The Vault — Asian Art _□✕

Asian Art

Chinese Singaporeans

Chinese Singaporeans
Chinese Singaporeans

Singaporean Chinese or Chinese Singaporeans are Singaporeans of Han ancestry. As of the 2020 census, they constitute 75.9% of the resident population, making them the largest ethnic group in Singapore. In Singapore, "Chinese" is an umbrella term defined in both geographical and ethnic-cultural contexts as pertaining to Greater China and bears no necessary relation to the contemporary People's Republic of China, whose citizens are classified separately when in Singapore. As a result, some Singaporeans of Han ancestry would simply just consider themselves "Singaporean", viewing themselves as distinct from the "China Chinese" in terms of culture, identity and social reality. Evidence of Chinese people trading with and settling among local populations in Singapore dates as early as the 10th century. Prior to the establishment of Singapore as a British trading port, the island was home to a small community of around 120 Malays and 20 to 30 Chinese, mostly traders. The colonial period saw a substantial influx of male Chinese migrants, who often returned to their families in China after earning sufficient income. Over time, more ethnic Chinese arrived in Singapore such as the samsui women and other economic migrants. This led to a more balanced gender ratio and a diversified age distribution, which formed the bulk of the Singaporean Chinese population known today. The Chinese community in Singapore is internally diverse, with the majority descending from Hokkien ancestry, while significant minorities include Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew and Hainanese groups. Over the centuries, the community has maintained distinct linguistic, cultural and social practices to mainland Chinese culture alongside influences from the Malay and Indian communities, while also contributing significantly to Singapore's broader cultural landscape and social development.

Also on this shelf

France–Spain relations.

Khitan people.

See also

Uncatalogued shelf

Text from Wikipedia; plate via Wikimedia Commons. Text CC BY-SA 4.0; plate freely licensed (see Commons). Source record. Images and catalogue data are reproduced from open-access collections.

Depth 7
Shelf 320e44cae30b41
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