Introduction to the Teochew Letters 关于潮州侨批

The Teochew region is located in the eastern part of Guangdong Province, China. Its people have a distinctive maritime tradition. Due to historical circumstances, hundreds of thousands of Teochews were forced to migrate to Southeast Asia between the 19th and the mid-20th centuries.

Even while living in foreign lands, the Teochews in diaspora maintained a strong affinity with their homeland. Regardless of where they were or what they did for a living, they would regularly send a portion of their income, no matter how meagre, along with a letter to their family members waiting at home. This was done faithfully through established ommunity connections. This unique combination of remittance and correspondence is known as Khieu-phue (僑批, "Qiaopi" in Mandarin)—literally "the sojourner's letter"—and is referred to here as the Teochew Letters.

During the 20th century, as many as half of the population of the Teochew region depended on remittances from their overseas-based family members. The Teochew Letters provided a vital emotional link for loved ones separated by the sea and served as an economic lifeline for the wider Teochew community. Individually, every Teochew Letter was once private correspondence between a Teochew emigrant and his family, preserving a record of their lives and memories.

Collectively, the tens of thousands of Teochew Letters that still survive form a well-preserved and unparalleled archive of social and cultural history, reflecting the collective consciousness of a people and constituting a precious documentary heritage. The cover, content, calligraphy, literary expression, stamps, postmarks, and even the type of paper used make every letter a piece of cultural heritage, bearing witness to the stories of the Teochew people.

潮州地区位于中国广东省的东部。潮人历来以海为生, 由于历史的原因, 从19世纪至20世纪中期, 数十万潮州人被迫漂洋过海，移居东南亚。

即便身在异乡，离散各地的潮人依然保留了强烈的"家"的观念，对故土怀有深厚的感情。不论身在何方, 从事什么工作, 都会通过民间渠道，定期将微薄的劳动所得连同家书托寄给在家乡等候的亲人。这种特殊的“银信合封” 寄汇方式被称为“侨批”（潮州发音：Khieu-phue）。 “侨”指的是华侨, “批”在潮州方言中意为“信”。

20世纪期间，潮州地区多达一半的人口依赖海外亲人寄回的批款为生。侨批不仅为分隔两地的亲人提供了重要的情感纽带，也堪称整个潮州社会的经济生命线。当年一封薄薄的侨批,是远隔千里的游子把温暖和关爱传送给家乡亲人的方式，记录着他们的生活与记忆。

如今这千万封侨批共同成为潮人经历那一段动荡岁月的历史档案。潮州侨批反映了潮人的集体意识，具有极高的历史价值和意义。每一封侨批——无论信封、内容、书法、文笔、邮票、邮戳，还是所用纸张——其本身都是一件难得的艺术珍品，诉说着潮州人的故事。

In 2013, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inducted the joint nomination submitted by China's Guangdong and Fujian provinces, titled "Qiaopi and Yinxin Correspondence and Remittance Documents of Overseas Chinese" into its prestigious Memory of the World Register. Of the 160,000 items included in this documentary heritage collection, more than 100,000 are Teochew Letters and related artefacts.

2013年，联合国教科文组织(UNESCO)将中国广东、福建两省联合申报的《侨批和银信：海外华人的书信和汇款凭证》列入《世界记忆名录》。该文献遗产共收录16万件档案，其中潮州侨批及相关文物超过10万件。

The Eight Counties of Teochew 潮州八邑縣——僑批集散地

During the late Qing era, the Teochew Prefecture was divided into eight counties, namely Chao’an (Teochew pronunciation: Tiê-An), Chenghai (Thêng-Hái), Raoping (Jiôu-Phêng), Jieyang (Kik-Yêⁿ), Chaoyang (Tiê-Yêⁿ), Puning (Phou-Lêng), Huilai (Hui-Lai) and Fengshun (Hong-Sūn). Teochews who migrated overseas often maintained social networks based on their counties of origin. As a result, many Teochew clan associations abroad are formally known as the “Association of the Eight Teochew Counties”.

The majority of Teochew Letters collected originate from families in Chao’an and Chenghai, both historically active in external trade and the principal sources of overseas migration. By contrast, Teochew Letters from Chaoyang, Puning, and Huilai are comparatively rare.

