60-722: (Redirected from Singapore Chinese ) Singaporean Chinese may refer to: Chinese Singaporeans , the citizens or residents of Singapore who are of Chinese ancestry Singaporean Mandarin , the dialect of Mandarin Chinese spoken in Singapore Singaporean Hokkien , historically the largest vernacular of the Singapore Chinese See also [ edit ] Malaysian Mandarin Topics referred to by
120-572: A British official in Singapore wrote that he did not know of any respectable Chinese woman who had emigrated with her husband. The imbalance of the sexes in Chinese community continued for a long time with the continual flow into Singapore of male migrant workers who were either single or had left their wives and children behind in China; for example, the 1901 census figures show that there were 130,367 Chinese males compared to 33,674 Chinese females. For
180-574: A fifth of the Chinese Singaporean population, making them the second-largest Southern Min dialect-speaking group in Singapore. The Teochew speakers form a separate division of Hoklo (Min Nan/Hokkien) people. They originated from Chaoshan region in eastern Guangdong , in cities like Chaozhou , Jieyang and Shantou . Many trace their origins from different Northern cities but were settled there to maintain as county authorities within
240-468: A high peak. The large influx of coolies into Singapore only stopped after William Pickering became the Protector of Chinese. In 1914, the coolie trade was abolished and banned in Singapore. The large influx of Chinese to Singapore led to the establishment of a large number of Chinese associations, schools, and temples in Singapore and, within a century, the Chinese immigrant population exceeded that of
300-507: A long period, most of the Chinese population in early Singapore were immigrants as many did not intend to settle permanently to raise their family there; even by the late 1890s, only around 10% of the Chinese population in Singapore were born there. The early migrant Chinese workers worked to send money back to their family in China, and many would then return to China after they had earned enough money. However, an increasing number would also choose to settle permanently in Singapore, especially in
360-678: A majority of 120 Malay and 30 minority Chinese. When Singapore became a Straits Settlement , there were very few Chinese. After Singapore became a British trading post as part of the Straits Settlement , the first batch of Chinese came from Malaysia, predominantly from Malacca and Penang . Amongst these Chinese from Malacca and Penang , many were Peranakans or descendants of Chinese in Malaysia for several generations. Most were traders who could speak Chinese and Malay, though many were also English-educated and could communicate with
420-435: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Language and nationality disambiguation pages Chinese Singaporeans Chinese Singaporeans ( traditional Chinese : 新加坡華人/華裔新加坡人 ; simplified Chinese : 新加坡华人/华裔新加坡人 ; pinyin : Xīnjiāpō Huárén / Huáyì Xīnjiāpōrén ) are Singaporeans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Singaporeans constitute 75.9% of
480-464: Is still preserved amongst ethnic Chinese of Cantonese ancestry, although most younger generations tend to speak more Standard Chinese due to language reforms, but is still widely used as the main lingua franca for connecting both the older and the younger generations when communicating to one another as well. As of 2010, Singaporeans recognise Chinatown for having a large number of Cantonese people. The Hakka -speaking subgroup constitutes 11.4% of
540-793: Is the only tulou replica outside of proper China till date. Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong , were fourth- and fifth-generation Chinese Singaporeans of Hakka descent, respectively. Apart from Lee Kuan Yew, many first-generation leaders of Singapore were of Hakka descent, including Chor Yeok Eng , Hon Sui Sen , Howe Yoon Chong and Yong Nyuk Lin . Putian people The Putian people ( Chinese : 莆田人, pinyin : Pútiánrén ; Puxian Min : 莆仙儂, Hinghwa Romanized : Pó-sing-náng ) are people from Putian , east Fujian , China . They are also known as Xinghua , Henghua , Henghwa or Hinghua people ( Hing-hua̍ ; simplified Chinese : 兴化 ; traditional Chinese : 興化 ; pinyin : Xīnghuà ) after
600-624: Is today Singapore were the Peranakan Chinese from Malacca and Riau who were descendants of those who immigrated to the region and married local wives between the 15th to 18th centuries. The 19th century Chinese record Investigation of Southern Pacific (南洋蠡測) (Nanyang Li Ce) described the presence of Chinese tombs in Singapore (known as "Xin Ji Li Po" (新忌利波 in Chinese). On the Chinese tomb, there were words and inscriptions recording
