Why is Zhanjiang customs similar to Chaoshan?

Because they are descendants of Minnan immigrants.

In ancient times, the southern region was called a wild land by the Central Plains people, and there was another big ethnic group in this southern coastal area, which lived here for generations and was collectively called Baiyue nationality. Baiyue ethnic group is actually composed of various Yue ethnic groups in southern China. In ancient times, Zhejiang was called wuyue, Fujian was called Ouyue and Minyue, and Guangdong was called Luoyue.

The ethnic groups in these areas mentioned today were called Minyue people in the past and Minnan people now. In the past, they mainly lived in Zhanjiang and Chaoshan areas today.

Zhanjiang is a "hodgepodge" area

Besides Suixi (Xiashan, Chikan, Donghai Island, etc. also belonged to Suixi), Haikang and Xuwen counties, it also includes Lianjiang, Wuchuan, Potou and other former Gaozhou areas. In terms of language, Zhanjiang is dominated by Leizhou dialect, vernacular, Wuchuan dialect and Hakka dialect, among which Leizhou dialect is the most widely distributed in all counties and cities.

The whole Zhanjiang area is an immigrant culture. In the early stage, it was definitely dominated by Minnan immigrant culture (the predecessor of Leizhou culture). Later, influenced by Guangfu culture, Lianjiang, Wuchuan, which belongs to Gaozhou prefecture, began to change. However, if traced back to the source, many ancestors of Wuchuan and Lianjiang people also moved from Fujian, and it is not objective to say that they were Guangfu culture from the beginning.