They speak an indigenous dialect.
The father of modern China, Sun Yat-sen, was reputed to be one.
They are the Hakka. And although they migrated from the north of China to the southern provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Jiangxi over 2,000 years ago, the Hakka people (the name means literally 'guest people') are still looked upon as a transient bunch.
However, they have also tenaciously defended their cultural heritage, resulting in a language, customs - even architecture - that distinguish them from the native tribes of Guangdong. Hakka artist Peng Qianghua, in his new exhibition, The Heat Of Summer, aims to show viewers what makes his people
so special.
Born in Meizhou, Guangdong - a traditional area of Hakka settlement - Peng's paintings portray village life as he remembers it as a child: simple and innocent. 'The Hakka people are hard-working, persevering, guileless and warm,' says the 57-year-old artist, who hopes to bring out these qualities in his art.