660-671: The CMIO model . They consist of "persons of Chinese origin" such as the Hokkiens , Teochews , Hainanese , Cantonese , Hakka , Henghuas , Hokchias and Foochows , Shanghainese , Northern Chinese, etc." Chinese Singaporeans are defined as the "Chinese community in Singapore" regardless of their affiliation with the wider global Chinese community . As early as the 10th century, there was evidence of Chinese people trading and settling in Singapore and there were also various Chinese records documenting trading activities and Chinese residents on
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#1732782340240720-480: The Fujian , Guangdong and Hainan provinces and, unlike Peranakans, paid loyalty to China and regarded themselves as "Huaqiao". The Second Sino-Japanese War , started in 1937, revived a perceived sense of patriotism in the local Chinese to their native homeland in China which led them to impose an embargo against Japanese goods and products in Singapore. During the war, many of the immigrants returned to China to fight
780-743: The HDB initiated redevelopment in the 1980s. The Straits Times reports that Hougang still has a relatively high concentration of Teochew residents. Most Teochew settled along the Singapore River in Chinatown during the 19th and early 20th century. Teochew who settled in Chinatown worked in many commercial sectors as well as the fisheries. Commercial sectors once dominated by Teochews include Circular Road and South Bridge Road. Other Teochew businessmen set up gambier and pepper plantations in
840-671: The Jade Emperor , 9th Day of the 1st Lunar Month is the birthday of Jade Emperor and is considered by many Chinese to be the most important day of the lunar year. A traditional Taoist practice by spiritual mediumship (乩童, p jītóng , Hokkien tâng-ki ; 童乩) is also popular. The tangki goes into a trance and purportedly channels a chosen Deity for the petitioner. The Deity will provides wide range of divine assistance from bestowing blessings to oracles consultation to exorcism to giving spiritual protection and talismans. The Teochew -speaking subgroup in Singapore constitutes about
900-530: The Thian Hock Kheng Temple . They subsequently set up clan headquarters ( Hokkien Huey Kuan ) there and later expanded to Hokkien Street and the vicinity of China Street. Hokkiens were the most active in early trading that centred along the Singapore River . As early settlers came from the southern coast of China, they were to pray for calm waves and a safe journey and worshipped the “Mother of Heavenly Sage” or Tian Shang Sheng Mu ( 天上聖母 ),
960-655: The Yueh Hai Ching Temple on the south bank of the Singapore River. From the founding of modern Singapore by Stamford Raffles until the Japanese occupation in 1942, Singapore was ruled as a colony by the British. When the British first arrived in Singapore, most of the inhabitants on the island of Singapore were fisherman, seamen or pirates, living in small houses. There were about 150 people;
1020-432: The 1920s when more chose to remain in Singapore rather than leave. Change in social attitude in the modern era also meant that Chinese women were freer to emigrate from China, and the sex ratio began to normalise in the 20th century. This gradual normalisation of sex ratio led to an increase in the number of native births. Immigration would continue to be the main reason for the Chinese population increase in Singapore until
1080-571: The 1931–1947 period when the natural increase in population would surpass the net immigration figures. Many of the early migrants were Chinese traders who were attracted by the free trade policy after Singapore became the capital of the British Straits Settlements in 1832. Many also came to work in the plantations, with 11,000 migrants recorded in one year. Singapore became one of the entry and dispersal points for large number of Chinese and Indian migrants who came to work in
1140-414: The 1960s, the Singapore government undertook measures to help foster racial harmony in Singapore. It encouraged races of different languages and religious backgrounds to intermingle and to live side-by-side. Following the growth of Singaporean national identity, the Chinese immigrants began to change their mindset from that of temporary migrants to permanent settlers, thus establishing roots in Singapore. With
1200-403: The 19th until the mid-20th century, migrants from China were known as "Sinkuh" (新客 – New Guest). A majority of them were coolies, workers on steamboats, etc. Some of them came to Singapore for work, in search of better living conditions or to escape poverty in China. Many of them also escaped to Singapore due to chaos and wars in China during the first half of the 20th century. They came mostly from
