Hainanese
Cantone
se
Teochew
Hokkie
n
Hakk
a
Support for education
- Donating to tertiary
institution
ST 19 Jan 2012
Support for education investing in the aided schools affiliated to the associatio
Have some influence on schools/education in
Sg.
Struggle for power
- litigation
ST 30 Jan 2012
Struggle for
power
- Turning ugly
ST 31 Jan 2012
Struggle for power
- More drama
Zaobao
7 May
2012
ST - 8 May
2012
Power for struggle
- using the press
Zaobao 20120511
Zaobao - 11 May 2012
Struggle for power
- The election is never fair?
ST
21 May
Struggle for
Leadership
- Representation
and resources
ST - 1 Feb
2012
ST - 2 Feb
Founded by Seah Eu Chin
Invited 12 surnames to join him
President passed down among
Seahs
President nominate a deputy
among the
12 surnames
1927, Lim Nee Soon, a
revolutionist.
Complaint: Domination by the
Seahs
Demand: system of running the
Kongsi- Family-run group
although other members are
present.
Must be improved in meeting the
current requirements- should be
modernized!!
Proposal: Joint management of
kongsi
Assets
by reputable
Teochews
ST
2 Feb
2012
Inauguration
of the Teochew
Fedaration
Zaobao
29 May 2012
Seeking common ground
2015/1/26
Zaobao
Banquet twice a month
Host Rotational among 11
groups
For unity and net-working
Zaobao
22nd Dec,
2014
Struggle for power
-- keeping up with time,
Sending letters,
Personal Data Protection Act
Clan Association
A new stage to face the challenges of a new
century x 2
Heng San Teng
Thian Hock Keng
Huay Kuan?
(clan association)
1840-1915
1915
Regroup, drawing new constitution, and attempt
to institutionalize
1916
Officially Thian hock Keng Hokkien Huay Kuan.
First president: See Tiong Wah (1886-1940)
1937
Registered as non-profit organization under the
leadership of Tan Kah Kee, and renamed
Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan
Education
Chongwenge (1849)(1852)
Cuiying Shuyuan (1854)
Tan Kim Seng
Qing empire
Civil Service Examination
Modernization of schools
1906 Tao Nan school
Thian Hock Keng
North Bridge Road,
residence of Tan Kim Ching
Took over by Huay Kuan in 1929
Shockwave of 1905
New education for the new century
1915
Chongwenge
Chong Hock girls school
1930, handed over to Huay Kuan
Open space in front of
the Opera Stage
school playground:
@Telok Ayer Street
-Diminished to build a
modern building
1955
Two wings:
Chong Hock Girls
and Ai tong School
1906 1971
modern schools
Fujian groups affiliated
At least 58
What about kampong schools that were not
well documented?
The Rise of the Sinkeh
in the new century
Tan Kah Kee (1874-1961)
Born and died in China.
Rubber King
Parallel philanthropy
Fujian
Singapore
Building of schools
1913 Chip Bee
Primary
1918 Chip Bee
Normal School
1921 Xiamen
University
One of Tao Nan
founders
Tao Nans chairman
from 1911-1929
Assisted in
establishing Ai Tong
and Chong Hock Girls
Chinese High School,
1919
Chinese revolutionist
Joined the Tung Meng Hui in 1910
Remitted $50, 000 to Sun Yat Sen
Led the Fundraising Committee for Fujian
Security in 1911
Reforming Hokkien Huay Kuan
Apathy of Hokkien merchants and Huay Kuan
council members toward education
Organizing structure: old constitution and lack
of membership system
1927, called for a public meeting of all
Hokkiens
Dual centers of power
Tan Kah Kee at Eo Hoe Hean Club
See Tiong Wah at Thian Hock Keng
12-man reform committee, Tan Kah Kee, Lee
Kong Chian etc.
