Consul-General Chng Tze Chia (center) poses for a group picture with delegates at the Peranakan Cultural Festival in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, on May 9, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of the Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore in Xiamen

Marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, the Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore in Xiamen supported the Nyonya Fashion Show staged in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province on May 10. Hosted by the Xiamen Nanyang University, the event attracted almost 200 delegates. Leveraging fashion as the medium, experts and delegates enjoyed the Nyonya culture - a treasure of the fusion of maritime civilizations. 

The "Nyonya" culture is the product of the integration of multiple ethnic groups in Southeast Asia. It mainly originated from the descendants of the Chinese people who went to Southeast Asia during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) and intermarried with the local Malays - the "Baba-Nyonya."

"Nyonya" is the name for female descendants. The Nyonya culture combines Chinese traditions with the local customs of Southeast Asia, and is reflected in all aspects such as food, clothing, language, and crafts. It is known as the cultural epitome of the maritime Silk Road. Kebaya, the Nyonya dress, is a typical dressing style. It reflects the unrestrained colors of Southeast Asian tropical civilization.