Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. Remove any excess fat from the cavity and the skin. Season the outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oil, five-spice powder, minced garlic, light brown sugar, and oyster sauce (optional). Mix well to create the marinade.

Use toothpicks to poke the chicken skin a few times. Season the outside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Brush the marinade over the chicken, ensuring it coats the chicken inside and out for at least 10-15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before roasting. Add the fresh ginger slices to inside chicken's cavity.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let any excess marinade drip off. Place chicken on a roasting rack in a roasting pan or a baking sheet. Wrapping the chicken wing tips and leg with foil before baking prevents the wingtips from burning or becoming overly crispy during the baking process. You can also tie the legs with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the body. (optional, I did not.)

Roast the chicken in the preheated oven for about 3 hours or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. Baste the chicken with the remaining marinade and honey every 20 minutes to keep it moist and flavorful.

Brush honey only over the chicken during the last few minutes of roasting.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving.

Carve the roast chicken into serving pieces. Serve with steamed rice and your favorite side dish. Enjoy your homemade Chinese-style roast chicken!