Chen Su Lan
Encyclopedia
Dr Chen Su Lan was one of Singapore's first local medical graduates. He was also an anti-opium fighter, philanthropist and social reformer. He served in a number of important committees including the Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Management Committee, the Central Midwives Board and the Council of King Edward VII College of Medicine. After the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, he joined the Advisory Council where he spoke out against social ills caused by the war. He founded the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1945 and formed the Chen Su Lan Trust in 1947.
, China
, Chen was a third-generation Methodist, brought up by his deeply devout mother who was widowed when he was young. He enrolled at Anglo-Chinese College
in Fuzhou when he was 15. At a revival meeting led by visiting Bishop Bradford, he pledged to become a preacher one day.
Not long after, in 1905, he left for Singapore
, where he enrolled to become one of the first students at the newly opened Straits Federated Malay States Government Medical School (later renamed King Edward VII Medical School, then King Edward VII College of Medicine). He obtained a Licentiate in Medicine in 1910, as part of the first batch of seven graduates. In addition, he also topped that class.
After graduation, he was not only busy with his own practice but he served on a number of important committees, including the Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Management Committee, the Central Midwives Board and the Council of King Edward VII College of Medicine. He also founded the Alumni Association of the Medical College was elected president of the Malayan branch of the British Medical Association
.
addiction was a grim social problem, not helped by the fact that the colonial government monopolized the sale of the drug as means to regulate its use. At the risk of being labeled disloyal to the British, Chen mounted a campaign against opium addiction. He was the president of the Singapore Anti-Opium Society and the director of the Anti-Opium Clinic which he founded in 1933. However, in 1937, the outbreak of war in China caused donations to be diverted to the China Relief Fund and thus the clinic had to close down.
broke out in December 1941, the Japanese army made steady progress in its conquest of the Malayan peninsula. Chen, who felt that Singapore would fall, decided to flee from the island. On 13 February 1942, he boarded one of the last ships leaving Singapore but unfortunately, the ship was attacked, bombed and set on fire. The passengers abandoned ship and Chen found himself adrift in the cold sea, clinging on to a raft with a few other survivors. During those hours in the water, he re-evaluated his life and realized he had not kept to his childhood commitment to be a preacher. He decided to live fully for God and not himself.
Upon landing on short at a mangrove forest, Chen returned home only to be detained by the Kempeitai
(Japanese military police). An informer had told the Japanese that Chen and other leaders of the Methodist Church were conspiring against the Japanese government. Although his home was searched, no evidence was found which would incriminate him, and he was released.
, and for the founding in 1968 of the Methodist Children's Home which was named after him.
. He had been planning to do this since the war as a way to express his gratitude to God. Though he had not fulfilled his commitment to be a preacher in the literal sense, his whole life had been dedicated to serve God through serving the needs of others.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
The Tan Tock Seng Hospital is the second-largest hospital in Singapore after the Singapore General Hospital, but its accident and emergency department is the busiest in the country largely due to its geographically centralised location...
Management Committee, the Central Midwives Board and the Council of King Edward VII College of Medicine. After the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, he joined the Advisory Council where he spoke out against social ills caused by the war. He founded the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in 1945 and formed the Chen Su Lan Trust in 1947.
Early life
Born in FuzhouFuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Chen was a third-generation Methodist, brought up by his deeply devout mother who was widowed when he was young. He enrolled at Anglo-Chinese College
Anglo-Chinese College
Anglo-Chinese College may refer to:* Ying Wa College, Hong Kong * Anglo-Chinese College , Fuzhou, China...
in Fuzhou when he was 15. At a revival meeting led by visiting Bishop Bradford, he pledged to become a preacher one day.
Not long after, in 1905, he left for Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, where he enrolled to become one of the first students at the newly opened Straits Federated Malay States Government Medical School (later renamed King Edward VII Medical School, then King Edward VII College of Medicine). He obtained a Licentiate in Medicine in 1910, as part of the first batch of seven graduates. In addition, he also topped that class.
After graduation, he was not only busy with his own practice but he served on a number of important committees, including the Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
The Tan Tock Seng Hospital is the second-largest hospital in Singapore after the Singapore General Hospital, but its accident and emergency department is the busiest in the country largely due to its geographically centralised location...
Management Committee, the Central Midwives Board and the Council of King Edward VII College of Medicine. He also founded the Alumni Association of the Medical College was elected president of the Malayan branch of the British Medical Association
British Medical Association
The British Medical Association is the professional association and registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association’s headquarters are located in BMA House,...
.
Anti-Opium Fight
Chen was deeply concerned with the social and health conditions in Singapore. He recognized that opiumOpium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
addiction was a grim social problem, not helped by the fact that the colonial government monopolized the sale of the drug as means to regulate its use. At the risk of being labeled disloyal to the British, Chen mounted a campaign against opium addiction. He was the president of the Singapore Anti-Opium Society and the director of the Anti-Opium Clinic which he founded in 1933. However, in 1937, the outbreak of war in China caused donations to be diverted to the China Relief Fund and thus the clinic had to close down.
Outbreak of the Pacific War
When the Pacific WarPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
broke out in December 1941, the Japanese army made steady progress in its conquest of the Malayan peninsula. Chen, who felt that Singapore would fall, decided to flee from the island. On 13 February 1942, he boarded one of the last ships leaving Singapore but unfortunately, the ship was attacked, bombed and set on fire. The passengers abandoned ship and Chen found himself adrift in the cold sea, clinging on to a raft with a few other survivors. During those hours in the water, he re-evaluated his life and realized he had not kept to his childhood commitment to be a preacher. He decided to live fully for God and not himself.
Upon landing on short at a mangrove forest, Chen returned home only to be detained by the Kempeitai
Kempeitai
The was the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1881 to 1945. It was not an English-style military police, but a French-style gendarmerie...
(Japanese military police). An informer had told the Japanese that Chen and other leaders of the Methodist Church were conspiring against the Japanese government. Although his home was searched, no evidence was found which would incriminate him, and he was released.
After the Japanese Occupation
After the war, the British Military Administration invited Chen to join the Advisory Council. Chen took the opportunity to speak out boldly against the numerous social problems that had arisen because of the war. To help solve these problems, in 1945, he founded the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association (now called the Metropolitan YMCA) to help provide demoralized youths with opportunities to rehabilitate themselves.Chen Su Lan Trust
Turning to his personal interest and commitment, he founded the Chen Su Lan Trust in 1947. The Trust disbursed funds and land to Christian organizations like Scripture UnionScripture Union
Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian movement. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world...
, and for the founding in 1968 of the Methodist Children's Home which was named after him.
Writing About His Experiences
In 1969, Chen published a book entitled Pompong and Oxley Rise, which recounted his childhood days and his experiences during the Japanese OccupationJapanese Occupation
Japanese Occupation may refer to:*Occupation of Japan, the occupation of Japan by United States forces following World War II*Japanese occupation of Burma*Japanese occupation of Cambodia*Japanese occupation of Guam*Japanese occupation of Hong Kong...
. He had been planning to do this since the war as a way to express his gratitude to God. Though he had not fulfilled his commitment to be a preacher in the literal sense, his whole life had been dedicated to serve God through serving the needs of others.