CHUNG Thye Phin, 鄭大平

Chung Thye Phin J.P.

鄭中樞的曾祖父鄭景貴（Chung Keng Quee，1821-1901)是大馬霹靂州（Perak)第二大城市太平(Taiping)的創建人，以錫礦起家並為當地華人甲必丹及海山幫領袖，其多名子女中以繼任甲必丹的鄭大平（Chung Thye Phin，1879-1935)最出名，一戰期間英殖民地政府曾容許他在太平發鈔（見右下圖），他與一樣喜歡靚車靚屋及靚馬的錫礦行家余東璇為結拜兄弟，來港時通常住在余園，他的兒子鄭國順為新加坡名律師，長婿王福泰(HT Ong，1908-1977）曾任馬來亞首席大法官

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chung_Keng_Quee

Chung Keng Quee and Chin Seng Yam (Chin Ah Yam) having made peace with each other became fast friends, going so far as to have Ah Yam become the Ch' Yeh or godfather of Keng Quee's fourth son, Chung Thye Phin.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chung_Thye_Phin

He was the son of Kapitan Chung Keng Quee (also spelt as Chung Ah Kwee) an immigrant from China. He had 7 wives but was survived by 6 of them who gave him 10 sons and 7 daughters. Chung Thye Phin was born in 1879 in Taiping, lived most of his life in Penang and died in 1935.

Sons: Chung, Kok Soon (KS, deceased 2006) Chung, Kok Ching (KC, deceased 1994) Chung, Kok Choon (Peter, deceased 1996) Chung, Kok Heng (Frankie deceased) Chung, Kok Khen (Khen, deceased 2006) Chung, Kok En (Dennis, deceased 2014) Chung, Kok Tong (Henry, deceased 2001) Chung, Kok Leong (Leon, deceased 2014) Chung, Kok Choy (Kenny, deceased 2005) Chung, Kok Chuan (George, deceased 2009)

Daughters: Chung, Yuet See (Mary, deceased 1995) Chung, Yuet Kuen (Louise, deceased) Chung, Guat Hooi Chung, Guat Hong Chung, Guat Kheng Chung, Yuet Wah Chung, Yuet Fong

https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lawrencetan&id=I1211

Name: CHUNG Thye Phin Prefix: Kapitan China of Perak, Malaya (the last of the Chinese Kapitans of Perak Suffix: J.P. Name: Tai Ping CHUNG Sex: M Birth: 28 SEP 1879 in Kota, Taiping, Perak, Malaya 1 Title: 24 MAR 1921 Occupation: Justice of The Peace, Kapitan China Of Perak Education: St Xavier's institution, Penang Education: St Xavier's institution, Penang; Title: Justice of The Peace Residence: ADDR: ADR1: 58 Northam Road STAE: Penang CTRY: Malaya Death: 29 MAR 1935 in 58 Northam Road, Penang, Malaya 2 Note: Died between 1-5 May 1935 Burial: MAR 1935 Family Burial plot, Mount Erskine, Penang, Malaysia 3 Note: China of Perak, Malaya (the last of the Chinese Kapitans of Perak) Was a rich landowner and businessman. The town of Taiping is named after him as is the road Chung Thye Phin Road in Perak. He graduated from Oxford - one of the very few Chinese to do so at that time. He was given the priviledge of being allowed to print his own 10 cent notes - one side had a picture of him and the other of his house on Gurney Drive. He wasn't Hockien, he was Hakka or Khek and decended from CHUNG Keng Kwee (also spelt Quee or Kooi) - Keng Kwee street and Ah Quee Street are named after him. CHUNG Keng Kwee came from China - somewhere along the line he was awarded Mandarin 3rd Class of the Ching Dynasty. Thye Phin married TAN Sim Hiang the daughter of a Singaporean merchant TAN Kim Wee. Thye Phin had 5 or 6 wives I think. He married Sim Hiang according to all the proper rites and so she ought to be seen as the first legal wife (his very first legal wife died in the BigTop of the All India Circus when it burnt to the ground). It was later discovered that he had been living with a common law wife before he married Sim Hiang. The man died young - 40's. From exhaustion I think. Owned Tronoh Tin Mine, Deep Shaft Hydraulic mine at Batu TugohGovernment Farm. Blood Brother to EU, Tong Seng. Note:

