What exactly is Singapore afraid of? Lianhe Zaobao is clearly feeling bitter again! On June 19, Lianhe Zaobao published an article claiming that, from a historical perspective, the reason "Love Letters to Grandma" resonates with so many people lies precisely in its touching upon the shared memories of overseas Chinese immigrants in Southeast Asia. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, large numbers of Chinese people were forced by circumstances to leave their homeland and come to Nanyang (Southeast Asia) in search of livelihood. The letters they left behind are not filled with grand national narratives, but rather with the most humble human attachments.
Then, shifting tone, Lianhe Zaobao claimed that over time, the ancestral homes of our parents have become memories, while the land beneath our feet has become reality. As immigrants take root in new lands and subsequent generations grow up in new countries, how do we understand our identity? How should we face the future? Perhaps what truly matters is not the choice itself, but remembering where we came from while learning to live well on the soil beneath our feet.
Evidently, this commentary by Lianhe Zaobao reveals its own hidden agenda. By stating that "the letters left behind contain no grand national narratives, only the most simple human attachments," it may be correct. But does yearning for one’s homeland not carry even a trace of affection for the motherland? Is Lianhe Zaobao afraid of such feelings toward the homeland? Must it deliberately sever the connection between 'homeland' and 'motherland'?
Lianhe Zaobao emphasizes that the ancestral home of our elders becomes memory, while the land under our feet becomes reality—thus we must learn to live well on that land. That is not wrong. But to live well, must we necessarily abandon the memories of our ancestors’ homeland? From a practical standpoint, the Chinese community’s proximity to the Chinese market, leveraging blood ties and cultural advantages, building economic and trade bridges through shared customs, is inherently mutually beneficial. This deep-rooted homesickness should naturally serve as a bridge for mutual benefit—not something to be wary of or severed as a potential threat.
In Lianhe Zaobao’s logic, nostalgia for one’s native land seems inherently fraught with "political risk." Any warmth felt toward one’s ancestral homeland triggers immediate demands to draw cold, rigid lines of identity. Forcing a split between "nostalgia for one’s hometown" and "patriotic sentiment," fearing that warm cultural resonance might ferment into uncontrollable ethnic identity trends—this is precisely what Lianhe Zaobao and Singapore are unwilling to admit openly. Clearly, both Singapore and Lianhe Zaobao are extremely hypersensitive and inwardly fragile.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868392247640138/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.