Our Auntie Married to a lawyer,plus our father -home guard shifted to next chapter
Just after the our grand mother brought a piece of land along Anson Road,opposite the General Hospital,and a stone's throw from the Primary Anglo-Chinese School.There a wooden house was constructed with the ground floor slightly raised as this area is prone to flooding especially during rainy season at the end of the year.
The small building consisted of of two rooms,a sitting room,a verandah in front,a kitchen and dinning room. Further down at its end was a shed area where our "padi" were were smashed by a leg operated wooden hammer,this was to remove its husk.All these were constructed during the Japanese occupation.During the occupation we had to plant our on food in the jungle.
With the surrender of the Japanese the rice situation slowly improved although there restriction in its purchased.I remembered the purchasing of rice with cards which were issued to every adult individual,yes there was a rationing of rice sold to the public then.The rationing I think lasted a few years and finally removed.
With the availability of rice our planting of "padi" was slowly phased out with time and the wooden rice smasher finally lost its importance put aside to waste away.Money with our family was running out at the same time so in order to generate some money the back portion where the the wooden laid was renovated into a room cum workshop for an old clog maker.
With that renting of that portion to the clog maker,our back play ground were always packed with short logs.Every morning the clog maker's assistant would saw the logs into short lengths (the length of human foot).After sawing sufficient logs he would then chopped them into suitable size for clogs.He was quite an expert at these spliting to secure the most from the logs.
The old man,his master would take own sweet time to give the final touches to those wood that after he had enjoyed the porridge cooked by the assistant.With stomach full then only will he moved on to smoked his pipe ( a 2 feet bamboo pipe which was half filled with water) Funny pipe as he had to insert some tobacco to a small piping attachment then lit it with an incense stick.With that tobacco lighted he blows the pipe to suck in the smoke into his system.As he sucked the pipe he created quite a noise.
He remained squatted as he smoked and smoked until he is finally satisfied.
Then he took a final sip of Chinese tea,before easing off to the chopping block where he expertly chipped away the clogs following the outline drawn out by the apprentice.Being an expert he easily churned out a number of pairs of clogs.Those that needed to be painted red were hastily done by the assistant.However his production were never a daily affair for what he produced were had to be sold,so sometimes he ferried his wares to the market for sales,should business be fantastic he would go to sell his wares daily.
His timber logs for the clogs cleared the grassy patch at the back of our house,When they finally moved away that patch was so well cleared and flat that my younger brother could draw on it with just apiece of twig.It was here my brother developed his inert talent in drawing.His subjects initially were those actors and actresses of opera which he had the following evening.He never knew about pencil or paper those days.As for colors those imprinted deep in his mind because of the costumes worn by those actors ant actresses.
With the going of the clog maker ,his place was filled by a night hawker at the Amusement park.This hawker moved in with his family consisting of three adults and two kids then.Every evening he would pushed his carts of salted tit bits to Amusement park,assisting him was his brother.We called this jovial man,Ah Loy Sok and his brother Ng Sok.
This new tenants occupied the whole of the back,a room and the space left vacant by the clog maker and we shared a common kitchen and bathroom.This Ah Loy Sok plied his trade only during the evening .During the day he and his brother would prepared the items they sold,which consisted mostly preserved fruits both salted and sweetened,much of them also immersed in vinegar.
Fresh fruits like pears and apples were sliced into smaller pieces and sold by the piece.Their specialized in salted pear drinks kept in a wooden container.Both brothers served at their stall at the amusement park.As kids we often visit their stall whenever we went to the Cantonese opera with our parents.
Their normal time of work began as early as 6 p.m.when they took turn to push their cart towards the Amusement Park.They plied their trade till past midnight,then only will they return home pushing the cart as well.This Ah Loy Sok although forty plus looked strong physically fit,although he returned home in the early hours still waked up as early as 7.00 a.m.So des his brother.
It was in one of such early morning waking up he discovered a young artist drawing on the sand.It astonished him and taken aback how a young tot of three could draw those drawings on the ground.It was definitely unbelievable to him.So he blew out hot and warm praises for my brother's talent until all around knew it loud and clear.
His small family and two little daughters lived with him an brother.A small family with simple live styles,anyway who ain't,eh?..
Later the vacant ground next to our house was rented to a timber retailer calling himself Southern Timber Trader.Having enormous capital he started big with plenty of timber for re-sales.Part of our main verandah was partitioned ,turning it into an office.Assisting him were his brothers and it was a family business.
That man was extremely enterprising for he also saw hard wood like Chengal to serve the requirements of the market.Those days sometimes utilizing pure human brute force of cheap labor available then can produce huge sizes sawn timber of Chengal hard wood, cheaper and faster then ordering from the saw mill waving all protocols and standard procedure.
As a small boy I was always at hand to witness such ardrous processes by a couple of old men. These old timers although old can hand sliced huge logs of diameter about five feet or so within days.These workers like the clog maker or any old workers those days like to smoke bamboo water pipes.We often squatted around to watch them smoked with much enthusiasium fun.Watered Bamboo pipes do not exit nowadays.
That art of smoking had died out.
Should anyone of us be naughty,we now had a place to hide among those properly stacked timber at the timber yard where our dear grand mother could not catch us especially me,most of the time.It surely were an ideal place for us to play hide and seek in the 3evenings when no workers were around.On working days when the place were opened for business we were told not to go near them.
to continue when inspired.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Chapter 6 Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Blood is thicker than water,how true it was,considering the fact that my late father was an adopted child of the Cheahs but in that family we had companies we were never alone,so big deal!!!.Adopted or other wise we had been absolved into the family and treated extremely well by our dear grandmother.She had at no time pushed us outsider.
However many does not share her views but who cares for it was she that was what matters.I know many had used this trying to induce her to part her shares of remaining fortune to them.They failed miserably in convincing her for she knew everyone of them.However they never gave up.Although she treated us well she never yielded to our late father's persuasion for her to release some money to him for business.
But than who can blame her?The remaining fortune consisted of the house and land which she held on tightly with some cash although not much but sufficient for the family to survive for some years to come.She also knew my late father well,well enough to know that he was never business material and beside had no experienced as the rest of the Cheah,he being the youngest.
Should the pressure be too heavy a burden to carry she just leave for Kuala Lumpur where my Auntie was residing.Once out of town none of those ,those pestering her had no means of pursuing her,just simply no way. My Auntie would never allow that to happen,not even our father could get near to her.However, she always longed to be with her grandsons that will be my brother and I- therefore took the first opportunity to return home when every thing were calmed.
Our relatives varied tremendously.First there were the Cheahs- same ancestors line with my paternal grand father,there ain't many actually as far as I can see because when we were tiny tots my grandmother used to visit them,I remembered of tow of my Auntie's cousins all Cheahs plus a sister.During my grand ma visits to them she always tagged both of us (my brother and I) along.
The way they talked were so different from the main stream of Cantonese.As kids we could catch some of what being said though nothing much and matters simply simple.Our Auntie (my father's sister) was also exceptionally friendly with them,
and we knew she paid numerous visit to them while she was a nurse in Kuala Lumpur.In fact the facts were very glaring clear she and them shared the same blood line.
On the hand she was never on good term with her other brothers,my father and elder brother who was years older then her.Both of whom were similarly adopted in different era.Of course all shared the same father ,my grand father.Her relationship with the elder can be termed or measured by the arm length,that was how closed they were related.It was no different from our father.
This old uncle have few daughters very much older than our Auntie.Well.all tried to maintain a better relationship with her.Her mother being a second mother to the elder brother .Only they that brother and family) visited her at most of the time but seldom the other way around.I can safely presumed all relationship were not well with each other.
