Wong Mee Coffee Stall

At 4.30AM, night owls have not yet fallen asleep, the city has not yet woken up, street lights illuminate dust that has not yet been kicked up by traffic. A MPV drove slowly into the dark alley behind the Public Bank building on Jalan Tun HS Lee and pulled over aside. Uncle Wong Hoong Hon got out of the car and unlocked the fence of “Wong Mee Coffee Stall”. This small plot accommodated his daily necessities. Uncle Wong turned on the lights, washed the cups and plates, boiled the drinking water, and then set up tables and chairs on the roadside. With everything in place, he sat on the stool in front of the stall, looking at the brightening sky and waiting for customers.

The rosy morning glow peeked out shyly from behind the tall buildings, and the alleys began to crowd with people. Around 7.30AM, customers flock in, filling the empty seats. Neighbourhood residents came for their daily drinks, office workers hurriedly left after eating, and travellers from afar took a rest. Long-term close friends with graying hair on their temples gathered here as usual. Everyone smoked, chatted, and spent the morning laughing and joking. When Uncle Wong’s finally made it through the morning rush, he joined them until other customers show up.

The rich coffee and tea has maintained the livelihood of Uncle Wong Hoong Hon and his father Wong Mee for two generations, and the fragrant aroma lingers in their ordinary lives. Wong Mee started a coffee and tea-making business decades ago in a small shack not far from the current location, and his wife and children helped deliver it to customers in nearby shops. The busiest times every day were the tea breaks at 10AM and 3PM. Wong Hoong Hon, who was still young at that time, had to bring a tray laden with drinks and send to a dozen shops. When he grew up, he went out to work, but when his father passed away in 1987, he resigned and returned home to run the coffee stall with his mother.

Despite having relocated about 30 years ago, Wong Mee Coffee Stall has always been tucked in the alley, just a stone’s throw away from the bustling streets. The current location of the stall was provided by a regular customer, who hopes that Uncle Wong Hoong Hon will continue to operate the coffee stall as a gathering place for the neighbourhood community. The signboard handwritten by his father on red paper was damaged by rain, but he kept his father’s name and printed it on an acrylic signboard. At this point, Uncle Wong was running the business alone. Due to lack of manpower, he could not continue to deliver, so customers had to dine in. He also sells some light bites, such as bread, eggs, bao and dimsum. Earlier on, the menu included chee cheong fun and fried noodles homecooked by his wife, but was omitted after MCO.

Traditional coffee and tea making is not about technique, but achieving a balanced flavour between the base coffee or tea and condensed milk. This is what Uncle Wong surmised from decades of practical experience, and he can tell the difference at a glance. Cups of unpretentious fragrant coffee or tea capture the taste buds of customers and became a daily part of life, therefore customers willingly come back to Uncle Wong. He is reluctant to see his old friends break up, and he will continue to work until he is no longer able to.

As Uncle Wong Honghan is getting older and lacks physical strength, his operating hours from 5AM to 8PM were shortened to 12PM. Whenever passing by this alley in the afternoon, the space where the seats were placed is full of cars, and the stall is fenced up tightly. The scene in the morning is like a dream and a fantasy that has never really happened. Want to have a cup of tea in this alley? Please be early tomorrow.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Ho Yoke Kee : Traditional Cantonese Candies

Traditional Cantonese candies embody ancient wisdom. They preserve the shape and taste of the original fruit, albeit more exquisite. Before the invention of the refrigerator, slicing fruits and vegetables to boil with sugar and then air-dry could extend their shelf life without causing wastage and make them more delicious. The Cantonese use homophones to give candies auspicious meanings, making them a must-have festive snack during Chinese New Year. Candied coconuts mean three generations living together; candied ginger slices mean longevity; candied green peppers mean attracting wealth; candied carrots mean a house full of gold and jade; candied lotus seeds mean having children; and candied horseshoes mean getting things done successfully. Traditional Cantonese candies are also used in worship as offerings to welcome wealth and blessings, hence also known as fortune candies or five-color candies.

In Petaling Street, ​​Kuala Lumpur, which used to be a dominant Chinese settlement, only Ho Yoke Kee, a long-established street vendor that has been operating for decades, is still manually making and selling traditional Cantonese candies. On one side of the stall is a steamer filled with a hill-like pile of various rice dumplings, whereas on the other side is a wide selection of traditional Cantonese candies. From 6AM to 6PM, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo Yap Nyat Foong and Chong Yoke Yean take turns looking after the stall, while the third-generation successor Ho Chee Keong is in charge of preparations.

