Category: Traditional Trades

The role a bookstore plays in a region is not limited to selling all sorts of publications and stationery, it also bears the importance of cultural exchange and knowledge circulation. In an era without the internet, the traditional bookstore satisfies scholars craving for knowledge, as well as nourishes the souls of the general public. Moreover, daily newspapers became spiritual nourishment for fellow hometowners who earlier on migrated southwards to Malaysia from China to seek a living. Teck Lee Book Co located in Jalan Kong Sang, Seremban, has been playing this role for over a century, accompanying many students and members of the general public along numerous bustling years and over apocalyptic eras, being a collective memory of Seremban and neighbourhoods in the region.

Established in 1918 by the founder Mr Ng Mow Teck (transliteration) and his wife at River Road (now Jalan Kong Sang) in Seremban, Teck Lee Book Co originated from a small roadside stall. In the early days of the business, they sold cigarettes, iced drinks, stationery, and distributed Chinese newspapers published in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, so that fellow hometowners who came to seek a living from China could grasp the situation and development back in their homeland. Eventually, the basic operations of the bookstore gained stability, expanding in 1934 and shifted to the current address, starting to operate as a store in the publishing industry, remaining standing till the present, never once moved.

Mr Ng Kok Fook is the third generation owner of Teck Lee Book Co, as well as a collector. Arranged in neat arrays are boxes full of publications, magazines, and his personal collection of books. Among them are some student publications published in the 50’s, magazines and 《Students’ Vocabulary》 directly imported from Hong Kong in the olden days, etc. Each publication is likened to history, recording the happenings in its time, a witness of different ages.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Heavenly from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

During deity birthday celebrations or when praying for blessings, brightly coloured joss sticks could be seen, sizes range from 4 ft up to 20 ft or even 30 ft. Besides being an offering to deities, joss sticks are also a form of traditional folk art. Especially pure handiwork joss sticks made by craftsmen, the intricate skills involved and the strenuous procedures, are admirable.

Not far away from the main street of Bukit Pelandok, following the expanse of a side road named “100 Acres” along the Sepang river, there is a handcrafted joss stick factory. The person-in-charge Mr Ong Sze Hong (transliteration) named the factory as Bǎi Jí Joss Stick Maker. Mr Ong mocks himself as being inexperienced, as joss stick manufacturing is not his career, he has been helping in his elder brother’s joss stick manufacturing factory when he was young, alas the factory closed down after a few years. At present, he inherited this skill under fortunate circumstances.

The procedures of manufacturing handcrafted joss sticks put patience to the test, and is not to be rushed. From the materials, style, size, coating, dragon head, moulding, dragon body, pinching and pressing, painting, to packaging, it takes at least two months, even up to a year, depending on the size of the joss stick. The most time-consuming procedure is the layer by layer coating of wood bran, once a layer is thoroughly dried, only can the next layer be coated. Meanwhile in the drying process, the joss stick should not be exposed to sunlight to prevent cracking, and weather changes affect the progress rate of natural drying.

Even though there is a steady market demand for joss sticks, a chasm has appeared in the manufacturing of traditional handcrafted joss sticks, rarely any of the younger generations inherit the legacy. Under the challenges imposed by limited manpower and mechanization, despite bearing cultural essence, the traditional joss stick manufacturing industry faces difficulties in operations and inheritance.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Music : Another Day To Remember from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Jalan Sultan is one of the two earliest streets built when Yap Ah Loy pioneered the development of Kuala Lumpur, equally famous as Jalan Petaling. These two streets are the cradle of Chinese predecessors who migrated southwards to Malaya to cultivate wildland, as well as being the initial life blood of Kuala Lumpur’s economy and central business district. Sustaining through centuries, these two streets bear witness to the bustling changes in Kuala Lumpur, especially in 2011 the government announced requisition involving 34 old buildings located within the area of these two streets for the MRT project, leading to strong objections and defending tempests from civil societies, finally succeeding in retaining most of the heritage sites from being knocked down.

Kim Yuen Shoe Maker is one of the shops which was almost affected. Established in 1967, it is the only remaining dance shoes specialty store offering custom-made dance shoes within the vicinity. The area of the shop is quite small, sharing a shopfront partitioned into two with its neighbour Ah Wah Tailor for decades; upstairs is a simple yet fully-equipped shoemaking workshop. 

Born into a family of shoemakers, Mr C.K. Lew, at the age of 18, took over operations of the shoemaking shop from his father Mr Lew Kim Yuen. His superb skills in specially tailored dance shoes and stage shoes gained popularity over the years from stage performers and touring artists since the early days. After inheriting the business, C.K. shifted his focus onto two types of dance shoes, namely Latin and ballroom dance shoes. He also devotes his passion in designing, researching, and manufacturing these dance shoes. 

As times changes, Kim Yuen Shoe Maker which has been operating for over half a century may be safe from the fate of being dismantled, however it could not escape from the misery of facing closure. In recent years due to Mr Lew’s health decline and management difficulties, the shoemaking workshop upstairs ceased to run at the beginning of this year. At the same time, being without an heir, Mr Lew states that he will retire and close down the business in a few months, Kim Yuen Shoe Maker will be leaving just an impression on Jalan Sultan. 

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Simple Tune from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD