Meet Emily Cong

Chartered Accountant

Emily Cong is a chartered accountant who has lived in the UK for over fifteen years, eight of which have been spent in Belfast.

Through Bridges to China, Emily shares her personal connection to Chinese objects in the Ulster Museum, alongside a set of yi jiao RMB notes she received from her grandmother. Her stories centre on family values and intergenerational relationships in Chinese culture. For Emily, love and memory span generations, serving as a bridge between past and present, and between Chinese and Ulster cultures.

Watch Emily’s Story

Video also available on Panopto

The Timer, the Bodhisattva and RMB

I have been in the UK for over fifteen years, and I have lived in Belfast for eight of those years. Belfast has truly become my home. Going back to China each year has turned into a long haul journey. Rushing through airports, catching flights, being picked up and seen off by my parents—between departures and arrivals, time always feels both the most precious and the shortest. That’s why when I saw the Sundial in the Ulster museum, it reminded me about rushing through the airports and counting the hours for the flight journey every time I go back to China.

Every year, I’m really looking forward to going back to China to reunion with family and friends. I was born in late 1980s. When I was young, the country was developing at a high speed, and people found opportunities almost everywhere. In my memories, my parents were always very busy, so I spent a large part of my childhood with my grandparents. The most delicious dishes in my memory are the noodles my grandma外婆 made and the mixed vegetables cooked by my other grandma奶奶. My grandma believes in Buddhism and there was always a statue of Guanyin at home. My grandma would worship the Buddha on all important festivals and events. This is why when I saw the Buddha in the Ulster museum, although it’s different because it’s Sino-Tibetan style, but it still looked very familiar.

My grandma likes to collect coins and paper money. I remember visiting her home during Chinese New Year when I was little—she would always slip some pocket money to her grandchildren. This set of yi-jiao RMB notes was something she specially collected and gave to me, because it was issued and put into circulation in the year I was born. Not just for me—my grandma remembered the birthday of every single grandchild, so everyone received something specially chosen from her collection. Most of her collection consisted of coins that were not worth much monetarily, but held great sentimental value. It was much like everything she did for her children and grandchildren—given on ordinary days, through small things, day by day, year after year. Yet these are the most beautiful parts of our childhood memories.

Thank you to Bridges to China project for giving me the opportunity to reflect on my connections with my families in China and to write something in gratitude and in remembrance of my grandma.