The Sze Ya Temple
Moving along, we come to a temple,…wedged in between tall, modern buildings. One would have dismissed it, if wandering around town but there is a major significance to one very important man. The man that built Kuala Lumpur….Yap Ah Loy, again.
A patron deity of pioneers, Sin Sze Ya or SenTa as he was known,was a mandarin who lived in Canton. SenTa was deified after his death and his disciples successfully spread his popularity throughout Southern China. Many of the Chinese immigrants were from south China. One fateful day, a coolie who was believed to be possessed by Sen Ta arrived in KL. He proposed to the locals that if a temple was built in praise of Sen Ta, these believers would receive riches and good fortune. The temple, one of the oldest taoist temples around, was later relocated to its current site and built according to the ‘fung sui’ laws - there being many strangely angled walls, arches and stairways in the building.
Sen Ta, was a mythical figure similar to Robin Hood in English folk history. But in Malaya, this figure was transfigured to the China Kapitan of a town in Melaka. Chinese immigrants have a knack for adapting everything to their current needs. Religion and beliefs were of no exceptions. During the Selangor Civil War, Yap Ah Loy was sent to assist the Kapitan of Sungei Ujong, Melaka. When the Kapitan’s head was chopped off during the battle, it was believed that his blood flowed white. The rumours were so believable that he was raised to a level of deity. It is said that one night the Kapitan appeared in Yap Ah Loy’s dream and said that he would help him win the war. When the war was won, Yap Ah Loy built the temple in honour of the deity.
The temple consists of a main hall and two side halls. In the main hall sits the Sen Ta and Si Sze Ya statues. The side hall on the right houses Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and the left hall houses Choi San(God of Wealth) and Thai Swe (Guardian of the Year). All around the temple you find effigies of Lord Buddha. But you may have noticed a black & white portrait photograph on a little altar just left of the main altar. Yap Ah Loy built this temple and its city and at his death in 1885, his followers found him worth being deified. Here sitting proud, is one person who did much with his life, although I would not contest that the way he got where he did, was in any way righteous or fair, but perhaps in a world so topsy turvy, so full of uncertainties, when one would fight hand and claw just to live another day, it’s just one of things that had to be done.
Central Market
samples of grain used to be displayed in cigarrette tins like this |
Next, we will be dropping off at Central Market next where you can do some shopping. Central Market was built in 1936 when the site chosen by Swettenham 40years prior was opted for the new and current location. I remember the days when one could hardly see the frontage of the market. The endless sea of stalls spilling out of the building into the square with each stall’s large umbrellas overlapping the next stall’s, creating a well-covered walkway through the labyrinth of alleyways only experienced local shoppers can find their way through. Central Market was then like all wet markets….which if you have the time you may experience one at Chinatown itself. It was dirty, wet, and soggy especially after rains. There were all sorts of lively going ons, vibrant colours, noises, voices, languages, smells, fragrants..it was, well, where one could get almost any produce desired. It was the town’s largest wholesale and retail market. The shophouses flanking the market were mainly provision shops selling a variety of dried, preserved and vinaigrette stuff such as century eggs, Chinese sausages, sharks fins, sea cucumber, abalone, large ceramic pots containing preserved, salted vegetables stacked neatly in a corner. Sadly even these shops that have been in families for generations are no more…only to be replaced by trendy franchise outlets.
grains sold in shops similar to this in the market years ago |
For years, the Art Deco building of Central Market was , the largest single room in KL. The windows and skylight are made of “Calorex” glass, which admits 60% of the sunlight but transmits only 20% of the heat . It won a coveted award, the Best Decorated Building Award in 1953. During the 1980’s economic boom, there were plans to demolish the building and its surrounding shophouses. Much publicity and public participation saved the buildings from the demolition team and has now been restored as a central market once again…its resurrection?…. a cultural centre.