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Justice of The Peace, Kapitan China Of Perak
58 Northam Road
Penang Malaya DATE 24 MAR 1921

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BIOGRAPHY: DESCRIPTION OF CHUNG THYE PHIN'S MANSION AT NEW COAST ROAD (NOW CALLED GURNEY DRIVE) -

One house which has remained in my memory is that of Chung Thye-phin. It was like a castle with two towers and was built on a hill. The garden stretched to the sea. Black marble steps led to a porticoed entrance with two rose-coloured Greek statues on either side.

When we entered the big hall, my eyes were arrested by a life size oil painting of an extremely handsome young man in a costume such as worn by English lords; white breeches, sapphire blue long-tailed cutaway coat, frilly white shirt and a high cravat. His head was covered with a white wig, his hand poised lightly on a small table and on his little finger he wore a huge diamond ring, its unmistakable blue sparkle skillfully brought out by the artist. He held a white lace handkerchief in his left hand. He looked so elegant and grand that I could hardly take my eyes off him. "That's the owner of this castle," said Aunt Cheah number two, pointing to the picture.

At this moment, a beautiful young woman came down the stairs. She was very fair, her face a perfect oval with a straight nose and full red lips. Her eyes were bright and smiling. She was wearing a pale green gauze kebaya with a large floral design and a brown batik sarong. Her black hair was done in a style like my mother's with jasmines to adorn it and she wore exquisite jewellery. "She has the most beautiful jewellery in all of Penang," whispered Aunt Cheah again. Turning to the young woman who had reached the foot of the stairs to greet us, she said aloud, "I've brought my relative from Medan to make your acquaintance and to see your house." "You are very kind," Mrs. Chung acknowledged in a sweet voice, "you are always welcome."

She led us through the house from one room to another, each laid out differently. Then she took us up stairs to their living quarters. Her bedroom was separated from that of her husband's by a cosy drawing room and a study. "We usually spend the evenings here because my husband likes the privacy of his study where he can read and write undisturbed while I do some embroidery," she told us. The bedroom was an absolute dream. The walls were paneled with bois-de-rose brocade which was also used for draperies for the windows over cream-coloured lace curtains. The soft sunlight shimmered through accompanied by a cool breeze from the sea. The bed was in the form of a big shell covered with a canopy decorated with silver cupids. The pillows and bedspread were of pink lace and satin. On the floor lay a fleecy coloured carpet and the high ceiling was painted with lilies-of-the-valley and forget-me-nots.

Adjoining the bedroom was the dressing room. In it stood a long three-sided looking-glass in which one could see oneself from three angles. Along the wall, near the window stood the dressing table arranged with big and small bottles of perfume, and in crystal containers - a variety of face powder! Noticing my curiosity, Mrs. Chung smiled sweetly and said: "I only use bedak sejuk (pure rice powder), it's best for the skin. A paneled closet contained her wardrobe of sarongs, kebayas and slippers embroidered with gold and silver threads, sequins and multi-coloured beads. A connecting door opened to the bathroom laid with rose tiles. Even in this room, everything was luxurious: sets of towels in matching colours, soaps, bathcubes and other curiosities. Seeing this, Aunt Cheah remarked: "If I had to use all this, I'd rather go without a bath." It made us all laugh, but I felt for the first time like envy. To be surrounded by so much luxury and beautiful things all the time must be marvelous, I thought.

Finally Mrs. Chung took us downstairs to have tea in the dining room built under the sea. We sat at a long table laid with all sorts of delicacies. We really enjoyed the tea and I ate to my hearts content. When I happened to look up at the ceiling I saw it was not painted as I had at first thought. It was a glass dome through which I could see fishes swimming about! Seeing my astonishment, Mrs. Chung explained amiably: "Yes, they are real fishes. My husband designed this room himself and had it built under the sea. He claims it will relieve our boredom if we have our meals in the company of fishes. It is a pity he's now in London buying racehorses and he will be back for the Gold Cup next month. Then, he can show you more of his eccentricities."

