Singaporean Chinese have more in common with West than China

dragg SG

I strongly agree with Mr Leon Tham on first being a Singaporean, then a Chinese (ST Oct 24).

I've had the opportunity to live in Shanghai for about three months and found myself wrestling with the question of identity, be it national or cultural.

From my stay in China, I found myself to be so different from the local Chinese. We grew up with different experiences and are shaped by different cultural and linguistic backgrounds even though we are essentially from the same gene pool.

To prove a case in the linguistic context, terms like 'lu' and 'kai' popped up in work meetings which I found to mean aluminium and calcium respectively.

I've never heard of such terms before I was in China. I cannot even fathom the names of other common elements like silicon or common everyday terms like 'desktop shortcut' in Chinese.

However, it was more than the language. Once, a Chinese colleague was trying to tell me how to write her name and mentioned the 'Jin' in 'Ba Jin'. I asked her what was 'Ba Jin'. She was in disbelief and asked me if I had never heard of the famous Chinese author Ba Jin or read his books. The fact is I had not read any of his books or a book by any famous Chinese author. Identity crisis was setting in.

Most of us grew up reading Enid Blyton, Hardy Boys and Roald Dahl. Children even during my time grew up watching Sesame Street, which is virtually unknown in China.

This presents a unique problem, one I term 'The dichotomy of identities facing Singaporean Chinese'.

Chinese culture has a huge impact on Singaporean society but at the same time, our upbringing, outlook and identity aren't that Chinese. This is a difficult issue to resolve, perhaps one which is unresolvable.

Many Chinese Singaporeans may resist this notion but I think we share more cultural experiences with the West than with the Chinese per se, even though the Asian mentality may be very prevalent in our society.

For me, this is indeed an odd situation to be in and it tugs at my cultural identity in different directions.

Eng Zhen-Hui

charlize SG

It's like 40 years of nation building and national identity gone down the drain when even people at the top claim we are "relatives" to the people in China.

I seriously doubt PRC considers us in the same vein. Laughing

tare SG

this would depends r u the more jiak gan dang singaporean or cheena singaporean lor......

certain industrial terms may need a little getting used to, but can't be tat lost lah... at least not for me... then again i cheena one Embarassed

dragg SG

2 sundays ago a reporter went to china and spoke to the people in china. they actually do think we are the same. as long as we are chinese.

DriftingGuy SG

Compare us to chinese who were born and raised in the US or Europe... they are definitely more ang mo pai than us.. generally

LazerLordz SG

That's the same as denying out own identity and angkat-ing another culture.

I'm also proud of my Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton childhood, with my nyonya afternoon lunch made by my granny, why should I give this up and follow a culture of a nation I do not belong in?

I'd say improve the Singaporean identity and not let 40 years of nation-building go down the drain under the auspice of more angkat.

dragg SG

is nationality more important or race?

is this a sensitive question?

tare SG

yah man, we should be proud of being singlish lah! we talk, dun care angmoh or chinese, no other country ppl noe wat talking us okie!! *ya ya*

The man who was death SG

We all live in amerika coca cola wonderbra
Laughing

tare SG

u sick little boy! stop cross dressing!!! Twisted Evil

DriftingGuy SG

i had the same childhood.. but replace the nyonya Laughing

anyway anyone here thinks its possible to have the best of both world? Equal mastery of both english and chinese... plus very ang moh pai but deeply traditional?

lazerlordz.. 4 more to 10 K

The man who was death SG

i'm crossdressing!! i'm just making coca cola rhyme with bra, it's actually a song from a german band abt american imperialisation

dragg SG

it is ok to like and enjoy things that are american. but least keep your own identity.

thats important.

The man who was death SG

singlish is our identity must keep it!! Wink

elindra SG

Actually I would say that we have some things in common with the west and with China. We are unique in the sense that we are a blend of both East and West.

We are by race chinese. However that does not shape our beliefs, our culture, education etc. The living environment does. Even if we were to compare our culture with the West, we will find many differences once we are living there because Singapore is such a unique blend of cultures itself.

If a PRC husband and wife were to migrate to USA and have children there, their kids won't be able to identify with the culture in China as well. The Chinese might think we are the same because we are of the same race.

Anyway, in Singapore itself, there are already a 'divide' between the more 'Ang Mo Pai' Singaporeans and the 'Cheena' ones. The lifestyles and beliefs are really different from what I have seen.

However, ultimately what is most important is respecting each individuals ideals and practices. Afterall, the whole world is a melting pot of cultures and practices with technology bringing us closer day by day anyway.

Just my 2 cents Mr. Green

Aveme SG

it is of course possible to have equal mastery of both english and chinese (if you are referring to total mastery) but that will take alot of effort and certainly not with the usual curiculum of our education system, and even so only few can do so.Almost all singaporean chinese just have a average mastery of both english and chinese with a slightly better mastery in english.

But the second point,it is not possible,being ang moh pai already means you see things non traditionally,they just cannot mix.

eric shang SG

i am chinese from china

hao jian de singaporean,but west plp do not know what is singapore ,although you look the same book with them . it deserve to proud ?(zhe ye zhi de jiao ao)you can not change your skin ,you want to become yang gui zi ,but never ,you speak english ,use english ,but are there singaporean famours plp in the world ?no ,we speak chinese ,we have many famours stars in the world ,you no .

why ?why singaporean so jian ?ni men zhen mo zhe mo jian ,yi xin xiang bian cheng yang ren

singaporean ,you are not allowed to go to china ,hk ,tw ,yi hou bu zhun lai zhong gang tai ,ni men tai jian le ,you are not chinese

sou bu liao le ,shi jie shang zen mo you ru ci jian de ren

stellazio SG

sometimes there are traits from both sides that i do not wish to be associated with.. Laughing

Rhonda SG

Actually, language-wise, since English is the first language in schools, and the official language of commerce here, is it any wonder if we end up to be a little more 'westernised' than the Chinese from China? That is, if the mastery of a language is a gauge that's used to ascertain the 'western-ness' of the Chinese! Laughing

dragg SG

sim wong hoo, sun yan zhi and lee kuan yew not popular enough?