Fuzhou people

The people of Fuzhou (Chinese: 福州人; Foochow Romanized: Hók-ciŭ-nè̤ng), also known as Foochowese, Hokchew, Hokchia, Hokchiu Fuzhounese, Eastern Min or Ming Dong usually refers to people who originate from Fuzhou region and the Ming Dong region, adjacent Gutian County, Pingnan County, in Fujian province of China and in the Matsu Islands of Taiwan (Republic of China). Fuzhounese are Han Chinese people and are a part of Min-speaking group, who speaks Eastern Min or specifically Fuzhou dialect. There is also a significant overseas Foochowese population, particularly distributed in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, United States (Fuzhou Americans), Japan, United Kingdom, etc.^[2]

Emigration

Fuzhou's history of emigration since Ming dynasty with Zheng He's voyages overseas. As the result of immigration of Fuzhouese to southeast Asia, Fuzhou dialect is found in Malaysia and Indonesia. The city of Sibu of Malaysia is called "new Fuzhou" due to immigration wave in early 1900s. They are referred to as "Hockchiu" in Malaysia.^[3]

The Hockchius and Hockchias migrated to Nanyang (South-East Asia) in smaller numbers compared to the Hokkien, Cantonese, hakkas and Hainanese but achieved remarkable success. Amongst others, Robert Kuok (Hockchiu) rose to become the "Sugar King" of Malaysia and is currently ranked the richest man in south-east Asia whereas Liem Sioe Liong (Sudono Salim) who was of Hockchia origin, was once the richest man in Indonesia, controlling a vast empire in the industry of flour, cement and food manufacturing. The famous leader of the Malayan Communist Party, Chin Peng was also Hockchia.

Notable Fuzhou figures

• Lin Shu (林纾, 1852 - 1924), Chinese scholar and translator, noted for his translation of Alexandre Dumas' La Dame aux Camélias
• Yan Fu (严复, 1854 - 1921), Chinese scholar and translator, best known for introducing western ideas such as Darwinian evolution

Historical

• Lin Zexu (林则徐, 1785 - 1850), Chinese scholar and official, considered a national hero for his strong opposition to the trade of opium before the First Anglo-Chinese War
• Shen Baozhen (沈葆桢, 1820 - 1879), Viceroy of Liangjiang from 1875 to 1879
• Chen Baochen (陈宝琛, 1848 - 1935), Chinese scholar and loyalist to the Qing Dynasty
• Wong Nai Siong (黄乃裳, 1849 - 1924), Chinese Christian scholar
• Chen Jitong (陈季同，1851 - 1907), Chinese diplomat, general and scholar during the late Qing dynasty
• Zheng Xiaoxu (郑孝胥, 1860 - 1938), Chinese statesman, diplomat and calligrapher.
• Liu Guanxiong (刘冠雄, 1861 - 1927), Chinese Admiral who was Navy Minister of China, from 1912–1916 and 1917-1919.
• Lin Sen (林森, 1868 - 1943), President of the Republic of China from 1931 to 1943
• Lin Xu (林旭, 1875 - 1898), Chinese politician, scholar, songwriter and poet who lived in the late Qing dynasty.
• Du Xigui (杜錫珪, 1875 - 1933), Chinese admiral during the warlord era.
• Lin Juemin (林觉民, 1887 - 1911), Chinese revolutionary, member of Tongmenghui in Japan

Scientists, mathematicians and engineers

• Hou Debang (侯德榜, 1890 - 1974), Chinese chemical engineer.
• Hsien Wu (吴宪, 1893 – 1959), Chinese protein scientist who was the first to propose that protein denaturation was a purely conformational change, corresponded to protein unfolding and not to some chemical alteration of the protein.
• Zhang Yuzhe (张钰哲, 1902 - 1986), Chinese astronomer who is widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese astronomy.
• Tung-Yen Lin (林同炎, 1912 – 2003), a structural engineer who was the pioneer of standardizing the use of prestressed concrete.
• Guo Kexin, (郭可信, 1923 – 2006), an important Chinese physicist, metallurgist and crystallographer who is considered as the main pioneer of electron microscopy of China.
• Chih-Tang Sah (萨支唐, 1932- ), Graduate Research Professor at the University of Florida, USA from 1988. Professor of Physics and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
• Chen Jingrun (陈景润, 1933 - 1996), a famous Chinese mathematician who invented the Chen's theorem and Chen prime.
• Chen Zhangliang (陈章良, 1962- ), Chinese biologist, elected as vice-governor of Guangxi in 2007

Writers

• Zheng Zhenduo (郑振铎, 1898 - 1958), Chinese journalist and literary scholar
• Bing Xin (冰心, 1900 - 1999), female Chinese writer
• Watchman Nee (倪柝声, 1903 - 1972), Chinese Christian author and church leader

Businessmen

• Liem Sioe Liong (林绍良, 16 July 1916 – 10 June 2012), Indonesian billionaire businessman and founder of Salim Group
• Robert Kuok (郭鶴年, 1923- ), Malaysian billionaire businessman and chairman of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
• Surya Wonowidjojo (Tjoa Ing-hwie) (蔡云辉, 1923 - 1986), founder of Gudang Garam, the largest cigaret producer in Indonesia.
• Tiong Hiew King (张晓卿, 1935- ), Malaysian Executive Chairman of Rimbunan Hijau, Timber tycoon and Chinese Media proprietor.
• Tiong Thai King (张泰卿, 1945- ), Malaysian politician and businessman, Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Lanang, Sibu, Sarawak from 1995-2013.
• Alim Markus (林文光, Liem Boen Kwang, 1951- ), Indonesian businessman from East Java.

Politicians

• Chin Peng (陈平, 1924 - 2013), OBE, Former leader of the Malayan Communist Party
• Ling Liong Sik (林良实, 1943- ), Malaysian politician; former president of the Malaysian Chinese Association and former Minister of Transport.

• Ngeh Koo Ham (倪可汉, 1961- ), Malaysian politician and lawyer.
• Nga Kor Ming (倪可敏, 1972- ), Malaysian politician of Democratic Action Party (DAP), Member of the Malaysian Parliament of Taiping, Perak since 2008.

Others

• Wu Qingyuan (吳清源, 1914 - 2014), Chinese Weiqi/Go player, considered by many players to be the greatest player of the game in the 20th century and one of the greatest of all time.
• Jahja Ling, (林望傑, 1951- ), famous Orchestra conductor.
• Lin Huiyin (林徽因, 1904 - 1955), female Chinese architect and wife of architect Liang Sicheng.
• Nicholas Kao Se Tseien (高师谦, 1897-2007), oldest living Catholic priest in China and Hong Kong.
• Cheng Nan-jung (鄭南榕, 1947-1989), Taiwanese publisher and pro-democracy activist.

See also

• Fuzhou Americans

References