The Historical Evolution And Characteristics Of Chinese Jewellery In Malaysia

A systematic and comprehensive study and research was conducted on Chinese jewellery in Malaysia and is described in this article. The origin, folk culture, racial characteristics, lifestyle and costume of Chinese in Malaysia are introduced. The development of Chinese jewellery in Malaysia is traced through research on the history and economic development of the Chinese in Malaysia, field trips to study Chinese jewellery in Malaysia and visits to various jewellery companies and craftsmen. The characteristics and present state of Chinese jewellery in Malaysia were summarized and concluded based on (i) research and analysis of the jewellery types, features of materials and decoration styles, craftsmanship, wearing styles and aesthetic orientation through review of an extensive collection of relevant literatures; and (ii) the influence of the customs of Malaysian Chinese.As the cultures of Malaysian Chinese are mostly inherited from China, the aesthetic perspectives of other local ethnic groups in Malaysia provide excellent references. Besides employing traditional Chinese art of crafting, the handicrafts of other local ethnic groups also serve as references in the making of Chinese jewellery in Malaysia. As such, even though Chinese jewellery in Malaysia inherits Chinese cultures, it also has a distinct Southeast Asian flavor to it. At the same time, jewellery design is also influenced by western culture and trends. Therefore, by basing their works on Chinese culture and be objective and bold in adding creatively the distinct features of the local ethnic groups in Malaysia and western culture to their design, jewellery designers can promote this distinctive and unique brand of jewellery to the international stage to further understanding of Chinese jewellery in Malaysia and thereby increasing its influence. Nowadays, people are placing an increasing demand on the styling and material used in the making of the jewelley and craftsmanship. Thus, the jewellery industry in Malaysia is actively researching technologies and improving facilities for jewellery making, and in the meantime, further the development of traditional fine crafts. The Peranakans are an extension of Malaysian Chinese and Peranakans jewellery is a part of Chinese jewellery in Malaysia which has distinctive features. It is also an important vector of material culture of Malaysian Chinese. The Peranakans culture and their origin were described and the development of Peranakans jewellery, types, materials, decoration style, crafting methods and jewellery preservation methods were reviewed in this article.Jewellery companies may conduct in-depth research on Peranakans jewellery, design and manufacture, including the extensive replication of Peranakans jewellery. Jewellery designers can take advantage of the traditional Peranakans decoration style and couple it with popular materials to produce jewellery that matches fashionable clothing. Finally, the heritage and development of Chinese jewellery in Malaysia are discussed.