MEDIA RELEASE 

Discover Singapore and China Through Classical Chinese Poetry in the First Lecture Co-Presented by SCCC and CCC 

Singapore, 16 August 2022 – For the first time, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) and China Cultural Centre (CCC) will jointly present Viewing Early Singapore through Classical Poems • Touring Chinese Lands through Literary Works. Featuring two renowned speakers, Mr. Kua Bak Lim and Professor Li Liangyi, the lecture examines classical Chinese poetry’s role in recording landscapes and sites in Singapore and China, as well as the relationship between both lands. 

Mr Kua is the Chairman of the research committee of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clans Association, well-known for his research specialising in the history of the overseas Chinese. Professor Li is the President of China Express Travel and an expert in the field of cultural tourism.

To mark this special occasion, the representatives of both organisations will be gracing the event. Mr Low Sze Wee, Chief Executive Officer of SCCC, and Mr Xiao Jianghua, Director of China Cultural Centre, will each be giving a speech.

The Importance of Chinese Classical Poems in Singapore’s History

Speaker: Mr. Kua Bak Lim

Singapore was once an important cultural hub in Nanyang, acting as the first port of call between the East and West. During that period, there were many classical poems describing local landscapes, customs, and people, which served as valuable material for the study of the Chinese in early Singapore. Mr Kua will introduce various Chinese classical poems which  guide the audience on a journey through Singapore’s early history, its people, social landscape and unique relationship with modern China. 

Origins of Iconic Chinese Poetry 

Speaker: Professor Li Liangyi

While Tang and Song poetry or poetic couplets may be familiar to many, few know of their origins. Similarly, there are many people who have visited famous mountains and great rivers in China but are unfamiliar with the literary poems, beautiful couplets, moving legends and stories associated with these places. Professor Li will analyse beautiful couplets and literacy poems related to prominent historical landmarks in China while bringing audiences on a journey across space and time.

Details of Lecture: Viewing Early Singapore through Classical Poems • Touring Chinese Lands through Literary Works 

Date: 3 September 2022

Time: 2 pm to 4:30 pm

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Far East Organization Auditorium, Level 9

Format: Physical, Online via Zoom and FB Livestream

Admission is free. The talk will be held in Mandarin.

To join the physical lecture talk or via Zoom, register your attendance at https://singaporeccc.org.sg/events/touring-chinese-lands-through-literary-works-and-viewing-early-singapore-through-classical-poems