晚清时期，潮州府分为八邑, 分别是潮安、澄海、饶平、揭阳、潮阳、普宁、惠来、丰顺。移居海外的潮人往往依原籍县份维系社会网络。因此，海外许多潮州会馆的正式名称即为“潮州八邑会馆”。在现存收藏的侨批中，大多数出自潮安和澄海。这两地历史上对外商业活跃，也是海外移民的主要来源地。相比之下，来自潮阳、普宁和惠来的侨批则较为稀少。

Countries in the Southern Seas 番畔——南洋發批地

Since the Qing dynasty, the Teochew people have migrated overseas in large numbers, driven by war, social unrest and poverty. More than ten million Teochews, a population roughly comparable to that of the Teochew region itself, now live outside China in over 40 countries and territories. The majority of the Teochew diaspora is found in Southeast Asia—particularly Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia—as well as Hong Kong. It is from these places that the Teochew Letters originate.

自清朝以来，为逃避战争、社会动荡和贫困，大批潮人移居海外。如今，旅居海外的潮州人遍布世界40多个国家和地区，人口超过千万，几乎与当今潮州地区的人口总数相当。他们大部分生活在东南亚地区（包括泰国、新加坡、马来西亚、印度尼西亚、越南和柬埔寨）以及香港。侨批正是主要源自这些地方。

Complete Letter Set 僑批三件套——僑批、回批、票根

Whenever an overseas sojourner sent a letter and remittance, the letter-remittance agency would issue him a receipt. At the same time, the agency would enclose a blank return letter, written in the same character style and size as the original letter and receipt, for the family to complete and send back as proof that the remittance and correspondence had been safely received. A complete set comprising the original letter, the return letter, and the receipt is exceedingly rare. Such a set could only be reunited if the sender, upon returning home, brought back the receipt in his possession together with the return letter sent by his family.

批局收到寄批人的银信后，通常会开具一份收据（俗称“票根”）交给寄批人。同时，批局还会附上一份与票根及批信列同一字型大小的空白回批，供收批人回复，以证明银信已被家人安全收到。若要完整收齐这三件批信、回批和票根，只有在寄批人回乡时，将手中的票根与家乡亲人寄回的回批一并带回才有可能。因此，三件列同一字型大小的批信、回批和票根较为稀少。

	Receipt/Return Letter This receipt (top image) issued by a letter-remittance agency in Singapore bears the serial number "明 No.4876". The sender retained this receipt and later used it to collect the return letter from his family from the agency. The return letter (bottom images) was sent by a woman surnamed Tan, who was the grandmother of the sender. The serial number, "明 No.4876", is marked on the reverse side of the return letter's cover. Note: The number 4876 is written in Suzhou numerals as 〤〨〧〦. 收寄批信单和回批上图为新加坡光裕兴批局收寄批信的给单，与回批同列"明"字4876号。给单是批局开给寄批人的收据，其编号与批信和回批相同。寄批人保留给单，日后凭此单从批局领取家人寄回的回批。下图为陈女士寄给孙儿的回批。回批背面批号与给单同列"明"字4876号。注：数字4876以花码（苏州码子）写作〤〨〧〦。
	Two is a Pair These images show the covers of a letter and its return letter between a man in Singapore surnamed Sung and his family in Chao'an. The correspondence was assigned the serial number "万4152". The name of the letter-remittance agency in Singapore is stamped on the reverse side of the original letter's cover (top right). On the reverse side of the return letter's cover (bottom right) is a red stamp bearing the name of the letter-remittance agency in Swatow that handled the correspondence, together with an indication that it acted on behalf of the agency in Selat (Singapore). Displaying the partnership between agencies at both ends of the route served as a form of accountability to customers. 侨批及回批新加坡孙汉来寄回潮安的侨批及回批，同属"万"字4152号。侨批封背盖有"新加坡万益成保家银信局"的长条文字戳（右上图）。回批背面也见有一红色印章，内容是"实叻（即新加坡）万益成批信由汕头永泰街光益裕分发"。该组批信、回批的戳记,已将“新加坡万益成"与"汕头光益裕"这两家联号(指两地批局为合作关系)批局的收发责任向侨胞、侨属交代清楚了（右下图）。
	This receipt was issued by a letter-remittance agency in the Siamese capital (Bangkok) to a man surnamed Tan as proof of remittance. It is dated "17th day of the second lunar month, Ding year", which is believed to correspond to 1927. 图为泰国暹京（曼谷）新合顺分局批单。此批单是新合顺批局开给寄款人陈某的，作为寄款凭证，由寄客收执。填单时间” 丁年二月十七日 “，推测为 1927年。
	This remittance notification slip was issued by a letter-remittance agency to Mr Zeng in Chenghai. It is dated to the 9th day of the 9th lunar month of the Si year (1922). Unlike the normal remittance cycle, there was no written letter involved in this case. Instead, the document represents a type of remittance known as "verbal message with silver dollars enclosed", whereby a pue-kah (delivery man) verbally conveyed the sender's message to the family while delivering the remittance. Surviving examples of this type of document are relatively rare. 图为振盛兴信局寄澄海曾先生的侨批单。该单寄于巳年九月初九日（1922年）。这是一种”口信附寄龙银“（指批脚通过口头叙述将寄批人的口讯带给侨属，并附上龙银）的批款通知单，此类单据实物现存较为少见。
	This receipt was issued by a letter-remittance agency in Siam on 17 June 1932. Receipts were usually given to the sender as proof of remittance, but in this case the receipt was sent directly to his family in place of a letter. The most likely explanation for this unusual circumstance is that the original letter was lost in transit, and the letter-remittance agency therefore sent the receipt as a substitute proof of remittance. 图为泰国成顺利舜记批局票根。此票开出时间是”民国二十一年六月十七日“，即1932年6月17日。票根本来是作为收据给寄客的，但此票根却是作为批信直接寄到侨户手中。极有可能是这位寄客的正批在中途遗失，批局只能将作为存根的票根以批信形式寄送。

