Lat Pau was first published on 10 December 1881 and continued running till 31 March 1932. This remarkable record of 50 years and 4 months made it the longest-running Chinese-language newspaper in Singapore before World War II. The newspaper’s enduring legacy has been largely attributed to its chief editor Yeh Chih Yun (1859–1921). Less widely known, however, is the fact that Lat Pau was founded by an English-educated Peranakan businessman, See Ewe Lay (1851–1906). See was born to a prominent Peranakan (Straits Chinese) family. His grandfather, See Hoot Kee (1793–1847), was a pioneer in the Hokkien community of Singapore.

The early Peranakans’ strong identification with Chinese culture could have been a motivating factor behind See Ewe Lay’s founding of Lat Pau. Exhibits at the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum in present-day Malacca show how Chinese culture influenced every aspect of the daily lives of the 19th century Straits Chinese, including domestic routines, festivities, weddings and funerals. The See family also had frequent contact with China. See Ewe Lay’s father, See Eng Wat (1826–1884), ran a shipping business and frequently travelled between Singapore and Xiamen, China. See Ewe Lay’s younger brother, See Ewe Hock (Sit Yau Fu, 1862–1884), served in the Fujian Marine Fleet and died during the Battle of the Pagoda Anchorage in 1884.

See Ewe Lay (seated) was the founder of Lat Pau. From Chen Mong Hock, The Early Chinese Newspapers of Singapore 1881–1912, 26. Courtesy of NUS Press.
The issue of Lat Pau from October 16, 1888. Courtesy of Kua Bak Lim.

Growing circulation numbers

To focus on publishing the newspaper, See Ewe Lay resigned from his well-paid comprador position at the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. He also declined an invitation from the colonial government in 1892 to become a Municipal councillor. However, during the early years of its publication, with limited literacy among the population, Lat Pau struggled to find readers, and its average circulation was less than 350 copies per year. In 1890, the threat of closure loomed large.

Year 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890
Circulation (Copies) 350 301 300 300 168 200 200 200

Circulation statistics for Lat Pau from 1883 to 1890. From Chen Mong Hock, The Early Chinese Newspapers of Singapore 1881–1912, 40.

See Ewe Lay did not let these financial losses deter him. He hired Yeh Chih Yun, then editor of Hong Kong’s Chung Ngoi San Po (Chinese and Foreign Gazette), to take charge of the editorial work for Lat Pau, which gave the newspaper a significant boost. See Ewe Lay described his mission as one to “enlighten the people”. This philosophy aligned well with the ideals of his grandfather, See Hoot Kee, even though the younger See had never met his grandfather in person. With See Ewe Lay’s strong sense of cultural mission, Lat Pau managed to survive despite the financial losses during its early days.

After more than a decade from its inception, Lat Pau saw a gradual increase in circulation, reaching around 500 copies per year by 1900. Over its more than 50 years of publication, Lat Pau preserved the history of Singapore’s early Chinese community, providing invaluable source material for scholars researching the local Chinese community. The newspaper’s format served as a model for future Chinese newspapers, and its supplement was the start of newspaper’s supplements in Singapore’s history. Lat Pau holds an indelible place in the history of Chinese publications in Singapore.