Singapore Biographical Database

WHAT WE DO

The Singapore Biographical Database is a collaborative project by the National University of Singapore, the National Library Board of Singapore and the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations. It presents an interface that allows users to search individual prominent Singapore Chinese personalities and displays a social network of interpersonal connections and affiliations between them. Apart from biographical information, the database offers additional links to selected digital archives from the National Library, Singapore; the National Archives of Singapore and the photo archives from the Department of Chinese Studies, the National University of Singapore.

The first phase of this project focuses on 200 prominent Singapore Chinese personalities to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the founding of modern Singapore in 2019. We hope to eventually develop a big database of eight generations of Singapore personalities from 1819 to 2019.

新加坡历代人物传记数据库是新加坡国立大学、新加坡国家图书馆和新加坡宗乡会馆联合总会的合作项目。它提供网页界面便于用户搜索新加坡华人先贤的相关资料及社交网络。此外，本网站还提供数据外链，将本数据库与新加坡国家图书馆、新加坡国家档案馆和新加坡国立大学中文系图像档案库的资料联系起来。

该项目第一阶段主要关注200名新加坡华人先贤，为2019年新加坡开埠200周年的献礼之作。我们未来的计划是建立1819年至2019年八代新加坡先贤的个人和人物关系网络大数据库。

See, Hoot Kee 薛佛记

Malacca-born Peranakan businessman and leader of the Hokkien community in Singapore who contributed significantly to the building and running of the Heng Shan Ting Temple and the Thian Hock Keng Temple. In 1843, he returned to his hometown Malacca and became the leader of the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. He was the great-grandfather of Municipal Commissioner, See Teong Wah (also known as See Tiong Wah).

Birth: 1793-10-28

Death: 1847-09-26

Achievement: He was commemorated with having the now defunct Hood Kee Street named after him.

Source of description: National Library Board of Singapore;

Source of photo: kuabaklim.blogspot.com.

Seah, Eu Chin 佘有进

Teochew merchant who made his fortune from the cultivation of pepper and gambier. He was a Teochew community leader in early colonial Singapore. He was an early member of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, and one of the first Chinese to become a naturalized British subject.

Birth: 1805

Death: 1883-09-23

Achievement: He founded Ngee Ann Kongsi. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1867 and became Honorary Magistrate in 1872. He was known colloquially as “Emperor Seah” at the time because of his influence within the local Chinese community.

Source of description: National Library Board of Singapore;

Source of photo: National Archives of Singapore.

Hoo Ah Kay 胡亚基

Prominent Chinese businessman and community leader who ran Whampoa & Co. He was fluent in English, and was an extraordinary member in the Executive Legislative Council. He was also well-known for entertaining diners at his Whampoa House at Serangoon Road, and his fascinating Whampoa Gardens.

Birth: 1816

Death: 1880-03-27

Achievement: When the Legislative Council was first formed in 1867, he was one of the unofficial members. In 1869, he became the first Asian member of the Legislative Council and within a few years was made an extraordinary member of the Executive Council. He was the first and only Chinese to have held this seat.

Award: Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (1876).

Source of description: National Library Board of Singapore;

Source of photo: https://kuabaklim.blogspot.com

Wee, Cheow Keng 王绍经

A Hainanese businessman who was a leader of the Hainanese community and director of the Sze Hai Tong Bank. He was also a member of the Chinese Advisory Board. He owned rubber plantations and many properties in the Katong area. Cheow Keng Road was named after him.

Birth: 1860

Death: 1939-03-18

Source of description: National Library Board of Singapore;

Source of photo: https://baike.baidu.com/item/王绍经

A sub-network of 20 selected Singapore Chinese personalities (the biggest nodes)

Created Based on D3 JavaScript Network Graphs from R

Recommended browser: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari

Click here to see the full social network of 200 prominent Singapore Chinese personalities

Click here to see the full list of the Singapore Chinese Personalities

Click here to see the full list of relationships among the Singapore Chinese Personalities

Click here to download the dataset in Excel format

Click the figure below to access the network

Data sources

Chinese Singapore Biography History

This book features the life stories of 1,175 prominent Chinese individuals from the fields of politics, economy, thinking, culture, education, arts and religion from 1819 to 1990, and have each contributed significantly to Singapore’s social progress. Besides the main biographies, this publication also includes seven appendices, such as the Historical Glossary of Chinese in Singapore, the Chronology of the Establishment of Regional Halls in Singapore, the Comparison Table of the Names of Streets in English and Chinese, and the Comparison Table of the Key Nouns in Chinese and English.