1260-557: The British colonial period, the colonial government adopted the approach of using "the Chinese to govern the Chinese". They appointed Chinese leaders to govern the Chinese community. Effectively, the Chinese community existed in a semi-autonomous state. Chinese civil societies helped new Chinese immigrants settle into Singapore, finding employment and lodging for them. Many Chinese civil societies were involved in Chinese family religious activities such as funerals or ancestral worship and also had religious functions. This gradually evolved into
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#17327823402401320-637: The British. In the Manners and customs of the Chinese of the Straits Settlements, Singapore , it was described that the Straits-born Chinese regarded themselves as British subjects instead of Chinese subjects; their lifestyle was more westernised. By the time of the first census of Singapore in 1824, the Chinese migrants were noted as being either Peranakans , or from Macau , Guangdong and Fujian . The Chinese quickly formed
1380-500: The Chinese Singaporean population. About 70% of them originated from Dabu County . Singapore has more than 200,000 Hakkas and they are the fourth-largest dialect group after the Hokkiens, Teochews and Cantonese. The Hakkas were known for running pawnshops, traditional Chinese medicine shops and optical shops. Many Hakka women who came to Singapore during the early 20th century worked in construction sites and wore headgear similar to
1440-489: The Chinese Singaporean population. The Hakka , Henghuas , Foochows , and other subgroups account for most of the remainder. Singaporeans of Chinese descent are generally the descendants of non-indentured and indentured immigrants from southern China during the 19th and first half of the 20th century. The 1990s and early 21st century saw Singapore experience a third wave of immigration from different parts of China. The Hokkien -speaking subgroup constitutes nearly two-fifths of
1500-492: The Chinese Singaporean population. They are Hoklo people from Minnan, including mixed-race Peranakan Chinese and immigrants who originated in the southern parts of the Fujian province , including Xiamen , Quanzhou and Zhangzhou . They speak Singaporean Hokkien , the standard of which is based on the Amoy dialect of Xiamen , which is partially comprehensible with Teochew although less so with Hainanese . Hokkien Chinese
1560-599: The Chinese Singaporean population. They originated from Hong Kong and the southern region of Guangdong province in China, including Guangzhou , Foshan , Zhaoqing , Jiangmen , Maoming and Heshan . The Cantonese speak several dialects belonging to the Yue family . Yue Hai is considered the prestige dialect from its occurrence in Guangzhou . Other variants include Luoguang , Toishanese and Gouyeung . The Cantonese worked mainly as professionals and tradesmen during
1620-522: The Chinese in Singapore gradually began to recognize citizenship-wise as "Singaporeans". In the late 20th century, Singapore saw a large increase of Chinese immigrants, who were selected by the Singaporean government from Chinese universities in order to increase manpower. Chinese migrants from China during the late 20th century and early 21st century were generally known as "Xinyimin 新移民" (new immigrants). They came from various parts of China. When
1680-478: The Chinese migrants first arrived in Singapore in the 19th and early 20th century, they settled in enclaves such as Chinatown . They tended to group themselves according to dialect, with those from nearby Chinese regions grouping together. This led the Chinese to form 5 dialect groups (known as Bangqun, 幫群), namely the Hokkien Bang , Teochew Bang , Cantonese Bang , Hakka Bang and Hainanese Bang . During
1740-570: The Chinese. Established in 1906, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry was responsible for fighting for the rights of the Chinese in Singapore during the British colonial period. During the World War II , the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry had managed to help raise funds and resources to help relieve the sufferings in war-torn China. After Singapore gained independence and autonomy in
1800-676: The Goddess who can calm the sea and ensure the safety of those travelling across the seas. Thian Hock Keng Temple was thus built in 1840 along Telok Ayer Street and dedicated to Tian Shang Sheng Mu ( 天上聖母 ), it was a bustling meeting point and an important congregation point for the Hokkien community. Other popular deities are the Kew Ong Yah , Guan Teh Gong , Kuan Yim Hood Chor , Ong Yah Gong , Qing Shui Zhu Shi , Bao Sheng Da Di , Kai Zhang Sheng Wang , Fu De Zheng Shen and especially
