H akka C hinese

Originally, Hakka Chinese is an ethnic group widely concentrated in the provinces of Fujian, Guandong, and Jiangxi and mostly characterized by its own unique Southern Chinese culture. Over the past four centuries, they have emigrated to Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and many parts of the world. At present, Hakka can be found in as many as eighty‐two countries. What makes Hakka Chinese a unique and distinctive ethnic group are its distinguishable Hakka languages. There are also internal different tones within the different Hakka languages. In a long history of sociocultural interaction and interethnic marriages, Hakka groups now face the issue of defining what authentic Hakka culture is. Based on the research findings in Southeast Asian Hakka, the hakka “huiguan” (association) and religious beliefs and practices can still carry important functions to pass on the Hakka culture in most semipublic and semiprivate life domains. Yet, it is the family that can continue to perform the irreplaceable role in transmitting Hakka culture to the future generations.