Source: Memories of a Nonya by Queeny Chang. Eastern Universities Press Sdn. Bhd. 106, Boon Keng Road #07-05 Singapore 1233; 39, Jalan SS 20/11, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Printed by Kim Hup Lee Printing Co. Pte. Ltd. ISBN 9971-71-145-1

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DESCRIPTION OF CHUNG THYE PHIN'S BANKNOTES: The last Chinese Kapitan of Ipoh in Perak was Chung Thye Phin, who first issued private banknotes in 10 cent denominations on 11 February 1918. These notes were only circulated within the mining concessions and the Kapitan's trading outlets at Phin Kee Chan in Ipoh and were used by large numbers of labourers in the mining areas in exchange for goods. No other denominations have been discovered.

Source: Museum Numismatik Maybank

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Chung Thye Phin

Kapitan Ah Quee had nine male issue, the 4th and best known of whom was Chung Thye-phin. (See Footnote: B)

Born in 1876, Thye-phin received his education at the St. Xavier's Penang. Upon leaving school, he was initiated into his father's business.

An enterprising youth with a flair for progress, he later started a number of tin mines of his own, including a deep-shaft mine at Tronoh , adjoining the famous mine of the same name, and the hydraulic mine at Batu Tugoh.

His open-cast mines were operated on the most modern system in his time. He had the distinction of being the first Chinese miner to have introduced the latest appliances on the mines, under the supervision of a European engineer. (Vide "Twentieth Century Impression of British Malaya", op. cit., p. 130)

He also had vast interests in some of the Government farm monopolies. At one time, during the latter part of the first World War, he was among the few who were permitted by the Government to print and issue 10-cent notes for circulation.

Malaya's Last Kapitan

in public life, this worthy descendent of Kapitan Ah Quee was the recipient of a tassled "gold medal" from the Government of Indo China (Annam) for his liberal gifts to the Relief Fund. (Vide "The Chung Family Record", op. cit., pp. 9-12)

He was appointed in March 1918, by Sir Arthur Henderson Young to be a member of the Federal Council of the Federated Malay States during the temporary absence of the Honourable Mr. Eu Tong-sen (Vide K. L. F. M. S. Correspondence Ref: No 3663-1917 dated 20th March 1918).

He also served as a member of the Commission to enquire into and report on the in Mining Industry, for which all the members were thanked by Mr. E. L. Brockman, Chief Secretary, F. M. S., for "the thoroughness with which you have gone into the various and important points raised and the clearness with which the conclusion arrived at regarding them have been recorded". (K. L., F. M. S. Correspondence Ref: No. 508-1919 dated 29th Jan., 1920)

At about this time he was made a Justice of the Peace.

On 24th March 1921, His Highness Iskandar Shah K. C. M. G., the Sultan of Perak, with the advice of Colonel W. J. P. Hume, British Resident, Perak, conferred on him the title of "Kapitan China", in all probability, the last of the Chjinese Kapitans in Malaya.

He was installed by the Sultan of Perak in Kuala Kangsar amidst much traditional pomp and pagentry. His appointment was so popular with the community that he was escorted to Kuala Kangsar by the delegates of more than 70 Chinese organisations from Perak. (Vide "Miscellaneous Chronicles of Penang", Kuang, Kuo-hsiang op. cit., pp. 112-113)

The Man Thye Phin

A widely-travelled Malayan, Kapitan Thye-phin had gone round the world on many a business-cum-pleasure trip.

On one occasion, when he was accompanied by his wife Madam Lee Sau-yeng, to China, he undertook a perilous trip up the scenic gorges of the Yangtze River at Chungking, China, thus earning for himself the disctinction of being the first non-China-born Chinese to have made the venture. It was here that he was enraptured by Nature's inimitable splendour.

A keen sportsman, motoring was one of his hobbies. When Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and the Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia paid an official visit to Penang, they were driven by Kapitan Chung Thye-phin in his own private car.