Their demands Coordinate and operate the schools
Membership recruitment
Solicitation of funds
Election of council members
Re-organizing of structure
Reform committees attention diverted
1928, Jinan Incident
Ee Hoe Hean Club - Shandong Relief Fund
Fund raising
Chinese goods promotion, boycotting of
Japanese goods fair at Great World
Amusement Park
1929
New election of council members
Formation of executive council
General affairs
Education
Finance
Construction
Welfare
Formation of supervisory council
When funds were handed over, Thian Hock Keng had a
cash balance of $40 000; Hokkien Huay Kuan had funds
amounting about $15 600.
In the name of modernization of local Chinese
community
Anti-superstition
Abolish annual religious processions- waste of
resources & money
Mazu statues home visit to Meizhou, Fujian in
March 1936 and return in May. Grand
welcome-home ceremony aborted
Reform funeral rituals
Modern understanding of rituals/traditions
Rename of
Sg Hokkien Huay Kuan
1937, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan
Non-profit organization
Took over all properties of Thian Hock Keng Hokkien
Huay Kuan and managed all affiliated temples and
cemeteries.
Umbrella group overseeing the larger Hokkien
Community
Major trend is not unique only to the Hokkien group
but most of the Chinese-related groups in Singapore
Temples Huay Guans Circular associations
Turn in power relations?
Sino-Japanese War
Chineses effort against
Japanese
1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Sino-Japanese War
Chinese Chamber of Commerce Singapore
China Relief Fund Committee
Colonial government Chairman of Hokkien
Huay Kuan, Tan Kah Kee, to lead the
committee
Did not want to agonize the Japanese too
much.
Committee organized along bang lines
14 from Hokkien bang
9 from Teochew bang
4 from Cantonese bang
2 from Hakka bang
1 from Hainanese bang
1 from Samkiang bang
Various fund raising efforts, including charity
sales at the three worlds (Great World, New
World, Happy World amusement parks)
Japanese occupation
Renamed Thian Hock Keng Properties
Schools were shut down
Temples left alone
Post War challenges for the Huay Kuan
Re-open the schools, recruit beyond dialect
borders
Continued to act as mediator
e.g. Henghua pk. Hokchia rickshaw pullers.
Agreed to a truce in 1923 under mediation of
See Tiong Wah. Fights broke out again in 1948.
The new age: taking
roots
Tan Lark Sye (1897-1972)
Took over leadership of Hokkien Huay Kuan in
1950. Concurrently, President of the Chinese
Chamber of Commerce.
Two centre issues
Identity
Education
Identity
1955 Rendel Constituition 25/32 Legislative
Assembly Members to be elected
Registration of voters
1957, to allow residents who had resided for
more than 8 years to register
Education
1953, proposed to Huay Kuan councils the building
of a tertiary institute
Huay Kuan pledged 523 acres of land off Jurong Rd
Positives responses from Singapore and Malaysian
Chinese, across dialect and class lines
Obstruction from the British colonial government
Nayang University Limited under the Company Act
Tan Lark Sye, Lee kong Chian banged table at Sir
William Goode
Lim Beh
Lee Kong Chian (1893-1967)
Other social roles
marriage
Marriage
Certificate
1937
Mass Weddings
17 batches between 1956-1960
Every 3 months
Promote thriftiness
Kah Kee Hall
Cut across dialect groups and walks of life
Stopped after announcement of Womens
Charter in 1960
Marriage Certificate, 1957
Imagined Hokkien Community?
6 schools (5 primary, 1 secondary)
Tao Nan, Chongfu (Chong Hock), Ai Tong, Kong
Hwa, Nan Chiau
Nan Chiau High
The Hokkien Foundation
Lost ability to speak Hokkien/dialect
languages
Proud to be Hokkien
[Link]
/[Link]
Get into those schools! Whats the real
purpose?
1980s -1990s - Real estate
Commercial space rebuilding the Hway Kuan
building
Restoration of Thian Hock Keng (1998-2001)
Whose network?
Local political
International business?
Hokkien Huay Kuan for Hokkien?
How do you define Hokkien?
[Link]
Descent?
Prove that youre a Hokkien- Birth certificate
Beginning of a new era?
Forgetting ones root?
