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CROSS CULTURE MANAGEMENT (GSM 5550) Trimester 2 2014/2015 Individual Assignment: Malaysian Chinese Culture Name: Tan Wee Ser (GM 05270) Lecturer: Dr. Asma Abdullah Date: 17 th April 2015

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Page 1: Weeser_Malaysia Chinese Culture

CROSS CULTURE MANAGEMENT (GSM 5550)

Trimester 2 2014/2015

Individual Assignment: Malaysian Chinese Culture

Name: Tan Wee Ser (GM 05270)

Lecturer: Dr. Asma Abdullah

Date: 17th

April 2015

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Introduction

This paper aims to discuss the culture and norms of the Malaysian Chinese population, to

promote understanding

As a third generation Malaysian Chinese, this is a great opportunity for me to learn about my

roots and culture. Firstly, a brief history of how the origins of Malaysian Chinese are discussed.

Then the key elements of the Chinese culture, i.e. symbols, rituals, role models, values and

cultural dimensions are discussed. At the end, normal day challenges and the forces of change of

the Malaysian Chinese culture will also be examined.

As a 3rd

generation Malaysian Chinese, and being educated in Malaysia all my life, I always

consider myself a Malaysian, and that the Chinese culture in me, is also uniquely Malaysian

culture. Although the Malaysian Chinese culture is basically based on Chinese cultures that

originated from China, but we do not feel any sense of belonging towards China. In fact, many

people consider Malaysian Chinese culture being more well-preserved, as China went through a

decade of chaos during the Cultural Revolution in the 1970s. All the values taught by Confucius,

artistry and thousands of years of cultural records and practices were deemed Counter-

revolutionary, and were destroyed during the chaos. It is one of the biggest scales of civil unrest

and society turmoil post WW2.

I am an avid reader of history (especially world and history of various civilizations) and I feel

really helpless. In fact, my father’s elder sister, i.e. my aunty, still resides in Xiamen, Fujian, till

this day. She is around 65 years old, still healthy, and I was fortunate to go back to Amoy

(modern day Xiamen), Fujian Province in Spring, 2012, just to learn about my roots, and culture.

My father was born in Amoy, and was one of the last to leave China, with my late grandmother

in the late 1950s. My late grandfather had been working in Malaya with the elder sons, before

agreeing to have my late grandmother and father traveling to Malaya. My father left China when

he was 5, but could still vividly remember the Communist days eating sweet potatoes at public

canteens. In Malaya, the first time he saw rice, he celebrated. Days were hard, and he grew up

and joined the public service after his Higher School Certificate (HSC/Form 6). The family

culture and traditions lived on, but everyone was Malaysian. There’s no question about that.

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All the above will be discussed and documented in this project paper.

The family house in Xiamen, where my grandparents once stayed, and is also where father was

born. It’s more than a century old, and currently vacant. But it is very well built, and still very

sturdy (Photo taken in February 2012)

As a Chinese culture ritual, we remember our ancestors through the family altar. The young

generations, e.g. Gen-Y would not feel too sentimental.

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Those days were hard in China and we used to send money and letters back. But there is a

suspicion that, China may outpace Malaysia in the near future.

Chapter 1: Background and history

Malaysian Chinese are the descendants of ‘Han Chinese’ and one of the largest Overseas

Chinese communities in the world. Malaysian Chinese are the second largest ethnic group

in Malaysia and as of 2010, there are approximately 6,960,000 Malaysian Chinese or 24% of the

Malaysian population, self-identified as "Chinese". In order to understand the culture of

Malaysian Chinese, it is worthwhile to understand the origins, and history of Chinese arrival in

the Malay Archipelago. The Chinese came to Malaysia in different phases.

The earliest record contact of Chinese in the Malay Archipelago was during the Ming Dynasty,

during the reign of Emperor Yongle (r. 1402–24) and Emperor Xuande (r. 1425-35). Both

emperors instructed Admiral Cheng Ho to sail beyond China’s borders, where his fleet stopped

at Melaka on 5 out of 7 voyages, and as far as Africa from 1405 to 1433.

