逆境求存的传统会馆 ：以新加坡颜氏公会为个案研究 = A survival story of Chinese associations : the Gan Clan association Singapore

• Main Author: 苏文琪 Su, Wenqi
• Other Authors: Yow Cheun Hoe
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: Chinese
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Humanities::History::Asia::Singapore
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/48282
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

传统会馆在新加坡独立后，面临功能被政府取代的困境，随之还得应付后继无人、 长辈固步自封等问题。这些挑战明示会馆转型的迫切性，也暗示领导层的重要性。基 本上，会馆的宗旨是团结同宗同乡的力量，为会员争取最大的权益，在新加坡多元种 族的社会里，更担起保护和推广中华文化的使命。血缘组织颜氏公会向来是本地求新 会馆的代表，了解公会及其领导这些年的变迁，相信能找出会馆的求存策略。颜氏鲁 国堂为颜氏公会的前身，由于组织结构不健全，过于依赖领导层，一度消亡。后经宗 族的努力，在1966 年重新组织，成立颜氏公会。公会推出许多吸引年轻人的活动，也 倡议组织世界颜氏宗亲联谊会。该会馆甚至勇于突破重男轻女的传统藩篱，在1991 年 推选女性为副会长，是新加坡建国后第一个女理事。相较上世纪侨领颜世芳的以德服 人，现任会长颜诗琴博士还需以才服众。她运用其专业知识，说服年长会员让她大展 拳脚。不过，会馆制定求存策略迎接挑战时，不代表要摒弃一切旧规。要如何在传统 和现代取得平衡，会长、理事们和会员都要仔细斟酌。Since independence, the government’s intervention has reshaped the standing of Chinese associations in the community. Despite that, they continue to play a vital role in the promotion and preservation of Chinese culture amongst people of its descent. Having to cope with the absence of successors and veterans who are reluctant to change, the reform of associations can never be more crucial. This final year project is written based on a case study of The Gan Clan Association in multi-cultural society, Singapore. Like others, The Gan Clan Association serves to unite their common kindred and to strive for their members’ best interests. An increasing influence from government intervention and changes within the association and its policies has led to a challenge to its leadership. Along with the analysis of the association’s organisation structure and governing policies, the final year project will also document and compare the profile of Gan Say Hong and Dr. Gan See Khem. It is shown that Dr. Gan has managed to steer the association with a different leadership style and offered a uniquely different level of competence as compared to the ex-leader Gan Say Hong, especially in a cultural organizational contexts. This strategy will be discussed and argued to accentuate that the associations can thrive in a modern country without over compromising the traditions.