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Wednesday August 16, 2006 |
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A peek into Hakka heritage |
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By CHOONG KWEE KIM |
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ENTERING the Chinese gateway of the RM800,000 Malaysian Hakka Centre in Burmah Road, Penang, one will be awestruck by its modest size but compact historical information tastefully presented in the highrise centre. |
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At the reception area are life-sized cut-out figures of Dr Sun Yat-Sen and Kapitan China Yap Ah Loy to usher visitors into a historical tour of the Hakka legacy and contributions in China, Malaysia and the region. |
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Dr Sun – the Father of Modern China – and Yap Ah Loy, who developed Kuala Lumpur, were but among many past and present Hakka leaders, including tycoons Cheong Fatt Tze and Chung Keng Kwee, Penang’s first Chief Minister Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee and Singa-pore’s Lee Kuan Yew who had played a significant role in this region. |
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An exploration of the over 278 sq m centre on the third floor of the Penang Khek Association will reveal that the community, known to be always on the move, also sowed seeds of development wherever they went. |
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During a tour of the centre recently, association president Datuk Cheah See Kian pointed out a map that charted the southward migration of the Hakka community from central China that started since AD 317. |
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The last Qing Dynasty was weakened by the 1851-1868 Taiping Rebellion, led by four Hakka leaders helmed by Hong Xiuquan, which inspired Dr Sun and led to the successful overthrow of the Manchu rulers in the 1911 Chinese Revolu-tion. |
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MINING EQUIPMENT:See Kian showing a tin panning dish
on display at the Malaysian Hakka Centre. |
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While the revolution was ongoing in China with Hakka people playing a significant role in the 19th and early 20th century, there were also Hakka officials in Malaya appointed as representatives of the Qing Dynasty’s Manchu government. |
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These Chinese consuls in Penang included Cheong Fatt Tze, Chang Yu Nan, Cheah Choon Seng, Neoh Phaik Lu and Tye Kee Yoon, whose son Tye Siok Guan was later appointed by Dr Sun under the Republic of China Government as Chinese consul based in Penang (1912-1930). |
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Siok Guan later established the Penang Khek Association and was its first president in 1939, in response to its Hakka sponsor Aw Boon Haw – the newspaper and Tiger Balm King who founded Sin Chew Jit Poh (1929) and Sin Pin Jih Pao (1939). |
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A section of the Hakka centre that features a miniature model of a tin dredge, mining tools and pictorial exhibition tells of the dominance and success of Hakka miners in the early tin mining industry. |
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In the pre-British colonial Penang before 1786, See Kian said Hakka immigrants were among the early settlers who later built the first Tua Pek Kong Temple in Tanjung Tokong in 1799 to honour three community leaders – Zhang Li, Qiu Zhao Jin and Ma Fu Chun. |
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“More Tua Pek Kong temples were later built but to this day, the pioneer temple in Tanjung Tokong is still managed by Hakka people,” said See Kian. |
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See Kian said the first Chinese association registered in Malaya was Persatuan Karyin for the Hakka community in Penang in 1801 as stated in a British-issued document reproduced for display at the centre. |
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The community's emphasis on education was evident by the establishment of Chung Hwa School (by Cheong Fatt Tze) in Penang in 1904, the oldest formal Chinese school in the country. Hu Yew Seah (1914) and Shih Chung (1908) schools were also set up by the Hakka community. |
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A display of rubber tapping tools accompany the pictorial story with text in Chinese and English, the kind of industry and commerce that the Hakka community made their footing and helped to found and develop towns such as Taiping and Kuala Lumpur. |
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A large landscape picture of Kek Lok Si temple – sponsored by Cheong Fatt Tze, Chang Yu Nan, Cheah Choon Seng, Tye Kee Yoon and Chung Keng Kwee - at night with backlight shining through gaps in the photo illuminates the Hakka involvement in the project. |
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The tour of the Hakka centre led to a circular exhibition room replicating the traditional and unique Hakka abode called tulou (earth building) still in existence in China. |
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Pictures on the walls depict scenes of pastoral life of the community living in apartments designed to form either a square or circle. |
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The centre also houses a multipurpose display area for thematic exhibitions, art gallery to display Hakka calligraphy and paintings, reading corner and information & research centre. |
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The museum will be launched on Aug 26 by Deputy Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Wong Kam Hoong in conjunction with the Third Hakka Cultural Festival. |
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The centre, on the third floor of the Penang Khek Association in Burmah Road, will be open to the public during office hours after Aug 26. |
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Admission is free until further notice. |
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Saturday August 19, 2006 |
