- Day 11 -

Singapore Cantonese Clan Association

How many times on a trip can you feel as if you were some exhibit or photo opportunity? Well, after the day at Chinese Primary school and the dinner at the Language University in Guangzhou, we thought that the Chinese customary formalities would have ended there, once we left China. It didn't.

The visit to the Singapore Cantonese Clan Association at Bishan can be briefly summarised by a mild, lingering after-thought of "what the heck were we there for?!". The clan association cum crematorium cum temple of worship, which occupied a rather large location, laid smack in the middle of Bishan, one of Singapore's increasingly expensive towns. There, we were introduced to the Cantonese association in Singapore, their history and how they are trying to mould the future generation. Which was kind of interesting to know, but it still doesn't tell us the purpose of us being there.

After the rather formal introduction by the board of directors in a conference room, we were given a tour around the entire premises. After which, we were again herded together for group photos with the board of directors. Photos that would probably be up in their next newsletter... If we are lucky enough, we might even be framed up in some room there too. Is this showmanship a Chinese tradition? Part of the social custom that "if you have it, flaunt it"?

Preservation of Chinese Customs

One of the things that struck me is how hard they were trying to preserve the traditional Chinese custom of clanship and ancestral worship, and how it seems to be a uphill and rather futile attempt. One simple observation is the membership in the associatoin. We noticed that the 10-men board of directors was made up of old people, of at least 50 years. The only 2 teenagers we see around helping with the presentation, were the children of one of the directors. If you thought that this only applied to the board of directors, like we did, you're in for another surprise - the entire management committee of about 100 members, was completely made up of males mostly over 50 years as well. This makes us wonder, are there still teenagers who are committed to preserving the old tradition?

What is tradition to these people? From their presentation, we could infer that to them, tradition was following the traditional rites of worship. In this age of globalisation and apathy, are these rites still relevant? Especially now when people have started to realise many traditions are really just mere superstition and are getting rathre inconvenient. I remember following my parents in performing some Chinese rites of burning joss paper and paper money for my grandparents when I was small. Then, it was common to see lots of neighbours burning offerings to their ancestors every 1st and 15th of the month, and especially during the 7th lunar month.

And over the years, it has simply vanished. For me, I just couldn't stand the smoke and the smell of incense, and I can't help but think of the pollution we are causing to ourselves, our neighbours and the environment. Another logical part of my brain kicks in too. If everyone in their afterlife is getting billions and billions of dollars offered by their relatives, there must be super-hyper-inflation there, isn't it? And what makes you think that they would need paper cars, paper mansions, paper slaves, or even handphones nowadays? Are they just figments of our imaginations that we want to make their lives better? But just a note though.. Are we treating the dead better than the living around us?