Yap Geok Song (葉玉桑)
Yap Geok Song (葉玉桑, styled 雪亭 Xueting) was a prominent Singapore pioneer, landed proprietor, and successful businessman in pineapple cultivation and rubber processing. A native of Xibian Village (溪邊鄉) outside the South Gate of Tong’an, Fujian (福建同安南門外溪邊鄉人), he began studies at age nine, wrote fluent prose by fourteen, worked as a clerk in Xiamen at fifteen, and arrived in Singapore at twenty. He rose from bookkeeper at He Chun Hao to General Manager, then managed Ri Xin Hao for Tan Kah Kee, before establishing his own Da Shan and Da Chuan pineapple factories. In 1914 he partnered with Tan Kah Kee in the Ri Xin Joint-Stock Company; later founded Zhen Cheng Feng Rubber Factory 振成豐, exporting rubber to America with immense profits. A humble and sincere man despite his wealth, he supported the Xinhai Revolution by raising 60,000–70,000 gold pieces for the Yunnan Revolutionary Army, served as Director-General of Jingshi Garden revolutionary headquarters, founded Nanyang Chinese High School and reading rooms, and donated generously to schools including Tao Nan, Nanyang, Ai Tong, Chung Hwa, and Gong Shang. The Chinese government awarded him the Sixth-Class Order of the Golden Grain. He died suddenly of heart failure on 12 March 1928 at age 55 at his residence on the corner of Leonie Hill and River Valley Road. The tomb highlight is the detailed **ancestry place** from the Foling Ye Clan Genealogy (佛嶺葉氏族譜).
Genealogy & Burial Location
Family Details:
Father: Guangxue (光靴), a refined scholar (文儒)
Mother: Li family (母氏李)
Spouses: Chen Shui Niang (陳水娘), Chen Xing Niang (陳星娘), and Yeo Gim Ee (楊錦意; passed away 26 April 1959 at age 83)
Children: Sons — Yap Kim Chuan (金銓, eldest), Yap Koon Hoe (坤和), Yap Kim Swee (金水); Daughter — Yap Poey Teen / Poen Teen / Pei Zhen (佩珍, married Lim Kim Hoo / Lim Kim Foo on 13 July 1920; Lim Kim Hoo was second son of Lim Lian Keng and nephew of Dr. Lim Boon Keng O.B.E.)
From the Foling Ye Clan Genealogy (佛嶺葉氏族譜): Hall Name 佛嶺堂 (Foling Hall / Buddha's Ridge). Founding Ancestor 葉洙 (Ye Zhu / Yap Chu), a Tang Dynasty scholar-official who moved to Fujian as an educator and is recognized by many Fujianese Yaps as the progenitor of the Tong’an/Xiamen branch. Native place: Xibian Village outside the South Gate of Tong’an, Fujian. The biography from 《南洋名人集傳》 emphasizes Yap Geok Song’s humility, sincerity toward relatives and society, and tireless support for revolution and education.
Burial Location:
Cemetery: Hokkien Cemetery, adjacent to Bukit Brown
Tomb Inscriptions & Observations
Yap Geok Song tombstone
Malayan Saturday Post, 17 March 1928, Page 5
Yeo Gim Neo (empty tomb)
Historical Records & Transcripts
Malaya Tribune, 13 March 1928, Page 7
"Yap Geok Song, a well known landed proprietor and a pioneer in the development of the cultivation of pineapples and rubber here, died suddenly of heart failure last night at his town residence on the corner of Leonie Hill and River Valley Road, at the age of 55 years. Mr Yap Geok Song was greatly interested in social work amongst the Chinese and counted among his wide circle of friends many whom he had aided as well as the leaders of the local Chinese community. His loss will be greatly deplored."
The Straits Times, 27 April 1959, Page 6 (Madam Yeo Gim Ee)
"Madam Yeo Gim Ee (Mrs Yap Geok Song) age 83, passed away peacefully on Sunday 26 inst at her residence 125-J Thomson Road, leaving behind three sons, Yap Kim Chuan, Koon Hoe and Kim Swee, one daughter, three daughters in law and several grandchildren. The funeral will leave on Tue 28 inst at 4 pm for Bidadari Cemetery."
The Straits Budget, 16 Jul 1920, Page 18
"The marriage of Lim Kim Hoo, second son of Mr Lim Lian Keng, nephew of the Hon Lim Boon Keng O.B.E. to Miss Yap Poey Teen, only daughter of Mr Yap Geok Song, took place on July 13, 1920."
