Our Mission
ChinaRoots (chinaroots.org) is a digital humanities project dedicated to the preservation and accessibility of Chinese local chronicles (gazetteers). We believe that every gazetteer is not just a historical record, but a vital link connecting the past to the future.
Since launching in 2023, we have focused on systematically organizing historical materials scattered across various sources, making local history and culture accessible to a broader audience.
What We Do
Using digital technologies, we excavate and organize historical data preserved in ancient texts:
- Historical Interpretation: We extract data on geography, customs, economics, and clans from major local gazetteers such as the Bamin Tongzhi (General Gazetteer of Fujian), Quanzhou Fuzhi (Quanzhou Prefecture Gazetteer), and Xiamen Shizhi (Xiamen City Gazetteer).
- Multilingual Accessibility: By providing Chinese-English bilingual content, we break down language barriers, enabling overseas Chinese descendants to understand their ancestral heritage.
- Historical Evolution Studies: We provide deep analysis of pivotal historical transitions—administrative evolution, industrial transformation, disaster response, and more—offering valuable reference for modern research.
Project Timeline
Phase 1 (2023–2024): Foundation
Established the website infrastructure, built the content classification system (by province, prefecture, and thematic tags), and published the first 20 articles focused on Fujian.
Phase 2 (2024–2025): Content Expansion
Expanded research coverage from Fujian to Taiwan and Guangdong, surpassing 50 articles. Established the Chinese-English bilingual publishing workflow. Introduced images and infographics to enhance readability.
Phase 3 (2025–Present): Deepening and Optimization
Surpassed 90 articles covering administrative evolution, medical history, economic transformation, education and civil examinations, clan genealogy, disaster response, and more. Continuously refining content quality and user experience.
Research Coverage
Our content spans the following core research areas:
| Area | Representative Topics |
|---|---|
| Administrative Geography | Fujian administrative evolution, the formation of the “Eight Min” (八闽) regional system, county-level restructuring |
| Medicine and Healthcare | Fujian-Taiwan medical history, epidemic prevention systems, TCM heritage, the introduction of Western medicine |
| Economy and Industry | Fujian tea industry, sugar industry, joss paper industry, Tai Fu Piao financial instruments |
| Maritime and Ports | Zaitun (Quanzhou) Port, Xiamen Port, Taiwan cross-strait ferry system, Maritime Silk Road |
| Education and Civil Examinations | Fujian academies (shuyuan), imperial examination achievements, Zhu Xi’s educational legacy |
| Clans and Migration | Fujian-Taiwan clan genealogy, overseas Chinese migration history, Qiaopi remittance networks |
| Disaster Response | Fujian earthquake history, typhoon and drought responses, granary systems |
| Culture and Religion | Mazu belief, Baosheng Dadi worship, Puxian Opera, Hakka culture |
Sources and Copyright
Our articles are primarily based on analysis of the following sources:
- Public Domain Ancient Texts: The Bamin Tongzhi, Quanzhou Fuzhi, Zhangzhou Fuzhi, Xiamen Shizhi, Revised Taiwan Provincial Gazetteer, and other local chronicle literature
- Academic Research: Published academic papers, monographs, and historical archives
- Digital Resources: Publicly accessible resources from local gazetteer databases and digital libraries
All original content is welcome for academic citation and public-interest dissemination, but proper attribution is required. Unauthorized reproduction for commercial purposes is prohibited.
Why ChinaRoots
In an era of fragmented information, we are committed to high-quality, rigorous content. Each article is carefully researched to provide accurate and valuable historical information to our readers.
What sets us apart:
- Primary Source Grounding: All discourse is based on original gazetteer documents, not secondary reposts
- Bilingual Accessibility: Chinese-English content serving global Chinese communities and academic researchers
- Interdisciplinary Perspective: Interpreting local history through the lenses of history, geography, economics, and anthropology
- Digital Humanities Practice: Combining traditional gazetteer research with modern digital methods
For inquiries or collaborations, please visit our Contact page.