Ho Yoke Kee was originally named Ho Dui Kee. The founder, Ho Dui, came to Petaling Street from Dongguan, Guangdong, China in the first half of the 20th century and settled down in Petaling Street, selling lotus roots and other fruits and vegetables to make a living. Facing the unsold lotus roots, fruits and vegetables, he came up with the idea of making them into candies according to the traditional method of his hometown. Later, his son Ho Yoke and his daughter-in-law Yap Nyat Foong inherited this skill and worked together. When the stall had enough manpower, they expanded goods variety and started selling dessert soups and rice dumplings.

Although they have been street vendors in the same location for many years, they were unlicensed and had to evade the city council’s frequent crackdowns. They successfully obtained a license in the 1980s, and the stall was renamed Ho Yoke Kee, still in use today.They mainly sell rice dumplings and only a few types of candies. As Chinese New Year approaches, the variety of candies increased to more than a dozen types. During peak business period, the original stall sells rice dumplings, and they set up another stall selling in Cantonese candies for customers to buy by catties. Preparations must be done one to two months in advance in order to have sufficient supply.

Upon entering the kitchen, all the steps, from preparing the ingredients, such as peeling and splitting the coconut, grating and cutting the coconut meat, are all done by hand. The prepared ingredients need to be blanched to sterilize and remove impurities. Sugar is poured into the heated copper wok to boil into syrup to coat the ingredients. The most difficult variable to control during the cooking process is the heat. The viscosity of the syrup needs to be checked from time to time, as well as stirring constantly to avoid burning. Finally, the sugar-coated ingredients are placed in a bamboo tray and allowed to dry naturally until crystallization forms on the surface, which takes three days to complete.

Ho Chee Keong grew up living in Petaling Street, helping his parents at the stall, and was nicknamed “Rice Dumpling Keong” by the neighbours. After his father passed away, his mother struggled to take care of the family livelihood single-handedly. He made good use of the skills he had learned from childhood to help shoulder the burden of supporting the family, and gradually found an interest in his daily work. His grandfather Ho Dui passed away a few years before he was born, but the art of making Cantonese candies has been passed down from generation to generation. Only in recent years he made some adjustments to reduce sugar, in line with the modern concept of healthy eating.

The process of making rice dumplings and Cantonese-style candies is cumbersome, time-consuming and labor-intensive, but Mr Ho does not feel that life is hard, because the entire family work together and the days are filled with the fragrance of rice dumplings and the sweetness of candies.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Ripples: Yap Hong Ngee at 80 – Looking Ahead

A touch of red at the end of the golden-green spiral sparked curiosity in the sparrow and it hopped over to take a closer look. Mr Yap Hong Ngee’s Chinese ink paintings are bright and funny, reflecting his inner child. In conjunction with his 80th birthday, “Ripples: Yap Hong Ngee at 80 – Looking Ahead” was held at the Oriental Art & Cultural Center in Kuala Lumpur from 4th to 12th November 2023, where 138 paintings were put on exhibition, both old friends and new ones were welcomed to meet and exchange views.

Three years ago, the epidemic hit and disrupted our peaceful lives. Mr Yap likened it to a huge stone thrown into the lake of the heart, causing ripples in the form of concentric circles. When he stayed at home in compliance with the movement control order and was bored, he expressed his feelings through his paintbrush, which resulted in a series of works. Later, when he planned this exhibition, he used ripples as the theme to connect three recurring elements in the paintings: stones, sparrows, and flowers.

Mr Yap draws inspiration from trivial things in life, blends personal experience into the paper, and imbues them with deep meaning. Stones symbolize solidity and permanence; sparrows are lively and chirping; flowers and plants symbolize the changing seasons, fragile and fleeting life. The painting that seems to be completed in three or two strokes within moments showcases the artist’s skills accumulated after years of experience. The subjects of the paintings are easy to understand, and the inscriptions are made up of straightforward or inherently funny words, which not only attract the attention of the audience, but also trigger them to think and explore.

Looking at a painting from different perspectives will give you different views. Although Mr Yap has been famous for many years, he has always remained humble and believes that his works do not need to be perfect, just as his conduct in life should be moderate. He does not seek to fill up the picture when he paints, as he believes that there is the possibility of development if there is space, leaving blank spaces for the audience to fill in. In Mr Yap’s opinion, if a painting can attract people to stop and take a second look, reflect on it and make their own assumptions, it is a great piece of work that touches people’s hearts and resonates.

Despite being elderly, Mr Yap still looks forward to the future with a positive attitude. In conjunction with his 80th birthday, this exhibition serves to invite people from all walks of life to celebrate his continuous efforts in art and painting. He set a personal goal to hold at least one art exhibition every year to motivate himself to stay active Having been painting for more than sixty years, Mr Yap has never intended to retire. Even if he can no longer hold a paintbrush, he will find another way to express and present his artwork. Perhaps this is why his paintings always reveal a tenacious vitality and contain strong emotions.

