Series 3: The References for "Bukit Mertajam Free School" Stone Inscription article series

Before I am off from here for next few weeks, I attach the references that I cited when writing the articles about "Bukit Mertajam's Free School"Stone Inscription/大山脚义学堂石碑. The next article would be about the history of Bukit Mertajam.

义学堂-卢荣成撰，Bukit Mertajam's Free School, by Mr Loo

“大山脚义学堂”石碑的注释--卢荣成撰，Notes on "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription

Pictures of "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription

"Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription, taken by Han Hung

<<大山脚福德正神庙成立百周年纪念特刊>>封面， The Cover page of "Bukit Mertajam Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple Centennial Celebrations Special Magazine"

<<本庙历史及建设发展>>, 已故五百恰先生撰,第一页及第二页；"The History and the Development of Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple (Xuan Tian Temple)", by the late Mr Goh, page 1 and page 2

By Zen Yang ANG
28-4-2011, 4.07pm

Bentley, Western Australia

Series 2: Translation of the "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription--Englsih Version

(注意, 下有"大山脚义学堂"碑--原文，分句后的原文，中文翻译及英文翻译。)

(Note, the original inscription (in Chinese Classical) is for showing purpose only, there is a full translation below)

A few days before chinese new year, I invited my mate, Wei Kuan, to go Xuan Tian Miao to jot down a second stone inscription (outside the temple)The second incription was not mentioned by anyone before (also missed the authors of "Chinese Epigraphic Materials in Malaysia Vol 2" (Wolfgang Franke and Chen Tieh Fan) and I accidentally found it when I was eating at the hawker centre. I will translate the second inscription soon.

After I have done with Xuan Tian Miao, I suggested Wei Kuan to follow me to Jit Sin Independent High School because I wish to meet with Mr Loo, the teacher-in-charge of library. When we went into his office, out of my expectation, Wei Kuan greeted Mr Loo with a I-know-you-very-well tone,

"How are you, Mr Loo?".

"Zen Yang, actually Mr Loo is the husband of a our Chinese Teacher in Jit Sin High School,吴幼婷老师, Wei Kuan told me.

"The world is so small!!!" I replied astonishingly.

Then, Wei Kuan helped me to explain to purpose of our visit. And, kindly, Mr Loo suggested us to photocopy articles about the "Bukit Mertajam Free School" (written by Mr Loo) found in the school magazine. His articles helped me a lot in the translation process. I must acknowledge his contribution in my writting.

The following are "original text of the stone inscription", "original text plus punctuation", translation of the original in Chinese and translation of the original text in English.

The "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription

The following is full Translation of the Inscription in English (英文翻译):

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

Bukit Mertajam's Free School

Personally, we think that the establishment of something new is hard, but does that mean that the maintenance part is easy? If (we) traced back to those years in the past, Bukit Mertajam's Xuan Tian Miao used to set up vegetable and fruit farm. The farm was also the place where local Chinese traded their agricultural products and daily necessities (note that the farm is the current town centre of Bukit Mertajam). Therefore, the temple council/board set up booths for those traders and collected rent from them. Over the years, the collected rental (approximately hundreds of dollars) was used as the fees needed during the annual worshipping activities.

It had been more than 30 years since the establishment of trading booths. Within these 30 years, the in-charge person for the activities worshipping activities was changing (was not the same in-charge person). However, the ability of those managers were different between each other. Some of them were capable while the others were not; each of them was not the same. Some of them viewed worshipping activities of temple as the tool for personal profit, which means that they utilised their positions as the in-charge person to seek for own wealth. Or, some made their own benefits under the guise of other temple expenses (ie they corrupted part of the temple expenses). In some case, when they were suspected and questioned by colleagues, they would be fire disaster of temple as the excuse.

In the year of 1889, one could see that the farm was full of weed just like it was deserted/unmanaged by the people. However, the farm was still a useful wide plain. Considering that the rental collected in past was more than a thousand dollars by the time, the council subsequently had a discussion with the traders. After, they loaned money from loaner and finished their planning, then they started building shops behind the temple. Next, they proceed with the building of tents for the (vegetables) traders. In the autumn of the year, they built another classroom which was used to organise free school.