From these blood lines I have now given you now,it was obvious who were truly who in the family line up.It was never complicated and extremely clear whose blood were thicker than whose.My grand ma including my Auntie were obviously closer to those two cousins and their children.
To prove this were as simple as ABC,because we had seen her venturing all out to help their off springs especially the cousin sisters' in providing jobs in her husband's Glass factory in Kuala Lumpur and Sawmill in Pahang.
One thing was odd those two cousins survive very well after the war and owned their own business. The elder was a successful timber retailer merchant and building contractor in Sabak Bernam.While the younger brother was an Iron Foundary Workshop owner seemingly successful.
When the that young cousin's wife was very sick my auntie even purposely took trips back to Teluk Anson to visit her,to the extent of cleansing her.Thus showing her passion and affectionate concerned for them.There were little doubts that their blood were definitely thicker that ours.
Jobs could be easily available for the children of these guys but what were the used when not appreciated instead created havoc all the way.Much to annoyance of our Uncle who provided them the good jobs what more can we say about such ungrateful people?.
In the days when my grand father was still around there were many distant cousins by the same surnames including others not related bearing the same surname.These people enjoyed certain privileges as being a Cheah.Most of whom were opium smokers.The way they behave and worked they were nicknamed "Kings".! st.King,second king and so on.All their graves lied in an old,old cemetery in Sungei Nibong.Except for us paying our yearly respects on "Cheng Beng"and no others does that or worst knew their exitense.
Our father perhaps maybe adopted but he enjoyed the full status as though he was actually my grandmother's son.My grandmother loved him from the day he was adopted giving him good allowances during his schooling days.Well withopuy the slightest doubt my father was a spolit child beginning from the days he began schooling.
When his studies were bad still he was given the opportunity to study in Ipoh.Obviously he never did well,despite so much financial and moral support he studied up to form three (junior middle three in Chinese School).Apparently a number of years were wanted because he never much required promotions along the way.Those were the days whereby you be promoted only when you passed the class examination.A failure would meant retention in the same class without promotion.
My father enjoyed himself to the fullest with his huge following of friends in Ipoh that was the sole reason for his failure in studies.Without a doubt he was a spend thrift,spending lavishly on his friend.Any he discontinued his studies after junior middle three.
To continue when inspired- maybe corrected as well..
Chapter 5 Our Growing Years The Old Austin Under The Guava Tree
The New Tenants pushed to next chapter.
When we were then very young all of us loved to play in an Old car. an Austin car,left under a guava tree to rot away.Well,that car had served its purpose,it was the last ramnant of a property owned by our grandfather.It was not sold away after his passing but at that time the car was already an old,old car not much in used and nobody wanted it.
When the land along Anson road was purchased the old faithful was left to rot away behind the house.Later a guava tree grew by its side.It maybe not in used anymore but it surely served us as our play ground.All of us would climbed up and out of that junk with its door still in tact with crackling sound.Chances were they may give way anytime.The car kept our grandmother with loving memories of day that had drifted away.
The guava tree provided some shade for the old rusty car.The engine of the car had been removed together with its back seats.However the steering wheel was still hanging on there where we made belief in driving that old car like seasoned drivers.
Without the engine still sounded-of course not we were making those motor noise,much to the annoyance of the grandmother.
Without the engine we still had the anchor to make belief we can still start the car.Those days I think cars needed to be anchored to ignite its engine.Come to think of we had ample fun with it.That good old faithful.There were no peace around as we fought over who should be the driver of the old car most of the time.Small argument which were quite noise, brought the grandmother came screaming down with a long cane in hand.
That was when the guava tree came in handy and in split seconds I was already up at its very top,laughing cheekily.I was always the main culprit all those times being the elder of the two.My grandmother will make believe as if to strike me,for she was just simply making a lot of noise with the cane to frighten me.Smacking it on the tree instead of me.However sometimes accident can happened and I got the full force of the cane on my legs.
"Ooch!!!",I would cried out in pain.My sister and younger brother at the lower end would join yelling out in unison laughing at my pain,"Very good,very good,serve you right for bullying us",enjoying the moment I was trashed.We all knew she never meant to hurt me but as I say,accident can happened and I had it on me.My grandmother really loved all three of us,but of course there always a pet among the three of us unfortunately I was never the one nor my sister being a girl but my little brother.Nevertheless all the same she still loved all of us say what you may she loved us.
My kid brother usually took full advantage of this and when ever he lost in any quarrel or he wanted some thing from which I refused to part with,he would resort to his sole strong weapon against me,that was he would cry out at top of his voice to our grandmother who would response almost immediately with the cane shouting,"You naughty boy,bullying you brother again? Wait till I cane you".
Of course with her at my heels I have got to surrender everything to my brother and ran away from the spot and she cannot catch up with me.My brother would laughed at my running away very often clapping his hands.That what brother were for anyway.
I was quite hot tempered as a small boy very often acted irrationally without much considerations whether it was right or wrong,that was why my grandmother branded me while a child as "Nga Ching Leong", a famous character of some Chinese comics neither a hero but a tough guy with a huge temper.
The lovely guava tree also provided us with much fruits to eat.While not playing we would scout above the tree for ripe fruits.The fruits were quite sweet with the center full of seeds and red pulp.We had a lot of fun fighting over its fruits.Without the slightest doubt I was the one quickest to spot any ripe fruits,my young brother was never in the same league so he resorted shouting,"That is mine I saw it first""You cheat you plucked it before I could reached it".
Well,always I refused and he would cry out loud and clear.Know what?, I had no way out but to yield the fruit to him because my grandmother would be there almost immediately with cane in hand.However times were difficult surrendering does not mean I was safe,for I may soon get the canning when she arrived at the spot.So after giving up the fruit I still had to climb up high up above so that when she waved her cane it does reached me.Smart thinking?I suppose so.
As young children we never roamed all over that plot land without our parents,for the land had a number of mature coconut palms.All very tall palms with ripe coconuts on them and our parents feared they might dropped on us.Only those land nearest the house were cultivated with sweet potatoes and vegetables,the rest were quite grassy and we have seen snakes in those areas.Of course then we were only small kids.
My maternal grandmother and grandfather sometimes worked on the cultivated land and that was the only time we went along with further down the land.Because of their hard work we had ample sweet potatoes and vegetables to eat.However,our maternal grand parents did not lived with us they got their own home in Speedy Road.But my mother's youngest sister stayed with us.
She attended the local Chinese School,the Sam Min Chinese School.Those days Chinese school were marked schools by the British government suspecting them of being infiltrated with Communist spreading Communist doctrines among the student. Actually the Communists had fought along side of the British before the Japanese surrendered in 1945.They in fact had participated in the victory parade marching through towns with the British.
When they were refused recognition the whole lot went into the jungle to fight a guerilla war against the British.Those British branded the Communist members as bandits.They even suspected the Communist having infiltrated into the Chinese schools.My small Auntie was then studying in the local Chinese school.Anyway they were the main suspects those days.Our small Auntie was quite closed to all of us.
When I was about eight years old or so,a young hospital dresser always came to our house to tackle our small Auntie.Well,he won over her heart and they were married with part of the ceremony in our house.Yes.I remember those days whereby we were made to line up together with my other cousins to receive our red packet.I remember that I was the first to get the red packet and my small Auntie had found memories of that and often reminded of that day.Aha,those were the days.
to continue or rewrite in future.
