An old building on North Bridge Road that was occupied by the ‘Xian Yu’ leisure house

This photograph was donated by Si Jing, a prolific female writer in the Chinese community who has written extensively on her childhood and life in Chinatown. Born in Singapore in 1934, she was given away to a ‘majie’ (a Cantonese maid who has taken the vow of celibacy), Sister Ai, as her parents were too poor to take care of her. Sister Ai worked at ‘Xian Yu’ leisure house. Si Jing thus grew up in the leisure house, which occupied the top two storeys of this building.

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An old building on North Bridge Road that was occupied by the ‘Xian Yu’ leisure house

Si Jing’s second son, Hooe Wai, and a ‘majie’, Sister Cui, on his second birthday

Si Jing’s old apartment building at Trengganu Street, Chinatown

Si Jing’s first born, Ping Wai, at six-months old with a ‘majie’, Sister Mei