Guided Walk of 10th September’23, 9am to 11.30am 

A stopover at the the triple Wee tombs with a matriarch buried in the center flanked by her son on her left and daughter in law on the right. This was to familarise the group on material culture and what it represents, from protection to insurance for future descendants to be taken care of.

Catherine drew attention to the magnificent trees surrounding the junction of Hills 3 & 2 & 5, hosting birds nest ferns and bats.

We began proper at the grave of Tan Chor Nam aka Tan Ah Chye, founder member of Tong Meng Hui, and who subscribed to Sun Yat Sen’s vision of a Republican China. His grave marked by colourful crotons in its surrounds.

As we turned into another corner, the cluster of Cheang Hong Lims’ family, all relocated from the family burial grounds in Queenstown, probably to build our first HDB estate. Fabian spoke primarily about CHL and his beautiful and intelligent eldest daughter Murial who was made the executor of his vast estate and fortune, the subject of family feuds and infamous court cases.

Passed by the Instagram-able , Sikh Guards tomb, with a mention of the practice of “live” graves. And proceeding to Tan Boo Liat great grandson of Tan Tock Seng, and his legacy that continues the family tradition of philanthropy: the villa on a hill at Pender Road,  he built in memory of his grandfather and named Golden Bell, meaning  Kim Ching.  A fervent advocate to  ban the sale of opium, the scourge of addiction among the already impoverished coolies, he set up rehabilitation centers to help them kick the habit.

Tan’s neighbours are the triple Pang tombs, with husband and wife in the center, flanked by both his grandmother and her mother. They must have been close. His grandmother had vowed to be vegetarian, in exchange, the “gods” were to ensure that every member of the Pang family, survived WWII and came back safely, and they did. She is buried as a nun in a sitting position.

As we walked by Oh Sian Guan’s beautifully carved grave – he is the great grandfather of Kevin Kwan who gave us Crazy Rich Asians – we stood a minute’s silence, for  Richard Hu our longest serving finance minister who passed away the night before. He is also part of the extended family of Ohs, Kwans’ and Hus’.

We ended officially at the grave ofTan Ean Kiam, philanthropist, founder member of the gentleman’s club Goh Loo – My Humble Abode – who died in the first year of the war, of a heart attack, or was it outbreak, to see all that the Chinese businessmen and many of them bankers, had built up in the economy, just decimated by the Japanese in the war.

He penned his own epithet. loosely translated:

“It doesn’t matter where I am buried

When the coffin covers me, that is my quilt

I am home.

It is a homage and comfort to all who had battled seas to arrive in Sinchew, Selatpor – old names for Singapore – and never made it back to the motherland.

The introduction

Material culture at the Wees’

A minutes silence for Dr. Richard Hu, of Oh, Kwan and Hu.

The crotons at Tan Chor Nam’s grave

Thanks for coming and being such a great group of participants, especially the boy who kept me occupied while Fabian held court.