By Amy Lin Yung Mei

 

As part of SG60 and NUS120 celebrations, NUS Libraries will be co-organising a book launch for The Making of Modern Chinese Medicine in Singapore: Actions and Interactions of the State and Professional Organisations (1867–2013), in collaboration with the NUS Department of Chinese Studies, and the Wan Boo Sow Research Centre for Chinese Culture.

The history of Chinese medicine in Singapore has long been understudied, and its significance often overlooked by both academia and the public. How did Chinese medicine take root and evolve in Singapore—a modern, multiracial city-state shaped by a unique postcolonial trajectory?

This book—the inaugural volume in the new series “Studies of Chinese Overseas”, co-published by NUS Department of Chinese Studies and National Taiwan University Press—explores the profound transformations of Chinese medicine in Singapore. 

These transformations were driven by Chinese immigrants and shaped by the broader historical and socio-political contexts of the British colonial era, the Japanese occupation, and postcolonial nation-building. The book delves into the unique processes of modernisation, institutionalisation, and localisation of Chinese medicine in Singapore, focusing on the actions and interactions of two pivotal actors:

• the state across different periods, representing the influences of colonial powers and postcolonial governance
• Chinese medicine professional organisations, reflecting the agency and identity of the immigrant community

By situating the making of modern Chinese medicine in Singapore within broader discussions on colonial medical history and overseas Chinese studies, this work deepens our understanding of East Asian modernisation, the discourse of multiple modernities, and the dynamics of transnational Chinese networks.

In conjunction with the book launch, we have curated a selection of resources from our collections, showcasing the documentation and evolution of Chinese medicine in Singapore over the past century. Whether you’re conducting research or simply seeking a deeper understanding of the topic, these resources offer valuable insights.

I. Journals and Newsletters: Publications on research and professional exchanges in traditional Chinese medicine in Singapore and Malaysia.

• 《星马中医药学报》（1961-1965）
• 《新加坡中医师公会会讯》 (1967–1971)
• 《医药与卫生》 (1975–1977)
• 《新加坡中医学报》 (1980–1990)
• 《新加坡中医杂志》 (1991–2023)
• 《医药月刊》 (1930–1931)
• 《同济医院院报》 (1980–1990)

II. Medical Works and Anthologies: Books and papers on medical development, history, and writings by physicians and researchers.

• 黎伯槪撰、许云樵校注《医海文澜》 (1976)
• 李金龙《在医学的道路上》 (1978- )
• 李松《新加坡中医药的发展，1349–1983》 (1983)
• 李松《新加坡针灸事业的发展，1936–1986》 (1986)
• 李松《亚细安中医发展史略》 (2001)
• 李金龙《新马印泰四国中药史话》 (2007)
• 陈占伟《诊余漫草》 (1984)
• 陈鸿能《新加坡中医学先驱人物与医药事业发展》 (2001)
• 陈鸿能《华人与新加坡中西医学: 从开埠1819年到建国1965年》 (2007)
• 谢斋孙《谢斋孙医学文集》 (1998)
• 王平《杏林行知录》 (2012)
• 许永顺主编《枝大叶茂：蔡玉泉教授医学历程》(2006)

III. Interview, Directories, and Exhibition Catalogues: Documents on the practice, figures, and culture of traditional Chinese medicine in Singapore.  

• 传统中药展览工作委员会编辑组编《传统中药展览目录》 (1979)
• 老中医录组辑小组《老中医录：新加坡中医访谈专辑》 (1985)
• 马来亚华人医药总会《星马华人医药界通讯录》 (1960)

IV: Official Reports and Legal Documents: Records related to public health and traditional medicine policies

• The Laws of the Straits Settlements, Vol. V (1936)
• Vickers, W. J., The Medical Plan for Singapore (1948)
• Traditional Chinese medicine : a report (1995)

IV. Commemorative Publications: Works by major medical institutions and associations documenting their growth, contributions, and milestones.

• 《同济医院九十二周年纪念特刊》 (1959)
• 《同济医院大厦落成纪念特刊》 (1979)
• 《同济医院一百四十周年暨同济医药研究院四周年纪念特刊》 (2007)
• 《同济医药研究学院第一届毕业纪念刊》 (1986)
• 《大巴窑中华医院落成纪念特刊》 (1979)
• 张家和主编《广施惠众肇新猷：广惠肇留医院八十周年》 (1990)
• 《中医专门学校创办廿周年纪念刊》 (1973)
• 《新加坡中医学院50周年纪念特刊》 (2003)
• 《新加坡中医师公会七十周年纪念特刊》 (2016)
• 《新加坡中医中药联合会银禧纪念特刊》 (1954)