The Third China

Had dinner with Prof Wang Gungwu recently and remembered I first met him at his EAI office 30 years ago. He had then came to Singapore from HK and I was doing my history honors on the history of political cartoons in Singapore from 1959-95. I wanted to tap on his views and insights. 

He shared something that I found useful in my later years of teaching. That we must not forget that Singapore is situated in a Malay world. This was something the early PAP talked about in their speeches. But not PC anymore. But historically, geographically and politically, it is true and it explains many things today. 

Around that time, I came across this book in the old NUS library, The Third China. The first China is well China. The second is Taiwan. The third is, you guess it, us.

I also found a book called Lee’s Genes ( cover was a pair of jeans ) but that’s another story.

Some years after my meeting with Prof Wang, I did a part-time Masters on the history of Chinese cartoons in Singapore from 1907-80. I titled it communalism, chauvinism and compromise.  What Prof Wang said to me in 1996 sticks. How does one draw Chinese cartoons in a multiracial, multicultural society? How does one draw Chinese cartoons in a city-state situated in a Malay world? 

There is a growing interest in Sinophone comics - research largely done by Europeans about comics and cartoons in China and comics by ethnic Chinese living in other countries. Are they still overseas Chinese? Is that term still useful and meaningful? Some years ago, I was asked to comment on a paper that postulates a reading of Sonny Liew as a Chinese comic artist for an analysis of The Art of Charlie Chan. I said that was off the mark. You can say Sonny is a Malaysia-born Singaporean who received an education in English and later studied in Cambridge and New York. He is ethnically Chinese but writes and draws in English. At best, one can say he set The Art of Charlie Chan in 1950s and 1960s Singapore when the Chinese language was more dominant. So it was a world of the Chinese students, workers, trade unions, businessmen and politicians. Does that make Sonny a Chinese comic artist? Well, yes and no…

Anyway my comments were not taken in and not appreciated. The paper was published in a book. 

Race is still a reality in this part of the world. The meeting of minds and sharing of stories over a murtabak meal and teh tarik between different races is still a great thing. Some years ago I arranged a Zam Zam dinner between Prof Wang and Lat. Both studied at Anderson School in Ipoh but different generations. 

1996-2026. That’s 30 years. Glad we caught up recently, Prof Wang. Looking great at 96 and looking forward to your next book!