Wong Ah Fook
Pic : PST newsletter 2014 Aug edition
Made by
Tomb epitaph of Wong Ah Fook which is inscribed on a stone tablet mounted on a stone tortoise. It details his early struggle in his hometown in Taishan and his later success and his family and children
光緒廿三年丁酉孟秋吉日重修
皇清誥封資政大夫黃公懋朝淑配麥太夫人之墓
黃積慶堂拜桌
宏讓黃公祠
Ancestral tablet of the 20, 21 and 22 generation
黃亞福
real name
黃福基 Wong Fook Kee
字彥廷 Courtesy name Yan Ting
號甫田 style name Poh Tin
Born 12 Nov 1837
Died 12 Sep 1918
(Taken from genealogy book, birth month and date different from quoted sources)
Wong Ah Fook's tomb was originally at Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, No 3 Pavilion
黃亞福之原在廣惠肇碧山亭第三亭
Pic : PST newsletter 2014 Aug edition
The two guardian stone lions are now placed at the entrance of the Kuan Yin temple in Peck San Theng
Made by
Raoul Bigazzi
Sculptor and Art Dealer
Florence
Wong Ah Fook tomb epitaph rubbing
Tomb epitaph of Wong Ah Fook which is inscribed on a stone tablet mounted on a stone tortoise. It details his early struggle in his hometown in Taishan and his later success and his family and children
Tombstone Inscription for the Honorable Mr Wong
Mr. Chen Xun from Xinhui composed this inscription in literary Chinese praising the virtues of Mr Wong
The inscription describes Wong's ancestral lineage from Guangdong's Taishan highlighting his ancestors' diligence in establishing the family. It recounts how at age 18, the family's property was lost during times of unrest and he had to come to Nanyang to earn a living bidding his parents farewell . After 4 years, he had to return home to attend his mother’s funeral . Despite hardships, he remained filial and uncorrupted.
The inscription then lauds Wong 's virtues - diligently providing for his family, being charitable to his hometown, assisting the nation and people without seeking power, avoiding luxuries, and remaining humble his entire life. It mentions his later years spent in Singapore and the teachings he imparted to his sons and students
At 82 years old, he fell ill in Singapore and passed away, leaving instructions for a modest burial. The inscription concluded by praising his moral character as going beyond merely charitable deeds to embodying fundamental human virtues that should be celebrated for posterity.
The epitaph also mentioned the achievements of his sons and daughters
Family members in the epitaph
Wife Madam 趙 Chew
Sons
黃景棠 (兆南) Wong Siew Nam
黃兆焜 Wong Siew Kuan
黃兆鎮 Wong Siew Chin
黃兆鎮 Wong Siew Chin
黃兆珪 Wong Siew Qui
Secondary wife 彭
Son
黄兆源 Wong Siew Yuan
Daughters
黃美瓊 Wong Bee Keng
黃美瓊 Wong Bee Keng
黃美好 Wong Bee Ho
黃美蘇 Wong Bee Soo
黃美寛 Wong Bee Quan
Grandsons
秉照
秉湘
秉盛
秉章
秉華
秉權
秉銓
Buried Clay Tablets for the after life
This is an intriguing set of 3 clays spirit tablets buried in the tomb.
What is unique is that each alternate column of words is inverted upside down, that is running upside down in contrast to the other column.
The first clay tablet 黃家山券 translates to:
"Wong Residence Hill Permit" together with the other two clay tablets with inverted columns
is an unconventional funerary text writing.
The inversion of alternate columns for the genealogy records made it difficult to read for the living, and therefore was meant for the afterwife . It was carefully prepared and buried with the deceased and provided a meticulously documented multi-generational ancestral legacy and history for the deceased patriarch in the afterlife.
This permit" or "visa" and the clay genealogy records therefore seem to grant the soul of Wong to cross into the afterworld, and established his pedigree and merits to receive the honors in the afterlife.
