Chinese laborers went to United States 150: apart from the railroad and they took

s laborers to United States built railway 150 annual, to North America built railway laborers most from (Guangdong) Taishan, and open equal Wuyi region, five Yi University and United States Stanford University recently started has research project "United States railway laborers village field archaeological survey", the project since November 15 started yilai, archaeological team has to Jiangmen five Yi overseas Chinese Museum, and new learn Palace, and jinniushan Yizhong, and Kaiping Archives Council, to research, in-depth to gongyizhen water floor village (Li Tianpei, several railway workers brokers of home), and Long Gangli (Railway workers offspring weiming Zhang came from) and other village visits.

Guangzhou daily reported, archaeological team members, and five Yi University Guangdong hometown culture Research Center Associate Professor Tan Jinhua said, in to America gold rush, and road abroad tide in the, five Yi first overseas in abroad, overcome natural environment of bad, adapted culture custom of differences, not only for local provides has labor, also for America brings has farming and fruit processing, for 150 years Qian of America economic prosperity development made contribution. Meanwhile, they also advanced technologies abroad back to the motherland, prosperity overseas. Declassified: why Chinese laborers from Jiangmen

One reason: traditional Region, especially in Taishan, Kaiping, Xinhui, Jiangmen, near water where people since ancient times, going out of the tradition, folks outside and carry a message to the folks at home.

Two reasons: war After the Taiping rebellion, there were Aboriginal and Hakka battle in Jiangmen, leading many people feel on the ground unable to survive, Jiangmen will go.

Three reasons: the economy While Guangzhou was also know United States needed workers, but the local economy is relatively developed, and Jiangmen economic backwardness, they will be willing to go for a living risk of a stroke.

Four reasons: people Under the influence of gold rush was already a lot of Jiangmen national workers into the United States, some Chinese local contractors, like Tai Shan da Jiang Zhen Li Tianpei, was known as a contractor. Later, the United States, and Canada build a railway company, by Li Tianpei to China to recruit workers, and Li Tianpei is the hometown of the main recruitment.

Wuyi forced by Chinese workers from their homes to make a living "In Wuyi region is a major source of railway workers in North America! "Guangdong overseas Chinese culture research center of Wuyi University Associate Professor Tan Jinhua pointed out that 150 years ago, Wu Yi people venture abroad to make a living, and the late Qing dynasty's political background and social status are closely related. Invasion that year, the local "gang fights" which many people displaced, forced to leave their homes to survive.

From the middle of 19th century, China's internal and external problems increased, Wuyi region food shortages, and suffer from bandits. At that time, from Canada, such as development of the gold and the subsequent North American Railroad, labor-hungry news to "Gold Mountain" way as Wu Yi people's consensus, "father carrying his son, brother to bring his brother! "Wu Yi young adults have to borrow money to buy a ticket to travel to North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and other places, becoming the main pioneers.

Project team member in the Museum of Wuyi overseas Chinese understand that, when workers go out very hard, in visiting the ferry workers on the Pacific Ocean is called "piggy", due to the poor crowded on the boat to North America when many laborers were not adult-like. Native of Kaiping overseas Chinese leader situ meitang wrote in his memoirs: "listening to the old overseas Chinese, was masted boat ride, flight range is three or four months to six months, depends on the weather, overseas Chinese bring their own salty shrimp paste, meal, long worms, beard when landed a few inches long, deep black eyes. ”

Railway workers "the rescue" Mei Weiqiang, an associate professor of Wuyi University, Guangdong overseas Chinese culture Research Center, in 1864, Union Pacific railroad and the Central Pacific railroad company began construction of a stretch of railway line. But two firms falls far short on the construction schedule: due to the flat terrain in the East section smoothly; Central Pacific Railroad contracted the West section of terrain, climate is bad, many white workers fed up with tired have stopped doing works slowly – start laying a year was less than 50 miles and even railway companies facing bankruptcy.

"Desperation, executives Klauck recommendations of the Central Pacific Railroad laborers, management tries to employ 50 workers in California. "Mei Weiqiang introduction," in February 1865, the first Chinese laborers took to the railway construction site. "Their performances to surprise Americans, tasted the sweetness of the company began to would-be laborers, even sent people to the workers in Guangdong Province. Chinese laborers in the United States more than 10,000 people or so, 90% per cent of total workers, most of them from Jiangmen area.