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Steven

Roots of China was born from my passion for sharing the beauty and stories of Chinese culture with the world. When I settled in Kaiping, Guangdong—a place alive with ancestral legacies and the iconic Diaolou towers—I found myself immersed in stories of migration, resilience, and heritage. Roots of China grew from my own quest to reconnect with heritage into a mission to celebrate Chinese culture. From artisans’ stories and migration histories to timeless crafts, each piece we share brings our heritage to life. Join me at Roots of China, where every story told, every craft preserved, and every legacy uncovered draws us closer to our roots. Let’s celebrate the heritage that connects us all.

79 articles published Follow:

History and Culture

What Makes the Dragon Boat Festival Special? A Guide to Its Ancient Rituals

As the humid air of early summer settles over southern China, communities by the water stir with ancient rhythm. The Dragon Boat Festival (端午节) is more than an annual tradition—it’s a sacred reawakening of memory, unity, and ancestral spirit. While most may know the festival through the poetic legend of Qu Yuan (屈原), the 3rd-century…

BySteven1 day ago0Comments

History and Culture

The Spirit of Lingnan: What It Means to Come from the South

For many, Lingnan is a region—lush, southern, coastal—stretching beyond the Nanling Mountains where rivers meet the sea and dialects shift with the wind. But to those whose roots lie there, Lingnan is not just geography. It is temperament. It is inheritance. It is a way to live. Cut off from the imperial heartland by mountains…

BySteven4 days ago0Comments

Cities of Wuyi History and Culture

Ancient Roots, New Traditions: Ethnic Integration in the Wuyi Region

The Wuyi region—comprising Xinhui, Taishan, Kaiping, Heshan, and Enping counties in Guangdong—is renowned for its distinctive culture shaped by centuries of migration and ethnic integration. Situated at the junction between the Pearl River Delta and the rugged hills of western Guangdong, Wuyi’s unique identity is a product of diverse ethnicities and historical narratives merging into…

ByStevenMay 24, 20250Comments

Enping History and Culture

Feng Ru of Enping: The Chinese Wright Brother You’ve Never Heard Of

ucked in the hills of Guangzhou’s Huanghuagang Cemetery, beside the tombs of seventy-two revolutionary martyrs, rests a name few today recognize—yet one that once soared across continents. Feng Ru (冯如), born in 1884 in the humble village of Xingwei, Enping (恩平杏围村), carved his place in history as the first Chinese aviator and aircraft engineer. He…

ByStevenMay 19, 20250Comments

Cities of Wuyi History and Culture

The Legacy of the Wuyi Overseas Student Movement: Pioneers of Modernization

China has long been recognized as a cradle of civilization and a center of intellectual and cultural diffusion across Asia. For over a millennium, its philosophical traditions—most notably Confucianism—shaped governance, ethics, and education systems in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. The imperial examination system, which emphasized merit-based selection of officials, was among the earliest forms of…

ByStevenMay 15, 20250Comments

Cities of Wuyi Emigration Stories History and Culture

Five Counties Immigrants and Their Struggle Against 19th-Century Racism

In May 1869, as the golden spike was driven into the final rail of America’s first Transcontinental Railroad, marking a historic moment that symbolized progress and unity, a painful omission cast a long shadow over the celebration. The Chinese laborers who had built the most treacherous stretches of the Central Pacific Railroad were nowhere to…

ByStevenMay 13, 20250Comments

Cities of Wuyi History and Culture

The Forgotten Builders: Chinese Railroad Workers Exclusion and America’s Hidden Legacy

Discover how Wuyi Chinese laborers built the Transcontinental Railroad—then were erased from history in an enduring act of racial exclusion.

ByStevenMay 10, 20250Comments

Cities of Wuyi History and Culture

Why So Many Taishanese Families Ended Up Overseas — A Deep Dive

For millions of overseas Chinese today, the story begins not in a distant city or a famous port, but in the quiet villages of a small region in southern China — Wuyi. Tucked within Jiangmen City in Guangdong Province, Wuyi is made up of five counties: Taishan, Kaiping, Enping, Xinhui, and Heshan. Though modest in…

ByStevenMay 7, 20250Comments

Cities of Wuyi

Reconnecting With Wuyi: A Bridge Across Generations

If your family traces its roots to Taishan, Kaiping, Enping, Xinhui, or Heshan—collectively known as Wuyi (五邑) —then you are part of one of the most far-reaching Chinese diasporas in history. Across generations and continents, descendants of this small region have built lives in nearly every corner of the world. Yet for many today, especially…

ByStevenMay 5, 20250Comments

Cities of Wuyi

Before Canton: How Wuyi’s Hidden Ports Shaped the Chinese Diaspora

For overseas Chinese with roots in the Wuyi (五邑) region of southern China, the story of emigration is personal. It is one of survival, hardship, and reinvention. But what many may not realize is that long before Guangzhou became a global trading hub, the quieter ports of Xinhui and Taishan were already key arteries of…

ByStevenApril 25, 20250Comments

Roots of China: Celebrating Heritage, Empowering Artisans

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What Makes the Dragon Boat Fe...

The Spirit of Lingnan: What I...

Feng Ru of Enping: The Chines...

The Legacy of the Wuyi Overse...

Five Counties Immigrants and...

Steven

What Makes the Dragon Boat Festival Special? A Guide to Its Ancient Rituals

The Spirit of Lingnan: What It Means to Come from the South

Ancient Roots, New Traditions: Ethnic Integration in the Wuyi Region

Feng Ru of Enping: The Chinese Wright Brother You’ve Never Heard Of

The Legacy of the Wuyi Overseas Student Movement: Pioneers of Modernization

Five Counties Immigrants and Their Struggle Against 19th-Century Racism

The Forgotten Builders: Chinese Railroad Workers Exclusion and America’s Hidden Legacy

Why So Many Taishanese Families Ended Up Overseas — A Deep Dive

Reconnecting With Wuyi: A Bridge Across Generations

Before Canton: How Wuyi’s Hidden Ports Shaped the Chinese Diaspora

Newsletter

Siyi to Wuyi: A Journey of Transformation and Heritage

Qílóu Architecture in Wuyi: Cultural Fusion and Resilience

Roots of Legacy: Wuyi Impact & Future Generations

Steven

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