samsui women Women labourers hailing from the upper Samsui or Sanshui (literally ‘three rivers’) districts of Guangdong province, China. In the early 20th century, some 2,000 samsui women came to Singapore to find work alongside men on construction sites. They wore distinctive red or blue cloth caps with blue or grey samfus (long- sleeved blouses and trousers). They were accustomed to hard physical labour, carrying bags of cement, bricks and other building material.

Most samsui women left China to help support their families as economic conditions in their hometowns were dire, although some came to Singapore to gain greater independence— freedom from arranged marriages and foot- binding. The majority, who on arrival were in their teens or early twenties, chose to remain single and never married or started families. They shared accommodation in ‘coolie houses’.

There are fewer than 100 samsui women left in Singapore. Most of these women, who played an important part in building Singapore, have returned to China or passed away. A sculpture by Liu Jilin of three samsui women stands outside the URA Centre to mark their contributions.

Photo credit: National Archives of Singapore/ Kuo Shang Wei collection