A draft chronological biography of Seow Yeoh Thian (Part 1)

Chang Hsueh-cheng, a scholar from Dynasty Qing said that “record the life and current events as well as his attitude, subsequently understand his word, this is the knowledge of knowing both the author and his time.” Nianpu or chronology speaks for itself, clearly proved the meaning of it’s existence. For instance, historian Chien Ta-hsin on his own published five chronology books, he put emphasis on the character’s date of birth and death, he published a book “The Questionable Date of Birth and Death”. Hu Shih named it as the “embroidery needle” style of academy training. On the Malaysian academic history and literary history, very few scholar put emphasis on it. By the writing method of chronology, this thesis shows the three most significant periods of Seow Yeoh Thian (1913-1990) which from Teo Yeonh, Hong Kong and Nanyang, reflecting the changes of times, rise and fall of life, and the influences among the both social politic and the mind of writing.