And what of Thye-phin the man?

A lover of the good things of life, he lived gaily and luxuriously, so much so that many a legend of his Bohemian mode of living still lingers in the memory of his close contemporaries.

Chung Thye-phin, a Justice of the Peace and the last kapitan China of Perak, died in May 1935.

Architectural Monuments

The memory of this distinguished scion of the Chung family is kept green in Penang by at least two well-known architectural monuments.

Facing the sea at Gurney Drive, Penang, today stands a discoloured but once magnificent mansion. One of the most spectacular buildings of his time, this mansion was conceived and designed by the widely-travelled and resourceful Kapitan.

The mansion is unique because it appears to have been constructed upon a hillock, under which runs a subterranean ground floor with signs of a once well-ventilated and artistic suite of rooms, whereas it was actually built upon a stretch of level sandy beach. Access to this subterranean chamber is made through two long, covert exits facing the sea at Gurney Drive (formerly known as North Beach).

It is a remarkable coincidence, certainly not envisaged by its original founder, that the mansion is now used as a hotel and that within the walls of its subterranean dance-floor, the echo of "Wine, Woman and Song" reverberates to the rancous music of a modern Joget which holds a nocturnal performance therein.

The Famed Swimming Pool

The other architectural monument is the once famous fresh-water private swimming pool built in Relau, the first and the most expensive pool in Penang at that time.

Legend says that the Kapitan was inspired by the artistic canals of Venice and the enchanting ponds and lakes of China when he designed the swimming-pool, which was constructed by Mr. B. H. Ung, the first Chinese architect who introduced reinforced concrete buildings to the community, notably the Ban Hin Lee Bank.

The Survising Descendents

There are surviving altogether ten sons and seven daughters by the three widows of Kapitan Chung Thye-phin. Of these, two sons and two daughters are by his widow, Madam Lee Sau-yeng, a modest English-speaking lady of infinite classical Chinese feminine grace.

Chung Kok-soon, the first son, is a lawyer practicing in Singapore.

Chung kok-heng, a qualified motor engineer, is thriving as a financial agent at China Street Ghaut, Penang.

Mary Chung Yuet-seen one of the two daughters is the wife of Mr. Justice H. T. Ong of the Federation of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.

Louise Chung Yuet-kuen, the other daughter, is the wife of Dr. C. H. Yeang, a very successful medical practitioner, who has equally distinguished himself in many other spheres of activities, notably as Patron of Jaycee, Penang, and Organizing Secretary for the Theosophical Society of Malaya and Singaproe.

FOOTNOTES

A. This Chinese family record bears the title "Record of Meritous Deeds of the Chung Family," which Wu Liu had the privilege to consult. It is the property of Mrs. Chung Thye-phin (nee Lee Sau-yeng).

A few hitherto unpublished facts concerning Kapitan Ah Quee and his forbears and a number of copies of interesting documents of historical importance relating to Kapitan Chung Thye-phin are embodied in the pages of this precious small private publication.

B. The name Thye-phin (which rhymes with Taiping) needs clarification. It is a common belief that the town of Taiping (Supreme Peace) was named after Thye-phin or vice versa. This notion is unfounded, for the syllable "Thye" is indicated by a possibility different Chinese character "Ta"(meaning big).

The confusion arises from the fact that the character , "Ta" is pronounced "Thye" (or Tai) in Hakka. In fact, "Thye" is a "generation name" and all the eight brothers of Thye Phin bear the same generation name: Thye Choon, Thye Jin, Thye Jit, Thye Cheong, Thye Yen, Thye Hin, Thye Chiong and Thye Kim.

Source: THE KAPITAN SYSTEM - XI By Wu Liu (aka C. S. Wong) Sunday Gazette, June 19, 1960

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Chung Thye Phin Building, 14 Station Road

This elegant three-storey corner building from 1907 originally housed the Medical Hall established by Dr. R.M. Connolly, the Oilfileds Dispensaries Ltd. and presently The George Town Dispensary.