Ripples encircle stones, sparrows and flowers. One after another, color and ink paintings gather the ordinary bits and pieces of life to create meaning. Paintings notwithstanding, Mr Yap Hong Ngee’s excellent advice is “be yourself”. Experience and cherish every moment in order to lead a fulfilling and happy life.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Kim Hock Bakery

The morning mist gradually dispersed under the gentle sun rays, at the same time in Ayer Tawar New Village, thick white smoke slowly rose from the rear end of a double-storey wooden house next to the community garden. Locals are familiar with this sight, knowing that it is not a fire, but a sign that Kim Hock Bakery is open today. The second generation owner, Hwa Kia Hwa, piled rubber wood and dried coconut shells into the wood-fired oven, then lit the fire at 9A.M. for four hours of pre-heating.

The oven stands at two metres high, three metres wide and three metres deep. It is built with red mud bricks and cement. Its inner insulation layer is made of heat storage materials such as broken glass and coarse salt. Firewood is kindled within the oven, the temperature rose, allowing the oven walls to absorb and store the heat. After cleaning out the remaining ash, the residual heat is used for baking. Unlike ordinary ovens with adjustable heating elements, it is heated only once to sustain the whole day, which is only enough to bake a few batches of bread.

Hwa Kia Hwa grew up surrounded by the bread aroma, and helped his parents after school. After graduating from high school in 1968, he intended to pursue other careers, but at his father’s request, he inherited the family business and learned traditional bread baking skills. His father passed away in 1979, his mother continued to work until she breathed her last, Hwa Kia Hwa and his three younger sisters (Puah Yuat Mooi, Puah Guat Soon, and Puah Juan Nam) jointly manage the bakery for decades. It is still a family-run production, without employing workers. Hwa’s son Alvin worked outside for some years before choosing to return and take over as the third generation successor.

The wood-fired oven is difficult to handle due to inability to measure or control the temperature, relying on accumulation of experience to gauge the temperature and to predict how long the baking process may take. Puah Juan Nam uses a long-handled wooden peel to transfer proofed bread into the oven, fully utilizing the space to neatly arrange 42 baking pans. When baking is completed, she has to endure high temperatures to slowly and skilfully removing the breads. She alone is able to master this important task, hence nicknamed “The Oven’s Nanny”. 

Due to limited capacity and heat efficiency, Kim Hock Bakery bakes four rounds of bread daily, at a fixed production rate using 75 kilograms of flour plus other ingredients. In early days, bread dough is mixed by hand, a toilsome task. In the 1970s, a custom-made mixer was installed to ease the burden. The remaining procedures are still carried out manually, such as stir-frying desiccated coconut fillings on the wood-fired stove, bread shaping, placing onto baking trays to proof, inserting fillings and packaging. Such is their way of bread-making. The best-sellers are Hainanese white loaf, coconut buns, and red bean paste buns. Recently, new items such as pumpkin buns and muffins are also introduced.

Apart from regular customers and occasional tourists, Kim Hock Bakery established long-term business relationships with traditional coffee shops, mamak stalls, and traditional grocers in the vicinity. In the past, the founder had to deliver breads on a bicycle, riding more than ten miles in distance. It was not until they acquired a car in the 1970s that the delivery process became easier. Roti Kok has a high market demand, which they find it hard to meet despite daily production of minimum 200 packs.

From the 1980s to the 1990s, tight market competitions caused sales to plummet. Fortunately the siblings work together hand in glove to overcome the difficulties. Trending food nostalgia coupled with media exposure drove up demand for traditional bread. Although the wood-fired oven has become a signature attraction, Kim Hock Bakery now faces another challenge: firewood shortage. What once were vast rubber estates in the nearby areas are now planted with palm instead. Rubber wood has to be sourced elsewhere, which led to increased costs.

Food aroma is comforting. Kim Hock Bakery, as the only Hainanese family within Ayer Tawar New Village where FuZhounese makes up the majority, keeps up a comfortable daily life by baking bread with their wood-fired oven, allowing nostalgic flavours to continue their legacy.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Fuzhou Mooncakes in Ayer Tawar

The old-fashioned paper package is topped with a festive red brand flyer, tightly knotted with a thin string. Untie the string, remove the flyer, unwrap the paper package to reveal 12 small, round savoury mooncakes. Grab a piece and break apart layers of flaky crust, the filling is packed with umami, mildly oniony, with a hint of sweetness, yielding a springy texture. In Ayer Tawar, a small town in Perak where most of the population originated from FuZhou, savoury mooncakes are a Mid-Autumn Festival staple, perfect for gifting or own consumption, selling out fast when the season draws near.

