"不似华人" ：19世纪至20世纪初海峡土生华人的困境 = "Not Really Chinese" : dilemma of the Straits Chinese from 19th to 20th century

• Main Author: 黄欣仪 Ng, Sing Yee
• Other Authors: Ong Soon Keong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: Chinese
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Humanities::History; Humanities::Language::Chinese
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/152868
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

1887年，一位中国人到访了新加坡，并将他此次旅途中的所见所闻记录了下来，其中关于土生华人的叙述，所作出的看法则是他们 “不似华人” 。一年后，一名海峡土生华人则到访了中国，而根据他到访中国所记录下的内容，他却表现出近似 “华人” 的 “华人属性” 。这位海峡土生华人并非在少数，而且回看19世纪的海峡土生华人，其中不少也不符合 “不似华人” 的形象。显然， “不似华人” 的说法是以偏概全的，而这在一定程度上对他们造成影响，尤其是那些作为当地华人社会领袖的土生华人。 因此，本文将论述19世纪至20世纪初，面对“不似华人”的指摘，他们怎么靠着自身特殊身份的优势确立自己的社会地位，主导了自己的 “华人属性” ，又因为什么因素无法摆脱“不似华人”的指控。 In 1887, a Chinese man from China visited Singapore and had recorded his trip. Among his narratives, the views of the local-born Chinese he concluded is that they were “Not Really Chinese”. Meanwhile, a year later, a local-born Chinese from Singapore visited China and he also wrote down travel notes of the trip. Judging from what he had documented, he displayed attributes similar to "a Chinese". In the 19th century, Straits-born Chinese that similarly possesses attributes like " a Chinese" are not a minority. Many of them are contrary to the image of “Not Really Chinese”, which indicates that the perception of Straits-born Chinese as “Not Really Chinese” generalizes them. This affects the Straits-born Chinese, especially those who are the leaders of the local Chinese society. Thus, this thesis will discuss how these Straits-born Chinese utilize the advantages of their hybrid identity to establish and maintain their privileged position in the society while facing allegations of them “Not Really Chinese”. Also, this article will examine the reasons why these Straits-born Chinese were unable to remove claims of them “Not Really Chinese” even till the 20th century.