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Chinese Clanship in the Philippine Setting

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Chinben See
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Extract

In southeastern China where most villages consisted of people with the same surname, lineage and clan became the foundation of the local community. As the village people moved to the cities of China or overseas, they organized clan associations to gather distant agnates and set up ancestral altars to strengthen kinship ties among clansmen. Clanship emerged in a new form to cope with changes encountered in different milieus and continued to serve its functions. The transformation, however, has never really changed the clan to a club as its membership has remained restricted even if the membership has remained restricted even if the. The clan associations retain enough kinship elements to function like a traditional clan.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , March 1981 , pp. 224 - 247
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1981

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References

1 For details on village and overseas power politics, see my paper on the emergence of clan and hometown associations. Chen-min, Shih (Chinben See), “Fei-lü-pin hua-jen wen-hua ti ch'i-hsü” [Persistence and preservation of Chinese culture in the Philippines], Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnology Academia Sinica 42 (Autumn 1976): 119–206Google Scholar.

2 Ching-ho, Chen, Shih-liu Shih-chi chih Fei-lü-pin Hua-ch'iao [The Philippine Chinese in the sixteenth century] (Hong Kong, 1963)Google Scholar, Felix, Alfonso Jr (ed.), The Chinese in the Philippines, 1570–1770, vol. 1 (Manila, 1966)Google Scholar.

3 Wickberg, Edgar, The Chinese in Philippine Life, 1850–1898 (New Haven, 1965), pp. 179–89Google Scholar.

4 Despite its name, the Hokkien Merchant Huikuan is not an organization representing all Fukienese but just a simple fraternity active in early American days. It did not disappear without trace as Amyot said because the last bit of information in my file is a formal announcement made by the organization in the local Chinese paper in 1972.

5 Clan is also a criteria for subgrouping in another homogeneous overseas Chinese community, the Hawaiian Chinese from the Chungshan district of Kuangtung. See Zukerman, Steven B., “Pake in Paradise”, Bulletin of the Institute of Ethnology Academia Sinica 45 (Spring 1978): 39–80Google Scholar.

6 Pao-huang, Yang, “Pen hui wu-shih-nien chien-shu” [A brief account of fifty years of our organization], Hin Long, Inc. 50th Anniversary Supplement, The Kong Li Po News (Manila), 6 12 1972Google Scholar.

7 Li, Lin, “Pen hui yen k'e k';ai-shu” [A brief account of our association], in Lu Fei Hsi Ho Lin Shih Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Ch'eng-li Wu-shih Chou-nien T'e-k'an [50th anniversary souvenir programme of the Se Ho Lim Family Association] (Manila, 1960), pp. 234–38Google Scholar.

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8 Cantonese are given honorary positions in multiclan associations which include surnames common among the Cantonese such as Fang in Lioc Kui, Ma in Cheng Shen, Liang, Wan, and Feng in Ham Yong Family Associations.

10 Amyot, Jacques, S.J., , The Manila Chinese (Quezon City, 1973), pp. 95–97Google Scholar.

11 Po-hsing, K'e, “Chi-yang K'e Ts'ai shih-chu 11-shih lueh-k'ao” [Brief study on the history of the Che Yong Cua and Chua ancestors], in Lü Fei Chi Yang K'e Ts'ai Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Cheng-li Wu-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k'an [50th anniversary souvenir programme of Che Yong Cua & Chua Association] (Manila, 1960)Google Scholar.

12 Lineage ancestors of Fukienese usually occupy a lesser position in the ancestral altar. Some clans put up shrines to worship a particular deity traditionally worshipped by the clan in China, such as the Sufujenku of the So Family Association, considered by Amyot as a minor ancestor (Amyot, op. cit., p. 91) and the Hui-tse Chun-wang of the Yap Family Association. The earth god, for example, is always present at the side altar of the clan hall. Strictly speaking, these are not ancestors.

13 Six brothers who gave six surnames of the Lioc Kui are worshipped together in the clan hall. Tang Yu fraternity worship a common ancestor who-was born a Tung but was adopted by the Yang family.