When we were then very young all of us loved to play in an Old car. an Austin car,left under a guava tree to rot away.Well,that car had served its purpose,it was the last ramnant of a property owned by our grandfather.It was not sold away after his passing but at that time the car was already an old,old car not much in used and nobody wanted it.
When the land along Anson road was purchased the old faithful was left to rot away behind the house.Later a guava tree grew by its side.It maybe not in used anymore but it surely served us as our play ground.All of us would climbed up and out of that junk with its door still in tact with crackling sound.Chances were they may give way anytime.The car kept our grandmother with loving memories of day that had drifted away.
The guava tree provided some shade for the old rusty car.The engine of the car had been removed together with its back seats.However the steering wheel was still hanging on there where we made belief in driving that old car like seasoned drivers.
Without the engine still sounded-of course not we were making those motor noise,much to the annoyance of the grandmother.
Without the engine we still had the anchor to make belief we can still start the car.Those days I think cars needed to be anchored to ignite its engine.Come to think of we had ample fun with it.That good old faithful.There were no peace around as we fought over who should be the driver of the old car most of the time.Small argument which were quite noise, brought the grandmother came screaming down with a long cane in hand.
That was when the guava tree came in handy and in split seconds I was already up at its very top,laughing cheekily.I was always the main culprit all those times being the elder of the two.My grandmother will make believe as if to strike me,for she was just simply making a lot of noise with the cane to frighten me.Smacking it on the tree instead of me.However sometimes accident can happened and I got the full force of the cane on my legs.
"Ooch!!!",I would cried out in pain.My sister and younger brother at the lower end would join yelling out in unison laughing at my pain,"Very good,very good,serve you right for bullying us",enjoying the moment I was trashed.We all knew she never meant to hurt me but as I say,accident can happened and I had it on me.My grandmother really loved all three of us,but of course there always a pet among the three of us unfortunately I was never the one nor my sister being a girl but my little brother.Nevertheless all the same she still loved all of us say what you may she loved us.
My kid brother usually took full advantage of this and when ever he lost in any quarrel or he wanted some thing from which I refused to part with,he would resort to his sole strong weapon against me,that was he would cry out at top of his voice to our grandmother who would response almost immediately with the cane shouting,"You naughty boy,bullying you brother again? Wait till I cane you".
Of course with her at my heels I have got to surrender everything to my brother and ran away from the spot and she cannot catch up with me.My brother would laughed at my running away very often clapping his hands.That what brother were for anyway.
I was quite hot tempered as a small boy very often acted irrationally without much considerations whether it was right or wrong,that was why my grandmother branded me while a child as "Nga Ching Leong", a famous character of some Chinese comics neither a hero but a tough guy with a huge temper.
The lovely guava tree also provided us with much fruits to eat.While not playing we would scout above the tree for ripe fruits.The fruits were quite sweet with the center full of seeds and red pulp.We had a lot of fun fighting over its fruits.Without the slightest doubt I was the one quickest to spot any ripe fruits,my young brother was never in the same league so he resorted shouting,"That is mine I saw it first""You cheat you plucked it before I could reached it".
Well,always I refused and he would cry out loud and clear.Know what?, I had no way out but to yield the fruit to him because my grandmother would be there almost immediately with cane in hand.However times were difficult surrendering does not mean I was safe,for I may soon get the canning when she arrived at the spot.So after giving up the fruit I still had to climb up high up above so that when she waved her cane it does reached me.Smart thinking?I suppose so.
As young children we never roamed all over that plot land without our parents,for the land had a number of mature coconut palms.All very tall palms with ripe coconuts on them and our parents feared they might dropped on us.Only those land nearest the house were cultivated with sweet potatoes and vegetables,the rest were quite grassy and we have seen snakes in those areas.Of course then we were only small kids.
My maternal grandmother and grandfather sometimes worked on the cultivated land and that was the only time we went along with further down the land.Because of their hard work we had ample sweet potatoes and vegetables to eat.However,our maternal grand parents did not lived with us they got their own home in Speedy Road.But my mother's youngest sister stayed with us.
She attended the local Chinese School,the Sam Min Chinese School.Those days Chinese school were marked schools by the British government suspecting them of being infiltrated with Communist spreading Communist doctrines among the student. Actually the Communists had fought along side of the British before the Japanese surrendered in 1945.They in fact had participated in the victory parade marching through towns with the British.
When they were refused recognition the whole lot went into the jungle to fight a guerilla war against the British.Those British branded the Communist members as bandits.They even suspected the Communist having infiltrated into the Chinese schools.My small Auntie was then studying in the local Chinese school.Anyway they were the main suspects those days.Our small Auntie was quite closed to all of us.
When I was about eight years old or so,a young hospital dresser always came to our house to tackle our small Auntie.Well,he won over her heart and they were married with part of the ceremony in our house.Yes.I remember those days whereby we were made to line up together with my other cousins to receive our red packet.I remember that I was the first to get the red packet and my small Auntie had found memories of that and often reminded of that day.Aha,those were the days.
to continue or rewrite in future.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Chapter 4 The Growing Years - Cantonese Operas
Our Grandmother just loved watching Cantonese Operas even though there was a slight difference in the way in the same Cantonese dialect.Well,sad to say till today I could hardly speak in that dialect,a dialect belonging to most carpenters in Teluk Anson.Our cousins can conversed fluently in them not us except my father.
She liked the Operas so much that she was always at hand to watch those lived shows whenever they were in town.She had a partner in this,an old woman of the same age and alway wit her for every show,occupying the most expensive front row seats.My sister always tagged along with her while we too at times joined her.
As kids we were free access into the hall and probably occupying the empty seats around if any .Should there be full house than we have no seats,then we will have to seat on the laps of our mother at the far back rows.My sister would sit on with the granny.But the point was were we wasting our time there???.Maybe,we were but as time went by we now those operas did us a world of wonders.
Of course our mother was also a kin follower of such operas but on;ly could afford the cheaper eats a distance away from the stage.Failing to secure a seat ,she and her friends would have to watch from sides partition.In that case we sometimes were seated on the bar of the partition.
Very often both my brother and I would dozed off towards the end of the show and slept in those empty seats.With it over we had to be carried home by my father and mother.My sister walked home with my grandmother. Yah.those good old days.
The only entertainment after the Japanese left was the Amusement Park approved by the British Government.Located some where in the middle of town.It covered a wide area housing the stage and hall for Chinese operas or other variety shows.There was also a Cabaret facing the main road on the other side.There was also a theater showing old western films.
A number of food and coffee stalls facing a stage where some can dance cheaply - the "Ronggeng",very popular among the locals.For a few cents (I think about twenty cents or so) a traditional Malay dance can brought with a beautiful hostess to dance with.Further there were lucky draws with simple devices to attract punters to their outlets.Prices were in the form of cigarettes or toys.Those days there not many brands of cigarettes t select from.Most common were "Rough Riders" "Players Gold Leaf" and Lucky Strike".
At the far end of the Amusement Park was the Majestic Theater showing most of the time Chinese film.Surprisingly viewers on completing their film show there can go into from their out let doors into the Amusement Park free of charged.Other than than all entering the Amusement park had to pay an entrance fee of about twenty cents.I supposed the theater and the Park were of the same Company.
The Cabaret caters to a large variety of people especially the British initially .Locals from the businesses around and government officers.As school boys we normally passed by it wondering what were installed within.Pretty and sexy dance hostesses???, so they told us.What ever it was it was out of bound to us.
As kids we never wander around the Amusement Park on our own.We went there mostly was to see the Cantonese Operas.These Operas do not stay long in town,only for a month or so every year than moved on to other towns.As kids we were exposed to solely Cantonese Operas nothing else not even film shows.
