An informative and well-researched book, The King's Chinese provides a superb account of the Straits British Chinese, a distinct migrant society from various districts of South China in the late 19th Century. Daryl Yeap gives us a fascinating story of this hybrid community, taking us on tour through one man's journey, beginning with how he left a war-ravaged China to Penang, where he started life as an illiterate itinerant barber to becoming one of the most successful bankers in South East Asia. As she takes us through his story, Daryl brilliantly captures its unique society and wonderful mix of cultures explaining how Penang was once considered the Cinderella of the East; what the earliest forms of passports were; how a coconut scraper, so novel, was confused as 'one musical instrument' by the British eye; and exactly how a borrower's credit profile was assessed with just one glance of the face. A highly readable book with plenty of witty anecdotes and compelling analysis, it is undoubtedly a book that sheds light on a significant development in Malaysia's history.
Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
List of Figures
Timeline of Key Events
A Note on Names
The Hungry Years
Cinderella of the Straits Settlements
A Not So Fortunate Beginning
People of Bushy Eyebrows
Consulting the Gods
In the Land of Eternal Summer
Men and Women at Work
A Chop for a Shop
Drink Tea and be Married
Moving to Uppertendom
The King's Chinese
Domestic Matters
A Case for Merriment
Money Men
The Spoils of War
Death and Taxes
Glossary of Non-English Terms
Bibliography
Index
Readership: Social historians and general readers who are interested in Malaysia's history and the history of the Straits Chinese community. Key Features:
The book humanizes the migration experience and history of the Straits British Chinese
Extensive research study on the Chinese diaspora
It is relatable. The story is relatable to most overseas Chinese families