Chaoxian had been living in the Northeast region of China from as early as the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The ancestors of the present Chaoxian people were immigrants from the Korean Peninsula. When they settled in China, they gradually formed unique customs and evolved into a Chinese ethnic group.
Rice and millet are the Chaoxian people's staple foods. To these they add piccalilli or spiced pickled vegetables, which are indispensable to their everyday meals. These pickled vegetables provide nutrients and also act as a tonic. The Chaoxian people also like to eat Dagao, sponge cake, cold noodles and capsicum. On the table, dishes must be placed in particular positions. The spoon and chopsticks should be on the right, rice should be to the left of the soup, and seasonings should be in the middle of the table.
According to tradition, two young people who are closely related or who share the same surname should not get married. In Chaoxian families, men are responsible for taking care of matters outside the home while women's duties revolve around caring for the inside of their homes.
Chaoxian people respect the old and mark every August 15th as the Day of the Older Persons. On that day younger people are forbidden to drink or smoke in front of their elders. They are also expected to walk behind their elders and to give way and greet elders when meeting them. In the Chaoxian family the elder son is expected to support his parents forever. Anyone who is not dutiful to their parents will be looked down on by all of their society.
People from the Chaoxian ethnic group are famous for their expertise at singing and dancing. After laboring or during festivals, girls in colorful dresses dance with the long drum and fans, and boys dance with a knife. This dancing is really spectacular and joyful and reflects the liveliness of this nationality. For sports and other activities, men are interested in wrestling and football while women prefer swinging and see-saw jumping.
