Chinese Newspaper Literary Supplements In Singapore's Postwar Literary Scene
Introduction
Amid the booming newspaper industry and active Chinese literary scene in Singapore after the Second World War, two editors of newspaper literary supplements stood out for their contributions: Xing Ying (杏影; 1911–67) and Yao Zi (姚紫; 1920–82). The supplements under their editorship were influential and informed local literary trends in the 1950s and 1960s. Newspaper supplements played a significant role in promoting literature and literary aesthetics and developing local literary talent, because they were published more frequently than literary magazines and had a wider audience.1 They typically appeared as a half-page section near the end of the newspaper. For budding writers, these supplements served as a springboard to the more prestigious literary magazines.2 The arts led to a paucity of reading materials4 and the dampening of the literary scene.
This paper discusses the editorial styles of Xing Ying and Yao Zi and their contributions to the literary scene in Singapore, such as the multicultural elements they introduced to the supplements, and their nurturing of young writers. The first section describes the postwar Chinese literary scene and the two editors’ backgrounds. Section two focuses on Yao Zi’s early newspaper supplement, Lü Zhou (绿洲, Oasis, November 1952– January 1953), and Xing Ying’s Wen Feng (文风, Literary Trends, January 1954–August 1958), analysing their differing editorial styles and literary approaches. The third section compares their mature literary supplements: Yao Zi’s Shi Ji Lu (世纪路, Century Road, October 1953–January 1954) and Xing Ying’s Qing Nian Wen Yi (青年文艺, Youth Literature and Arts, July 1960–February 1967). The last section focuses on the literary supplements, Zhou Mo Qing Nian (周末青年, Weekend Youth, November 1952–December 1952) in Lü Zhou, and Xin Miao (新苗, New Sprouts, March–August 1958) in Wen Feng. This section will also elaborate on the creation of new platforms for amateur writers and compare the editors’ responses to young readers.
The Postwar Singapore Chinese Literary Scene, 1945–60
In the early postwar period from 1945 to 1948 – known as the initial period of peace or recovery (和平初期/光复初期) – the Singapore Chinese literary scene flourished.3 Newspapers such as Sin Chew Jit Poh (星洲日报), Nanyang Siang Pau (南洋商报) and Min Pao (民报), as well as literary supplements like Chen Xing (晨星) and Feng Xia (风下), were revived. Literary organisations and drama groups resumed their publications and performances, adding to the vibrant arts scene.
A turning point came in 1948. In a bid to fight the communists in Malaya, the British colonial government declared a state of emergency. Newspapers such as Min Sheng Pau (民生报) and Nan Chiao Jit Pao (南侨 日报) closed down, many books from China were banned, and publications in Malaya and Singapore were censored. The number of newspapers and publications in Singapore dropped by about 14 percent, from 140 between 1945 and 1948, to 121 between 1949 and 1954. The control of literature and the arts led to a paucity of reading materials4 and the dampening of the literary scene.
At the same time, this sociopolitical environment gave rise to a cultural phenomenon known as “yellow culture” (黄色文化). Yellow culture refers to activities and behaviour perceived as degenerate, such as dance clubs, gambling and pornography.5 In October 1953, in what was seen as a tragic consequence of yellow culture, a 16-year-old girl was raped and killed at Pearl’s Hill. A public outcry ensued. Cultural institutions, student organisations and schools organised anti-yellow culture campaigns, and students from Chinese schools such as Chung Cheng High School and The Chinese High School initiated the slogan, “Resist yellow culture” (抵制黄色文化). The anti-yellow culture movement (反黄运动) received widespread public support.
The movement was another turning point in the development of Chinese literature and newspapers in Singapore. New compositions such as songs, dramas, novels and poems emerged, many of which stressed the importance of a healthy mind,6 in opposition to the corrupting influence of yellow culture. The number of literary works increased by 25 percent, from 113 before the anti-yellow culture campaign, to 142 in 1955.7 In the same year, there were 414 Chinese newspapers and publications, more than twice compared to 163 in the prewar period from 1837 to 1941.8
The vibrant Chinese literary and newspaper scene in the 1950s can be attributed to three reasons. First, the British colonial government relaxed its regulations on publications. Except for those championing extreme antigovernment views, all other publications could be registered with licences. This led to a resurgence of publishing activity, including materials with “yellow” elements. Second, the increased rigour in Chinese education in the 1950s led to a larger readership for Chinese newspapers, which were more affordable for the masses. Third, the import ban on publications from China and Taiwan meant a scarcity of reading materials for Singapore’s Chinese intellectuals, who thus turned to local Chinese newspapers.9
The 1950s also saw local Chinese beginning to reassess their affiliation with Singapore vis-à-vis China. In 1955, the People’s Republic of China announced that overseas Chinese would not be allowed to hold dual nationalities. Local newspapers reflected the shifting sentiments of the day, with interest clearly moving from China affairs to local developments.10 Articles on issues in China accounted for 69.7 percent of news coverage in 1946, but declined to 22.5 percent by 1950, while articles related to Singapore and Malaya rose from 19 percent in 1946 to 84.3 percent in 1959.11 During this period, the newspaper literary supplements edited by Yao Zi and Xing Ying began to publish discussions on local issues and feature multicultural elements.