Where the Crazy Rich Asians Began 

OH SIAN GUAN 胡先愿 (1874–1943) Place of Ancestry: Tung Ann (同安)
YAP SUAN NEO 叶璇娘 (1876–1950) Place of Ancestry: Amoy  (廈門)

Oh Sian Guan was a wealthy Hokkien banker, property owner and commodities trader. His notable descendants include Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians, and former Singapore Finance Minister Richard Hu.

 Originating from Tung Ann county in Fujian province, Oh arrived in Singapore in 1907 at the age of 33. He established a general merchandise company, Chop Chin Kiat (振吉), with a business partner. The company specialized in importing commodities such as betel nuts, coffee, pepper, and bird’s nest from Sarawak and Batavia. After his partner transitioned into the banking sector—a field that Oh would later engage in—Oh took full ownership of the company.

 When the Oversea Chinese Bank was set up by Tan Ean Kiam (陳延謙) and  a group of other Hokkien merchants in 1919,  Oh was invited  to join as a director, a position he retained after the bank merged with Ho Hong Bank and the Chinese Commercial Bank because of the impact of the Great Depression and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. The result was a new bigger bank called the  Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp in 1932 

 Oh was a key community figure, who co-founded  the Singapore Tong’an District Guild on 31 May 1931 and served as president of the Goh Loo Club until his death, a sitting president during WWII.  He is  buried with his wife Yap Suan Neo, who was born in Amoy and died in Singapore seven years after Oh.

Oh’s famous descendants include Kevin Kwan, who is his great grandson. Kwan’s aunt Margaret Kwan was Richard Hu’s mother. In an interview with PBS America, Kwan said his father took his family to Texas U.S.A when Kwan was 11 years old because he wanted his children to grow up self reliant and independent, far from the wealth of old money, with its attendant nannies and chauffeur driven cars.  

Oh’s tomb showcases exquisite material culture. The left panel depicts Madam White Snake saving her husband Xu Xian from the monk Fa Hai. The carving shows Madam White Snake with two swords and Green Snake with a flag, sailing to the temple where Xu Xian is held.

On the right panel, Nezha fights the Dragon Prince. Using his powers, Nezha caused chaos in the sea, angering the Dragon King, who sent his third son to fight Nezha. The Dragon Prince was killed leading to more turmoil in the netherworlds . Nezha is depicted holding his universal ring, battling the Dragon Prince, who rides a mystical beast with a halberd. 

Blockbuster “Crazy Rich Asians” based on Kevin Kwan’s bestseller of the same name  (photo credit; Warner Bros Studio)

Further readings

https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/my-crazy-rich-asians-author-kevin-kwan