Young Samsui Woman Mural

If you wander into a side alley of Singapore's Chinatown, you'll come face-to-face with a young woman who seems to stare into your soul through the ash-gray wall she's painted on. In her hand is a cigarette, the very same one that got the artist who painted her into trouble.

Created by Sean Dunston in 2024, this larger-than-life mural depicts a young Samsui woman, part of the community of female workers who came from southern China between the 1920s and ’40s to help build Singapore into the impressive metropolis it is today.

Also known as hong tou jin—a reference to the iconic headscarf they wore, as seen on the mural—they performed backbreaking work in the sun, digging earth, hauling raw materials, and building roads for as little as 50 Singaporean cents a day. It wasn’t uncommon for them to unwind with a cigarette during their breaks, a ritual now immortalized by this artistic depiction.

According to some records, the Samsui women worked in Singapore well into their 70s, witnessing the nation they had helped build come to life. Most were never able to return to China.

An integral part of Singapore's development, several artistic renditions of the women can be found across the city. However, most pay homage to older Samsui women, whose sun-lined faces, marked by years of labor, convey gravitas and a wealth of history.

Dunston’s youthful portrayal, by contrast, shows them as they once were: young, fearless individuals who left their homes in search of better lives. The mural captures a quiet moment in one woman's life, her cigarette break conveying a momentary sanctuary from the hours of hard work that lie ahead.

Yet, it was this very element that sparked controversy with Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Ministry of Health (MOH)—a dispute ultimately settled after weeks of discussions.

The mural first came under fire for being painted on a heritage building without the necessary approvals. Weeks later, it drew criticism for depicting smoking, a vice that the URA and MOH didn’t appreciate being portrayed in a public artwork. Officials instructed the artist to “get rid of the cigarette”. An anonymous complainant further claimed that the mural depicted Samsui women in an offensive light, likening its portrayal to a “prostitute's.”

Public opinion was quick to quash these criticisms, defending the  artist’s rendition as an honest depiction of a historical figure. After hearing both sides, the URA reversed its stance and allowed the artwork to remain in its original form.

Today, the mural—and the young Samsui woman—lives on in a quiet alley in Singapore, treating visitors to a unique slice of the nation’s history just steps away from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. It seems she has finally been left alone to take her smoke break in peace, albeit under the watchful eye of an anti-smoking plaque.