The 9^th Hainan Wenchang Nanyang Culture Festival will be held from Apr. 7-8 in the city of Wenchang, located on the east coast of China’s tropical island province of Hainan

The two-day long Nanyang Culture Festival will feature a meeting of the International Federation of Hainan Association, a round table forum on the development of  Wenchang International Aerospace City — one of the eleven key industrial parks of the Hainan Free Trade Port, a seaside dinner with musical accompaniment, an overseas Chinese culture photo exhibit, a painting and calligraphy exhibit, and many other related activities. In addition, guests will be invited on a tour to investigate  investment opportunities in major projects under development in the area.

From the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty period (1628~1700) to the 1930s, many people traveled from Wenchang across Southeast Asia (called Nanyang in Chinese) to seek better living and working opportunities, which is considered one of the three largest population migrations in modern Chinese history. Through their hard work and intelligence, the migrants from Wenchang were able to earn a good living, and on their return brought back elements of Southeast Asian culture which blended with Wenchang’s own culture, becoming deeply embedded in the local way of life.

The historic Qilou Street in Wenchang displays a profound Southeast Asian cultural influence. [Photo: Hainan Daily]

The Nanyang Culture Festival promotes mutually beneficial cooperation among overseas Hainanese based all around the world in domestic and international trade, tourism, cultural exchange, friendship, and many more areas through the common tie of Nanyang culture, aiding in the development of both the Hainan Free Trade Port and Wenchang International Aerospace City.

On Nov. 12, 2022, the Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft lifted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. [Photo: Hainan Daily]

Wenchang is known as the home of Overseas Chinese in Hainan. Currently, there are around 1.2 million people with ancestral ties to Wenchang living in over 50 countries and regions around the world.

The city of Wenchang has played host to the Nanyang Culture Festival for eight consecutive years since the event’s inception in 2012. With an influence felt in over 60 countries and regions across the globe, this event has become one of the most distinctive annual festivals held in Wenchang and even in the entire province of Hainan.