The Old Victoria Institution
During the 1880’s, a few influential businessmen of that time felt that there was a need to establish a good English school in town. With the help of the British Resident and donations from the Sultan of Selangor, the school was built in 1893. There were others who donated but they found enough to top up the funds from the balance of Queen Victoria’s Silver Jubilee Fund. Hence the brand new school was called, Victoria Institution.
The building’s design was based on an English cottage in half-timber and half brick with gothic features. AC Norman, the architect who designed the SAS building and many buildings surrounding the Padang Merdeka , was perhaps overcome by melancholy. A yearning for his homeland may have inspired him to design this unique piece of architecture so unlike his other buildings. This is the only remaining structure of the original school which was later relocated due to the frequency of floods occuring in the area. Most of the other school structures were removed when the Klang River was straightened to counter the flood problem.
It was written that the masters used to amuse themselves, by shooting at crocodiles in the river nearby. Must have been a harrowing experience visiting the school lavatories that were conveniently built over the river especially knowing that the crocodiles were waiting eagerly down below for a wrong footing or a faulty plank to fall through..
downtown KL in early 1900's. courtesy of Arkib Negara |
The headmaster’s bungalow, built round the river bend was the stage of a heinous crime in 1911. The wife of the acting headmaster at the time, Ethel Proudlock, fired 6 shots into William Steward and killed him on the night, 23rd of April 1911. At her trial, she maintained that Steward, a European planter, turned up at her house uninvited and had attempted to rape her. In defence, she said that ’her hand came in contact with a revolver and fired shots at Steward. But after 2 shots, Steward stumbled out of the house but Mrs Proudlock followed and fired another 4 shots into Steward as he lay on the floor. Trial by jury was not required in the Malayan courts then as it was believed that juries, especially Asians were claimed to be unreliable. Mrs Proudlock was convicted of her crime by a judge and two assessors who wasn’t convinced by her story. Witnesses saw that the day before the murder, Steward had met Mrs Proudlock at the Selangor Club. However, there was no evidence of their relationship.
A true scandal in such a tight community created such furore. The Sultan of Selangor gave Mrs Proudlock a pardon instead and she was quickly taken out of the country. Years later, when the celebrated author, Somerset Maugham visited Malaya, where he stayed with one of the lawyers who defended Mrs. Proudlock. Maugham collected much material he needed to complete his book on Malayan short stories. The storyline was later a base for a Hollywood movie called ‘The Letter’ starring Bette Davies.
Years later, this building was left in disrepair and remained so until a disastrous fire in 1999 destroyed the entire timber structure that used to cap the building. What you see now looks like cinders left over after the bonfire. The base is still salvageable though thus all is not lost. There has been talk of restoring the structure for a theatrical venue but so far no one has really taken on the idea. Perhaps the many influential old VI boys may want to take up the task as the founders of the school did over 100 years ago… it’s all a matter of funds and a matter of honour.
Old Post Office
In the early years, postal service took months to arrive. But that didn’t quite change things as news in any form and age was something to talk about in the days when life was
really quite a bit less complex. Things changed slightly for the better in 1886 when the telegraph line was extended into KL from Klang- the town and port for Selangor. People would wait in anticipation for the mail steamer to arrive at Klang whence a telegraph would be sent to the post office here and the postmaster would hoist a red flag to inform people of mail arriving shortly. At the port in Klang, the mailbag would be sent to the railway station and the only locomotive then named ‘Lady Clarke’ after the British Governor’s wife, chugged along at 30miles an hour to deliver mail to the news hungry community. The postal system was the only communication line connecting old Kuala Lumpur with the rest of the world. Travelling prior to the great railway connections was treacherous and painstakingly slow.
