Across the Seas

Abstract

By the sixteenth century, the discovery of trade routes and the new world made naval interactions busier than before. The rise of Western imperialism meant that various powers became more assertive, whether through trickery or warfare, in controlling lands previously not under their jurisdiction and gaining access of the rich resources that were highly lucrative. The international status of various southern ports in China became an important target for Western colonizers. Japan, the Asian version of colonialism, later joined in the competition. China’s increasing vulnerability towards these foreign powers meant that her people felt less protected and there was a sense of urgency to sojourn, though with reluctance in the initial period. This chapter focuses on the migratory flows of communities from southern Fujian to Taiwan, Kinmen and Singapore, and along which they brought their hometown culture and music. This led to the transmission of Hokkien theatre in the three sites. Being out of their home country, the migrants were inevitably subject to the jurisdiction of the ruling powers in the respective host societies, which were usually beyond China’s control. This historical narrative will also include how socio-political development in these societies shape the development of Hokkien theatre until the mid-twentieth century.