Meeting Huang Dong: The Little People and the Big World at the Pearl River Estuary in the 18-19th Century

In addition to politicians, scholars, and other prominent figures, history is shaped by countless unnamed individuals. Before China opened its doors to the world, the Pearl River Delta and Macau region had nearly three hundred years of interaction with Western countries, leading to extensive and profound interactions between ordinary people and Westerners in all aspects of daily life. These individuals, in order to make a living, engaged in various occupations closely connected to Westerners. This provided them with the opportunity to learn new knowledge, skills, vocabulary, and language from Westerners, ultimately transforming their worldviews in response to political and social changes over the centuries.