Well as kids we used to imitate those actors and actresses of the Operas. Initially using over size clothing for our own play.In case all these got out of hands,we bore the full bunt of it getting caned by the mother for messing up with all the clothes.My mother and sister also enjoy singing on their own those tunes of the Operas.
My grandmother was a keen follower of those shows and never missed them while they were in town.Though her Cantonese dialect were toned slightly different she and her friend could follow the sequences of the show,mostly Chinese ancient classical stories.In actually find them funny despite knowing the stories and most Operas group depicted the same thing over and over again my grand mother and friend including my mother never seem to mind see them acting the same thing through out again and again,
Many of the viewers even fell in love with the main actor with some males the female actresses.Ayoooo!!!!!,most of these actors were never handsome and old,only the heavy make ups made them looked nice and handsome.The female actresses similarly masked with heavy make ups.Still all these admirers never seem to mind.I really wander whether my grand mother went there sitting directly in front really enjoyed the show or the main actors.Well,I never took note of that so no further comment.
One thing for sure,my mother and most her female friends do really adored the male actors,going for the Operas just t have a good good at him.Those we as kids too knew who and who at the Operas,but have forgotten all their stage names by now.That was so long a go.
Being exposed to Cantonese Operas at so tender a age I think it did wonders to our lives in the future.My brother for example drew its inspiration to draw all those main actors and actresses with all their dresses and gears etc.to put them in drawing in the sand at the back of our house.That helped him to developed his artistic skills which made a great artist to reckon with.
Our brother was too young to have drawing papers nor pencil those days but his mediumwas on the vacant patch of sandy land behind our house.There neither pencil to begin with so he used a simple twig of a small branch-that promoted his skill in drawing.Yes it was an amazing fit for a child of three or less years old.He could reproduced what he saw at the Operas.
As soon as the sun rises he was already at it without failed to produce those fine drawings on the sand.Each day with new topic and he did it without ant guidance.From he improve his drawings by the day,with each day's drawing better than the previous days work.One of tenants was full of praised for this young budding artist.
As for me I too had a fair share of my drawings on the sand but mine never reached the standard produced by my kid brother,maybe I was slightly lazy.One thing was for sure I did not have the patient my brother had.Squatting the whole morning facing the sand and drawing,drawing until the vast area was filled his drawings.He definitely unknowingly put in a lot of hard work and practices in to his work.
Before long he was enrolled into Anglo-Chinese School where his talents were immediately recognized with many of his works displayed at exhibitions and subsequently won some prizes for them.We all know that he was influenced by the Cantonese Operas.My grandmother never dreamed that by going to Operas would yield such results.She should be very happy with her pet grandson.
We can be said grew up with the Operas which also helped to understand our Chinese culture and our roots .So adapted to such Operas we today in such modern times still very much attached to it although it appeared to be a dying art form.I still like to listen to all those singing of the Operas consisting of good singing the classical way together of the loud music (big gong and drum) accompanying it.
My elder sister was also an enthusiatic singer of this art form and had taken it beyond Malaysia and sang and acted on it in Great Britain.Though it was no big deal at least she did try to promote it there,singing the Operas in English.I really wander what it be when singing in English????.
It is a a vanishing art form but many enthusiatic personals in Hong Kong, Canton not to mention Malaysia and Singapore are trying to revive it.Hope they succeed.
Operas are Cantonese traditional art forms involving fantastic acting and singing,accompanied by gong and drum (its music),including excellent acrobatic stunts and Chinese martial art (Kung Fu).
Most of the stories are based on Chinese history,famous Chinese classic and myths.Cultures and philosophies of the Chinese people are encountered within such plays.Not t forget the virtues like loyalty,moral love,faithfulness and patriotism which often reflected by these Operas.Inclusive are also the beautiful and colorful costumes combination creating a simple form of entertainment which also carries a message across.
Very often these were performed over and over again by the same or other troupe,the public still are attracted to all their shows in full force.So were my mother and grandmother.
Chapter 3 Our Growing Years
When residing in 792,Anson road our family was living on a very simple life style,all financed by my grandmothers shares of the remaining fortune.She had held them firmly refusing to venture into any business deal with any one - because she trusted not a single one of them.
While as a toddler I had seen some uncles talking to my grandmother which ended with the other party walking away grimly and my grand mother at the end looked extremely annoyed..As a child of three or four I do not understand what transpired then?,but to-day after much pondering I now realized that all those people were begging my grandmother to loan out her share to them to venture into business.Knowing them she flatly told them off,that was why they left solemnly without a smile.
Those relatives had wasted their shares away and having no other resources for money they turned on my grandmother as a final resort but by now she had known them well enough to give the a ticking off without mercy..All these were happening just directly in front of us, small children.Well it certainly took us sometime to realize that.
I have no grudge against any of them but here am writing out the truth to justify my grandmother stand.
These days as matured person we suddenly acknowledge the fact that our paternal mother indeed was a very smart woman,although she was brought in from Canton.It was therefore admirable that only a short stinct in the country a bundle of responsibilities were bestowed upon her.A responsibility she never thought could have happened within so short a tine for a country pumpkin from China.
Having achieved to secure her immediate family together was her greatest achievement.Yes,she had put her heart into protecting all of us.Had she been ignorant and acted otherwise we would be on the street at a tender age.We have a photograph of her carrying my sister at the age about two to three at our residence along Anson road.
This picture depicted to us a long story,a story of a happy family staying together.Unlike most others we had a roof over our heads,the others had nothing .Well.they cannot blamed my grandmother she was doing what she dimmed fitting during those difficult times,It was a sad picture for the rest as they squandered away their shares of the final fortune.
My father was then jobless but then jobs were difficult to come by.My grandmother kept her cool and patient held on to whatever she had in hand,refusing to hand any to any one else even her son our father.My father those days had a host of friends whom my grandmother called"piggy friends doggie charms".All they know were enjoy drinking tea and coffee with my father,without any concerned for the bill to come.Yes,they were in fact relying on my father thinking that he was still a rich man's son.
A fact he was never - he was relying on the old lady to finance him his daily expenses.He made various attempts to induce her mother to part with her money for business which she never agreed to,knowing that my father was ill equipped to do it.Many of those ideas he bore in his mind were actually suggested by his so called friends.
We should know because those were the days my father tagged my brother and I for breakfast and morning tea.Whenever he was at the restaurants the table were filled with his friends,all drinking at his expense,but alas that could not last long before the grand old lady put a stopped to his wild spending unnecessarily.However such friends do not give up easily and without the treat at the restaurants they crowd around our house drinking home brewed Chinese tea talking rubbish nothing constructive which my grandmother hated even to listen to.Oh yes,I can still recall their stupid looking faces often laughing like "jack asses".
My father did some minor trading of timber from the home but lacking in capital that was soon given up.Poor father was only trying to induce the old lady to surrender some capital to him for business.Fortunately the old lady dd not fall for it,she was too smart for such trivial natters.He even ventured into planting sugar cane with some friends which my grandmother ignored without even eying it.The project of course a total failure because all were depending on my father thumb in the capital.
There were some tall coconut palms which yielded some pocket money for my father.
However because he relied too much on the plucker to pluck and selling of those nuts.Many a times they returned with the money of nuts sold but ran away once with all the money.My father waited in vain for his return but he never did,so my father learned his bitter lesson - never trust anyone.Or did he really learned a lesson?I reserved my doubts.
My grandmother never interfered with all these minor operations but only kept an open mind over them from a distance.Well,as long as my father does request any money for unnecessary spending she just let it be,allowing him to have his ways.
