Teochew people

For the Teochew dialect, see Teochew dialect.
Teochew people
潮州人
潮州閩南人
Total population
(estimated 25–30 million worldwide)
Regions with significant populations
Greater China (Guangdong, Hong Kong), Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia), North America (United States, Canada), Australasia (Australia, New Zealand), France
Languages
Teochew + language(s) of their country of residence
Religion
Predominantly Chinese folk religions (including Taoism, Confucianism, ancestral worship and others) and Mahayana Buddhism.
Related ethnic groups
Han Chinese
Teochew people
Chinese 潮州人
Literal meaning tide region people

The Chaozhou people (commonly known as Teochew) are Chinese people, native to the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province who speak the Teochew dialect. Today, most Teochew people live outside China in Southeast Asia, especially in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. They can also be found almost anywhere in the world, including North America, Australia and France.

The Teochew speak Chinese Teochew dialect; Teochew cuisine is also distinctive. The ancestors of the Teochew people moved to present-day Chaoshan from the Central Plains of China in order to escape from a series of civil wars during the Jin Dynasty.[1]

Terms

Teochew can be romanised in a variety of schemes, and are known in Mandarin as cháo zhōu rén and Cantonese as Chiuchao yan. In referring to themselves as ethnic Chinese, Teochew people generally use Deung nang (唐人; Mandarin: Tangren), literally Tang Dynasty people, as opposed to Hang nang (漢人/汉人; Mandarin: Hanren), which means 'Han Dynasty people'.

Teochew people of the diaspora would generally use Hua nang (華人/华人; Mandarin: Huaren) to indicate Chinese heritage in a cultural sense. Huanang and huaren are broadly used by Chinese people living outside of China, referring to their maintaining a substantial cultural identity they consider to be Chinese.

Teochew people also commonly refer to each other as ga gi nang (自己人; Mandarin: zijiren) which means 'our own people'.[2]

History

Historically, these people were called Helao or Fulao (Hoklo), as they came mostly from Henan and Shanxi via Fujian,[1] with well-maintained language and customs from north-central China. As was recorded in pedigrees and ancient inscriptions, these people who had originally migrated to southern Fujian, especially from Quanzhou and Putian, made settlements toward Chaoshan in batches and soon spread all over the Chaoshan area.

Geographic isolation and difficulty in traveling in the past made the Helao or Fulao become a relatively closed population. Recently, studies of genetic analysis supported that although all Han Chinese are indeed related and share a common root, the Teochew had closest links with the Minnan area of Fujian province and those from the Taihang Mountain range of north-central China.[1][3]

The Teochew people are known to Cantonese speakers as "Hoklo", literally meaning "men of Fujian", although the term “Teochew” was used in the Strait Settlements in the 19th century and early 20th century. "Teochew" is derived from Teochew prefecture (Chaozhou Fu) the departmental city where they originate.[4]

Teochew immigration to Singapore

From the 19th century, due to disadvantaged circumstances, significant numbers of Teochew people left their homeland for Singapore and a new life.[5]

Early Teochew settlers could trace their origins to eight counties/prefectures: Chao'an, Chenghai, Chaoyang, Jieyang, Raoping, Puning, Huilai and Nan'ao. In addition to these, new immigrants leaving from Port Swatow, there were Teochew people relocating to Singapore from Siam and Riau Islands.

Today, Teochew is the second largest spoken Chinese language used in Singapore. They are the second largest dialect group in Singapore at 21% of the Chinese Population. As a result, they play a significant role in the opposition party scenes with orators

Teochew in Taiwan

Most of the Teochew descendants in Taiwan have already been "hokkienized" ("hoklonized"). They speak the Taiwanese Hokkien language instead of Teochew. Some of them consider themselves as being Hakka. However, there are still some Teochew in Chaojhou township (潮州鎮), in Pingtung County (屏東縣).

Culture

Chaozhou Opera

Throughout the history of over 1000 years, the region of Chaoshan, anciently named Teochew Prefecture, has bred and evolved a prestigious culture, which manifests its unique characteristics in language, opera, cuisine, tea practice, music and embroidery.

The Teochew dialect (潮州話) is considered one of the oldest Chinese dialects as it preserves many features from ancient Chinese that have been lost in some counterparts. It is spoken by roughly 10 million people in Chaoshan and more than five million outside the Chinese mainland.

Teochew opera (潮劇) is a traditional art form which has a history of more than 500 years and is now loved by 20 million Teochew people in over 20 countries and regions. Based on local folk dances and ballads, Teochew opera has formed its own style under the influence of Nanxi Opera. Nanxi is one of the oldest Chinese operas and originated in the Song Dynasty. The old form of choral accompaniment still preserves its special features . Clowns and females are the most distinctive characters in a Teochew opera, and fan-play and acrobatic skills are prominent.

Teochew music (潮州音樂) is popularly played in Chaoshan's teahouse scene. The Teochew string instrument, gong, drum and traditional Chinese flute, are typically involved in ensembles. The current Chaozhou drum music is said to be similar to the form of the Drum and Wind Music of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

Teochew woodcarving(潮州木雕) is a form of Chinese woodcarving originating in the Tang Dynasty. It is very popular in Chaoshan. Teochew people used a great deal of Teochew wood carving in their buildings.

Yingge Dance

Yingge dance(英歌)is a form of Chinese folk dance originating in the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the most representative form of folk arts.

Although few movies or television dramas have been made of the Teochew people, one such notable drama is the Singaporean 1995 drama series The Teochew Family.

Prominent Teochew people

Entrepreneurs

Film directors

Literary figures and artists

Mainland China
Hong Kong
Canada
United States

Politicians

Canada
Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia

Sportspeople

Mainland China
United States
Singapore

Entertainers

Mainland China
Hong Kong
Singapore
South Korea

Richard Be

Others

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Genetic background associated with related populations at high risk for esophageal cancer between Chaoshan and Taihang Mountain areas in China (PDF), ScienceDirect, 2007, pp. 474–480
  2. ↑ gaginang.org
  3. ↑ 星破解漢人基因圖譜 南北華人基因差異微妙 Yahoo! News retrieved 2010-01-15
  4. ↑ Kingsley Bolton, Christopher Hutton, Triad societies: western accounts of the history, sociology and linguistics of Chinese secret societies, pg 93.
  5. ↑ Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan(2010). 潮州八邑会馆与義安公司的历史渊源. Retrieved 18 January 2010
  6. ↑ Woopidoo. Lee Ka Shing Biography. Retrieved 21 January 2010
  7. ↑ Lam, C. (1996). Eating in Hong Kong 1997. World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd.
  8. ↑ De Borja, M. R. and Douglass, W. A. (2005). Basques in the Philippines. Las Vegas: University of Nevada Press.
  9. 1 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMTU3UL-Hu8&feature=youtu.be&t=1m6s

External links

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