Within a few years, one could see that the past and present have vast difference. Previously, the plain which was occupied by weed, however, at the moment, the area was fully dominated by overlap-like shops and houses. Previously, the total collected rental was just hundreds of dollars. At the present time, the newly built shops had brought profit of more than a thousand dollars to the temple. The temple set up the free school in order to nurture/produce the talented or outstanding people. With these people, only then the vulgar/uncivilised culture in Bukit Mertajam/Southeast Asia can be converted into a culture which upheld politeness and righteousness.

During each birthday of Gods/Deities, Chinese opera would be performed (as the celebration with Gods/Deities). The fees needed to hire opera troupe would be paid by the temple. This enabled all villagers in Bukit Mertajam to celebrate with joy.

Do you think the change is due to different in-charge people? It was just because the Feng Shui/Fortune of Bukit Mertajam was great. Even though the local rapid development of Bukit Mertajam was due to effective plan, management and execution, the development actually relied heavily on blessings from Gods/Deities. (We) Just hoped that the future generations who succeeded our foundation/career could expand and enrich (add meaningful values into) our foundation. This was great anticipation from us. Therefore, (we) recorded these words, so that the words can be spread to the future generations forever and after. (Therefore, we wrote these words) Just as the preface.

Now, (we) make a list of all expenses and published/engraved them on the left hand side (of this stone inscription):

First decision: During the birthday of Yuan Tiao Shang Di (元天上帝Yuan Tian God Emperor), Tan Gong Bo（谭公伯） and Fu De Zheng Shen（福德正神 the God of Bliss and Virtue)，（we）need to organise Chinese operas as the celebration/ceremony. The expenditure of each ceremony can be claimed for the Temple. The Temple Council will provide (a maximum of) 200 dollars to cover the fees needed to hire Chinese opera troupe and other expenses during the ceremony. If there is excess, the money shall be returned to the Temple Council. If it is insufficient, the in-charge person cannot make a second claim.

Second Decision: To organise the free school, two teachers will be employed in a year. The salary of each teacher will be paid by Temple Council.

Third Decision: If poor people is found death in the farm/surrounding of temple, and if the deceased is not claimed by any relative, friend or neighbour, then a coffin can be claimed from the Temple Council in order to prevent the corpse from laying barely in the outdoor.

Each of the decisions is engraved on this stone, so that it can be reserved as the reference in the future. (Hopefully what we do will) Bring glory to our ancestors and bring prosperity to the future generations.

Written in:

GuangXu Emperor’s 21^st year —the Yi Wei (32^nd year) of Chinese Sexagenary/Sexagesimal Cycle (1895), Winter (August, September or October)

Erected together by the members of Fu De Zheng Shen (Xuan Tian) Temple Board: 黃陳慶、陳換、黃躍松、陳錦隆、陳成貴、張字、王媽賀、黃躍喜

Engraved in:

GuangXu Emperor’s 21^st year, which Yi Wei乙未 (32^nd year) of Chinese Sexagenary/Sexagesimal Cycle (1895), Winter (August, September or October)

Erected together by the members of Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple (Xuan Tian Temple) Board: 黃陳慶、陳換、黃躍松、陳錦隆、陳成貴、張字、王媽賀、黃躍喜"

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Translated by Zen Yang ANG

In Xin Mao辛卯 (28^th year) of Chinese Sexagenary/Sexagesimal Cycle (2011), Spring, on 25^th of Plumens (梅月Plum Month/fourth month of Chinese Calendar), on Gu Yu谷雨(Grain rains/ the 6^th solar term), at Shen Shi卯时 (3 to 5 pm) and first Ke (approximately the first 15 minutes)-ie 3.15pm. Bentley, Western Australia.

Note that:

1. Chinese hour is in the form of double-hours where Zi Shi 子时(11pm- 1am), Chou Shi丑时(1am-3am), Yin Shi寅时 (3am-5am), Mao Shi卯时 (5am-7am), Chen Shi辰时 (7am-9am), Si Shi巳时 (9am-11am), Wu Shi午时 (11am-1pm), Wei Shi未时 (1pm-3pm), Shen Shi申时 (3pm-5pm), You Shi酉时 (5pm-7pm), Xu Shi戌时 (7pm-9pm) and Hai Shi亥时 (9pm-11pm).

