A Study On The Chinese Social Space In George Town,Penang At The End Of The 19th Century

Penang,Malaysia,is an important overseas Chinese residence in the Southeast Asia.Since the British colonists opened their port in Penang,Chinese have made outstanding contributions to urban construction and become the most populous alien group in Penang at the end of the 19 th century.The large-scale migration of Chinese also brought about the spread and rooting of Chinese culture,showing a complex social space form in the context of colonial cities.This paper discusses the formation and characteristics of Chinese social space at the end of the 19 th century through the combination of historical map and data.Firstly,according to different types of Chinese associations,this paper explores the distribution law of different types of Chinese associations from the plan pattern,generation,evolution and the underlying economic and cultural factors.Secondly,from the distribution of religious sites of different ethnic groups to the site selection and construction of local temples within Chinese people,this paper tries to analyze the existence of belief space in colonial cities as a public sphere and the central position of temples in Chinese settlements,emphasizing the integration function of temples among Chinese people.Finally,the paper discusses the urban residential areas,the streets where Chinese live,the residential environment,school education,trade fairs and public cemeteries,and analyses the allocation and adjustment of Chinese living space in the colonial urban environment.Based on the above analysis,four main conclusions are drawn.First,at the end of the 19 th century,Penang Chinese social space was a complex of British colonial rule,multicultural environment and the construction of Chinese groups.Secondly,Penang Chinese use their native customs and traditions to configure their living places and facilities in colonial cities.Thirdly,in the existing urban planning and complex social environment,Chinese people actively adjust and adapt.Fourthly,Chinese immigrants integrate and coexist in a multicultural environment,and coexist in harmony with other foreign ethnic groups.