- Biography from 南洋名人集傳 (Nanyang Celebrities Biography)
- 叶玉桑：字雪亭，福建同安南门外溪边乡人。
- 葉玉桑君
- 君姓葉。名玉桑。雪亭其字也。福建同安南門外溪邊鄉人。九歲隨師修學。至十四歲。已能肆筆成文。越年。廈門乾泰號。聘之為書記。時才十五歲耳。廈門靡不瞿然。稱為可畏之後生。顧君志在振轡長驅。乘風破浪。以與國外人爭市利耳。遂於弱冠之年。南至石叻坡。初任合春號簿書職。越年。陞總司理。凡七載。為陳嘉庚君所聞名。延置之日新號司理席。又八載。終以傍人門戶為不自由。遂出自啓大山大川二黃梨廠。迨西歷一千九百一十四年。復與陳嘉庚君合資。將其宿創之日新。日春。恆新。新利川等號。併歸日新。為合股公司。乃一千九百一十九年。陳君忽抽股脫離關係。於是再邀同陳水蚌。張兩端。楊六使。三君入股。就日新公司。備資本啓振成豐樹膠號。購置三較機。造膠運送美洲等處發賣。雲集萬商。尋趁雄厚。南洋巨商名賈。咸企羨之焉。君既富矣。益㧑謙恬退。內而六親股友。外而社會團體。待接赤誠。禮遇豐渥。惟對辛亥國體之改革。則認為天經地義。與同志盟後。對於除滿倒袁。民軍同粵諸役。力為運動贊助。第三次革命。躬為勸捐員。除自捐數千金外。復募僑眾六七萬金。滙交雲南民軍司令部為精餉。時星洲同志。以敬是園為革命機關。君適為總理。英政府為治安計。嘗傳君會話。風示憲意。君異語開陳。官疑遂釋。君於民七之年。與三數同志。倡辦南洋中學校於星洲。至星洲書報社。同德書報社。君亦為發起之最早者。星洲各校。如道南。南洋。愛同。中華。工商等。類皆以千百為輔助者。各學校。各團體。投之資。董其事者。至難記載。君實既至。名亦歸焉。我政府曾錫之以六等嘉禾章。海內外顯宜名人。以詞章翰墨。為題贈者。其類尤蕃。泰山北斗。編者於君。不能無仰止矣。父光靴。為文儒。母氏李。配陳楊二氏。三子一女。長子金銓。次坤和。又次金水。均可期為國器家駒者。女佩珍。適林文慶君姪金富君。林亦有幹才。
- Mr. Yap Geok Song
- Mr. Yap, named Yusang and styled Xueting, was a native of Xibian Village, located outside the South Gate of Tong’an, Fujian. At the age of nine, he began his studies under a tutor; by fourteen, he was already capable of writing fluent and sophisticated prose. The following year, the Qian Tai Firm in Xiamen hired him as a clerk. At only fifteen years old, his talent astonished the people of Xiamen, who hailed him as a formidable youth. However, his ambitions were set on "shaking the reins to drive a great distance" and "riding the wind and breaking the waves" to compete for commercial interests abroad. Consequently, at the age of twenty, he traveled south to Selat (Singapore).
- Rise in the Business World
- He initially took a bookkeeping position at He Chun Hao. A year later, he was promoted to General Manager, a role he held for seven years. His reputation eventually reached Mr. Tan Kah Kee, who invited him to serve as the manager of Ri Xin Hao 日新號 , where he remained for another eight years. Eventually, feeling that working under another's roof lacked true freedom, he ventured out to establish the Da Shan 大山 and Da Chuan 大川 pineapple factories.
- In 1914, he partnered again with Mr. Tan Kah Kee to consolidate several of his previously established businesses—Ri Xin, Ri Chun, Heng Xin, and Xin Li Chuan—into the Ri Xin Joint-Stock Company. However, in 1919, Mr. Tan suddenly withdrew his shares and ended the partnership. Mr. Yap then invited Mr. Chen Shuibang, Mr. Zhang Liangduan, and Mr. Yang Liushi to invest. Utilizing the capital from the Ri Xin Company, they established the Zhen Cheng Feng Rubber Factory 振成豐. He purchased three processing machines, producing rubber for export to America and other regions. Merchants gathered in great numbers, and his profits became immense, earning him the deep admiration of the great merchants of the South Seas.
