About

This website is mainly about the King of Gambier and Pepper, Seah Eu Chin (1805-1883), an important individual who played a significant part in Singapore’s early history. One of the most important symbolic acts that we can do as a country to preserve our rich and fascinating history is to remember our pioneers.

Shawn Seah’s first book, Seah Eu Chin – His Life & Times, is about this important community and business pioneer.

There are many articles and chapters about Seah Eu Chin in various books on Singapore, but this book is the first one that focuses mainly on him and his family.

Through this book, Shawn aims to contribute towards Singapore’s historical heritage and help more people know the story of Seah Eu Chin and his famous sons, their lives, and the context of the times they lived in.

And one of the underlying themes of the book is about the importance of preserving Singapore’s heritage, which is important in strengthening our national identity.

This website is also about Seah Eu Chin’s sons, namely Cheo Seah, Liang Seah, Song Seah, and Peck Seah. In particular, it focuses on Seah Liang Seah (1850-1925) and the book, Leader & Legislator: Seah Liang Seah.

This website also tells the stories of other early pioneers in British colonial times, like Tan Tock Seng, Tan Kim Seng, Syed Omar bin Ali Aljunied, and other early settlers in Singapore.

Seah Eu Chin: His Life & Times and Leader & Legislator: Seah Liang Seah

were supported by

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About the Author

A direct descendant of Seah Eu Chin, Shawn Seah Li Song is the author of Seah Eu Chin: His Life & Times, a book which has been described as “inspiring”, “passionate”, and “engaging”.

He is also the author of Leader and Legislator: Seah Liang Seah; My Father’s Kampung: A History of Aukang and Punggol; and the children’s books series, Our Amazing Pioneers. Shawn was a finalist for Best Non-Fiction Title and was voted among the Top 10 Readers’ Choice at the Singapore Book Awards 2021.

Shawn holds a Master’s degree in Economic History from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, with a minor in History, from the National University of Singapore (NUS). He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) with Distinction, from the National Institute of Education (NIE).

Shawn has a deep and abiding interest in Singapore’s history and East Asian economic development. While at the LSE, his area of research was private order institutions in early colonial Singapore, 1819-1867, where he studied the Peranakan middleman traders and the Chinese secret societies.

He enjoys watching movies, reading, and writing. He lives and works in Singapore.

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Webpage updated: 24 January 2023

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