10 Things You Must Know As A Teochew

#1. The homeland of the Teochew people sits on the Southeast coast of China, near-equidistant between Hong Kong and Taiwan, although through large-scale emigration from the early 19th to mid-20th century close to half of all Teochews now live in more than 40 countries and territories overseas. If Teochew is a country, it would through its land area of about 10,000 sq km be the 169th largest in the world (after Lebanon), and through its population of approximately 25 million (inclusive of all Teochews worldwide) the 50th biggest (ahead of Australia).

 

#2. Historically Teochew existed as a prefecture in imperial China that was created in 413 CE.  Originally called Ngee Ann ("Righteous Peace") Commandery 義安郡, it was first given the nameTeochew 潮州 (literally the "Tidal Prefecture") in 592 CE. Teochew prefecture became defunct after China became a republic. Its centre of administration was shifted in the latter half of the 20th century from the Teochew prefectural city (listed by its Mandarin name “Chaozhou” on maps) to its port of Swatow 汕頭 (Shantou), causing Teochew to now be referred in mainland China as "Teo-swa" (潮汕).

 

#3. The traditional Teochew society’s basic social unit is the extended family defined by paternal lineage, and not the nuclear family or individual. The head of a household is the grandfather, and accordingly, first cousins are considered siblings and addressed as brothers and sisters. Care and protection of members, as well as the perpetuation of lineage, are held firmly as its core purposes. In order to fulfil these, husband and wife in many families in Teochew adhere strictly even in the present era complementary gender roles, whereby the responsibility of the man is all external engagements, while the woman has complete charge of domestic affairs.

 

 #4. Besides the family clan, the Teochew personal identity is rooted in one’s place of ancestry. This refers to the village, and also the county, where the family clan resides. Teochew prefecture had eight counties during the late Qing period. Accordingly, overseas Teochew organisations usually name themselves as the "association of eight counties" (poih ip 八邑), which are namely Hai-yor 海陽 (renamed Teo-an 潮安 in 1914), Gek-yor 揭陽, Teo-yor 潮陽, Jaopeng 饒平, Pholeng 普寧, Huilai 惠来, Thenghai 澄海 and Hongsun 豐順.  

 

#5. The Teochew region has been inhabited by humans since about 8,000 years ago, a period that dates far longer than China’s supposed 5,000 years of history. This is shown by archaeological artefacts comprising stone tools and a pottery shard discovered on the offshore island of Namoa 南澳. A coherent collection of evidence belonging to a series of archaeological cultures dubbed the "Teochew Prehistoric Trilogy”, including the largest prehistoric kiln site ever found in China, reveals the occurrence of indigenous progression from the Neolithic Stone Age to Early Bronze Age between 4,000 and 3,000 years ago.

 

#6. All the cities, towns and large villages in Teochew are located by the coast, or along the region’s four major rivers, namely Hang-kang 韓江, Iong-kang 榕江, Liēng-kang 練江 and Ng-kang-ho 黃岡河, or their tributaries. This is because more than two-thirds of Teochew’s terrain are occupied by undulating mountains and hills and until the previous century water was the main mode of local transport. Communications between Teochew and other parts of China and foreign lands were also conducted primarily by sea. 

 

#7. The Teochew saying “whatever language you speak depends on which river water you drink” aptly depicts the classification of spoken Teochew into several dialect clusters corresponding to the region’s different river catchment areas. However, the Teochew vernacular is in essence a single language that is closely related to the native speech of adjacent southern Fujian, known commonly as Hokkien or Taiwanese, or formally as Minnan. The Teochew-Hokkien family of vernaculars is exclusive and not mutually intelligible with other forms of spoken Chinese. It is also observed by linguists to possess ancient elements that pre-date the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). Apart from the vernacular form spoken in daily life, the Teochew language has a classical literary form traced to the 7th to 13th century Tang and Song dynasty era. This can be heard in Teochew opera performances. About half of all Chinese written characters can be read differently in Teochew in two or more ways (colloquial and literary). This phenomenon is called dual reading.

