UNINESS – Page 11 – Together we unfold Malaysian local cultures.

Ancient Guanyin Temple in Kuala Kubu Bharu

Viewing from over the top, lush green grass and hills stretch and arch, a narrow riverside passage links from the main road to a tranquil place, which is the Ancient Guanyin Temple. Situated just a few kilometres outside of Kuala Kubu Bharu, the Ancient Guanyin Temple has been based here for over a century, went through transitions, and even once left to erode by weather. Presently, the temple is surrounded by lavish trees, on its right side is a pond and a footpath, a peaceful environment with antique buildings.

Ancient Guanyin Temple of Kuala Kubu Bharu (formerly known as Yueshan Guanyin Temple) was built in the autumn of 1904. As the founder of Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang, when the venerable benevolence Beow Lean and his follower benevolence Sian Kheng, were making preparations to build the Kek Lok Si temple, Kuala Kubu Lama became a resting point during their frequent travels between Penang and Kuala Lumpur. As the opportunity arises, benevolence Sian Kheng decided to obtain a spot here to build a branch of Kek Lok Si. Due to the temple’s location in higher terrain surrounded by hills, it was named Yueshan Guanyin Temple, derived from the two words making up the word of Yue: Qiu, and Shan, meaning tall mountains. On a side note, Penang’s Kek Lok Si is located on a hill shaped like a flying crane, hence after building the temple it was named “Huock San”, both correlating to each other.

Since the Ancient Guanyin Temple opened its doors a century ago, it has undergone various changes and suffered several alterations. In 1926 when Kuala Kubu Lama was flooded, almost the entire town was engulfed. Luckily the ancient temple was built on a high slope, and remained safe alongside another mosque. They were not affected by the calamity, thus the villagers sought shelter in the temple. Afterwards, the Japanese occupation brought upon bloodshed, the villagers temporarily lived at the temple to avoid the massacre. Post-war, political turmoil caused the British colonial government to declare a national state of emergency, the ancient temple and its surrounding areas were marked as restricted areas to prevent local inhabitants from reaching out to Malayan communists. Therefore, the villagers moved the Guanyin and Buddha statues into the new village, where they constructed another temple for worshipment. The ancient temple was left to ruin, and slowly forgotten.

Until the 1980’s, the villagers found what remained of the ancient temple amidst rubble, hence a committee was set up to rebuild and develop the temple together with Kek Lok Si in Penang. Repairs were twice carried out, in 1988 and 1994 respectively. In 1994, chief abbot of Kek Lok Si, the Venerable Da Neng took over as second abbot of the rebuilt Yueshan Guanyin temple, and renamed it to Ancient Guanyin Temple.

As the saying goes, things will get better over time, to date the Ancient Guanyin Temple still maintains its original ancient appearance and valuable relics such as an ancient mortar, a copper bell, the entrance etc. The lush greenery and rippling river surrounding the ancient temple generates a heavenly vibe. Crisp bell ringing pierce the hollow mortality, bringing people back to nature, to cleanse each heart from weariness and misadventure.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

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

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Funeral Volunteer – Mr Tan Sew Sewan

Hainanese chicken chop, Hainanese stir-fried mee, Hainanese bread are served in turn, munching slowly to feel the new scene brought on by a clash of food and beverage cultures, as well as the inconspicuous efforts of the second generation owner in contributing to the local community, all at this well-known shop of ninety odd years in Kuala Kubu Bharu – Kedai Makanan Hailam Sun Sun Nam Cheong.

Substituting grilling chicken chop with deep frying, replacing salad with peas and onion, the idea of starch sauce stemming from mushroom gravy, drenching the chicken chop, adding in a clump of familiar french fries, and ta-da! An exclusive western-Hainanese dish sure to win over taste buds is ready. This family recipe was improvised by the current owner (the second generation) Mr Tan’s father, who in the past had migrated overseas to Malaya with his fellow Hainanese friends. He used to be a chef for the British, and utilised his culinary talents to concoct the dish to suit the palate of locals, thus creating this Asian fusion chicken chop.

