• Peranakan Chinese culture is not only a blend of traditional Chinese customs and indigenous culture, but is also influenced by Western culture. Many Peranakans can speak two languages or more, and are able to switch easily between different languages and cultures.
• During the period of Zheng He’s great voyages, Chinese migrants from the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian moved to Southeast Asia, where they intermarried and established families with the local indigenous people. Their male descendants are known as “Baba”, while their female descendants are known as “Nyonya”.
• When Singapore became a free port in 1819, it attracted a large number of Peranakan Chinese from Melaka, who came to live in Singapore. Most Peranakan Chinese in Singapore have ancestors who came from Melaka.
• In the mid-19th century, Peranakan Chinese gradually became Westernised. Many started to speak English, accept Western culture, convert to Christianity, and develop close ties with the British.
• From 1891, the number of new Chinese immigrants started to exceed that of Peranakan Chinese. In order to improve their social status, some Peranakan Chinese began to focus more on Chinese culture and started learning the Chinese language, Chinese literature and Confucianism. As a result, they became effectively bilingual in Chinese and English. Some Peranakan Chinese such as Tan Jiak Kim and Lim Boon Keng become leaders in Singapore’s Chinese community.
• The Singapore Chinese Girls’ School was established by Peranakan Chinese in 1899. Nyonyas began to receive their education here and became the first group of local girls to receive formal education in English.

The Straits Chinese or Peranakan Chinese are collectively known as Babas and Nyonyas. They are generally considered to be the descendants of early Chinese immigrants and indigenous peoples in Nanyang (literally, “South Seas”). Their traditional customs and clothing still reflect many beliefs and unique habits of the early Chinese settlers. (Lianhe Wanbao, 25/11/2019)

• A legend regarding the origins of the Peranakan Chinese is recorded in the Sejarah Melayu, or Malay Annals. In the 15th century, Princess Hang Li Po of the Ming dynasty in China was sent to present-day Melaka to marry Sultan Mansur Shah. She brought with her the sons of 500 ministers and 500 palace maids as dowry. The ministers’ sons intermarried with local nobility, and their descendants became the Peranakan Chinese.