The moon is exceptionally bright in mid-autumn, signifying a bountiful harvest in ancient agrarian societies, hence people pay homage to the moon, and mooncakes were originally an offering for the moon deity. Since the Yuan and Ming dynasties, the custom of admiring the beauty of the full moon while indulging in mooncakes, as well as gifting mooncakes, gained popularity and imbued mooncakes with cultural significance. To the FuZhounese pioneers of Ayer Tawar, traditional festivals sustain their earnest longings for their hometown. Back when resources were scarce, mooncakes were a precious delicacy, sharing among family members symbolizes unity and togetherness.

Most commonly seen are Cantonese-style mooncakes with soft glossy crust and sweet dense fillings. However, savoury mooncakes are SuZhou-style with flaky crust and savoury fillings, baked in a traditional grill oven. The savoury filling is made using pork containing both fat and lean portions, which is chopped by hand to ensure a supple texture instead of a sticky mince. Seasoned with salt, pepper, five spices, peanuts, sesame seeds, and green onions, it imparts a rich aroma after stir-frying. Lard is incorporated into the pastry dough to form a layered flaky crust, then manually insert the filling. The wrapped mooncakes are transferred onto a charcoal grill pan and covered with a charcoal-fired lid, baked on both sides for about 10 minutes until well done. 

Apart from savoury mooncakes, lard shortbread cookies are also a festive treat in Ayer Tawar. Made using steamed flour combined with castor sugar, eggs and lard to form a crumbly dough, pressed into wooden moulds, knocked to dislodge the pressed cookies, which are then neatly arranged onto trays to be oven-baked. Lard shortbread cookies can be eaten on its own, or made into a drink by adding hot water.

Fried glutinous rice sticks is a must-have during Mid-Autumn Festival family and friends gatherings. It is nicknamed “Mice Biscuits” due to its resemblance to newborn mice. Cute, crispy, and highly enjoyable, its production process is in fact cumbersome and time-consuming, with various factors affecting the success rate. The dough is made of glutinous rice flour, water, and yeast. After fermentation, the dough is rolled out and manually cut into inch-long strips, which are deep-fried until puffed up and golden in colour, then set aside and let cool. The fried glutinous rice sticks are first coated in a boiling maltose and sugar syrup, immediately followed by a layer of steamed flour. Excess flour is sifted off and it is ready.

Siew Hua Biscuits is among the few bakeries still producing traditional Chinese pastries in Ayer Tawar. Mid-Autumn Festival goodies such as savoury mooncakes, lard shortbread cookies, and fried glutinous rice sticks are only produced and sold in the month preceding the festival. Due to all items being freshly made with natural ingredients and no preservatives added, the shelf life is quite short, therefore orders need to be placed in advance, be it local pickup or interstate delivery. The second generation owner, 71-year-old Yak Sing King, said that he has retired and his son Yak Chou Liong is now in charge, yet he still toils away in the kitchen. The family members and a couple of workers start production from the wee hours till around 10P.M.

Gifting savoury mooncakes, lard shortbread cookies, and fried glutinous rice sticks together, the bulging paper package is full of delicious treats and sincere wishes from the giver.

Nowadays, these traditional foods do not conform to mainstream healthy eating habits, however they retain Fuzhou folk customs and etiquette, and reflect the cultural significance of traditional festivals.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Sin Han Seong Restaurant

As the clock strikes 11A.M., Uncle Ling Hing Kooi rolls up the shutters of Sin Han Seong Restaurant, sunlight pours into the half-brick and half-wood double-storey old shophouse, lending brightness and warmth to the interior. The ancient wooden counter is his fortress, and the small round table opposite is laden with glass beer bottles, containing not beer but homemade barley drink instead. Uncle Ling arranges dimsum handmade in-house into the steaming cabinet, and greets customers as they enter. At least one of the signature dishes will appear on each table: spicy and sour fish fillets, spicy and sour pork ribs, Fuzhou mixed vegetables, spicy and sour fish maw soup, red rice wine noodles, or Fuzhou braised noodles.

Ayer Tawar in Perak is situated between Ipoh and Lumut, adjacent to Sitiawan. Most of the residents are Chinese, originating from Fuzhou in China, who retain their ancestral dialect and food culture even after a century of settlement. Sin Han Seong Restaurant was established within a row of shophouses facing the main road, originally belonged to the same landowner as the cinema behind it, built around 1935. Previously named Han Seong Teahouse, it was renamed Sin Han Seong upon changing ownership to Ling Hing Kooi’s father in 1954.