During that era, the veteran Chinese immigrants led a hard life in Malaya, struggling in every stage. The senior Mr Tan, who was from Wenchang Province in Hainan Island, never neglect to show brotherly affection and care towards his fellow hometowners, by receiving them in Kedai Makanan Hailam Nam Cheong (the predecessor of Sun Sun Nam Cheong), his shop in Kuala Kubu Lama. He even taught them the skills of making coffee and cooking, so that they have sufficient skills to make a living. After almost a century, Mr Tan still lives up to his father’s benevolent spirit, as he has close rapport with the local jurisdiction, he employs ex-convicts from time to time, shredding their stereotypical impressions, thus allowing them an opportunity to rehabilitate and integrate into society.

The walls of Sun Sun Nam Cheong are full with both commendation and appreciation certificates, issued by units of authority such as the police, the fire and rescue department, old folks home, and shelter homes etc. These are a token of gratefulness towards Mr Tan Sew Sewan on his good Samaritan acts, including volunteering to bury the dead. During thirty odd years, Mr Tan and a few other volunteers buried hundreds of the deceased, mostly lonely old folk, disabled persons, and the mentally ill from shelter homes.

Within the period Mr Tan worked as a volunteer, he noticed some difficulties in handling the corpses from shelter homes and old folks homes, as they were neglected by the society. They had no family or relatives to claim their remains, and it is inadvisable to store them long-term in the mortuary. In the end, these dead bodies were not properly dealt with, causing mass burial incidents and soil erosion in the graveyard after raining, which attracted wild animals, an extremely shocking situation to behold.

From the initial dread upon entering the autopsy ward, to striving for land to construct a burial ground, within the past thirty years, Mr Tan discreetly persisted to lay the departed to rest, amidst the vicissitudes as well as sentiments of life. In his possession are numerous logbooks bearing explicit records of funerals held for dead bodies, such as name, death date, location of the grave, and some photos. Sometimes he also receives enquiries from families trying to trace their long-lost relatives. Between heaven and earth, perhaps there were invisible dots subconsciously connecting yearning minds.

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 : Arms of Heaven

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Teng Wun Bakery & Confectionery

The outmoded layout of the shop, with classical glass displays on either side, coral colours contrasting the white walls, highlighting the shop’s vintage appearance. Apart from two coral red shutters, there were no conventional doors, exposing full view of the shop’s unsophiscated style. Freshly out of the oven, the kaya puffs emit wafts of aroma. For donkey’s years, relentlessly making fresh kaya puffs in-house from scratch on a daily basis, with no additional preservatives, this is what makes Teng Wun Bakery and Confectionery popular with locals and a must-try for tourists.

Forty years ago (in 1979), Hoo Jee Suan and his wife leased the shop lot and partitioned the shop front into two: on the right is a female salon managed by Mrs Hoo, whereas on the left Mr Hoo bakes pastries and cakes to sell. Husband and wife worked hard together to make a living, as life is not easy back then. In the early days of the startup, he only baked cakes and bread. The favourable kaya puffs was afterwards learned from his father-in-law who runs a Hainanese coffee shop, as a result of several improvisations, the current version of crispy and fragrant kaya puff was introduced.

In the small town of Kuala Kubu Bharu where Hakkanese made up the majority, Mr Hoo was a true-bred Hainanese who migrated southwards to Malaya when he was 12 years old, and adopted his foster family’s surname “Hoo” instead of his birth family name “Yun”. Mr Hoo was born in Kuala Selangor, but spent most of his childhood years in Hainan, China. When the liberation war broke out on Hainan Island, civilants fell into poverty, rice and cassava were their only food. As the health of Mr Hoo’s birth parents deteriorated, they entrusted his elder sister who got married in Malaysia to bring him out of Hainan Island. That was in the second year of Malaysia’s gaining independence.

Under his sister’s arrangements, Mr Hoo embarked on a vessel setting sail to Malaysia. It was perilous to travel by sea in those days, as it took about one week to disembark at Singapore, and continue the journey northwards to Kuala Kubu Bharu. Having endured hardships, he understood that survival is undoubtedly difficult, the only way to face the ups and downs of life is by being practical and self-sufficient.

