Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan
Encyclopedia
Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan is a Teochew
clan
association in Singapore
. Poit Ip, which means eight districts in Teochew dialect, stood for the eight Teochew districts in the province of Guangdong
, China
. Huay Kuan means "clan association". On 12 December 1928, a temporary committee convened a meeting at the Tuan Mong School in preparation of the formation of the Huay Kuan. On 20 March 1929, British colonial authorities exempted the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan from registration, and it was formally established.
clan associations established in Singapore was the Ngee Ann Kongsi
. It was founded in 1845 by Seah Eu Chin
together with 12 clans from Chenghai and Haiyang.
Over time, it appeared that the Kongsi
was dominated by the Seah family and the descendants of the 12 clans. On 28 December 1927, 14 men wrote to Ngee Ann Kongsi’s chairman, Seah Eng Tong to voice out discontent with the Kongsi. The 14 men led by Lim Nee Soon
included Lun Woo Ngam, Tan Guan Chuan, Yeo Choo Tian, Low Chia Heng and Yeo Chan Boon. They felt that the Kongsi had strayed from its founding objectives and did not act as a good representative of the Teochew community.
In order to be in line with the Kongsi’s original aims, they demanded the Kongsi to be handed over to the Teochew community. A series of negotiations over the Kongsi carried on for the next eight to nine months, but failed to conclude with an acceptable solution for both parties. Lim Nee Soon saw the need of an organisation that could represent the Teochews, therefore on 9 September 1928, Lim Nee Soon led a group of 40 Teochew community leaders to publish a proposal to form a Teochew Huay Kuan (Huay Kuan means Clan Association).
On 15 September 1928, a Teochew community-wide general meeting was held at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce
. The purpose of the meeting was to deliberate over the founding of a Teochew Association. It was agreed that the association would be called the Singapore Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. Poit Ip, which means eight districts in Teochew dialect, stood for the 8 Teochew districts
in the province of Guangdong
, China. The eight districts were Chaoan, Chenghai, Chaoyang, Jieyang
, Raoping
, Puning
, Huilai and Nanao
. A 12 member temporary committee including Lim Nee Soon, Lee Wee Nam, Huang Wei Ting, Lim Woo Ngam and Yeo Chan Boon was formed. It was also established that each district would nominate 2 representatives to serve on the committee. On 12 December 1928 the temporary committee convened a meeting at the Tuan Mong School in preparation of the formation of the Huay Kuan. Eight committee members including Lim Nee Soon and Lee Wee Nan were then tasked to draft the constitution.
On 26 January 1929, a Teochew general meeting was held in the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. It was resolved that a properties management committee, called the Teochew (Eight Districts) Public Property Preservation Association, be organised by the Teochew clansmen from the eight districts. This committee would be dissolved upon the establishment of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan that would manage all the properties. This temporary office was also housed at the Tuan Mong School. The temporary association had 48 members including the following office bearers, President: Lim Nee Soon, Vice-President: Lee Wee Nam and Treasurers: Tan Chew Char and Liu Bing Xian.
On 20 March 1929, the British colonial authorities exempted the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan from registration and it was formally established. A recruitment drive was launched in April 1929 and it attracted more than 700 members. In August 1929, the very first Management Committee was elected. The Management Committee included the following office bearers, President: Lim Nee Soon, Vice-President: Lee Wee Nam and Yeo Chang Boon, Treasurer: Chen Li Zhi and Secretary: Lim Woo Ngam. Upon the independence of Singapore on 9 August 1965, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan applied for registration as required by the authorities and its approval was granted on 9 November 1965.
