Reference

Vaughan, J. D. (1879). The manners and customs of the Chinese of the Straits Settlements. Singapore, Mission Press.

 

Summary

The Manners & Customs of the Chinese of the Straits Settlements is a product of the notes written and compiled by the author and lawyer, Mr. Jonas Daniel Vaughan, based on his personal observations and anecdotes by others on the Straits-Chinese during the 19^th century. It includes detailed descriptions on the Chinese characteristics, domestic habits, social customs, recreational activities, secret societies, education, judicial oath and superstitions.

Jonas Vaughan started off by distinguishing between 2 closely related groups of Chinese in the Straits Settlement then – the Sinkehs, who were first generation Chinese immigrants consisting predominantly of Chinese men from poorer backgrounds in China who came to the Straits Settlements to pursue greener pastures, and the Babas, who were Chinese born in the Straits Settlements regardless of whether their families and ancestors included only Chinese or Chinese and other races.

The author next went on to highlight the shared customs of both Sinkehs and Babas that resulted from blending the Chinese culture with local practices that had both Asian and Western influences. This involved firstly, the practice of selected traditional Chinese customs, such as the queue hairstyles men had, arranged marriages and the paying of respects to dead family members, secondly, the relinquishment of some Chinese customs, such as foot-binding, and thirdly, the adoption of certain local lifestyles, such as drinking brandy and engaging in billiards for recreational purposes.

Readers should however note that as gender roles were more rigid in the 19^th century compared to our present day, the lifestyles of Straits-Chinese men have a greater coverage in this book compared to Straits-Chinese women. For example, Straits-Chinese women had more passive roles as wives, daughters and homemakers compared to Straits-Chinese men who could seek a wider variety of employment opportunities. Nonetheless, the author did his best to describe both Straits-Chinese men and women in a neutral tone for most part of the book and thereby give readers the chance to explore the culture of the Straits-Chinese in the 19^th century.