However she had a new bicycle for him,a huge bic ,branded Hercules.That was for him to go about easily.
I remember that bicycle.because he always carried my brother and I on it.My brother wound always be seated on the main bar while I was always seated at the back carriage.There is an old photograph of me seated on the main bar.Funny ,those days being hyper-active I was always naked.Yes,those days I detested clothing and very often ran about the house without them.
My brother was more gentle always with at least a pant on but never me.Our house was actually built about a chain from the government drain and road.There were two mango trees near the drain bearing fruits seasonally but the red ant or "karangga: were prevent people from plucking them.On the other side of our road was a row of red hibiscus.
Our house actually initially had three room,the very front room occupied by my grandmother.The other space were devided into two halves,one half was with two roms,one for my parents and the other for us kids.The half facing the path towards the end of house was the sitting room.Further were the eating room and the kitchen.
The house flooring were slightly raised by at least a foot as the land was prone to flooding during the rainy season.That was the time we we would laid by the door way to watch the rising flood water.There much to see actually,especially those rubbish floating by.Funny those days there were small greenish worms swimming by.We just watch but never dared to touch them.
Our grandmother loved us very much and always see to that we have sufficient to eat and nothing else matters,only thing she dread was each time she saw my father who was often putting her on her heels,because he was like other always pestering her for money.He had no job and always thinking become a success in business which my grandmother knew he was never business minded.Should the pressure on her be unbearable she would take a trip to be with her daughter in Kuala Lumpur.That way she was out of reached from all.
Only thing was she was doing it reluctantly because she always wanted to be with her grand children especially the two male grand sons that us- me and my brother.We knew she was very happy with us,even though my father was an adopted son.
While as a toddler I had seen some uncles talking to my grandmother which ended with the other party walking away grimly and my grand mother at the end looked extremely annoyed..As a child of three or four I do not understand what transpired then?,but to-day after much pondering I now realized that all those people were begging my grandmother to loan out her share to them to venture into business.Knowing them she flatly told them off,that was why they left solemnly without a smile.
Those relatives had wasted their shares away and having no other resources for money they turned on my grandmother as a final resort but by now she had known them well enough to give the a ticking off without mercy..All these were happening just directly in front of us, small children.Well it certainly took us sometime to realize that.
I have no grudge against any of them but here am writing out the truth to justify my grandmother stand.
These days as matured person we suddenly acknowledge the fact that our paternal mother indeed was a very smart woman,although she was brought in from Canton.It was therefore admirable that only a short stinct in the country a bundle of responsibilities were bestowed upon her.A responsibility she never thought could have happened within so short a tine for a country pumpkin from China.
Having achieved to secure her immediate family together was her greatest achievement.Yes,she had put her heart into protecting all of us.Had she been ignorant and acted otherwise we would be on the street at a tender age.We have a photograph of her carrying my sister at the age about two to three at our residence along Anson road.
This picture depicted to us a long story,a story of a happy family staying together.Unlike most others we had a roof over our heads,the others had nothing .Well.they cannot blamed my grandmother she was doing what she dimmed fitting during those difficult times,It was a sad picture for the rest as they squandered away their shares of the final fortune.
My father was then jobless but then jobs were difficult to come by.My grandmother kept her cool and patient held on to whatever she had in hand,refusing to hand any to any one else even her son our father.My father those days had a host of friends whom my grandmother called"piggy friends doggie charms".All they know were enjoy drinking tea and coffee with my father,without any concerned for the bill to come.Yes,they were in fact relying on my father thinking that he was still a rich man's son.
A fact he was never - he was relying on the old lady to finance him his daily expenses.He made various attempts to induce her mother to part with her money for business which she never agreed to,knowing that my father was ill equipped to do it.Many of those ideas he bore in his mind were actually suggested by his so called friends.
We should know because those were the days my father tagged my brother and I for breakfast and morning tea.Whenever he was at the restaurants the table were filled with his friends,all drinking at his expense,but alas that could not last long before the grand old lady put a stopped to his wild spending unnecessarily.However such friends do not give up easily and without the treat at the restaurants they crowd around our house drinking home brewed Chinese tea talking rubbish nothing constructive which my grandmother hated even to listen to.Oh yes,I can still recall their stupid looking faces often laughing like "jack asses".
My father did some minor trading of timber from the home but lacking in capital that was soon given up.Poor father was only trying to induce the old lady to surrender some capital to him for business.Fortunately the old lady dd not fall for it,she was too smart for such trivial natters.He even ventured into planting sugar cane with some friends which my grandmother ignored without even eying it.The project of course a total failure because all were depending on my father thumb in the capital.
There were some tall coconut palms which yielded some pocket money for my father.
However because he relied too much on the plucker to pluck and selling of those nuts.Many a times they returned with the money of nuts sold but ran away once with all the money.My father waited in vain for his return but he never did,so my father learned his bitter lesson - never trust anyone.Or did he really learned a lesson?I reserved my doubts.
My grandmother never interfered with all these minor operations but only kept an open mind over them from a distance.Well,as long as my father does request any money for unnecessary spending she just let it be,allowing him to have his ways.
However she had a new bicycle for him,a huge bic ,branded Hercules.That was for him to go about easily.
I remember that bicycle.because he always carried my brother and I on it.My brother wound always be seated on the main bar while I was always seated at the back carriage.There is an old photograph of me seated on the main bar.Funny ,those days being hyper-active I was always naked.Yes,those days I detested clothing and very often ran about the house without them.
My brother was more gentle always with at least a pant on but never me.Our house was actually built about a chain from the government drain and road.There were two mango trees near the drain bearing fruits seasonally but the red ant or "karangga: were prevent people from plucking them.On the other side of our road was a row of red hibiscus.
Our house actually initially had three room,the very front room occupied by my grandmother.The other space were devided into two halves,one half was with two roms,one for my parents and the other for us kids.The half facing the path towards the end of house was the sitting room.Further were the eating room and the kitchen.
The house flooring were slightly raised by at least a foot as the land was prone to flooding during the rainy season.That was the time we we would laid by the door way to watch the rising flood water.There much to see actually,especially those rubbish floating by.Funny those days there were small greenish worms swimming by.We just watch but never dared to touch them.
Our grandmother loved us very much and always see to that we have sufficient to eat and nothing else matters,only thing she dread was each time she saw my father who was often putting her on her heels,because he was like other always pestering her for money.He had no job and always thinking become a success in business which my grandmother knew he was never business minded.Should the pressure on her be unbearable she would take a trip to be with her daughter in Kuala Lumpur.That way she was out of reached from all.
Only thing was she was doing it reluctantly because she always wanted to be with her grand children especially the two male grand sons that us- me and my brother.We knew she was very happy with us,even though my father was an adopted son.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Chapter 2 The Japanese Occupation - Shocking Atrocities
I came into this world on 6th June 1942 and by then the invading Japanese army had overran Malaya with Singapore similarly falling within days of fighting.Actually there were not much of a fight as the Japanese were well equipped and well trained to fight,besides the Japanese invaders outnumbered the British forces which had British officers, with some locals and Gurka solders.In reality,the British ran away from the fighting,so what can you expect?
The first waves of invading forces committed mast shocking atrocities along the route of their invading.And actually why not having almost no resistance along the way.In fact they just cycled restlessly through the country committing rapes,most inhuman torturing and mast slaughtering of any suspicious characters whom they dimmed as traitors .Thousand of stories can verify all of their cruelties and tortures of suspected victims.
Many innocent people were thus murdered just because so and so pointed out that he was a traitor without any sort of verification.One of my mother's elder brother was brutally assaulted and tortured to force him to confirm that he was a Communist spy which he never was.
