How did nanyin chamber music survive in places outside mainland China?

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Chinese music: 12 pitches of the lü — Chinese music Twelve pitches of Chinese music as produced by overblowing the lü, bamboo tuning pipes (starting for ease of comparison from Western C).

The nanyin (also known as nanguan or nanyue) tradition, a regional form of chamber music originating from the Xiamen region, survived outside mainland China primarily through the migration of musically inclined business professionals and traders.1

As these individuals moved and established communities abroad, they maintained the tradition as a form of private entertainment and cultural connection. Consequently, nanyin has been preserved in various international locations, including Taiwan, Manila, Singapore, and San Francisco. These dispersed groups are considered highly valuable for the study of the oral history of music from the Ming and Qing periods, as their repertoires often reflect older traditions that might otherwise have been lost.1