Old letters, family records and digital platforms are helping overseas Chinese reconnect with relatives and rediscover their roots across generations.
For decades, an old letter, a faded photograph or a hometown name were often the only clues for overseas Chinese searching for their family roots.
Today, those clues are being brought back to life through social media and digital platforms. A growing number of volunteers and community workers are helping families reconnect across borders and generations.
The story has gained fresh attention after the release of the Chinese film Dear You, which tells a story about family memories and a search for roots. Behind these stories are people who spend their time helping others trace their family connections.
Among them is Malaysian Chinese entrepreneur Zeng Xincheng, who runs a jewellery store in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Outside his business hours, he manages a social media account called “Overseas Chinese Family Search Support Group”, helping people look for relatives they lost contact with decades ago.
A Jewellery Store Owner Becomes A “Bridge” For Family Reunions
Zeng’s journey began with a simple request from a fellow villager from Putian, east China’s Fujian Province.
The person was searching for Chinese relatives who had been separated for decades. With no previous experience, Zeng decided to try. He contacted a Chinese community organisation in Malacca and helped locate the relatives within two hours.
“That was the first time I saw separated family members hug each other in tears,” Zeng recalled. “The feeling was something money could not buy.”
After that experience, more people began turning to him for help. They later suggested that he create a social media account to share cases and connect with more people.
Zeng said many people worry about scams when seeking free family-search services. His physical jewellery store gives them extra confidence because they can meet him in person.
Over the years, he has helped more than 20 families reconnect.
However, finding relatives is rarely easy. Old letters and family records can disappear over time. Fires, floods, termite damage and relocations have destroyed many valuable clues.
Zeng once helped a family search for relatives through qiaopi, or traditional letters sent by overseas Chinese workers to their families in China in the past. These handwritten documents eventually helped connect relatives in Hainan, Taiwan and Guangdong after decades of separation.
“Family searches require careful confirmation,” Zeng said. “Sometimes, people who know the history are no longer around, and family records are lost.”
From Handwritten Letters To Digital Clues
For overseas Chinese communities, qiaopi remain important historical records. At the same time, social media has become a new channel for family searches.
In Thailand, short-video creator Chen Yingling noticed that many people left messages under her videos asking for help finding relatives. Some shared handwritten notes with old Chinese place names. Others posted photos of ancestors and asked whether anyone still lived in their hometowns.
Chen began helping by sharing information, contacting relevant organisations and connecting people who might have useful clues.
Besides individual efforts, some digital platforms are also supporting family searches.
The “Chaoshan Homeland” platform, launched in 2023, allows overseas Chinese to submit search requests through a WeChat mini programme. The platform has helped around 40 families find relatives, according to its organisers.
Chaoshan, a region in southern China, has a long history of overseas migration. Many people from the area moved abroad generations ago, leaving behind family stories and connections that sometimes became difficult to trace.
Platform manager Ji Weiqi said requests have increased recently, with one or two new cases added each week. The platform works with volunteers, overseas Chinese groups and residents familiar with changing place names and family histories.
A Search For Identity Across Generations
In May, Germany-based overseas Chinese Li Guangyao posted a request on the platform to look for relatives from the Li family in Chaoyang, Guangdong Province.
Within three days, he confirmed his family connection. In July, he returned to his hometown and met relatives at the family ancestral hall.
Some searches take only days. Others take decades.
For many people involved, the first question remains the same: “Who am I, and where do I come from?”
With old letters, family records and new digital tools, more overseas Chinese are finding new ways to reconnect with the families and places they once lost.
Additional reporting by Xu Wenxin.
If you liked this article, why not read: Overseas Chinese Youth Explore Their Roots Through Chinese Surnames
