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Ghost Marriages among the Singapore Chinese: A Further Note: (1956)*

Marjorie Topley

Jean DeBernardi (ed.)

in Cantonese Society in Hong Kong and Singapore: Gender, Religion, Medicine and Money

This chapter presents ceremonies which took place in a Dying House. The total cost of the marriage was approximately $200 Straits and a priest was engaged to see to the necessary arrangements. He was ... More

This chapter presents ceremonies which took place in a Dying House. The total cost of the marriage was approximately $200 Straits and a priest was engaged to see to the necessary arrangements. He was one of a small group of professionals belonging to a Cantonese branch of the Cheng I [Zhengyi] school of Taoism who earn their living in Singapore by performing at funeral ceremonies and at Cantonese occasional rites. The priest arranged for the “wedding” ceremony to be held in the temple, hired a room at the Dying House, bought or made all the necessary paraphernalia and together with his troupe of colleagues and disciples performed all the appropriate ceremonies. According to the Taoist priest in charge of the day's activities, Cantonese ghost marriages are still by no means rare in Singapore and he has been engaged to perform them by people, mainly women, of various occupations and income.Less

 Reflections on the Musical Diversity of Chinese Churches in the United States

Maria M. Chow

in Music in American Religious Experience

Based on a fifteen-month survey of different Chinese American churches and hymnals, this chapter examines the choices made by immigrants from different parts and different linguistic traditions in ... More

Based on a fifteen-month survey of different Chinese American churches and hymnals, this chapter examines the choices made by immigrants from different parts and different linguistic traditions in East Asia. Chicago's Chinatown is given a central role. Chinese hymns respond not only to the adaptation of immigrants to American religious experience, but also to the need to find common Chinese languages, particularly for those from Cantonese and Mandarin backgrounds, as well as Taiwanese heritage. Hymnals vary in the way in which common American traditions take place, but most of them accommodate change and create possibilities for Chinese Americans to worship and sing together. Linguistic diversity therefore coexists with common repertories.Less

Mandarin Chinese: “Altaicization” or Simplification?

John McWhorter

in Language Interrupted: Signs of Non-Native Acquisition in Standard Language Grammars

This chapter shows that while Altaic languages had a decisive effect upon Mandarin, transfer was a relatively minor factor, while reduction due to non-native competence was comprehensively ... More

This chapter shows that while Altaic languages had a decisive effect upon Mandarin, transfer was a relatively minor factor, while reduction due to non-native competence was comprehensively transformative. The evidence also suggests that the crucial locus of transformation was not the occupations by Genghis Khan (13th through 14th centuries) or the Manchus (1644-1911), but the widespread resettlement of conquered and dispossessed peoples amid Han Chinese on the northern Chinese frontier from the 600s through the 800s under the Tang dynasty. A comparison of Mandarin with its sister languages in nine aspects of grammar is presented.Less

Linguistic Features of Email and ICQ Instant Messaging in Hong Kong

Carmen K. M. Lee

in The Multilingual Internet: Language, Culture, and Communication Online

This chapter examines the linguistic features of CMC in Hong Kong, based on a 70,000-word corpus of email and ICQ messages collected mainly from undergraduate students whose first language is ... More

This chapter examines the linguistic features of CMC in Hong Kong, based on a 70,000-word corpus of email and ICQ messages collected mainly from undergraduate students whose first language is Cantonese, with English as their second language. Text analysis of the messages was complemented by a questionnaire survey. The study provides a comprehensive overview of CMC features in Hong Kong, including Cantonese-English code mixing and morpheme-by-morpheme literal translations. The analysis reveals that some CMC features observed in Hong Kong are different from those of other Chinese-speaking communities, such as the Taiwan-based CMC community described in Chapter 3, while other findings are comparable to those in previous studies of CMC in Chinese-speaking contexts.Less

European and Asian Immigration into the United States in Comparative Perspective, 1820s to 1920s

Sucheng Chan

in Immigration Reconsidered: History, Sociology, and Politics

This chapter compares European and Asian immigration to the United States from 1820 to 1920, expanding understanding of immigration to include the Eastern Hemisphere. It establishes immigration as a ... More