Admiral Cheng Ho (Left), and his voyages

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The First Wave of Chinese Immigrants

The first wave of Han Chinese settlers came during the Malacca Empire in the early 15th century.

Sultan Mansur Shah (ruled 1459–1477) dispatched Tun Perpatih Putih, acting as his envoy to

China and carried a letter from the Sultan to the Ming Dynasty Emperor. Tun Perpatih succeeded

in impressing the Emperor of Ming with the fame and grandeur of Sultan Mansur Shah. In the

year 1459, a princess, named Hang Li Po (or Hang Liu), was sent by the Emperor of Ming to

marry Malacca Sultan Mansur Shah (ruled 1459–1477). The princess came with her entourage of

500 male servants and a few hundred handmaidens.

They eventually settled in Bukit Cina, Malacca. The descendants of these people, from mixed

marriages with the local natives, are known today as Peranakan: Baba (the male title)

and Nyonya (the female title).

Baba and Nyonya attire

Located at the foothill of Bukit Cina, Princess Hang Li Poh’s Well (also known as King’s Well)

was built in 1459 by the followers of Princess Hang Li Poh as the main source of water supply in

the town. Being the oldest well in Malaysia, it is believed that the well will never dry up, not

even during times of extreme drought. Upon conquering Melaka in 1511, the Portuguese secured

the well and used the well as one of their main sources of water supply. In retaliation, Sultan

Mansur Shah sought help from the Javanese and the well was filled with poison and many who

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drank from it died of poisoning. According to Portuguese historian, Diogo de Couto, many

Portuguese soldiers died from drinking the water from that well.

After the Dutch conquered Malacca in 1677, they surrounded the well with solid brick walls in a

bid to safeguard the well and prevent it from being poisoned again and thus maintained their

rights over the well. The wall surrounding the well erected by the Dutch is still present today.

Hang Li Po’s Well, still located in modern day Melaka

The second wave of Chinese Immigrants

The second wave was caused by the massacre in Fujian in 1651-52 when the Manchus defeated

the Ming Dynasty (ruled by Han Chinese) and took over China. The Manchus come from the

North-East of China. Ming China also sustained a heavy financial burden for its role in

defending Korea, when Japan attacked Korea in 1592-1598. The war indirectly weakened their

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position in Manchuria, which gave the opportunity to the Machus to expand influence and

territory. Eventual, the Ming Dynasty collapsed, and the Manchus formed the Qing Dynasty in

1644.

Location of Manchuria/Manchukuo

Massacre happened throughout China, where the Manchus killed ethnic Han Chinese, especially

in coastal regions such as Fujian province. The Fujian massacre refugees of Zhangzhou fled,

resettled in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula while those of Amoy (modern day Xiamen)

and Quanzhou resettled in the southern part. This group forms the majority of the Straits

Chinese who were English-educated. The Manchus are a different ethnic group from the Han

Chinese, although they have similar looks. The Qing dynasty would rule until more than 3

centuries until 1911.

Third Wave of Chinese Immigrants

Nearing the end of the 18th

century, which was also the dawn of the Qing Dynasty, China was in

disarray with corruption, inefficiency and incompetence of the imperial government. Foreign

allied forces, led by the British, French and Germans attacked China. Parts of China were given

up to foreign forces as concessionaries, for e.g. Hong Kong to Great Britain, Macau to Portugal

and Shanghai to the French. From British-controlled port of Fujian and Guangdong provinces

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(just adjacent to Hong Kong), jobs, ranging for officers to tin mine coolies were offered. Due to

poverty and hardships in mainland China, many young Chinese, mostly men, took the job offer,

and left home for the Malay Peninsula where they were sent to work in tin mines and rubber

plantations.