Old China Café
 |
Let’s rest our feet for a moment and indulge in some food unique to Malaysia. Old China Café serves Nyonya food, a cuisine perfected by the Straits Chinese. Straits Chinese are descendants of early Chinese-Malay intermarriages. A wonderful blend of cultures, extending to the language, the food and lifestyle of the people. Many of us with Straits Chinese heritage fondly recall our time with grandparents. Ladies preparing evening tea with kuih (tea cakes) meticulously laid out, the essence and flavouring extracted from pandanus, coconut gratings, colouring from different wild flowers.The kneading, steaming, the wonderful scent of baking - all prepared by granny…an afternoon’s work of perfection. Possibly a bias picture, perhaps of the meticulous Nyonya woman - a lady with pride for perfection. Many people I meet with relatives of Nyonya origin would tell me that no matter how many times they try a recipe handed down to them, they can never quite get the taste or the texture or the formulae right. Perhaps it’s just that the Nyonya have just a little of that secret touch of nurturing.
nyonya and baba |
Just a little on the history of the premises. As you can see at the entrance, the Selangor and Federal Territory Laundry Association owns the building. The association’s members still meet here every two months but have leased their premise out to the Old China Café establishment. Much of the original furniture and fittings have been retained such as the pulley lights, the marble tops, the old mirrors. The walls are decorated with photos and portraits of the association’s members. This premise would give you an idea of how the interior of pre-war shophouses were laid out. Snoop around after lunch, it’s okay. Upstairs houses a selection of antique furniture for sale.
Police Sikh Temple
During the British days, the Police force was made up of Sikh and Malay contingents. Many Sikhs came to Malaysia to join the colonialists’ police regiments. Devout Sikhs as they were, they built a temple and brought along a Sikh priest to guide them in their spiritual takings. The temple’s
location is just a stone’s throw away from the where the old and first police station in KL used to be until it was pulled down after a fire razed it .
The Sikh Temple or Gurdwara can be held in any building and no form of religious decoration is required. Before entering, you can see a triangular flag on the flagpole with a calligraphic symbol infusing two Punjabi letters. The meaning? ‘God is the eternal reality’. The name of the religion ‘Sikh’ means ‘Learner’. On the gate and at the apex of the roof is the Sikh symbol. The Khanda is the central double-edged sword. The sword itself is the power of God over life and death. The right edge of the sword symbolises freedom and authority governed by moral and spiritual values; the left edge symbolises divine justice which chastises and punishes the wicked oppressors. The dagger on the left is the sword of spiritual sovereignty called Piri and the dagger flanking the right is the sword of political sovereignty called Miri.
The balance is achieved in the inner circle or the Chakra. This is a symbol of all-embracing divine manifestation including everything and wanting nothing, without beginning or end, neither first nor last, timeless and absolute. It is a symbol of unity.
Facing the entrance to the temple is an altar where the holy scripture of the Sikhs called the Guru Granth Sahib is placed. This Holy Guru contains scriptures related through Guru Nanak, the founder of sikhism and also contain a compilation of prayers and teachings of other Gurus and saints. It teaches about God and Creation and how people can attain enlightenment and salvation. When not in use, the book is covered with a silk cloth.
Please remove your shoes before entering the place of worship.
We will now take a walk to work off your lunch and to take you through the daily life of Chinatown.
A little further down the road there are a row of shops selling all kinds of paper ware - what looks like a form of origami. These shops are in fact funeral shops. They sell Chinese ritual offerings such as candles, jossticks, paper offerings resembling bank notes or rather hell notes as they are called, paper models in forms of cars, videos, nike shoes, clothing for the deceased, even mobile phones, credit cards and servants. For the richer echelon of the Chinese community, paper houses 2 to 3 storeys high are sometimes 'built' and burned together with the other offerings. Taoists believe that heaven is a mirror of earth and the paper offerings and burning of jossticks - which by the way represents food for the dead, are to ensure a smooth transition for the souls of their beloved into the next life.
Old Petaling Street. Courtesy of Arkib Negara |
Just across the traffic lights is the core of Chinatown. Called Petaling street for the simple reason that the track from here led to the mines in the Petaling area some 17km away. One of the few streets that has retained its original name, Petaling Street itself is colourful and enduring. Not far down the street towards central market stood a godown in the 1880’s where immigrants who did not have friends to pick them up at the railway station, were housed until released under a written contract. This contract gave him certain rights but required him to repay debts incurred in the course of his passage from motherland to KL by working for his employer for a certain period. This place was the Official Immigration Depot.
