Learn all about Singapore Chinese culture at newly launched website

SINGAPORE – A one-stop online repository for Singapore Chinese culture was launched by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) on July 25.

Culturepaedia (

culturepaedia.singaporeccc.org.sg

) is a free-access platform of curated content that aims to be the go-to source of information on Singapore Chinese culture.

All articles are in Chinese and English, and organised into eight main categories: communities, language and education, popular culture and media, social practices, literature, art, music, and stage performances.

There are suggested further readings, internet links to other cultural websites, relevant videos and audio clips for each topic.

Culturepaedia is helmed by SCCC’s research unit, which was set up in October 2022. So far, about 80 experts have contributed close to 150 articles for the platform.

Among the articles is one about how the Cultural Revolution in China in the mid- to late 1960s prevented music scores from being brought into Singapore. So, many early Chinese orchestra musicians here learnt to perform by listening to records and imitating them, building a solid foundation for Singapore’s Chinese orchestra music.

Another article documents how Singapore mostly used textbooks imported from China during colonial times. Since the early 1950s, Chinese textbooks have undergone a process called “Malayanisation” to be more reflective of lives here.

SCCC chairman Ng Siew Quan said: “In Singapore, Chinese culture has evolved over time in our multicultural society and has acquired distinctive features. It is thus important to conduct systematic research and documentation of it, so that Singaporeans of current and future generations will understand and appreciate our unique cultural heritage.”

Speaking at the platform’s launch at the centre, Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, said Culturepaedia is part of SCCC’s efforts to provide thought leadership in promoting Singapore Chinese culture.

He added that the Chinese here should safeguard and reflect on their unique culture and heritage. They should also take pride in their identity as part of a multicultural whole, deepen the mutual understanding between different groups, and contribute to strengthening the cohesiveness of Singapore’s society.

“It is especially important to ensure that our youth continue to be aware and are interested in our Singapore Chinese culture,” he added. “To do so, we must actively engage them to share information and knowledge about our unique Singapore Chinese culture.”

In his Mandarin speech during National Day Rally 2022, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke of the Government’s support for SCCC’s research unit to conduct systematic research on the development of Singapore Chinese culture.

Dr Show Ying Ruo, research coordinator and editor of Culturepaedia, said the platform will highlight not just what Singapore has achieved so far, but also the changes and developments that are taking place.

The SCCC team will continue to expand Culturepaedia’s content, working with other organisations such as the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA), National Heritage Board, National Library Board, media outlets and academic institutions.

Singaporean historian Kua Bak Lim, 76, contributed 12 articles on a variety of topics and an overview on Chinese community organisations in Singapore.

Mr Kua, who is chairman of SFCCA’s research committee, said the launch of Culturepaedia is timely as there were no authoritative websites on the Singapore Chinese community’s migration history, dialect groups or clan associations.

Mr Lee Ching Seng, the former head of NUS Chinese Library, contributed seven articles on Chinese textbooks and newspapers. The 80-year-old said Chinese culture here is unique as it is shaped by modern Singapore’s multiracial and multicultural society.

“I sincerely wish that the launch of Culturepaedia will make an impact on the younger generation, and it is not read by only Chinese Singaporeans but also by other races in Singapore and elsewhere.”

SCCC chief executive Alvin Tan said the centre intends to make the information in Culturepaedia come alive through experiential learning. For example, the public can read about the Mid-Autumn Festival on the platform, and then join SCCC’s programmes to experience customs such as moon-gazing and mooncake tasting.

“It is also our hope that our festivals and programmes will spark interest in especially the younger generation, and encourage them to visit Culturepaedia to find out more,” he added.