Further,it was rumoured that they never like his good look, a handsome guy just like a movie star hero,tall handsome and a strong healthy powerful figure which towering over those shorty Japanese officers during the interrogations.Boy!!!,they surely hated him for looking bravely down on them.To make him shorter than them they forced him to kneel down in front of them.That way they can speak down on him,spatting dirty saliva all over his face.
He was subjected to inhumanly tortured to demoralize him further.Slapping and kicking him from all angles.When he was out in the cold,cold water was splashed onto his face to arouse him,poor fellow bravely stood his ground.They also wiped him,but they still cannot made him confessed that he was a spy and as a final resort they put their Samurai sword to his neck on the spot.Putting an end to his life.Poor fellow was just a poor laborer only fault with him was his good and handsome physical condition which were born in him,a gift from the parents.
His poor mother had torrid time retrieving his body and when it was released to her it was without the head.Poor old lady face drenched in tears was made to find it her self having to dig through scores of heads to identify his bloody head.However bloody those heads were she had the present of mind to secure her son's head.Mothers are mothers,she could easily identity her poor son's bloody head.The Japanese therefore owed the ",Sin",my mother's surname a blood depth.
They buried his remains almost immediately for fear that wretched Japanese might eventually changed their minds and wanted the body back at their folds for public exhibition .Every thing were possible during those days.,As poor parents they could only give him a very simple but decent burial at the Chinese Cemetery in Durian Sapetng. .May he rest in peace.
There were more shocking atrocities committed by these first invading forces,such as gang raping young women who unfortunately fell into their captivity.During my days in Bentong Estate,I met a guy ( a friend of my my friend)This young man had a sad sad story to relate to me.It seem he was born out of wedlock.His poor mother was gang raped by a host of Japanese soldiers who left her pregnant.
That friend thus had no father or he does not know who the Japanese father was for his poor mother was raped by so many.So during the nights when he could not sleep he would ponder over such things shedding tears sorrowfully.Who shall he blamed???.The Japanese invading force,most of them possibly be killed by then.When he cried it was surely a pitiful sight to behold and there was nothing we could do to console him.According to my friend the poor chap attempted suicide a couple of times,so far he had been timely saved by friends.So may God blessed him,
There stories that many so called traitors were tortured with their nails pulling from their hands and feet.As if that that were insufficient these "traitors" piped with water straight down their throats forcibly with tap running non stop.When their stomach blown up with water,those Japanese jumped on their poor stomachs to press those water out through their mouths.They were extremely cruel.
In Tel;uk Anson there were at least five spots I could point as places of tortures and executions.Most notorious of these ares were the market and at least three spot in Sam Min Chinese School.Till today such places were reputed to have ghosts moving around many a timers crying loud and clear for their lost heads.No doubt such places had been constructed with modern buildings but the ghosts still lingers on,and nothing can pacify them-nothing.
The second wave of Japanese that took over from the invading forces were slightly better for they tried to make things running as normal again.My family had retreated into the jungle during the invasion and survived there planting most of their own food as no food were available during the invasion as everyone were on the run.
A host of workers followed our family into the jungle especially those Cheahs who came from China.With so many mouths to feed thus everyone had to work on the soil within planting food crops like sweet potatoes,"tapiocas",vegetables and "padi."It surely was hard life but my family survived those ordeal with my paternal grandmother as head of the family.
Although she was from China she apparently stood firm and held the family together.It was through her wise judgement in controlling the little money she had in hand that put everything on order.It seem they even cleared a large tract of land in the jungle to plant crops and although food were not available from the market they had sufficient to sustained themselves from their cultivations.
They survived in the jungle for almost a year and only came out of it after the second of Japanese had put things in some sort of order,but the dangers of being prosecuted still lingered on because many "running dogs" were finger pointing out "traitors" to the Japanese.Nevertheless the family came out as they still had the sawmill at hand.
But alas when they tried to revive the sawmill there was no capital to rehabilitate it.Fate indeed dealt a cruel blow to the entire family for their sole source of income was at stake.There was no capital to restart it and without the late Boss no one were willing to give us a loan to help us in such bad times.
Finally the saw mill was sold and my grandmother held on to her share not trusting anyone.With that little money she had she in haste brought a piece of land along Anson rad,It was a small piece of land about one and a half acres large.A wooden house was constructed in front of the land.My grandmother made sure we had a roof at least over our heads.She did right in up holding her share and refused flatly to join the rest in other business ventures.
That was the sole reason why the rest of the families parted ways and we were on our own.Thinking back and having seen what happened to the rest of the families,I know very well she made a very wise decision in keeping back the money for at least we had a roof over our heads,otherwise we would have been homeless or had to rent rooms for ourselves.
By holding on to the remaining part of her share we had quite a reasonable good life for sometime.Rice was scared then and the jungle we cleared continued to be planted with "padi".In fact at the back of our wooden house was a wooden puncher for "padi".
Milling rice was difficult to come by then but in those bad times we would never diverge to others what amount of rice we had.
My grandmother had the "wooden puncher" fitted to de-husked the "padi" ourselves.It was simple device operated by the foot stepping to smash the tough husk of the padi.Thereafter the rice were separated by rotating the rice in a round basket and with the assistance of the wind the rice were separated from the husk.
However that fittings were not in use with the surrender of the Japanese.With the return of the British came back to Malaya,rice were easily available once more..I was then about three years old I think.Anyway too young to know the "good riddance" of the Japanese.From then on we were actually surviving on the little money my grandmother held on to.
The land she brought not only provided us a place to stay but also provided us ample land to cultivate our own vegetables,sweet potatoes and plenty of sugar-cane.Actual planting was done by my maternal grand parents who at times came and lived with us.The plot of land also had twenty odd coconut palms where some coconuts were obtained for sales,not much but at least some pocket money.
to be continued.
The first waves of invading forces committed mast shocking atrocities along the route of their invading.And actually why not having almost no resistance along the way.In fact they just cycled restlessly through the country committing rapes,most inhuman torturing and mast slaughtering of any suspicious characters whom they dimmed as traitors .Thousand of stories can verify all of their cruelties and tortures of suspected victims.
Many innocent people were thus murdered just because so and so pointed out that he was a traitor without any sort of verification.One of my mother's elder brother was brutally assaulted and tortured to force him to confirm that he was a Communist spy which he never was.
Further,it was rumoured that they never like his good look, a handsome guy just like a movie star hero,tall handsome and a strong healthy powerful figure which towering over those shorty Japanese officers during the interrogations.Boy!!!,they surely hated him for looking bravely down on them.To make him shorter than them they forced him to kneel down in front of them.That way they can speak down on him,spatting dirty saliva all over his face.
He was subjected to inhumanly tortured to demoralize him further.Slapping and kicking him from all angles.When he was out in the cold,cold water was splashed onto his face to arouse him,poor fellow bravely stood his ground.They also wiped him,but they still cannot made him confessed that he was a spy and as a final resort they put their Samurai sword to his neck on the spot.Putting an end to his life.Poor fellow was just a poor laborer only fault with him was his good and handsome physical condition which were born in him,a gift from the parents.
His poor mother had torrid time retrieving his body and when it was released to her it was without the head.Poor old lady face drenched in tears was made to find it her self having to dig through scores of heads to identify his bloody head.However bloody those heads were she had the present of mind to secure her son's head.Mothers are mothers,she could easily identity her poor son's bloody head.The Japanese therefore owed the ",Sin",my mother's surname a blood depth.