Tin mine in Taiping, 1880

The Fourth Wave of Chinese Immigrants

Dr. Sun Yat-sen led the revolution that defeated the Qing Dynasty and formed a Republic in

1911. Dr Sun Yat-sen made several trips to Malaya, most notably Penang to request for donation

from overseas Chinese for the Revolution in China. Dr. Sun Yat-sen had formed what he called

underground societies to fight the Qing Dynasty. Thus older Malaysian Chinese most probably

had encountered secret societies during the early 19th

century. In the old days, secret societies

were formed with rather righteous objectives, to look after the needs and protect overseas

Chinese, according to clan and origins. It was the most sensible thing to do, as Chinese

immigrants were far away from home, without their families and relatives.

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One of the underground-societies Dr Sun Yat-sen Centre in Penang

The fall of imperial rule in China in 1911 also kick-started the Chinese Civil War between the

Nationalist (Democrats) and the Communist from 1911-1949. During the warring years, many

Chinese fled the country, having heard the news of a chance to find gold and silver in the

southern ocean (Malay Peninsula), mostly through the coastal region through the port

of Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and Shanghai. In 1949, when Mao Zedong’s Communist emerged

victorious, most of the Nationalist refugees or Neutrals fled from Mainland China and retreated

to Taiwan. Others settled down in Malaya, Singapore, Vietnam, North Borneo. Many of those

Nationalist who stayed behind are persecuted and also executed.

Mao proclaiming the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, at Tiananmen Square

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The formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 had great impact on Chinese culture,

and subsequently changed how Chinese people perceive wealth, life, and society. The Cultural

Revolution (1966-76) remains one of the largest-scale of violence post WW2.

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Chapter 2: Language and Communication

The most common languages that can be heard are Malay, English, Tamil and Mandarin

(Chinese). Mandarin, or pu tong hua, meaning the common language is general-spoken language

throughout China. It is the official language of communication, and is taught all over the world,

including Malaysia. Dialects, on the other hand, are spoken within families without structured

learning. In fact, many older Chinese Malaysian could speak their dialects, basic Malay, but not

Mandarin. Until World War 2, Chinese communities in Malaysia were fairly heterogeneous and

segregated by dialect, kinship and the respective clans. The dialect spoken served to tie the

immigrants back to the language source in mainland China. These ties allowed for the

continuance of family relationships as well as cultural practices and religious beliefs specific to

the region of China the people immigrated from. As discussed earlier, most of the Chinese

Immigrants were from the coastal states of China. The dialects represent the place of origins, or

roots.

Coastal states of China

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The main dialects in Malaysia are Hokkien (from Xiamen, Fujian Province), Cantonese

(Guangzhou, Hong Kong), Teochew (Shantou), Hainan (Hainan).

However, younger Malaysian Chinese are beginning to leave behind their homeland dialects. It

is observed that parents prefer to speak Mandarin, or English with their children. The loss of

dialect weakens cultural identity with the home village and its customs as well as decreasing ties

with mainland China as a whole. An interesting occurrence happens when this deterioration of

dialect led to a lack of communication between the elderly and their grandchildren.

In an intra-culture level, i.e. within the Malaysian Chinese community, dialects are still

important when it comes to interpersonal communication. For example, Cantonese is widely

used in Kuala Lumpur, Seremban and Ipoh. Being the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is the

center of commerce and education. Non-Cantonese dialect speakers have to learn the dialect in

order to fit into local environment. The Cantonese spoken in Malaysia is also somewhat similar

to the Cantonese spoken in Hong Kong, thus adding the prestige in speaking Cantonese.

On the other hand, Hokkien remains the most widely spoken dialect in Malaysia. Hokkien is

commonly spoken in Penang, Johor, Melaka, the East Coast and Kuching, Sarawak. Across the

Johor-Singapore Causeway, Hokkien is also the main dialect.

Chinese dialects have also influenced how Malaysians speak. An interesting compilation of

broken English, or mixed English with Chinese dialects, is presented in the figure below. These

verbal impressions are only understood by Malaysians.

