Life as a coolie … sucked. Strife (the Chinese word tattooed on the wrist of the raised fist) epitomized the struggle of a coolie to make his life better. The story about conflict in Singapore’s Chinese community was always told from the viewpoint of the British colonizers. The perspective of a Chinese coolie was never written down. Until now. Set between the founding of Singapore and the shuttering of Nanyang University, this narrative is a colorful account of secret societies and their wars, of Sinitic languages and dialects, and of suppressions by a colonial government in a free port. Its pages are not crammed with historical facts and dates, but filled with the experiences of Chinese migrants over 200 years. It is an impression of their achievements and a witness to their weakness of character. Join them on their roller-coaster ride into conflict.