In 1873, having regained control of KL from his enemies, Kapitan Yap was faced with a daunting task of rebuilding the town. During the Selangor Civil War, the tin mines were abandoned and when the miners returned after the war, they found that the mines were flooded, delaying their work to pay off the huge debts that amounted from the war. However, Yap Ah Loy was not about to throw in the towel. He arm twisted the miners and coolies to remain in KL and persuaded the Malays in surrounding districts to grow rice and other garden produce to reduce dependency on the escalating cost of imported goods. He opened a Tapioca Mill in Petaling Street where the tubers from his farms were brought here to be ground into flour. Petaling Street is still fondly called ‘Shue Cheong Kai’ in Chinese which means Tapioca Mill Street.
The Canton lady. Men outnumbered women in the early years. Many Chinese men who stayed on in Malaya had matchmakers back in China send them brides, often from their hometowns. Courtesy of Arkib Negara |
The streets in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s would be crowded with men, aged between 30 and 50. Atypical of frontier towns, the ratio of men outweighed that of women. Brief encounters with women were in brothels. In 1890 there were at least 39 registered brothels with 500 women plying their trade. Sadly though, like the sex trade we often read about now in the East European countries - women then also conducted their trade, most times in dark, dank, tiny cramped cubicles with little ventilation
Men who came down for visits from the mines or were temporary holding until job was found - headed for crowded lodges where they slept on wooden beds stacked one on top of the other, or in straw cots in the middle of the room and in passageways. Sometimes they even slept in shifts where the space was rented out to others during his working hours. Others working for shopowners, were usually allowed to sleep in the store amongst the musty gunny sacks.
Many of the brothels and lodging houses were located here. The smells, the filth, the noises, the heat, the harried ways of the vendors - intoxicating all the senses, infusing visitors with its past, embracing them with its present and interlocking them with its future. All these would have changed little.
After all, this is Chinatown. No where in the world would you expect an orderly Chinatown…. for there is not such a thing.
Contraband items were sold openly. This picture was taken just after the 2nd world war. Courtesy of Arkib Negara |
All around, you see traders selling their wares.
In narrow alleyways, barbers set up their barber chair, a tiny face mirror, awaiting customers looking for a cheap haircut and a clean shave and sometimes they even swab and bud your ears if so requested; food stalls or more like a mini kitchen on wheels open to serve us locals who have a habit of eating at any time of the day; shops selling all kinds of liquor where old men sit around reminiscing about the good old days - these liquor shops sell cheap, rough whiskey in packs…and if anyone is into downing firewater, this is the place to hang out.
A little entrance by the side of Hotel Malaya, just opposite Coffee Bean, is the Petaling Street Wet Market. This market has been serving the local community since 1914 and some shops have been in the same family for generations. Wet markets start early about 5 in the morning. The stalls closes about 3pm so if you would like to come visit Chinatown again on your own, the market would be an interesting trip. Apart from the wet market, a part of the street is closed off to traffic for the night market. It is interesting to watch the vendors roll out their stalls in the evening. The stalls are actually parked in all nooks and crannies within the shophouses, in the entrance to staircases. As you can see, there are all sorts of fake items for sale from watches to music and movie cds. Second hand shoes are a favourite with immigrant workers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India and Philippines. In fact, it’s a running joke with friends that we may one day find a few of our stolen shoes for sale in one of these stalls. It’s quite a common occurrence.
We’ve come to the end of our tour of chinatown and this is the time where some of you may want to walk around on your own, do a little shopping or snatch a beer and some seafood, watch chinatown transform into a night market.
Thank you for joining us on our chinatown walkabout. And have a good evening.
Back to mainpage Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown ...
Historical site activities 