On 4 September 1929, the members of the first council were sworn in. Lim Nee Soon, Lee Wee Nam, Yeo Chan Boon and four others were then tasked to negotiate with the Ngee Ann Kong Si regarding the Teochew's public properties. A meeting was convened between Seah Eu Tong and Lim Nee Soon on 12 April 1930 to deliberate over the future of Ngee Ann Kong Si. After the meeting, a new Management Committee of 25 members for the Ngee Ann Kong Si was formed. The Ngee Ann Kong Si was officially incorporated on 25 February 1933 under the Ngee Ann Kongsi (Incorporation). The Ngee Ann Kong Si essentially became a trustee’s organisation for the Teochew community. With the completion of the Teochew Building (at no.97 Tank Road) in 1963, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and the Ngee Ann Kong Si moved their offices into those premises.
Today the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan deals largely with promotion of Teochew cultural values while the Ngee Ann Kong Si acts as a charity organisation and business arm of the Teochew community. Ngee Ann Kong Si contributes a substantial amount of their net annual income towards Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan to finance the welfare aid of its needy members and the clan’s activities. These two organisations exist in close relation and often engage in joint activities. For instance, when Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan organised its annual Teochew Week Exhibition or The Teochew International Convention in 2003, Ngee Ann Kong Si acted as their sponsor. The Teochew Funeral Parlour in Hougang was jointly built and maintained by Ngee Ann Kong Si and Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan.
(Minister, Prime Minister Office), George Yeo Yong Boon (Minister for Foreign Affairs), Lee Boon Yang
(Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts), Teo Chee Hean
(Minister for Defence), Lim Swee Say
(Minister, Prime Minister Office) and Lim Hng Kiang
(Minister for Trade and Industry).
Cultural activities
Every Lunar New Year
it holds a mass greeting party. At the Mid Autumn Festival, a party is held with Teochew mooncakes and Teochew “Kongfu” tea
and Teochew opera
. Since 1992, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan has held several Teochew Week on themes like Teochew history, folklores and culture, Teochew food and songs etc. It also held a series of talks on Chinese folklores, Chinese migration history and introduction to opera performance. It conducted cultural activities such as workshop on Chinese dance, martial arts
, Chinese painting
and calligraphy competition. These classes are often free or subsidised and open to public. It also takes part in the annual Singapore Chinggayhttp://www.chingay.org.sg/ parade which involves a parade of dance and mobile floats. It organises an annual Teochew art exhibition and holds performances by the associations’ teenage and children’s drama groups, young people’s drama group and male chorus. In October 2002, it organised a six-month joint exhibition with the Singapore History Museum on Singapore Teochew's history and culture.
Welfare and charity provision
Welfare was also an important function of the Singapore Chinese associations in the 19th and early 20th century. These welfare needs can be met in the form of charity funds and in the past it was not unusual to provide these assistances beyond the shores of Singapore. In 1936, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan raised a total of $15,413 for the purpose of strengthening a dyke in Chao Chou. It also set up a Relief Fund Committee of the Teochew Pang (association). By 1940, the Teochew community raised a total of $472,900 for its relief fund. Locally, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan donated to foundations such as the Nanyang University
Foundation, National Defence Foundation, Cultural Foundation and Chinese Development Assistance Council
Foundation. The Ngee Ann Kong Si annually contributes a generous portion of their net income towards the welfare activities of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. Currently, it also provides scholarships to both local and Chinese students.
Economic function
Although the economic and business purposes of the Chinese clan associations are never explicitly spelt out, by its nature and existence of a network, it provides opportunities for businessmen to conduct business. Tan Koh Tiang, current administration secretary of the present Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, states that the Teochew International Convention, which is held every two years, not only links up with the other Teochew clans all over the world to share cultural and clan issues, but it also serves to promote economic development and links. In 1993, it conducted a seminar on investment opportunities in Chao-zhou and Guangdong
provinces. It also provided contacts and information service for businessmen who wish to venture into China. It also offered trips to China to seek investment potential. Commenting on the seminar, Dr Phua Kok Khoo of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan stated that its "main emphasis is still on promoting Chinese culture, and even if (they) discuss business, it will not be at the expense of cultural activities”.