The senior Mr Ling hailed from China, at first he settled in Kampung Koh working as a hot kitchen cook, then he moved to work in Ayer Tawar, where he acquired a shop and brought his family over. In the face of difficult living conditions at the time, the entire family worked together to run the restaurant. Upholding the hardworking spirit of the Fuzhou clan, they open for long hours every day. Serving bao, dimsum, and porridge from 6A.M. onwards, so that rubber tappers may fill their stomachs before work; cooking hot meals all day long to cater for local residents, especially at night when many Indian customers dine in; late night supper spot for movie-goers. Through joint effort by all family members, Sin Han Seong’s business flourished, and the second floor was expanded as a banquet hall, which hosted various banquets during the 1970s and 1980s.

In the 1990s, emerging market competition dealt a blow to Sin Han Seong’s glory, therefore they focused on dine-in foodservice instead. After the senior Mr Ling retired, his seven sons take turns to run the restaurant. However, as the second generation grew older and some passed away, they resumed joint operation, with shorter opening hours from 11A.M. to 7P.M. Among the three siblings still actively involved in the business, the eldest brother is semi-retired and only helps occasionally. The fourth brother, Ling Hing Kooi, is in charge of operations and beverage-making. He sources goods at the wet market in the morning, then rushes back to prepare barley drinks, cook rice, and take care of general affairs at the restaurant. The youngest brother, Ling Hing Tee, is in charge of the cooking, together with two nephews and a few hired help.

Since the opening of the West Coast Expressway, lesser travellers drop by the town, business declined but fortunately there still are regular customers. On weekends and public holidays, foodies flock from Kuala Lumpur and Penang to get a taste of authentic Fuzhou cuisine. During Chinese New Year, when those working outstation return to their hometown, they would come for the nostalgic childhood taste. The cinema behind the restaurant ceased operations 20 or 30 years ago, most of the shophouses in the same row were abandoned due to disrepair. Word has it that the government intends to reclaim the area to widen public roads, and lawyers are handling property valuation. Uncle Ling is already in his 70s, all the restaurant employees are also ageing, it is beyond their capabilities to start over in a new place. As his nephews have no intention of taking over the restaurant, there is a possibility that it will eventually close down.

Decades of serving Fuzhou-style delicacies, shaping collective food memories of Ayer Tawar residents, Sin Han Seong restaurant has a warm atmosphere where most conversations are carried out in Fuzhou dialect, family and friends gather happily around tables full of sumptuous dishes that are mostly red in colour. These scenes may no longer exist in the future, but forever sealed in memory.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Handmade Bao in Petaling Street

Catty-corner to the Ka Yin Fui Kon building at Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur, a tarpaulin makeshift roof in the alley between two rows of double-storey shophouses shelters a crude hawker stall. Billows of steam arise from the multi-tiered bamboo steamer on top of the gas stove, marking the spot of Tuck Kee Dim Sum Pau. About 60 years ago, the alley was bustling with hawker stalls selling rice and porridge, cockle noodles soup, stuffed tofu, beef brisket noodles soup, wonton noodles, chee cheong fun, fruits and so on. Along with changing times, most hawkers either moved elsewhere, switched careers, or retired. Tuck Kee alone remains operating in the same place.

The second-generation owner, Chan Kam Weng, is born in 1965, the same year the bao stall was founded. A native KL-ite of Petaling Street, he took over his father’s unnamed bao stall upon finishing middle school. As a tribute to the struggling and enduring story of his father’s migration from China to Malaysia, Chan Kam Weng named the bao stall Tuck Kee after his father, who learnt bao-making skills and set up the stall to upkeep a family with nine children.

In the past, Petaling Street was a bustling area, several families lived together in the upper storey of the shophouses. In the evening, they would come downstairs for tea and supper. Tuck Kee has its own water and electricity supply, hence no need to draw from neighbouring shophouses. Opening from 7P.M. until the wee hours, Tuck Kee sells various types of bao and dimsum, as well as making tea. During those busy times, six to seven siblings help out at the stall. Later on, the numbers diminished, Chan Kam Weng alone persisted in the business for more than 40 years. As more and more old neighbours moved out of Petaling Street, Uncle Chan had to reduce his product line and adjust business hours. Nowadays the bao stall is open from 11A.M. to 3P.M., the only items on the menu include char siu bao (barbecued pork bun), sang yuk bao (steamed meat bun), lotus bao, red bean bun, and glutinous rice chicken.

