Many people often associate Chung Cheng High with the communists. This notion likely has its roots in the school's history of student movements in Singapore known to be communist-linked.

One notable incident would be the Chinese Middle School Students protest in 1956, where students from Chinese schools (including Chung Cheng) barricaded themselves within their schools' compound and put up anti-government posters. Pro-communist organisations also supported the protest.

However, if we look at the history of the school and the meanings behind "Chung Cheng", the school cannot be reduced to communist affiliations.

The name "Chung Cheng" is linked to Chiang Kai Shek

Most people are not aware that the name "Chung Cheng" comes from Chiang Kai Shek, one of China's famous political leaders. Sometime in 1917 or 1918, Chiang Kai Shek changed his name to "Chiang Chung Cheng".

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="482"] Chiang Kai Shek. Source: Wikipedia[/caption]

The name "Chung Cheng" can be read as a symbol of political opposition against the communist party in China.

This is because Chiang Kai Shek was known for being the leader of the Kuomintang (KMT), a Chinese nationalist party.

With political strife regarding China's ideological direction in the 1920s, the (KMT) was the largest political opponent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

[related_story]

But before you think that Chung Cheng High did indeed have ties to the KMT, and everyone from Chung Cheng High was against the CCP, the school did not actually start out with any party affiliation.

When it came to politics, the school accommodated a wide range of political affiliations. Best summed up in an account by Han Tan Juan in Education at large: Student life and activities in Singapore, 1945-1965:

"Our principal Dr. Chuang Chu Lin, wanted to follow Cai Yuenpei's principle of establishing schools free from political cliques. Therefore at that time, Chung Cheng High School had pro-communist teachers, anti-communist teachers, as well as pro-Kuomintang and anti-Kuomintang teachers."

Chinese philosophy

Even though the school has a potentially political name with a history of student movements, the school takes a politically neutral stance regarding its name.

According to the school's website, "Chung Cheng" is derived from classical Chinese philosophy:

"Although the school was  named after Chiang Kai-shek,  otherwise known as  Chiang Chung-cheng in Standard Chinese, the concept of  Chung Cheng actually originates from the classical Chinese  philosophy work I Ching or the “Book of Changes”. 

I Ching espouses values like balance and uprightness of character (Zhong Zheng or Chung Cheng meaning balanced uprightness).

If we only consider the history of student movements, it seems to suggest Chung Cheng High's communist inclinations. However, things are not so straightforward and the history of the school is politically multifaceted.

Top image from Roots.sg and NAS.

[related_story]

​