World Scientific Singapore

30/01/2025

Symbolism in Lion and Dragon Dance

If a lion catches you in the face with a spray of green veggies this Lunar New Year, don't be too quick to grimace. What you've just experienced is actually a shower of blessings! Pauline Loh explains why in “Lion and Dragon Dance in Singapore”:

“The words 采青 (căi qīng) are written as “pluck the greens” or pluck the vegetables. This ritual is carried out on Chinese New Year, during competitions and upon customers’ demands. An obstacle course is set up which the lion has to overcome in order to get to the final prize—represented by the vegetables. It is a test of the performers’ skill, techniques and physical ability and also the troupe’s knowledge and mastery of tradition.

“Nowadays, the greens most often used for cai qing performances are lettuce. This, too, is a deliberate choice. “Lettuce” in Chinese is pronounced shēngcài, which means “raw vegetable.” However, shēng sounds like the word for “birthing.” If cài is pronounced with the second tone (Chinese words have four tones), it becomes the word for wealth. Put the two words together, they form ‘birthing wealth.’ Besides being keen on wordplay, the Chinese are even more keen on prosperity!”

Learn more about the history of lion and dragon dance in “Lion and Dragon Dance in Singapore” (https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12984).

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29/01/2025

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫! 🌟🐍

May the Year of the Snake bring you prosperity, wisdom, and success! 🧧✨

Celebrate this Lunar New Year with 𝟑𝟎% 𝐎𝐅𝐅 when you purchase 2 or more books. Use code 𝐋𝐍𝐘𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 at checkout. 📚

⏳ Hurry—offer ends February 12, 2025!

Start the year with growth, learning, and discovery with World Scientific! 🎉

28/01/2025

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

As we settle down to our sumptuous reunion dinners this evening, let’s not forget to wish our family members a happy and blessed Lunar New Year! Soon Su-Chuin, Elvin Xing Yifu and Tong Chee Kiong elaborate on our Lunar New Year traditions in their chapter of “The Singapore Ethnic Mosaic”:

“On the eve of CNY, it is customary for family members to gather for the reunion dinner, or tuan yuan fan (团圆饭). This is a significant event as it represents a time for family members to reaffirm the love and respect that bind them together as a unit. Every family member is expected to do his best to return to the family home for the dinner. Traditionally, all sons return to their parental homes for the occasion and married daughters share the tables of their husband’s families. The names of dishes or their ingredients that are served during the reunion dinner tend to sound similar
to auspicious words and phrases. For example, the Chinese phrase nian nian you yu (年年有余) which means “may there be surpluses every year” sounds the same as “may there be fish every year”, as 余(surplus) is a homonym for 鱼(fish). Hence, the fish dish is a must in the reunion dinner as it symbolises surplus and prosperity. After a sumptuous reunion dinner, younger family members may gather to stay awake all night, participating in a custom known as shou sui (守岁). It is believed that in staying up through the night, it delays the aging process of the more elderly family
members and hence increasing their longevity.”

Read about the different cultures that make up the vibrant Singapore fabric in “The Singapore Ethnic Mosaic” (https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/10840).

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27/01/2025

📢 The Straits Times No. 1 Nonfiction Bestseller

Nirmal Ghosh’s Backlash: Donald Trump and the Remaking of America is now ranked as the top nonfiction book for the week of January 25th. This compelling work provides a thorough analysis of America’s shifting political and social landscape.

Available at Kinokuniya, Book Bar, and online: https://doi.org/10.1142/14245.

23/01/2025

Celebrations in Chinatown

For generations, Chinatown has been not only the crucible of Chinese community in Singapore, but also a site of cultural celebrations and festive delights. Lim Guan Hock sheds light on how this unassuming street has been a common cultural thread connecting many of us together over the years in “A General History of the Chinese in Singapore”:

“In the early hours of the morning on 2 February 1946, Chinatown, like the Chinese community in other parts of Singapore, ushered in the first post-war Chinese New Year. With ‘Chinatown bathed in a blaze of lights, letting off thousands of dollars’ worth of crackers to shatter the midnight silence,’ Chinatown began to celebrate the Chinese New Year in high festive spirits. This contrasted sharply against the mood of the community when Singapore fell on 15 February 1942 — on the first day of the Chinese New Year.
“Chinatown was a great emporium of Singapore. Apart from its local customers, it also attracted people from other parts of Singapore. It has always been well stocked with seasonal goods. As Chinese New Year approached, Chinatown would see days of bustling business activity. Despite the on-going Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation and the usual Sunday quiet, on 1 February 1965 thousands of Chinese New Year shoppers thronged the shops and the streets lined by make-shift stalls to make last-minute purchases. The market seemed to be full of Chinese New Year delicacies — waxed ducks, sausages, mandarin oranges, melon seeds and cabbages. Barbers, hair-saloons, shoe and clothing shops and goldsmiths also experienced brisk business.”