This chapter compares European and Asian immigration to the United States from 1820 to 1920, expanding understanding of immigration to include the Eastern Hemisphere. It establishes immigration as a two-way process by focusing on both the United States and the “sending nations,” and thus directs attention to the Asian continent as a migration source. It synthesizes newly developing literature on China, Japan, India, and Korea that, like recent scholarship on European migrations, identifies advancing world capitalism and local political conditions as forces driving global migrations. Instead of the usual emphasis upon distinctive national or continental experiences, this chapter emphasizes similar originating causes for Asian, European, and Latin American emigration.Less

Living Spaces

Denise Tse-Shang Tang

in Conditional Spaces: Hong Kong Lesbian Desires and Everyday Life

Family interactions in living spaces can be perceived as specific practices in a spatial context that lay claim to how certain gender and sexual codings are formed, normalized, and regulated. Family ... More

Family interactions in living spaces can be perceived as specific practices in a spatial context that lay claim to how certain gender and sexual codings are formed, normalized, and regulated. Family and space are interconnected concepts that can be found in two colloquial Cantonese terms. The first term denotes a house, a physical dwelling and a family space. The second term points to family members and by implication, persons underneath one roof, which can be perceived as a form of cohabitation. This chapter discusses the complexities within family relations and how outside forces affect the ways respondents view their relations with family members in response to their sexualities. The issue of living together creates many difficulties for respondents when it comes to hiding their sexualities and, as a result, they come up with multiple coping strategies to live with family members.Less

An Autosegmental-Metrical Analysis and Prosodic Annotation Conventions for Cantonese

Wai Yi P. Wong, Marjorie K. M. Chan, and Mary E. Beckman

in Prosodic Typology: The Phonology of Intonation and Phrasing

This chapter introduces the C-ToBI (Cantonese Tones and Break Indices) conventions for modern Cantonese. These conventions are designed for use in annotating tone and juncture phenomena in spoken ... More

This chapter introduces the C-ToBI (Cantonese Tones and Break Indices) conventions for modern Cantonese. These conventions are designed for use in annotating tone and juncture phenomena in spoken Cantonese corpora. Tone and juncture phenomena of special interest for prosodic typology include: the rather strict monosyllabicity of Cantonese word forms; the absence of contrast between ‘stressed’ and reduced (‘neutral tone’) syllables; and the extremely dense syntagmatic tonal specification, including non-segmental boundary tones. All three characteristics set Cantonese apart from Mandarin Chinese. Another phenomenon of interest is that, despite the existence of syllable fusion in Cantonese, there seems to be no reliable categorical markings of intermediate levels of prosodic grouping between the syllable and the intonational phrase. The C-ToBI conventions proposed here are intended to facilitate the development of the large prosodically-annotated speech corpora that are needed to address these issues and the many questions concerning the prosodic structure of modern Cantonese.Less

Hong Kong on the Move: Creating Global Cultures

Kam Louie (ed.)

in Hong Kong Culture: Word and Image

In order to explore the development of Hong Kong's cultural scene under the “one country, two systems” framework, this book has gathered together a group of world experts on Hong Kong cultural ... More

In order to explore the development of Hong Kong's cultural scene under the “one country, two systems” framework, this book has gathered together a group of world experts on Hong Kong cultural matters to contribute chapters related to their expertise on Hong Kong culture. Hong Kong has been a cultural fault-line for centuries—first, as a colonial space wrested from the Qing empire by Britain and second, as a prize won back by the government of the People's Republic of China. In this shaky geopolitical terrain, Hong Kong found its firm cultural ground and became a translation space where Chinese-ness was interpreted for “Westerners” and Western-ness was translated for Chinese. As a cultural hub Cantonese culture also flourished along new cosmopolitan lines to build a modern, outward-looking character. In combination, each of these interactions worked together to produce Hong Kong's unique culture.Less

Some Occasional Rites Performed by the Singapore Cantonese: (1951)*

Marjorie Topley

Jean DeBernardi (ed.)

in Cantonese Society in Hong Kong and Singapore: Gender, Religion, Medicine and Money

