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Thursday, 05 November 2009

  • Chinese Intermarriage In Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia & Philippines

    Here is an interesting website (www.colorq.org). That site has lots of interesting articles about intermarriage of different ethnicities.  Below is an article about 3 areas of Chinese intermarriage-those in Taiwan, Malaysia/Indonesia and the Philippines. It interests me because I am Taiwanese-American. I firmly believe I am descendant on my paternal line from Southern Fujian province in China and maternally from Pingpu Plains Taiwanese aborigines.  With this intermarriage, the resulting offsprings adopted Chinese names and customs.  There are DNA studies that support this mix and logic supports it (most of the early Chinese immigrants to Taiwan were single males, so they eventually intermarriaged with the Taiwanese aboriginal women; also Chinese culturally traditionally traces ancestry only paternally and not maternally-if you only trace paternally, you will miss the aboriginal ancestry on the maternal line. See below:

    From: http://www.colorq.org/MeltingPot/article.aspx?d=Asia&x=MalayChinese

    Chinese/Native intermarriage in Taiwan
    The earliest instances of Austronesian and Chinese intermarriage
    probably occured on the island of Taiwan. Prior to Chinese
    immigration, the inhabitants of of Taiwan were the descendants of
    neolithic Austronesians who settled the island around 4000 B.C.,
    absorbing the previous inhabitants.1 Immigrants from China started
    entering Taiwan as early as the 7th century A.D.2 Significant numbers
    of Hakka from China had established themselves in Taiwan by the 10th
    century, they were followed by migrants from Fujian Province, across
    the strait from Taiwan.3. But large scale Chinese immigration did not
    take place until European powers established their rule on the island
    in the 16th-17th century.4 The Dutch in particular encouraged Chinese
    immigration as a source of agricultural labor for cash crops.5 Chinese
    immigration continued after Koxinga's forces from China took control
    of Taiwan in 1644.6

    Most of the early Chinese immigrants were male, and marriages with
    aboriginal women was common.7 There was an old saying among Taiwanese
    Chinese: 'We have China fathers but not China mothers.' The pingpu,
    inhabitants of the western plains, were the first aborigines to
    encounter Chinese migrants; their intermarriage with the Chinese and
    the adaptation of Chinese names was documented during the Qing
    Dynasty.8 Pingpu intermarriage with Chinese and assimilation into
    Chinese culture occured to such a degree that the pingpu's Aborigine
    status has come under dispute in modern times.9

    Although 98% of Taiwan's population today is officially classified as
    Han Chinese, while the remaining 2% are classified as aborigines, the
    percentage of Taiwanese 'Chinese' with aborigine ancestry is quite
    high. Among the benshengren (Chinese Taiwanese descended from Chinese
    immigrants who arrived before the KMT takeover) population, recent
    genetic studies reveal that more than 88% of the benshengren
    population have some degree of aboriginal heritage.10

    Chinese/Native intermarriage in Malaysia/Indonesia
    Chinese junks first started visiting the Malay world around the 9th
    century. As early as the 10th century, Chinese refugees from Guangdong
    and Fujian settled in Java. There had been small numbers of Chinese
    present in Malaysia and Indonesia prior to the 15th century, but large
    scale immigrations took place after the reopening of trade routes
    between China and the Malay world following the visits of the Chinese
    envoy Zheng He. Another wave of Chinese came to the Philippines during
    the 16th century to seek opportunities in the Spanish-controlled
    Mexico-Manila trade, boosting Manila's Chinese population
    dramatically.11 During the 19th century, the coolie trade brought
    another influx of Chinese immigrants to the region. Many worked the
    plantations of European masters in Malaysia and Indonesia.

    Chinese Muslims integrated easily into Muslim communities in
    pre-dominantly Islamic Malaysia and Indonesia, marrying local Muslims.
    Their children identified as Malay or members of other indigenous
    ethnic groups. Some of these Chinese immigrants were already Muslims
    in China. The current Prime Minister of Malaysia is the descendant of
    a Muslim man from China and a local woman. Prime Minister Abdullah
    Ahmad Badawi's maternal grandfather Hassan (Ha Su Chiang) came from
    China's Hainan Island to Malaya in the mid 19th century.12 Badawi's
    Chinese relatives lived in the Muslim village of Hainan's Sanya city,
    home to descendants of Muslim immigrants from Arabia, Persia and
    Vietnam who came to China to trade.13 (For more information on the
    history of Muslims in China, see West Asians in China.)

    Other Chinese converted to Islam during their sojourn in Malaya or
    Indonesia. In parts of Indonesia, Chinese closely involved with native
    courts tended to convert to Islam and marry native women.14

    The Peranakan Chinese of Indonesia/Malaysia/Singapore
    Non-Muslim Chinese also intermarried with local women. Chinese
    immigrant fathers often preferred that their mixed children be
    identified as Chinese, and married their daughters to other Chinese.15
    Those who had become well-off could also acquire brides from China for
    their sons. A new cultural group, distinct from either the natives or
    the 'full-blooded' Chinese, came into being. They came to be known as
    the Peranakan Chinese. (The term 'Peranakan' itself encompasses other
    immigrant groups, such as Indians, which adopted a native lifestyle.)
    The Chinese Peranakan men are called Baba and traditionally wear
    Chinese apparel. The women are called Nonya and combine Malay dress
    styles with Chinese influences. The blending of cultures is also
    reflected in the famed Nonya cuisine.

    Most Peranakan communities speak native languages as the home language
    (albeit with many Chinese dialect loan words). Others speak Chinese
    dialects. Most retain ancestral Chinese religions or accept
    Christianity.