Compilation of Malaysian English influenced by Chinese dialects

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In contrast to Malaysia, the Singapore Government started discouraging the speaking of dialects,

in 1979, via the Speak Mandarin Campaign (SMC). It was an effort to improve the command of

Mandarin of Singaporeans. I believe this somehow or other influenced ordinary Malaysian

Chinese families. At the end of the day, Mandarin is spoken as the national language in Mainland

China, which represents an enormous economy and market. Dialects are more for family ties.

I underline the government’s determination that nobody should use dialects. Indeed wise parents

will never let their children speak dialect at all . . . The more one learns dialect words, the less

space there is for Mandarin words or English words, or multiplication tables or formulas in

mathematics, physics or chemistry.

(Speech on ‘Mandarin must replace dialects as the mother tongue’ on 25 October 1981, by

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce

1991)

Also in Malaysia, the debate of mother tongue and secular school education remains a sensitive

topic. Since independence in 1957, and with colonial-era perception, Malaysian Chinese

generally viewed English-medium schools as the premium education to receive, and Chinese-

medium schools were merely for those who could not make the grade into English-medium

schools. English schools presents a brighter future, as students could further their studies in

universities in Malaysia, or overseas. The Baby-boomers generations (those born between 1946

and 1964) were mostly educated in English. There was an unconfirmed perception that a single

education stream may have indeed foster real unity among Malaysians, regardless of race and

creed. But the education landscape changed after 1970, when English schools were converted to

national schools with Malay as the medium of teaching, and English as a learning subject.

The change caused most Malaysian Chinese families send their children to the Chinese primary

schools, which teach in the mother tongue. However, most students will then attend national

secondary schools which use Malay as the teaching medium. Without knowing, Mandarin, along

with the Chinese Culture was preserved. Malaysia is deemed to have the most well-preserved

Mandarin and Chinese Culture in the world, outside China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

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The rising prominence of China on the world scene, the strengthening of China’s economy, and

military influence, particularly in South East Asia, increase the importance of Mandarin. In fact,

China has become one of Malaysia’s largest trading partners. It would be a waste if Malaysia is

unable to utilize her strength of culture diversity to consolidate trade and bilateral relationship

with China. Malaysia is the first South East Asia nation to form diplomatic ties with China,

during Tun Razak’s premiership on May 31, 1974.

The establishment of political ties with China more or less acknowledges the value of Chinese

Culture for Malaysia Chinese

However, this diversity of culture, in contrast with the assimilation policies seen in Indonesia,

Thailand and Burma, caused some frictions among the people. Malaysian Chinese can’t go back

to China in the 21st century and are sometimes caught in a tight and uncomfortable situation.

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Chapter 3: Key Elements of Malaysian Chinese Culture

Chapter 3.1: Underlying Assumptions

Being a Malaysia Chinese living in a multiracial and multicultural society, there are several

underlying assumptions that govern and shape my values. The Chinese civilization is over 4000

years, and the first imperial dynasty was Qin dynasty (221 – 206 BC), when Qin Shi Huang (or

Shi Huang Di) conquered all of the Chinese states and governed with a single philosophy,

introduced by Confucius (551–479 BC).

Terracotta Armies in Xi’an, adjacent to Shi Huang Di’s tomb – A witness of the Qin Dynasty

Thus, the Malaysian Chinese culture originated and evolved through a few millennia, from its

origins of Central China, till the stage of localization in Malaysia. I will discuss the underlying

assumptions, which are unconscious aspects of culture dimensions of Malaysian Chinese from

my perspective, namely Collectivism, Relationship, Shame and Hierarchy.

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Chapter 3.1.1: Collectivism

Malaysian Chinese are a collective society. Individualism is not a way of life, and families are

supposed to stick together, and eat from the same pot of rice (like what my mother always says).

The reunion dinner during Chinese New Year reflects the importance for families to stay united.