This chapter deals with some of the rites performed by the Cantonese in Singapore with the object of overcoming illness and misfortune. The rites selected for description are in all cases specific to ... More

This chapter deals with some of the rites performed by the Cantonese in Singapore with the object of overcoming illness and misfortune. The rites selected for description are in all cases specific to the sufferer, and are enacted only when help is required. The term occasional is used here in this sense, to distinguish them from festival rites and the type of performances of a spirit medium which take place regularly and are attended by many people. They also differ from other rites in that they can be performed alone by the person who hopes to benefit from them, or who wishes to benefit some other person in whose welfare they are interested. Even when the rites to be described are performed by a priest, the person paying for the rite is an active participant.Less

Lesson in Openness: Creating a Space of Flow in Hong Kong

Elizabeth Sinn

in Hong Kong Mobile: Making a Global Population

The volume starts with the conceptual assumption that Hong Kong as a unit of analysis may not be treated as a physically bounded crucible that contains a particular population at a given time. ... More

The volume starts with the conceptual assumption that Hong Kong as a unit of analysis may not be treated as a physically bounded crucible that contains a particular population at a given time. Historically, as this chapter stresses, Hong Kong has thrived as “a space of flow”. Various populations drawn from the Chinese diaspora became engaged with the place and its evolving institutions. The discussion delineates when Hong Kong became a free port under British rule in 1842 and how it joined a number of global processes. In the decades that followed, it became involved in network building. Other developments followed. Hong Kong, became the primary channel for Chinese remittance from overseas and a hub for the California trade in a wide range of goods, from medicine and joss sticks, to prepared opium and Cantonese opera.Less

Where Guangdong Meets Shanghai: Hong Kong Culture in a Trans-regional Context

May Bo Ching

in Hong Kong Mobile: Making a Global Population

To evaluate Hong Kong's positioning for its residents, past and present, a regional cultural context is essential. By the 1920s, established Guangdong merchants in Shanghai patronized their native ... More

To evaluate Hong Kong's positioning for its residents, past and present, a regional cultural context is essential. By the 1920s, established Guangdong merchants in Shanghai patronized their native place activities through their regional associations, martial arts and athletic societies, theaters, and department stores. It was under these circumstances in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, in a spirit of openness and adventure, that instrumental music, songs, and operas identified as Cantonese flourished. New artistic talents, supported by cosmopolitan mercantile interests, absorbed fresh nutrients from Western and other regional traditions. These cultural energies gave the region a competitive edge as China's window to the world. It allowed Hong Kong residents and business interests a hinterland far beyond Hong Kong's physical and administrative boundaries. Residents strategically used different cultural codes of conduct for economic survival and social advancement.Less

Chinese Occasional Rites in Hong Kong: (1967)*

Marjorie Topley

Jean DeBernardi (ed.)

in Cantonese Society in Hong Kong and Singapore: Gender, Religion, Medicine and Money

This chapter examines the role of rites performed by people on their own in the religion of the Cantonese in urban Hong Kong today. It distinguishes two kinds of individual performances: “regular” ... More

This chapter examines the role of rites performed by people on their own in the religion of the Cantonese in urban Hong Kong today. It distinguishes two kinds of individual performances: “regular” rites and “occasional” rites. Occasional rites deal with more specific problems and are performed as such problems arise. The more specific the circumstances, the more knowledge of spiritual matters may be needed. Material adjuncts are tailored more to particular needs and are sometimes “custom made” for individual needs. The chapter gives brief descriptions of some ritual materials in common use and outline some of the most popular rites in urban Hong Kong, but the chapter's main discussion is of the meaning and purpose of such ritual: what puts it “into motion” so to speak, and what it is meant to “do” for the performer.Less

Food

M. A. Aldrich

in The Search for a Vanishing Beijing: A Guide to China's Capital Through the Ages

Peking hosts a magnificent selection of regional Chinese restaurants. This aspect alone makes the trip worthwhile. Food has occupied a central role in Chinese life for thousands of years, as can be ... More

