Abstract: Liu Kang (1911-2004), a forerunner of paintings in Singapore, left 12 volumes of unpublished diary written between 1976 and 1995.  Trusted by Liu Kang’s family, I was given the opportunity to read those diaries, while compiling and analyzing Liu Kang's life story, criticism and works. This paper is to examine the Liu Kang's diary's documentary value and achieve a better understanding of this master painter.

Key words: Liu Kang the forerunner of painting in Singapore; diary; life story; criticism; creation; appraise

Ho Yikai, Ph. D. (Nanjing University, China), is Assistant Director of Pioneers' Memorial Hall, Singapore, Manager  and Assistant Editor-in-Chief of World Century Publishing Corp., Committee Member of South Seas Society and Committee Member of Singapore Society of Asian Studies.  His major publications include A Research of “The Portraits of Scholars in Qing Dynasty,” A Poetic Life: Selected Poems of Qiu Shuyuan (co-author), A Catalogue of Publications by South Seas Society (1940-2010) (co-editor), and A Survey and Research of Industry History in Singapore by Nanyang University (co-editor), etc.