Which Descendant Of Feng Zhang Yuan

First Came to Malaya.

 

The 19th (40th in Guangdong province) ancestor, Zhang Yuan (Jin Yu Gong) gave up farming and became a merchant at the end of the Qing Dynasty.  He established a shop selling warm hats in Guangzhou.  It was not just an ordinary shop, otherwise, he could not be able to raise four sons, namely Chao Qi, Hong Qi, Ren Qi and Lian Qi.  When I was seven or eight years old, the four grand old men were seventy to eighty years old.  They lived in Hua Le Li, Shan village, He Shan district.  They were not rich, but well to do.  Among the four of them second granduncle, Hong Qi, was the richest and my great grandpa, Zhang Yuan, died in his house.

 

Fifth granduncle Ren Qi was a graduate of the first-degree scholar and was a country gentry of the seventeen villages in He Shan District.  Sixth granduncle, Lian Qi established a shop, Feng Li Xing, in Hong Kong, dealing in tea and tobacco.  He exported them to Singapore and Malaya. He also built a village in Fun Ling, Hong Kong to House his clan.

Then, which one of them first left home for Malaya?  It is understood that second granduncle married the daughter of the owner of Shop Luo Qi Sheng, of Liang Ki village.  Luo Qi Sheng was a very famous shop in Hong Kong, with businesses in Singapore and Malaya.  When my grandpa and second granduncle were young, they might have come to Malaya to seek their fortune through the influences of the Luo Qi Sheng family. Second granduncle had not established any business in Malaya. My grandpa first came to Penang and became an apprentice in a shop called Zhu Guang Lan.  His seniors and boss appreciated his work and later he was promoted to be the manager of the shop.

Some years later, he and his son, my father, left Penang for Perak.  They, together with some friends, established a shop, Xiang De, in Ipoh.  He was the manager of the shop.  My father moved to Kampar and started tin mining in a small scale.  He, together with Yu Dong Xuan, Lin Xiao Chu and Huang Cai founded the East - West Club in Kampar.  It became a very famous club for the rich and the famous Chinese in town.

 

It is said that second granduncle had a handsome amount of shares in Shop Xiang De.  He left it to his son, Chye Su, Second granduncle played an important role in bringing the brothers and nephews from home to Malaya.  My third brother, Jia Yu, always praised him.  I wonder whether second granduncle had ever come to Malaya. It was a fact that my grandpa came to Malaya and established his businesses and left them to his descendants.

Zhang Yuan was very particular about the glory of the family.  He observed his sons and grandsons carefully.  He selected fifth granduncle, Ren Qi and second uncle, Chang Chi, as children with talent and kept them at home for higher education.  Indeed, both of them became graduates of the first degree in the old system.  Unfortunately, the old examination system was discontinued in 1898, and their dreams to excel in the examinations were dashed.  They did not know what to do.  So, they also left home for Malaya to seek their fortune.  Fifth granduncle was allergic to the tropical weather in Malaya and soon left for home.  He became the country gentry and stayed in Shan Village for the rest of his life.

Second uncle and cousin, Ming Hon, assisted his brother, Chang Pei, to develop their businesses in Ipoh.  They were very successful and were able to bring up other younger brothers and nephews.

Over the last hundred years or so, the Fengs in Malaya did quite well.

 

By Feng Jia Xian, BSc (CE)

22nd (43rd) generation,

Jan 1993, Penang, Age 82.

 

Translated by Feng Rui Qiau (Foong Swee Khow)

22nd (43rd) generation.