by Xinhua writers Li Fuyu, Zhang Yisheng
SINGKAWANG, Indonesia, May 19 (Xinhua) -- "My family came from Raoping in south China's Guangdong Province. I'm a sixth-generation Chinese here in Singkawang," said 80-year-old Liu Limin, his eyes lighting up upon learning that Xinhua reporters were from China.
Sandwiched between forested hills and the sea, Singkawang on Borneo Island is a unique Indonesian city for the more than 1,000 Chinese temples scattered throughout its low-rise, spread-out streets.
Walking through Singkawang, one is met with the constant bustle and the fragrant haze of incense from its Chinese temples, from the Central Thai Pak Kung Temple (dedicated to the God of the Earth), to Tianhou Palace (honoring Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea), and Guandi Temple (built for Guan Yu, the legendary Sage of War). Each still retains distinct Chinese architectural elements, from sweeping eaves to intricate carvings.
Beyond temples, rows of continuous shophouses with arcaded verandas define the city's landscape, instantly evoking the historic streets of southern China.
This architectural form features sheltered walkways designed to provide pedestrian sanctuary from the equatorial region's fierce tropical heat and torrential rain. While the upper floors jut out over the corridors to maximize space, they also bring neighbors closer together, fostering a tight-knit community spirit beneath the roofs.
"The early Chinese migrants who went to Southeast Asia were mostly seeking a better livelihood," Liu said. "They brought with them memories of their hometowns and reflected them in the buildings they constructed."
The historic exodus, known as the Nanyang (Southeast Asia) migration, became a defining chapter of mass displacement in modern Chinese history spanning the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Millions of desperate Chinese at that time fled their homelands, pushed to the sea by a grim combination of poverty, natural disasters and social upheaval. Official customs records show that between 1864 and 1911 alone, approximately 2.94 million people from the Chaoshan region in Guangdong Province braved the stormy seas to head overseas.
In an era of rudimentary transport and fragmented communication, "Qiaopi" or "Yinxin," the combined letters and remittances sent home by these early emigrants, served as the most sacred bond connecting overseas Chinese with their homelands.
One example from a 1927 letter sent by a Chinese named Chen Junrui from Indonesia featured the giant character "Nan" (Hardship) at its center, flanked by a poem lamenting the endless longing for a distant home that faded into empty dreams.
During the 6th International Seminar on Borneo Chinese Studies, which recently concluded in Pontianak, located a three-hour drive south of Singkawang, scholars told Xinhua that Chinese migrants brought not only labor but also a mature suite of traditional construction techniques and architectural concepts to Southeast Asia, recreating their homelands through roofs, windows and courtyards.
Hang Xing, associate dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, said that the spread of Chinese culture in Southeast Asia was not a simple replication, but a dynamic process of adaptation and integration.
Chinese-style architecture in Indonesia, for instance, incorporated local tropical timbers, ingenious ventilation designs and decorative patterns, showcasing the inherent inclusivity and creativity of Chinese civilization, he said.
Beyond brick and mortar, this continuous cultural tie is also manifested on the dining table. Chinese immigrants brought their ancestral culinary traditions across the seas, forging a collective culinary memory where familiar flavors kept their heritage alive. Today, traditional dishes like noodles, sausages and "Chai Kue" (vegetable rice dumplings) remain staples of local life.
Founded in 1958, the Asiang coffee house has become one of Pontianak's most iconic gathering spots. Inside, Lingnan-style wooden furniture and vintage photographs reflect a seamless blend of Chinese and local heritage.
Amid the lively morning chatter, Akbar, a non-Chinese local youth, told Xinhua that the cafe is his favorite hangout. "I especially love the yuanyang (a mix of tea and coffee) here, paired with toast and soft-boiled eggs," he said.
In the eyes of Liaw Siau Chi, deputy dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at New Era University College, Malaysia, the deep-seated "homeland complex" of overseas Chinese reflects the unbreakable continuity of Chinese tradition.
"Chinese civilization thrives overseas because it possesses water-like qualities," Liaw observed. "It always carves out new channels in different soils, preserving its unique cultural core through constant adaptation and integration." ■
