Summary of the Key Points
Li Zixin's new book, *"Out of the Tide, into the Sea,"* uses his personal childhood memories as a starting point to weave together the wisdom of the Chaoshan dialect, dietary customs, and worship culture. It reveals the historical truth behind the integration of Chinese and Western elements in the family's lace-making industry and documents his experiences discovering traces of Chaoshan culture around the world (in countries like the UK, Thailand, and the US). The book ultimately explores how local cultures, through memories, migration, and food, continuously nourish people's sense of identity in a globalized world. Moreover, the concept of "hometown" is no longer merely a geographical location but has become an emotional symbol tied to individual memories.
1. Childhood in Chaoshan: The Secrets of Life Hidden in Proverbs, Food, and deities
Li Zixin's childhood reflects the life of a Chaoshan worker family in the 1980s and 1990s, yet it was filled with the unique "flavor" of Chaoshan:
- Wisdom in the Dialect: His mother, despite having little education, used local proverbs to solve everyday problems—for example, she would say, "Er er meng, jiao Luo mian chuang feng" (toss the chaotic dreams into the bed cracks) when a child had a nightmare; to describe someone with a good memory, she would say, "Ji chi shang hao nao" (even in muddy water, one can find the right direction); and she even referred to mice as "si jiao" (to avoid mentioning things she disliked). These proverbs are like a form of "walking Chaoshan culture," embodying the local wisdom for coping with life.
- Food as a Carrier of Love: Beef ball soup was the most anticipated delicacy in his childhood; his parents would teach him how to eat the balls by letting him practice with chopsticks. Fish rice, marinated dishes, and ginger chicken were part of their daily meals, and the offerings for worship ceremonies often blended with everyday food. After the Spring Festival, the whole family would spend a week digesting the food consumed during the rituals, making the rhythm of worship an integral part of their dietary routine.
- Deities Are All Around Us: There was a shrine for the local deity beside the sofa, and an incense burner for ancestor worship in the kitchen cabinet; even the moon (referred to as "Yue Niang") was considered a kind presence. Chaoshan people used worship to deal with things they couldn't control, and the scent of incense and food became the "taste" of his hometown in his memories.
2. The Lace-Making Industry: The Hidden Link Between Chaoshan and the World
Li Zixin long believed lace-making was a traditional Chaoshan craft until he discovered its mixed Chinese-Western origins at the age of 40:
- Origins from Western Missionaries: In the 1880s, Italian lace-making techniques were introduced to Shantou by the missionary Mrs. Yerlin, initially as a means of livelihood for widows and housewives.
- A Globalized Industry: The fabric came from the UK and India, and the yarn from Ireland. Once in Shantou, it was distributed to various towns, where each town had its own specialized skills. At its peak during the Republic of China era, over 500,000 people out of Chaoshan's population were involved in lace-making, benefiting millions with exports worth over 2 million US dollars.
- A Family's Legacy: His great-grandfather used lace to make costumes for operas; his grandfather and father worked in lace companies, and his mother and sister could embroider lace. This craft was the livelihood of Chaoshan people in the 1980s but collapsed with the marketization trend in the 1990s, becoming a part of his childhood memories. It represents not only the family's history but also the hidden thread connecting Chaoshan to the rest of the world.
3. Reencountering Old Friends in Foreign Lands: The Spread of Chaoshan Culture
After leaving Chaoshan, Li Zixin repeatedly encountered elements of his hometown around the world:
- Hometown Images in British Museums: At the Liverpool Maritime Museum, he saw a photograph of the Fenghuang Tower (also known as He Xi Tower) taken by a British photographer in 1870 and excitedly told a British woman, "This is my hometown"—as if his presence confirmed the authenticity of the image.
- A "Childhood Museum" in Thai Chinatowns: The sweet cakes, longevity peaches, and pickled vegetables in Bangkok's alleys reminded him of his childhood. In the Chaoshan temple at the end of the street, deities such as the Dragon Tail Saint King and the Wealth Star were enshrined, showing how Chaoshan people brought their worship customs to foreign lands.
- The Healing Power of Food for Expatriates: The Chinese-American writer Francis Huang (a descendant of Chaoshan immigrants from Vietnam) found a sense of belonging while eating at a Jin Shui rice noodle shop in Los Angeles; food became a "magic key" for those who had left their homeland.
4. Hometown in the Age of Internet Fame: The Clash Between Memory and Reality
After 2020, Chaozhou became a popular tourist destination, but Li Zixin noticed it had changed from his memories:
- An Ancient City Altered by Tourism: Dragon Lake Ancient Village and the Thai Buddha Temple became famous due to the movie *"A Letter to Grandma." The Pai Fang Street was dominated by colorful signs and internet-famous foods, turning into a bustling marketplace shaped by various influences, as if it had "levitated away from its original context."
- Reconsidering the Concept of Hometown: He realized that what he knew about Chaozhou was limited to the 1980s and 1990s, and the time he spent abroad was more than half of his total life there. Hometown is no longer a fixed place but a memory from a specific time and place.
5. The Purpose of Writing: From Personal Memories to Cultural Resonance
Li Zixin's writing is not just about documenting Chaoshan culture; it's about "digging into his heart to find the meaning of hometown for himself":
- Thinking in Dialect, Connecting with Words: He insists on using the Chaoshan dialect while thinking in Chinese, incorporating its humor and elegance (such as the style of letters from overseas Chinese communities) to enrich his writing.
- Reaching Beyond Chaoshan People: The childhood details and emotions in the book resonate with readers who may not be from Chaoshan, as everyone has a "hometown in their memories."
This book teaches us that local culture is not a static tradition but grows through migration and integration. Our sense of identity is rooted in those enduring elements—proverbs, food, and memories—that we carry with us.
(The entire text is written in plain language, without technical jargon, making it easy to understand the stories behind Chaoshan culture.)