. After Singapore gained independence, community centres were established by the People's Association to promote communal activities for people in Singapore. Successful public housing policies also made the people less inclined to approach the clan associations for assistance on housing issues. Further, educational and health facilities were established to meet the needs of Singapore citizens. Employment issues were greatly reduced by the country’s industrialisation projects. These factors led to the decline of Chinese clan associations as pointed out by BG Lee Hsien Loong
in one of his speeches,"since Independence, many of the services the clan used to provide have been taken over by government and other civic organizations…the government took over the running of schools and public services.
Chinese clan associations started to lose their appeal and purpose towards the community and thus they experienced a dwindling membership".
With the decline of Chinese clan associations, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and other clans increasingly faced obstacles in sustaining their survival. It is a common perception among the Singaporean youths that Chinese clan associations are old-fashioned concepts and thus they lack interest in participating in the clan’s activities. This worry over the youths’ perception is implied by the former Chairman of Chongshan Huay Kuan, Leong Ah Soh, 59 years old, who told the Straits Times on 13 February 1998, that "even though clan leaders want to re-fashion clans to attract the young, there is great resistance from the ground".
The language divide between the Mandarin and dialect speaking general population of the Chinese clan associations and the English speaking younger generation also acts as an obstacle to getting youth to be engaged in activities. In a report by the Straits Time on 13 February 1998, it cited that many people gave the Chinese cultural festival's events a cold shoulder due to their inability to understand or speak Mandarin. The decrease in importance of the Chinese language can be attributed to the fact that many youths view Chinese languages as inferior. According to Professor Chew Cheng Hai, a consultant to Nanyang Technological University's
Centre for Chinese Language and Culture, he states that the “Singaporean society views Mandarin as the language of those who are not successful”.
Unable to effectively reach out to the youth, due to language and generation barriers, Chinese clan associations face an aging membership and a problem of finding successors to clan leadership positions. This is a pertinent problem pointed by Tan Koh Tiang.
In order to strive for change, Tan Koh Tiang admits while the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan had served its traditional purpose in the past, it is looking towards a focus on promoting Teochew culture, tradition and values today. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan which presently engages actively in a wide range of cultural activities such as workshop on Chinese dance, Chinese martial arts
, Chinese painting
, Chinese calligraphy competitions and Chinese essay-writing competition. In 1983, it formed a cultural and education section and set up an education and cultural centre in the Teochew Building and in 1985 the cultural and education section was enlarged to become a cultural committee, responsible for promoting educational, cultural and recreational activities.
Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan continues to promote links with the Teochew hometown (Chaoshan) in China as a means to promote Teochew tradition and culture. Speaking at the 12th Teochew International Convention, Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong concurs with such activities and also suggested that clans could help youths discover their cultural route in order to counter the weakening sense of heritage and tradition among the young.
The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan also reflected a sense of adaptability with changing times through its ability to accept and harness on technology. In 1987, it established a computer centre and was the first clan association to conduct computer courses. In 1998 it set up the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan website to reach out to the Internet population. It also keeps in touch and notifies its members through the use of email and the press. These outreach through email, press and websites are largely carried out in Mandarin.
By riding on the technological advancement and promoting Teochew culture, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan hopes to reach out to youths to ensure a succession of future leadership. The need for incoming young blood in the Chinese clans is of utmost importance. As DPM Lee Hsien Loong has mentioned, “clan associations have to induct fresh blood into their leadership ranks and pass on the reins of leadership to the next generation in a smooth, progressive manner…then the clan association will remain dynamic and vibrant and will not become obsolete in modern Singapore”. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan provides scholarship to both local Teochews and Teochew students from China. It hopes that these scholarship recipients will promote the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and encourage more youths to join the clan association. In early 2008, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan also established the Young Teochew Group and aims to hit a 100 strong membership ; currently as of April 2008, its membership strength stands at 30 people. Tan Koh Tiang said that it was mainly the China Teochew youths who responded to the scholarship provision and joined Young Teochew Group.
