As the most famous gathering place for the returned overseas Chinese in Hainan, Xinglong in Wanning city still maintains the culture and custom of Southeast Asia, making it one of the most popular destinations for tourists to visit Hainan.

In Xinglong, the language the locals speak as well as their dress, home decoration and diet, all are brimming with Southeast Asian characteristics, which makes you feel like being in a foreign country.

The people there, whether the returned overseas Chinese from Indonesia or Thailand, or the local Hainanese, like wearing “Batik”, a kind of colorful shirts with Malaysian style.

And the women mostly have their hair permed and wear bright-color lipsticks, presenting a unique flavor. On the important festivals, many women in Xinglong will wear the “Sarong”, a kind of strait skirt with Southeast Asian features.

The women’s dress with Southeast Asian features. (Photo/hinews.cn)

When you enter the house of the returned overseas Chinese, the host will guide you to beat the gong hung on the door with a wood stick. “This is the custom of Indonesia that the visiting guests should beat the gong before they come in,” said the host Pang Chaoming, a returned overseas Chinese from Indonesia in 1960 still following some Indonesian custom at home.

In addition, the returned overseas Chines love dancing. Every festival or celebration, they will tend to dress themselves in Indonesian costume and dance together with some merry music at a square. The man are dancing with sand hammers in their hands, while the women are wiggling their wrists and waists elegantly. When it comes to the most cheerful part, they will go to invite the guests applauding aside to join in the dancing together.

The returned overseas Chinese are dancing cheerfully at their home. (Photo/Hainan Daily)

If you have been looking forward to experiencing the Nanyang style but have no chance to go to the Southeast Asian countries, Hainan is a great choice for you. Even in winter, you can immerse yourself in the Southeast Asian cheerfulness just in Hainan.