Tham Yew Chin (You Jin)

Tham Yew Chin (b. 1950, Ipoh, Malaya–),¹ better known by her pseudonym You Jin, is a well-known local Chinese language writer.² A prolific writer, Tham has written numerous short stories, novels, travelogues, essays and opinion pieces, some of which have been translated to other languages. Her works have been published not only in Singapore, but also in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.³ For her contributions to the literary scene, she was awarded the Cultural Medallion for Literature in 2009.⁴

Early life and career
Tham was born in Ipoh, Malaya (now Malaysia) and spent her early childhood years there. She is the second of four children in her family, which includes an elder sister and two younger brothers.⁵ Her father Tham Sien Yen was a member of Force 136, which was a secret organisation established by the British to carry out covert military operations against the Japanese in Southeast Asia during World War II.⁶ After Tham’s father married and settled down, he tried his hand at various business ventures, ranging from mining and publishing a newspaper to selling liquor.⁷ These ventures, however, did poorly and as a result the family remained very poor.⁸

In spite of the grim circumstances, there were always books in the house. Every night, Tham’s mother would tell the children bedtime stories drawn from books such as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Arabian Nights and Aesop’s Fables as well as fairy tales by Hans Christian Anderson.⁹

In 1958, when Tham was eight years old, her father decided to make a living in Singapore, so the family left Ipoh. In Singapore, Tham attended the now defunct Yi Qun Primary School¹⁰ and subsequently Seng Poh Primary School.¹¹

Although finances were tight, Tham’s parents valued their children’s education.¹² Tham’s mother brought along from Ipoh her treasured possessions of Chinese literary classics such as Dream of the Red Chamber, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West, and Outlaws of the Marsh. Tham devoured these books voraciously even though she did not understand all of them at the time.¹³

When she was 11, Tham often noticed a book rental cart on her way to school and discovered that many students were using their pocket money to rent books containing violent and undesirable themes. She felt that these books were unhealthy for the soul and made a decision that she would be a writer of meaningful fairy tales for children when she grew up.¹⁴ Soon after, Tham wrote an essay entitled I Wish To Be A Fairy Tale Writer, which was published in a local Chinese newspaper, Nanyang Siang Pau. It was her very first published work.¹⁵

Tham was a quiet child. She was an avid reader and her greatest joy was reading. She was, however, not very interested in other subjects. To the despair of her father, she did not do well in her studies other than in Chinese language and literature.¹⁶ Recognising her strength in the Chinese language, Tham’s father decided to let her pursue her interest. She was the only child in the family to be educated entirely in the Chinese stream.¹⁷

In 1969, Tham enrolled in the then Nanyang University (now Nanyang Technological University) to study Chinese language and literature¹⁸ and eventually graduated with first-class honours. She also won the gold medal as the top student. Upon graduation, she became a librarian for three years until 1976, when she joined Nanyang Siang Pau.¹⁹ Tham worked as a journalist for the next five years using the pseudonym Tang Mei.²⁰

In 1981, Tham decided to make a career switch in order to have more time for her family. She enrolled in the National Institute of Education (NIE) to train as a teacher. Upon graduation, she became a Chinese teacher at Hua Yi Secondary School, where she taught for the next 18 years.²¹ In 2000, Tham was transferred to Pioneer Junior College where she taught until her retirement in 2009.²²

Writing career
Since her first essay in primary five, Tham set herself on a literary path, continuing to write throughout her secondary and university days. Throughout her professional career, Tham wrote voraciously in her spare time, getting only four to five hours of sleep every night.²³

Her first book published in 1978 entitled A Glimpse of Society was a collection of special features she had written for the newspaper.²⁴ Tham continued to write and publish short story collections, travelogues, essays and novels while holding down a full-time day job. While working as a teacher, Tham continued to be a columnist for several newspapers, including writing for The Descendants of the Dragons column in The Straits Times.²⁵

In the late 1980s, Tham’s works started to gain popularity internationally. In 1986, one of her books was published in Taiwan.²⁶ In 1988, Tham’s friend Dong Rui showed her works to a publisher in China. In 1989, Tham’s collection of stories based on her travels was published in China and sold out.²⁷

Tham started to gain immense popularity in China. There was a feverish rush for her works and her books sold out quickly. This craze for Tham’s works was termed ‘You Jin Fever’. Some even named 1991 as ‘You Jin Year’.²⁸ Tham was invited to various cities in China for autograph sessions where she had many ardent fans.²⁹