 

#8. The golden age of Teochew was in the Song dynasty when it was one of the wealthiest areas in China. An agricultural revolution drove a rapid population expansion, while the export of fine porcelain on the Maritime Silk Road transformed its prefectural city into a leading centre of commerce. Even in the early part of this prosperous period, Teochew was lavished with comparison as the home of Confucius and Mencius by the sea (海濱鄒魯), and many aspects of Teochew fine culture, including architecture, wood carving, porcelain craft, embroidery and music, were inspired.

 

#9. Nothing delights a group of Teochews more than sitting around a table to share a few dishes of Teochew cooking. Seafood and green vegetables are always served, while an emphasis on freshness and authentic taste of ingredients, the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness, as well as colour and presentation provide the secrets to achieving the Teochew taste. The touch of the Teochew people to regale the gastronomic senses was already memorialised as early as the Tang dynasty in a poem composed by the eminent poet Han Yu, and till today Teochew food is widely recognised as one of the finest representations of Chinese culinary.

 

#10. Harmony in the relationship between nature and man sits at the heart of Teochew understanding of well-being. In all things, beauty is seen in simple exquisiteness, and not grandeur or opulence.  In daily life, this is best exemplified in the Teochew custom of drinking kanghu tea 工夫茶. In a plain ceremony, the host prepares and serves the elixir of life in miniature teacups over several rounds, invigorating not only the body and mind of his guests but washing away also all differences in class and opinions. 

 

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Comment on this post (11 comments)

  • The Teochew Store says...

    Hi Anthony,

    We have a series of 3 articles sharing some tips and experience.
    https://www.theteochewstore.org/blogs/latest/42574211-roots-finding-locating-your-ancestral-village-in-teochew-part-1

    Please have a read and you may leave us a message if you need more help.

    Best regards,
    The Teochew Store team

    November 15, 2023

  • Anthony Lim says...

    Hi,
    I am a peranakan with Teochew blood.
    Grandpa from China, I want to trace my root in China and seeking help from anyone who can help.
    Tried contacting the Teochew clan but its of no use.

    Regards.
    A.L

    November 14, 2023

  • Harry Ooi says...

    Proud to be a Teochew. Just join the association today and hope to create awareness to the English educated group

    April 08, 2019

  • 郑章存 - 潮州,揭阳人(祖籍 125年) says...

    在最近三年间,我進八这网站几次,但没有去细续这潮州人須知的十件事,現在的续後得到的知识更加的深刻。我在硏究潮州的历史已经廿多年了,不只在父亲,伯父间,我的外婆也有讲述她從潮州(府城)来新加坡,我最深刻的是湘子桥,所以在第一次到潮州 /汕头时(2005年)最想去的地方就是"湘子桥"很可惜当时的桥已经是关闭莊修中,我回到新加坡隔年才开放,所以我两年后再次去到潮州,為了看这湘子桥的真面目。第一次也到揭阳的祖籍找到了那边的堂弟及侄儿们,也看到了"潮州郑氏袓祠"很可惜在两年前被大火烧掉了。去年再次回去祖 祠己经修复了。

    March 31, 2018

  • Allan Tan says...

    Very well-written article, informative, precise and enligtening. It should be shared with as many of our Teochew people as possible! Thank you.

    October 03, 2017

  • Frenky Lim says...

    This information is very useful for tio ciu nang around the world.

    August 28, 2017

  • Peter Koch says...

    Very informative. Never seen these facts presented so clearly before.

    May 26, 2016

  • Florence Sahetapy says...

    Proud to be Teochew..like to be known simply exquisiteness !

    May 26, 2016

  • May Sim says...

    Very well written informations are very correct.

    May 25, 2016

  • Sunn says...

    So good to learn these things of my forefathers! Exceptionally useful information.

    May 25, 2016

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