Preserve and Share Tung Wah Museum Archives

Research Article “Fallen Leaves Returning to Their Roots: Repatriating the Bones of Overseas Chinese (1850-1949)” by Dr. Jinhua TAN, Selia, Associate Professor, Institute for Guangdong Qiaoxiang Studies, Wuyi University

In 2020, TWGHs Records and Heritage Office published the book“Fallen leaves returning to their roots: A selection of archives on the bone repatriation service of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals for overseas Chinese” to explore the legacy of the bone repatriation service of TWGHs and the importance of the coffin home archives to Hong Kong, China and the world. The book contains 300 letters received from overseas Chinese organisations between 1929 and 1936 which showcasing the history of TWGHs assisting in the repatriation of remains of Chinese in North America, Central and South America, Asia, Oceania, Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Apart from the invaluable archives, Dr Selia TAN of the Institute for Guangdong Qiaoxing Studies, Wuyi University was invited to contribute a research article “Fallen Leaves Returning to Their Roots: Repatriating the Bones of Overseas Chinese (1850-1949)” which further explained the historical development and cultural connotations of the bone repatriating service. And we are delighted to share the Chinese and English versions of the article on the “References Materials” page of the “Tung Wah Coffin Home Archives” section ( http://www.twmarchives.hk/coffin_home_archives_materials_list.php?lang=en ).

TWGHs Records and Heritage Office

June 2022

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