was equally stunned by the unbelievable twist of fate.
“There were many people at the tour site, but I chose Chen Jie to take photos for me. We were destined to meet,” he said.
Fei now plans to visit Puyuan next month to meet his newly rediscovered family in person.
Looking ahead, Chen hopes the reunion marks the beginning of a lasting relationship between the two branches of the family.
“The bond between our two families may well fall to our generation to sustain in the future,” Chen said.