Letter Covers 僑批封

Teochew Letters from different periods were housed in distinctive envelope designs characteristic of their time. The style of the envelope is a useful indicator of a letter's age and place of origin. The envelopes themselves are works of art, reflecting the aesthetic tastes of different eras. Among the Teochew Letters collected, the most common cover styles are the Red Strip and Scenery Painting designs.

不同时期的侨批，批封的形式也各不相同。收藏者可以根据批封的形式快速判断侨批的年代和来源。各种不同形式的批封，本身也都是具有观赏性的艺术品。收集到的侨批中，最常见、数量最多的是红条封和山水封。

	Red-Strip Envelopes This type of cover is distinguished by a red strip running down the centre of its off white front, from which it derives its name. It was commonly used during the late Qing and early Republican periods, although examples also appear occasionally in the 1960s and 1970s. 红条封封正面红白相间，正中为红色，俗称红条封。此类信封常见于清末民初，但二十世纪六、七十年代也偶有出现。
	Red Envelopes As its name suggests, this category of envelopes is entirely red in colour, and the front is often decorated with motifs such as flowers, birds, fish, and calligraphic inscriptions or classical sayings. They were typically used on the eve of the Lunar New Year or for joyous occasions such as weddings, and are commonly found in the early Republican period. The accompanying letter paper was also purple-red in colour, carrying auspicious connotations. 红封全封皆为红色，正面常绘有花鸟、鱼雁、古典名言等图案，一般用于每年春节前夕或婚庆喜事，常见于民国初期。信纸选用紫红色，亦有喜庆之意。
	Pre-printed Folded Covers To facilitate customers—many of whom were illiterate—some letter-remittance agencies specially produced this type of folded letter-cover. Made from a single sheet of specially designed paper, it was pre-printed with customary greetings and standard wording inside. These pre-printed folded covers were commonly used from the 1920s to the 1940s. 预印折叠封批局为方便侨胞（其中不少不识字）写批，特意印制了此类折叠批封。它以整张专用信笺折叠而成，一般问候等内容均预印在内，常见于二十世纪二十年代至四十年代。
	Self-made Folded Covers Also known as the "uncovered folded letter", this type of letter was made by simply folding a single sheet of paper. The name, address, and remittance amount were written on the front, which also served as the cover, while the interior contained the family letter. This form of Teochew Letter had a long period of use, appearing occasionally in the late Qing dynasty and continuing through the Republican era and after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). 自制折叠封也称裸寄批，由整张信纸折叠而成。正面书写姓名、地址及批银，里面是家书。此种侨批时间跨度较长，清末偶尔可见，民国至建国后也仍有出现。
	Pre-stamped Postal Envelopes In 1929, the Siam Postal Administration issued pre-paid postal envelopes for use by letter-remittance agencies. The front of these envelopes was typically stamped with promotional slogans. For example, on a letter-remittance sent in November 1940, a promotional postal marking reading “Buy Siamese Rice, Best in the World” was applied. This type of postal envelope was in use for approximately ten years. 邮资封邮资封是暹罗邮政局于1929年印制发行的一种批局使用封，其正面通常加盖宣传标语。例如图中这封1940年11月寄出的批信，加盖了”购买暹罗米，顶好盖全球“宣传邮戳。此类邮资封大约使用了10年。
	Envelopes with Advertising Teochew Letter envelopes with advertisements and promotional content printed on both sides were common from the 1930s to the 1960s. 广告封批封正背面印有各种广告、宣传内容等，常见于二十世纪三十年代至六十年代。
	Scenery Painting Envelopes Envelopes with scenery paintings were among the most common and long-lasting types in the history of Teochew Letters. These traditional Chinese-style designs typically depicted ancient currencies, landscapes and figures, birds and animals, renowned landmarks, and famous Chinese sayings. This style of envelope was in use from the 1920s to the 1980s. 山水封这是一种最常见的侨批封，使用时间最长。封面中间常以古代货币、山水人物、飞禽走兽、地理名川、名人名言等为图。从二十世纪二十年代至八十年代，均可见到此类批封。
	Unique Envelope Designs The two Teochew Letters shown here feature distinctive envelope forms. The sealing edge is not straight, but shaped in a heart-like curve, with one border lined in gold and the other in silver. These creatively designed letters leave a beautiful impression for later generations to imagine. 独特批封图中两件批形制独特,批封封口不是直线型,而是呈心形曲线,边线一为金色,一为银色。这两件别出心裁的批信给后人留下了美丽的遐想。