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Going back in time |
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Story and pictures by LIZ PRICE |
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Malaysia’s oldest inhabitant, Perak Man, is back in Kuala Lumpur. A special exhibition is being dedicated to him at the National Museum as part of the Festival Kuala Lumpur 2006. |
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Perak Man is an 11,000-year-old human skeleton which was found in Gua Gunung Runtuh in Lenggong, Perak in May 1990. It is the only complete late Paleolithic skeleton to have been found and is an important piece of Malaysia’s prehistory. |
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The month-long exhibition is designed to be informative in an entertaining way and it certainly works. As you enter the building, which is constructed to represent the mouth of Gua Gunung Runtuh, you are greeted by an animated talking skeleton. |
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| The Perak Man exhibition is on again in Kuala Lumpur at the National Museum, until Aug 31. |
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Walking through a dark passage, you go past a series of exhibits and tableaux depicting scenes from 10,000 years ago. The first one shows Perak Man on his death bed, surrounded by friends or relatives. Research shows he died from a severe tooth infection. I saw the skeletons move, some of which had flashing red eyes. It’s great for the kids. |
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Perak Man suffered from a rare congenital deformity but living amongst a close-knit community meant he had people to care for him when he could no longer hunt or look after himself. He was only in his 40s when he died, which was probably a good age for that era. |
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Perak Man has been dated at 10,000 to11,000 years old. However, evidence of human activity in the Lenggong Valley dates back more than 100,000 years. This area could well have been the capital of Malaysia in those days. |
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The next scene shows the burial rites. It is suggested that Perak Man was an important member of his tribe as his burial was performed ceremonially. He was buried in a fetal position, with legs folded up to the chest, the right hand bent up towards the shoulder and the left hand on the abdomen. The body was placed in a one metre-deep grave perpendicular to the cave entrance. |
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For the researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia, led by Prof Datuk Zuraina Majid, it was a dream come true that the Paleolithic burial was done so meticulously and was well-preserved. The skeleton was almost complete, except for some missing bones. |
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Offerings of food such as meat and riverine shells were found with the body, as well as 10 different types of tools. The tools could have been Perak Man’s own collection. As a final touch, 2,878 shells were placed on and around the body. |
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There is a slide show in Bahasa Malaysia giving a brief outline of the discovery and showing the types of food eaten in those days. |
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Perak Man and his relatives were hunter gatherers. They hunted wild animals like wild boar, deer, mousedeer, leopard, monkeys, iguanas and tortoise. |
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To supplement their meat diet, they gathered plants and riverine shells for food and medicine. |
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A re-enactment of Perak Man’s burial. |
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They used stone tools for their daily activities. Pebble tools were used for heavy duty work such as chopping trees, splitting bones and snipping the tips off shells. Flake tools were used to cut and scrape meat, and to sharpen wood and bone to make new tools. There is a display of stone tools and models of how they were used. |
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Further along is a selection of push button displays, but unfortunately, the buttons were not working. |
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The next section is devoted to research. There was analysis on the faunal remains, which gives some information on the animals eaten, the hunting skills, as well as the climate and environment. |
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Perak Man was exhibited in Japan from Sept 7 to Nov 24, 1996. A display case houses a replica of Perak Man’s skeleton, the original is housed at the Lenggong Museum. |
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This exhibition is great for anyone interested in Malaysia’s prehistory and is guaranteed to grab the attention of kids with the animated skeletons and detailed tableaux. The exhibition ends on Aug 31. |
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* The exhibition is housed in the National Museum annexe. Opening hours are from 9am-6pm daily. Admission is free, but there is a parking fee of RM2. |
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Tuesday January 17, 2006 |
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Expo on Ipoh’s transport history opens |
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IPOH: A World War II collapsible motorcycle and photographs of Ipoh’s earliest days are among the exhibits on show at Muzium Darul Ridzuan here. |
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Hundreds of people have already visited the exhibition even before Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali launched The Story of Ipoh: From Feet to Flight yesterday. |
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| The exhibition, organised by the museum and Ipoh World Sdn Bhd, showcases over 100 years of Ipoh’s transportation history, from elephants to bullock carts and trishaws. |