As the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan moves ahead, they make conscious efforts to collaborate with other local and overseas clan associations. Such collaboration fosters relationship between clans, provides opportunity for clans to learn from each other, tackle common clan issues and boost survivability. As addressed by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the SFCCA 15th anniversary dinner, “clan associations should therefore look beyond themselves and work or even merge with one another in order to consolidate leadership and organizational resources”. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, participates in previous Teochew International Conventions and also hosted the 4th and 12th convention in 1987 and 2003 respectively. Such conventions allow clans to build ties and link up with each other for future clan developments and activities. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan also attended anniversary celebrations of its counterparts in various states of Malaysia, as well as the anniversary of celebration activities held by the Federated Teochew Association of Malaya. It has received officials, delegations and opera troupes from Chaozhou and Shantou
region and the Southeast Asian study tour delegation of the Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce. It has also organised tours to Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and the eight districts in Chaozhou and Shantou region to broaden members’ general knowledge about Teochew culture and strengthen clan ties.
Teochew people
The Chaozhou people are Han people, native to the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province of China who speak the Teochew dialect. Today, most Teochew people live outside China in Southeast Asia especially in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. They can also be found almost anywhere in the...
clan
Chinese clan
A Chinese clan is a patrilineal and patrilocal group of related Chinese people with a common surname sharing a common ancestor and, in many cases, an ancestral home.-Description:...
association in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Poit Ip, which means eight districts in Teochew dialect, stood for the eight Teochew districts in the province of Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Huay Kuan means "clan association". On 12 December 1928, a temporary committee convened a meeting at the Tuan Mong School in preparation of the formation of the Huay Kuan. On 20 March 1929, British colonial authorities exempted the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan from registration, and it was formally established.
History
One of the first few TeochewTeochew people
The Chaozhou people are Han people, native to the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province of China who speak the Teochew dialect. Today, most Teochew people live outside China in Southeast Asia especially in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. They can also be found almost anywhere in the...
clan associations established in Singapore was the Ngee Ann Kongsi
Ngee Ann Kongsi
The Ngee Ann Kongsi is a foundation governed by the Ngee Ann Kongsi Ordinance , that is actively involved in educational, cultural and welfare activities in Singapore. The Ordinance has undergone corrections in Parliament in 2007, adjusting many clauses to keep the Kongsi up to date...
. It was founded in 1845 by Seah Eu Chin
Seah Eu Chin
Seah Eu Chin was an immigrant from South China to Singapore, later becoming a successful merchant and leader in the Chinese community....
together with 12 clans from Chenghai and Haiyang.
Over time, it appeared that the Kongsi
Kongsi
Kongsi or "clan halls", are benevolent organizations of popular origin found among overseas Chinese communities for individuals with the same surname. This type of social practice arose, it is held, several centuries ago in China...
was dominated by the Seah family and the descendants of the 12 clans. On 28 December 1927, 14 men wrote to Ngee Ann Kongsi’s chairman, Seah Eng Tong to voice out discontent with the Kongsi. The 14 men led by Lim Nee Soon
Lim Nee Soon
Lim Nee Soon was a Chinese merchant who promoted social and community matters, and was a respected community leader in Singapore. Lim was of Chinese Peranakan descent, with ancestry from Chao-chow-fu in Guangdong, China....
included Lun Woo Ngam, Tan Guan Chuan, Yeo Choo Tian, Low Chia Heng and Yeo Chan Boon. They felt that the Kongsi had strayed from its founding objectives and did not act as a good representative of the Teochew community.
In order to be in line with the Kongsi’s original aims, they demanded the Kongsi to be handed over to the Teochew community. A series of negotiations over the Kongsi carried on for the next eight to nine months, but failed to conclude with an acceptable solution for both parties. Lim Nee Soon saw the need of an organisation that could represent the Teochews, therefore on 9 September 1928, Lim Nee Soon led a group of 40 Teochew community leaders to publish a proposal to form a Teochew Huay Kuan (Huay Kuan means Clan Association).
