The Cheng Ho Connection

I suddenly recall this conversation with my friend in Chengdu.

Friend: 我很想去马六甲走一走.
Me: 为什么呢?
Friend: 我想去看马六甲海峡啊.
Me (laugh): 马六甲海峡有什么好看的?
Friend (shrug): 就是想去看看嘛.
Me: 你下次来新加坡时,去新山就看得到了.
Friend: 还是想去马六甲看一次.

I think it's so cute that someone would want to go to Melaka just to have a a look at the Straits of Malacca. Especially since the Straits can be seen anywhere along the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia. Lol. Very cute.

Speaking of the Straits, The Little Nyonya premieres on Channel 8 this Nov 25. It's such a big-deal drama and honestly, I'm quite sick of all the promo that's been going on for months now. All the blitz is taking the impact out of the drama instead of creating hype. Personally I think the greatest impact is created when something (or for that matter, someone ) just quietly steals into your life and explodes into a million colours, butterflies and stars *****

However, I do kinda look forward to it. The drama reunites the 3 Straits States with a culture that is uniquely theirs - the Peranakan culture. Even as a Malaccan, I cannot claim that I truly know or understand this culture fully. Hopefully, the film would open my eyes!

Oh yes, it sure would in more ways than one ... heh heh ... cuz Dai Yangtian (戴阳天) plays a dashing Japanese photographer who falls in love with a Nyonya but eventually, together with his Nyonya wife, is killed by his fellow countrymen who would go on to ravage Malaysia and Singapore for 3 years and 8 months. Hmmm ... I also wonder what the actor, a Chinese national, feels being cast into the role of a Japanese who lived during WWII albeit a good one.

So ... the Straits of Malacca - the Straits States - the Little Nyonya - the little conversation that me and my friend had in Chengdu - the maiden journey of Admiral Cheng Ho to the Far East in the 15th century and his return to Malacca with the Chinese princess Hang Li Po as a gift of friendship between the Ming Dynasty and the Malay Sultanate of Melaka, the union that gave birth to the unique Peranakan race and culture. The Cheng Ho Connection. Haha ... gee ... why this sudden bout of nostalgia?

It's the rain.