The Dissemination And Research Of A Dream Of Red Mansions In Malaysia And Singapore

The scope of this dissertation covers a two-hundred-year timeline from 1820,when there was a possibility that A Dream of Red Mansions was brought into Malaysia,to the year 2018.By the means of documentation and literature,the author attempts to demonstrate the means of propagation of A Dream of Red Mansions in an era,including the subjects at that time,disseminated information,the extent of subjects involved,and the impact of dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions according to the feedback of those subjects.In addition,the author combed through and reviewed various published articles and research findings of A Dream of Bed Mansions and wrote a general and basic introduction of the Malaysia-Singapore Redology.Last,after summarizing the characteristics and inadequacy of Malaysia-Singapore Redology,and referring to the World Redology's study approaches and methods,suggestions for the future development of Malaysia-Singapore Redology study are made.This dissertation has five chapters.The first chapter explores the possibilities of dissemination and time of introduction ofA Dream of Red Mansions into Singapore and Malaysia.Emperor Qianlong fifty-six years(1791),the year of the publication of Cheng Weiyun's first edition of A Dream of Red Mansions,and the time of establishment and development of Penang(1786),Malacca(1795),and Singapore(1819)were very close.Morrison was the earliest scholar from the West to promote A Dream of Red Mansions as he started to translate excerpts from A Dream of Red Mansions,and cited many phrases from A Dream of Red Mansions in his compilation of a dictionary of Chinese language.He also believed that A Dream of Red Mansions is a good read for beginners in Mandarin.Charles Gutzlaff was the author of the first review of A Dream of Red Mansions in the West.Similarly,they happened to be one of the active and noted missionaries in the early 19th century is Malaysia and Singapore.Morrison and William Milne even founded that Anglo-Chinese College in Malacca in 1818.By 1923,the Chines library in this college collected 3380 books where 2850 sere Chinese books.We believe this was the best opportunity for A Dream of Red Mansions to be introduced into the area.The compilation of 'Morrison 's Manuscript Catalogue' by Morrison published in 1824 documented 7 different works related to A Dream of Red Mansions.Dream of the Red Chamber was the translated name recorded.He believed that A Dream of Red Mansions narrates the life of a noble family in Beijing.His collection of various versions had 2 of Dongguangge's New Criticism of A Dream of Red Mansion,and the later-lost four-volume A Dream of Red Mansion,these 3 versions,and Xiaoyao Zi's Later Dream of Red Mansion,Chen Xiaohai's Red Integration Dream of Red Mansion,Master Haipu's continuation of Continued:A Dream of Red Mansions,these 3 versions,and an opera script adaptation of the novel Scattered Drama of A Dream of Red Mansion.Since 1881,Consulate Zuo Binglong and Huang Zunxian's expedition promoted education and propagated the Chinese culture.Their effort in the Chinese community cutivated many scholars and has created a fine environment for the dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions.Qiu Weixuan's Chants of a Dream of Red Mansion withjueju,which was first published in Enperor Guangxu twenty-four years(1898),marked the beginning of the study of A Dream of Red Mansions in Malaysia and Singapore.The second chapter mainly explores the course of dissemination of the text A Dream of Red Mansions in Malaysia and Singapore.The circulation situation of the A Dream of Red Mansions passages in Malaysia and Singapore,and the changes in dissemination condition in different times are sorted out with various perspectives Iike literary ideological trend,educational system,economy of book industry,distribution of the collection of A Dream of Red Mansions and others.A brief account of the dissemination situation of A Dream of Red Mansions from British Malaya,before and after the independence of Malaysia and Singapore until now is written base on the key elements in communication studies.Its description is rich and concrete.In the early 20th century,the traditional concept of A Dream of Red Mansions being the most outstanding Chinese Classic Novel was very popular among Malaysian and Singaporean scholars as they were influenced by the literary world and ideological trend in China.Sections from A Dream of Red Mansions were written into Chinese textbooks,influencing generations of Chinese people.The development of Chinese newspaper and book industry expanded the scope of dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions,bringing a closer relationship with the readers.A Dream of Red Mansions in libraries made the novel accessible to students for reading.Various external interventions like the Japanese Occupation(3 years and 8 months of dark time),emergency act of anticommunism by British Colonial Government,and policies restricting mandarin education did not forbid the connection between readers and A Dream of Red Mansions forever.However,in 1963,Federation of Malaya,Singapore,Sabah and Sarawak joined to form Malaysia.In 1965,Republic of Singapore gained independence.The subsequent integration and separation,and difference in education policies and languages led to the different modes of dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions in two different places in the later stage.In