On September 29, the 2025 "Three Rivers Flow into the Sea, One Letter Brings the Tide Back" Qiaopi History and Cultural Exhibition opened in Singapore, known as the "Lion City."
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore. The exhibition on century-old qiaopi (侨批)—a form of remittance receipts sent by overseas Chinese through nongovernmental channels, accompanied by family letters and brief notes—serves as a cultural bridge to convey shared values of harmony and peace.
The exhibition features a historical corridor of qiaopi and a Chaoshan cultural space, offering visitors a journey back to the era when Chinese emigrants set sail for Southeast Asia.
Divided into five sections, the exhibition includes a specially designed "Shantou Small Park" check-in area and a "coming-of-age" cultural experience zone. On display are Chaoshan-style mooncakes, traditional kueh, the "Teochew Opera Costume Trunk," which is an illustrated album showcasing the opera's costumes with sequined dragon motifs, Yingge dance props, water cloth, creative building-block products, and other cultural items.
For the first time, the exhibition presents a relatively comprehensive collection of qiaopi from Southeast Asia, featuring 61 letters from Singapore along with rare artifacts provided by local Chinese, including letters enclosed with qiaopi, seals, and "piglet money" (company-issued tokens historically used to pay Chinese laborers, circulating only within plantations or mines). In total, the exhibition showcases over 100 items.
The exhibition in Singapore will run until October 3, after which all exhibits will be donated to local institutions for permanent display. From October to November, the qiaopi exhibition will continue at universities in Indonesia, China's Hong Kong and Macao, and other countries and regions.
Shantou, a renowned hometown of overseas Chinese, is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the Shantou Special Economic Zone this year. Since 2023, Shantou has curated Qiaopi History and Cultural Exhibitions that have successfully been held in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh, as well as China's Hong Kong and Macao.
Photo & video | Information Office of Shantou Municipal People's Government
Editor | Fan Danmei (intern), Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
