For nearly six centuries, Dezhou, an agricultural county in Shandong, China, has been home to the An and Wen families. But 76-year-old An Jin Tian and his forebears have always known that lao jia (ancestral home) lies on a small island in southern Philippines hundreds of miles accross the sea.

...The visit was imbued with historical significance: An Jin Tian, An Yan Chun and Wen Hai Jun are the Chinese descendants of the Sultan of Sulu. They are descended from the second and third sons of Sultan Paduka Batara, who died in Dezhou in Shandong province in China in the 15th century.

...Their momentous journey, timed with the 30th anniversary commemoration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, was made possible by Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines.

Read full story in Tulay Fortnightly, June 14, 2005 and July 5, 2005 issues.