The meaning behind the brand “the rising sun a scarlet spot among the clouds” not only illustrates the beauty of dawn, it also aptly describes Mr Hoo and his past 73 years.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

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

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Tricycle and Bicycle Repair

In Penang, trishaws are commonly seen on the bustling streets, especially in popular sightseeing spots. Trishaw pullers go at a moderate speed, exposing tourists to a full view of Penang’s beautiful scenery. Nowadays trishaws seem to have became a vehicle for sightseeing purposes, no longer a day-to-day transportation mode for local inhabitants. Between the end of the 1960’s to early 1970’s was the trishaws’ golden era in Penang, according to records there were more than 2500 officially registered trishaws on the roads. However, about a hundred trishaws remain in operation till now, with most of the pullers aged above fifty years. Moreover, half of them had no stable income, living in poverty, their trishaws a makeshift home.

The decline and plight of trishaws not only led to the trade eventually becoming a thing of the past, at the same time impacting the trade of repairing and producing trishaws. One by one, shops that manufacture trishaws close business, the sole remnant being Hup Huat Tricycle, a one-man-show by its fourth generation successor Mr Choo Yew Choon, striving to manage his family business. Mr Choo is also one of the few persons in Malaysia who could assemble the whole trishaw with his own hand, knowledgeable in the fields of carpentry, ironwork, and technical skills regarding bicycles and tricycles. From constructing the wooden passenger box, to welding the iron frame of the trishaw, these are common trades in immediate danger of extinction.

Trishaws are categorized by their functions, such as carrying passengers or cargo, or for operating hawker business, or selling groceries like vegetables, fruits, and breads. Through the transformational passage of time, the number of peripatetic hawkers lessened due to shifts in food cultures (hawker centres, hygienic environment) and government regulations (laws). Nevertheless, Mr Choo still receive orders for customizing new trishaws or facelifting old trishaws for ornamental usage from hotels, food and beverages operators, or even foreign tourists.

Mr Choo frankly discloses that in recent years, there has been a steep decline of orders for manufacturing new trishaws, his works are more focused on facelifts and maintenance. Maintenance and repairs range from as simple as changing tyres to as complicated as welding and remodel, to meet customization demands from customers. Besides substantial knowledge in his trade, Mr Choo also keeps a collection of small round “registration plates” assigned solely to trishaws, issued during the British colonization, akin to concurrent license plates, being a traditional feature of Penang trishaws, as well as a token of culture and collective remembrance.

In between difficulties jointly faced by trishaws and various fields related, ways to bestow legacy in maintaining and preserve these mobile antiques are worth serious attention and considerations.

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 : Flowering from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Batu Maung Cheng Choo Tze Temple in Penang

Pristine pure white ling zhi (Ganoderma mushroom) medicated liquor bottles dispersed around the entire temple, from the interior to the exterior, from the temple halls till the courtyard, from the upper beams to the handrails of staircases. Constructed along the slope, Cheng Choo Tze temple occupied its current address over the period of half a century, utilizing ling zhi medicated liquor bottles contributed by devotees as decoration materials during its rebuilding, an unprecedented style.

Due to ling zhi medicated liquor being favoured by the five deities worshipped in the temple, devotees usually contribute the medicated liquor as offerings in appreciation of advice given by the deities. The directors of the temple collected the liquor bottles under instruction by the deities, and the bottles accumulated over time. After a decade or so, when the deities manifested and proposed a fundraiser to construct a new temple, the directors realised they could utilise the liquor bottles as an environmentally friendly way of beautification. Therefore when the rebuilding project was completed in 2002, Cheng Choo Tze Temple was the only temple decorated by thousands of liquor bottles throughout Malaysia.

Cheng Choo Tze Temple is located in Batu Maung, Penang, a small town near the second bridge of Penang (Jambatan Sultan Abdul Halim). Since 1981, the temple provides altar praying services at least thrice a week, the precious medicinal herbs on the shelves are given on a charity basis to devotees in need. A unique feature of Cheng Choo Tze Temple is having no doors at the few main entrances, and therefore remains open to devotees at any time of the day, being convenient for them to pray to the deities. At the same time, the open style of the temple draws folks staying nearby to gather and chit-chat, and functions to congregate a close-knit community.

From a tiny temple on the hill which has been through relocating once and rebuilding twice, Cheng Choo Tze Temple boasts of over a hundred years in its historical trails. Every year, the blessed event of Master Nine Dragons attracts devotees from all over to join in the celebrations, as well as proactively organising various charity events during all these years in contribution to the local community, adding a touch of warmth besides ensuring continuous devotion.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Shoe Repairer

Frugality and making the best out of everything are the attitude towards life and virtues of the common people. Out of all repairing trades related to wearables, food, lodgings, and transportation, shoe repairing is the most mobile. A box full of tools and a few stools are all it takes to run the business. Due to the high degree of mobility and ease of setting up a stall, shoe repairing smiths usually choose the most crowded spots to operate their business, such as bus stops, business centres, hawker stalls, or footpaths below shophouses. Worn-out shoes acquired a new life under the mastery of shoe repairing smiths, extending their lifespan as well as reduce spending, at the same tine preserving shoes with sentimental value.

In the era of high consumption nowadays, the trade of shoe repairing are diminishing, merely a handful are still thriving. Among them is a three-generation shoe repair shop located in Jalan Datuk Ooh Chooi Cheng in Bukit Mertajam, Penang — Chong Shoe Shop. Mr Chong Choon Ping (transliteration), aged 58 this year, is the second generation owner, and has been repairing shoes at a roadside stall with his father as mentor since the tender age of 13. Following in his father’s footsteps, Mr Chong acquired precious skills, and as of two decades ago moved the roadside stall into a shop lot up to present. The shop lot was the ground floor of a pre-war building, a compact and simple space. Within sight, racks and lofts are packed with tools and shoes, neat and orderly amid chaos.

The work of a shoe repairing smith is complicated, needing to master through daily practical experience the skills of nailing, mending, patching, replacing, stitching, connecting, gluing, and alteration. Moreover, squatting at the work table for long hours dealing with hundreds of old shoes depicts an admirable spirit. The earnings of repairing shoes are meagre, therefore causing many to refuse to inherit the trade, however Mr Chong stick firmly to his operation method of small profits with high turnover. With the additional edge of his exemplary shoe repairing skills, he gained familiar customers over time. Let the shoes accompany their owners, one step at a time, to write more historical footprints.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

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

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Wooden Clogs Making

Wooden soled shoes, commonly known as clogs, make clip-clop sounds with each step taken wearing them, has a rich history of 3,000 years’ existence in China. The structure of traditional clogs are simple: A piece of wood as the base, creating two “teeth” on the base, then holes are pierced and tied up firmly by strings. The two wooden “teeth” are practical in humid environment where puddles formed after rain, as it is easier to step over mud, and prevents the feet from being scratched by weeds. In contrast to ordinary shoes, due to being made from wood, clogs possess the characteristics of damp-proof, non-slip, and ventilation, keeping the feet dry while reducing the incidence of bacterial growth. Hence when its popularity decline, clogs remain in demand for a few industries, such as food preparation and kitchen, farming, wet market vendors etc.

As times, nativity, and cultural backgrounds differ, various forms and diverse styles spawned, such as WenChang clogs, Japanese clogs, Mud clogs, MaoWoZi clogs etc. The classic wholly red clogs are beloved by the older generation of the Malaysian Chinese community, being affordable and durable, a must-have daily necessity. This type of generally familiar clogs are known as ChaoShan clogs. Its most distinctive feature being its bee waist sole design, and the usage of plastic piece and leather nailed into the shape of sails in replacement of traditional strings.

Located in an alley among the old streets of Bukit Mertajam, there is a shop whose master craftsman Mr Tan Yang Ling still produces handmade clogs. A crude blue tin roof houses Chuan Seng Clogs founded by Master Tan’s father, inhabiting a limited space yet fully equipped. From sawing tree trunks, planing into shape, sanding and painting, to nailing leather skin, the dozen procedures are completed by Master Tan alone.