They buried his remains almost immediately for fear that wretched Japanese might eventually changed their minds and wanted the body back at their folds for public exhibition .Every thing were possible during those days.,As poor parents they could only give him a very simple but decent burial at the Chinese Cemetery in Durian Sapetng. .May he rest in peace.
There were more shocking atrocities committed by these first invading forces,such as gang raping young women who unfortunately fell into their captivity.During my days in Bentong Estate,I met a guy ( a friend of my my friend)This young man had a sad sad story to relate to me.It seem he was born out of wedlock.His poor mother was gang raped by a host of Japanese soldiers who left her pregnant.
That friend thus had no father or he does not know who the Japanese father was for his poor mother was raped by so many.So during the nights when he could not sleep he would ponder over such things shedding tears sorrowfully.Who shall he blamed???.The Japanese invading force,most of them possibly be killed by then.When he cried it was surely a pitiful sight to behold and there was nothing we could do to console him.According to my friend the poor chap attempted suicide a couple of times,so far he had been timely saved by friends.So may God blessed him,
There stories that many so called traitors were tortured with their nails pulling from their hands and feet.As if that that were insufficient these "traitors" piped with water straight down their throats forcibly with tap running non stop.When their stomach blown up with water,those Japanese jumped on their poor stomachs to press those water out through their mouths.They were extremely cruel.
In Tel;uk Anson there were at least five spots I could point as places of tortures and executions.Most notorious of these ares were the market and at least three spot in Sam Min Chinese School.Till today such places were reputed to have ghosts moving around many a timers crying loud and clear for their lost heads.No doubt such places had been constructed with modern buildings but the ghosts still lingers on,and nothing can pacify them-nothing.
The second wave of Japanese that took over from the invading forces were slightly better for they tried to make things running as normal again.My family had retreated into the jungle during the invasion and survived there planting most of their own food as no food were available during the invasion as everyone were on the run.
A host of workers followed our family into the jungle especially those Cheahs who came from China.With so many mouths to feed thus everyone had to work on the soil within planting food crops like sweet potatoes,"tapiocas",vegetables and "padi."It surely was hard life but my family survived those ordeal with my paternal grandmother as head of the family.
Although she was from China she apparently stood firm and held the family together.It was through her wise judgement in controlling the little money she had in hand that put everything on order.It seem they even cleared a large tract of land in the jungle to plant crops and although food were not available from the market they had sufficient to sustained themselves from their cultivations.
They survived in the jungle for almost a year and only came out of it after the second of Japanese had put things in some sort of order,but the dangers of being prosecuted still lingered on because many "running dogs" were finger pointing out "traitors" to the Japanese.Nevertheless the family came out as they still had the sawmill at hand.
But alas when they tried to revive the sawmill there was no capital to rehabilitate it.Fate indeed dealt a cruel blow to the entire family for their sole source of income was at stake.There was no capital to restart it and without the late Boss no one were willing to give us a loan to help us in such bad times.
Finally the saw mill was sold and my grandmother held on to her share not trusting anyone.With that little money she had she in haste brought a piece of land along Anson rad,It was a small piece of land about one and a half acres large.A wooden house was constructed in front of the land.My grandmother made sure we had a roof at least over our heads.She did right in up holding her share and refused flatly to join the rest in other business ventures.
That was the sole reason why the rest of the families parted ways and we were on our own.Thinking back and having seen what happened to the rest of the families,I know very well she made a very wise decision in keeping back the money for at least we had a roof over our heads,otherwise we would have been homeless or had to rent rooms for ourselves.
By holding on to the remaining part of her share we had quite a reasonable good life for sometime.Rice was scared then and the jungle we cleared continued to be planted with "padi".In fact at the back of our wooden house was a wooden puncher for "padi".
Milling rice was difficult to come by then but in those bad times we would never diverge to others what amount of rice we had.
My grandmother had the "wooden puncher" fitted to de-husked the "padi" ourselves.It was simple device operated by the foot stepping to smash the tough husk of the padi.Thereafter the rice were separated by rotating the rice in a round basket and with the assistance of the wind the rice were separated from the husk.
However that fittings were not in use with the surrender of the Japanese.With the return of the British came back to Malaya,rice were easily available once more..I was then about three years old I think.Anyway too young to know the "good riddance" of the Japanese.From then on we were actually surviving on the little money my grandmother held on to.
The land she brought not only provided us a place to stay but also provided us ample land to cultivate our own vegetables,sweet potatoes and plenty of sugar-cane.Actual planting was done by my maternal grand parents who at times came and lived with us.The plot of land also had twenty odd coconut palms where some coconuts were obtained for sales,not much but at least some pocket money.
to be continued.
Chapter 1 My Grand Mother - The Very Beginning
In late of 1890's a successful businessman named Cheah Pak Chok from Malaya.returned to his home land in Canton.His home land was at a remote interior of Kwangtong where many of his country men went by the same Surname sought his aid for employment in Malaya,so that one day they hope to seek their fortune and be famous like him.
Being related to them with all processing the same Surname he definitely obliged and thus recruited them to work for him in Malaya.At the same time his real intention back home was to seek a wife to replace his demised wife.With the help of some relatives he was very soon married to a woman very much junior to his age in his homeland.That woman happened to be my paternal grand mother.
Thereafter,they took the trip back to Malaya,together with them also came a host of relatives,all mostly Cheahs.All of whom were absolved into his Sawmill at Batak Rabit,brick works in Sungei Nibong and contractions all around Teluk Anson.The former General Hospital along Anson Road (presently demolished ) was constructed by him.He also owned large tracts of land in Sabak Bernam and also Teluk Anson.
Every thing apparently went on quite smoothly well as the old man the Boss was always around to overseer all went well.Later,my Grandmother bored him a daughter.Beside her my grandfather had another son and daughter,rumoured to have been adopted by his first wife.
Unfortunately my grand mother could not bear him another son,so a son was similarly adopted and that was my late father.Though adopted she treated my father very well,so much so in certain ways he was a well pampered child.
We, Chinese generally believed that there ought to have male son in the family to sent him off in his final hours on earth and to "buy water"."Buying water" is customary long practice for Chinese.a final act for the filial heir (male) very often the eldest son to get water to give the father a last rites to cleanse the dead.The water must be "brought" by him from the nearest source of water.Prayers will be chanted by the Taoist priest as he does that ritual.
Should the wife be unable to produce an heir apparent,she anticipate to resorting to adopting one ,one way or other. Without one the dead will presumed to have died unwillingly or dying without any peace of mind.Therefore it was imminent that should none be one available at least adopt one will suffice.
Another reason was that the son was to continue with his legacy,his Surname and prosper with what fortune that was left to him,even adopted.Dying with an heir to bear his name can also meant that he would not be a wandering ghost without any one to pray and remember him by on auspicious days.
So my father was an adopted son as a child.The family's fortune was at its prime when the old man was alive but unfortunately its fortune was soon changed due to his untimely death in 1920 at an age slightly sixty plus..Without him at the helm the family's fortune took a drastic dipped,diminishing because of mismanagement and the squabbles for his fortune.
To make matter worst those relatives brought from China did nothing much to help but instead aided in further corroding of the family's fortune.Many stories had them being nicked called 1st king,or second kin or third king and so on just because they were related to the Boss by a surname- Cheah ,but there were a few who were really blood relations.
Just imagine other workers calling them "kings",that could only meant many were behaving thus emulating a "King".Many of them employed getting paid and doing nothing but bragging and boasting around ,just simply because my late grand father treated all the relatives very well.
