JakartaPost-Jan 19
For the sake of family legacy or business, many Chinese-Indonesians have decided to “find” their Chinese names through online services. Chinese-Indonesians often have complicated histories with regard to their names. Many changed their names in the early days of the Soeharto regime, after Cabinet Presidium Decision No. 127/1966 instructed them to change their names to Indonesian-sounding ones. Before the New Order, some Chinese-Indonesians had changed their names as well, but this was by choice. Many tried to incorporate elements of their Chinese names into the Indonesian versions. Some people with the Oey surname in Hokkien, equivalent to Huang in Mandarin Chinese, meaning yellow, chose the Indonesian name Wijaya. Usually, Chinese-Indonesian elders help name their descendants. However, nowadays, many services, including online services, help Chinese-Indonesians decide on their Chinese names. Tjing Tek Sen, 60, is a Surabaya native who has been using the service to choose his grandchildren’s Chinese names. Although Tek Sen can speak Mandarin, online services have helped him find more ideas for his fifth granddaughter. “It’s really helpful to find the perfect name for the child because if the child has a lot of water elements, you can look for a name with a wood or metal element so that the child will have a balanced life,” Tek Sen said. Tek Sen was referring to the five traditional Chinese elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. They are believed to be the fundamental aspects of everything in the universe and have characteristic interactions. Forty-seven-year-old Hazel Andreana found her Chinese name Lín Zǐ Táng, which can be translated as lucky and charming, through an online service. “I believe that having the right Chinese name for me will eventually bring me luck,” Hazel said. In the digital era, online Chinese name services are an alternative means for people to find their Chinese names. Johanes Herlijanto, a 60-year-old anthropologist and sociologist focusing on Chinese-Indonesians and based in Jakarta, noted that the post-Suharto and digital eras had combined to open up options for selecting a Chinese name. “I think there are individuals who feel that now they live in a different era, so they feel that a name, as part of their identity, is something meaningful. But again, there are older generations who no longer think about [Chinese names]. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/culture/2023/01/19/more-chinese-indonesians-using-online-services-to-find-their-chinese-names.html
