Singapore is a country of immigrants, with 70% of the population being of Chinese descent. There are almost 3 million Chinese Singaporeans. However, there is one interesting thing, which is that these Chinese people in Singapore seem to disagree more and more that they are Chinese. Even their younger generation bluntly said that "if there is an afterlife, they will never be Chinese". Singapore now looks like a harmonious nation and prosperous economy, but in fact it was not as ideal as it is now in the early days of the country. The flames of war are raging, the people are struggling to make a living, and there are many difficulties. If it weren't for the diligence and courage of Singapore's Chinese descendants, Singapore would not be so harmonious and prosperous now.
The road to the South Seas for Chinese Singaporeans
The ancestral home of the Chinese in Singapore is the Chinese immigrants who "went to the South Seas" back then. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, many Chinese have traveled by sea to Southeast Asia to make a living. At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, a large number of remnants of the Ming Dynasty fled south, setting off a climax of "going to the South Seas". Later, the Opium War broke out, and the continuous domestic wars, coupled with taxes and forced labor, and the harsh environment, a large number of poor people flocked to it. Among them, the majority are from Guangdong and Fujian provinces. There are few people in these two places, and people make a living from farming, but they suffer from disasters and famines all year round. In order to survive, they had to put down their roots in their homeland and cross the ocean to this tropical island to make a living.
Chinese Singaporeans who are "besieged by groups".
The newcomer to Singapore, who was a newcomer, was indeed living a very poor life at that time. They wandered around and had no home, so they had to "huddle each other for warmth". They are both descendants of Yan and Huang, and they come from the same hometown, so they are naturally cordial in a foreign country. Even if it's just from the same township and province, it will feel extra cordial. Not to mention that they are also Chinese, they are "their own people" who talk about everything and have deep brotherhood. Therefore, the Chinese community in Singapore back then was like an impenetrable "besieged city". Everyone formed their own settlement, formed a gang hall, and did their own small business, helping each other and sharing weal and woe. In addition to earning money to support their families, their greatest wish is to save enough money to return to their homeland one day.
Singapore that "recognizes its ancestors and returns to their ancestors".
Singaporeans are a modern-minded people, and people aspire to replace their Chinese identity with Singaporean citizenship. This is a deliberate policy of the Singapore government to foster a new sense of "Singaporean" national identity. Therefore, even though Singapore promoted Chinese language education and advocated Chinese traditions in order to gain the support of the Chinese in the early days of the founding of the country, when the country gradually stabilized, the Singapore government began to suppress Chinese culture and dilute Chinese identity. For example, English has been designated as the only administrative language, the teaching time in Chinese has been reduced in public schools, and even the activities of some Chinese associations have been secretly suppressed. The Singapore government's goal is clear: to keep Singaporeans away from the influence of Chinese culture and truly identify with the new national identity of "Singaporeans".
A new generation of new people, a new outlook
Sure enough, after decades of vigorous implementation, the Singapore government finally got its wish. Today's young generation in Singapore has a gradual decline and dilution of their sense of identity as a Chinese. They prefer to be referred to as "Singapore citizens" rather than "Chinese". Some people even bluntly said: "If there is an afterlife, I will definitely not be a Chinese." In fact, it is not difficult to understand this identity crisis in the hearts of young Singaporeans. Although they have Chinese ancestry, they have lived in a Singaporean environment where the mainstream culture is Westernized since they were young, and the education concept they received will naturally not be as "affectionate" as the older generation. For them, the so-called "motherland" is just an unfamiliar concept, and Chinese identity is just a place of origin.
More importantly, they have a genuine sense of identity and belonging to the country of Singapore. The Singapore government's use of administrative means to suppress the spread of Chinese culture and weaken the influence of the Chinese is a narrow nationalist approach that should be criticized. A pluralistic country cannot suppress the culture of ethnic minorities. Cultural tolerance and inclusiveness are the right path to national reconciliation. For Singapore to truly achieve national identity, it should promote the coexistence and co-prosperity of different cultures, rather than denying or excluding any one of them.
In this life, I have no regrets about entering China, and I will still be a Chinese person in the next life
In the end, Chinese immigrants have made indelible contributions to the construction of Singapore. The reason why Singapore was able to take shape a hundred years ago is largely due to the industrious and intelligent Chinese pioneers. So they have every reason to be proud of their Chinese heritage.
What's more, Chinese culture is broad and profound, with a long history. It has given birth to a glorious civilization of 5,000 years and is a treasure of the wisdom of the entire human race. We should inherit and carry forward this precious spiritual wealth, rather than ignore it. For those young people who "will never be Chinese if there is an afterlife", I can only say that they are too young and naïve. What you have in your body is the blood of the Chinese nation, and in the final analysis, you are also the descendants of Yan and Huang. Loving the motherland and the nation is the eternal belief and pursuit of our Chinese descendants. As a genuine overseas Chinese who do not forget their roots, we should do our part to make due contributions to the country and the community where we live, and at the same time, we should also inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation with a sincere heart.