Juyi Seal 如意印

Among the Teochew Letters collected, many bear a thumb-sized seal impression, usually in red, at the beginning and end of the letter. Decorated primarily with floral motifs, these seals are often inscribed with auspicious words such as juyi (如意, "as one wishes"), peng'an (平安, "peace"), or gig-siang ( 吉祥, "auspiciousness"). They are known as juyi seals. When sending Teochew Letters and remittances, as well as when replying to them, both overseas sojourners and their family members would stamp the letters and envelopes with juyi seals as symbols of peace, safety, and good fortune. The juyi seal was often used to highlight or authenticate important information and, at other times, served as a kiss from the sender's lips, conveying heartfelt wishes for the well-being of loved ones.

在已收集到的侨批中，可以看到每封信的开头及落款处都盖有一个拇指大小的印章，多为红色，图案以花草为主，上面刻有”如意“、"平安"、“吉祥”等字样，该印章称为”如意印“。华侨寄批及家人回批时，都会在信内及批封上盖上如意印，象征平安吉祥。如意印既用于标记或核实重要信息，有时亦如寄批人的唇印，传递对亲人的爱与思念。

Juyi Seals
Most juyi seals are thumb-sized, typically centred on auspicious Chinese characters with floral or fruit motifs. Most senders of Teochew Letters had their own juyi seals, while those without one could use seals provided by letter-remittance agencies.

如意印
如意印以文字为主，辅以花、水果等图案，大部分如意印为拇指大小。寄批人大多自备如意印章，批局也会备有如意印章供寄批人使用。

In this letter, the sender affixed his juyi seal at both the opening and the closing, where his name and closing salutation appear.

该批信中，寄批人在信头和落款处都盖了章。

A leaf-shaped seal featuring the characters juyi (如意) is stamped in the upper right corner of this cover (top image).

The same juyi seal appears in the letter inside (bottom image), confirming that the enclosed letter originated from the remittance sender.

此批封（上图）右上角有叶子图案的如意印。

批封与信内（下图）的如意印一致，证明家书出自寄批人。

Currencies Used 僑批與批銀

Teochew Letters appeared in the early 19th century in response to a social need during a time before modern financial and postal services were fully developed. In the late 20th century, the letters represented an economic lifeline for many families with members living as emigrants abroad. Around half of all dependents in the Teochew region relied on remittances from overseas for their livelihood. The money received typically accounted for 80% of a household’s income. The letter/remittance industry flourished during an era of great changes in China and the world. As a result of the shifting times, a wide variety of currencies were remitted through the Teochew Letters.

侨批是在十九世纪上半叶金融、邮政机构尚未建立或极不完善的情况下，应运而生的一种“银信合封”特殊寄汇方式。进入二十世纪后，侨批成为潮州侨胞眷属的经济 “生命线”。约占潮州侨乡总人口一半的侨眷依赖海外批款维持生计，每月所收批款平均占家庭总收入的80%。而批银货币种类的多样性，更印证了当时中国乃至世界的巨大变迁。

