Transcript of Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, Sim Ann's remarks at Lianhe Zaobao Singapore

Chinese Transcript

开场发言

沈部长：我想就利用几分钟的时间，介绍一下新加坡华族文化。

我们在谈新加坡华族文化之前，首先有一个背景，可能要介绍一下。这个就是新加坡是一个多元宗族、多元宗教、多元文化的国家。我们是这样子的一个社会。

在新加坡,华族、马来族、印度族、欧亚裔，他们都各自有各自的特色。而这些特色，又跟新加坡作为一个转口贸易港口的历史是息息相关的。

许多新加坡人的祖辈，他们离开自己的家乡来到新加坡打拼.他们来自中国、来自印度、来自东南亚各地区。他们来到新加坡的时候，可能一开始是抱着在这里打拼，日后衣锦还乡，落叶归根这样子的一种想法。可是经过开埠到现在这个漫长的岁月，然后再加上60年的建国的经历，新加坡各族群这么多代，他们已经建立起共同的经历，而且也逐渐有了同一个国家的共识，所以也完成了从落叶归根到落地生根的这样一个转变。这是很值得注意的。

现代的新加坡人，首先我们很清楚的有一个国籍认同：我们是新加坡人；我们是新加坡公民。 不过，与此同时，我们也有族群的认同：我们肯定我们是新加坡华族、新加坡马来族或者新加坡印度族。每个族群保留了自己的文化和传统，不过与此同时也融入了其他族群的一些习俗和传统。这就产生了新加坡版本的华族文化、新加坡版本的马来文化、新加坡版本的印度文化。

如果我们要讨论新加坡华族文化，就首先要先了解这样的一个背景。新加坡华族文化有些什么特色呢？如果我们要了解新加坡华族文化，首先我们要从了解开埠一直到二战期间这大概120年左右的华人移民的特色开始。

当然，开埠前，新加坡和东南亚一带已经有华人的存在，而且在中国改革开放之后也有来自中国的新移民来到新加坡来落户。他们也为新加坡的华族文化注入了一些新的元素。

不过我觉得如果要了解新加坡华族文化的基调，还是要从了解开埠一直到二战前华族移民的特色，从这里开始。那有些什么特色呢？ 

新加坡华人的祖辈，我们先从地理来讲，他们很多都来自中国的南方沿海的两个省份 – 福建和广东。 当然也包括海南，不过主要是福建和广东这两个地方。籍贯方面来说，主要的籍贯有福建、潮州、广东、海南、客家。职业方面来说，许多是苦力，也有一些是小商贩。当然也有一些知识水平比较高的，不过这些可以说是凤毛麟角，绝大多数属于刚才我说的这些职业。那么文化水平就很有限，而且很多是不识字的。 

我们也知道中国历史悠久、幅员辽阔。它的文化是很多元化的。所以我们就要问：新加坡华人的祖辈带过来的文化行李当中有些什么？

考虑到我们的华人祖辈很多是来自中国的沿海地带，这不是当时中国的文化心脏区，也不是当时的行政心脏区，而且他们很多也属于家乡的中低阶层，因为毕竟他生活困苦才下南洋 -- 所以他们的文化行李当中应该没有太多所谓“高大上”的东西。所谓“宅门文化”、“士大夫文化”、“诗礼传家”这些传统，我们的华人祖辈是没有带过来的。而且他们既然都是属于比较困苦的人群，他们同官职也没有什么缘分，所以也不会把当时中国的官场文化给带过来。

他们带过来的华族文化，很多是靠口头的传播，因为刚才说了很多也不识字。它的形式，就包括了比方说歌谣、民间故事、俗语谚语、地方戏曲或者是民间信仰，等等。这些形式可能不是特别精致，不过也有旺盛的生命力，而且也完全可以具备传承价值观的功能。

什么样的价值观？忠孝仁义，尤其是孝道，在包括新加坡华人在内的东南亚华人群体当中，就保存得很好。当然，新加坡华族文化的形成还有很多的细节。因为我自己也不是历史学家，我也不是民俗学家，我这里就不展开来谈了。

我觉得新加坡的华族祖辈所带到新加坡的，是一种古朴、淳厚的文化。他们来到了一个当时由英国人管理的殖民地社会，接触到的是一套和家乡完全不一样的世界观，还有社会治理的理念，这也包括法治理念。与此同时，我们的华人祖辈也接触到，并且也适应了和来自马来亚半岛、印度和东南亚其他地区的移民一同共处。在语言、饮食、生活习惯方面，也都体现了这些其他文化的影响。

