Nanyang
Culture
[Vox pop] Blood, lion dance or dialect: What makes a Chinese Singaporean?
As the movie Dear You brings the history of early Chinese migrants back into the spotlight, online conversations about Chinese identity and cultural heritage have grown louder. ThinkChina’s Lu Lingming and Yi Jina speak with Chinese Singaporeans about what Chinese identity, or “Chineseness”, means to them today.
Lu Lingming, Yi Jina
03 Jul 2026
Culture
Dear You: China’s Nanyang dream and Singapore’s lived reality
Chinese film Dear You about Nanyang migrants moves audiences in China, but for Jean Lee, a second-generation Nanyang migrant, the romanticised onscreen nostalgia clashes deeply with the gritty reality of her family’s history.
Jean Lee
26 Jun 2026
Society
[Video] Dear You: How grassroots authenticity wins over Chinese filmgoers
A small Chaoshan dialect film, made on a tight budget with no celebrities and minimal marketing, went on to gross over 1.6 billion RMB at the box office, outperforming a wave of expensive, star-studded blockbusters. Chinese audiences shared positive word-of-mouth on social media, describing it as a “slow-cooked” film that offers a sincere and understated portrayal of ordinary lives. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina explores the factors behind Dear You’s strong resonance with viewers.
Yi Jina
17 Jun 2026
Culture
Hokkien roots, Brunei soil: My father’s journey across borders and spiritual planes [Eye on Fujian series]
From wandering between homes in Malaysia to setting roots in Brunei, one would never have thought that a young rebel with just a toy car to his name would live a life in service of the gods. ThinkChina’s Josephine Hong shares snippets of the life of her father, Richard Hong Kuan Yin.
Josephine Hong
01 Apr 2026
Culture
[Video] Jereme Leung: From Nanyang to Jiangnan — where taste becomes memory
Renowned chef and pioneer of Chinese fine dining Jereme Leung sits with ThinkChina’s Josephine Hong to dive into what truly defines authentic Chinese cuisine, China’s contributions to the global fine dining scene, and how Nanyang influence shaped his culinary journey.
Josephine Hong
27 Mar 2026
Society
Tanghao plaques on HDB doors reveal family names and roots
If you have ever come across a plaque above a doorway with Chinese characters, you might be looking at a tanghao, or an ancestral hall name that traces back to somewhere in China. Lianhe Zaobao lifestyle correspondent Tang Ai Wei introduces a tradition that reveals more than expected.
Tang Ai Wei
06 Jun 2025
Culture
Bali, 1952: Nanyang artists’ search for inspiration
A visit by Nanyang artists to Indonesia in 1952 comes alive with new-found negatives of images taken during the trip, uncovered by Gretchen Liu, writer and daughter-in-law of artist Liu Kang. Writer Teo Han Wue shares his thoughts on the subject after reading Liu’s Bali 1952: Through the Lens of Liu Kang and experiencing the NLB exhibition that accompanies it.
Teo Han Wue
25 Apr 2025
Culture
What else besides Nanyang art?
While Nanyang art is known as Singapore’s first local art movement, it is not the only genre of art that took root in Singapore in the pre-independence period. Happening alongside, says CEO of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Low Sze Wee, was the rise of social realist art, and more.
Low Sze Wee
24 May 2024
Culture
Who are the Nanyang women artists?
Even those familiar with Nanyang artists may be hard-pressed to name other women artists aside from Georgette Chen. Actually, Sun Yee was a renowned artist in her own right, and in Singapore where she eventually settled down, she spent close to three decades heading an art academy. Low Sze Wee, CEO of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, tells us more.
Low Sze Wee
26 May 2023
Culture
This is what Nanyang art looks like
Following up on his article tracing the origins of Nanyang art and its influence in Southeast Asia, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre CEO Low Sze Wee explains the characteristics of Nanyang art, highlighting the unique integration of Chinese and Western art in their compositions.
Low Sze Wee
20 Jan 2023