	Pre-1935 Silver Dollars Following the opening of Swatow as a Treaty Port in 1860, large quantities of foreign silver dollars entered the Teochew region. The Mexican silver dollar was the most common. Also known locally as the “British Dollar”, this currency was most frequently used for remittances in the early surviving Teochew Letters. Later, a silver coin bearing the inscription “Guangxu Yuanbao” on the obverse and a dragon design on the reverse was introduced in the fifteenth year of the Guangxu reign (1889). It was popularly called the “Guangxu Dragon”. After the Republic of China was proclaimed in 1912, the Nanjing Mint produced the “Little Head of Sun”, a commemorative coin that bore the portrait of Sun Yat-sen. In 1914, the silver dollar bearing the portrait of Yuan Shikai, commonly known as the “Big Head of Yuan”, entered circulation. The diversity of currencies in circulation gave rise to numerous terms for silver coins found in Teochew Letters sent before 1935. 银币 - 1935年以前 1860年汕头开埠后，大量外国银圆输入潮州，其中以墨西哥鹰洋最为常见，亦是现存早期侨批中最常用于支付批款的银币，当时俗称“英洋”。此后，正面铸有“光绪元宝”、背面饰有蟠龙图案的银币在光绪十五年（即1889年）问世，俗称“光绪龙”。1912年民国成立后，南京造币厂开铸孙像开国纪念币，俗称"孙小头"。1914年，天津造币总厂铸造的"袁大头"银币流入市场。因此1935年前的潮州侨批中，可看到“洋银"、"大洋"、"大洋银"、"龙银"、"大银"、"光银"、"鹰银"、"平板银"等多种银币称谓。
	The letter shown in the top image is dated “10th day of the Xinyang (tenth lunar) month”. Comparison with other Teochew Letters from the same household suggests that it was written in 1911. The stamps “Annam Ki Seng Delivered on Behalf” and “Paid in Dragon Silver Dollars” on the reverse of the cover record the remittance carrier's undertaking that the remittance would be paid in Dragon Silver Dollars. 上图批信写于“辛阳月初拾日”，参照同户侨批，推断为1911年。封背盖有“安南基成收带”，“分交龙银”的印记，即水客向寄客作出的承诺，批款以龙银支付。 The middle image shows a Teochew Letter mailed from Bangkok, Siam, to Jieyang on 22 November 1933. The inscription “Enclosed: Two Large Silver Dollars” appears in the upper left corner of the cover. 中图是1933年11月22日由泰国曼谷寄往揭阳的侨批。批封左上角写有“附大银贰元”字样 The bottom image shows a Teochew Letter sent from Singapore to Chao’an. The upper left corner of the cover bears the inscription “Enclosed: Six foreign silver dollars”, likely referring to Straits dollars. 下图为新加坡寄往潮安的侨批。左上角有"外附去洋银陆元"（指的应该是叻币）字样。
	Chinese National Currency On 4 November 1935, the Kuomintang (KMT) government abolished the silver standard and introduced the Chinese National Currency, also called the Legal Tender. Silver currency was replaced by banknotes issued by four designated banks. The top image shows (clockwise from top left) these banknotes issued by the four banks: Central Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications and Farmers Bank of China . The three covers below show the different names by which the National Currency was known among the people, namely “Central Silver”, “Central Currency”, and “National Currency”. 国币（法币） 1935年11月4日，国民政府取消银本位制，规定以中央银行、中国银行、交通银行、中国农民银行这四大银行发行的纸币为法定货币，简称国币（也称法币）。上图为当年四大银行发行的国币。下图中三个批封上的“中央银”、“中央币”、“国币”，是当时民间对国币的几种不同叫法。
	Dayang Notes (Guangdong region)Following the introduction of the national currency, Guangdong governor Chen Jitang issued the Measures for Currency Administration, designating silver coin notes, Dayang notes, and Guangzhou Municipal Bank banknotes as Guangdong’s legal tender. These measures were partly intended to compete with the central government in the collection of silver. Guangdong’s currency enjoyed a degree of trust among overseas Chinese communities. 大洋券(广东地区) 国币发行当时，广东省长陈济棠，为了与中央竞收白银，颁布了《管理货币办法》，规定以广东省银行发行的银毫券、大洋券和广州市立银行的纸币为广东法币。广东法币在当时侨胞心中具有一定信用。