On 15 September 1928, a Teochew community-wide general meeting was held at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a business chamber in Singapore.-History:Established in 1906 as the General Chinese Trade Affairs Association, the SCCCI's original purpose was to look after the interests of the Chinese business community, but it has expanded its scope...
. The purpose of the meeting was to deliberate over the founding of a Teochew Association. It was agreed that the association would be called the Singapore Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. Poit Ip, which means eight districts in Teochew dialect, stood for the 8 Teochew districts
Chaoshan
Cháoshàn refers to the linguistic and cultural region in the east of Guangdong, a southeastern province of China. This region is the origin of the Min Nan dialect Teochew. The area is known as Teochew for most people overseas, although it also consists of the cities of Shantou and Jieyang...
in the province of Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, China. The eight districts were Chaoan, Chenghai, Chaoyang, Jieyang
Jieyang
Jieyang is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China. It borders Shantou to the east, Chaozhou to the northeast, Meizhou to the north, Shanwei to the west, and looks out to the South China Sea to the south.-Administration:...
, Raoping
Raoping
Raoping County is a county in eastern Guangdong Province, to the west of Fujian Province, near the South China Sea. The city with the same name has 135,600 inhabitants .It is under the jurisdiction of Chaozhou....
, Puning
Puning
Puning is a county-level city in the municipal region of Jieyang, Guangdong, China.-Puning in the News:The city's family planning excesses attracted first national then international attention in 2010 April due to the Iron Fist Campaign....
, Huilai and Nanao
Nan'ao County
Nan'ao County is a county in Shantou, Guangdong, China.Geographically, the main part of the county is the island of Nan’ao, which lies 2 – 5 miles off the coast of Guangdong...
. A 12 member temporary committee including Lim Nee Soon, Lee Wee Nam, Huang Wei Ting, Lim Woo Ngam and Yeo Chan Boon was formed. It was also established that each district would nominate 2 representatives to serve on the committee. On 12 December 1928 the temporary committee convened a meeting at the Tuan Mong School in preparation of the formation of the Huay Kuan. Eight committee members including Lim Nee Soon and Lee Wee Nan were then tasked to draft the constitution.
On 26 January 1929, a Teochew general meeting was held in the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. It was resolved that a properties management committee, called the Teochew (Eight Districts) Public Property Preservation Association, be organised by the Teochew clansmen from the eight districts. This committee would be dissolved upon the establishment of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan that would manage all the properties. This temporary office was also housed at the Tuan Mong School. The temporary association had 48 members including the following office bearers, President: Lim Nee Soon, Vice-President: Lee Wee Nam and Treasurers: Tan Chew Char and Liu Bing Xian.
On 20 March 1929, the British colonial authorities exempted the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan from registration and it was formally established. A recruitment drive was launched in April 1929 and it attracted more than 700 members. In August 1929, the very first Management Committee was elected. The Management Committee included the following office bearers, President: Lim Nee Soon, Vice-President: Lee Wee Nam and Yeo Chang Boon, Treasurer: Chen Li Zhi and Secretary: Lim Woo Ngam. Upon the independence of Singapore on 9 August 1965, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan applied for registration as required by the authorities and its approval was granted on 9 November 1965.
On 4 September 1929, the members of the first council were sworn in. Lim Nee Soon, Lee Wee Nam, Yeo Chan Boon and four others were then tasked to negotiate with the Ngee Ann Kong Si regarding the Teochew's public properties. A meeting was convened between Seah Eu Tong and Lim Nee Soon on 12 April 1930 to deliberate over the future of Ngee Ann Kong Si. After the meeting, a new Management Committee of 25 members for the Ngee Ann Kong Si was formed. The Ngee Ann Kong Si was officially incorporated on 25 February 1933 under the Ngee Ann Kongsi (Incorporation). The Ngee Ann Kong Si essentially became a trustee’s organisation for the Teochew community. With the completion of the Teochew Building (at no.97 Tank Road) in 1963, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and the Ngee Ann Kong Si moved their offices into those premises.
