Chinese And Hakka In Latin America During The 19Th–20Th Centuries With Reflections On Postwar Taiwanese Hakka

Author: Tang Shi-yeoung
Publication Date: First Edition, June 2023
The Age of Discovery ushered in an era of globalization, as Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal rapidly extended their colonial reach. To sustain the growth and development of Latin America, these colonial powers recruited large numbers of Chinese laborers from across Asia—among them, many Hakka migrants.
Focusing on this historical backdrop, the author conducts an in-depth study of Chinese and Hakka migration to Latin America from the 17th to the 20th centuries. Through extensive archival research, oral interviews, and field investigations, the book reconstructs the migration history of Hakka settlers and depicts their lives and communities in their new homelands. It also analyzes the intricate social networks formed through interactions with their home governments, local authorities, and other overseas Chinese communities.
Bringing together years of research, this volume offers a detailed and systematic account of Hakka migration to Latin America, describing not only the migration processes but also the everyday realities of life abroad. The inclusion of comprehensive charts and data visualizations provides readers with a clear understanding of the empirical foundation underpinning the study and the author’s interpretations.
As the Hakka people spread across the world through waves of global migration, their histories became intertwined with broader patterns of Chinese diaspora. This work, with its rich data and meticulous analysis, stands as a valuable resource for both Chinese diaspora studies and Hakka cultural research—shedding new light on a lesser-known yet significant chapter in transnational Hakka history.