1860-617: The Japanese, while established entrepreneurs sent economic aid or military equipment to China. After the Japanese took Singapore in 1942, the Kempeitai tracked down many Chinese who aided the Chinese war effort against Japan. However, the Kempeitai's Sook Ching Operation was simply a massacre designed to drive fear into the local populace, so the Kempeitai simply picked out people based on accounts of masked informers, which in many cases were false accounts based on personal vendettas. There
Singaporean Chinese - Misplaced Pages Continue
1920-685: The Malays. Following the decline of Srivijayan power, Temasek was alternately claimed by the Majapahit and the Siamese, but the invasion of 1377 and 1391 caused Singapore to be destroyed. Following that, there were little Chinese records of the visiting of Chinese to Singapore. Singapore is marked as Dan Ma Xi in the Mao Kun map that dates back to the naval voyage of Chinese explorer Zheng He in 1403. The earliest groups of Chinese who settled in what
1980-613: The Malays. During this period, Christian missionaries from Europe began evangelising to the Asians, especially the Chinese. Peranakans, or those descendants of Chinese in Southeast Asia for many generations who were generally English-educated were typically known in Singapore as "Laokuh" (老客 – Old Guest) or "Straits Chinese". Most of them paid loyalty to the British Empire and did not regard themselves as " Huaqiao ". From
2040-865: The Samsui women. However, instead of red, the Hakka women wore black headgear. Ying Fo Fui Kun , a Hakka clan association, is the oldest clan association in Singapore. Its clan house is located at Telok Ayer Street in the Outram Planning Area, within the Central Area, Singapore's central business district. In 2015 a Hakka tulou replica was built. The replica in Singapore was built by the Fong Yun Thai Association, an umbrella body for three Hakka clans – Char Yong (Dabu) Association, Eng Teng Association and Foong Shoon Fui Kuan. This
2100-429: The Singaporean resident population according to the official census, making them the largest ethnic group in Singapore. As early as the 10th century, there was evidence of Chinese people trading and settling in Singapore, with various Chinese records documenting trading activities and Chinese residents on the island up until the 14th century. Prior to the establishment of Singapore as a British trading port , there
2160-431: The chapter San Fo Qi (三佛齊 the Chinese name for Srivijaya ) recorded merchant ships passing through "Ling Ya Men" (凌牙門, although it is not clear however if it is the same as Long Ya Men ) before reaching Srivijaya for trading. The Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan , visiting the island around 1330, described a small Malay settlement called Dan Ma Xi (淡馬錫, from Malay Temasek) in which Chinese residents live together with
2220-529: The cost and expenses of opening gambier plantations at Mount Stamford (now Pearl’s Hill) prior to British arrival. He had also “in some instances” advanced money to the Teochew cultivators on the understanding he would be repaid in the form of gambier or other produce. Farquhar had the impressions that the Temenggong’s interests in these plantations were represented by a brother-in-law of his named Baba Ketchil and
2280-677: The dense forests of north Singapore and Johor Bahru . The Chinese first started their plantations with the approval of the Sultan of Johor and then developed the kangchu (江厝, p jiāngcuò , lit. "river house") system. Chu was the clan name of the first headman of the plantations in the area. These kangchus gave rise to modern place names such as Choa Chu Kang , Lim Chu Kang and Yio Chu Kang , all of which were plantation areas before urban redevelopment. Early Chinese immigrants clustered themselves to form clan and language associations. These clan associations ( kongsi ) served as unions for
2340-482: The development of Chinese Temples and Chinese clan associations in Singapore. As time passed by, the Chinese had grown to have more achievements in the business and education in Singapore. Some affluent Chinese businessmen began to establish commercial organizations such as the Ee Ho Hean Club (怡和軒) in 1895, and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry , to help broaden social circles amongst
2400-516: The early 20th century. Cantonese women from the Siyi district of Jiangmen wore black headgear similar to the Samsui women and mainly worked at Keppel Harbour and the shipyards at the old harbour along the Singapore River . Many Cantonese women also worked as majie in rich people's households. More Cantonese immigrated from Hong Kong in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Today, the Cantonese dialect