Today the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan deals largely with promotion of Teochew cultural values while the Ngee Ann Kong Si acts as a charity organisation and business arm of the Teochew community. Ngee Ann Kong Si contributes a substantial amount of their net annual income towards Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan to finance the welfare aid of its needy members and the clan’s activities. These two organisations exist in close relation and often engage in joint activities. For instance, when Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan organised its annual Teochew Week Exhibition or The Teochew International Convention in 2003, Ngee Ann Kong Si acted as their sponsor. The Teochew Funeral Parlour in Hougang was jointly built and maintained by Ngee Ann Kong Si and Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan.
Membership
Today, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan has grown to be one the largest Chinese clan associations in Singapore. In 1963, it widened its membership base to include female members As of 2008, its membership strength stood at over 7000 members from a total of 520,000 Teochews in Singapore. Its members are not required to pay annual membership fees; only a one-time registration fee is required. It restricts membership to Teochews only. The members of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan come from all walks of life and many are prominent figures. For example, in 2008, it had six Singapore ministers forming its honorary advisory board. They were Lim Boon HengLim Boon Heng
Lim Boon Heng is a politician from Singapore. He is currently the Chairman of Singapore's governing People's Action Party . He is also the Deputy Chairman of the People's Association, and was formerly the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress...
(Minister, Prime Minister Office), George Yeo Yong Boon (Minister for Foreign Affairs), Lee Boon Yang
Lee Boon Yang
Dr. Lee Boon Yang is a former politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served in the Cabinet from July 1991 to April 2009 in various portfolios including Minister for Defence, Minister for Manpower, and Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts...
(Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts), Teo Chee Hean
Teo Chee Hean
Teo Chee Hean is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, and a Member of Parliament for the Pasir Ris-Punggol Group...
(Minister for Defence), Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say
Lim Swee Say is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently a Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress....
(Minister, Prime Minister Office) and Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang
Lim Hng Kiang is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he is currently the country's Minister for Trade and Industry. He previoulsy served as the Minister for National Development , Minister for Health , and as a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office...
(Minister for Trade and Industry).
Activities
The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan has been involved in various activities over the years. The cultural, welfare and charity activities and providing an economic function are some of its areas it has been engaged in.Cultural activities
Every Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
it holds a mass greeting party. At the Mid Autumn Festival, a party is held with Teochew mooncakes and Teochew “Kongfu” tea
Chinese tea
The practice of drinking tea has had a long history in China, having originated there. The Chinese drink tea during many parts of the day such as during meals for good health or for simple pleasure.-History:...
and Teochew opera
Chinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
. Since 1992, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan has held several Teochew Week on themes like Teochew history, folklores and culture, Teochew food and songs etc. It also held a series of talks on Chinese folklores, Chinese migration history and introduction to opera performance. It conducted cultural activities such as workshop on Chinese dance, martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, Chinese painting
Chinese painting
Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. The earliest paintings were not representational but ornamental; they consisted of patterns or designs rather than pictures. Early pottery was painted with spirals, zigzags, dots, or animals...
and calligraphy competition. These classes are often free or subsidised and open to public. It also takes part in the annual Singapore Chinggayhttp://www.chingay.org.sg/ parade which involves a parade of dance and mobile floats. It organises an annual Teochew art exhibition and holds performances by the associations’ teenage and children’s drama groups, young people’s drama group and male chorus. In October 2002, it organised a six-month joint exhibition with the Singapore History Museum on Singapore Teochew's history and culture.
