November 9, 2020

Khoo Seok Wan was born on 10 November 1874. A notable poet and literary figure, Khoo wrote poems which covered personal reflections, politics, and social observations of his immediate surroundings. He was an advocate for Chinese education and culture, and was well-known for donating a generous $3,000 that contributed to the establishment of the Singapore Chinese Girl’s School.

In the project ‘Poetic Records of the History, Society and Culture of Singapore Chinese: Classical Chinese Poetry in Singapore’, Associate Professor Lam Lap (NUS Chinese Studies) examines historical poetic records to understand how poetry writing shaped Chinese identity and its emergent cultures in Singapore. Funded by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, it endeavours to publicize classical poetry to the public online at http://sg-jiutishi.com/home. Additionally, seminars and calligraphy exhibitions will be organized to further showcase classical poetry and equip the public with interesting information.