摘要

19 世紀中葉，大量中國移民以勞工身份，湧入新加坡謀生。惡 劣的求生環境讓這些刻苦奮鬥的移民意識到相互照應的重要。在他 們之中，有因積極從商而致富的商人。這些商人為了團結移民社會， 於是組織了會館，他們也自然地成為了這些組織的領導人。由於傳 統思想的影響及他們在奮鬥過程中體認了教育的重要性，再加上殖 民政府對華文教育的不干預政策，發展教育事業便成為會館的一項 重要任務。在這種環境下，華商除了是商人的身份外，也是會館的 領袖以及華校的創辦者。因此商人扮演舉足輕重的角色，他們的影 響力從商場延伸到會館、華校，並把這三者緊密聯合在一起，形成 新加坡華人社會特有的「三結合」機制。本文將以新加坡茶陽大埔 會館為例，探討這個海外華人的獨有機制形成的原因以及其重要 性。另一方面，亦勾勒客家商人在華文教育所扮演的角色，以及英國殖民政府在 1950 年代初期處理華文教育的政策與態度。

A large number of Chinese migrated to Singapore and worked as a labor there in the mid-19th century. Tough living environment reminded them of the importance of mutual care. With a fortune by doing business, some of these immigrants organized the association in order to unite this group and became its leader as a matter of course. Due to Chinese traditional thinking and the facts that they realized the significance of education in the process of working and that the colonial government did not intervene in Chinese’s education policy, developing education became one of the association’s important assignments. Under such circumstances, a Chinese businessman was not only a businessman but a leader of the association and a founder of an Chinese school. Accordingly, Chinese businessmen play quite an influential role in the society. Their influence extends from the market to the association and the Chinese school and tightly unites these three parts which form a unique connection in Chinese society in Singapore. This study takes Char Yong (Dabu) Association as an example and probes into how the connection is established and its importance. On the other hand, the role Hakka businessmen play in Chinese education and the British government’s policy and attitude toward Chinese education at the beginning of 1950’s will also be discussed.

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