An Irishman trained in Trinity College. Dr. Connolly was recruited to Malaya on government service. He then went into private practice, became an editor of Time of Malaya and founded the Perak Anti-Opium Society.

The miner Chung Thye Pin (1879-1935), a Tseng Lung Hakka and the son of Kapitan Chung Keng Kooi, the Hai San chief during the Larut tin wars was a J.P. and a Federal Councillor, Perak State Council, member of the Perak Chinese Advisory Board, and the last Kapitan China of Perak.

In 1925, he co-founded the first Chinese limited liability company, the Toh Allang Chinese Tin Company in Perak and printed his own money for use in his mines. He was a keen motorist and owner of prize- winning racehorses.

http://www.geocities.com/stigerk07/Iphher1.html

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The collection is considerably damaged by the inclusion of extracts of Queeni Chang's "Memories of a Nyonya,' an audacious hoax on which the editors have bestowed an undeserved authenticity. Queeni Chang's account of dinner at Chung Thye Pin's bungalow at the Kelawei end of Northam Road is a pure fairy tale. In the first place, Chung Thye Pin for some reason, decided not to live in that house. The bungalow, like all others along North Beach, did not go beyond the building line which remained a respectable distance from the sea shore. And it certainly did not have a dining room extending out under the sea, as Chung Thye Pin's descendants and many others who are still alive will testify. The bungalow was to become the Shanghai Hotel, a favourite with Singaporeans. The garden was a famous spot for late night coffee, cream puffs and ice-cream. #

http://thepenangfileb.bravepages.com/dec-2002/books25.htm

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Father: CHUNG Keng Quee b: ABT 1821 in Cheng Sheng, Kwangtung, China
Mother: FEMALE7

Marriage 1 KHOO Joo Bee Married: Y Children

CHUNG Guat Nya b: in Penang, Malaysia

Marriage 2 LEE Sau Yeng Married: Y Children

CHUNG Kok Soon b: in Penang, Malaysia

Mary CHUNG Yuet See b: 10 JAN 1924 in Penang, Malaysia

Living CHUNG

Living CHUNG

Marriage 3 TAN Sim Hiang b: 25 APR 1902 in 36 Duxton Hill, Singapore Married: Y Children

Linda CHUNG Guat Hooi b: 28 NOV 1925 in 58, Northam Road, Penang, Malaysia

Casey CHUNG Kok Ching b: 16 AUG 1927 in 58 Northam Road, Penang, Malaya

Living CHUNG

Ivy CHUNG Guat Kheng b: 1 OCT 1931 in 58 Northam Road, Penang, Malaysia

Henry CHUNG Kok Tong b: 20 MAR 1933 in 58 Northam Road, Penang, Malaya

Kenny CHUNG Kok Choy b: 9 APR 1934 in 58 Northam Road, Penang, Malaya

George CHUNG Kok Chuan b: 8 MAY 1935 in 82 Northam Road, Penang, Malaya

Marriage 4 CHAN Kwai Chee Married: Y Children

Peter CHUNG Kok Choon b: in Penang, Malaysia

Ken CHUNG Kok Khen b: 1930 in Penang, Malaysia

Dennis CHUNG Kok Yen b: in Penang, Malaysia

Leon CHUNG Kok Leong b: 17 FEB 1934 in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

Marriage 5 WONG Yoon Hoe

Marriage 6 HO Foon Kaee Married: 28 SEP 1879 in Kota, Taiping, Perak, Malaya 1

Marriage 7 OH Jit Kwai b: 4 OCT 1908 in Penang, Malaysia Married: Y Children

Living CHUNG

Living CHUNG

Sources: Title: ZZ Place Record: Kota, Taiping, Perak, Malaya Author: Place Rec Id [P192] Note: Source Type: Place Details Title: ZZ Place Record: 58 Northam Road,Penang,Malaya Author: Place Rec Id [P1713] Note: Source Type: Place Details Title: ZZ Place Record: Family Burial plot, Mount Erskine, Penang, Malaysia Author: Place Rec Id [P1712] Note: Source Type: Place Details