| Chapter : | Introduction |
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Chinese diaspora, language seems to be a crucial factor that determines the degree of involvement its subjects possess in mobilizing their Chinese identity. Even though the reliance on language might not be a positive aspect of identity formation, it can no doubt be adopted as a strategy of negotiation to cope with the flow of globalization. In the early twentieth century, the time of the beginning of modernization in China, Mandarin beat out Cantonese by one vote to become the official Chinese language. The recognition of the official language naturally merged with the modern concept of Chineseness, which is specifically defined by race and ethnicity. In other words, the definition of Chineseness is partially regulated by one’s ability to speak the official language, Mandarin.
The influence of the Chinese language on the overseas Chinese is naturally one important point of departure for studying the experience and identity construction of the Chinese diasporic communities. The strong emphasis on language creates a prominent contradiction. First of all, the proclamation of Mandarin as the official language carries the ideal of unifying Chinese people in and outside China. Nevertheless, the inseparable relationship between language and the discourse of ethnic purity problematizes the identification attempt of diasporic subjects who eagerly want to connect with those “back home.” It is nothing new that some Chinese-American students invest great energy in learning the Chinese language in the hope of visiting China one day to “recover their roots.” This desire is strongly supported by the illusory role of language as a foundation for one’s identity, especially in the context of Chinese identity. This illusion further affirms ethnic purity, which usually paralyzes—instead of contributing to—the productive understanding of identity. Born and raised in Indonesia, Ien Ang grew up regarding herself as Peranakan,37 an Indonesian-born Chinese, who had assimilated into the native culture. Her attempt to reclaim her Chinese background earlier in life was complicated by her inability to speak the official Chinese language, Mandarin. She discussed the difficulty experienced by overseas Chinese in connecting with their ethnic identity, which is dominantly defined by the political and cultural discourse of China. This difficulty is