The qiaopi trade and transnational networks in the Chinese diaspora

Originating in the 1820s and used for 150 years thereafter, qiaopi is the name given in Chinese to letters written home by Chinese emigrants to accompany remittances.

Their key function was to preserve family ties. Although such correspondence focused principally on the provision of economic support, the qiaopi also touched on cultural, political, educational, and gender themes.

This book therefore seeks to examine the qiaopi from two interconnected perspectives.

One views qiaopi from a political and institutional angle, the other from a financial and social angle.

Bringing together the extensive research of a group of international scholars, this multi-authored volume sheds light on the larger significance of the qiaopi for modern China.