Welfare and charity provision
Welfare was also an important function of the Singapore Chinese associations in the 19th and early 20th century. These welfare needs can be met in the form of charity funds and in the past it was not unusual to provide these assistances beyond the shores of Singapore. In 1936, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan raised a total of $15,413 for the purpose of strengthening a dyke in Chao Chou. It also set up a Relief Fund Committee of the Teochew Pang (association). By 1940, the Teochew community raised a total of $472,900 for its relief fund. Locally, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan donated to foundations such as the Nanyang University
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
Foundation, National Defence Foundation, Cultural Foundation and Chinese Development Assistance Council
Chinese Development Assistance Council
The Chinese Development Assistance Council is a joint development of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations . This council was established in 1992...
Foundation. The Ngee Ann Kong Si annually contributes a generous portion of their net income towards the welfare activities of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. Currently, it also provides scholarships to both local and Chinese students.
Economic function
Although the economic and business purposes of the Chinese clan associations are never explicitly spelt out, by its nature and existence of a network, it provides opportunities for businessmen to conduct business. Tan Koh Tiang, current administration secretary of the present Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, states that the Teochew International Convention, which is held every two years, not only links up with the other Teochew clans all over the world to share cultural and clan issues, but it also serves to promote economic development and links. In 1993, it conducted a seminar on investment opportunities in Chao-zhou and Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
provinces. It also provided contacts and information service for businessmen who wish to venture into China. It also offered trips to China to seek investment potential. Commenting on the seminar, Dr Phua Kok Khoo of the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan stated that its "main emphasis is still on promoting Chinese culture, and even if (they) discuss business, it will not be at the expense of cultural activities”.
Demise of Chinese Clans and present challenges
Chinese clan associations faced a period of stagnation and decline which began around the period of post independence of SingaporeHistory of the Republic of Singapore
The history of the Republic of Singapore began when Singapore gained its independence and became a republic following an ejection from Malaysia on 9 August 1965. After the separation, the fledgling nation had to become self-sufficient, and faced problems including mass unemployment, housing...
. After Singapore gained independence, community centres were established by the People's Association to promote communal activities for people in Singapore. Successful public housing policies also made the people less inclined to approach the clan associations for assistance on housing issues. Further, educational and health facilities were established to meet the needs of Singapore citizens. Employment issues were greatly reduced by the country’s industrialisation projects. These factors led to the decline of Chinese clan associations as pointed out by BG Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. He is married to Ho Ching, who is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings. He is the eldest son of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew....
in one of his speeches,"since Independence, many of the services the clan used to provide have been taken over by government and other civic organizations…the government took over the running of schools and public services.
Chinese clan associations started to lose their appeal and purpose towards the community and thus they experienced a dwindling membership".
With the decline of Chinese clan associations, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and other clans increasingly faced obstacles in sustaining their survival. It is a common perception among the Singaporean youths that Chinese clan associations are old-fashioned concepts and thus they lack interest in participating in the clan’s activities. This worry over the youths’ perception is implied by the former Chairman of Chongshan Huay Kuan, Leong Ah Soh, 59 years old, who told the Straits Times on 13 February 1998, that "even though clan leaders want to re-fashion clans to attract the young, there is great resistance from the ground".
The language divide between the Mandarin and dialect speaking general population of the Chinese clan associations and the English speaking younger generation also acts as an obstacle to getting youth to be engaged in activities. In a report by the Straits Time on 13 February 1998, it cited that many people gave the Chinese cultural festival's events a cold shoulder due to their inability to understand or speak Mandarin. The decrease in importance of the Chinese language can be attributed to the fact that many youths view Chinese languages as inferior. According to Professor Chew Cheng Hai, a consultant to Nanyang Technological University's
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
Centre for Chinese Language and Culture, he states that the “Singaporean society views Mandarin as the language of those who are not successful”.