14 Loong Kong ancestors are the famous three sworn brothers, Liu Pei, Kuan Yu, and Chang Fei of the three kingdoms. Chao Yun is added as he was another general who fought side by side with Kuan and Chang. The Cheng Shen ancestors include five generals who sought an alliance with and became sworn brothers of the famous T'ang general Kuo Tze-yi in his campaign against the Uighurs.

15 Man-shui, Chen, “Chui shu pen hui chu-chih tung-chi chih ching-kuo shih-shih” [Recalling the motivation and events in organizing our association], in Fei-lü-pin Wei Jut Wu-hsing Lien-tsung Tsung-hui Ch'eng-li San-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k 'an [30th anniversary souvenir programme of the Philippine Chinese Wei Due Fraternity] (Manila, 1966), pp. 149–50Google Scholar.

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19 T'ien Ju-k'ang claimed that clan alliance is common in South China, but clan alliance should not be confused with alliance in village feuds as cited by T'ien. The former is a merging of clans assuming common kin ties while the latter is only an alliance to fight a common enemy. See Ju-k'ang, T'ien, The Chinese in Sarawak (London, 1950), p. 30Google Scholar. Perhaps the best evidence is that there are only 7 multiclans among the 200 clan associations in the predominantly Hokkien Chinese community in Singapore. See Hua, Wu, Hsin Chia Po Hua Chu Hui-kuan Shih [History of Singapore Chinese huikuans] (Singapore, 1975)Google Scholar.

20 Ch'üeh-yün, Ts'ai, “Ts'ai tzu ch'u-yi” [A recommendation on worship of Ts'ai ancestor], in Lü Fei Chi Yang K'e Ts'ai Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Wu-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k'an [50th anniversary souvenir programme of Che Yong Cua and Chua Association] (Manila, 1960), M12Google Scholar.

21 Willmott, ẁilliam E., “Chinese clan Associations in Vancouver”, Man, no. 64 (03–04 1964), pp. 33–37Google Scholar. Patrick Sun observed that small clans in San Francisco formed joint-clan associations to resist pressure from the strong clans. See P'i-ch'i, Sun, Ch'ang Hai Fu Sheng Chi [A floating life in vast seas], Ch'uan Chi Wen-hsüeh Ch'u-pan She (Taipei, 1973), p. 27Google Scholar.

22 Amyot, op. cit., 86.

23 Shih, 1976 op. cit., pp. 148–57.

24 For development projects in the homes of overseas Chinese, see Ta, Ch'en, Nan Yang Hua Ch'iao Yü Min Yüeh She-hui [Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and communities in Fukien and Kuangtung] (Changsha, 1938)Google Scholar. For village feuds, see Hsing-t'ang, Liu, “Fu-chien ti hsüeh-tsu chu-chieh” [The clan organization of Fukien], Shih Huo 4, no.8(1936): 35–46Google Scholar.

25 Shen-mou, Shih, “Pen t'ang yen-k'e k'ai-shu” [Brief history of our association], in Lu Fei Lin P'u T'ong Ch'eng-li Wu-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k 'an [50th anniversary souvenir programme of Lin Pok Sy Association] (Manila, 1960), pp. 103–6Google Scholar.

For details on Shih lineagès and village feuds, see Shih, 1976, op. cit., pp. 165–67 and appendix,:. pp. 191–95.

27 Mei-ts'un, Ts'ai (ed.), Fei-lü-pin Chi Yang K'e Ts'ai Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Liu-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k'an [60th anniversary souvenir programme of the Philippine Cua and Chua Association] (Manila, 1971)Google Scholar.

28 Freedman, Maurice, Lineage Organization in Southeastern China (London, 1958), pp. 81–91Google Scholar.

29 Chen-min, Shih (Chinben See) and Ch'ung-hsiao, Wu (Bernard C. Go), “Su-wu hua-ch'iao shang tsang hsi-shu tiao-ch'a ch'u-pu pao-kao” [Preliminary report of the survey on funeral customs of Cebu Chinese], The Chinese Commercial News, 1 11 1971Google Scholar.

