ABSTRACT
The Chinese diaspora - a result of the dispersal of Chinese people outside of China2 - is characterized by tension between the forces of cohesion and of fragmentation. In this chapter, I propose that, to evaluate and define the nature of these tensions, it is instructive to examine the phenomenon at a micro-level. The diaspora is a complex combination of many sub-groups - even individuals - often interacting and juxtaposed with each other in untidy ways. The sub-groups may be variously classified: by family, place of common origin, locality overseas, occupation, social class, etc. The following pages focus on one sub-group, natives from the Guangdong county of Sanshui, and examine the bonding mechanisms - in particular, the way tongxianghui (same-native-place associations) accentuate and perpetuate a sense of Sanshui identity transnationally. While the power of regionalism among Chinese migrant communities, both inside and outside of China, has been studied, its dynamism still remains to be fully explored.3