	War-time Reserve Note In March 1940, under Japanese occupation, Wang Jingwei established the puppet Reorganised National Government of the Republic of China, and on 6 January 1941 set up the Central Reserve Bank, which issued Reserve Notes. In the occupied areas of Teochew, residents were compelled to exchange National Currency for Reserve Notes at a fixed rate of two to one. 储备券——贬值时期 1940年3月，汪精卫在日本侵略军的扶持下，成立伪“中国民国国民政府"，并于1941年1月6日成立伪"中央储备银行"，发行储备券。汪伪政权的储备券在潮州沦陷区发行后，强迫沦陷区人民将国币换成储备券使用，规定储备券1元折合国币2元。
	Gold Yuan The top image shows a Teochew Letter sent in August 1948, with a remittance amount of 500 million National Currency yuan. Amid severe hyperinflation during the Chinese Civil War, currency value had deteriorated to the extent that a jin (approximately half a kilogramme) of banknotes could not necessarily purchase a jin of rice, and banknotes were often rejected in everyday transactions. In the same year, the KMT government abolished the National Currency system and introduced the Gold Yuan system, issuing Gold Yuan Notes (middle image) and withdrawing the National Currency Yuan at an exchange rate of 1 to 3,000,000. On 14 July 1949, the silver standard system was reinstated. The Gold Yuan Notes circulated for just over a year before being discontinued. The bottom image shows a Teochew Letter cover indicating Gold Yuan as the remittance currency. In the late 1940s, severe currency instability in China led many overseas letter-remittance agencies to route remittances through Hong Kong for conversion into Hong Kong dollars before delivery to recipient families in the Teochew region. 金圆券上图中侨批寄于1948年8月，当时通货膨胀严重，侨批款额高达五亿元。然而此时一斤纸币往往已买不到一斤大米，且在市场交易中屡被拒收。同年，国民政府遂废除国币，改以金圆为本位，发行金圆券（中图），并以1元金圆券兑换法币300万元的比率收回国币。1949年7月14日，国民政府恢复银元本位制。金圆券从出台至作废，流通寿命仅一年多。下图显示金圆券为侨批批银货币之一。20世纪40年代末，经济的不稳定导致海外侨批的汇款需先经过香港，换为港币后再送往潮州地区。
	The Southern Notes In the late stages of the Chinese Civil War, the South China People’s Bank (established in Communist-controlled areas) issued a unified regional currency in July 1949: the Southern Currency Notes, commonly known as “Southern Notes”. The top and middle images show the green 10-yuan note issued in 1949. The bottom image shows a Teochew Letter sent from Indonesia on 1 December 1949. A faint red stamp on the upper left of the cover indicates that Hong Kong dollars were to be converted into Southern Notes (“升” meaning conversion). 南方券为支援华南人民解放战争，华南人民银行于1949年7月发行了在华南地区流通的统一货币——南方人民银行券，简称南方券。上、中图为1949年南方人民银行发行的拾元南方券，绿色。 1949年12月1日从印尼寄回的侨批（下图），批封标注港币"升南方券"（"升"指转换）。
	The Renminbi Swatow came under the administration of the PRC on 24 October 1949. The Renminbi was designated as the legal tender of the city. The Southern Notes remained in circulation in parallel and could be exchanged at a fixed rate of 1 Southern Note yuan to 250 Renminbi yuan. The top images show banknotes from the second series of Renminbi issued in 1953, including a rare green 3-yuan note. The middle images show a cover stamped with instruction (in blue) for conversion into Southern Notes (upper left, in blue), along with a red stamp indicating the issuance of a deposit receipt, as well as a blue stamp recording the daily exchange rates between Renminbi, Southern Notes, and Hong Kong dollars. The bottom image shows a close-up of stamped instructions for conversion into Southern Notes, along with the issuance of a deposit receipt. The postmark on the reverse indicates that the letter was sent on 22 January 1950. Extant Teochew Letters bearing instructions such as “Convert into Southern Notes”, “Exchange into Southern Notes”, or “Payment in Southern Notes” date from between October 1949 and January 1950. 人民币 1949年10月24日，汕头市解放，规定以人民币为本市法定货币；原来流通的南方券可在汕头市并行流通，兑换比率定为南方券每元折合人民币二百五十元。上组图为中华人民共和国1953年发行的第二套人民币。其中绿色钞票为罕见的3元面额。中组图批封正面盖蓝色文字戳”折南方券“，另盖红色文字戳”换发存单"及当天人民币、南方券与港币的兑换比率（蓝色文字戳）。批封背面（下图）盖1950年1月22日侨批日戳。目前所见的标有港币“折南方券”“升南方”“实收南方券”的侨批，均在1949年10月至1950年1月之间。

