Chinese Education In Singapore: An Untold Story Of Conflict And Change

Strife (the Chinese word tattooed on the wrist of the raised fist) summed up the coolies’ struggle to make their lives better. The story of the conflict in Singapore’s Chinese community was always told from the viewpoint of the British colonizers. A coolie’s perspective was never written down. Until now. Set between the founding of Singapore and the shuttering of Nanyang University, this narrative is a colorful account of secret societies and their wars, of Sinitic languages and dialects, and of suppressions by a colonial government in a free port. Its pages are not crammed with historical facts and dates, but filled with the experiences of Chinese migrants over a 200-year period. It is an impression of their achievement and a witness to their weakness of character. Singapore’s history can be summed up by the Chinese word on the book’s spine. Change.