Peking hosts a magnificent selection of regional Chinese restaurants. This aspect alone makes the trip worthwhile. Food has occupied a central role in Chinese life for thousands of years, as can be gleaned by the role of serving various dishes to the spirits of the deceased. It is said that Chinese food reflects the country's tumultuous history. Nearly everyone coming to China will already have visited a Chinese restaurant in their home country. There is a debate among Chinese epicures about the precise number of regional Chinese cuisines. Of these Shan Dong style dishes, perhaps the most famous is Peking duck. The recommended Shan Dong restaurants, Chinese Muslim restaurants, Fu Jian/Zhe Jiang restaurants, Cantonese restaurants, Si Chuan restaurants, and other regional restaurants are presented.Less

Lamma Island

John Strickland

in Southern District Officer Reports: Islands and Villages in Rural Hong Kong, 1910-60

This chapter provides the administrative officers' reports on visits/trips made to the Yung Shu Wan and the Lo So Shing Groups of Villages in Lamma Island. It reports that Lamma Island is ... More

This chapter provides the administrative officers' reports on visits/trips made to the Yung Shu Wan and the Lo So Shing Groups of Villages in Lamma Island. It reports that Lamma Island is overwhelmingly Cantonese with a few Hakka at Yung Shu Wan and a handful of refugees at Sokkuwan. It further reports that although there are some poor villages (Lo Tik Wan and Luk Chau), a number of which have been hit hard by the restrictions imposed on trade under the United Nations Resolution of May 1951 (Tung O and Yung Shu Ha), this island can be considered as the most prosperous part of the Southern District. It observes that the population is about 1,640, of whom 800 are fisherfolk permanently based in Sokkuwan.Less

The Organization of Rice Supplies in Canton: The Formation of the Cantonese Provisioning Networks for Consumer Satisfaction

in Gourmets in the Land of Famine: The Culture and Politics of Rice in Modern Canton

This chapter reviews the formation of the famous Cantonese food culture and the emergence of preferences for certain varieties of rice, mainly Southeast Asian varieties. Cantonese consumer demands ... More

This chapter reviews the formation of the famous Cantonese food culture and the emergence of preferences for certain varieties of rice, mainly Southeast Asian varieties. Cantonese consumer demands resulted in the blossoming of a worldwide rice trade. It is also noted that Canton depended on trade with Hong Kong for its rice supply and Hong Kong also depended on the sustainable market in Canton. Hong Kong had more effect on Canton's rice supply than Shanghai had. Traditional Chinese banks also complemented the success of business enterprise in the rice trade. Human and cultural factors also had a profound effect on the flourishing of the foreign-rice trade. Moreover, it is shown that in the 12920s Silk Sprout rice surpassed all else in Canton's rice-consuming culture. Although the Cantonese provisioning networks met consumer demands, this does not mean that Canton was completely immune to chronic rice shortages.Less

Trading with Traders: The Wonders of Cantonese Shopkeepers

Maria Kar-wing Mok

in The Private Side of the Canton Trade, 1700-1840: Beyond the Companies

Most of the traders in the foreign community at Canton were capable businessmen and tough negotiators with specific and precise demands, and consequently not easy to please. But even in this ... More

Most of the traders in the foreign community at Canton were capable businessmen and tough negotiators with specific and precise demands, and consequently not easy to please. But even in this environment, many of them greatly enjoyed the local shopping experience and held both the service and the products provided in high regard. The shopping alleys in the area of the factories and the streets on the periphery made the southwestern suburb of Canton where they were located one of the greatest shopping centres in Asia. The shops offered a staggering selection of Chinese goods that were made exclusively for a western clientele and were available only in Canton. In addition, they were a model of efficiency. The shopkeepers, recognizing the value of awe-inspiring displays, competitive pricing, fine craftsmanship, and customer service, employed marketing strategies that dazzled the western traders. Shops were often a combination of a shop and a workshop, and a number of them offered visitors behind-the-scene demonstrations of the production process. Such tours were more than entertainment; they were undoubtedly given to entice customers to make purchases. While negative reports of the shopping experience exist, they were the exception rather than the rule. The many accounts that exist, regardless of the nationality of the writer, present a very positive view of traders’ shopping experience in China and show a high regard for Cantonese shopkeepers.Less