In 2000, the You Jin Research Centre was established in Chongqing University, China.³⁰ Tham was later invited to take part in the Chinese city of Chengdu’s inaugural writer-in-residence programme in 2007, which resulted in the publication of her book The Colourful City the following year.³¹ Tham’s popularity in China and Taiwan enhanced the reputation of Singapore Chinese authors in general.³²

Tham received the National Book Development Council of Singapore book award twice, for her travelogue The White House in the Desert in 1982, and her novel The Burning Lion in 1991. She also holds the honour of receiving the inaugural Singapore Chinese Literary Award from the Singapore Literature Society in 1991, and the inaugural Montblanc-NUS Centre for the Arts Literary Award in 1996. In 2009, Tham received the Cultural Medallion for her contributions to literature in Singapore. In 2008, Tham’s book, Short Stories by You Jin, was selected for the National Library Board’s nationwide reading initiative, Read! Singapore. Tham continues to write and is a regular feature writer for Singapore Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao and Shanghai newspaper Xin Min Daily News.³³

Stylistic conventions
Although Tham writes short stories, travelogues, essays and novels, it is her travelogues that stand out and are the most popular with her readers. The travelogues are largely personal accounts of what she saw and learnt from her travels. Tham’s trademark style is to focus on the personal lives of individuals she has met while weaving in the details of the land. Her writings exude wit, humour, warmth and humanity.³⁴

Another salient feature of her writings is that they are based on real-life stories and accounts. Tham likes to write from personal experiences, drawing from the sights and sounds of her travels and interactions with students. Although it was Tham’s childhood ambition to be a fairy tale writer, she has not written a single fairy tale as she feels that “there are too many stories from real-life experiences to be told”.³⁵ While she does not write fairy tales, Tham has fulfilled her childhood aspiration of writing meaningful stories. All her experiences with the outside world are sieved for moral lessons. She does not just write for fun but does so with a mission to spread values like filial piety and discipline.³⁶ Tham once said in an interview, “A story without social values is like a story without a soul”.³⁷

Family³⁸
Husband: James Lim Jit Teng.
Daughter: Jacintha Lim.
Sons: Ivan and Danny Lim.

Awards³⁹
1982: National Book Development Council of Singapore Book Award.
1991: National Book Development Council of Singapore Book Award.
1991: Singapore Chinese Literary Award (from the Singapore Literature Society).
1996: Montblanc-NUS Centre for the Arts Literary Award.
2009: Cultural Medallion for Literature.