如果说刚到新加坡的中国朋友觉得新加坡的华族社会很熟悉、很亲切，可是又有一些不一样，其实这是很好解释的。因为新加坡华族文化，它既拥有一种古朴、淳厚的华族文化基调，不过与此同时它也融入了其他文化的影响，而且也吸纳了一些西方的理念。

新加坡作为一个开放的社会，我们也会持续地吸纳来自海外的人才。现代的新移民来到新加坡，他是有意识地选择在新加坡落户，因为他认同新加坡的理念和价值观，也想在这里落地生根。他们自己也会带来一些家乡的文化，也会为我们新加坡的文化熔炉添砖加瓦，不过我们与此同时，也希望他们能够认识和欣赏新加坡的文化，也希望他们能够尽快地融入。

问题一

主持人：我们经常谈到不同华人的文化之间的一些相同和不同之处。国��资政李显龙先生就曾在一些场合谈到，虽然同文、同种、同宗、同族，那为什么不同意。 说到华人文化之间的交流，什么时候我们要强调那个“同”，什么时候我们要强调“异”？文化的相同到底是一种文化、对话的基础，还是可能成了一种包袱或是武器？ 

沈部长：文化纽带，它确实是让新加坡人民和中国人民之间彼此感到很亲切、很友好，我们不管是进行商业方面的来往，或者是民间的交流，都会很方便，这是一件好事。不过，新加坡毕竟是个小国，中国是大国，所以如果说中国的朋友对新加坡的印象是停留在一个笼统的层面，甚至是对新加坡可能有些不太准确的认识，我觉得这是可以理解的。比方说，来自中国的朋友跟我说过，新加坡全都是华人，刚才台上的嘉宾也说过了，这是不太准确的。也有中国朋友跟我说，在新加坡很方便，因为完全用普通话就可以了。其实，英语是我们的工作语言。当然，我们75%的人口是华族，华族当中很多都是能够说一些华语的。不过，我们平时的工作语言其实是英语。 

如果在新加坡生活一段时候，海外的朋友可能会有几种发现。

第一个发现是：新加坡虽然是中国以外唯一华人人数居多的主权国家，可是我们不是一个华人国家，也不是汉族国家，而是一个多元种族的国家。

第二个发现是：新加坡的华人不把自己看成华侨。

第三个发现是刚才我们已经谈到过的：新加坡的华族文化和中国文化还是有一些区分的。我们的华族文化，或者是我们的马来族文化、我们的印度族文化，其实都是新加坡的身份认同当中的重要组成部分。

政府也很重视、鼓励民间团体、专家学者研究、整理、保存、传承这些新加坡版本的华族文化、马来族文化、印度族文化。这是政府很支持的一件事情。

为什么呢？因为这样子的工作，其实也只能够我们自己来做。因为毕竟新加坡版本的华族文化、马来族文化、印度族文化，在其他地方是找不到的，所以这个工作只能够我们自己来做，而且我们务必要把它给做好。

从华族文化的层面来讲，政府就很重视同中华总商会或者是宗乡会馆总会或者是各会馆跟民间团体一起合作。因为这些都是传承和推动新加坡华族文化的主要团体。新加坡华社在宗乡会馆总会的推动之下，也有我们自己的华族文化中心。

我们重视的是什么？我们重视的是文化自信的培养。

我们不要觉得新加坡的华族文化不够精致、不够标准、或者不够正宗。我们的华族文化有我们自己的历史轨迹，我们也有东南亚还有来自其他地区的族群的印记。我们的华族文化有自己独特的魅力，也有旺盛的生命力。这是很坚韧的生命力。

如果海外的朋友来到新加坡，他看到新加坡华族，他觉得“华人也可以这样生活”，我觉得这是特别有意义的。

问题二

观众：有人说中国现在发展得很快，十年、二十年过后可能是世界上最大、最好的经济体。也有预测说中文可能在十年、二十年过后，会跟英语一样也是主导语言。我想问大家你们同意吗？ 

沈部长：其实，在过去几十年我们也可以看到在国际层面上华文、华语的使用有所提高。在很多的国际场合，你会看到一些内容由多种语言来呈现，当中也包括华文。至于华文、华语的使用，会不会有很大的飞跃，我觉得这个可能需要语言专家来判断。随着中国的快速发展，来自大陆的文化，特别是流行文化、消费文化的日新月异，再加上通过互联网还有传媒的放大还有传播，它肯定对世界会有一定的输出和影响。在新加坡，我们也可以感受到，这也是一个必然的趋势。不过，语言的运用也好，或者是文化产品的消费也好，它虽然会改变我们的生活，不过会彻底地改变我们的社会面貌吗？我觉得这是一个值得我们深思的问题。

