Shandong Flavored Mandarin: Stories from my Yeye and Nainai

By: Yongjian Si, Co-Founder of From Roots to Bridges 

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Lately, I’ve been trying to spend more time writing and reflecting on my multicultural journey as a Chinese American immigrant. I decided to title each story with the language/dialect that I spoke/was learning during that stage of my life and reflect on the memories, lessons, and takeaways.

I’d like to dedicate the first part of the reflection to my Yeye (paternal grandpa) and Nainai (paternal grandma), who were my first caretakers and role models.

I spent the first nine years of my childhood in the Northern Chinese city of Jinan, Shandong with my Yeye (grandpa) and Nainai (grandma). My Yeye grew up in the 1930s during the Japanese invasion of China. My Yeye is one of the most sociable, extroverted, and adventurous person I remember during my childhood. He knew everyone from the neighborhood and would be able to strike up a conversation with anyone and make friends instantly with them. 

The most memorable childhood memory with my Yeye was the endless exhilarating and captivating stories that he would tell me, from the five years he spent as a railroad surveyor in the 1950s in rural Inner Mongolia to his first international trip to Japan and the former Soviet Union when China opened up to the world in 1979. While other kids of that age probably fell asleep to stories of superheroes, I found myself captivated by the thrilling people, places, and stories from all around the world. On weekends, I would beg my Yeye to take me on different bus routes in my hometown of Jinan, Shandong. I would gaze outside the bus window and probe my Yeye about fascinating stories of his childhood in his native Jinan. He would carry me on the back of his bicycle through the traditional neighborhoods of the city, take me to my favorite baozi (steamed pork bun) joint in Guangyijie, and tell me stories from both Jinan and around the world.

My Yeye inspired my childhood self to be curious about the world and venture out of my comfort zone.

My Nainai, on the other hand, was one of the strongest and bravest women I knew in my life. She defied all odds to overcome traditional gender roles and became the only girl in her traditional village of Zhangqiu to make it to middle school and later on to medical school. From an early age, she instilled in me the values of hard work, education, resilience, and staying true to my dreams, no matter how difficult your life circumstances may be. She was also an amazing chef and I grew up being spoiled by her delicious food. Sadly, she passed away in 2012 from stomach cancer but lived a beautiful life.

Little did I know it back then, but the values that my Yeye and Nainai instilled in me carried on in my journey of learning and growth. My insatiable love for traveling, language learning, and passion for cross-cultural exchange was influenced by my Yeye’s adventurous spirits, while my Nainai’s empathy, patience, encouragement, and resilience through difficult times allowed me to persevere through life’s tumultuous times while staying true to my dreams. My Nainai’s delicious cooking also stimulated my taste buds. To this day, I am a huge foodie and love trying and cooking dishes from all around the world.

That’s my first language, 济南话, a northern Chinese Mandarin variant that I spoke almost exclusively with my Yeye and Nainai. For me, the unique, humble melody of Jinanese reminds me of the nostalgic memories and life lessons of my childhood with my Yeye and Nainai. Every time I go on an exciting trip, I remember that I was first inspired by my Yeye’s exciting, adventurous stories while riding on the back of his bicycle through the historical streets of Jinan. Every time I go through a painful or rough patch of life or feel defeated, I remember my Nainai’s words of encouragement and her resilient spirit. Every time I try to recreate a northern Chinese dish tens of thousands away from my childhood home, I remember all the delicious meals that my Nainai would cook for me and knew that she would be so proud of me.

Jinan Hua. 济南话. My first language. To me, it’s much more than a variant of Mandarin, but a language carried by my Yeye and Nainai with lessons, tales, and values from all their ancestors. It’s a language that has accompanied me to grow with love, compassion, and resilience. A language that has encouraged me to be curious and adventurous and to step out of my comfort zone. During tough moments, it instilled in me the values of humility, strength, and hospitality. All these memories, qualities, and values that I will always carry forward with me, no matter where I go.

As we continue building From Roots to Bridges, these powerful stories from my Yeye and Nainai remind me how I can best carry forward their life lessons: to inspire curiosity through intentional travel, foster meaningful conversations with local communities, and build bridges across generations and cultures. 

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Have a comment to share? Whether it’s diaspora stories or travel takeaways, we’d love to feature you! Get in touch with us at hello@fromrootstobridges.com