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The traditional Chinese naming practices are experiencing a decline in popularity, particularly among the younger generations in Singapore, according to experts at NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. A notable aspect that has been on the wane is the generational naming system known as bei ming.
Associate Professor Lee Cher Leng, who instructs an undergraduate course on bridging Eastern and Western cultures, surveys each incoming cohort about their knowledge or adherence to this ancestral naming practice. She observed that among her students, only a small fraction are named according to their family's genealogical records jia pu or zu pu. The vast majority of them have little familiarity with such practices.
Professor Lee explns that generational naming has been an essential part of Chinese identity, enabling families to mntn connections even as members scatter globally and track important family histories. However, she notes the gradual displacement of this tradition within Singapore's increasingly Westernized society. Instead, many Chinese parents in Singapore are now naming their children based on personal values or desires for them, such as bestowing a name like 'Zhi Hui' 智慧 which translates to 'wisdom.'
Dr Peter Tan from NUS English, Literature, and Theatre Studies, having conducted research on generation names, reports that the majority of students surveyed do not carry a generational title. He attributes this tr to modern parents who primarily speak in English, possibly viewing age-old traditions like generation naming as outdated practices. However, Dr Tan suggests that these parents might preserve such customs within their families by choosing common characters or initial letters for children's names.
The article highlights the multifaceted advantages of generational naming, which range from reinforcing family unity and providing a sense of identity to facilitating respectful interpersonal relationships among relatives. Experts suggest that Singaporean Chinese should make an effort to revive these traditions and mntn their genealogical records jia pu or zu pu.
Read more about this evolving cultural tr here: https:www.strtstimes.comsingaporenow-everyone-is-uncle-or-auntie-fading-of-chinese-naming-tradition-that-shows-generational-ties
Photo credit: 'Visitors admiring a calligraphy display' from SRN’s SG Photobank
This article is reproduced from: https://fass.nus.edu.sg/srn/2023/10/03/now-everyone-is-uncle-or-auntie-chinese-naming-tradition-showing-generational-ties-fading/
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Traditional Chinese Naming Decline in Singapore Generational Naming System bei ming Waning Younger Generations Name Preference Personal Values Over Ancestral Tradition Maintaining Family History Through Names Reviving Old Chinese Naming Practices