In 1919, the May Fourth Movement in China spread like wildfire. The so-called "new literature" (vernacular literature) rose up and created a revolutionary change in the style of Chinese literature.

At that time the influence of such a movement was not only evident in China, but also spread to Singapore and Malaysia at about the same pace.

Fang Hsiu, a lecturer at the National University of Singapore, has clearly pointed out in his book, A History of Literature in Singapore and Malaysia, that there are two factors involved in the vernacular literature in these two places. "One is internal--the urgent request of the local Chinese people. The other is external--the influence of the May Fourth Movement."

During the middle of the nineteenth century, Chinese people continued to emigrate or were sold as slaves to Singapore or Malaysia, where they engaged in opening up new frontiers or mined. Up to the beginning of the twentieth century, although they had gradually settled down and become both a political and economic force, they still were not treated equally. To the contrary, they were looked down upon, insulted, and exploited.

The motivation for their creativeness came from being in a foreign land on the one hand, and the feelings which they had for their origin on the other. The May Fourth Movement, vernacular literature, and the new thought advocated at that time spread to Singapore and Malaysia. As a result, the Chinese people rose up, using the form of literature to express their thoughts and feelings.

In the 1920's, there was a continuous increase in novels, poetry, and literature by Chinese people that appeared in Chinese periodicals.

Fang Hsiu points out, "Every time when an important event or movement occurred in China, or when the people were in serious danger, there was a close relationship between the literature in China and the literature of Chinese people living in Malaysia. When there were no such events, then this correlation became less apparent. The relationship was relaxed at one moment and tight at another moment."

Therefore they usually emphasize that the characteristic of Malaysian Chinese literature is a reflection of the events that were happening around them. The literature reflected a cry from deep within which opposed colonization, feudalism and maltreatment. Such a phenomenon was most apparent during the War of Resistance. From 1937-1942, Chinese literature in Singapore and Malaysia was at its high point. Fang Hsiu says, "The talent and works of the people during this time were higher than those at any other time, both before and after the war."

Last year a conference on literature during the War of Resistance was held in Taipei. During the conference, Wong Yoon Wah, head of the Singapore Association of Writers, made the following comment in his paper concerning the contribution of Chinese authors to the Literature of Singapore and Malaysia: Not only did they lead the historical mission of resistance against the Japanese, but the works they left behind encouraged the flourishing period of Chinese literature in Singapore and Malaysia. Without their contribution or the literature movement during the War of Resistance, Chinese Literature in Singapore and Malaysia from 1937-1942 would not have been so flourishing. Moreover, there would not have been such works of quality.

After World War Ⅱ, Chinese literature in Singapore and Malaysia began to take on more of a Malaysian overtone, reflecting the local society and life of the people, their thoughts and feelings. The number of Chinese works began to decrease during this time. However, the style and ingenuity in the writing continue to be influenced by authors and works during the May Fourth Movement.

"Up to the 1960's, local authors considered writings from the May Fourth Movement as the best examples from which to practice. There were some who even copied the style of a particular author," says Wong Yoon Wah. "During the 1970's, local readers discovered that there are a lot of outstanding works from Taiwan. With the gradual interest in materials coming out of Taiwan, many authors are now being influenced by such works."

Now, the greatest hope of Chinese authors in Singapore and Malaysia is that their unique work will gain recognition in Chinese Literature.

The content of the new generation of Malaysian-Chinese literature is mainly based on local living.

The supplement of the Chinese language newspaper is an important expression for Chinese literature in Singapore and Malaysia.

Private middle schools in Malaysia offer local Chinese residents education conducted completely in Chinese. （photo by Vincent Chang）