2012

Jun

Alex and Lim Kee Tong

Alex Lim’s Story Part II

On the 2nd April 2012, Alex Lim and his family observed Qing Ming at Bukit Brown starting with his grandmother’s tomb, Tan Tee Teo which was accessed from Lornie Road. Part II continues as the family proceeded into Bukit Brown proper, to Hill 4 where they paid their respects to Lim Kee Tong and his wife, the paternal great great grandparents to Alex and his brothers.

Lim Kee Tong was a Singapore pioneer businessman and philanthropist who contributed to free education, to the Lam Ann clan and was a trustee of an award winning temple. As Alex goes through the rites of tomb sweeping, he recounts to the documentation team, led by Dr Hui Yew Foong and bukitbrown.com, what he has been told, heard and followed up on the life and times of his illustrious ancestor – a narrative that continues to unfold.

Unloading at Hill 4, the end of the road (photo Catherine Lim)

Muddy !(photo Catherine Lim)

It's a 15 minute walk uphill (photo Catherine Lim)

Papa's fine (photo Catherine Lim)

We are here (photo Catherine)

It's been raining, so "ponding" in the forecourt of grave site (photo Catherine Lim)

Lim Kee Tong 1871 - 1940 (photo Peter Pak)

Kim Neo 1884 ~ 1961( Peter Pak )

(photo Catherine Lim)

Reading the Buddhist mantras ( photo Catherine Lim)

Youngest son and brother Yong Beng (photo Catherine Lim)

Alex does the paper marking tomb ritual he does so well (photo Catherine Lim)

That special way, Alex has with paper (photo Catherine Lim)

To Honour (photo Catherine Lim)

A closer look at the tomb of Lee Kee Tong and his wife and what it tells us

The Tombstone with the unusual pair of pegasus (photo Catherine Lim)

Detail (photo Catherine Lim)

Scribbles of couplets for translation (photo Catherine Lim)

Couplets Translated by Ang Yik Han

The couplets, on the headstone, are based on his name 箕當:

箕裘克紹傳家有仁風
Following in his father’s footsteps, his benevolence passes down through the generations;

當義勇为遺德留千古
Always ready to answer the righteous call, his virtue remains for eternity

The rain helped to "clean up" and reveal the couplets on 4 mini pillars(photo Catherine Lim)

The couplets on the pillars are 溪東, 東昇 is my GGGF’s 號 -Pseudonyms or aliases (from Alex Lim)

南國山川秀
安宅大地靈
溪土為故里
東昇是別名

“The southern land has fine hills and rivers

With the earth’s auras it is a good place to build a tomb

Xi (Dong) is my hometown;

Dong Sheng is my other name”

About Lim Kee Tong :

Lim Kee Tong was on the Board of Directors which rebuilt the Hong San See at Mohamed Sultan Road in 1913 .His name is inscribed on the granite pillars at the temple’s front, a distinction given only to those who played a major role in its construction. In addition, he was one of the founders and chairman of a school based in the temple’s premises which provided basic education to poor children from the neighbourhood. Subsequently, he was also appointed as a trustee of the temple.

Lee Kee Tong's name inscribed on pillar (photo Alex Lim)

The temple has won a UNESCO award for its restoration (photo Alex Lim)

Hong San See Temple (photo Catherine Lim)

Apart from Singapore, Lim Kee Tong was also active in Klang and Kuala Lumpur where he was one of the co-founders of the Selangor Lim Clan Association as well as its first chairman. His name can also be found amongst the contributors to the Lim (Lam Ann) Clan Family Self-Management Association in Cantonment Road, the umbrella body for the Lim clan in Singapore. He was active in many other community groups and often gave generously to public and charitable causes such as famine and war relief funds.

Lam Ann @ Cantonment Rd (photo Alex Lim)

Lim Kee Tong’s business interests:

“The trading company name was called Lim Huat Hin 林發興 and it was mainly active in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor & S’pore. Business routes included Indonesia, Philippines & China. My the second generation which ran the family business included my great grandfather and one or two my great granduncles who had their final resting places in Indonesia & Philippines. Exact locations unknown. My father said before that GGGfather, was also a landlord with 13 ~ 17 shop houses @ Hong Lim Pa Sat (Covent Garden).” Alex Lim