Women Writers of Malaysian Chinese Literature - article ; n°1 ; vol.24, pg 205-234

Yu Wangluen

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Archipel - Année 1982 - Volume 24 - Numéro 1 - Pages 205-234
30 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

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• Publié par: ARCHIPEL0
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1982
• Nombre de lectures: 28
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

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Yu Wang Luen
Women Writers of Malaysian Chinese Literature
In: Archipel. Volume 24, 1982. pp. 205-234.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Wang Luen Yu. Women Writers of Malaysian Chinese Literature. In: Archipel. Volume 24, 1982. pp. 205-234.
doi : 10.3406/arch.1982.1779
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/arch_0044-8613_1982_num_24_1_1779WOMEN WRITERS OF MALAYSIAN CHINESE LITERATURE
by YU Wang Luen
Introduction
In the past twenty years or so, we have seen an interesting change
in the society- of Malaysia — certain fields of careers and social activities
that were virtually monopolized by men previously, are being gradually
penetrated by women. The participation of Chinese women in literary
activities may be taken as an example to illustrate such ^. phenomenon.
Women are still the minority in this field, but definitely not negligible
any more. And, in certain cases, they have shown- themselves to be as
capable as men.
Since the debut of Malayan Chinese literature in early 1920's till
1974, covering a period of over 50 years, not more than 10 Chinese
women had had their literary works published in book form in Malaysia
and Singapore. In ithe past five years, 15 literary books by 15 Malaysian
Chinese women have been published (x). Although 'the quantity of their
works is very small, as compared with the hundreds of literary books
produced by men, they have none the less shown impressive progress.
What is more significant is the emergence of several very talented young
women writers who together . with a. large number of novices, have
formed a notable force in Chinese literary circle (2). Their works are
seen more and more frequently in magazines and newspaper
(1) See table II.
(2) See I. 206
supplements. If they are still behind the male writers in quantity and
quality of their works, (they have surely demonstrated their potentiality
to catch up.
A special feature of the literary writings of Malaysian Chinese
women is manifested in the common themes of their fictions. With few
exceptions, their fictions tell the stories of the hard lot of a woman's
life: in childhood she was ignored by seniors of the family. She had
much less chance to receive normal education than her brothers. Her
love affair and marriage life were miserable. She would either lose her
virginity to a philanderer through ignorance and suffer the consequence,
or be married to an irresponsible and unfaithful man, or find herself
situated in an old fashioned family suffering indignity and toiling day and
night. Even in old age, she was not better off. Her children whom she
had reared with love and care, would have now climbed to a higher
socio-economic level, and slight and desert her.
It seems as if such grievances were preying on the minds of the
writers themselves. They generally attributed the sufferings^ of women
lo the traditions that deny the rights of women.
Based on a research into the backgrounds of some 50 women writers,
it was found that they might be taken as a fair sampling of the common
Malaysian Chinese women. Their education range from primary school
leavens — to holders of M.A. Degree. Their occupations include lec
turers, school teachers, journalists, secretaries, clerks, labourers, stu
dents and housewives. Their ages differ from early 20's to late 50's.
They represent both urban and rural people.
From their literary works there are evidences which indicate that
women are no longer contented with their lot of life. They begin to
grumble at the tradition that discriminates against women. demand
greater liberty and chance to pursue their careers. In view of this, I am
paying more attention to the themes of their writings rather than their
contribution towards literary achievement. After giving a brief account
of the development of Malaysian Chinese literature in general, and
women's part in it in particular, the contents of some of the latest publi
shed fictions by women writers will be discussed in order to discover
their common feelings in a society which still discriminates against
women.
The Writers of Malaysian Chinese Literature
In early 1920's some Chinese literary writings in» colloquial style,