30 Amyot, op. cit., p. 91.

31 Tai Guan Ong Association, with about 2,000 members, provided the following types of aid in 1971: medical aid - 2; passage to China - 2; funeral contributions - 20 (details provided in the Report to the 1971 General Meeting of the Tai Guan Ong Association). For other welfare funds and charitable contributions, see Yü-p'ing, Wu, “Tsui-chin Shih-nien kung-cho chien-pao” [Brief report on works in the last ten years], in Fei-lü-pin Lang Teh Wu-shih Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Ch'i-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-kan [70th anniversary souvenir programme of the Philippine Liong Tek Fraternity] (Manila, 1978), pp. 201–8Google Scholar.

32 United Daily News, 31 05 1980Google Scholar. A list of scholarship funds and regulations appeared in Fei-lü-pin Chi-Yang K'e Ts'ai Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Fang-wen-t'uan T'e-k'an [A souvenir programme of the Taiwan Mission of the Che Yong Cua and Chua Association] (Manila, 1977)Google Scholar.

33 “Lin Hsi Ho T'ang hsüan-chü fa-sheng chiu-fen” [Disputes over election at Se Ho Lim Family Association], Sheng Pao 27 (1971):5Google Scholar.

34 Amyot, op. cit., pp. 84–90; Shih, 1976, op. cit., p. 170.

35 Freedman, op. cit., pp. 126–30; see also Freedman, M., Chinese Lineage and Society (London, 1966), pp. 31–40Google Scholar.

36 Amyot, op. cit., 104–105.

37 Tan Kiang, president of Yu Uy Tong, toured the southern Islands in 1947 and formed four branches in different cities. Likewise, Antonio Roxas Chua, president of Che Yong organized three branches in Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cebu in a tour in 1950. Most Tang Yu branches were also formed after visits made by Manila officers. See Yu-sun, Ch'en, “Ssu-shih Nien lai chih Yu Wei T'ang” [Forty years of Yu Uy Tong], in Fei-lü-pin Yü Hua-ch'iao Shih-chi Ta Kuan [Philippine Chinese chronicle] (Manila, 1948), vol. 1, Hua 37–38Google Scholar; Ts'ai Mei-ts'un, op. cit., pp. 38–40, 432–34, 444; Tung Yüan-yüan, op. cit., pp. 29–31.

38 Lin Li, op. cit., p. 239; interviews with Cebu Lim clan officers.

39 Chung Hua Min Kuo T'ai Pei Chiang-Hsia Huang Chung Te T'ang Tu Tsung Ts'u Ts'u-chih [The great ancestral shrine of Chiang Hsia Huang's Chung Te T'ang of Taipei, Republic of China] (Taipei, n.d.); Shao-hsing, Ch'en (ed.), T'ai Wan Ch'en Ta Tsung-ls'u Te Hsing T'ang Ch'ung-hsiu Chi-nien T'e-k'an [Souvenir programme of the renovation of Taiwan Ch'en clan hall) (Taipei, 1958), p. 44Google Scholar. T'ai Pei Shih Chi-Yang K'e Ts'ai Kung-so Ch'uang-li Shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k'an [10th anniversary programme of Taipei City Che Yong Clan Association) (Taipei, 1974), pp. 22, 43Google Scholar. Also Ts'ai Mei-ts'un, op. cit., pp. 470–99.

40 A complete list of Taiwan clan associations can be found in Hsü-hsien, Yang, T'ai Wan Chu Hsing-shih T'ang-hao K'ao [A study on the surnames and clan hall names in Taiwan district) (Taipei, 1979), pp. 391–98Google Scholar. For Che Yong clan associations in Taiwan and Hong Kong, see Ts'ai Mei-ts'un, op. cit., pp. 470–501; and for histories of Lioc Kui clan organizations, see Chung, Hung (ed.), Lü Fei Liu Kui T'ang Tsung-ch'in Tsung-hui Ssu-shih Chou-nien Chi-nien T'e-k'an [40th anniversary souvenir programme of the Philippine Lioc Kui Fraternity] (Manila, 1970), pp. 305–7, 310–11Google Scholar.

41 World clan associations are listed with Taiwan clans in Yang Hsu-hsien, op. cit., pp. 391–98. Liatsan Family Association hosted the Lieh Shan Asian Conference on 15 June 1978 and Che Yong sponsored the Second World Convention of the World K'e-Ts'ai Clan Association on 5 Oct. 1979. The latest conference of another world body is the Shih clan assembly for the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of Lim Pok Sy Association in Oct. 1980.