Social Evolution And Changes Of Singapore Chinese Clan Associations

This thesis based on the materials the author collected both in China and Singapore's fieldworks, including the special issues,the issues,the meeting notes of the Chinese clan associations. Then, taking Singapore Hainan association as a case and analysing with historical and anthropological methods. First, to put its history under the development of Southeast Asia area,the political situation of Singapore and the transformation of social environment. Then, focus on its changes in four aspects, the rules,the organization system,activities and identity , which are happening in the background of contemporary area situation and adjustment of Singapore's policy. The last, to reveal social evolution can effect the Chinese clan associations deeply.The present paper research demonstrated that, as the other overseas Chinese communities, Singapore Chinese clan associations including hainan associations have been undertaken some governmental functions in colonial Singapore. They were not only maintaining the Chinese society's normal operating system, but also being the important organizations to spread the Chinese culture. They provided "the adoption" mechanism to help the Chinese immigrants rebuild home and congeal the Chinese culture resources. When Singapore became an independent country in 1965, because of the social evolutions, Singapore Chinese society and Chinese clan associations faced severe challenges. Until the 1980s, with the end of the Cold War,the rise of China and the reconstruction of foreign trade, cultural ties between China and the Southeast Asian countries, also with the adjustments of Singapore government policy, the history gave the Singapore Chinese society and Chinese clan associations newopportunity again.The present paper research also demonstrated that, contemporarily, the hainan association and the hainan society take the opportunity properly, then, adjust their organizations,activities etc. to enter a new era. What is worth mentioning is changes in contemporary hainan association's activities. As the Singapore government's multicultural policy, to encourage various races to retain their own culture and traditions, the Chinese clan associations have been given the new mission to reserve the Chinese heritage. After 1980s, the hainan clan associations keep their hainan culture and promote the development of Singapore Chinese culture through various activities, like promoting dialect, promoting Chinese education, developing tradition literary arts, diet culture and celebrating customs. On the base of reserving and developing the traditional Chinese culture, the hainan clan associations use the hainan culture as a tie to arouse the identity memory as a hainanese , then promoting the cultural integration internally, and to extend relationship with hainan, the southeast Asia area, the other overseas Chinese societies externally. The transnational activities increased its social influence in contemporarily Singapore,gave new functions to hainan clan associations, and helped the hainan association to get rid of the difficult situation during the early period after Singapore's independence. Also, these transnational activities will promote the development of Singapore Chinese society and Chinese clan associations in the future.