Reception of Hong Kong’s modern children magazine (1946–1951) in Malaya through the lens of intercultural and transcultural communication

Abstract

Established in 1941, Modern Children was the first children’s Chinese literary magazine in Hong Kong. Apart from its main markets in Hong Kong and mainland China, Modern Children had readers in Malaya, Macau, Vietnam, and even the United States. This study aims to explore the reception of Modern Children in Malaya, which was the largest overseas market of the magazine, and the mutual cultural influences between Hong Kong and Malaya in the context of children’s literary magazine through the lens of intercultural and transcultural communication theories in cultural discourse studies. By scrutinising Chinese Malayan children’s participation in Modern Children during 1946–1951, this study reveals the reception of the magazine in Malaya. The magazine facilitated intercultural and transcultural communication among Chinese children in Hong Kong, Malaya, and other regions, serving as a platform for cultural exchange and allowing reader-editor and reader-reader interactions. Moreover, Modern Children played a role in shaping moral values of Chinese Malayan children and influencing the development of local Chinese Malayan children’s magazines. Overall, this study presents complex dynamics between Hong Kong and Malaya in the context of children’s literary publication, shedding light on the significance of children’s literature as a vehicle for cross-border communication and understanding.