从［南洋学报>>和［亚洲文化>>看东南亚华人史的硏究 = A SURVEY OF THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN CHINESE STUDIES THROUGH THE JOURNAL OF THE SOUTH SEAS SOCIETY AND ASIAN CULTURE

Abstract

The Journal ofthe South Seas Society ( «南洋学报>> ) is the oldest Chinese periodical published in Southeast Asia, whereas the Asian Culture ( «亚洲文化 » ) is the periodical which contributes most extensively to the study of Southeast Asian Chinese since 1983. Studies of the Southeast Asian Chinese have long existed in China and western countries. Through time, the nature and contents of this area of studies have changed. This directional change reflects on the development of Southeast Asian Chinese Society in different periods. It is only through thorough analysis that the understanding of the Chinese Society in Southeast Asia can be further enhanced. However, very few people analyzed the transformation of the Southeast Asian Chinese Studies (pertaining to the last fifty years). The objective of this dissertation is to evaluate the development and changes of Southeast Asian Chinese Studies from 1940 to 1997 through the survey of the contents of the Journal of South Seas Society and Asian Culture. Results show that the early issues of the Journal of South Seas Society emphasized on the textual research of the relationship between ancient China and Southeast Asia. After 1957, Journal of South Seas Society diverted its emphasis to the analysis of the studies of Singapore and Malaya Chinese. Ever since, the number of issues published was reduced tremendously. Asian Culture has the same emphasis on the studies of Singapore and Malaya Chinese, however it has a comparatively wider scope of analysis and also more substantial contents than Journal of South Seas Society especially in the last twenty years. In conclusion, the evaluation of the development and changes of the Southeast Asian Chinese Studies can be achieved through analyzing the changes of Southeast Asian Chinese Society.