Starting a business is hard, sustaining a business is even harder. Although times changed to pursue low cost and high efficiency, Uncle Chan maintains the consistent practice for decades by not employing foreign labourers or any machinery, and relies entirely on his hands to control the taste and quality. The daily production maximum cap is 500 pieces, leavened by a decades-old natural starter, resulting in a slightly yellowish appearance with a soft but chewy texture. The bao fillings are not made from pre-packed mince pork, but from a whole slab of fresh pork selected with care by Uncle Chan himself. One part is used to marinate the barbecued pork, while the other is finely chopped into mince for steamed meat bun. He dares to guarantee that his bao can be safely consumed by customers adhering to certain dietary restrictions.

Before dawn, Uncle Chan, his nephew Leong Kah Wai, and two helpers arrive at the stall to start kneading dough and letting it rise, cutting meat, and prepare fillings. Around 9A.M., they skillfully make bao stuffed with different fillings, which were fermented until they were about the size of a fist and are ready to be steamed. At noon, as vast amounts of vapour drift from the steamer, customers come one after another to buy freshly steamed bao. Most of them have been regular customers for ages, there are also new customers attracted by the aroma. Uncle Chan takes his insistence on the authentic taste seriously, as long as it is accepted by 80% of customers, he will stick to his usual seasonings and will not easily make adjustments.

Chan Kam Weng has always stayed in an alley of the busy city, declining offers by investors to set up mass production facilities, choosing to continue the legacy of local community culture and authentic taste. Throughout the years, even though not extremely rich, he is quite self-sufficient. As he is getting on in years, Uncle Chan gradually hand over the reins to his nephew, who followed in his footsteps for more than 20 years. The future of the bao stall is up to Leong Kah Wai, whether to remain in the alley or shift into a shop.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Tai Kwong Hardware

Towering wooden shelves stand within the unpretentious shophouse, seemingly unobstructed yet hinting at mysteries, head upstairs and find the storage place with mezzanine floors. All kinds of hardware accessories are arranged in an orderly manner, according to category, brand, and size. The yellowing labels indicate the passage of time, yet the neat marker pen handwriting remains legible. Both veterans and rookies are able to quickly and accurately locate products that customers need. The inventory is a mix of new and old items, such as old-fashioned paraffin blow torch, drop-forged steel wrenches directly imported from Europe, as well as safety boots and hammers which are in high demand recently.

Tai Kwong Hardware Trading occupies a pre-war double-storey shophouse at the first section of Jalan Petaling, near the intersection with Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Since its establishment in 1945, there has been no elaborate furnishings, only solid wooden shelves expanding upwards due to increasing inventory, and self-built mezzanine floors which made up the third and fourth floors. The five original founders (Soo, Lee, Chong, Kim, and Tan) all passed away, currently the second and third generations are in charge, with long-serving staff of 30-40 years, including loyal employees promoted to directorship.

Hardware trading covers a comprehensive range of materials, from large hardware such as sheet metal and construction materials, to small hardware such as tools and accessories, necessary in day to day life. Due to different target markets, large hardware resort to wholesale distribution while small hardware are sold retail. Tai Kwong is among the very few companies that operate both a retail shop selling small hardware and a warehouse selling large hardware such as bronze foil and lead sheets.

The early days of Tai Kwong’s establishment coincided with post-World War II reconstruction, hardware was in high demand, the founders had to carry heavy bags of cement on their shoulders to make deliveries to construction sites. Putting down firm roots in Petaling Street not only relied on their blood and sweat, but also their active thinking to bring in a wide variety of semi-finished hardware and appliances. Despite being strategically located, the shoplot does not have sufficient space for lorries to load and unload goods, therefore Tai Kwong set up a warehouse at Jalan Sungai Besi, later on relocated to Jalan Chan Sow Lin upon land reclamation for Mass Rapid Transit project.

In recent years, the major clientele has shifted from construction companies on credit terms to foreign labourers on cash terms. Tai Kwong’s long-standing reputation has a competitive edge, as customers feel at ease in making purchases. Due to the sizable variety and complexity of goods stocked, the front desk staff still practice handwritten bills and account ledgers, while utilizing a computer system to keep track of inventory. Certain items are considered out-of-date due to changing industrial standards and became slow-moving, therefore left to gather dust until collectors chance to come on a treasure hunt.

In ever-changing times, the business model must constantly evolve to suit changing consumer needs. It is a common understanding shared by sales and procurement manager Mr Lee Zhan Wei and finance director Mdm Liew Fui Tse. Eventually all in-store transactions will be computerized to reduce human errors. Taking a leaf from various traditional hardware tradings that achieved modernization, Tai Kwong is confident to succeed in doing so.

