Chinese Writers and Singapore in the Early 20th Century: Selected Writers (20???????????????)

The early 20th century was an era of great changes for China. Decaying feudal dynasties were falling apart in ancient China, and the May 4th Movement that followed ushered in a new era of modern Chinese literature. At the same time, China's civil wars continued and were followed by a long war of resistance against the Japanese invasion. The turbulent situation resulted in a large number of Chinese authors leaving the country, some of them to Southeast Asia. Of those who came south, some left a temporary footprint, while others took root and stayed in the Nanyang, but a common trait is that they all contributed to the development of Southeast Asian Chinese literature, probably even societal progress, through their literary creations or their publication or editorship of local Chinese newspapers. CHS213 will introduce students to the literary creation and social participation of selected Chinese authors living in Singapore during this period, and explore these authors’ historical contributions to the development of Singapore Chinese literature and societal progress.

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