2. Ke刻is a traditional Chinese unit of decimal time lasting approximately a quarter of a western hour. Traditionally the ke divides a day into 100 equal intervals of 14.4 minutes (14 m 24 s). The ke is equivalent to the centiday. (100 x 14.4 = 24 x 60)

3. 24 Solar Terms (24 points in traditional East Asian lunisolar calendar that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon.) - each solar is 15 days. Gu Yu /Grain rains usually starts around 20^th April and ends around 5^th May.

By Zen Yang ANG

27-4-2011, 3.15pm

Bentley Western Australia.

Series 1: The Discovery of "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription 大山脚义学堂石碑

The author of "Old Penang, Old lives" Or "Penang--History, Social Life and Customs" <<老槟城, 老生活>>, Toh Zhong Quan杜忠全, mentioned that “The moment I leave my home is the moment I am home”. I think this may be one of the reasons that drives me writing this series.

The following will describe the process I get to know the existence of the "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription.

The Stone Inscription

A book by Wolfgang Franke and Chen Tieh Fan published in 1985, namely "Chinese Epigraphic Materials in Malaysia Vol 2", collected and recorded the data about Chinese epigraphic materials found Malaysia.

Xuan Tian Temple

My focus today is on the history and establishment of one of the oldest temple in Bukit Mertajam, Xuan Tian Miao 玄天庙(temple name shown by wooden tablet above the main entrance), 伯公庙 Po-Kung Miao (Po-Kung Miao was used Franke and Chen as well as local people) or Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple 福德正神庙 (formal name by the committee). It is located at Market Street, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Market Street

Franke and Chen recorded almost all materials found in Xuan Tian Miao which included wooden tablets, wooden altar, stone pillar, stone inscription (set up on the occasion of donations made for the building the temple). However, the most of important stone inscription-- the "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Tablet (<<大山脚义学堂>>石碑) was left out. The reason for that was because the stone inscription was previously placed at the left side of the temple and it was blocked by wooden desk which was used by the hawker. Note the surrounding of the temple is a busy market place and hawker centre. The stone was rediscovered by Mr Loo (卢荣成老师), a teacher in Jit Sin Independent School, who is enthusiastic in the history of Bukit Mertajam.

Xuan Tian Temple (dawn)

Everything started when I invited Han Hung, one of my friends, to go Bukit Mertajam town to have a few snapshots. As usual, I passed by Xuan Tian Miao. However, this time I am determined to snap everything in the temple since I have wanted to do so a long time ago. More than 100 hundred years old chairs, desks, altar, a patio that cleverly designed to increase air circulation and light availability (remember that fans and electrical light could be found in 100 years ago). When I was taking my snapshot on a few stone inscriptions in temple, a particular one caught my attention. It is because most of the stone inscriptions that I have seen before were set up on the occasion of donations made for the building the temple. However, this stone inscription was not in the form of Vernacular Chinese. Instead, it is in Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese. (Note that Classical Chinese/Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese. Classical Chinese was once used for almost all formal correspondence before and during the beginning of the 20th century. from Wikipedia). My previously exposure to Classical Chinese enable me to understand 75% the inscriptions. (I will provide the full translation of the stone inscription in my next writing). When I am having difficulty to understand the rest of the inscription, an 40-50s lady approached us and asked,

I was copying the inscription

"What are you doing there, young man?"

"We are copying down the inscription and trying hard to understand to the content" I answered and thought that she might be just another ordinary person who was curious about what we were doing.

My friend, Han Hung, actually knew the lady and he asked "Aunty, do you understand the inscription or not?"

"Of course I know" she answered with confidence.

The copy of inscription of my notebook 1

"What?? impossible, how can it be" I think.

"Aunty, are you sure?" I asked her with doubt tone. (I know I am bad)

"Indeed, why not" she reconfirmed.

