New book offers insights into 19th-century Singapore, Malayan Chinese community

A book that was launched yesterday gives insights into the 19th-century Singapore and Malayan Chinese community, including the lives of those considered lower-class back then.

It is an adaptation of a historical tome published in 1894 as a training textbook for colonial officers of the Straits Settlements.

It was published by the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) in commemoration of its 35th anniversary, together with New Era University College, a private education institution in Malaysia.

At its launch at the National Library yesterday, SFCCA president Thomas Chua Kee Seng said he hopes that scholars will be able to discover meaningful academic research through the resource materials provided in the book.

The original book, titled A Text Book Of Documentary Chinese, Selected And Designed For The Special Use Of Members Of The Civil Service Of The Straits Settlements And The Protected Native States, is kept in the National Library.

The new publication, Collection Of Chinese Documents In The Straits Settlements (Special Edition), showcases 162 of the 383 documents from the original book.

They include official Qing correspondence, excerpts from local Chinese newspapers, petitions, official notices, commercial correspondences and miscellaneous essays.

For ease of reading, the new publication has simplified Chinese characters and text that is arranged horizontally.

Mr Chua said it was SFCCA's first time compiling and publishing a manuscript with more than 100 years of history.

"We plan to recurate more historically valuable documents and literature and to present them to everyone," he said in Mandarin.

Guest of honour Chang Hwee Nee, the National Heritage Board's chief executive, said many stories of those who crossed oceans to set down roots here have yet to be discovered. "Only through historical research can we discover these little-known stories. Understanding history can also allow us to better understand ourselves, deepen ties between communities, and strengthen our identities," she said.

The book can be bought for $38 (paperback) or $48 (hardback) at https://sfcca.sg/sanzhoufubook/

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 27, 2021, with the headline New book offers insights into 19th-century Singapore, Malayan Chinese community. Subscribe