House Hau Teen Yee

The Phoenix of Righteousness: The Tale of the Hau Teen Yee Clan

In the ancient province of Guangdong, nestled among the jade-colored hills and lotus-covered lakes, the Hau Teen Yee clan was known for its unwavering sense of honor and justice. The clan’s name, meaning “Vast Heavenly Righteousness,” spoke not only of their noble lineage but also of their indomitable spirit.

Long ago, when the land was fractured by warlords and bandits preyed on the weak, the Hau family refused to cower behind walls of wealth and power. Instead, they trained their young in martial arts, strategy, and Confucian wisdom. Their elders taught them the importance of yi (righteousness), ren (compassion), and li (ritual), believing that integrity was worth more than gold.

One fateful spring, during the Qingming Festival, a terrible drought gripped the land. Rivers dried, fields withered, and famine loomed. The people of the region cried out for relief, but the local warlord hoarded supplies for himself. It was then that Hau Jin-Lung, the young leader of the Hau clan, sought guidance at the family’s ancestral shrine.

As he meditated under the ancient plum tree, a fiery phoenix—the legendary fenghuang—descended from the sky. Its crimson and gold feathers shimmered with celestial light, and its song resonated through the valley like a bell. The phoenix spoke, not in words but through the whisper of wind and the flicker of flame:

"True righteousness comes not from waiting for others to act, but from rising like fire to bring justice."

Inspired, Hau Jin-Lung rallied his family and neighboring villages. Together, they broke into the warlord’s granaries under the cover of night, distributing food to the starving and water to the parched. They rebuilt irrigation canals and planted rice in the drying fields. When the warlord’s soldiers arrived, they found the villagers armed not with swords, but with unity and the will of the people.

In the end, the warlord fled, and the drought miraculously broke with heavy rains that followed. The villagers hailed Hau Jin-Lung and his family as heroes. To honor the celestial phoenix’s guidance, they designed the family blason:

A golden shield, symbolizing virtue and prosperity, upon which the red fenghuang rises with wings spread, representing resilience and the eternal cycle of rebirth.

Two jade-green guardian lions (shishi) standing vigilant, symbolizing strength, protection, and loyalty to their community.

A scholar’s hat above the shield, denoting the family’s reverence for knowledge and learning.

A blooming lotus beneath, growing from stylized clouds, symbolizing purity and transcendence from adversity.

The characters 浩天義 (Hào Tiān Yì) inscribed on a scroll below, reminding all of their duty to uphold justice and integrity.

This blason was carried into battles, engraved onto family heirlooms, and displayed during festivals. It became more than a symbol—it was a reminder of the family's promise: to rise like the phoenix, unyielding in the face of injustice, and to nurture harmony and righteousness wherever they went.