Unable to effectively reach out to the youth, due to language and generation barriers, Chinese clan associations face an aging membership and a problem of finding successors to clan leadership positions. This is a pertinent problem pointed by Tan Koh Tiang.
Reaching out and moving ahead
In light of the decline and challenges faced by the Chinese clan associations, it is imperative for Chinese clans to adopt steps to ensure their survival. The emphasis for change and adaptation are highlighted by top Singapore government officials. BG Lee Hsien Loong said "whether the clans are able to remain vibrant and relevant to the new generation, rejuvenate themselves and attract younger members will depend to a large extent, on how successfully they adapt their role to changing social conditions."In order to strive for change, Tan Koh Tiang admits while the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan had served its traditional purpose in the past, it is looking towards a focus on promoting Teochew culture, tradition and values today. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan which presently engages actively in a wide range of cultural activities such as workshop on Chinese dance, Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
, Chinese painting
Chinese painting
Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. The earliest paintings were not representational but ornamental; they consisted of patterns or designs rather than pictures. Early pottery was painted with spirals, zigzags, dots, or animals...
, Chinese calligraphy competitions and Chinese essay-writing competition. In 1983, it formed a cultural and education section and set up an education and cultural centre in the Teochew Building and in 1985 the cultural and education section was enlarged to become a cultural committee, responsible for promoting educational, cultural and recreational activities.
Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan continues to promote links with the Teochew hometown (Chaoshan) in China as a means to promote Teochew tradition and culture. Speaking at the 12th Teochew International Convention, Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong concurs with such activities and also suggested that clans could help youths discover their cultural route in order to counter the weakening sense of heritage and tradition among the young.
The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan also reflected a sense of adaptability with changing times through its ability to accept and harness on technology. In 1987, it established a computer centre and was the first clan association to conduct computer courses. In 1998 it set up the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan website to reach out to the Internet population. It also keeps in touch and notifies its members through the use of email and the press. These outreach through email, press and websites are largely carried out in Mandarin.
By riding on the technological advancement and promoting Teochew culture, Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan hopes to reach out to youths to ensure a succession of future leadership. The need for incoming young blood in the Chinese clans is of utmost importance. As DPM Lee Hsien Loong has mentioned, “clan associations have to induct fresh blood into their leadership ranks and pass on the reins of leadership to the next generation in a smooth, progressive manner…then the clan association will remain dynamic and vibrant and will not become obsolete in modern Singapore”. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan provides scholarship to both local Teochews and Teochew students from China. It hopes that these scholarship recipients will promote the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and encourage more youths to join the clan association. In early 2008, the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan also established the Young Teochew Group and aims to hit a 100 strong membership ; currently as of April 2008, its membership strength stands at 30 people. Tan Koh Tiang said that it was mainly the China Teochew youths who responded to the scholarship provision and joined Young Teochew Group.
As the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan moves ahead, they make conscious efforts to collaborate with other local and overseas clan associations. Such collaboration fosters relationship between clans, provides opportunity for clans to learn from each other, tackle common clan issues and boost survivability. As addressed by then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the SFCCA 15th anniversary dinner, “clan associations should therefore look beyond themselves and work or even merge with one another in order to consolidate leadership and organizational resources”. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, participates in previous Teochew International Conventions and also hosted the 4th and 12th convention in 1987 and 2003 respectively. Such conventions allow clans to build ties and link up with each other for future clan developments and activities. The Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan also attended anniversary celebrations of its counterparts in various states of Malaysia, as well as the anniversary of celebration activities held by the Federated Teochew Association of Malaya. It has received officials, delegations and opera troupes from Chaozhou and Shantou
Shantou
Shantou , historically known as Swatow or Suátao, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, with a total population of 5,391,028 as of 2010 and an administrative area of...
region and the Southeast Asian study tour delegation of the Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce. It has also organised tours to Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and the eight districts in Chaozhou and Shantou region to broaden members’ general knowledge about Teochew culture and strengthen clan ties.