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| The exhibition was made more lively with multimedia presentations and recreations of artworks from famous cartoonist Lat’s book Town Boy. |
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| Also on show are a restored trishaw, a weathered sampan, a children’s tricycle, a 1970s driving licence and a collection of old hub caps. |
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| Exhibition organiser Ian Anderson, a retired naval commander who has settled here, said many of the exhibits came from the private collections of individuals. |
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| “My aim here is to help preserve the history of Perak so that we can keep our heritage alive for our children and grandchildren,” he said. |
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| “Heritage is not just saving old buildings. It is our Rumah Kutai, our mangrove swamps, our Perak Man. There is a wealth of heritage here, which most people are unaware of.” |
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| Speaking to reporters after launching the exhibition, Tajol Rosli urged the people to help preserve their local heritage by contributing any artefacts they have to the museum or the National Archives for study. Muzium Darul Ridzuan, located in a two-storey bungalow, is mainly used to stage exhibitions. |
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| WW2 RELIC: Tajol Rosli sitting on Wellbike, a World War II-era collapsible motorcycle, in Ipoh Monday, as Ipoh World chairman Datuk Dr Abdullah Fadzil Che Wan (left) and Anderson look on. |
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The exhibition, which is being sponsored by Kinta Properties Group, opens from 9.30am to 5pm daily until Feb 12. Admission is free. |
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Thursday October 13, 2005 |
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A piece of paradise |
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By V.P. SUJATA |
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LENGGONG Valley is where Malaysia’s prehistory began. And it has been found to be the migratory route of early Homo sapiens who moved from Africa to Australia. |
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The valley’s Kota Tampan is also Malaysia’s earliest known site of human habitation with many discovery sites located within a small area. |
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As an ‘open-air museum’, the valley is home to legends, ske-letons, cave drawings and arte-facts such as stone tools, weapons, pottery and even jewellery. |
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The discoveries in the valley, especially the skeletal remains of the 11,000-year-old Perak Man in 1990, have placed Malay-sia on the world archaeological map. |
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The remains were found in Gua Gunung Runtuh, one of many caves in the Lenggong Valley, which is surrounded by the Titiwangsa Range to the east and Bintang Range in the west. |
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Other caves where artefacts and drawings were found are Gua Teluk Kelawar, Gua Kajang, Gua Dayak, Gua Harimau, Gua Ngaum, Gua Batu Tukang, and Gua Singa. |
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The stunning scenery surrounding Tasik Raban Tourism Complex in
Lenggong is captured here in all its natural glory and splendour. |
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Samples of these ‘treasures’ have been preserved and open for viewing at the Lenggong Archaeological Museum on a 3.2ha palaeolithic site in historical Kota Tampan. |
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The RM2.7mil museum was opened to the public in 2002. |
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Its curator Hamid Mohd Isa, who was involved in the Lenggong excavations including the discovery of the Perak Man, said about 11,000 people, mostly students, visited the museum in August and 141,000 throughout last year. |
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“Lenggong Valley is a treasure trove of prehistory artefacts and is now called the Capital City of Prehistoric Heritage (Lenggong Warisan Ibukota Prasejarah),” he said. |
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The Perak Man is being preserved in a small room with controlled temperature and is not accessible to the public except with permission from the museum authorities. |
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However, a replica of the skeleton can be viewed at the Gua Gunung Runtuh gallery in the museum. Also here, is a mock identification Mykad containing some details of the Perak Man. |
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With such treasures, it is no wonder that this part of Perak is paradise for local archaeologists and nature lovers. |
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Anglers like to head for Tasik Raban that teems with fresh- water fishes such as jelawat, baung, tegalan, patin, toman, kelah, haruan, lampam jawa, sebarau, seluang, tilapia and kaloi. Some from Ipoh even drive to Tasik Raban on weekends just to fish. |
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The lake, with the Kuala Kangsar-Lenggong trunk road running below the sprawling Titiwangsa Range spanning it, is a breathtaking sight to behold. |
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Several scenes of the movie Anna and The King were shot in these beautiful waters. |
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Tasik Raban is actually part of the bigger Tasik Chenderoh, one of four lakes in the Hulu Perak district, and is dotted with fish cages and platforms. The Tasik Raban Tourism Complex has restaurants offering specially grilled fresh-water fish, and a rest and re-creation area. |
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Halim Bakar, who has 88 fish cages in the lake, grills the fish with a special paste blended with his own secret ingredients. Customers are allowed to choose the fish. |
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The grilled fish is served with rice and other dishes under coco-nut trees beside the lake. |
