Returning Home with Glory
Remittances, letters, qiaokan, visits, and the sending of bones have been discussed in the Chapter 5, as were the organizations and practices that facilitated these. In this chapter is examined the less tangible, often psychological aspects, such as the motivations that lay behind the tangible elements. Underpinning the remittances and stores, the families in the qiaoxiang, and the years of effort in the destinations was the necessity to earn an income. The nature of these incomes, what these incomes meant to those in the qiaoxiang, and the jobs that secured these incomes are discussed. Considerations of income are incomplete, however, without also considering what was done with the money and why. The second part of this chapter will therefore discuss the role of prestige and social status in the establishment and maintenance of the qiaoxiang links.