Overview of Singapore Chinese literature

Singapore Chinese literature has developed through several periods in Singapore’s history, including when the island was a British colony, and then a part of Malaysia, before finally gaining independence in 1965. The earliest Chinese literature in Singapore can be traced back to the late 19^th century when envoys, educators, and journalists from the Qing government in China arrived in Singapore, establishing Chinese schools and newspapers (such as the first daily newspaper, Lat Pau, in 1881).

The most famous writers among them were Huang Tsun-hsien (1848–1905) and Khoo Seok Wan (1874–1941). Huang, who was appointed consul-general by the Qing government to serve in Singapore from 1891 to 1894, created local multicultural classical poetry, while Khoo, who arrived in Singapore in 1881, wrote 1,400 classical poems, becoming the most important pioneering poet in the local scene.

The emergence of vernacular literature in Singapore is closely related to the 1917 New Culture Movement in China. At that time, information exchange between China and Singapore saw an improvement, and more Chinese literati began arriving in Singapore from the 1910s onwards. Significant events in China, such as the May Fourth Movement, had an impact on Singapore Chinese literature, inspiring literary forms such as “New Fiction” and “New Poetry” which were written in vernacular Chinese and influenced by Western literary styles. The literary supplement of the Sin Kuo Min Jit Poh, Sin Kuo Min Magazine, became the first newspaper advocating for vernacular literature in 1919, and published literary works imitating Chinese New Literature classics.

Immigrant literature shifts towards local literature

During the late 1920s, there were signs of a thematic shift in Singapore Chinese literature. Immigrant literature became local literature, with themes such as zhuzai — which refers to people who were sold to become labourers between the end of the Qing dynasty and the early years of the Republic of China — and local education beginning to emerge. Chinese newspaper editors began advocating literature with local flavour, with newspaper supplements such as Huangdao (Wasteland), founded in 1927, particularly emphasising Southeast Asian influences, and Yelin (Coconut Grove), adhering to an editorial policy of “limiting all descriptions to life and scenery in Southeast Asia”.

During World War II, “Resistance Literature”, characterised by realism, dominated the literary scene in both China and Singapore.  After the end of the war, anti-colonial sentiments began to take root. Singapore Chinese writers who were gradually settling down found their footing by writing about local life, and accepted Singapore as their permanent home. Miao Xiu (1920–1980) used Cantonese in his novel Xinjiapo wuding xia (Under Singapore’s Roof), involving coconut groves, palm trees, coolies, and rubber workers, which were vastly different from the earlier “immigrant literature”. Zhao Rong (1920–1988), on the other hand, incorporated dialects and Malay into his novel Ah Zai de gushi (Ah Zai’s Story), which became a characteristic feature of Singapore Chinese literature, inspiring the key term “uniqueness of Malayan Chinese literature” after World War II.

Experimentation and multiculturalism in post-independence literature

After Singapore’s independence in 1965, the term “Singapore Chinese Literature” was coined by Wong Meng Voon in 1970. In the late 1960s, the trend was modernist writing. The first generation of post-independence writers such as Lin Fang, Wong Meng Voon, Wong Yoon Wah, Dan Ying, Zhang Hui, Tan Swie Hian (whose pen name was Mu Ling Nu), and Yeng Pway Ngon (1947–2021) were influenced by the modernist movement in Taiwan, especially due to the difficulty of importing books from China after the Cultural Revolution. With the enthusiastic participation of writers, journalists, and readers, Singapore Chinese literature flourished in the 1970s and 1980s. During this period, there were over 50 Chinese literary journals and dozens of literary supplements.

The second generation of writers, such as You Jin, Soon Ai Ling, Lin Gao, Quek Yong Siu, Ai Yu, Xi Ni Er, and Chia Joo Ming, were mainly born in the 1950s and can be characterised by their involvement in various literary genres. Apart from playing with highly experimental forms and structures, these writers, who lived in the rapidly developing society of the 1970s and 1980s, emphasised humanistic care.

During this time, two of the most important Chinese literary groups emerged: the Singapore Association of Writers (founded in 1970) and the Singapore Literature Society (founded in 1980). Both are still active today.

The third generation of writers, born around 1965, such as Liang Wern Fook, Chua Chim Kang, Denon Lim Denan, Wu Yeow Chong, Chow Teck Seng, Tan Chee Lay, and Wong Koi Tet, received bilingual education or worked in bilingual environments. Consequently, their works were influenced by multiculturalism, including Chinese classical literature, Taiwanese folk songs, Western classics, and traditional Southeast Asian arts.

From the 1980s, micro-fiction became popular in the fast-paced Singapore society, with highly experimental language and forms, such as Wong Meng Voon’s An le wo (Nest of Bliss) and Zhang Hui’s 45.45 Huiyi jimi (45.45 Conference Confidential), attracting the attention of international critics and even becoming a focus of research.

After the 21^st century, younger writers such as Lin Rongchan and Chen Weibiao have been using online platforms to publish their works. New literary groups, including the Hetero Poetry Club, TrendLit Society, Society of Literature Writing, and Sgwritings, have also attracted new immigrants from China, injecting vitality into the Singapore Chinese literary scene. Looking ahead, there is still plenty of room for development in Singapore Chinese literature, which will further highlight its multicultural linguistic characteristics.