The Faculty of Humanities (FIB) at Universitas Indonesia successfully held the “Qiaopi History and Cultural Exhibition” on 11 November 2025 at the corridor of Achadiati Ikram Building II. The exhibition was a collaboration between FIB UI and the Shantou City Government, Guangdong Province, China, in commemoration of 75 years of Indonesia–China diplomatic relations.
The exhibition, titled “Three Rivers Flow into the Sea, One Letter Brings the Waves Home,” focused on Qiaopi, a documentary heritage recognized by UNESCO as a Memory of the World. Qiaopi refers to a unique combination of personal letters and remittance receipts sent by overseas Chinese to their families in their hometowns during the 19th to 20th centuries. The exhibition panels trace how these documents served as silent witnesses to economic struggle, deep longing, and the resilient familial bonds of the Chinese diaspora, including those in Southeast Asia.
This exhibition carries significant educational value, especially for students studying the humanities. Qiaopi not only reflects the history of the Chinese diaspora, but also highlights universal humanistic and patriotic values such as filial piety, family responsibility, and love for one’s homeland. The exhibition also encourages the academic community to further explore the history of diaspora and cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia, which has a substantial migrant population.
Furthermore, FIB UI hopes that the organization of the Qiaopi exhibition will strengthen the faculty’s commitment to preserving heritage and promoting international research collaboration. Many students, lecturers, and staff who previously had no knowledge of Qiaopi gained new insights through this exhibition. The spirit of patriotism and commitment embodied in Qiaopi serves as an inspiration for the younger generation.
The exhibition is expected to serve as a model for disseminating values of honesty, loyalty, and patriotism contained within each Qiaopi letter to younger generations. The event reaffirms FIB UI’s strategic role as a center of study that not only examines texts and theories but also brings to life grassroots histories rich in meaning and relevant to contemporary socio-cultural contexts. (Trans-CA)
