At the beginning of the 15th century, the fleet led by Zheng He from the Ming Dynasty made seven voyages to the Western Ocean and stayed on the Malay Peninsula many times, deepening the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Southeast Asian countries. Since then, many Chinese men immigrated to Southeast Asia and intermarried with local Malay or other ethnic women. In Malay, the male offspring born are called "Baba", and the female offspring are called "Nyonya" (Nyonya). Some people call them "Peranakan" or "Strait Chinese".
Baba Nyonya is mainly concentrated in Malacca, Penang and Singapore in Malaysia. Although Baba Nyonya is far away from mainland China, it has inherited the cultural traditions of the Chinese nation, paying attention to filial piety, paying attention to the order of the young and old, and is very "sinicized" in terms of cultural customs and religious beliefs. They integrate Malay language, clothing and eating habits into their daily lives. Hundreds of years have passed. Most of these mixed-race children who were born there can no longer speak Chinese. They speak a hybrid language that combines Fujian dialect and Malay.
, a 600-year-old Chinese culture dominated by Nanyang Chinese female culture, is Nyonya culture. Today, only Malacca, Penang, and Singapore in Malaysia still retain the traces of Nyonya culture relatively completely.
An absolutely tasteful story: Malay Nyonya cuisine
Nyonya cuisine is a clever combination of traditional Chinese cooking methods and Nanyang spices. , It is also an absolute system of maternity, passing on women but not men. It combines sweet and sour, spicy, slightly spicy and other flavors, and has a strong taste. The sauce used is matched and fused with more than ten spices to make the Nyonya cuisine juicy and strong.
uniquely exotic: Nyonya clothing
Nyonya clothing can best show the essence of the beauty of the fusion of Chinese and Malay culture. Most of them are light yarns, very typical tropical style. Based on the traditional Malay costumes, they have been changed to Western-style low-cut mantle, coupled with traditional Chinese lace decoration, showing exquisiteness and beauty. The colors of
Nyonya costumes are not only traditional Chinese red and pink, but also Malay auspicious Turkish green, which is colorful. The decorative patterns on clothing are usually traditional Chinese flowers, birds, fish, insects, dragons and phoenixes.
's most original Nyonya dress top is a long dress (BajuPanjang), which grows to the ankles, has a double flap and long sleeves, and has a loose fit.
In the early 20th century, the long dress was replaced by Kebaya. The length of Kabaya only reaches the waist, and the edges are decorated with lace, mostly made of thin to transparent cotton, exquisite workmanship, lined with graceful sarong, not only dignified, but also charming. The bottoms of
Nyonya costumes are all called sarong. The shape of the sarong is similar to the tube skirt, which is looser and convenient and comfortable to wear. When choosing a sarong, it is based on the color of the coat embroidery, not the color of the coat.
has a kind of romance and wealth- Nyonya Ancestral House
Nyonya Ancestral House is recognized as one of the world cultural heritage, deeply influenced by the culture of southern Fujian. The Chinese residence is extremely luxurious. The architectural layout is designed according to the Chinese courtyard, with a lobby and a restaurant in the front, and a small courtyard and a small vault at the back. The second floor is designed as a residential area in combination with Western-style buildings. From the Nyonya Museum, you can see a lot of heavy wooden furniture, all made of Chinese mahogany, and its design is a fusion of Chinese, British Victorian and Dutch styles. Some furniture has a rich mother-of-pearl inlaid with blooming cherry flowers and various birds. The ceramics in the house were imported by these Strait Chinese who requested customization from Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces. There are many pictures on the walls on both sides of the living room. They are all embroidered. Don't there be gold and silver laces on furniture and the like? These are not lacquer, they are all pasted with gold and silver foil. Even the carvings on the stairs are pasted with gold.
Nyonya has the imprint of Chinese traditional culture and is nourished by the waters and soils of the South Sea. It is unique. Nanyang Chinese embody the inheritance of traditional culture in the nuances of their lives, so that Chinese culture can be integrated into Nanyang water and soil and take root. At the same time, it also demonstrates the endless and powerful vitality of Chinese traditional culture. How lucky and happy it is to be able to interact with the world Many beautiful encounters.
