Grossing more than 1.6 billion yuan at the box office, the hit Teochew-language film Dear You presents a moving glimpse into the century-long history of Teochew overseas Chinese. The film's emotional resonance can also be felt in Chaozhou, a city where numerous museums and cultural venues preserve this legacy. Within these spaces, visitors can trace the same stories and memories that bind generations of Teochew migrants to their homeland.
Chaozhou Museum (潮州市博物馆)
The museum houses 584 sets of cultural relics related to overseas Chinese. Its Chaozhou Overseas Chinese History Exhibition traces the journeys of Teochew people as they crossed the seas, settled abroad, preserved Chinese culture, and contributed to their hometowns.
Chan Wai Nam Cultural Centre (陈伟南文化馆)
Through artifacts, archival materials, immersive displays, and interactive multimedia technology, the centre showcases the life story and philanthropic legacy of Chan Wai Nam, a patriotic industrialist from Hong Kong.
Xiangqiao District Museum (湘桥区博物馆)
This museum houses 45 sets of items linked to overseas Teochew communities. Its exhibitions document the migration of Teochew people to Southeast Asia following the Opium War. A major highlight is its extensive collection of Qiaopi (correspondence and remittance documents from overseas Chinese).
Yi Tao Xuan Museum of Chaozhou Kiln (颐陶轩潮州窑博物馆)
As a national second-class museum, it preserves more than 100 Qiaopi and other valuable archival documents.
Chaozhou Hanjiang Old Town Folk Museum (潮州市韩江府城民俗博物馆)
Its overseas Chinese collection focuses on Qiaopi dating from the early 20th century to the 1970s, alongside a variety of overseas Chinese artifacts.
Chao'an District Museum (潮安区博物馆)
Notable exhibits include a boundary stone from the Chaoshan Railway, "piglet scrip" (plantation tokens for indentured Chinese laborers, nicknamed "piglets") from Chaozhou Kiln, a 1922 residence permit issued to Chinese residents by the Dutch East Indies, and a collection of Singapore Qiaopi.
Chaozhou Qinghui Tower Qiaopi Cultural Centre (潮州清晖楼侨批文化馆)
As Chaozhou's first free public Qiaopi cultural centre, it holds more than 2,000 pieces of Qiaopi. In addition to its exhibitions, the centre features displays on pioneering Teochew overseas Chinese and an interactive area where visitors can experience traditional Qiaopi writing.
Author | He Fengyu
Photo | Wenhua Chaozhou (文化潮州)
