One and a half million people of Chaoshan have the same surname and one ancestor, and their hometown is located in Henan County.
Among all dialects, Hokkien is difficult to understand, however, if one goes to Chaoshan, you will find that many people here speak Hokkien and local concept of family is very strong. .
So, why do Chaoshan people speak Hokkien? What is this place and what are its unique cultural practices?
In fact, many people don't know that although hometown of Chaoshan people is located in Fujian Province. If we know more, his address can be traced back to Henan Province, which is today Gushi County, Henan Province.
Many tourists are always confused by relationship between Chaoshan and Chaozhou before they visited Chaoshan. In fact, Chaoshan area specifically refers to three cities of Chaozhou, Jieyang, and Shantou on east coast of Guangdong. This area has a rich cultural heritage and is known as "Zou Lu by Sea".
1. Origin of Chen family
Today, people of Chaoshan mainly live in two main areas. Among them, total population of these four cities in Chaoshan area has exceeded 16 million, and overseas areas have more than 13 million Chaozhou residents. Chaoshan has become birthplace of their dreams.
The Chaoshan people originated in Central Plains and multiplied in the Chaoshan. They traveled and became famous abroad. The Chaoshan people are renowned for their hard work, honesty, and reliability, and their influence is far-reaching.
Since Sui Dynasty, Chaoshan has been starting point for departures to Taiwan. From ancient times to present day, it is also source of tide traders who go out to sea in red boats.
Relevant information shows that total population of Chaoshan District is 14 million, among which Shantou has more than 5 million people, Chaozhou has more than 3 million people, and Jieyang has more than 6 million people.
Scholar Chen Jie disassembled more than 500 surnames commonly used in Chaoshan area in his work "Chaoshan People", including process of historical change in Chaoshan area, population of surnames, origin of common surnames, etc. Chaoshan area route and origin Chaoshan area, including lineage and population distribution, etc.
The book shows that most common surname in Chaoshan area is Chen, with a population of about 1.5 million, because they all share a common ancestor, Chen Shi.
Chen Shi was a general in Eastern Han Dynasty and a native of Xudi in Yingchuan. Today, his address is in Guqiao Township, Changge City, Henan Province. Chen Shi and his contemporaries Zhong Hao, Xun Shu and Han Shao were famous for their virtues.
Chen Shi gave birth to six sons, and his descendants multiplied in vast land of China. Their descendants are divided into three factions, namely
The Beimiao School, Nanyuan School, and Jiangzhou Yimen School, including Chen family of Yimen, from 19th year of reign of Emperor Xuanzong Kaiyuan to 7th year of reign of Song Jiayu, founded a family of more than 4,000 people who lived together for 332 years and experience 15 generations of records.
Over years, people from Chaoshan are very good at doing business, and products they sell are also exported overseas. The diligence, solidarity and pragmatism of Chaoshan people are also well known to outsiders, that's why they are called "Eastern Jews" in world.
Second, rich culture
Today, Chaoshan merchants have become a very famous group of Chinese merchants in world, playing a key role in many areas. Where Chaozhou people live, there is Chaoshan culture. Chaozhou opera, shadow puppet theater, Chaozhou zither, Chaozhou gongs and drums, etc. are all highly decorative and artistic forms of performance.
Among them, Teochew Opera is one of top ten local operas in my country, and shadow puppets became one of entertainments of locals very early on. I don't know how many people are still impressed by this. Whenever a shadow play is played, hall is always crowded with hundreds of people who enthusiastically watch shadow puppets on stage performing many familiar wonderful big drama.
Not only that, Chaozhou music, Chaozhou woodcarving, embroidery, paper cutting, etc. are now listed as intangible cultural heritage. If you have opportunity to go to Chaoshan, you should not miss Chaoshan cuisine. There are hundreds of snacks and delicacies here, such as Chaoshan stir-fry, which many people have eaten.
The base of soup is clear beef bone soup, which is different from Sichuan's spicy spicy soup, and a hot pot will taste better here. Kwai Teow is also most common snack in Chaozhou, such as Kwai Teow salt water, Kwai Teow soup, bamboo shoots, etc. It can be used as a staple food or as a snack.
Kwei Teo, cooked in different ways, has a very different taste. In addition, delicacies such as rice rolls, cao que herbal tea and floating phoenix-shaped tofu can be seen everywhere here, which may be difficult to find elsewhere.
Chaozhou Gongfu Tea Art is a traditional tea drinking culture in Chaoshan area. It is not only a kind of tea art, but also a kind of folk custom. It has been spread since Tang and Song dynasties. After the cultivation and development of skills, it has become a kind of tea art culture, which is popular abroad.
Chaoshan has a very rich folk culture of beliefs, most of them believe in Matsu and Three Mountain Kings. At end of Ming Dynasty, Huang Zuoyu, wealthiest man in Chaozhou, built a magnificent women's temple in area to repay his mother for her kindness in her upbringing.
Throughout its long history it has had value of defending equality between men and women and had great influence at time. Not only that, there are many religions in Chaoshan area such as Buddhism and Christianity.