| Are you an overseas born non-Chinese-speaking | | | | translator. |
| descendants of Chinese immigrants' searching for | | | | Genealogy is quite unlike other activities. You do |
| your Chinese family tree? Some of you may | | | | not start from the top and work your way down. |
| today be classified as ethnic Chinese, while others | | | | Instead, the route is reversed because at the top |
| could very well be 3rd, 4th, or 5th generation | | | | of the family tree is your progenitor, an unknown |
| children of mixed descent from past Chinese | | | | person, and right at the bottom will be you. It |
| ancestors who moved to an overseas nation | | | | would make sense to begin with what you |
| somewhere in the world. | | | | already know and work towards the unknown. So |
| Why bother with Chinese genealogy you may | | | | the logical place to start is from the roots at the |
| ask? To the inexperienced it is just a waste of | | | | bottom of the tree and work up to the top. |
| time because it only deals with ancient time, after | | | | Start with yourself first and write down all the |
| all who cares about the ancient history? However, | | | | information you know, such as your date and |
| to those who are infected with this craving to | | | | place of birth, schools attended, university, etc. |
| know, the past can reveal much about your | | | | Then, proceed to your sisters and brothers. Then |
| family genealogy and as the saying goes "If there | | | | ask your parents for information about |
| is no past, then there is no future". | | | | themselves, and through them you will be able to |
| In the past, the majority of Chinese immigrants | | | | find out additional about your grandparents. If |
| who journeyed beyond the seas came from two | | | | your grandparents are still alive, ask them to fill in |
| coastal provinces in Southern China - Guangdong | | | | any gaps you may have about them and don't |
| and Fujian. Large concentrations of people from | | | | forget to ask them about your |
| each of these provinces tended to congregate in | | | | great-grandparents. Failing that you will have to |
| certain areas of the world. For example, in most | | | | begin looking for all sorts of documents: like |
| parts of South East Asia, Hokkien speakers from | | | | church records, government certificates, school |
| southern Fujian Province predominate, while | | | | records, university records, birth and death |
| further away (North/Central/South America, | | | | certificates, marriage certificates, naturalization |
| Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, South | | | | records, etc. And, so the process moves along |
| Africa) the people are generally Cantonese | | | | one step at a time until you come to a dead-end. |
| speakers from Guangdong Province. | | | | This is typically about the time of the arrival of |
| The language barrier may make Chinese | | | | your Chinese ancestor in the country where you |
| genealogy more difficult for some of you. Usually, | | | | were born. |
| it becomes an issue when you begin the activity | | | | Chinese genealogy can be a very challenging |
| of trying to track down your ancestor who | | | | process demanding lots of time, much |
| arrived in the country where you were born. | | | | aggravation, ingenuity, imagination and a lot of |
| However, don't let the language issue discourage | | | | persistence. Results come irregularly, most times |
| you from pursuing your Chinese genealogy as you | | | | none at all, but when you do find something it will |
| may be able to find someone who is knows | | | | be well worth the struggle. Above all, do not give |
| Chinese to aid you, or obtain the services of a | | | | up once you begin your search! |