Jan–Mar 2014

Director's Note

Singapore Men of Science and Medicine in China (1911–1949)
Wayne Soon sheds light on the enduring and underrated legacy of Overseas Chinese doctors such as Lim Boon Keng and Robert Lim on China's medical institutions.(PDF)

A Tale of Many Hands
There’s more to the hand than meets the eye, as Tan Huism found out when she curated an exhibition using the motif of hands for the National Library recently.(PDF)

The Unlikely Composer: Tsao Chieh
Despite his untimely death at the age of 43, Singaporean composer Tsao Chieh’s legacy lives on — immortalised through his small but significant body of experimental works. Jun Zubillaga-Pow traces the life of this underrated artist.(PDF)

Kampung Living: A–Z
It’s hard to believe that Singapore was once a sleepy village outpost. Nor Afidah Abd Rahman relives those nostalgic kampung days with this laundry list of life as it once was.(PDF)

Time-forgotten Trades
Unable to keep pace with Singapore’s economic progress and development, many of Singapore’s early crafts and trades have disappeared. Sharon Teng tells us about these trades and what is being done to remember them.(PDF)

The Jiapu Chronicles: What’s in a Name?
Records of family lineage were important in traditional Chinese society. Lee Meiyu charts the history of these documents, or jiapu, which track not only family roots but also the social norms and cultural values of China at the time.(PDF)

From Here to Eternity: Archiving and Immortality
Kevin Khoo considers the link between memory, immortality and archiving, and what this means for the National Archives of Singapore.(PDF)

A Colonial Heritage: Collections of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore
Bonny Tan explores the rich collections of the Anglican Diocese of Singapore, which holds materials such as birth and death records, publications and other documents.(PDF)

Old Singapore: Places in Pictures and Oral History
Grand Hotel de l’Europe, National Theatre and National Stadium are just some of the places in Singapore that have might have been forgotten if not for the National Archives of Singapore. Rediscover these buildings of old with Oral History Specialist Lu Wenshi.(PDF)

邱菽园与康有为的友谊与交往 — 再读邱菽园后人王清建先生珍藏历史文献
Based on letters exchanged by Khoo Seok Wan and Kang You Wei, Professor Zhang Renfeng debunks myths about their friendship and provides insight into historical events during the late Qing Dynasty.(PDF)