What do Chinese in China think of 'Overseas Chinese?' (country, people)
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'Overseas Chinese' refers to those of full or partial ancestry living outside China. It's interesting, since while many 'overseas Chinese', particularly in Malaysia and Singapore maintain a lot of Chinese culture like speaking the language, celebrating Chinese festivals and sometimes having the religion, many in the West and other countries, from Thailand to Peru, no longer practice much Chinese at all and really are just Thai and Peruvian with Chinese ancestry. In many cases whether or how much one is 'Chinese' is dependent on self-identification.
While my parents often identify as 'Chinese' (along with Singaporean/Malaysian) I've found the term more complex for myself. One of my Chinese friends said I wasn't Chinese, and I can definitely see her point, I mean ethnically-culturally I've hardly Chinese. My ancestors left China about 100 years ago, I don't speak any Chinese language, don't celebrate Chinese new year, have a more western mind-set/education etc and though not critical to being Chinese, do not practice Chinese religion.
I'm curious as to the views of the 'Overseas Chinese' or Chinese diaspora is in mainland China. Since I don't speak Mandarin, it was hard for me to gauge. BTW in this case I'm include Taiwan and Hong Kong as part of the 'mainland' culturally speaking. Of course in a nation of a billion there's a diversity of views, but I wonder if most consider me an Australian who happens to have ancestry, or a Chinese who's been just 'Australianised'?
For those of Chinese descent or 'Overseas China' what has been your experience when you went to China or talking to Chinese people?
I think people in certain provinces (Guangdong, Fujian etc.) are more connected with overseas Chinese.
People from inland provinces consider them very distant, I think. However in recent years more and more Chinese are moving abroad so the opinions are also changing.
I think people in certain provinces (Guangdong, Fujian etc.) are more connected with overseas Chinese.
People from inland provinces consider them very distant, I think. However in recent years more and more Chinese are moving abroad so the opinions are also changing.
Yes, naturally. They probably still have distant family ties. Also I heard there was a lot of money from Singapore into Fujian, e.g. Xiamen, and from Taiwan too, also from Hong Kong to the rest of Guangdong.
My mother have family in China, after the government set rules during suharto era, chinese population are given a choice to either leave Indonesia or stay by becoming citizen and accepting Indonesian name. My mothers family lived in kampung jawa (javanese village) just outside guangzhou, though ive never met them personally, my mother did went to nanjing to see her cousin. From overseas indonesian chinese, china is an alien planet, but still some did want to reconnect with their ancestry root.
On the other hand I've read it somewhere that Chinese in China, didnt think so much about their overseas counterpart.
My mother have family in China, after the government set rules during suharto era, chinese population are given a choice to either leave Indonesia or stay by becoming citizen and accepting Indonesian name. My mothers family lived in kampung jawa (javanese village) just outside guangzhou, though ive never met them personally, my mother did went to nanjing to see her cousin. From overseas indonesian chinese, china is an alien planet, but still some did want to reconnect with their ancestry root.
On the other hand I've read it somewhere that Chinese in China, didnt think so much about their overseas counterpart.
There's a Javanese village near Guangzhou? How interesting.
Yes, I think it's more some of the Chinese outside who think of themselves as Chinese more than the Chinese there. Some Chinese are strongly nationalistic and might even see them as traitors.
While my parents often identify as 'Chinese' (along with Singaporean/Malaysian) I've found the term more complex for myself. One of my Chinese friends said I wasn't Chinese, and I can definitely see her point, I mean ethnically-culturally I've hardly Chinese. My ancestors left China about 100 years ago, I don't speak any Chinese language, don't celebrate Chinese new year, have a more western mind-set/education etc and though not critical to being Chinese, do not practice Chinese religion.
I'm curious as to the views of the 'Overseas Chinese' or Chinese diaspora is in mainland China. Since I don't speak Mandarin, it was hard for me to gauge. BTW in this case I'm include Taiwan and Hong Kong as part of the 'mainland' culturally speaking. Of course in a nation of a billion there's a diversity of views, but I wonder if most consider me an Australian who happens to have ancestry, or a Chinese who's been just 'Australianised'?
For those of Chinese descent or 'Overseas China' what has been your experience when you went to China or talking to Chinese people?
Hi i am just curious since your parents celebrate Chinese New Year why dont you ? Have you ever spent Chinese New Year as in the 1st and 2nd Day of the Lunar New Year in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong or China before ?
I have never spent Chinese New Year in China before.. Would like to experience it for once, dunno when i will get to do it though
Hi i am just curious since your parents celebrate Chinese New Year why dont you ? Have you ever spent Chinese New Year as in the 1st and 2nd Day of the Lunar New Year in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong or China before ?
I have never spent Chinese New Year in China before.. Would like to experience it for once, dunno when i will get to do it though
No my parents didn't really celebrate it with us (although they did with their families when they were growing), aside from occasionally giving us red packets, which were of course always welcome lol. I don't believe I've ever been in Asia during CNY, since it usually fell around the start of the school year in Australia. I remember learning about it in the school, including 'gong hei fat choi', which is of course the Cantonese for 'happy new year' or something. Also learned about the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and the myth of the big race which decided the order of the zodiac.
Some overseas Chinese are as nationalistic to the country they are settling in, thats an issue for mainland chinese i think, seeing their kin being more loyal to other country than china.
Im not sure about this kampung jawa, but i think its formed after some javanese chinese settled back to china. China is just too much for them to adapt, i mean these javanese chinese has always been speaking javanese as their mother tongue, but the newer generation seems to blend well in china.
a true Chinese will still speak the language and can read & write in Chinese, but just speaking the language is enough to be accepted
any Chinese from any country will still be thought of as Chinese if they can do that
if your ethnic Chinese but only speak Vietnamese , Thai, Tagalog, etc your not really thought of as Chinese, unless you identify as Chinese and still have the Chinese surname
Some overseas Chinese are as nationalistic to the country they are settling in, thats an issue for mainland chinese i think, seeing their kin being more loyal to other country than china.
Im not sure about this kampung jawa, but i think its formed after some javanese chinese settled back to china. China is just too much for them to adapt, i mean these javanese chinese has always been speaking javanese as their mother tongue, but the newer generation seems to blend well in china.
Well of course, because they're Malaysians or whatever first (well most feel this), why would they feel more loyal to China the nation? Are most Italian Americans more loyal to Italy than America?
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