Reflections | How Teochew people spread from China, and their outsize influence from Hong Kong to Thailand

The new family drama Dear You has become a surprise low-budget hit in mainland China, where it has grossed more than 1.6 billion yuan (US$237 million) at the box office since being released in April 2026. The film’s creators no doubt hope for similar success in Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore, where it was released on June 18.
The story follows an elderly woman and her grandson who goes to Thailand in search of his long-lost grandfather and uncovers a decades-old secret involving letters and remittances sent home by overseas Chinese workers.
The film has resonated with audiences because of its authentic portrayal of family bonds and cultural heritage, a contributing factor being its dialogue, which is almost entirely in the Teochew language.

I have a personal connection with Teochew. Growing up, I attended a church where it was the principal language spoken. Decades later, I can still recite the entire Lord’s Prayer in Teochew, a feat that still surprises me.
Teochew people are often associated with entrepreneurial success, distinctive cuisine and a far-flung overseas diaspora. Yet behind these familiar images lies a rich history stretching back thousands of years.
The Teochew homeland, which is known in Mandarin Chinese as Chaoshan, encompasses the modern cities of Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang on the eastern coast of Guangdong province. The area was known as Jieyang during the Qin (221-207BC) and Han (206BC-AD220) periods, before becoming part of the imperial prefecture of Chaozhou. “Teochew” is the local pronunciation of “Chaozhou”.
Although administratively part of Guangdong today, the region has for centuries occupied a cultural borderland between Guangdong and neighbouring Fujian province, forming a single cultural sphere united by a common spoken tongue, customs and identity.
The earliest known inhabitants of Teochew were linked to the ancient Minyue peoples of China’s southeastern coast. Over time, successive waves of migrants from northern and central China arrived, particularly from the Tang period (618-907) onwards, bringing with them new farming techniques, educational traditions and cultural influences. The resulting interaction between indigenous and migrant traditions produced the distinctive Teochew culture.
No discussion of Teochew culture would be complete without mentioning its celebrated cuisine, which is renowned for its emphasis on freshness and delicate flavours. Seafood features prominently, while dishes such as braised goose, oyster omelette and Teochew-style steamed fish exemplify a culinary tradition that enhances rather than masks natural flavours.

The Teochews are also known for their remarkable diaspora. Limited farmland, periodic unrest and maritime trade encouraged many Chaoshan residents to seek their fortunes overseas from the 18th century onwards, with migration accelerating during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Southeast Asia became the principal destination. Today, people of Teochew ancestry form a significant part of the Chinese communities of Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and other parts of the region. In Thailand in particular, Teochews constitute the largest Chinese subgroup and have played a prominent role in commerce, politics and culture. In Singapore, they form the second-largest Chinese linguistic community, behind the Hokkien-Minnan people.
Hong Kong is also home to a substantial Teochew (or, in Cantonese, “Chiuchow”) community. Many arrived during the 19th and 20th centuries as traders, workers and entrepreneurs. Multibillionaire Li Ka-shing is arguably the most well-known Chiuchow person in Hong Kong.
But perhaps the strongest marker of Teochew identity is its language. Teochew belongs to the Southern Min linguistic family and is more closely related to the dialects of southern Fujian and Taiwan than to Cantonese, despite being spoken within Guangdong. Records from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) noted that visitors from other parts of Guangdong struggled to understand local speech.
Although most descendants of Teochew immigrants in Southeast Asia and elsewhere no longer speak the language fluently, if at all, and have long ceased to regard Chaoshan as “home”, many remain proud of their heritage and the outsize impact their community has had on their new homelands.