The story of the conflict in Singapore's Chinese community was always told from the viewpoint of the British colonizers. A coolie's perspective was never written down. Until now. Set between the founding of Singapore and the shuttering of Nanyang University, this narrative is a colorful account of secret societies and their wars, of Sinitic languages and dialects, and of suppressions by a colonial government in a free port. Its pages are not crammed with historical facts and dates, but filled with the experiences of Chinese migrants over a 200-year period. It is an impression of their achievement and a witness to their weakness of character.