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Immigration History
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In the late Qing Dynasty, political turmoil and natural disasters pushed many Hainanese to migrate to Singapore.
The first half of 18th century
(between 1822 and 1844)
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On the southern coast of China:
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Western colonialists trafficked "indentured Chinese workers" ("piglets") to the South Seas to work as coolies.
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At that time, there were about 240,000 laborers from Hainan, the majority were "indentured Chinese workers."
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These places are also the gathering places of Hainanese in Singapore.
The late 19th -
early 20th century
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Many Hainanese migrated to Singapore
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Early stage:
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The Qing government banned civilian women from going abroad.
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Hainanese in Singapore could only return to their hometowns to marry or marry locals of a different race or Peranakan women.
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After 1904: The ban was lifted, and many overseas Chinese brought their children to Singapore for family reunion, creating a more balanced and harmonious Chinese community.
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Three existing streets, namely Middle Road, Purvis Street, and Seah Street, formed the Hainanese community in the downtown area.
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Reasons for Immigration
Push factor:
The economic rise of the maritime trade
Push Factors
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The turbulent political situation in China in different historical periods forced the Hainanese to go abroad to foreign lands and seek other livelihoods to escape from the scourge of war.
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Natural disasters ravaged people's lives.
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The population of Hainan increased dramatically, and the northeastern part of Hainan was densely populated. In order to strive for survival space and resources, heading south was one of the very few options for the Hainanese.
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There are many good ports in Hainan, and the people were equipped with navigation skills. Therefore, Hainanese could only sail through the South Seas to Singapore to make a living.
Pull factor from Singapore:
Attracting factors of Singapore
Pull Factors from Singapore:
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When the Hainanese to Southeast Asia returned to their hometown, intentionally or unintentionally, they projected the image of "success" and “wealth” that brought their poor fellowmen hope.
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The success of the Hainanese pioneers overseas encouraged the future generations to follow their footsteps taking the risk to venture abroad for survival
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As a regional entrepôt, Singapore had the same convenient waterway transportation as Hainan. It then became one of the leading migration destinations for Hainanese sojourning across the South Seas.
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During the 19th and 20th centuries, at the stage of Singapore's development process, Singapore was in urgent need of labor. The huge demand for workers attracted many Hainanese to seek fortune in Singapore.
Timeline
1819
The arrival of Stamford Raffles in Singapore stimulated the Hainanese migration wave.
1841
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Lin Chongren, an official from the Chinese Ministry of Justice, arrived in Singapore for a post. He is regarded the first prominent Hainanese to come to Singapore.
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Western colonizer's expansion in Southeast Asia and brought Singapore the opportunity of significant development which contrasted with the economy and society of rural Hainan.
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The huge demand of labour in Singapore created the opportunity and attracted many Hainanese to come to make a living.
After the Opium War in 1842
1843
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Due to the growing labour demand in Singapore, many Hainanese went abroad as "piglets" (coolies) / Chinese indentured workers.
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The result of China's political turmoil, economic and demographic pressures, and the demand for labour in the western colonized Southeast Asia motivated more Hainanese to migrate overseas.
1845-1875
The peak of coolie trade
Singapore became the regional distribution hub of coolies. They were first sent to Singapore and then transferred to other destinations in the region. This immigration system was very common in the 19th century and it then became one of the Hainanese migration channels to Singapore.
1858 - Treaty of Tientsin
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Due to the rapid development of international trade, the self-sustained economy of Hainan, primarily agriculture and handcraft, suffered a devastating setback.
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Many Hainanese had no choice but sojourned cross the sea to make a living in other countries.
1860
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After the Second Opium War, according to the Sino-British Conventions of Peking, the Qing government legalised Chinese workers to travel abroad.
1850
Hainanese migrants started to grow more than before and they gradually settled down in Singapore.
In 1860s, galleons and junks were gradually replaced by steam ships that were safer, faster and with larger capacity
The development of navigation and ship technology further pushed more Hainanese to sail across the South Seas.
1904
The ban ban on women travelling abroad was lifted and gained general support and advocacy.
We saw a continued growth in Hainanese people in Singapore. According to statistics, from 1881 to 1911, the Hainanese population grew from 8319 to 10504.,
In 1931, it expanded to 19896
In 1947, it mounted to 52000.
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Subsequently, the number of female Hainanese migrants began to increase, many of them headed to Singapore for family reunion or marriage.
1918~1927
The early Republican Era
The warring factions of the Beiyang warlords forced many Hainanese to go overseas in search of a stable life.
In the late 1970s, the Reform and Opening of China
The PRC government allowed ordinary people to emigrate. It was the period when sojourning Hainanese settled down and naturalized as Singaporean Chinese.
Development History
参考资料：
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周文培 (2020年)。 跨国主义与新加坡琼人= Transnationalism and Hainanese in Singapore，南洋理工大学人文学院，页21-128。上网日期：2022年1月27日。检自：https://hdl.handle.net/10356/151444
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新加坡海南会馆 （2013年）。中国海南岛与新加坡密切联系。新加坡海南会馆。上网日期：2022年1月27日。检自：http://hainan.org.sg/index.php?m=index&a=history_material2