Author
Chor Poh Chin



References
1. “Tham Yew Chin,” Tirbutesg., 2012.
2. Du Cheng, “Big in China,” Straits Times, 13 February 1992, 9. (From NewspaperSG)
3. Tay Suan Chiang, “Medallion Winner Author of 140 Books,” Straits Times, 17 October 2009, 6 (From NewspaperSG); Tribute.sg., “Tham Yew Chin.” 
4. “Cultural Medallion & Young Artist Award Recipients for Literature,” National Arts Council Singapore, accessed 4 October 2013. 
5. “S'pore's Million-Selling Author,” Straits Times, 26 September 1993, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
6. Tay, “Medallion Winner Author of 140 Books.”
7. You Jin, 尤今, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming: You Jin chuang zuo zhi lu 文字就是生命: 尤今创作之路 [Words are life: You Jin's creative journey] (新加坡: 八方文化创作室, 2005), 18, 23. (Call no. Chinese RSING C810.92 YJ)
8. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 21, 22. 
9. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 24, 25. 
10. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 60. 
11. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 71. 
12. “S'pore's Million-Selling Author.”
13. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 51. 
14. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 72, 73. 
15. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 75.
16. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 51.
17. “Education was Writer's Passport to a Better Life,” Straits Times, 2 January 1996, 2. (From NewspaperSG)
18. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 111.
19. “S'pore's Million-Selling Author.”
20. Li Baijuan 李白娟, “You Jin chu ban yi sheng zhong zhi neng yu yi ci de shu” å°¤ä»Šå‡ºç‰ˆä¸€ç”Ÿä¸­åªèƒ½ä¸Žä¸€æ¬¡çš„书 [Yu Jin publishes a book that can only be read once in a lifetime], Lianhe Zaobao联合早报, 1 March 2005, 29. (From NewspaperSG)
21. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 234, 249.
22. You, Wen zi jiu shi sheng ming, 250; Tay, “Medallion Winner Author of 140 Books.”
23. Tribute.sg., “Tham Yew Chin.” 
24. Tay, “Medallion Winner Author of 140 Books.”
25. Tan Shrz Ee, “Web of Drug Abuse Is Subject of You Jin's First Novel,” Straits Times, 26 July 1994, 14. (From NewspaperSG)
26. Tay, “Medallion Winner Author of 140 Books.”
27. “S'pore's Million-Selling Author.”
28. Cheng, “Big in China.”
29. Zhang Xina张曦娜, “Meng xiang you xian zi ju wu bian” 梦乡有限字句无边 [M enjoys priority access to words without limits], Lianhe Zaobao联合早报, 25 August 1996, 43. (From NewspaperSG)
30. Luo Ming骆明, “You Jin Yan Jiu Zhong Xin zai Chong Qing cheng li” 尤今研究中心在重庆成立 [Yujin Research Center established in Chongqing], Lianhe Zaobao è”合早报, 10 October 2000, 43. (From NewspaperSG)
31. Zhang Xina张曦娜, “Dang Cheng Du shou wei zhu cheng zuo jia You Jin xi su bin fen cheng shi” 当成都首位驻城作家尤今细诉缤纷城事 [When You Jin, Chengdu's first writer-in-residence, recounts the story of Colorful], Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报, 4 April 2008, 28. (From NewspaperSG)
32. Cheng, “Big in China.”
33. Tribute.sg., “Tham Yew Chin.” 
34. Zhang Xina and Li Baijuan张曦娜 and 李白娟, “Fang You Jin heng yuan de lu ren” 访尤今恒远的旅人 [A traveler who visits the present and the future], Lianhe Zaobao è”合早报, 4 October 2001, 37 (From NewspaperSG); “S'pore's Million-Selling Author.”
35. “You Jin’s Success Story,” Straits Times, 1 June 1993, 20. (From NewspaperSG)
36. “S'pore's Million-Selling Author.”
37. “You Jin’s Success Story.”
38. “S'pore's Million-Selling Author.”
39. Tribute.sg., “Tham Yew Chin.”  



Further resources
You Jin, 尤今, mo 模 [mould] (新加坡: 教育出版社, 1979). (Call no. Chinese RSING C813.4 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, yuan 缘 [edge] (新加坡: 新加坡文化事业, 1982). (Call no. Chinese RSING C813.4 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Ling long ren sheng 玲珑人生 [exquisite life] (新加坡: 新亚出版社, 1987). (Call no. Chinese RSING C818.2 YJ 1987)

You Jin, 尤今, Bai nian ku le 百年苦乐 [A century of joy and sorrow] (新加坡: 新亚出版社, 1987). (Call no. Chinese RSING C818.2 YJ 1987)

You Jin, 尤今, San zai xin zhong伞在心中 [The umbrella is in my heart] (新加坡: 成功出版公司, 1994). (Call no. Chinese RSING C818.2 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Gui li de xuan wo 瑰丽的旋涡 [Magnificent vortex] (新加坡: 教育出版公司, 1995). (Call no. Chinese RSING C813.4 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Nan gua qing 南瓜情 [pumpkin love] (新加坡: SNP出版公司, 1997). (Call no. Chinese RSING C814.3 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Yi xiang qing yuan 异乡情缘 [Love in a foreign land] (新加坡: 玲子传媒公司, 2001). (Call no. Chinese RSING C813.4 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Sha mo cai hong 沙漠彩虹 [Desert rainbow] (新加坡: 玲子传媒, 2003). (Call no. Chinese RSING C818.2 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Feng ling ding dang xiang风铃叮当响 [The wind chimes jingled] (昆明: 云南敎育出版社, 2005). (Call no. Chinese RSING C818.2 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Na ge ran jin fa de nan hai 那个染金发的男孩 [The boy with dyed blonde hair] (Singapore: Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd., 2010). (Call no. Chinese YRSING 741.595957 YJ)

You Jin, 尤今, Shi zhua hu ya: You Jin zuo pin xuan (xiao pin) 狮爪虎牙: 尤今作品选(小品) [Lion's claws and tiger's teeth: selected works by You Jin (short pieces)] (新加坡: 青年书局, 2010). (Call no. Chinese RSING C818.2 YJ)



The information in this article is valid as at 5 March 2014 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.