the 70s,Singapore focused on English language with other languages as auxiliaries.This has greatly weaken the mandarin reading ability of their people.Between the 80s and 90s,most Malaysian students still read the original Mandarin copies and attended lectures to understand A Dream of Red Mansions while Singaporean students who can read the Mandarin version are relatively lesser.They used the English translation or mainly musics,films and television and opera to experience A Dream of Red Mansions.The third chapter explores the course of dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions via audio-visual culture.It explores the influence of A-Dream-of-Red-Mansions-derived products on the population from the aspects of films and television dissemination,opera dissemination,radio broadcasting,art cultural exhibition,cuisines,lectures and others.These modes of dissemination are more straightforward and accessible.The large extend of their influence and high speed is incomparable to text circulation.The disseminated information,however,is affected by the subjects interpretation and purpose of dissemination The information transmitted can greatly fall short of the original writing.After combing through various films and television broadcast in Malaysia,advertisement in newspapers,movie introductions including reviews and audiences'responses,attempts were made to reflect the actual situation of that time.At the same time,the change of era and technology,rise and fall of movie until the course of slow replacement by television can be seen.Other modes of dissemination are also depicted this way,from the discovery of the earliest findings recorded until the modern society.For example,on March 20,1926 Chinatown Lingnan New Opera invited Xin Ding Xiangyao to perform Lin Daiyu Buries Fallen Flowers,and now,Singapore has its own A Dream of Red Mansions opera:Chinese Theatre Circle Cantonese Opera's Dream of Red Mansion,Zhezi Drama's Hallucination have a Secret Regret for Life,Wang Xifeng's made a scene in mansion house of Duke Ningguo;Bilingual drama group performing arts workshop has four-act drama Snow sword lovers;Singapore Hokkien Korghuay Troupe Opera has Loss of love in dream of Red Mansion,Jia Baoyu weep before the bier;Singapore Hainanese Opera Troupe has Memoirs · A Dream of Red Mansion,and other theatre and stage play adaptations.The efficacy of dissemination through visual culture is huge.The attractiveness of opera,movies,music,art,exquisite Chinese cuisine,and sculpture and handicrafts which are rich in Chinese traits kept the Singaporeans tightly bonded to Chinese traditional despite giving up the use of Mandarin.As a matter a fact,this didn't come by easily.It was actively promoted by the local people who dedicated their life in art and history communications to defend and improve the culture.By reviewing the past and apprehending the fact can the current generation learn appreciation.The fourth chapter sorted out the articles on A Dream of Red Mansions chronologically and discussed the research findings and its influence of more renowned Redology experts.Various unknown work and newspaper publications are introduced in the summary to provide a thorough presentation of the hot topics regarding A Dream of Red Mansions in the different times.This chapter explores the contribution of Department of Chinese Studies at Malaysian and Singaporean universities to the study of A Dream of Red Mansions.A systemic research approach was gradually established after A Dream of Red Mansions was integrated into university courses and initiated a teaching model The chapter explores the research direction and opinion on A Dream of Red Mansions using various dissertations by lecturers at Malaysian and Singaporean universities,and students'dissertations as study subjects.The last chapter summarizes the current situation of Malaysia's and Singapore's dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions and research expectations.Entering the new generation of media,text of A Dream of Red Mansions and its related music,and film products,anthology of research,excellent lecture videos,film and television,opera,and modern theatre performances can be obtained easily in various versions and translations.However,guidance is still required ti understand A Dream of Red Mansions.Many people found their own enlightenment in life after reading A Dream of Red Mansions.Various successful cases are described in this paper.Therefore,guiding readers to understand and study A Dream of Red Mansions correctly and find their own needs in life is a main priority.Thank you for all the contributions made by predecessors given the abundant materials available.On this basis,the author has also included all the gathered information and arranged them chronologically into a table with some important information.Among them,there are articles from Chinese newspaper publication(917 available papers from 1894 to 2018),English newspaper publication(56 papers),magazine(114 papers),dissertations(70 books),published A Dream of Red Mansions texts(22 types including adaptations),translations(2 types),Redology anthology and book(17 types),lectures and discussions(55 items),opera performances(59 papers),broadcast films and television(51 items),radio broadcast and music(37 items)and concerts(27 performances).The author made an appendix with all these traces of modes of dissemination of A Dream of Red Mansions in Malaysia and Singapore hoping there will be enthusiasts to supply more and further complete it.