2460-456: The early and mid 20th centuries, and their businesses dominated the shophouses along Temple Street, Pagoda Street, and Mosque Street. Cantonese women from the Samsui district worked as labourers at construction sites and contributed greatly toward Singapore's development. These Samsui women left their families behind in China and came to Singapore to work at construction sites for a living during
Singaporean Chinese - Misplaced Pages Continue
2520-443: The early to mid-twentieth century, forming the bulk of the Chinese Singaporean population in existence today. Many Chinese Singaporeans can trace their ancestry to provinces of southeastern China that mainly include speakers of Hokkien, Teochew, and to a lesser extent, Hakka and Cantonese. The Singapore Department of Statistics defines "Chinese" as a " race " or " ethnic group ", in conjunction with "Malay, Indian and Others" under
2580-602: The first Captain China of Singapore, a Teochew merchant named Tan Heng Kim (陈亨钦), was “one of the principal persons concerned”. Based on Teochew oral traditions in Singapore published by Phua Chye Long (潘醒农) in Teo-chews in Malaya (马来亚潮侨通鉴) in 1950, the first Teochews in Singapore were led by Tan Heng Kim, who was from Siam, and a second merchant named Heng Hong Sung (王丰顺) from Ampou town in Chaozhou, China. Together, they founded
2640-758: The interests of the Chinese business community as well as sourcing for business opportunities in China. The Chinese Development Assistance Council was founded out of these two organizations (SFCCA and SCCCI) to help nurture and develop the potential of the Chinese community, thus contributing to the continued success of multiracial Singapore. There are also various Chinese cultural organizations such as Singapore Chinese Calligraphy Society , Singapore Chinese Orchestra , Siong Leng Musical Association , Nanyang Confucian Association , Singapore Chinese Opera Institute etc. as well as major Chinese religious associations such as Singapore Buddhist Federation , Taoist Federation (Singapore) and Singapore Buddhist Lodge to look after
2700-510: The island from the 10th to the 14th century. Prior to the establishment of Singapore as a British trading port , there was a small population of 120 Malays who were the followers of Temenggong Abdul Rahman, and about 20–30 Chinese living on the island. After Singapore became a British colony, there was an influx of Chinese migrant workers, but these early Chinese migrants to Singapore were predominantly males, as they would usually return to their families in China after they have earned enough. There
2760-513: The majority of the population in Singapore, by the census of 1826 there were already more Chinese (6,088) than Malays (4,790) excluding Bugis (1,242) and Javanese (267). The Chinese became the dominant group by the 1830s (the largest ethnic group at 45.9% in the 1836 census), and by 1849, 52.8% of the total population of 52,891 were Chinese. The Chinese population reached over 70% of the total by 1901 and has stayed there since. The early Chinese migrants to Singapore were predominantly males. In 1826,
2820-477: The mostly illiterate Chinese labourers and represented them when dealing with their colonial administrators or employers. One of the most prominent associations for the Teochew was the Ngee Ann Kongsi , formed in 1845 and is still in operation. The association also take care of Yueh Hai Ching Temple , which is the oldest Teochew temple in Singapore. The Cantonese -speaking subgroup makes up about 15% of
2880-410: The official census figures show that out of a total population of 13,750, there were 5,747 Chinese males but only 341 Chinese females. Most of the Chinese females in this early period of Singapore were nyonyas from Malacca as women from China were discouraged from emigrating. It was noted in 1837 that there were no Chinese women in Singapore who had emigrated directly from China; even as late as 1876,
2940-703: The period of Later Liang and Emperor Gong of Song . This may suggest that from 907 to 1274, some Chinese had settled, lived, died and were buried in Singapore. The writings of Stamford Raffles and William Farquhar indicate that the British found Temenggong Abdul Rahman with 400 to 500 residents in Singapore in January 1819. Another member of the 1819 expedition party, Captain John Crawford, recalled in his diary an encounter with “upwards of 100” of Chinese. British colonial documentations revealed that Temenggong Abdul Rahman had provided these Chinese who were Teochews
3000-460: The plantations and mines of the Straits Settlements, many of whom then settled in Singapore after their contract ended. Because of booming commerce which required a large labour force, the Chinese coolie trade also appeared in Singapore. Indentured Chinese Cantonese labourers and British Raj labourers were contracted by coolie traders and brought to Singapore to work. In 1860 under the 2nd Opium War, Chinese coolie trade became legalised and reached
