In the late Qing era, China was facing frequent natural disasters without adequate means to tackle the problems, while the Overseas Chinese were enthusiastic in acquiring fame and social status. These circumstances led to Qing honours and titles flooding the markets in Singapore and Malaya. This chapter analyses the sale of Qing titles, the hidden political interests of the sellers (the Qing government) and the benefits the titles bestowed on its buyers, such as the raising of social status and legitimising leadership claims.

Historians have worked on the development of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) as either part of broader narratives on Singapore’s past, a main subject of analysis, or its role in leading specific events such as trade fairs and the post-war Chinese citizenship campaign. This chapter seeks to explore how these works reflect the changing economic, political and social roles played by the SCCCI from its inception in 1906 till the present day in greater detail. In so doing, it proposes four potential research possibilities to expand the historiography of the SCCCI and to further our understanding of its transitions within broader changes in local, regional and global contexts.

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DS591 RASMJ

Young, Arthur Henderson , Sir , 1854-1938||Chinese -- Malaysia -- Malaya -- Politics and government||Chinese -- Singapore -- Politics and government