Rojak Librarian

Whitley Cemetery was know "colloquially" as Kopi Sua, but it still a large cemetery system with parts of it cut of due to the construction of the Pan Island Expressway. While exploring the section of Kopi Sua area that was cut of by the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) (the entrance to this section of cemetery complex is via the long staircase just before St.Joseph Institution ), we rediscovered the tomb of Madam Tan Pheck Hong. Madam Tan Pheck Hong was the wife of Mr. Wee Aik Leng. Wee Ai Leng is a son of Wee Thiam Siew (well know millionaire and hotelier). Listed the name of her sons: Wee Choo Keng, Wee Choo Boo, Wee Choo Chuan , Wee Choo Chye, Wee Choo Tiong, Wee Wee Choo Yong. daughter: Wee May Lee, Wee May Hoon. Madam Tan Pheck Hong nee Mrs. Wee Aik Leng Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.  How dark is life around us,  we missed her so much still,  we missed her fond and earnest care,  what is home without her there. Very much missed by husband, children, son

8 years ago i met the descendants of Yap Geok Song in a very happy gathering to celebrate the clearing and restoration of the tomb after they contacted me. The occasion did not go unnoticed and was reported in Zaobao dated 22 September 2014 . Today (16 April 2022) i was fortunate to meet again the descendants in their annual Qing Ming occasion to honor their ancestor. I am thankful once again for their permission to document this private moment and for allowing me to join them in this special occasion. I was also very happy they remembered me as well and to note that all who attended today are healthy enough to make the journey into the forest despite a wet muddy day. Fortunately everyone arrived to tomb of Yap Geok Song safely and without incident. Experience shows and everyone efficiently did their part to get ready the offerings and prepare for the prayers and subsequently completing it. It was a gathering of sorts as well, where while waiting for their ancestor to "finish ea

Wee Thiam Kee, Wee Thiam Siew and Wee Thiam Leong were partners in the business of Cigars, Cigarettes and Tobacco Dealers under the firm name Ban Leong and Company at 229, Rochore Road. On July 1, 1930, Wee Thiam Kee left this partnership to form his own company under the company name Chop Hong Leong. His two brothers, Wee Thiam Siew and Wee Thiam Leong continued the partnership under the name of Ban Leong and Company. There is not much information about his career, but because he passed away intestate (i.e, without a will) in 1939, it lead to a probate suit which gave me more information about him, his wife and three secondary wives. His first wife was Madam Ang Boey Neo and secondary wives are Khoo Ah Kow, Tan Beng Choo and Koh Cheng Keow. Wee Thiam Kee Secondary wives legal widows In a court case that span several days, the defendant, Madam Ang Boey Neo (alias Ang Meow Neo) contended that the 3 women were just mistresses and not lawful widows. Wee Thiam Siew (broth

The beautiful carving from the tomb of   Mr. and Mrs. Teo Chin Chay  tells a very interesting story from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( 三國演義 ). The carving from the tombstone below depicts the famous Chinese Physician Hua Tuo healing General Guan Yu, who was hit in the arm by a poisoned arrow during the Battle of Fancheng by using a knife to cut the flesh and scrape of the poison from the bone. Hua Tuo initially offered to anaesthetise Guan Yu, but he simply laughs and says that he is not afraid of pain. During this treatment, Guan Yu continues to play a game of weiqi with Ma Liang without flinching from pain. When Ma Liang asks him later, Guan Yu says that he feigned being unhurt to keep the morale of his troops high. Guan Yu rewards Hus Tuo with a sumptuous banquet and offers a gift of 100 ounces of gold, but Hua Tuo refuses, saying that a physician's duty is to heal patients and not to make profit. Although Hua Tuo historically died in 208, a decade before Guan Yu fought at

The beautiful carving from the tomb of   Mr. and Mrs. Teo Chin Chay  tells a very interesting story from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( 三國演義 ). The clue from this panel is the gentleman sitting in the wheelchair holding a feather fan provides the clue. The person is no other than Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮). The next clue is the battle taking place between 2 warriors and if you look carefully one of them is on an elephant !  The story is likely about an event that took place during Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign against an uprising by rebellious forces in the south (Nanzhong -which covers present-day Yunnan, Guizhou and southern Sichuan). The elephant is representation of the "Southern Barbarians" challenging the Shu kingdom. This event, now often label as fictional is about the “Seven Captures of Meng Huo” (七擒孟获) depicts Zhuge Liang using a psychological strategy by capturing leader Meng Huo seven times and setting him free seven times, convincing him that he would always lo

On December 8, 1941 at around four in the morning, the first bombs were dropped on Singapore. 61 people died and more than 700 were injured. By late January 1942, Singapore was already under constant attack by Japanese planes and an estimated 150-200 people was said to have died each day as direct result of the constant air harassment. Soh Koon Eng, 19 years old It was January 27, 1942, the air-raid siren was already becoming a frightening yet familiar sound and the population under blitz braced itself for further devastation. A young 19 year old girl by the name of Soh Koon Eng was at a friends place in Lorong 18, off Geylang Road when the siren went off. She decided to hurry home to her house at no 48, Lorong 20, despite her friend telling her to wait for the "all-clear". Soh Koon Eng (photo courtesy of Geraldine Soh) Miss Soh Koon Eng did manage to get home and sought shelter under the altar table of their family /ancestral temple together with the rest of the fa

The beautiful carving from the tomb of  Mr. and Mrs. Teo Chin Chay tells a very interesting story from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( 三國演義 ). The characters featured starting from the left is the lady by name of Diaochan / Tiao Chan / 貂蟬, a legendary beauty, She is sitting on the lap of Tung Chuo / Dong Zhuo / 董卓, the Han Dynasty’s Premier and Diaochan’s so-called husband. The person on the horse is Lyu Pu / Lu Bu / 呂布, Tung’s foster-son and a warrior general.  The protagonist that is not in carving is Minister Wang Yun (a loyal subject of the Emperor) who wanted oust the tyrant Dong Zhuo who together with his foster-son Lu Bu were a force to be reckon with. Using the 36 Stratagems, Wang Yun came up with a strategy that uses her adopted in a "Beauty Trap" or "Honey Trap". The idea was sow discord between Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu. Long story short, the strategy worked perfectly, with Lu Bu killing Dong Zhuo in a fit of jealousy.    The beauty trap / The honey trap