The change of the concept of "China"
So, for Singapore, what is "Chinese"?This is a problem that existed a long time ago.First of all, if you pay attention to what the Chinese think of the Qing Dynasty, you will find that most Chinese from Singapore in Fujian and Guangdong will not accept the Manchus as their legal ruler.As we all know, the establishment of many private parties is to anti -Qing Fu Ming.This is why when Sun Yat -sen came to Singapore, he received strong support from Fujian and Cantonese. They agreed to drive the Manchu people out of China and restore the Han rule of the Han people.
The story originated here, but it did not end.When Sun Yat -sen established the Republic of China, he believed that the map of the Manchu period was the map of the Republic of China.This is another story, I don't tell me carefully.But it does increase our complexity of "China".
Because when Sun Yat -sen realized that he would never unite the Chinese people in other ways, he proposed that as long as Yuan Shikai could persuade the young Xuantong Emperor Puyi to abdicate and legally transferred his power to him, he supported Yuan Shikai to be the temporary big of the Republic of China.president.
In this way, the Republic of China inherited the border of the Qing Dynasty, and most of them were not ruled by the Ming Dynasty.In fact, more than half of the population was the non -Han ministers of the Manchu Empire.But as the Emperor Manchu abdicated to Yuan Shikai, their land became part of the Republic of China and was regarded as a citizen of the Republic of China.
When Yuan Shikai took over as the temporary president of the Republic of China, what Sun Yat -sen wanted to do is to propose that the Republic of China is based on the "five ethnic republics" principles.This means that the Han people are one of the five major nations of the Republic of China.The "Five people" were a word used to refer to the Manchu, Han, Mongolian, Hui and Tibetans.This history has existed in the Republic of China for more than ten years.
Therefore, Chinese nationalism does not begin with the Han people, and the "five ethnic republics" regard everyone as "Chinese".Sun Yat -sen's supporters were not satisfied with this, so they invented the term "Chinese nation" to describe everyone in the Republic of China.This is really a novel concept!A new name contains all "Chinese".Similarly, I will not detail this.You can realize how complicated this problem has become.
Related to this, the Chinese in Singapore have different reactions to the use of these new names.Many people support Sun Yat -sen's slogan: "Drive the prisoners and restore China." When the Republic of China adopted the five ethnic republics and the Chinese nation later, the Chinese in Singapore accepted the names introduced more or less.These words are used in all Chinese school textbooks.But some adults are confused about them.
Then, when the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, the Chinese government defeated the Kuomintang and declared that they were internationalists, and people discovered their contradictions.For many people, the essence of the People's Republic of China is nationalism.One of the concepts of the founding of the mainland government is to become a multi -ethnic country composed of 56 ethnic groups.People noticed this, but there was a doubt.
Han is the largest nation, accounting for about 91%to 92%of the total population.Their identity and distribution did cause controversy, but let us accept this number.But for about 9%of the 55 of the other 55 ethnic groups, they can jointly make ancestral demand for the ancestors' rights for the land of China.
So, what is the position of the Chinese in Singapore in this regard?This involves how to identify and recognize multiple relationships with China.On the other side of the question is, what is "Chinese", this problem itself seems to have been changing.I heard some people say that the concept of "Singapore" and Singapore's "Chinese" have been changing.What kind of relationship is the two?
This brings out my last question.
What is the solution of "Singapore Chinese"?
When Singapore is changing and trying to find a solid foundation for the long -term survival of themselves as an independent sovereign nation country, at the same time, it is necessary to serve as a global city, and under the banner of the Asian dimension, as the heart and center of Southeast Asia, thisWhat does it mean?
On the other hand, China itself is also changing.China, which was once ruled, humiliated, defeated, and almost destroyed by civilization, was re -established through the mainland government after 1949.Everyone was surprised.The mainland government has pursued internationalism, but as it begins to become rich, strong and stable, it also becomes very nationalism.The mainland government's China has indeed risen. Now it can be able to fight alone independently. They will never be bullied and harm again.
