Entertaining “Chineseness”: Chinese Singing Clubs in Contemporary Bangkok
2005; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 18; Issue: 2-3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/08949460590914822
ISSN1545-5920
Autores Tópico(s)Socioeconomic Development in Asia
ResumoABSTRACT This article explores the link between music and the construction of identity among a group of middle-class Thai-Chinese in contemporary Bangkok. Based on fieldwork conducted there, the article describes the nature, function, and activities of singing clubs that cater to middle-class Thai-Chinese singing Mandarin Chinese popular songs. Riding on the economic boom in Thailand in the early 1990s, these singing clubs have drastically increased in number since early 1994. Informed by the notion that identity is a social construct within specific historical moments, this essay focuses on a particular type of singing activity and calls attention to the importance of music as a way to understand the complex issues of overseas Chinese identity. Through an analysis of performance context, musical behavior, and music, I explore issues of “Chineseness,” and the nature of diasporic Chinese culture, against the sociopolitical climate in contemporary Thai society. I argue that identity politics are integral to understanding music and performance because the choice to participate in any type of performance is often motivated by and embedded in ethnic consciousness and group identity. This case study enhances understanding of the processes of identity formation and the multifaceted dimensions of Chinese music in a changing global context. Notes All Chinese words in this article are romanized according to the pinyin system except for place names, such as Hong Kong or Canton, which have been widely known in the English language. The word “Chaozhou” (a region in northeast Canton province) appears in two forms throughout. Chaozhou, romanized according to the pinyin system, is used to refer to the place, culture, and people of that region in China. But I follow the scholarly convention in Southeast Asian literature when referring to these people and culture in Southeast Asia as Teochew. http://www.hotelvisit.com/parkbangkok/park2.htm http://www.chakkham.ac.th/bangkok/park.htm Following Ruth Finnegan, I use the term “amateur” to refer to those musicians who do not rely on performing music to make a living. An amateur is one who performs for enjoyment and pleasure. Being an amateur does not necessary mean that one's musical skill is inferior: in some cases, amateur musicians are better musicians than the professionals. In traditional Chinese culture, being an amateur is a marker of elite status and only lower-class people would perform music for a living. Hakka handiao is a regional music genre practiced in the Hakka (or Kejia) region, an area in northeast Canton province and adjacent to Chaozhou. It is believed to have originated from the Central Plains and been brought to the south. Because of its origin and history, many Chaozhou musicians in the early part of 20th Century considered it sophisticated and preferred performing it over the local Chaozhou music. Cipher notation originated in France and has been adopted by Chinese musicians since the early 20th Century. This form of notation is still popular among musicians of traditional Chinese music. After spending several years in Europe, King Vajiravudh Rama VI referred to the Chinese as the “Jews of the orient.” He and his successors began to impose stringent measures on the Chinese in order to diminish their influence in Thai society. During the intense period of Thai nationalism, roughly from the 1930s to the 1950s, Thai-Chinese were forced to adopt Thai names and speak Thai language, Chinese schools were banned, and Chinese were not allowed to own land without sufficient proof of being Thai nationals. For a detailed discussion of the background and interpretation of this song, see Andreas Steen Citation2000. This song was written by Liu Jiachang, the Taiwanese songwriter who also wrote the song Woshi Zhongguoren (I am a Chinese). “Green Island” is a song about the beautiful scenery and wonderful climate of Green Island. An island off the SE coast of Taiwan, Green Island is also a place where the Republic government set up prisons to banish all the opposition political activists in the 1970s and 80s. Although it could be interpreted as a love song about a woman, this central theme could also be read as a glorification of indigenous rights and the political suppression of the Republic an government which has ruled the island since 1949. Most singers I interviewed are aware of the political implications of the term, Green Island. This song, written in the early 20th Century, is a patriotic poem narrating a historical episode during the Eastern Han dynasty (ca 25–220 CE), when the empire was in danger because of an internal conflict between two sons of the emperor. The song urged the brothers to stop fighting so that they can unite and save their country. “Red beans” are a metaphor for the two fighting brothers. This song is also popular among high school and university students in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Additional informationNotes on contributorsFrederick Lau FREDERICK LAU is an Associate Professor of Music (in ethnomusicology) and associate faculty of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. He received his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has published articles on Chinese music, music and politics, and nationalism. He is the coeditor of a book, Locating East Asia in Western Art Music, published by Wesleyan University Press [2004]. His current research is on Chinese Music and identity formation in the diaspora. E-mail: fredlau@hawaii.edu
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