Read about the Singapore Chinese story in “A General History of the Chinese in Singapore” (https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/11195).

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21/01/2025

Last week, we hosted two back-to-back events for Backlash: Donald Trump and the Remaking of America by Nirmal Ghosh. The book launch took place on Tuesday at The Pod @ The National Library, followed by a book talk on Thursday at Book Bar. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Get your copy today with 20% off using code WSASOC20 or learn more about the book here: https://doi.org/10.1142/14245.

Photo credits: National Library

21/01/2025

Crafting the Lion and Dragon

Did you know that lion costumes can look different depending on where they come from? The next time you catch a lion dance performance, you might want to keep a lookout for the telltale signs of the lion’s origins. Pauline Loh’s “Lion and Dragon Dance in Singapore” is an excellent guide for the beginner lion-spotter:

“By far the most common type of lion costumes are the southern and northern lion. Southern lions are a favourite in Singapore. It is due to the lion’s resemblance to the cute, household cat. It is usually made out in bright and uplifting yellow, orange or red colour. The head sports a cheerful facial expression. It has large eloquent eyes and long eyelashes that any woman would envy. These eyes can blink, stare, look away and give the lion a million and one expressions. The Southern lion head also possesses a moveable jaw. This is its biggest difference to the Northern lion, which has a mouth that is painted on.
“With its moveable jaw, the Southern lion can effect mannerisms like gaping in surprise, chomping in anger, trembling with fear and even “smiling” if the lion head dancer is skilful enough. Besides this endearing feature, the head also has bobbing nose stalks made of large and dramatic pom poms. Taking centre place on the head is a shiny mirror and a horn. These are spiritually significant structures. The mirror wards off evil spirits and the horn symbolises the strength of the lion, and in extension, its troupe.”

Learn more about the history of lion and dragon dance in “Lion and Dragon Dance in Singapore” (https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12984).

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21/01/2025

𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘊𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘐 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 has reached #1 on The Straits Times Weekly Bestsellers list (Non-fiction)! Congratulations to Tony Tan on this remarkable achievement!

In this thought-provoking book, renowned AI expert Tony Tan delves into the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on humanity. Drawing from his deep industry expertise and the award-winning success of The Future in the Present, Tan masterfully blends expert analysis with compelling storytelling to reveal how AI is reshaping our lives, work, and society.

Get your copy today at Neo Kinokuniya Singapore Main Store and Book Bar, or order online here: https://doi.org/10.1142/14013

Discover more books on leadership and business insights:
https://www.worldscientific.com/area/leadership-business-insights

21/01/2025

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬" 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

World Scientific, in collaboration with Singapore's leading healthcare institutions, brings you a valuable collection of medical books that cover key specialties like dermatology, paediatrics, infectious diseases, mental health, and more. These resources are designed to support healthcare professionals, researchers, and students in advancing their knowledge and practice. Expertly curated by specialists from these renowned institutions, these books offer in-depth insights into medical advancements, clinical best practices, and cutting-edge research.

Explore the collection today and stay updated with the latest medical knowledge and practices ://www.worldscientific.com/page/book-by-SG-hospital

Changi General Hospital (CGH)
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National Centre for Infectious Diseases - NCID
National Neuroscience Institute
National University Hospital - NUH
Sengkang General Hospital
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Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH)
Woodlands Health

20/01/2025

Happy Monday! World Scientific is here today at the Institute of Policy Studies - IPS Singapore Perspectives Conference 2025! Stop by our booth if you happen to be attending and check out our latest bestsellers!

16/01/2025

Chinatown: A Cradle of Community

For many of us, the Lunar New Year means it’s time for a trip down to Chinatown to take in the sights and partake in the festivities. Indeed, our ancestors may have made the same annual pilgrimage over the course of Singapore’s growth. Lim Guan Hock takes us on a trip down memory lane in his chapter of “A General History of the Chinese in Singapore”:

“The post-war era spanning the 1950s to the 1960s was the golden period for Chinatown; street markets were bustling with life and businesses flourished. The mood in Chinatown would change as the day progressed. Early In the morning, eager housewives were out to get the best buys from vegetable market around Smith, Sago and Trengganu Streets.
“The streets were temporary day markets and they thronged with a wide range of trades and businesses — stalls selling vegetables and fruits, seafood, pork, and wildlife which included skinned frogs, snakes and reptiles. There were stalls selling sundry goods where residents would shop for daily necessity and mingle with one another.
“At night, the place would be ablaze with light and activity. The night market in the area bounded by Pagoda Street, Trengganu Street and Smith Street, is a hodge-podge of stalls selling towels, cheap jeans, imitation up-market T-shirts, children’s clothes, sundry goods, and so on. Live music of various genres, including that of the pugilistic cymbals and gongs, vie with pirated cassettes over the din of excited bargaining voices and tooting trishaws.”