During the early days of the tin mining boom in Malaya, Chinese labour was brought in by the

British from China. Strong bounds and ties were formed among the immigrants, especially

between fellow countrymen from the same village back in China. They share common dialects

and even food. It is interesting to note that Chinese from different parts of China have different

taste buds. For example, from a Teochew/Cantonese family, my mother would prepare a soup

for dinner, without fail. It is already conditioned in her genes (most probably by my

grandmother), that when her children come back from afar, she needs to prepare soup for them

during meals. It is healthy and nutritious. On the other hand, my Malaysian Chinese friend who

is of Hakka decent, could hardly drink soup when he eats. Food, is a way to tie people together.

It is rather a Malaysian way of life, be it Malay, Chinese or Indian.

The need to stay in groups of countrymen formed the foundations to initiate and set up various

business associations, clan cliques, and even secret societies (which were notorious in the

yesteryears) to safeguard one’s interest and welfare. The early settlers had understood the

importance of a collective society, where people need to co-exist to survive. On an inter-culture

level, Malaysian Chinese also adapted and integrated into the local society. Community leaders

such as Tan Cheng Lock contributed towards independence alongside leaders from various

communities.

KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall was build in 1923

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Upon Independence, Malaysian Chinese used to stay in extended families. Even when children

get married, they are expected to stay under one roof, with the in-laws (of the groom side). This

phenomenon may be attributed to the fact that Malaysian Chinese started off by running family

business. A family business is normally passed on to the next generation, thus, it is important

that the future owners receive adequate supervisions and training.

However, the forces of change brought globalization and changed the economic landscape and

lifestyle of many Malaysian Chinese. Young Malaysians are lured to the bigger cities in search

of better opportunities for studies and career. Some would only go home a few times a year,

during festivals or special occasions. The days where everyone in the family stays under one roof

are far between.

Reunion Dinner (Chinese New Year) Mid-autumn Festival (Moon Cake Festival)

Cheng Beng (Festival of the Tombs) Dumpling Festival (Dragon Boat Festival)

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Chapter 3.1.2 Relationship

Relationship; or 关系 (guan xi) is of major significance in Malaysian Chinese culture. It is an

untold way of life, whether it is relationship between business, families or friends. The old war

time saying of “Those who win the hearts of people, win the world” is an understood rule. In

nature, Malaysian Chinese are peace-loving people, who do not like to find fault (or cari pasal in

Bahasa Melayu) with others. They like to maintain good relationship with people, in the hope

that any issues could be settled and ironed out amicably. The old saying of 大事化小,小事化

无 (da shi hua xiao, xiao shi hua wu) means from a big issue, downsize it as a small issue, and

from a small issue, make it a non-issue, shows that Malaysian Chinese just want to continue with

their lives, without getting into conflicts and quarrels with others, be it family members, business

clients or partners. With good relationship management, it is believed that tasks can be

completed

Personally I believe the most important Chinese proverb is 家和万事兴 (jia he wan shi xing),

which means when the family is harmonious, everything will be joyous and fine. Family comes

first, and everyone has to make an effort, whether it is to find time to attend family occasions, or

to always respect the elderly. The Chinese always believe, that you need to manage and nurture

(经营 or jing ying) relationships properly.

Coming from a middle class Malaysian Chinese family, traveling overseas for a holiday was

something of a luxury for my parents. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to organize a

family holiday to Beijing in September 2014. As the children grow up, time spent together

becomes priceless. The family unit is core to the Malaysian Chinese society.

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In fact, the Great Wall of China (Left) is my father’s ultimate dream holiday destination. He was

elated to be able to go there. I am a proud son. Tiananmen Square (Right)

Chapter 3.1.3 Shame

I suppose it is a common Asian culture, where face-saving is important. It is equivalent to

someone’s name or reputation. As the saying goes, 豹死留皮, 人死留名 (bao si liu pi, ren si liu

ming), which means leopard dies and leaves its skin, a man dies and leaves his name. Thus, a

family’s or a person’s name and reputation are of paramount importance. It has always been in

the Chinese culture that “face” is important. It projects the achievements, stature and well-being

of a family, or an individual. The notion of Face saving is normally associated with shame.

