Chinese literature in Singapore can be traced back to classical poems and essays written by the Chinese literati who travelled south during the late Qing dynasty and the early Republic of China. Among them were Tso Ping Lung (1850–1924), Huang Tsun-hsien (1848–1905), Yang Yunshi (1875–1941), Xiao Yatang (birth and death years unknown), Khoo Seok Wan (1874–1941), and Yeh Chih Yun (1859–1921). These writers were subjects of the Qing Empire — officials and traditional scholars — who saw themselves as sojourners. While they sometimes depicted the local customs of Nanyang (Southeast Asia), their observations were from a China (Central Plains)-centric perspective and tended towards exoticisation.

A growing sense of Malaya

Singapore Chinese writers only started to pursue a keener sense of the local in their writing from 1927. That year, the supplement sections of local newspapers, such as Huangdao (Desolate Island) in Sin Kuo Min Press, Yelin (Coconut Grove) in Lat Pau, and the Wenyi zhoukan (Literary Weekly) in Nanyang Siang Pau, published articles by Zhang Jinyan (1901–1981), Chen Lien Tsing (1907–1943), Zeng Shengti (1901–1982), and Huang Zhengfu (birth and death years unknown). They argued that Chinese writers who had travelled south should not return to a China-centric perspective, but instead cultivate a local consciousness — depicting Nanyang perspectives and growing the local culture and arts scene.

Cover of Bian gu (Side Drum) by Miao Xiu, 1958. Reproduced with permission from Youth Book Co., National Museum of Singapore Collection, courtesy of National Heritage Board.

In 1934, Fei Ming (Qiu Shizhen, 1905–1993) also published an article in the Shisheng (Sound from the Lion City) supplement of Nanyang Siang Pau, stating that writers in Singapore and Malaya need not conform to the literary trends of Shanghai. Rather, they should focus on Malayan culture. He emphasised the creative work of “local writers” and listed some of them, sparking enthusiastic responses. In 1936, Zeng Aidi (1912–1986) and Wen Xiang (birth and death years unknown) published articles such as “Cartoons of the Malayan literary circle” and “Recognition of the current stage of cultural work in Malaya”, focusing on the concept of “Malaya” in Singapore and Malayan literature. They disagreed with how the Chinese literary circle in Malaya had the tendency to follow the formalism of literature of China. They hoped that the Chinese writers in the region would instead pay more attention to local subjects and the lives of people in Malaya.

From the second half of 1947 to April 1948, there was a major debate in the literary circles of Singapore and Malaya on the uniqueness of Chinese literary arts in Malaya, as well as the literary arts of the overseas Chinese (qiaomin wenyi). Zhou Rong’s (1912–1988) two articles, “On Chinese literary arts in Malaya” and “On overseas Chinese literary arts”, sparked significant controversy in the community.

Zuo Ding (1922–1969), Miao Xiu (1920–1980), Zhao Rong (1920–1987), Tie Ge (1923–1948), Hai Lang (birth and death years unknown), and others supported Zhou’s views on the uniqueness of Chinese literary arts in Malaya. They emphasised the use of local material, identification with Malaya, as well as a realist approach to writing that reflected a sense of the times and displayed a social consciousness. Literary historians Fang Xiu (1922–2010) and Miao Xiu believed this debate awakened the national consciousness of writers, deepening the local flavour of Chinese literature in Singapore and Malaya.

In 1956, writers such as Mu Chunchi (Sun Xi, 1937–2023), Du Hong, Chen Fan, and Ma Fen advocated “patriotic literature” and the “popularisation of literature”. They believed that writers should pay attention to the changing times, concern themselves with the everyday people of Malaya, express patriotic sentiments, push for Singapore’s independence, and find engaging ways to depict social issues of the era.

Cover page of Zai qixia benpao de shiren: Tie Ge shiwenji [The Poet who runs under the flags: Collection of Tie Ge’s poems and essays], 2018. Courtesy of Gerak Budaya.
An essay in the above collection responding to the uniqueness of Chinese literary arts in Malaya. Courtesy of Gerak Budaya.

Post-independence

After Singapore separated from Malaysia and gained independence in 1965, local Chinese literature began to diverge from Malaysian Chinese literature. It became known as “Singapore Chinese literature”.

In 1982, Ong Teng Cheong (1936–2002), Singapore’s then-Minister for Communications, introduced the concept of nation-building literature at an exhibition on the literary history of Singapore-Malaysia Chinese literature organised by the Aljunied Creative Writing and Translation Group. He encouraged Singapore writers to actively contribute to nation-building, promote social development, and strengthen national identity. The initiative sparked strong interest among cultural and educational workers, prompting them to contribute articles to newspapers and offer suggestions. Nanyang Siang Pau collaborated with the Singapore Association of Writers to release a six-volume series titled Wutu wumin Chuangzuo xuan (Selected Works of My Country and My People), which encompassed literary genres such as novels, dramas, poetry, essays, and lyrics.

Cover of Wutu wumin Chuangzuo xuan (Selected Works of My Country and My People), 1982. From National Library, Singapore.

Against the backdrop of globalisation, writing about local phenomena, historical themes, and customs helps reinforce a sense of national identity. Today, with Singapore’s growing prominence internationally, Singapore Chinese writers’ pursuit of localisation has grown more intense.