However, China also believes that it has inherited the Republic of China of the Qing Dynasty and the Kuomintang, and the boundary consolidated by the mainland government after 1949.It is now a nation with sovereignty, a multi -ethnic country ruled by the mainland government -the People's Republic of China.That's how a Chinese rise.
Of course, some people will say, "Ah, there is another China." The Republic of China has never been conquered.It was established by the Kuomintang of Yuan Shikai and Sun Yat -sen in 1912.It still exists.In nominal, there is still a Republic of China.Some people call it Taiwan, but this is not its formal name.
Chinese people around the world, or Chinese, are about 50 million to 60 million. Some people say more, depending on their statistical way.
What kind of "Chinese" are they?Who is Chinese?What does it mean to be Chinese?
A definition is: citizen of the People's Republic of China.People who identify with Chinese civilization are another definition.Those who agree with their ancestors and spectrums, dialect groups, religion or religious customs (whether Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Muslim, Christianity, what they choose, or even other gods worshiped by Chinese), theyYou can consider themselves to be Chinese in some way.
As a Chinese, there are many ways to recognize China.Although the methods are different, I think they are completely reasonable.To a large extent, it depends on self -identification, that is, how you identify your identity, but also depends on how others identify you.
This is the question of what kind of relationship is China and Singapore.I have lived in Singapore since 1996.This is my 27th year in Singapore. Even in these 26 years, I also saw the Chinese description of my own way, and there was a huge change: from "Singapore Chinese"The word "Chinese" only says "Singaporeans"; and ignores any other identity in China.In Singapore, these are everywhere.
So, what is Singapore Chinese?This seems to depend on many factors.These are one of the three most difficult answers I raised.But every problem involves such cognition, that is, Singapore has experienced many sometimes incredible changes, and China has changed a lot.China has once again become strong and wealthy, which has never seen the world in the past 200 years.But now, for our neighbors and those hostile to China, to curb it, it will never allow it to develop in any influence outside its territory, but it is true.All of this is in front of you, you read this kind of news every day, which is inevitable.All these are answering such a question: What does this mean?
In this context, with the continuous development and changes of the world, it is necessary to create international order.I admit that I never understand what "international order" is.But what I want to say is that there is indeed such order, which people generally think that it is effective, and Singapore is actively participating in it.
As a small country, a sovereign nation, and enjoying an equal status with all other ethnic countries in 195 member states, the United Nations system that Singapore relies on is critical to survival.In addition, the peaceful operation of the system is particularly important.But when you are a superpowerThis time, it is similar to the international political game of the 19th century, so that Empire politics now enters our daily life, and when it threatens this system, what is the significance of its existence?
Many words, discourse and use language have become more confident.And the consequences of their use have become unpredictable.How do we predict the development of the next stage?If we put it together with the question of "Chinese", how can we prepare for the accident that happened in the future?
I don't want to end the discussion in this ambiguous way, but I admit that I have no answer to this question.What I can say is that this is a very important issue for Chinese descent in this area.How do others recognize them, how do they recognize themselves, and what does their existence mean?Singapore is a country with a diverse society and a modern country that looks at the world. It has admirable ambitions.What other countries think of this and how much this is related to China and "Chinese", which is still a question.
The meaning of all this depends on too many variable factor, and I cannot make a summary here.I hope to provide a more appropriate description for possible answers, but I have no answer.What I can say is that you must carefully examine the countless changes that have been happening during this period of time, especially those changes that surprise you.If you can do this, you should be able to make a deeper thinking about these issues beyond these ideas.
The author is a famous local historian
This article is an English speech published by his lectures with the lectures co -organized by Yale -Singapore University of Singapore on March 19
Original Lianjie Morning News English Electronic Magazine
ThinkChina
Golden Shun Translation