- Political Involvement and Social Virtue
- Having achieved great wealth, Mr. Yap became even more humble and retiring. He treated everyone—from relatives and business partners to social organizations—with absolute sincerity and generous courtesy. He viewed the 1911 Revolution (Xinhai Revolution) and the reform of the national government as a sacred duty. After swearing an oath with his comrades, he worked tirelessly to support the movements to overthrow the Qing Dynasty, oppose Yuan Shikai, and assist the revolutionary armies in Guangdong.
- During the Third Revolution, he personally served as a fundraiser. In addition to donating several thousand gold pieces of his own, he raised 60,000 to 70,000 gold pieces from the overseas Chinese community, which were remitted to the Yunnan Revolutionary Army Headquarters as military funds. At that time, revolutionary comrades in Singapore used Jingshi Garden as their headquarters, and Mr. Yap served as its Director-General.
- Because of these activities, the British colonial government, concerned with maintaining order, summoned him for an interview to explain his intentions. Mr. Yap spoke eloquently and clarified his position, successfully dispelling the officials' suspicions.
- Educational Contributions and Legacy
- In 1918, Mr. Yap and several comrades founded the Nanyang Chinese High School in Singapore. He was also one of the earliest founders of the Singapore Chinese Reading Room and the Tong Teck Reading Room. He contributed thousands of dollars to various schools in Singapore, such as Tao Nan, Nanyang, Ai Tong, Chung Hwa, and Gong Shang. The instances in which he invested capital or sat on boards for various schools and organizations are almost too numerous to record.
- As his practical achievements grew, so did his fame. The Chinese government awarded him the Sixth-Class Order of the Golden Grain (Jiahe Decoration). Distinguished figures and celebrities from home and abroad have frequently presented him with poems and calligraphy as gifts. To the editor, Mr. Yap is like "Mount Tai and the Big Dipper" (a figure of great eminence), inspiring a deep sense of admiration.
🔍 Feature: Ancestry Place Highlight
佛嶺葉氏族譜 (Fólǐng Yè Shì Zúpǔ): Genealogy of the Yap (Ye) Clan of Foling.
堂號：佛嶺堂 (Tánghào: Fólǐng Táng): Hall Name: Foling Hall.
始祖：葉洙 (Shǐzǔ: Yè Zhū): Founding Ancestor: Ye Zhu (Yap Chu).
1. 佛嶺 (Fólǐng - "Buddha's Ridge")
This refers to the ancestral locality or the specific branch of the family. Foling is a famous ancestral seat for the Ye/Yap clan located in Tong’an, Fujian Province (the same region mentioned in the biography of Ye Yusang you shared earlier). In Chinese genealogy, identifying the "Ridge" or "Mountain" helps distinguish this specific lineage from other Ye clans.
2. 堂號 (Tánghào - "Hall Name")
The "Hall Name" serves as a symbolic title for the family clan.
Significance: It was often hung on a plaque over the entrance of the ancestral hall.
Function: It acts as a "brand" or "motto" for the family. When members of the same clan met far from home, they would use the Tanghao to verify they shared the same ancestors. "Foling Tang" specifically links the family back to their roots in Tong’an.
3. 始祖 (Shǐzǔ - "Founding Ancestor")
This is the person who first settled in a specific area or started this particular branch of the lineage.
葉洙 (Ye Zhu): He is a historical figure of the Tang Dynasty. He was a scholar and official who moved to Fujian to serve as an educator. He is widely recognized by many Fujianese Yaps as the progenitor who brought the family line to the Tong’an/Xiamen region.
Ancestral temple
葉氏家廟 (Yèshì Jiāmiào) located in Tongan District, Xiamen, Fujian Province, is known in English as the Ye Family Ancestral Temple.
Here are key details in English regarding this site:
Alternative Name: It is often referred to as the Fuling Ye Family Ancestral Temple (佛嶺葉氏家廟) due to its location in Fuling.
Please note the village name mentioned in Nanyang Personalities : “福建同安南門外溪邊鄉人” (Native of Xibian Village outside the South Gate of Tong’an, Fujian).
References:
1. 《南洋名人集傳》
2. Newspaper archives: Malaya Tribune (13 March 1928), Malayan Saturday Post (17 March 1928), The Straits Times (27 April 1959), The Straits Budget (16 July 1920).
3. Foling Ye Clan Genealogy (佛嶺葉氏族譜) for ancestry details.
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