Bringing shame to the family is considered one of the gravest consequences one can do to the

family. Everyone is required to uphold the family name.

The forces of change of Westernization and Globalization brought different values to the

younger generations, particularly the Gen-Y and millennia generation (post-1990s). The

advancement of Information Technology and social media has also influenced how people think

and act. There is a feeling that the younger generations nowadays are bolder, more daring, and

willing to stand out and be different.

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The infamous Alvin Tan, who was an ASEAN Scholarship Holder, and NUS law-student, got

caught in the limelight for the wrong reasons. Will his future and career prospects go down the

drain? It seems that in this modern society, he may find a way out. (Source: Facebook)

There’s no doubt that the yardstick has shifted over the years, due to various forces of change.

But overall, Malaysian Chinese, like all Malaysians are still very much cautious and particular

with their public behaviour and conduct.

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Chapter 3.2 Symbols

Every ethic Malaysian Chinese will be able to tell which Chinese Zodiac that represents them. In

fact, cultures from Japan, Korea, and Vietnam share similar zodiac signs. Each Zodiac sign gives

a generalization of the people born under that sign.

For example, I was born in January 1987, but based on the Lunar

Calendar, I was born in December 1986, and therefore I am a tiger

(tiger tail to be exact). According to beliefs, people born in the year

of the Tiger are brave, competitive, unpredictable, and self-

confident. They are very charming and well-liked by others. But

sometimes they are likely to be impetuous, irritable, and

overindulgent. Sometimes, they may be stubborn, tough,

authoritative and usually would never go back on their words.

Tigers have potential to be competent leaders and they are generally

not motivated by money or power.

I actually find the above general analysis quite accurate!

Chinese Zodiac signs according to year of birth

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Chapter 3.3 Rituals

As discussed in early chapters, Malaysian Chinese are sub-divided into various clans, based on

which part of China we come from. My ancestral family is from Xiamen, Fujian, China and we

are basically Hokkien people. The Hokkien people celebrate the birth of Jade Emperor on the 9th

day of Chinese New Year. There is a saying that goes 初九大过年 (chu jiu da guo nian), which

means that the ninth day of the lunar new year is greater than the first day. In fact, this is a

culture phenomenon which is more apparent and visible in Chinese Communities in South East

Asia. Large quantity of fire crackers are set-off during the night of the 8th

day, to usher the

arrival of the 9th

day.

For simplicity, my family would do prayers with offerings that are “vegan”, i.e. 5 types of fruits,

12 types of sweets

According to legend, in ancient China, the Hokkien people were attacked by Japanese pirates,

and they fled and hid in a sugarcane plantation on the 8th

- 9th

days of Lunar New Year.

Somehow, the pirates failed to find the Hokkiens, and left the scene. The 9th

day is the Jade

Emperor's birthday, and out of gratitude, the Hokkien people offer thanksgiving prayers to him

on this day.

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Chapter 3.4 Role models

If we would look at the long Chinese history of 4000 years, there are many figures, heroes and

patriots, whose stories and legends are passed down generation to generation.

But there is a warrior that stands out, and any

Malaysian Chinese that has basic Chinese education

will be familiar with the name Yue Fei (岳飞). Yue

Fei (24 March 1103 – 27 January 1142) was a Han

Chinese military general who lived in the Southern

Song dynasty. He is widely seen as a patriot and

national folk hero in China. His mother had tattooed

four Chinese Characters across his back: 精忠报国

(jin zhong bao guo), which means serve the country with the utmost loyalty.

Like any other patriots in ancient China, he didn’t have the best ending. He was wrongly charged

with treason, by a corrupted official with the name Qin Hui. Yue Fei was said to die in prison. In

1162 Emperor Xiaozong of Song restored his honours, and gave proper burial to his remains.

After his death, Yue Fei has evolved into a standard epitome of loyalty in Chinese culture.