known as the modern Chinese literature, began to appear in newspaper 207
supplements in Singapore and Malaya (3). They were the works of some
Chinese intellectuals, who, being influenced by political situation in China,
came to seek refuge here. They had no intention to stay here permanently.
Their writings mostly dwelt with Chinese national and social affairs.
Such a state continued until the outbreak of the Pacific War, when
literary writings came to a standstill. The literary works produced prior
to the war might not be regarded as Malay literature in toto because of
the motive and the purpose they served.
Nevertheless, the efforts initiated by these writers set the spirit of
Malaysian Chinese literature.
The advent of peace &lso saw the arrival of some newcomers from
Hong Kong and mainland China. They soon saw a future in the new
land and readily discarded their nostalgia for China. The willingness of
the immigrants as well as the newcomers -to settle down here for good
can be clearly seen in their writings. Coupled with this, the new generat
ion of the local community was greatly stimulated to participate in
literary endeavour. They became tremendously enthusiastic in their
writing; their output soon surpassed that of ithe migrated writers (4).
Like any other literary world, writers of Malaysian Chinese literature
were divided into many school's by different literary ideologies; From the
very beginning, the majority of the Chinese writers had inherited the
ideology of "proletarian realism", subscribing to the view that literature
was a tool for social reform. In their writings, they manifested their
thoughts through emphasis on describing the darker side of society, espe
cially the hard life led by the labour class. They passed bitter criticism on
elegant style of writings and advocated literary simplicity. This school
of writers had dominated the Chinese circle until recent years
when the confrontation relaxed. In the past ten years or so, the Chinese
literary circle seems to have been in a state of "detente". There were
still quarrel's, of course, especially between the writers of the 'realist'
(3) Fang Xiu, "A Draft of History of Modern Malayan Chinese literature" Vol I,
Singapore 1962, p.2. This study by Fang Xiu has been recently translated into
English by Angus W. McDonald. Jr. : Notes on the History of Malayan Chinese
New Literature 1920-1942, Tokyo, The Centre for East Asian Cultmarl Studies,
1977. 352 p.. index ; see the review in Archipel 19, 1980, pp. 291-294.
(*) Yu Wang Luen. "The Development of Malayan Chinese Literature", M;A. Thesis,
Universiti Malaya. 1967, p. 98. 208
school and those of the 'modern' school (5). But the atmosphere has
changed to such an extent that each is able to devote to its own
line of pursuit. As a result, distinct advance is shown in their respective
styles of writings.
The Chinese Women Writers
In the early stage, Chinese literature in Malaya was monopolized
by men. Few women had ever participated in the creative activities. In
his "A Draft of History of Modern Malayan Chinese Literature", Fang
Xiu ihas introduced the names of some 180 writers who were active
during the years of 1920 to 1942 (6)^ All of them were males except one
by the name of Ying Zi, whom he described as the sole poetess of that
period (7). •
Miao Xiu has, however, made some special reference to another
woman writer, Madam L.S., whom he. regards as the -most famous writer in the early stage in his "Historical Records of Malayan
Chinese Modern Literature". According to him, Madam L.S. had regu
larly made contributions to a newspaper supplement called Huang dao,
"Deserted Island" during 1927-1929 (8). It is interesting to note that she
had shown much concern about women's social status in her writings.
She asserted that it was due to the biased system that woman had
become mere dependent of man.
She cited instances to show that even education would not help a
woman to decide her own fate : M.G. was married off to a dying man
by her parents who believed that the ceremony might help exhausting
the noxious influences and save the man's life. However she became a
(5) For examples, see :
1. Zhang Literature" Qi. Vol. 'A Glance VIII, edited at the by Post-War Zhao Rong, Development Singapore of 1975, Malayan p. 85. Chinese
2. Bernard Woon Swee-Tin "An, Anthology of Poems by Malaysian
Poets", Biéur, Perak, Malaysia, 1974, pp. 304-305.
3. Chao Foon Monthly, Kuala Lumpur. Issue 131. (1963).
4. Wong Meng Wen 'Hundreds Flowers Bloom' in Nanyang Siang Pau,- 'Readers'
Literature', 19 November 1978.
(«) Fang X.u, op. cit., Vol. 1, pp. 220-298, VoT. II. (1963) pp. 61-120, Vol. 111.(1965)
pp. 71-201.
(7) Ibib Vol. Ill, p. 153.
(8) Miao Xiu "Historical Records of Malayan Chinese Modem Literature" Singa