I was really shocked by her answer and at the same time, I was very excited because I finally found someone who could read the inscriptions (because there were a few characters that we could not understand). We asked about the few words that we could read and she answered us without thinking about explained to us the meaning of a few sentences before she rushed to her "grocery shopping" (to buy groceries from nearby hawker and wet market). Before she went away, she suggested to get a copy of "Bukit Mertajam Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple Centennial Celebrations Special Magazine" 大山脚福德正神庙成立百周年纪念特刊 (published in 1986) from Hock Teik Cheng Sin Committee which was based in Jit Sin Independent School. She also recommended me to see the library in-charge teacher of Jit Sin Independent High School, Mr Loo, as he has deep interest in the history of Bukit Mertajam. She us that Mr Loo requested the temple committee to relocate the stone inscription into the temple and painted the inscription with golden paint. I could see why Mr Loo requested relocation based on my 75% understanding of the inscription content, ie. it is really an important stone inscription.

The copy of inscription of my notebook 2

Han Hung and I subsequently went to Hock Teik Cheng Sin administrative office to get a copy of the special magazine. Due to out of print, the officer allowed me to photocopy the whole magazine, which contained the history of Xuan Tian Miao, Bukit Mertajam, chinese school in Bukit Mertajam as well as articles about Bukit Mertajam which were written by a few locals. We could not meet Mr Loo because it was a Sunday and I had decided to meet him on week day.

The following article will describe how I came across Mr Loo and get the full translation of the "Bukit Mertajam's Free School" Stone Inscription.

Zen Yang ANG

205am, 23-4-2011

Bentley, Western Australia

Random thoughts when showering

When I was taking my shower this morning, my mind started to review what I have done in the past 8 weeks.

It has been 8 weeks of fully occupied life since university started. I will not use "busy" as the word to describe my past 8 weeks because "busy" is sort of negative wording for me. When you do something you like and fully occupied by that, would you describe that as "busy"? Well, different people have got different answer for that.

The fully occupation is to a state that I haven't actually cleaned my room properly (eg. vacuum, desk cleaning, floor sweeping and mopping etc)-- usually I will clean my room on the very first day I reach Perth. My friends were shocked when I told them about the fact. In fact, it is just a 30 minutes business. Unfortunately, cleanliness is not on top of my priority list, ie I think that there are other important things for me to accomplish.

The 6 weeks pharmacy training was stressful and challenging for

me mainly because I don't have any practical experience. Thanks for patient lecturers and pharmacists who gave me chance and guided me throughout the process, I have learnt a lot--pharmacy knowledge, the way I learn and solve problems, the way I cope with pressure (still incompetent with "de-pressurisation"). Because it involved a third party, it is not a good idea for me to give examples over here due to privacy issue. With 6 weeks of continuous preparation and 2 weeks of intense revision, I passed my oral exam. Yeah!!! (a lot of things to learn indeed), ended up going out with friends to have dim sum to award myself.

Ragging wave of thunder storm has calmed down finally. My thought shifted again.

"I like pharmacy course, right?" I questioned myself.

"Yes"I answered myself.

"Then why am I so stressed when I am studying, aren't we supposed to be very happy to learn pharmacy stuff?" I asked myself.

"Yes, I enjoyed pharmacy stuff, when I come to think of exams, my head starts to become a pressure cooker"

"Aren't exams supposed to test your competency? you should be happy that you can test yourself on how much you know" I questioned myself again.

"If purely testing is okay for me, if the element of "pass" and "fail" are incorporated, I will be stressful"

"But, without a border line to determine pass and fail, how the school determines whether you are a competent pharmacist or not? Anyone can be a pharmacist."

So, I realised that it is a dead-ended questioning and answering session.

But, I do realise something. If I can change my mind from pursuing "a pass in exams" to "test your competency", I believe I can learn happily. Also, I also realise that the fact that one semester consists of only 12 studying weeks, I have to follow the pace set by university (unfortunately, I have no power to change the system, it seems that changing myself is the best way--with the condition that my passion is still with me along the process).

I like showering. Day time shower allows me to plan for my day; Night time shower enable me to review what have done on the day and how to do it better in the future. Sometimes, it is a place where I run away from reality =)

Zen Yang ANG

1228pm, 22-4-2011 (Earth Day)

Bentley, Western Australia

In respond to: Is it good to work in Singapore?