3060-473: The religious affairs of Chinese Singaporeans. All these Chinese organizations continue to play an important role in the economic, cultural and religious life of Chinese Singaporeans. Most Singaporeans of Chinese descent are descended from emigrants from Fujian , Guangdong , or Hainan . The Min Nan or Southern Min people ( Hokkiens and Teochews ) and Cantonese people together form more than three-quarters of
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#17327823402403120-639: The riot was politically motivated to oust the then Prime Minister ( Lee Kuan Yew ) and his cabinet as well as to prevent the promotion of a Malaysian Malaysia concept in Peninsular Malaysia . After the independence of Singapore in 1965, Singapore began to foster a more racially harmonious society in Singapore. Following the establishment of Singapore national identity and nationhood, the Chinese in Singapore began to change their mindset from temporary stay to permanent settlements in Singapore, thus taking roots in Singapore. Following this transformation,
3180-434: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Singaporean Chinese . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Singaporean_Chinese&oldid=865246862 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
3240-482: The south of China. Despite similarities, the Teochew and Hokkien speakers consider themselves distinct and did not get along during their early settlement in Singapore, especially during the British colonial era. The Teochew were dominant for a period of time during the 19th century. Mass immigration from Fujian changed this, although the majority of the Chinese along the banks of the Straits of Johor were Teochew until
3300-581: The strengthening of Singaporean national identity, the Chinese clan associations gradually declined in importance. Their role of organizing and governing the Chinese community was taken over by the Singapore government. Today, all Singaporean clan associations operate under the flagship of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA). Clan associations connect Chinese Singaporeans to their ancestral homes in China. The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) continues to look after
3360-631: The surrounding areas. Archaeological excavations of artefacts such as Chinese coins or ceramics in Singapore, which dated back to the period of the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song (998–1022) and Emperor Renzong of Song (1023–1063), indicated that Chinese merchants or traders had already visited Singapore by the Song dynasty . The Chinese record Annals of various foreign states ( Zhu fan zhi ) written by Zhao Rushi in 1225 clearly described Chinese merchant ships arriving in Singapore from Quanzhou and various Chinese trading activities. In this annal,
3420-846: Was a lingua franca among coastal Chinese and was also used by other ethnic groups such as the Malays and the Indians to communicate with Chinese before Mandarin came to dominance during the 1980s and 1990s. Just as in Taiwan , Hokkien people , speakers of Hokkien , refers not to people originating from all parts of Fujian. "Hokkien" refers only to the Minnan (Southern Min) region of southern coastal Fujian. Singaporean Hokkien does not include northern Fujianese such as those arriving from Fuzhou , Putian and so on. Early Hokkien migrants settled around Amoy Street and Telok Ayer Street, forming enclaves around
3480-409: Was a small population of 120 Malays who were followers of Temenggong Abdul Rahman, and about 20–30 Chinese living on the island. After Singapore became a British colony, there was an influx of male Chinese migrant workers, who would then usually return to their families in China after they had earned enough. There was only a significant number of Chinese residents permanently settling in Singapore during
3540-431: Was also active anti-Japanese resistance during the war, such as Force 136 , headed by Lim Bo Seng . Race riots were common during the early post-war period, predominantly in the period between self-governance and independence in 1965. One major riot took place during birthday celebrations in honour of Muhammad , on 21 July 1964. There were records of high casualties (23 killed and 454 injured), as well as claims that
3600-520: Was only a significant number of Chinese residents permanently settling in Singapore during the early to mid twentieth century, forming the bulk of the Chinese Singaporean population today. The early records of Singapore in Imperial Chinese sources named Singapore as " Long Ya Men " (龍牙門), " Dan Ma Xi " (單馬錫 or 淡馬錫). Later other terms such as "Xi La" (息辣), "Shi le" (石叻), or "Xi Li" (息力, for "selat" meaning strait) may also refer to Singapore or
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