Last professional letter writer in Chinese city pens 100,000 missives over 59 years

A 77-year-old man in southeastern China has spent nearly six decades turning homesickness, hardship and family duty into letters sent across the sea. Jiang Mingdian, from Quanzhou in Fujian province, is regarded as one of China’s last active professional letter writers, though no public figures show how many still practise the trade. Over 59 years, he has reportedly written more than 100,000 letters for local families to relatives overseas, reaching countries including the Philippines,...

By Zoey Zhang