Cross-Border Controls 跨國界僑批管理

Delivery of Teochew Letters was subject to various forms of border controls at different periods in history. These included routine inspection by letter-remittance agencies and the Post Office, strict wartime checks across controlled territories, and heightened inspections by customs authorities after the founding of the PRC. The multiple stamps found on the envelopes bear witness to the types of oversight applied to each Teochew Letter as it moved between shores.

侨批运送在不同时期受到不同的管理，例如批信局和邮局的日常检查、战争时期交战双方控制区的严密检查、新中国成立后海关的反复查验。从侨批上的盖印，可以看出当时社会对侨批递送的管理。

	Customs Inspection The reverse of this 1952 Teochew Letter bears the inscription “Medicinal powder enclosed” in the upper right corner (see image on right). Because the letter contained medicine, it was inspected by Swatow Customs. The customs officer noted: “A small quantity of powdered Chinese medicine was found enclosed. In consideration of this being a first offence and the amount being small, the letter is permitted to pass with a warning.” A blue circular customs inspection stamp was affixed across the opening made during the inspection. 海关查验这封1952年的侨批，封背右上角写有”内有药粉“文字（见右图）。该批因内夹药品，被汕头海关查验。工作人员在封背书写：“经查出内有中药散少许，姑念初次，且数量不多，准警告放行“，并在拆封处盖上海关蓝色圆形查验章
	Postal Management Upon arrival in Swatow, this letter was stamped with a special-authorisation letter-remittance agency postmark dated 18 September 1959 and bearing the code character “戊”. After 1956, the Swatow Post Office introduced a set of eight postmarks for Teochew Letters, identified by the Heavenly Stems 甲, 乙, 丙, 丁, 戊, 己, 庚, and 辛. The “戊” postmark was used relatively infrequently, and surviving Teochew Letters bearing this mark are therefore uncommon. 邮局管理该批到达汕头后，盖汕头1959年9月18日编号"戊"字特准批信局邮戳。1956年后，汕头邮局起用一批带天干编号的侨批专用邮戳，一共有八个编号，即"甲、乙、丙、丁、戊、己、庚、辛"。其中"戊"字特准批信局邮戳较少使用，因而侨批实物中很难见到。
	Exchange Rate Management To encourage overseas remittances and stabilise remittance exchange rates, China introduced a new policy in 1959 granting families of overseas Chinese preferential access to certain goods according to the amount remitted. Teochew Letter covers from this period often bear stamps or labels such as “Pork Redeemed”, “Sugar Redeemed”, “Rice Redeemed”, and “Cigarettes Redeemed”. 汇率管理为吸引及稳定侨汇汇率,1959年，中国出台新的侨汇政策,即按侨汇比例,给予一定的牌价物资供应,优待侨属。此时期的侨批，经常可见到盖或贴有"猪肉已买"、"糖饼购完"、"大米购完"、"香烟购完"等戳记。
	Notice to Overseas Chinese In the early 1960s, China faced critical shortages in many goods, particularly agricultural fertiliser. To help address this shortage, the Overseas Chinese Service Department of the Bank of China in Swatow introduced a "Fertiliser Special Deposit" scheme. Under this arrangement overseas Chinese could purchase fertiliser abroad and send it to China for sale to the state. The proceeds could either be credited into the recipient family's savings account or be paid out in cash. The notice shown below promoting the "Fertiliser Special Deposit" was issued by the Overseas Chinese Service Department of the Bank of China in Swatow in 1964 and pasted onto the reverse of a Teochew Letter. 侨批广告 1960年初，国内物资紧缺，尤其是农业用的化肥。为此，汕头中国银行华侨服务部特向侨户推出一项"化肥特种存款"服务。这个服务让华侨从国外购买化肥“寄”回国内，再卖给国家（让国家收购），货款可直接按储蓄业务办理，也可发还现金。下图为1964年汕头中国银行华侨服务部印发、贴在侨批背面的一则推广“化肥特种存款”的广告。
	"Secret" Teochew Letters After the establishment of the PRC, some parts of Southeast Asia imposed restrictions on the remittances sent by overseas Chinese to China. When a remittance exceeded the permitted amount, letter-remittance agencies instructed senders to cover the notation indicating the remittance sum (typically written as “Remitted: XX dollars”) with postage stamps and mail the letter directly through the postal system. The remittance itself was then transmitted separately to Swatow through the agencies' traditional channels. Letters handled in this manner were known as "secret letters". With the remittance notation concealed beneath postage stamps, they appeared no different from ordinary correspondence, and only by removing the stamps would their true nature be revealed. The postmarks on the reverse show that this letter arrived in Swatow on 20 December 1950 and reached Anbu on 21 December 1950. By employing this simple method, the letter-remittance agency was able to avoid scrutiny by the Sarawak authorities while continuing to transmit remittances to the homeland. 暗批新中国成立后，东南亚部分地区对华侨汇款实施限制。侨胞每月汇款若超出规定，批局即要求寄批者把批信正面写有"外寄XX元"字样的文字用邮票贴上以遮盖，并从邮政直接寄到侨户手中。批局则另行按帮单把汇款寄到汕头。图中这件侨批俗称暗批，由于批款处贴盖邮票，外观与普通信件没有区别，只有撕开邮票才露出真相。批局正是用此种简单的办法避开沙捞越当局耳目，将批款汇往故乡。封背盖有1950年12月20日汕头日戳和1950年12月21日的庵埠到达戳。