Yue Fei’s Tomb in Hangzhou, China Qin Hui and his wife knees to Yue Fei’s tomb eternally

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Chapter 3.5 Values

The Malaysian Chinese values are very much aligned to Confucius’s teachings. He championed

strong family loyalty, ancestor worship, respect of elders by their children and of husbands by

their wives. He also recommended family as a basis for ideal government. He espoused the well-

known principle "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself". Also, there is a

strong emphasis of harmony between man and nature.

The respect for the elderly is also compulsory. I still remember that my mother always reminded

my siblings and me, that children must be seen and not heard. Children are not supposed to

interrupt conversations between adults. We were basically told what to do, and expected to

follow without asking questions. I suppose mine is a hierarchical society. My father is a

conventional Chinese man, who was quite strict (as my siblings and I were growing up), and

isn’t too good in expressing himself. Of course, he became more open-minded as we grew up.

But according to him, my grandfather (who passed away in 1977) was even more no-nonsense,

and would not tolerate any level of discourse. Obedience was paramount. The forces of change

in the society nowadays would give him a culture shock, no less.

Besides that, there is also an old saying of 礼尚往来,来而不往,非礼也 (li shang wang lai,

lai er bu wang, fei li ye), wihch means when someone gives you gifts or favors, if you do not

return the gifts or favors, it’s not the proper way. It is an untold practice, that Malaysian Chinese

would always try to return favors, or help they received. An example is the exchange of

mandarin oranges during Chinese New Year. When we go around the town visiting, mandarin

oranges are brought as a sign of best wishes, and the host will return mandarin oranges to us, as a

sign of return of good will.

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Chapter 4 Forces of Change

Forces of change are external elements and aspects that influence my culture. The first Forces of

Change is Industrialization. Industrialization is a process where our country transformed from an

agricultural society into a society which manufactures of goods and services. Industrialization

altered the economic landscape in Malaysia, particularly with the inflow of Multinational

Corporations (e.g. Intel, Panasonic, Toshiba, Sony) and influx of foreign expats and labourers.

Many Malaysian Chinese, especially women would start working in factories and production

facilities. Malaysia also initiated her national car program of Proton and Perodua, also other

heavy industries like the Oil Palm Mills and Steel Mills. The nature of work changed, and

Malaysians were not confined to agriculture based economy. Many elder Malaysian Chinese,

who happen to be farmers, fishermen, rubber tapers would encourage their children to work in

the industry, which require education pre-requisites. They believed that factory work provides a

more reliable source of income. Anyway, I believe this has more impact on the overall economy

of Malaysia, rather than on Malaysian Chinese culture. Cultures and traditions are still preserved

and practiced.

The next Forces of Change is Westernization. The Chinese have a long history in dealing with

Western Nations, namely the British and the French. Western powers had once conquered China,

even breach Beijing’s Forbidden City.

Eight-Nation Alliance soldiers occupy the Forbidden City in August 1900.

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Thus the word 崇洋 (chong yang), which means worshipping the west had always been a

terminology used by the Chinese. They were made to believe that Westerners are more powerful,

smarter and stronger. Anything that is from the West is considered superior, and more advanced.

In a way, Malaysian Chinese has benefitted from western culture, knowledge and technology.

Our forefathers who came to Malaya penniless, would ride the wave of industrialization, learn

new skills, go through the British education system, and many ended being a professional (e.g.

doctors, lawyers, engineers). Western values emphasis on meritocracy and fairness, where

individuals could rise through any social class, as long as he or she has the talents and

capabilities. In the eyes of Westerners, anyone could be successful, as long as they put in the

hard work and persevere, be it academically, or in the field of business.

