Sanshui Xunkan was partially supported by donations from tongxiang in Pulling at Heart Strings Xunkan as Self-Promotion by Sanshui leaders tongxiang ties. It consistently paid

Since it was unlikely that many of the SNA leaders, who were mainly small merchants and shopkeepers, would ever get their names into provinciallevel or national-level press of any kind, the Xunkan, which was local and yet international, provided the ideal vehicle for far-reaching selfadvertisement for them. Moreover, apart from self-advertisement, the SNA leaders also paid tribute to the leaders of Sanshui tongxianghui in different localities, thus elevating the status of their counterparts as well. One can imagine such function was reciprocal so that the relationship among the leaders of various associations was symbiotic and mutually-reinforcing.