Hardware stores are essential in daily lives. Tai Kwong Hardware remain standing in Petaling Street for nearly eight decades, undergoing changes and transformation, supplying building materials as well as household necessities. Despite generational differences, business partners and staff share the same vision, working in cooperation towards a better future.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

The Dedication of Merits

The sounds of cymbals, drums and suona accompanied Taoist prayer chanting, around 100 members of the Hau family gathered together at their ancestral house in red mourning attire, burning incense and kneeling to pray under the guidance of five Taoist priests. Through joint effort over several months, the entire family organized a commemoration ceremony in conjunction with the third death anniversary of the late old Mrs Hau. The 30ft joss paper house is dedicated to eight deceased relatives.

In traditional Chinese beliefs, a deceased person’s soul would depart to the Underworld, where they would pass through the Ten Courts of Judgement. Even if a person always did good deeds while alive, there might be unintentional mistakes for which they were punished. Descendants will engage Buddhist monks or Taoist priests to facilitate merit dedication rituals to help their ancestors atone for past misdeeds thus achieving enlightenment.

The head of the household is 69-year-old Hau Kim Heng, whose grandfather hailed from Nan’an, China yet eventually settled in Sungai Rambai, Melaka, where the family prospered and spread across different regions in Singapore and Malaysia. Hau Kim Heng used to work at Singapore in the construction industry, then he returned to the ancestral home to take care of his ageing parents until they breathed their last. His mother passed away peacefully at the ripe old age of 93, with five living generations, therefore a ‘Joyful Funeral’ was held where all the family members wear red mourning clothes.

The dedication of merits is very important in the Hokkien community, the late old Mrs Hau also commended the practice, therefore Hau Kim Heng and siblings decided to throw a grand ceremony in honour of their beloved mother. The dedication of merits usually spans three days, smaller occasions merely 24 hours, yet the Hau family decided on a large scale event spanning five days. The full itinerary comprises ‘soul summoning’, four sessions of prayer chanting held in the morning and at night, request for pardon, destroy city walls, morning assembly, repayment of treasury debts, appease roaming spirits, and dismantle the joss paper house. Last but not least is burning the joss paper house and give thanks to the Jade Emperor.

The leading Taoist priest for the Hau family’s dedication of merits, Haw Eng Thian, is a Zhengyi Taoist affiliated with Mount Longhu in Jiangxi, China. After ordination, he goes by the monastic name Hóu LuóZhǎn. Although just in his forties, he spent almost 30 years in the profession. Both Haw’s father and maternal great-grandfather are Taoist priests, he sparked a keen interest since the tender age of 10, following his father to attend various ceremonies on weekends and holidays, lending a helping hand while learning basics such as drumming, rhyme and rhythm in prayer chanting. Haw started out upon leaving school after Form Two, by the age of 20 he is capable of handling small to medium-scale ceremonies, therefore his father handed over the reins to him. 

At the beginning of his career, Haw handled mostly small to medium-scale ceremonies, where neighbours would assist the host family in preparing offerings and meals. However, community bonds weakened with the passing of the older generations, such tasks had to be outsourced to service providers and food caterers. As a Taoist priest, Haw tries his best to accommodate various requests by different host families. Sometimes he has to travel to two or three venues in a day, his passion alleviating the fatigue as he does his best to fulfill his duty at each ceremony.

The dedication of merits not only commemorates deceased ancestors, it also strengthens family bonds, as well as continuing the legacy of cultural customs. By properly performing each ritual, paying respects to ancestors while inducing younger generations to uphold moral obligations, complete virtue is achieved.

.

[Soul Summoning]

The Taoist priest paves the way to the Underworld, using a soul-summoning banner to invite the souls of deceased ancestors to their respective memorial tablets. Each soul-summoning banner bears the name of a deceased, attached to the tip of a long thin bamboo stick, carried by the eldest son or eldest grandson. If the deceased had no offspring, a nephew would do.

[Five Elders Lead the Way]

Inviting the Five Celestial Elders and Five Immortal Boys to serve as guides for the deceased.

Five Celestial Elders: Green Emperor of East, Red Emperor of South, Yellow Emperor of Center, White Emperor of West, Black Emperor of North

Five Immortal Boys: QīngLíng Boy of East holds a green lotus, JīnHuī Boy of South holds a red lotus, ZhēnJué Boy of West holds a white lotus, KaīMíng Boy of North holds a blue lotus, MiàoGuāng Boy of Center holds a yellow lotus. They greet the deceased soul and serve as heavenly guides.

[Prayer Chanting]

The Taoist priest leads the family in prayer chanting: 10 scrolls of 《Precious Litanies of Nine Realms of Darkness》, three scrolls of 《Precious Repentances to the Three Primes》, and 《Scripture on Salvation》. At the conclusion of each scroll, the soul-summoning banner is raised and respects paid to deceased ancestors.