因为文化是活的，它不是一成不变，不过它也需要长年累月的积累。而身份认同和价值观，就更不容易改变了。新加坡人包括新加坡华人，其实我们大量地消费西方文化产品。不过，我们也没有因此而改变我们的身份认同。我们也没有觉得自己是西方人，西方人也不觉得我们新加坡人是西方人。所以我觉得文化产品的消费或者是语言的使用，它不一定等同于理念或者身份认同一定会改变。 

对新加坡来讲，我们要做的是珍惜我们自己的文化，而且对其有自信。所以我相信政府在结合民间团体还有专家学者的力量，继续做好整理、研究和传承我们文化的工作，这个是一定会做下去的。

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English Translation

Opening Remarks

SMS Sim Ann: I would like to take a few minutes to introduce Singapore’s Chinese culture.

Before we talk about Singapore’s Chinese culture, I must first set the context that Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-cultural society.

In Singapore, Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians all have their own characteristics, which are closely linked to Singapore's history as an entrepot.

Many of our forefathers left their hometowns to seek a better life in Singapore. They came to Singapore from China, India and other parts of Southeast Asia, probably thinking that they were here to work for a while and would return to their homeland eventually. However, since the founding of Singapore in 1819, and including 60 years of nation-building, many generations of Singaporeans have built up shared experiences and created a collective national identity. They have undertaken the transformation from migrants who had sought to return to their hometowns, to locals who settled down and grew their roots here. This is worth noting. 

Singaporeans today have a clear sense of national identity: We are Singaporeans; we are Singapore citizens. At the same time, we also have our ethnic identities: we are Singaporean Chinese, Singaporean Malays or Singaporean Indians. Each community has preserved its own culture and traditions, while integrating some of the customs and traditions of other communities. This gave rise to the Singapore version of Chinese, Malay and Indian culture.

So, if we want to discuss Singapore’s Chinese culture, we have to first understand the background. What are the characteristics of Singapore’s Chinese culture? To understand Singapore’s Chinese culture, we have to start with understanding the characteristics of Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore during the approximately 120-year period between Singapore’s founding in 1819 and World War II. 

Of course, before the founding of Singapore, there were already Chinese in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Following China’s reform and opening up, there were also new immigrants from China who came to settle in Singapore. They also injected some new elements into Singapore’s Chinese culture.

But to understand the fundamentals of Singapore’s Chinese culture, we need to understand the characteristics of Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore from its founding, up to World War II. So, what are the characteristics?

Many of the forefathers of Singaporean Chinese came from two coastal provinces in the south of China – Fujian and Guangdong. Some also came from Hainan, but most were from Fujian and Guangdong. They were mostly from the Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hainanese and Hakka dialect groups. In terms of occupation, many were labourers, some were small vendors. There were also some who had better education, but these were few and far between. Most worked in the occupations I just spoke about. The level of education was very limited, and many were illiterate.

We know that China has a long history, a vast territory, and a diverse culture. So we have to ask: What was in the ‘cultural luggage’ that our Chinese forefathers brought with them?

Many of our Chinese forefathers came from the coastal areas of China, which was neither the cultural nor administrative centres at that time. Many of them belonged to the lower- and middle-income groups in their hometowns. After all, they came to the Southeast Asia region because life back home had been hard. Therefore, the ‘cultural luggage’ they brought along was not refined or high-end. They did not bring with them the culture of the lettered classes or scholarly families. Since they had humble backgrounds, they did not know what it was like to be mandarin officials, and hence did not bring with them the officialdom culture of China.

Much of the Chinese culture they brought along was orally transmitted – because many were illiterate – in the form of songs, folk stories, proverbs, local operas or folk beliefs. These forms of culture might not be high-brow or elegant, but they are vibrant and perfectly capable of transmitting values.

What kind of values? For example, core values of loyalty, filial piety, compassion and righteousness. In particular, the core value of filial piety has been well-preserved among the ethnic Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, including Singapore. There are many details about the genesis of Chinese culture in Singapore, but I will not dwell on them here since I am neither a historian nor a cultural scholar.

What our Chinese forefathers brought to Singapore was an ancient and down-to-earth form of Chinese culture. When they arrived at a British-run colony, they encountered a world view and a set of ideas about social governance, including the rule of law, that was very different from what they knew back home. They adapted to it, and also adapted to living alongside immigrants from the Malay Peninsula, India, and other parts of Southeast Aisa. These other cultures influenced our forefathers’ use of language, their cuisine and daily habits.