Read about the Singapore Chinese story in “A General History of the Chinese in Singapore” (https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/11195).

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14/01/2025

Great insights from Eric Sim on preparing for a fulfilling retirement! It's not just about financial capital; human and social capital are just as crucial. Discover more in his book, Small Actions: Leading Your Career to Big Success. You can get your copy at Neo Kinokuniya Singapore Main Store, Book Bar or on Amazon.com [https://lnkd.in/gu55s66v].

Don’t miss out on the valuable lessons Eric shares on how to prepare for a meaningful retirement!

Eric Sim, 54, spent more than 20 years in banking. Sim says he isn't a fan of the Financial Independence, Early Retirement (FIRE) lifestyle.

14/01/2025

Congratulations on the official launch of Tony Tan's latest book, 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘊𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘐 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, on January 10!

In this groundbreaking book, renowned AI expert Tony Tan offers a compelling exploration of artificial intelligence's transformative impact on humanity. Drawing from his deep industry expertise and award-winning success with The Future in the Present, Tan combines insightful analysis with relatable storytelling to reveal how AI is reshaping lives, work, and society in significant ways.

The book is now available at Neo Kinokuniya Singapore Main Store and Book Bar, or you can get your copy here: https://doi.org/10.1142/14013.

14/01/2025

Crafting the Lion and Dragon

It’s that time of year again! With preparations for the Lunar New Year underway, I’m sure we’re all looking forward to watching our first lion and dragon dances of the year. Learn more about what makes their bright and colourful costumes so eye-catching in Pauline Loh’s “Lion and Dragon Dance in Singapore”:

“One of the few remaining lion costume masters in Singapore is Henry Ng. He grew up watching lion dance performances. He took it up at a young age, joining the Singapore Hok San Association. As a dancer, he is familiar with both the inside and outside of a lion head. He liked to spend time just marvelling at the inside of a lion head. Having a personal interest in art and craft, he bought some cane and started creating his own costume in the kitchen of his parents’ home. He had no teacher or mentor. In 1995, he began crafting lion costumes full-time.
“Ng likened lion craftsmanship to art. Just like art, no two designs can be completely the same, as the artist will imbue his design with his own style. Ng said that people can recognise his costumes. What satisfies him most about his chosen vocation is to see his costumes ‘come alive’ on stage and dancers putting his costumes to good use.”

Learn more about the history of lion and dragon dance in “Lion and Dragon Dance in Singapore” (https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/12984).

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13/01/2025

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
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10/01/2025

Celebrate the achievements of extraordinary Singaporeans with this inspiring collection from World Scientific. From trailblazing entrepreneurs to celebrated artists and athletes, these stories showcase resilience, vision, and success.

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09/01/2025

A Roadmap for a Digital Era

Embracing digitalisation is a key way for companies to stay competitive in 2025. “The Digital Champion: Best Practices and Insights for the Successful Transformation of Enterprises and Companies” explores why and how business decision-makers should embrace digitalisation:

“Digitalization has developed into a strategic competitive factor. Even though digital transformation is affecting all industries at different speeds, no industry can escape this development. In order to remain competitive, companies must take advantage of digital change and its opportunities. This initiative involves the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing how you operate and deliver value to customers. It’s also a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment, and get comfortable with failure. Digital transformation is imperative for all functions across the value chain, from the small to the enterprise. What’s not clear to many business leaders is what digital transformation means.
“Because digital transformation will look different for every company, it can be hard to pinpoint a definition that applies to all. However, in general terms, we define digital transformation as the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business resulting in fundamental changes to how businesses operate and how they deliver value to customers. Beyond that, it’s a cultural change that requires organizations to continually challenge the status quo, experiment often, and get comfortable with failure. This sometimes means walking away from long-standing business processes that companies were built upon in favor of relatively new practices that are still being defined.”

Artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and new technologies – read about these and more in “The Digital Champion: Best Practices and Insights for the Successful Transformation of Enterprises and Companies”.
https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/13835

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