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Shops at the complex have locally processed food. Snacks such as the popular ikan pekasam (fermented fish) have earned a name for Perak. About 10 families staying in nearby Kampung Kuak specialise in fermenting the fish. |
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Besides mountains, caves and lakes in the Lenggong Valley, the other attraction is the many waterfalls originating from the main range. |
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Places like Lata Kekabu, Lata Air Ibol, Lata Papan, Lata Pusing and Lata Air Bahagi are good picnic spots. |
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Thursday September 22, 2005 |
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Royal town steeped in history and tradition |
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By CHAN LI LEEN |
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Photos by ZABIDI TUSIN |
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NESTLED on the crook of the Perak River, Kuala Kangsar – the home of generations of Sultans and their families – is much more than a serene little town. |
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There are endless stories about this royal town that has its roots firmly anchored in age-old tradition and history, each unique and special. |
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To start with, there is the Perak Royal Museum on Bukit Chandan. |
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Built in 1926 by master craftsmen from Prai in Penang, the museum offers an insight into the rulers of Perak through its showcase of royal and traditional regalia and photographs of the royal family. |
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| The Perak Royal Museum is a true reflection of traditional Malay architecture. |
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The museum is open to the public and admission is free. However, renovation is in progress and it is expected to be completed next year. |
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A true representation of traditional Malay architecture, this unusual building, which is shaped like a sword in its scabbard, was not always a museum but a palace. |
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Istana Kenangan, as it was originally known, was completed in 1931 and served as the temporary residence of Sultan Iskandar Shah, the 30th Perak Sultan who ruled between 1918 and 1938, while the original royal palace nearby was being torn down for the construction of a new palace called Istana Iskandariah. |
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What is most intriguing about Istana Kenangan, also known as Istana Lembah or Istana Tepas, is that it was built without a blueprint or a single nail. |
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The entire building is painted in the three official colours of the Perak flag representing the three branches of the royal family - white, yellow and black. |
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According to resident Hassan Abdul Manaf, the palace walls are made of woven sliced bertam or bamboo with diamond-shaped motifs. |
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“The entire palace is built from the most solid and expensive wood while the roof is made of kayu berlian which is waterproof.” |
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“Another unique thing about this palace is that the doors at the top of its stairs are set horizontally on the same level as its floor rather than vertically.” |
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| The sole survivor among the first nine rubber trees that were planted in Malaysia. |
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A short distance from this former palace is Istana Iskandariah, which remains the official palace till today. |
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Painted a pristine cream and white with regal golden domes, the palace sprawls across a large gated compound, its beautifully landscaped grounds shaded by the canopy of huge rain trees. |
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In 1984, a banquet hall and another ceremonial function hall were added to the imposing palace of typical Moorish design. |
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Although the palace is not accessible to the public, a replica of its ceremonial function hall, better known as the Balai Rong Seri, can be viewed at the Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery. |
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The gallery, which was officially opened by Sultan Azlan Shah on the 48th anniversary of his marriage to Raja Permaisuri Tuanku Bainun on Dec 9, 2003, houses collections in 13 categories. |
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They include personal items like the Sultan's birth certificate, old identity cards, driving licences, marriage certificate, Royal Ipoh Club membership card, certificates acknowledging his Hole-In-One feats and court notes of his first case presiding as a magistrate in 1958. |
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Items belonging to the royal couple as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Permaisuri Agong, and as ruling couple of the state include the royal aigrette which was designed by the Sultan's great-grandfather, Sultan Idris Murshidul'Adzam Shah I, in 1911, honorary awards and medals, official attire, kris and swords, and a fleet of Rolls-Royce. |
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There are also many rare and astounding items which were given to the couple as gifts by heads of state around the world. A giant fungus measuring 1.37m in diameter and 0.58m high is the biggest piece of fungus to have been found in Malaysia. There are also stone tools from 74,000 years ago that were discovered with the Perak Man in Gua Harimau, Lenggong. |
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Other exhibits include an oyster shell with partly formed pearls, a model of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jordan made of mother-of-pearl and a model of the world's first ancient bronze seismograph invented by famous Chinese scholar Zheng Heng in AD132. |
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Hence, it is easy to lose track of time when walking though the chambers of the gallery and a couple of hours is simply insufficient to fully appreciate the life history of the Sultan. |
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Gallery manager Nor Janati Ibrahim said the gallery was the brainchild of the Sultan himself. |
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K Craftsman Zamri Pandak Ahmad, 56, explaining the art of making 'labu sayong' at
Kampung Kepala Bendang in Kuala Kangsar. On the floor are his that are being air-
dried before they are baked. |
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“The collections at the gallery offer an insight into every facet of the Sultan's life and allows his subjects to know him better,” she said. |
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The gallery, formerly known as Istana Hulu and also Istana Kota, was built in 1903 during the reign of Sultan Idris I and served as the royal residence until 1954. |
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“Conservation work was carried out between 2002 and 2003,” Nor Janati said, adding that the palace's original façade, roof tiles and arches, as well as a royal bathroom, were preserved. |
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Adjacent to the gallery is the Ubudiah mosque, one of the most famous and photographed mosques in Malaysia. |
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Also built by Sultan Idris I, this 88-year-old mosque with its golden domes and minarets is a towering symbol of the Muslim faith. |
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In the middle of Kuala Kangsar town stands a magnificent Greco-Roman-styled building, which is known as the “Eton of the East” and hailed as the 'King of schools and school of Kings'. |
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It was here at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar that the country's rulers - the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman of Negri Sembilan, his son Tuanku Ja'afar (10th King), Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (seventh King), Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak (ninth King) and Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah of Selangor (11th King) - were educated. |
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Other prominent figures like the first president of Umno, Datuk Onn Jaafar, and former Prime Ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak were also old boys. |
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Set up on Jan 2, 1905, the school was originally named the Malay Residential School and later renamed Malay College Kuala Kangsar. |
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The idea of establishing an exclusive college to educate and groom the sons of the Malay elite was mooted by none other than Sultan Idris I. |
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The first rubber tree that was planted in the country – forerunner of Malaysia's famous rubber industry – stands in this town. |
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Of the first nine rubber trees planted with seeds from the Kew Gardens in London brought by the first Perak Resident, Sir Hugh Low, in 1877, only one still stands next to the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council building. |
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The tour of this royal town does not end here, with many other old buildings worth visiting, like the Pavillion Square Tower, Clifford School and the Victoria Bridge. Food stalls at Dataran Sungai Perak offer famous local delicacies like gulai tempoyak ikan patin, laksa kuala and grilled fish. |
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For a glimpse of the local heritage, spare some time for Abdul Mazin Abdul Jamil, safely one of the last craftsmen who still makes the kris the traditional way in Kuala Kangsar. |
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His Pandai Besi workshop is at Kampung Padang Changkat on Bukit Chandan. |
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Sayong, about 10km away across the Iskandar Bridge from Kuala Kangsar, is home to the labu sayong or earthen water pitcher. |
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Makers of the labu sayong, whether those who adopt the traditional way of moulding with hands or those who use casts, are aplenty at Kampung Kepala Bendang where this particular type of water pitcher originated. |
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Kuala Kangsar is about a 30-minute drive from Ipoh on the North-South Expressway. It is also accessible by the old trunk road, passing through Chemor and Sungai Siput, from Ipoh. |
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11 Aug, 2006 |
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Cross Country: Orang Asli cash in on ecotourism |
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GOPENG: Ecotourism has a new meaning for the Orang Asli of Kampung Ulu Geroh here — it is no longer about collecting and selling butterflies for 10 sen each. |
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The beautiful, rarely seen Rajah Brooke's birdwing perches on a leaf. - NST picture by Wong Tuck Keong |
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Years ago, villagers of Semai ethnicity used to sell butterflies to middlemen who framed the specimens to sell them at prices ranging from RM30 to as much as RM500 each. |
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Now, the villagers are more aware of the treasure they have in their midst. |
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Kampung Ulu Geroh has been the site of the Malaysian Nature Society’s Rafflesia Conservation and Ecotourism project since the year 2000. |
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The village is also a haven for the beautiful and rare Rajah Brooke’s birdwing butterfly, a protected species in its forest habitat. |
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The villagers understand the need for development and only hope that the forest where the Rafflesia bloom will be fully protected. |
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Not only will this bring more ecology-conscious tourists but the hills in the area have been providing clean water for the village. |
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"It has never been polluted. That means there is no logging and we want it to be like this forever," said village head Tok Batin Ngah Sidin Hamzah. |
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Besides ecotourism, the MNS project is also educational for the villagers who begin to gain a knowledge of their own environment. It also helps them polish their social skills with local and foreign tourists. |
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Ecotourism usually includes homestay package, but Ngah Sidin is a bit worried about visitors who may not wish to adapt to the communal living of the villagers, usually family members of different religious persuasions staying together. |
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However, he is happy with the prospect of tourism as more tourists are visiting the village. |
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Sixty-five-year-old Ngah Sidin hopes the Government will build a proper road and help them get land ownership. |
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Yesterday, State Agriculture, Agro-based industries and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan opened a visitors information centre in the village. |
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Radzi said he would propose that the 200ha area of Rafflesia flowers be protected from any development or logging activities. |
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The village has 30 trained guides and received about 500 visitors during the first half of this year. |
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26 Jun, 2006 |
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Chilling tales surround Kellie’s Castle in Perak |
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BATU GAJAH: It was almost dusk and Kamazan Yeop was on his usual patrol of the sprawling Kellie’s Castle, making sure no tourist was left behind after it closed its doors at 6pm. |
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From the front hallway and into the courtyard, Kamazan (Pak Naman to the kampung folk), walked around the castle with a shotgun slung over his right shoulder. |
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As he walked past an angsana tree with overhanging leafy branches behind the castle, he heard a rustling sound. He stopped in his tracks and looked back. What he saw made his blood curdle. A white apparition with long black hair had appeared beside the tree and was making its way towards him. He muttered some Quranic verses, raised his shotgun, aimed and shot at the thing. Nothing happened. The phantasm simply glided by and floated away. |
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Pak Naman’s encounter with the vampire, or "langsui" as he calls it, is just one of many chilling tales surrounding Kellie’s Castle, the haunted mansion of William Kellie Smith, a Scottish planter who built the castle as an expression of love for his wife, Agnes, in 1915. |
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Smith had come to Malaya in 1890 and made his fortune in rubber and tin mining. |
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His grandiose plan to have the one and only castle in the small town of Batu Gajah never materialised, because Smith died in 1926 of pneumonia before the castle was completed. |
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His wife sold the estate to the Harrisons and Crosfield plantations concern, and it became part of the Kinta Kellas Estate. |
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With the passing of time and the end of colonial rule, the castle faded into obscurity. |
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Speaking at his home recently, Pak Naman, now 74, said the incident happened about nine years ago while he was employed as a security guard at the castle. |
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Pak Naman said he saw a second apparition at a surau near the castle several days later. |
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This time it was just a figure in white. |
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"I couldn’t see its face and it glided by me. But strangely enough at that time I didn’t feel afraid," he said. |
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Tajuddin Yaacob, director of Aqfast Enterprise, which manages the castle and operates tours, said the castle had acquired a reputation for being haunted because it had not been completed and had been left in ruins for many years. |
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"Supernatural beings are often said to reside in such abandoned dwellings," Tajuddin said. |
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"I remember leading a group of tourists through the castle a few weeks ago, and suddenly one of them came up to me and said he felt someone pulling at his trousers." |
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Jun 26 2006 |
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Spectres the new tourist spectacle |
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KUALA LUMPUR: Spooks and spirits, haunted castles, legends of pontianak and jin. Who hasn’t experienced that chill down the spine over an evening of ghost stories? |
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The Tourism Ministry is looking to the other world to attract more visitors. It is planning to use Malaysia’s treasure trove of haunted buildings, ghostly tales and folk legends as a draw for Visit Malaysia Year next year. |
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Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Kamarudin Siaraf said paranormal tourism was "in" overseas but had yet to be explored here. |
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He cited Kellie’s Castle in Perak as an example. Promoted these days as Malaysia’s version of the Taj Mahal, it was a fairy-tale mansion built by an eccentric Scotsman as a symbol of his love for his wife, and never completed. |
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"We never tell people the place is haunted by the spirits of Kellie’s family for fear we may scare tourists away. |
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"However, we have realised that people really are interested in ghosts and enjoy such tours. So the onus is on the tour operators to come up with an enthralling package." |
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Kamarudin said there were many places with interesting stories to tell. The ministry was aware that some of these historic places, many built by the British and used by the Japanese during the occupation of Malaya during World War Two, may be haunted. |
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A ghostly tour could easily take in the whole country, and all its other places of interest. Istana Menanti in Negri Sembilan, built around 1905, is believed to be haunted by the spirits of palace aides. |
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Students of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar often see the headless "Green Lady" when they go to the toilet at night. So often, in fact, that former students have written about the apparition of a Japanese woman brutally murdered in the building during the Japanese occupation. |
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Pulau Besar in Malacca is said to be haunted by the spirits of traders and missionaries from the Middle East buried there in the 1800s. |
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Kuala Lumpur has many spooky places, but one that stands out is Pudu Prison, where many notorious criminals, including Botak Chin, were hanged. There are stories of the apparition of an Indian man walking the prison corridors and disappearing in front of a particular cell. |
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Kamarudin advised tour operators to research the country’s history and folklore. Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the "paranormal heritage" could be promoted the way the British promote their castles — livening up tours with tales of ghosts that inhabit them. |
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Monday July 24, 2006 |
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All hell breaks loose |
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By MAJORIE CHIEW |
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SOME faint-hearted Chinese shudder to think of the seventh lunar month, also called the Ghost Month. |
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This year, many of them may be going to bed early (with bedroom lights on) as there are not one but two ghost months. Good news to the denizens of the underworld who are getting a 60-day holiday. Bad news for us, mortals (especially the night birds)! |
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The Chinese seventh month is known as the ghost month because the Chinese believe that the Gates of Hell are opened then to release the spirits of the underworld to roam on earth. But who can be sure? No mortal knows this for a fact. |
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‘There are two seventh lunar months this year. The second lunar month is a leap month.’ |
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| However, opinions are divided on the celebration of the Hungry Ghost Festival. Some insist that it is observed for the first seventh month only while others say it is better to “celebrate” the second seventh month. Yet others do not mind observing the festival twice. |
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| “Although there are two seventh lunar months this year, it’s a norm for the Chinese to observe only the first seventh lunar month or the actual ghost month,” says Dr Yam Kah Kean, assistant professor of Department of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tuanku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in Petaling Jaya. |
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| The second seventh lunar month, a leap month, will be ignored, he said. |
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| In China, the Ghost Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. Historically, families offer newly harvested grain to departed ancestors on this day, which also coincides with the Buddhist Ullambana (Deliverance) Festival and the Ghost Festival. |
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| Since these traditions honours the spirits of the departed, the seventh lunar month is known as Ghost Month. During this time, the “good brethren” (ghosts) return to earth to feast on offerings made by the living. Over time, the Ullambana Festival and Ghost Festival have melded together. |
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Spirits without descendants to care for them are not forgotten. They are summoned during the Ghost Festival to enjoy the warmth of life among the living. |
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Generally, the Chinese observe the Hungry Ghost Festival from the folkloric rather than religious aspect, explains Dr Yam. This year, the first seventh lunar month is from July 25 to Aug 23 while the second falls from Aug 24 to Sept 21. |
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It has been 38 years since the last double seven months occurred in 1968. There were also two Ghost Months in 1938 and 1949, which is a lapse of 11 years and 19 years. |
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According to the Chinese Almanac (or Tong Shu), the seventh lunar month falls in autumn – a time of rains as well. |
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In the northern states, the Chinese pray to appease the King of Ghosts so that wandering ghosts do not disturb the living. They can pray on any day of the seventh lunar month but some dialectic groups (particularly the Hokkiens) observe the 15th day of the month for the ritual while the Cantonese carry out prayers on the 14th day. Foods are laid out for the wandering ghosts and paper monies are burnt as offerings. |
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Taoists do not regard the seventh month as the ghost month as it is a folk belief rather than a religious one. However, they celebrate the 15th day of the seventh month, known as Zhong Yuan Jie (literally translated as Middle Beginning Festival). On this day, they worship the Earth Official (deity) in the belief that if they confess their sins, they will be absolved from them. |
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Taoists celebrate three yuan (special days) – the 15th day of the first, seventh and 10th lunar months. On different yuan days, Taoists worship different deities to get blessings from them, says Dr Yam. |
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| Sinologist Lai Kuan Fook says: “The Chinese believe that the Gates of Hell is opened during the seventh month. So, the Ghost Month is like a holiday for the ghosts. Descendants offer foods such as pork, chicken and rice wine to their departed ancestors. |
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| “Wandering spirits that do not have any descendants will also be appeased. As they cannot enter the homes of others, some kind-hearted people offer foods and prayers by the roadside. Repentant wrong-doers will also pray to the ghosts of people they have wronged or harmed to asked for forgiveness,” says Lai. |
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| During this month, makeshift tents are built. The hungry ghosts are feted with food and entertainment in the form of Chinese opera or pop songs. However, the Chinese generally frown upon skimpily attired women and their raunchy performances, which are deemed disrespectful. |
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Marketplaces are especially popular venues to set up tents to appease the ghosts. Lai
cites the Chinese folk belief that “these places are a food haven and it is believed that
ghosts would frequent them. To prevent the ghosts from causing any disturbance and to avert
bad luck, traders would chip in to hold a celebration for the ghosts.” |
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| Sinologist Lai Kuan Fook: ‘Goodhearted Chinese offer food and prayers by the roadside to wandering ghosts.’ |
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This year, the Chinese can choose to pray to wandering spirits on either of the seventh lunar months or both, says Brian Ang, a feng shui master from Subang Jaya. |
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Traders and businessmen also worship the “good brothers” (roaming spirits) in the hope that their businesses would prosper. They pray at the start of the first seventh month to get their blessings early. |
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“The Chinese Ghost Month is regarded as a new year for the spirits of the netherworld. This year, the spirits get a 60-day holiday instead of the annual 30-day,” says Ang, who plans to appease the spirits during the two seventh months “to reap double blessings”. |
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The Chinese also believe that the seventh month is inauspicious for the opening of outlets, moving house, open house celebrations, renovations or weddings. |
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This month, especially, the fear of ghosts can be great to some, particularly at nightfall. The thought of lurking shadows can be unnerving. Television stations have a field day screening horror movies during this time. |
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“The Chinese should re-emphasise that the seventh month is a time to practise filial piety and compassion,” says Ven Hui Xian, 31, abbot of Fo Guang Shan, in Taman University, Petaling Jaya. |
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The Hungry Ghost Festival has its origins in Buddhism. However, the belief about “the opening of Hell Gate” is not associated at all to Buddhism, he says. |
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The Chinese Buddhists celebrate Yu Lan Festival on the 15th day of the seventh month. Yu Lan is a Sanskrit word which means “salvation.” Themes of filial piety and salvation are found in the Yu Lan Festival and the Hungry Ghost Festival. |
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Ven Hui Xian relates the legend of Moginlin (or Mulian) who saved his mother from Hades. Moginlin, a disciple of Buddha, learnt that his mother’s ghost was suffering in Hell. As she did terrible things when she alive, she became a hungry ghost. |
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Her son took pity on her and wanted to save her. |
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“Today, the seventh month is a time to practise filial piety with puja (prayers) and to give dana (a Sanskrit and Pali word meaning generosity or giving) so as to transfer merits to the dearly departed. It is also a month to cultivate good morals,” he says. |
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The Chinese community fears the seventh month which is associated with ghosts. However, the Buddhists regard it as a month of filial piety to try and perform good deeds and get blessings from prayers, says Dr Eric Chan Kwong Djee, 35, a Brisbane-based lecturer. A graduate doctor, his passion is to study life and death. |
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The Chinese belief of the seventh month being a ghost month is so strong that it is difficult to change it. Businessmen record brisk sales of paper paraphernalia for the dead during this time. |
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Nevertheless, one should not stir up fear about ghosts but promote love, filial piety and forgiveness. |
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During this month, a common ritual is the offering of foods and the burning of incense paper and hell notes by the roadside and the making o |
