Keng Teck Whay - Celebrating the Virtues of the Sages
Introduction
序
嘗聞烏牛白馬盟重千秋白水青松誓同一日古人於信義操之有素盟語一出驚天動地是以患難之中不移其志富貴之際不動其心堅心矢志誠合後世
所仰慕者也方今
治之世民樂其生引養引恬涵熙二百年之深故海隅蒼生敦齒讓之風修先王之教爰有我輩芸立斯舉祝於三官大帝神前誓盟曰以三十六人結為異姓兄弟神明在上鉴觀在下世心此盟無貳無疑同聲相應如聯骨肉願敦人
倫慎亷恥恤孤獨傳奕稱危我同盟每捐緑資滿百充為公養以子母錢為生活之計焉此一舉也豈獨終身相見子孫猶作世世相親至於事為大小節目宜付會長興參謀二司同堂共論斟酌損益母逞己見自出心裁而達公論以亂同盟也果能此道矣雖一家之政理通於國寄通靈臺之下遺也江湖之上禮義可為甲胄忠信可為干櫓斯同人之會盟厯百世而不易誰謂古人之遺風不再起於令日乎所有律約條規詳列於後俾知所慎焉
方今信義著西州三十
六人祝
帝麻骨肉驩欣联異姓同心慶德足千秋
峕
道光十二年壬辰陽月榖旦
溪邑郭玉江謹識
English translation which according to the book is made by Lim Koon Tye in 1914, who was a well known bilingual Rafflesian scholar at that time ..
It has been said that, though a solemn oath is made in a day, it lasts through a thousand years, even at the streams and the banyan tree.
The Ancients regarded an oath as a thing that is binding by its sincerity and its righteousness, and usually considered that “plighted words once uttered make the heavens tremble and the earth shake.”
Therefore in the midst of tribulation and of wealth and prosperity, their purpose remains unchanged. For this reason, succeeding generations earnestly desire to imitate them… Under the present dynasty, our people have for more than 200 years enjoyed prosperity. It is therefore that we, who live in this part of the world, should according to custom respect age and revere the teachings of the Sages…
We 36 persons who are followers of the Sages, one and all now undertake to form this Association. We invoke for this movement the blessing of the God Sam Kwan Thai The*, in whose presence we take this oath to become brothers (Hianh Tee), though we have different clan names.
The spirit from above looks at us below, and understand the singleness of purpose and the unity of voice and deed by which we are united, as the bone is united to the flesh, having for our objects the promotion of right relationship between individuals , the awakening of a proper sense of shame, and the rousing of pity for the orphan, in order to hand down to our successors of the example of our ancestors.
All matters, whether great or small, shall be submitted to the President (the Huai Choo) and his two Advisers (the Chham Bol) for their careful consideration. Let no private individual opinion prevail against the just decision of the Association as a body and bring about the breaking of this oath. If we can faithfully follow this precept, then the government of our nation can be administered in the same manner that the affairs of a family are managed, and we shall fulfill the oath made previously at Leng-tai and Kong-aw. Righteousness shall be our armoured shield, sincerity and truthfulness our weapon and our guide, and this covenant of ours shall last for hundreds of years unchanged. Who is there that dares to say that the abiding example of the ancients cannot be made to live again nowadays?
All the rules and regulations which are here carefully set forth shall be strictly obeyed by every member of this Association.
These Rules and Regulations were drawn up by the original members of the Association in the Chinese Tao Kong 12th Year, Jim Sin .
(taken from Keng Teck Whay, 200 years of Brotherhood)
This corresponds to the year 1832
There was a later addition to the manuscript “ 1831 “ in Suzhou numeral .. this does not tally with the Chinese year, but it was assumed that the Association was first set up in 1831 before Rules and Regulations were finalized in 1832
Song Ong Siang also list 1831 as the founding year . It is not known with what basis he based the year on.
However in 1857, Seet Boon Tiong in a petition, the alliance was sworn in 1832 𡈼辰 Jim Sin , but unfortunately the editors and the translator ignore this critical fact but put too much emphasis on the Suzhou figure of 1831
Based on the events described in the "Syair Singapura Terbakar" (The Burning of Singapore), we can infer why a group of merchants from Melaka might be motivated to form a mutual aid society:
The Great Fire of Singapore in 1843 had devastating consequences for many merchants, both in Singapore and those based in Melaka with business interests in Singapore. The poem vividly portrays the chaos, destruction, and significant financial losses suffered by numerous individuals and businesses.
Many Melaka-based merchants, such as Baba Poh Eng, received distressing news about their shops and goods being destroyed in the fire. The poem describes their shock, anxiety, and the immediate impact on their fortunes. For instance, Baba Po Eng laments, "What can be done, misfortune has come / But too much property is lost / We must surely bear debts" (verses 255-256).
The fire exposed the vulnerability of individual merchants to catastrophic events. It highlighted the need for a support system that could help mitigate such risks and provide assistance in times of crisis. The poem also illustrates the importance of community and collective action, as seen in the efforts to save goods and the later attempts to distribute recovered items fairly.
The emotional and financial toll on the merchants, as depicted in the poem, would likely have sparked discussions about preventing such devastating losses in the future. A mutual aid society could offer a framework for shared risk .
Not forgetting the case of Kiong Kong Tuan and his ex partner Ong Tuan , which also alerted the Melaka traders to the dangers of not publishing their cessation of interests in their business ventures to avoid ligitation risks
In conclusion, the Great Fire of Singapore in Feb 1830, IMHO served as a catalyst for Melaka merchants to recognize the need for greater cooperation and mutual support as they realize disaster or death can strike at any time and wipe off their savings Forming a mutual aid society would be a logical response to protect their interests, share risks, and ensure better preparedness for future calamities.
As such Keng Teck Whay was formed and allegiance sworn in front of the their deity on an auspicious day on the 10th month of the 12th year of Daoguang reign (Jim Sin) as stated in the manuscript and the petition of 1857 by Seet Boon Tiong, then the President of Keng Teck Whay
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