Huiguan

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A huiguan is a Chinese association or association hall of sojourners or migrants from the same area. They originated in the early 1400s and were common across China and overseas during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). Most were founded by merchants or artisans and a kind of guild, while most in Beijing lodged candidates for the imperial examinations. Huiguan had social, religious, and philanthropic purposes such as temples, cemeteries, banquets, and theatrical performances. They worked to maintain order in their communities and represent their interests to the government and public, with some functioning like governments. A huiguan could represent an area ranging from a county to multiple provinces, and in some countries they formed federations to represent all Chinese immigrants. In China, the institutions declined in the 1900s before being dissolved in the 1950s, while some overseas are active as cultural organizations.

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