However, Westernization also causes clashes of culture, especially between the younger

generation, with their more conservative elders, who are still very much from the old days. I

understand that those days (maybe post-independence, between the 1950s-mid 1980s), life was

hard, and the main aim in life was to earn a living, to be alive. I could still remember the goals of

my parents were to send all their 4 kids to university. They had a joint-bank-account, and saved

every cent they could. Fortunately their children made the grade, and life nowadays are fairly

comfortable. In contrast, the goals of younger couples nowadays are to plan where to go for

honeymoon, taking futuristic wedding photographs or planning for family vacations, which, in

those days, weren’t Malaysian Chinese Culture. Taking a holiday or vacation was unheard of.

Western values teach us work-life balance, while most older generation of Malaysian Chinese

would only have rest days once a year – Chinese New Year.

In fact, I am quite sure that Malaysian

Chinese prefer Western Outfits for

their wedding, rather than the

traditional costumes. Ironically,

Westerners find Chinese Outfits

attractive.

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Another Forces of Change that can’t be discounted is the introduction of Social Media. Social

Media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, WeChat have completed changed the way of

communications. It makes the task of getting in touch with our subjects, be it family members,

friends or colleagues really convenient. However, all these platforms are through a virtual space,

and lack the human touch. We call home less frequent, as I chat with my mother on Whatsapp.

But does this really mean that I am communicating with my beloved mother?

Social Media may sometimes lead people to be anti-social, or become keyboard-warriors, who

could type and speak via their computers or handphones. A sad scenario happens when young

people are busy on their handheld device during gatherings and special occasions. This is even

apparent at the dinner table.

We should put away our electronic devices, especially during family gatherings and occasions

When it comes to face-to-face communication; people who are tech-savvy or social media-reliant

may feel uneasy, since they are so used to stay in the virtual world.

A common concern is that young people and students will get distracted by social media

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Conclusion

There is a reason why Malaysian Chinese are called Malaysian Chinese, and not Chinese

Malaysian. In my opinion, it covertly reminds us, that we are Malaysian first, and then Chinese

next. Our cultures originated from China, but the buck stops there. For centuries, we developed a

unique Chinese culture that is alien even to our forefathers in China. We are fortunate and

blessed to still understand and practice Chinese culture in Malaysia. However, with the various

forces of change, such as Westernization, Globalization, the advancement of Information

Technology, and introduction of Social Media, culture studies and understanding have dwindled

and diminished throughout the past decade.

On the Malaysian political landscape, there is a worrying trend of decreasing tolerance and

understanding between cultures and ethnic groups. It is disheartening that certain extreme groups

view Malaysian Chinese as the mother of all ills the country faces. In fact, most Malaysian

Chinese would prefer to mind our own business, and live with a peace of mind. However, there is

always a lingering thought that suspicious and negative perception may snow-ball and get out of

control. This makes cultural studies even more important, so that we understand each other better.

I believe no forward-thinking and rational Malaysian would want to find fault and stir up issues,

especially sensitive ones. Malaysia is a unique, complex and high-context society. Due diligence

and care is needed to sustain the balance of order and society. Our common cultures and values

teach us to do good, and treat others with respect and care. What goes around comes around. The

diversity of culture in Malaysia should be capitalized and utilized as a competitive advantage.

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Reference

Jaime Koh and Stephanie Ho, Culture and Customs of Singapore and Malaysia (Santa Barbara:

Greenwood Press, 2009), 9.

N.J. Ryan, The Making of Modern Malaysia and Singapore: A History from Earliest Times to

1966 (London: Oxford University Press, 1969), 4.

Yow Cheun Hoe, “Weakening Ties with the Ancestral Homeland in China: The Case Studies of

Centemporary Singapore and Malaysian Chinese” in Modern Asian Studies, 39 (2005), 573.

http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/tiger.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yue_Fei

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/malaysias-chinese-culture-23107.html

http://www.huaren.org/chinese-communities/malaysia

Kogut, B., Singh, H. 1988. “The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode”,

Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 411-432.

Hofstede, G, Hofstede, G.J. 2005. Organizations: Software of the Mind, 2nd Ed., McGraw-

Hill Professional.