The Women Who Built Singapore: Samsui Women

Singapore Living, by Stephanie Kolentsis

The Samsui women (红头巾; Mandarin for “red headscarf”) were women who emigrated to Singapore and Malaya from Guangdong province in southern China between the 1920s and 1940s to work in the construction and industrial sectors. Driven by economic hardship and the promise of construction and industrial jobs, they came in growing numbers. In the 1930s, immigration quotas enforced by the British limited the number of male immigrants allowed into Singapore. Since no such restrictions were placed on female migrants, the number of Samsui women in Singapore grew dramatically, as the city sought construction workers for urban and infrastructure development.

Samsui women working at a construction yard, 1938-39, Image Source: The National Museum of Singapore 

Today, the Samsui women are near-mythical figures in Singapore’s history. They are celebrated as pioneers who worked tirelessly—digging holes, carrying building materials, and mixing cement—often performing these jobs alongside men. Most Samsui women were single, and few married in Singapore. Instead, they woke before dawn and returned home late in the evening, saving what little they earned to send back to family in China. These independent women became celebrated figures, earning well-deserved recognition as emblems of resilience and strength. We remember them as the women who built Singapore, quite literally, from the ground up.

You can still see reminders of their presence on the streets of Singapore. Their work is still visible in the National Gallery and the Bank of China Building—both constructed with the help of Samsui women. You can also see their smiling faces lining the alleys of Chinatown, where they appear on half a dozen murals, wearing their signature navy samfu and iconic red headscarf. The most famous of these is undoubtedly at 297 South Bridge Road. The mural, by American artist Sean Dunston, captures a striking young Samsui woman taking a break, cigarette in hand.

Samsui woman mural by Sean Dunston at 297 Southbridge Road. Image Credit: Stephanie Kolentsis

When it was erected in 2024, the mural drew the ire of some viewers who complained it was “offensive” because the woman in the picture was young and smoking. She didn’t look the way Samsui women had appeared so often in the official narrative: aged and hardworking.

Samsui Women Mural by Yip Yew Chong. Image Credit: Stephanie Kolentsis

But the Samsui were more than just hard labourers; they were real women with real lives, with both hardships and joy. Their resilient spirit in the face of hard labour in a male-dominated industry is something we can celebrate, while also recognising that they lived full lives beyond the worksite. To honour their legacy is not only to remember what they built, but to see them clearly—as workers, as women, and as individuals.

If you would like to learn more about the Samsui women, and I hope you do, here are some places to start:

Chinatown Heritage Centre

Image by Choo Yut Shing

Visit the Chinatown Heritage Centre to see a recreation of the living quarters of the Samsui women and experience how they lived. You’ll also find exhibits displaying their traditional red headscarves and blue samfu. The exhibit also features audio narratives offering insights into the challenges these women faced.

Chinatown Heritage Centre, 48 Pagoda St, Singapore 059207, 10:00-7:00 pm daily / $15 

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Hidden Singapore: Tracing (Her)story of the Samsui

Hidden Singapore will lead you on an award-winning adventure. Their game, Tracing (Her)story of the Samsui Women will take you from Clarke Quay across Chinatown, following a set of cryptic clues sent over WhatsApp. The game takes about two hours to play and is led by Pauline Fun, a descendant of the Samsui, who weaves her family’s story into the social history of Singapore.

Tracing (Her)story of the Samsui Women, Hidden Singapore / $30

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Samsui Women: One Brick at a Time

If you have any little ones at home, I encourage you to check out Samsui Women: One Brick at a Time. This life-size poetry production for kids ages 7-12 is set in the 1960s. In this work of historical fiction, a fire razes a squatter settlement and Sew Leng, a Samsui woman, volunteers her time to help them rebuild. With perseverance, she earns their respect and the role of foreman on the construction site. Performances will take place at The Esplanade Theatre from July 21 to August 1.

Samsui Women: One Brick at a Time, Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981 /  $27

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​Stephanie Kolentsis is a learning designer with over 13 years of experience working as an educator across Asia. She’s also an explorer who loves to share her adventures with the AWA community.