Pue-kha & His Three Precious 派送僑批三件寶

The men who delivered remittances and Teochew letters to every household, in days when travel was mostly on foot and home addresses were merely vague descriptions, were called Pue-kah (批脚), literally the "Letter Legs“. They were entrusted with ensuring that every dollar and every letter reached awaiting family members safely. Despite the challenges, the Pue-kah always fulfilled their duties with the aid of their "Three Treasures": a market basket for carrying the remittance money, a canvas sling-bag for letters and a paper umbrella for protection from the elements and stray dogs.

潮州侨批历史中，专门负责把批信派送到每家每户的人被称作”批脚“。在房子极其简陋,水泥路和现代交通工具未出现的年代里,华侨寄回家乡的批信就是靠批脚们步行挨家挨户派送，安全送达收批人手中。伴随批脚肩负送批重任的三样必备物品是：市篮（装放批银）、布袋 (装放侨批)、纸伞 (以防雨天和恶犬)，俗称为批脚们的"派送侨批三件宝"。

	As its name suggests, the market basket was a hand-carried basket commonly used in the Teochew region for buying and selling goods. Woven from bamboo and coated with tung oil, it was remarkably durable. Some baskets were used for more than fifty years, but remain in good condition. The basket was used by pue-kha to carry remittance money and letters, as well as food and personal belongings needed on their journeys. It was likewise a common container used by countless Chinese emigrants to carry their possessions on their journeys departing home. Displayed alongside the basket in the bottom image is a towel of the type commonly tied around the waist by pue-kha during their delivery rounds. 顾名思义，市篮是提在手中的篮子，在潮州地区通常用于外出买卖。市篮由竹子编织，成型后在外面涂上桐油，使篮子更加坚固。有些市篮已经使用了超过50年，却依然保持完好的形状。市篮不仅用于批脚送钱、送信，也用于个人出外盛放食物和物品。它还是千万华侨到海外谋生时携带私人物品的器具。下图中，和市篮放在一起的有一条浴布，批脚在送批时会将浴布绑在腰间。
	The sling bag was used from the 1940s to the late 1970s as an alternative to the market basket. Usually white in colour and made from canvas sailcloth, it was lightweight, durable, and waterproof, and therefore widely popular. 布袋自20世纪40年代到70年代都在市场上使用。它们通常为白色，用布缝制而成。这种布袋轻便而耐用，不易渗水，因此在当时颇为流行。
	The paper umbrella is constructed with a bamboo frame and waterproofed with a coating of tung oil. In the history of Teochew Letters, the local “Parrot brand” umbrella was a particular favourite among pue-kha delivery workers, as its extended handle could also be used as a means of self-defence against wild dogs and other animals. 纸伞支架由竹子制作，伞面经过桐油涂刷后可以防水。在侨批发展史上，本地的鹦鹉牌雨伞一度成为批脚们的首选。其加长的手柄可以在野外送批遇到恶犬或其他野兽时作为防身的工具。
	The top image shows a metal box and chest that once belonged to a letter-remittance agency, used for storing documents and other materials. In 1979, the functions of the Teochew Letter-remittance system were taken over by the Bank of China. The metal box shown below was used by the Bank of China for transporting Teochew Letters. 上图的金属批箱一般在侨批局用于存放文件和其他物品。侨批业在1979年归由中国银行经营。下图是当时中国银行用于送批的批箱.

Acknowledgement

The contents on this page originate from Teochew Letters, a website developed by a student team from the Shantou University (STU) Cheung Kong School of Journalism and Communication in 2012 to publicise the application of the "Qiaopi and Yinxin Correspondence and Remittance Documents of Overseas Chinese" into the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. The project was undertaken on behalf of the Museum of Overseas Remittance Mail Relics, managed by the Research Centre for Chaoshan History and Culture in Swatow.

资料来源

本页内容源自「潮州侨批」网站。该网站由汕头大学长江新闻与传播学院学生团队于2012年为宣传「侨批及银信」入选联合国教科文组织《世界记忆名录》而创建，并受汕头潮汕历史文化研究中心下属的侨批文物馆委托承建。

Coming soon: Part II - Lives told in the Letters.

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