So much so,some were reputed to be addicted to opium smoking.We should know them because we were worshiping at their graves every "Cheng Beng". Most of which were littered in the graveyard of Durian Sabatang,and we had not stopped doing so paying our respect just simply carrying on what my late father was doing.I think we were the only ones remembering them.
In the days when my father was alive,paying our respect to all these graves were quite fun as many old timers when meeting him at that sight would joke over tales about all those Cheahs.Most of them were buried just before pre-2nd world war.So long were those graves but our father still insisted on paying them due respect.
During those hay days days ,there was an Uncle who ferried a full "tongkang" load of sawn Chengal Timber down to Singapore and enjoyed himself to the fullest on women until all the money from sales of the timber was all spent,only then he would return home without a cent left,it seem his passage home had to be sent to him.All these were well known stories of the Cheahs.
Actually with so much mismanagement,misappropriation and with so many unnecessary mouths who does little to feed, the family fortune still lasted nearly fifteen over years.The vast empire my late grand father built thus dwindled away slowly a little at a time,with the rows of shopping properties to firstly slipped away.
My father as a pampered child was fooling around with his buddies while studying in Chinese schools in Ipoh.In any case he then too young to be involved in the family's business.Neither was he studious and reached only junior middle three.It seem he too had a fair share of fun spending lavishly with other school mates because money was still easy to come by.
Our Auntie was a smart girl passed her Senior Cambridge School Cert. in Teluk Anson and straight away went on to become a nurse.Of course she was the pet of the grandmother.Later she was married to a prominent lawyer.
I knew this because I had many teachers during my schooling days who knew her as students in Teluk Anson.
My father married my mother at a tender age about twenty after a long courtship just before the war.By then the family was holding on to its sole sawmill and many depended on it for survival although it was clinging on for survival.With the onslaught of the Japanese Army advancing from Kedah on 13/10/41,the retreating British, forced the sawmill to destroy with most of its machinery- mostly by dumping them into the nearby river.
That was to prevent the occupying Japanese forces from utilizing them.
The Sawmill was already at it lowest ebb and to have all its machinery
destroyed at this stage was actually telling the company to vanish from the face of the earth,but beggars had no choice had to abide by that ruling.
With the invading Japanese over running most of the states in Malaya the family was put to flight into the jungle.With scarcity of food the family cleared some jungle land to plant food crops like sweet potatoes and "Taipioca and "padi".There was not much money in the coffer but even there were some our grandmother held on to them relentlessly to them not yielding to anyone.
My sister was already a child of age one with me on the way out to this world.She was born in 1940.
To be continued.
Being related to them with all processing the same Surname he definitely obliged and thus recruited them to work for him in Malaya.At the same time his real intention back home was to seek a wife to replace his demised wife.With the help of some relatives he was very soon married to a woman very much junior to his age in his homeland.That woman happened to be my paternal grand mother.
Thereafter,they took the trip back to Malaya,together with them also came a host of relatives,all mostly Cheahs.All of whom were absolved into his Sawmill at Batak Rabit,brick works in Sungei Nibong and contractions all around Teluk Anson.The former General Hospital along Anson Road (presently demolished ) was constructed by him.He also owned large tracts of land in Sabak Bernam and also Teluk Anson.
Every thing apparently went on quite smoothly well as the old man the Boss was always around to overseer all went well.Later,my Grandmother bored him a daughter.Beside her my grandfather had another son and daughter,rumoured to have been adopted by his first wife.
Unfortunately my grand mother could not bear him another son,so a son was similarly adopted and that was my late father.Though adopted she treated my father very well,so much so in certain ways he was a well pampered child.
We, Chinese generally believed that there ought to have male son in the family to sent him off in his final hours on earth and to "buy water"."Buying water" is customary long practice for Chinese.a final act for the filial heir (male) very often the eldest son to get water to give the father a last rites to cleanse the dead.The water must be "brought" by him from the nearest source of water.Prayers will be chanted by the Taoist priest as he does that ritual.
Should the wife be unable to produce an heir apparent,she anticipate to resorting to adopting one ,one way or other. Without one the dead will presumed to have died unwillingly or dying without any peace of mind.Therefore it was imminent that should none be one available at least adopt one will suffice.
Another reason was that the son was to continue with his legacy,his Surname and prosper with what fortune that was left to him,even adopted.Dying with an heir to bear his name can also meant that he would not be a wandering ghost without any one to pray and remember him by on auspicious days.
So my father was an adopted son as a child.The family's fortune was at its prime when the old man was alive but unfortunately its fortune was soon changed due to his untimely death in 1920 at an age slightly sixty plus..Without him at the helm the family's fortune took a drastic dipped,diminishing because of mismanagement and the squabbles for his fortune.
To make matter worst those relatives brought from China did nothing much to help but instead aided in further corroding of the family's fortune.Many stories had them being nicked called 1st king,or second kin or third king and so on just because they were related to the Boss by a surname- Cheah ,but there were a few who were really blood relations.
Just imagine other workers calling them "kings",that could only meant many were behaving thus emulating a "King".Many of them employed getting paid and doing nothing but bragging and boasting around ,just simply because my late grand father treated all the relatives very well.
So much so,some were reputed to be addicted to opium smoking.We should know them because we were worshiping at their graves every "Cheng Beng". Most of which were littered in the graveyard of Durian Sabatang,and we had not stopped doing so paying our respect just simply carrying on what my late father was doing.I think we were the only ones remembering them.
In the days when my father was alive,paying our respect to all these graves were quite fun as many old timers when meeting him at that sight would joke over tales about all those Cheahs.Most of them were buried just before pre-2nd world war.So long were those graves but our father still insisted on paying them due respect.
During those hay days days ,there was an Uncle who ferried a full "tongkang" load of sawn Chengal Timber down to Singapore and enjoyed himself to the fullest on women until all the money from sales of the timber was all spent,only then he would return home without a cent left,it seem his passage home had to be sent to him.All these were well known stories of the Cheahs.
Actually with so much mismanagement,misappropriation and with so many unnecessary mouths who does little to feed, the family fortune still lasted nearly fifteen over years.The vast empire my late grand father built thus dwindled away slowly a little at a time,with the rows of shopping properties to firstly slipped away.
My father as a pampered child was fooling around with his buddies while studying in Chinese schools in Ipoh.In any case he then too young to be involved in the family's business.Neither was he studious and reached only junior middle three.It seem he too had a fair share of fun spending lavishly with other school mates because money was still easy to come by.
Our Auntie was a smart girl passed her Senior Cambridge School Cert. in Teluk Anson and straight away went on to become a nurse.Of course she was the pet of the grandmother.Later she was married to a prominent lawyer.
I knew this because I had many teachers during my schooling days who knew her as students in Teluk Anson.
My father married my mother at a tender age about twenty after a long courtship just before the war.By then the family was holding on to its sole sawmill and many depended on it for survival although it was clinging on for survival.With the onslaught of the Japanese Army advancing from Kedah on 13/10/41,the retreating British, forced the sawmill to destroy with most of its machinery- mostly by dumping them into the nearby river.
That was to prevent the occupying Japanese forces from utilizing them.
The Sawmill was already at it lowest ebb and to have all its machinery
destroyed at this stage was actually telling the company to vanish from the face of the earth,but beggars had no choice had to abide by that ruling.
With the invading Japanese over running most of the states in Malaya the family was put to flight into the jungle.With scarcity of food the family cleared some jungle land to plant food crops like sweet potatoes and "Taipioca and "padi".There was not much money in the coffer but even there were some our grandmother held on to them relentlessly to them not yielding to anyone.
My sister was already a child of age one with me on the way out to this world.She was born in 1940.
To be continued.
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