Translation of the 2nd clay spirit tablet of Wong Ah Fook
民國七年岁次戊午四月日廣州府台山縣黄嘉蔭堂送出通用叻银壹千五百大元正承受碧山亭内吉地一瑩落在第三亭内坐酉向卯兼辛乙之原即日當衆大量明白並立界石隨擇吉於本年九月十六日申時奉顯祖考靈枢安葬顯祖考乃隐龍祖第二十一代孫懋朝公之長子諱福基字芳廷號甫田黄公府君生於清咸豐丁酉年十月十五日辰時終於民國七年戊午八月初八日午享壽八十有二自葬後陰陽安泰铭曰先霛周妥弱土而安子孫昌盛凡百咸宜
In the 7th year of the Republic of China (1918), in the year of Wu-Wu, on the 4th day of the 4th month, the Wong Jiayin Hall in Taishan County, Guangzhou Prefecture, sent out 1,500 Spanish silver dollars to acquire an auspicious plot within the Bishan Pavilion. The plot is located in the third pavilion, facing east-southeast (You towards Mao) with Xin and Yi orientations. On this day, in the presence of many, the boundaries were clearly measured and boundary stones were erected.
On the auspicious day of the 16th of the 9th month of this year, at the Shen hour (3-5 PM), the spirit tablet (clay tablet) of the illustrious ancestor will be respectfully buried. The illustrious ancestor is the 21st generation descendant of Yinlong, and the eldest son of Mau Chiu. His name is Fook Kee, courtesy name Fang Ting, style name Poh Tin, Mr. Huang of the official's family.
He was born during the Qing Dynasty, in the Xianfeng reign, in the year of Ding-You, on the 15th day of the 10th month, at the Chen hour (7-9 AM). He passed away in the 7th year of the Republic of China (1918), in the year of Wu-Wu, on the 8th day of the 8th month, at the Wu hour (11 AM-1 PM), having lived to the age of 82.
After the burial, may both the living and the deceased be at peace. The inscription reads: "The spirit of the ancestor is well-settled, the weak earth is stabilized, and the descendants shall prosper. All matters shall be auspicious."
Source : Roots.sg
Wong Ah Fook mother tomb in 台山 Taishan 新會縣 Mdm Mak
光緒廿三年丁酉孟秋吉日重修
皇清誥封資政大夫黃公懋朝淑配麥太夫人之墓
兩房衆子孫立石
Restored on an auspicious day in the early autumn seventh month of the 23th year of Guangxu reign, year of Ding-You (1897)
The tomb of Wong Mau Chiu, honored with the title of Zizheng Dafu by imperial decree of the Qing Dynasty, and his virtuous wife, Madam Mak
Erected by the descendants of both branches of the family
Notes:
1. "Guangxu 23th year, Ding-You" corresponds to 1897 in the Gregorian calendar.
2. "Zizheng Dafu" (资政大夫) was an honorary title bestowed by the Qing imperial court, indicating a second ranking official
3. "Early autumn" (孟秋) typically refers to the 7th lunar month.
4. The phrase "兩房衆子孫" that Huang had two main family branches from the two sons they have and descendants from both branches contributed to erecting this stone marker.
黃積慶堂拜桌
宏讓黃公祠
Ancestral tablet of the 20, 21 and 22 generation
家譜
文明祖家譜
Here is the genealogy record of Wong Ah Fook extracted from the genealogy book kept by the family
二十六世
福基
字彥廷號甫田
乃懋朝翁之長子也生於道光十七年
丁酉歳十月十五日辰時
終於民國七年歳次戊午八月初八日
午時享壽八十二歳
Fook Kee, 26th generation
Courtesy name Yan Ting, style name Poh Tin
The eldest son of Mau Chiu, born in the 17th year of Daoguang reign
On the 15th day of the 10th month in the year of Ding-You, at the Chen hour (7-9 AM)
Passed away in the 7th year of the Republic of China, in the year of Wu-Wu
On the 8th day of the 8th month, at the Wu hour (11 AM-1 PM)
Lived to the age of 82 years
ie Born 12 Nov 1837
Died 12 Sep 1918
Notes:
1. The "17th year of Daoguang reign" corresponds to 1837 in the Gregorian calendar
2. The "7th year of the Republic of China" is 1918.
3. The Chinese text uses the traditional Chinese calendar system, which includes cyclical year names (like Ding-You and Wu-Wu) and divides the day into two-hour periods.
References
Roots - Collections from grave of Wong Ah Fook
WONG AH FOOK COLLECTION / A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF A COLLECTION OF RESEARCH MATERIALS ON AN IMMIGRANT, BUILDER AND ENTREPRENEUR
YouTube on visit to Wong Ah Fook ancestral home
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