    Relations between Peranakan Chinese and "full-blooded" Chinese
    In Singapore, full-blooded Chinese regard the Peranakan as a more
    beautiful people because of large eyes and distinct features inherited
    from Malay foremothers. In the past, many older Peranakan regarded
    more recent immigrants from China as unintegrated foreigners who did
    not fit into local life. Some full-blooded Chinese in turn mocked the
    Peranakan as "Chinese who are not Chinese". Today, the line between
    Peranakan and full-blooded Chinese is blurring due to a high level of
    intermarriage between the 2 communities, and the government policy
    that the Chinese language should be taught to all Chinese children,
    whether they are of Peranakan or "new immigrant" background.

    In Indonesia, the more recent, 'pure-blooded' ethnic Chinese tend to
    look down on the Peranakan Chinese. Documented history give many
    illustrations: In Jakarta in the 50s-70s, the Glodok complex was owned
    only by Encek-encek's, the slang word for pure bred ethnic Chinese.
    Peranakans were (and still are) seen to be of lower class and thus not
    worthy of setting shop there.

    The Peranakans themselves sometimes look unfavorably upon the recent
    immigrants because they feel that the recent immigrants' lack of
    integration fuels negative perceptions against all ethnic Chinese.
    These fears proved well-founded in the light of in recent tensions
    between the ethnic Chinese and the native Indonesians, in which both
    Peranakan and full-blooded Chinese were targeted for violence.

    The Chinese mestizos of the Philippines
    A distinct mixed Chinese-indigenous cultural group arose in the
    Philippines, as it did in Malaysia and Indonesia. The early Chinese
    immigrants were mostly men. Many took native wives. By the 19th
    century, the mixed descendants of Chinese men and Filipinas had
    established themselves as a community separate from the Chinese. They
    were called Mestizo de Sangley (A mestizo is someone of mixed
    parentage, while Sangley, from Hokkien seng di, meaning to trade, was
    the generic name of the Chinese as used by the Spaniards here in the
    Philippines.16

    In the 20th century, the Chinese-Filipino mestizos have lost their
    identity as a distinct communities as new mestizos came to be counted
    as either Chinese or native Filipino.17 A large proportion of
    Filipinos, especially those from areas with a high mercantile
    population, have Chinese ancestry, but they no longer identify as
    Chinese mestizos.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    More planned to come...

Monday, 26 October 2009

  • VERSE OF THE DAY-MONEY

    As we may have heard, the Bible doe not say money in itself is evil.  It is the love of money that is evil. Here's a verse that speaks to the rich materially. Money is not bad in itself, but putting all your trust in money-well that will cause problems. They also should not be proud because of all the money they have.

    Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. (1 Timothy 6:17, NLT)

    More planned to come...

Wednesday, 21 October 2009

  • ASIAN IQ AND INFLUENCE

    There has been a lot to be said of Asians having higher IQ (on average).  Yet, people wonder if Asians have higher average IQ, how come they don’t yet as much influence as they should?  I’ve read all kinds of theories.  Some say that Asians score very high visuospatial IQ, but lower verbal IQ (hence, being less creative, less aggressive and less vocal).  Others, will say that Asians are good at rote memorization, but lacking in creativity-that Asians can improve on existing things, but not good at inventing things (examples people use are the Japanese for not inventing things, but making existing things better).  Some will explain that the charactering writing system of the Chinese hinders creativity. While others yet will say that Asians have a high average IQ higher than Caucasians, but the range of IQ is not as great as Caucasians- hence there will be many dull Caucasians and many super genius Caucasians versus mostly above average or intelligent Asians (but no or not many super genius Asians). I’m not making any opinions or suggestions, but writing on what I have observed what other people have written or expressed. You can read for yourself. Simply just Google "Asian IQ" and lots of articles, blogs and sites will come up on this topic.

     

    Below is a link again about why Asians with such high IQ do not yield disportionately more influence, why Jews do.  The writer of this blog argues it has lots to do with extraversion (e.g., Jews have more extraversion, why Asians have less).  The comments posted on this blog are also interesting.  Take a look:

     

    http://inductivist.blogspot.com/2009/10/extraversion-and-political-influence.html

     

    More planned to come…

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

  • CALIFORNIA DREAMING?

    I grew up in Southern California and I've heard all the negative stereotypes of Southern Cal;ifornia:

    sprawl, traffic, earthquakes, smog, crime/gangs, illegal aliens, too high cost of living, superficial/materialistic people, etc.  I love Southern California.  Yah, it has its negatives, but what place in the world does not have negatives. I guess I enjoy the weather, the diversity, the outdoors, the plethora of activities to do here, sizable employment base, etc.  But, for some reason, I'm just getting really annoyed at lots of the people here.  This is all based on perception and not any quantifiable observation.  But, just seem to perceive more and more superficial and self-absorbed people.  I am starting to feel there are more and more people who are even more materialistic and superficial-they only will associate with you if you are some certain "character" (e.g., drive a certain car, wear certain clothes, portray a certain image, have a certain "hobby conveying status").  I live in Orange County and you will see people drive flashy, new luxury cars.  I feel people size each other up based on the car they drive. It just pains me to perceive these. Perhaps, I am noticing this more after recently returning from Seattle. Not to say that Seattle is perfect.  I only interacted with a few people, so I can't base my interaction with a few people there to make a general comparison to all the people in Southern California.

    Come on people!  I hope you don't base you identity on the toys you have or able to afford to buy. I hope there is more to your core, otherwise you will be nothing without your toys!

    More planned to come...

Saturday, 17 October 2009

  • SEATTLE

    I'm in rainy Seattle just for this weekend.  What a stark contrast to the sunny, warm weather of Southern California yesterday.  We did have some light rain earlier in the week in Southern California, but that gave way t warmer, sunnier weather.

    Some pictures of Seattle again may follow.

    More planned to come...