If a visitor from China feels that the Chinese community in Singapore is very familiar, yet different in some ways, it is in fact easy to explain. This is because Singapore’s Chinese culture has integrated ancient Chinese cultural elements with regional cultures and Western influences. 

As an open and diverse society, Singapore continues to attract talent from all corners of the world. New immigrants come to Singapore after making a conscious choice that they identify with Singapore, our ideals and values, and want to make Singapore their home. They bring with them some of their origin culture which adds to Singapore’s melting pot of multi-culturalism. At the same time, we hope that they can appreciate and identify with our unique Singaporean culture, and integrate quickly. 

Question 1

Moderator: We often speak about similarities and differences between different Chinese cultures. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has also pointed out why we do not always agree, even though some see us as speaking the same language and sharing the same ethnicity. When do we want to emphasise similarities and when do we want to emphasise differences? Do cultural similarities provide a better foundation for dialogue, or are they a burden or a weapon?

SMS Sim Ann: Cultural links do make Singaporeans and Chinese feel more familiar with each other. It could facilitate business exchanges and people-to-people exchanges, which is a good thing. However, Singapore is after all a small country and China is a big country, so it is understandable if some Chinese friends have a vague impression or even some inaccurate knowledge of Singapore. For example, my Chinese friends have told me that Singaporeans are all Chinese, which is not accurate. There are also Chinese friends who have told me that it is very convenient in Singapore because one only needs to speak in Mandarin. In fact, English is our working language. Of course, 75 per cent of our population is ethnic Chinese, many of whom are able to speak some Mandarin. However, our working language is English.

Friends from overseas who have lived in Singapore for some time may make a few observations.

First, although Singapore is the only sovereign country outside China with a majority ethnic Chinese population, it is not a Chinese country or a Han nation but a multi-racial country.

Second, Singaporean Chinese do not think of themselves as overseas Chinese.

Third, there are still some differences between Singapore’s Chinese culture and that of China. Our Chinese, Malay and Indian culture are in fact an important part of Singaporeans’ sense of identity.

The Singapore Government values the work of civic organisations, experts and academics who study, preserve, and pass on Singapore’s version of Chinese, Malay and Indian culture. This is something the Government strongly supports.  

Why? Because this work can only be done by us. After all, the Singapore version of Chinese, Malay, and Indian culture is not found anywhere else. So, we are the only ones who can do this, and we must do it well.

From the perspective of ethnic Chinese culture, the Government attaches great importance to working with the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI), the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) or various clan associations and civic groups, because these are the main stewards of Singapore’s Chinese culture. SFCCA has also taken the lead in establishing the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.

What we value is the cultivation of cultural confidence.

We should not think that Singapore’s Chinese culture is not refined, non-standard or not authentic. Our Chinese culture has its own historical trajectory, and traces of influence from Southeast Asia and other regions. Our Chinese culture has its own unique charm and vitality.

When foreigners come to Singapore and encounter Singaporean Chinese, they will see that “ethnic Chinese people can also live like this” – this is very meaningful.

Question 2

Audience: Some people say that China is developing rapidly, and in 10 or 20 years' time, it may be the largest and strongest economy in the world. There are predictions that in 10 or 20 years' time, Mandarin will be a dominant language like English. May I ask if you agree?

SMS Sim Ann: In fact, in the past few decades, we have seen an increase in the use of Mandarin at the international level. At many international events, you will see some of the materials presented in multiple languages, including the Chinese language. As for whether there would be a big surge in the use of Mandarin, this is a question for linguistic experts to determine. With China's rapid development, particularly the constant evolution of pop culture and consumer culture, and their amplification and dissemination through the Internet and the media, the global export and influence of Mainland Chinese culture is an inevitable trend. We can feel it in Singapore too. The use of language and cultural consumption may change our lives, but will they completely change the identity and nature of our society? I think this bears deeper examination.   

Culture is alive. It is not static, but it also takes years to build up. It is even harder to change identities and values. Singaporeans, including Singaporean Chinese, consume a lot of Western culture, but this does not change our sense of identity. We do not feel that we are Westerners, nor do Westerners see us as Westerners. Cultural consumption or the use of language does not necessarily mean that sense of identity will change.   

For Singapore, what we need to do is to cherish and instill confidence in Singapore’s culture. The Government will continue to partner civic organisations, experts and academics, in researching, documenting, studying and preserving Singapore’s culture. 

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