LEARN MORE !

Chinese Epigraphy in Singapore, 1819-1911

This two-volume publication features the history of Singapore’s Chinese community through the epigraphic records of 62 Chinese temples, native place associations, clan and guild halls from 1819 to 1911. These materials include temple plaques, couplets, stone inscriptions, stone and bronze censers, and other inscribed objects found in these institutions. They provide first-hand historical information on the aspirations and contributions of the early Chinese settlers in Singapore. Early inscriptions reveal how these institutions play a central role to life in Singapore while later ones show how these institutions evolved over the years. Many are deeply engaged in social welfare projects while others have become centres of transnational networks. These materials, which are available in English with Chinese translation, open a window into Chinese communities in Singapore. These cultural artifacts are not only artistically valuable but are also integral to Singapore’s heritage.

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One Hundred Years’ History of the Chinese in Singapore

Covering the period from 6 February 1819 to 6 February 1919, this is a chronological record of the contributions of the Chinese community to the development, progress and prosperity of Singapore. It features events and incidents relating to the Chinese community as well as the lives, pursuits and public service rendered by prominent individuals. Featured in the publication are familiar names such as Seah Eu Chin, Hoo Ah Kay, Tan Tock Seng, Tan Kim Seng, Lim Boon Keng, Lim Peng Siang, Seah Liang Seah, Lee Choon Guan, Tan Kah Kee, Loke Yew and Eu Tong Sen.

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Nan Yang Ming Ren Ji Zhuan

Influenced by the classical writing style of The Historical Records, Nan Yang Ming Ren Ji Zhuan features the biographies of 196 ordinary Chinese personalities who were engaged in the development of Singapore.

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The SBDB is an ongoing project, the database will be continuously enriched and improved. In addition to the four references above, we have also included information about the Singapore Chinese personalities from the National Library Board of Singapore. Below is the estimated number of personalities that will be included in the future.

1176 Singapore Chinese Personalities

From Chinese Singapore Biography History

50,000+ Singapore Chinese Personalities

From Chinese Epigraphy in Singapore, 1819-1911

705 Singapore Chinese Personalities

From One Hundred Years’ History of the Chinese in Singapore

196 Singapore Chinese Personalities

From Nanyang min ren ji zhuan

MEET OUR TEAM

Research Areas: Philosophy of Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Singapore Chinese temples, Chinese Culture, and the Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia.

Prof. Kenneth DEAN

Professor (Dept of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore)

Research Areas: Chinese History in Singapore.

Mr. Kua Bak Lim

Chairman (Research Committee, Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations)

Research Areas: Philosophy of Buddhism, Chinese folk religion, Singapore Chinese temples, Chinese culture, and the Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia.

Dr. HUE Guan Thye

Senior Research Fellow (Dept of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore)

Research Areas: Volunteered geographic information, Citizen GIScience, Spatial big data, Artificial intelligence, Disaster and crisis management, Land use/land cover.

Dr. YAN Yingwei

Research Fellow & Chief Developer (Dept of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore)

Research Areas: Early Singapore Chinese.

Ms. XUE Yiran

Research Associate (Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore)

Research Areas: Singapore history and heritage, overseas Chinese studies.

Ms. ANG Seow Leng

Senior Librarian (Content & Services, National Library, Singapore)

Ms. HUANG Jazmyn

Events Executive (Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations)

Get In Touch With Us

We are here to help. Want to learn more about our database? Please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you!

Department of Chinese Studies AS8, Level 5, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent, National University of Singapore

nusshgis@gmail.com

+65 65164213

Since 29 Mar 2019