[Request for Pardon]

Apart from prayer chanting and delivering speeches, Taoist priests would act out various scenes, including meeting with the pardon attorney to implore his service in requesting for a pardon letter, feeding the joss paper horse on which the pardon attorney would ride as fast as he could to the Underworld, and pleading with the ruler of the Underworld to grant pardon.

[Destroy City Walls]

Also known as “Rescue from Hell”, based on the Classic of Filial Piety where Mulian rescues his mother from the Underworld. The Taoist priest leads descendants to travel around an octagonal city constructed of joss paper, explaining each checkpoint along the way, then the city walls are destroyed in order to free the deceased ancestors from suffering in the Underworld.

[Morning Assembly]

Offering tea and liquor as a token of gratitude to the presiding deities.

[Repayment of Treasury Debts]

Repaying the loans obtained for reincarnation according to the deceased’s Chinese zodiac. During the burning of treasury banknotes, descendants should keep banging metal objects to scare away roaming spirits from committing robbery. 

[Appease Roaming Spirits]

The host family prepares food and paper offerings to appease roaming spirits.

[Dismantle Joss Paper House]

On the final night of the ceremony, the joss paper house is dismantled and burned, marking the end of the mourning period.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Deities Procession at Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào in Kuala Kubu Bharu

In the wee hours of the morning, a number of Kuala Kubu Bharu village residents are busy preparing a tableful of offerings in front of their house, gathering on the roadside to look around in anticipation. As the sun breaks through the clouds, drumming and firecrackers crackling fill the air, about a thousand devotees throng around Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào where the Shī Yé patrol procession begin, heading into each and every alley of the local village to shower blessings, and then the town before returning to the temple. The entire route measures about seven kilometres. Along the way, devotees kneel and pray to the deities for protection over their families, as well as exchanging incense and offerings with the procession.

The main deities of Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào are the Third Shī Yé and Fourth Shī Yé, Third Shī Yé being Kapitan Shin Kap alias Kapitan Sheng Meng Li, the Kapitan of Sungei Ujong or Seremban who was worshipped upon his demise in war; Fourth Shī Yé being Chung Lai, a commander who fought together with Yap Ah Loy and lost his life in the Selangor Civil War. As a memorial to the two late Hakka leaders who fought hard to protect the community, they were venerated in the same temple by Yap Ah Loy. Eventually a religious cult was established by the Hakka clan in Malaya, which later on spread to various settlements, watching over the development of tin mining towns.

Yuè Shān Gǔ Miào was built in 1895, overlooking and safeguarding the village and town of Kuala Kubu Bharu. Initially Kuala Kubu in Ulu Selangor, the town was founded on tin mining and rubber cultivation. Six decades ago, disaster befell the town, after consultation with deities, Shī Yé went on a patrol procession to drive away evils therefore restoring peace. Since then, the procession became a triannual event held on the 15th day of the second lunar month, with a three-day ritual ceremony.

The current president of the organizing committee, Mr Tan Tek Son, who grew up in Kuala Kubu Bharu and is now 77 years old, has been handling temple affairs for over half a century, thus very familiar with the procedures. Preparations start one month in advance due to tedious and time-consuming aspects, volunteers turn up to help in scrubbing altars, polishing censers, folding joss papers, cleaning and re-assembling wooden sedan chairs. On the procession day itself, some even come as early as 3A.M. to cook vegetarian fare for attendees. 

What catches the eye most is the “Iron Throne” – a wooden sedan seat lined with sharp nails. A week before the procession, the temple lets interested spirit mediums perform moon block toss, whoever wins the most approvals from Shī Yé gets assigned. In olden days, the customary practice was getting spirit mediums to stay overnight at the temple, Shī Yé will decide on which candidate prior to the procession, however in recent years this practice was overridden by moon block toss to show fairness.

The procession is led by gong, drums, lion dance, and the Marshals of Five Celestial Camps, then comes the “Iron Throne”. This year’s assigned spirit medium is 61-year-old Mr Yap Swee Lin, who after being possessed by Shī Yé sat steadily upon the “Iron Throne” while brandishing a sword, maintaining a calm countenance despite the constant jolting. The censer as well as tables laden with offerings followed right after.

Bringing up the rear are the two sedan chairs of Shī Yé and Guān Yīn respectively, with Shī Yé’s borne by male devotees while Guān Yīn’s borne by female devotees, followed by spirit mediums and devotees with their cheeks pierced by needles. Devotees who encounter misfortune may request to kneel under the sedan chair for luck. 

Shī Yé worship is founded on a collective need for peace, security, and health. The triannual procession is not on a large scale, yet in the small town it is considered a grand event. By the means of a patrol procession, the deity showers blessings upon local residents, who found spiritual ease, as well as promoting community bonds and cultural heritage.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2023 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD