Nostalgic walkabout in Chinatown in KL in 2011
(Travel Story Series @ Hon Too Fang - 2018)
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On 20-8-2011, 5 senior citizens, with a total age of 320 years, went to re-explore the Kuala Lumpur Chinatown for 4 hours. This is a wild bunch at the frontier of the early settlement of the Chinese in KL. I am a fan of Sergio Leone's spaghetti western movies of the 1960s and my favourite is "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" starring Clint Eastwood. I would like to use the title to rate what we saw. Please note that in the movie, The Ugly is not really bad, only The Bad is really bad. But first let us look at some historic landmarks.
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The Landmarks
The oldest Taoist temple: "Sin Sze Si Ya Temple"
This Taoist temple 仙四师爷宫 at Leboh Pudu is the oldest Chinese temple in Kuala Lumpur. The original temple was established in 1864 and moved to this location in 1874, built on land donated by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy.
Taoist temple: Guan Di Temple
Guan Yu 关羽 was a general from the Shu Kingdom 蜀during the Three Kingdoms period, and was "romanticised" in the classic "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" or 三国演义. He was deified in China where many temples were constructed to honour him. This 关帝庙 located at Jalan Bandar was first built in 1887. It was last renovated in 1996. The temple comes under the administration of the Cantonese Association 广肇会馆. The statue outside the temple is not Guan Yu, but his body guard!
Buddhist temple: Guanyin Si
This temple 观音寺 in honour of bodhisattva Guanyin is located near the junction of Jalan Stadium and Jalan Maharajalela. The exact date of its establishment was uncertain but should be over 100 years old because several items on display were dated to over 100 years. The last substantial renovation was carried out in 1990.
Hindu temple: Sri Mahamariamman Temple
This temple, located along Jalan Bandar is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. It was founded by Thamboosamy Pillai in 1873. The present structure, called the "Raja Gopuram" tower, was built in 1968, based on the south Indian style. The annual Thaipusam procession to Batu Caves starts from this temple. An Indian temple in China Town? No issue to the Chinese.
Sikh temple: Gurdwara Sahib Polis
This Sikh temple is found in Jalan Balai Polis, established during the colonial days to serve the Sikh policemen. The word "gurdwara" on the signboard means "Place of Worship". The two calligraphic Punjabi letters at the front portal of the building mean "God is the eternal reality". The Sikh religion, like Islam, prohibits icons so it is rather plain inside the building. A Sikh temple in the Cantonese heartland in Chinatown?
"Aiyo, hui te hai mata mata mah! Tai sai loh."
The clan building of the "Chen"
陈氏书院 is the clan building of people with the surname Chen, which is pronounced as Tan (Hokkien) or Chan (Cantonese) or Chin (Hakka) or Ding/Ting (Foochew). The Association of the Chen clan in Kuala Lumpur was established in 1896. The clan building in Jalan Petaling was completed in 1908. One notable Chen responsible in putting up the building was Chan Sow Lin. We have a Jalan Chan Sow Lin in Sungai Besi. The design was based on the clan building in Guangzhou, but on a smaller scale.
Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association人镜慈善白话剧社者
This is one of the oldest Chinese cultural society in Kuala Lumpur, founded in 1917, moved to its present self-owned premise at Jalan Hang Jebat in the 1950s. "人镜"，意 "以人为镜". It promotes cultural activities, particularly Cantonese opera, and members perform for charity. At its peak in the 1950s, it has over 13,000 members. Sad to say, its days are numbered at this cyber age.
The Icon of Petaling Street
This Chinese-style archway signboard of Petaling Street is the icon of the KL Chinatown. An iconic building along Jalan Sultan is the Guild Building of the Grocers 杂货行, dated to 1931. (Note in 2018: the ground floor now is a café)
Now we go and rate what we see in the “the Good, the Bad and the Ugly” format
The Good
Red Lanterns
Lantern decoration outside a hotel in Jalan Sultan. Private fund. Red lanterns have always been associated with Chinese culture.
Free medical service
Do you know that the poor can have free medical consultation and herbal medicine given by some Chinese physicians? I don't know that previously. The clinic is located somewhere along a small lane off Jalan Hang Jebat.
Mechanical-system car park
This multi-storey car park at Lorong Bandar uses a mechanical parking system. It should be the first of its kind built in Kuala Lumpur. At least 30 years old, still functioning. Old but still contributing. The same could be applied to the senior citizens?
Some wise words
At the Chen Clan House, the second floor has a library and a lecture hall. Along the corridor are pasted several posters on wisdom. This one below is on the philosophy of non-wisdom, said to be synonymous with Najibism.
The "Shiok" trading house
This office is found in Jalan Sultan. The Chinese words are actually "Grandpa's Shiok Trading House". I hope everybody understand what is "shiok". I hope you would say reading my travel story is "shiok". What is so "shiok" for the grandpa to trade?
Must be selling off grandma?
The Ugly
Red Lanterns
These are the red lanterns around Jalan Petaling and Jalan Hang Lekir. They were put up by the city hall or DBKL. Many many many years ago. Faded. No more red, but nearly white. What an insult!
Monkey Inn
Not sure how is the business for this monkey hotel along Jalan Sultan which supposedly caters only for monkeys. What a name! That is why some westerners think that Malaysians still live on trees.
Safe donation box
The donation box at the Guanyin Temple is a big heavy safe, with extra bracket for added security too, in case thieves want to cart away the whole safe. This shows how bad is the public safety situation in this city and this country.
ISA detention
Those talk too much will be put behind bars. Under ISA! This talking parrot was found behind bar with a huge padlock at a pet shop along Jalan Sultan.
No maintenance: third world mentality
This is the condition of the pedestrian bridge over Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Not swept for years, with rusting railings. Having a bridge is a 1st World practice, but the maintenance is of 3rd World standard.
Poor work ethnic: third world mentality
See the sharp "stumps" of metal posts which have been cut, found near the junction of Jalan Stadium and Jalan Maharajarela. They are a hazard to pedestrians. Similar stumps found in several other locations.
Graffiti
This is a very nicely painted funny graffiti at a public car park along Jalan Sultan. Please remember my earlier note: ugly is not necessary bad.
The black-hearted owner
This is found outside a fast food outlet along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock. Ugly sharp "pins" were crudely fixed onto the sloping bench outside the shop but within the 5-foot walkway. To prevent people sitting on it? How black-hearted can one be? People should boycott the restaurant and let it close down! Then I become the black-hearted fellow to destroy people's business! Mmmm, is there something called "butt reflexology"?
The missing name
This restaurant is called "Sang Kee" 生记酒家, off Jalan Sultan and next to the Confucian High School. On the signboard the last word of its Chinese name 家 was missing. In Chinese culture, the name is very important, particularly for business. Yet the owner is not bothered with this important missing word "家" which means "home" though the combined words "酒家" mean "restaurant". He has lost his Chinese culture. We had lunch here nevertheless.
The Bad
(This is real bad)
Stadium Merdeka
This is where in 1957 our first PM the Tunku shouted "Merdeka" three times. But the present BN government has sold this national heritage for some pocket money. Would disappear soon.
Photo of the Day
This should be one of my best portrait shots, capturing secretly the smoker enjoying his puff. Taken on the way to the Sang Kee Restaurant where we had lunch.
This is GOOD photography, UGLY theme and BAD habit.
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This local trip was done in 2011. We were supposed to have Version 2.0 on another part of the city comprising the Mesjid India - Dataran Merdeka - old Railway Station - Mesjid Negara route a year later. Somehow it was not done. In 2015 three out of 5 in the old group together with a few others did a partial Version 2.0, but I was not free to join. May be I will do a Version 2.0 on the original intended route on my own and continue my story.
(story originally written in 2011 and circulated via email, this PDF version revised in December 2018)
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