Recently there been a lot of circulation of this article around facebook and few of mt friends had ask me my view regarding what had be said in the article.

First of all, in my opinion the guy who wrote that article is very grey. Everything to him is good but yet bad is more than the good stuff and I personally don't like things to be one sided. If reviewing somethings, it should stick to neutral as much as possible.

Before any one who decide to come to Singapore, they must have a purpose in mind, might it be study, work, or education purpose. You must know what you looking for and be ready to give and take. In my case, I decide to come to Singapore to pursuit my education 6 years ago which is 2006 and the education part is the point that I want to review in it.

I always knew that I am not the brightest student in class so don't mention about the whole school or even the nation. I had a not so good, not so bad result for my SPM and I knew I wouldn't survive the STPM if i continue studying it. It was out of a blue that one my my friend suggested me  that I should apply for polytechnic and it was then my life at Singapore begins.

For all these years in Singapore, it show me one things which is if you fight for your future, the chances are always there! You might said you blew your youth for not having a good grade in what ever level. The education system here already provide you with the back up plan. People who didn't do well in O level can always go for polytechnic even if polytechnic failed to give you a seat, there is still ITE. (More on those you should click on the links.)

When I came to Singapore, I don't have much money to spare and I spend most of my time in a wall of four. I do agree that living expenses in Singapore is high but only if you are spending Ringgit! A meal in Singapore campus or hawker center hardly cost you more then 5 dollars and drinks included. In Malaysia, a bow of Chicken rice at KL I believe more then 3 ringgit and a coke also cost you at least 1 ringgit 50 cents. Which without conversion they are on PAR! So basically just don't compare price with conversion, if you end up in Australia you are not be able to settle a meal outside with anything less then 10 AUD.

After 3 years, I finally get my certs and luckily I did it decently well and awarded with a Merit. So what does this be able to bring me? With a Merit Cert, it actually allows me to apply for any of the courses open up for application in Singapore Universities! But good things came with a price, if you are doing the same subject you took in your Poly, you are able to get exemption for certain module and shorter period to complete the degree.

I always had this question asked by my friends. "How long do you need to complete your degree after 3 years in polytechnic?" I told them another 3 years ahead! They always gave me the same respond. "What so long? Another 3 years?" I answered:"Yes but is short, you already did 2 years STPM and your degree need additional 4 years, so you just have to do the math is the same total of 6 years to complete an undergrad degree." Another good news is that, if after your diploma you join the work force for at least two years, you can apply for another course exemption in the Industrial Attachment Program which is a 6 months course, did a few subject in advance by overloading, wahla~~ you can actually finish it in 2 years! Of course by that path you need to work harder than most of your friend!

Next, you might be wondering about the price of studying in Singapore, is must be a lot! Yes you are totally correct and wrong at the same time! Singapore have a very good system in keeping their money flow in the correct path. Look at the table below:

You must be thinking that 26000 SGD / Year must be mad and how would you be so easily be given subsidized! But the real fact is everyone can get the subsidised tuition fees from Singapore Gov. with only one condition which is after graduate you will need to work inside Singapore for at least 3 years to finish the bond! So that's a great deal isn't? So how to get? Just apply here. Or you can actually don't even bother about it, because it will come to you automatically and you would need to prepare 2 sureties which can just be you parents or any PR in Singapore!

The next question would be how do I pay the 12000 SGD/year? That's another simple question to answer. You would need to apply for loan from the local bank. In NTU it should be OCBC bank and it will provide up to 100% of the tuition fees. So what's the down side of this great deal? You would need to have a Singaporean or PRs as a surety and the interest rate per annual is 4.75%. But that shouldn't set you back if you know what you really want!

Last you would be wondering how about my daily living expenses and the rest of 20%? Yes is another great one, just approach Student union. I have no idea how it works out, but it should be 80% correct from here which they can loan you some living expenses. I love this phrase the most:" There's a WILL, there's a WAY!"

Base on the above, you can always think about the study opportunity provided in other countries.

That's my insight about studying in Singapore and you can always choose to agree to disagreement!
Comments box below and always welcome!