Back in the 1950’s and 60’s was the heyday of clogs, where the supply was not able to meet demands, business was extremely thriving. With the passage of time, as the usage of rubber and plastic became more common, there were more material choices for shoe-making. Besides, the loud sounds made when walking in clogs were not complacent with the trend of modern beauty standards, and may be deemed as noise. The link between clogs and culture are only seen in folk traditions, weddings or funerals.

As lifestyles shift, the old masters in making clogs gradually retire, it is difficult to reinstate the splendour of clogs. Master Tan will be the last successor of the shop, the clip-clop of clogs may no longer be heard.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

Songkok Making

Click-clack… Both legs on the stepping board, pulling the vintage sewing machine of 60 years, resonating a melodic rhythm, needle and thread pass through fabric at lightning speed, stitching accurately. In the narrow workshop cum retail store, 71-year-old Mr Haja Mohideen focuses his sight on the fabric and thread in his hands, utilising his savvy tailoring skills in producing songkoks. He is also the last old craftsman producing handmade songkoks.

Mr Haja’s shop (Kedai Songkok Osm Mohd Shariff) is located near Penang’s Little India, behind the shop stands an Indian Muslim mosque built in the 19th century with alternating white and green coloured outer walls —— Nagore Dargha Sheriff. The small shop was established in 1936 by Mr Haja’s father who migrated from India, never once shifting its address. Back then, there were six to seven shops producing handmade songkoks in Georgetown, however as times change, eventually the old craftsmen retire without any heir to succeed this drudging yet less profitable trade. At present, the songkoks sold in today’s markets are mass produced by factories, at a lower price, dealing a severe blow to traditional handmade songkok shops.

Mr Haja, who has been helping his father to sew songkoks since a young age, inherited the shop when he was 25 years old due to his father’s death. Four decades passed in the blink of an eye, now he is making good business, especially before Hari Raya Aidilfitri. His customers come from all age groups, some young customers followed in their elder generation’s footsteps, purchasing handmade songkok from Mr Haja’s family.

It comes as a comfort to the ageing Mr Haja that his skills are inherited by his son-in-law, continuing the legacy of his family trade. Inscribed within the narrow space are the life tracks of three generations.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

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

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Sri Balathandayuthapani Temple

Upon walking into the old town of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, stepping into streets cultivated more than a hundred years ago, along Jalan Kapitan Tam Yeong turning right into Jalan Yam Tuan, is the Harmony (Heritage) Trail of Seremban. Assembled on the inverted L-shaped street are an assortment of religious places of worship and provincial halls, converging up to five different religions. A mosque, a Chinese temple, a Catholic church, a Hindu temple, a Sikh temple, and several Chinese provincial halls from different regions, each of them spanning a history of over a century, some of the temples have even been constructed since the founding of Seremban town, remaining at the same address to date, among them is Sri Balathandayuthapani Hindu temple.

Located near the Seremban town council fields, Sri Balathandayuthapani Hindu temple was originally built under a simple zinc roof in the 1870’s. Later in 1891, the development of railway construction from Seremban to Port Dickson was carried out, which marks the third railway in Malaya, mainly for the purpose of connecting mining areas to the harbour to ease transportation of mined tin. At that time, crowds of labourers were brought in from India to work for the Seremban railway construction project, gradually leading to the expansion of Sri Bala Hindu temple, therefore in 1893 the temple was reconstructed with substantial materials such as bricks, concrete, and tiles. It became the place of worship and to perform cultural customs for the fellow Indian countrymen.

Having been through numerous renovations and rebuilds, Sri Bala Hindu temple eventually expanded from a zinc roofed building in its former days to its current magnificent state completed in year 2004, attracting countless devotees to visit during festive celebrations. In accordance to the custom of sacrifice offering ceremony (kumbhabhishekam) held every twelve years, the temple initiated a repainting project in recent years to paint the temple in gorgeous colours. A consecration ceremony was held in 7th April this year, involving 37 priests from all over Malaysia and even India, with more than 8000 devotees joining in, a spectacular scene to behold.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Mother Nature from Youtube

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Teck Lee Book Co

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