沈門高氏老太太之𤯵
Burial Entry
Bukit Brown Blk 4 A Plot No 758
Name : Sim Koh Si
74 years
Date of Death : 28.9.48
Date of internment : 1.10.48
Shanghainese
Ie born circa 1874
Tomb Inscription
Died on 28 September 1948
Erected by her sorrowful son :
Tsai Yung Ching , Shih Pin Sheng
Grandsons : Yu Kang and Chin Pao
Of the Chinese Republic
沈奶奶的千斤磨盘
联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao), 29 March 1987, Page 15
大天球马戏班的前身，乃是“马戏圈子”，即清末民初江湖卖艺的杂技班子，由沈奶奶领班，是个家庭班，没有班名。1919年至福州表演，遇一军政要人为之命名，为大天球女子技术团，迄至1921年，举团在香港油麻地献演时，遇盐城布商孙锡亭，扩大组织又改名为大天球马戏班。
沈奶奶嫁夫沈棋国，育有子女多人，长子沈全贵，次子沈常福，全家三十余人。夫去世后，沈奶奶继承遗志，仍带子女辗转江湖卖艺。当时行内人提起沈寡妇之名，则无人不知。沈寡妇即沈奶奶，天生神力，臂腕能举石锁及大石担。大石担重有五百斤，人卧倒地上，一副石担由胸前用两手举起，又一副石担放在她双腿的小足上，手足共负两副石担，石担上再坐男女九人，沈奶奶四肢所负的重量约一千六百斤之谱。她是个小足妇人，最受观众欢迎而最负盛名的杂技，即为她表演的“千斤磨盘”。磨盘为油坊磨油所用者，厚约尺半，直径约八尺，笨重异常，表演时由十余人推滚而出，沈奶奶卧于地上，左脚跷起，众人将磨盘抬起置于她小足上，小足将磨盘顶稳不动，又以右足推动磨盘，使之徐徐旋转。
沈奶奶力大无比，且能走索，三上三下吊及耍各种把式（武术），骑术亦是她的一绝。
沈奶奶领导的马戏圈子，即中国旧型的马戏班，动物节目仅有“耍熊”、“耍狗”、“猴骑羊”等，象、狮、虎、豹等猛兽却没有。但是既称“马戏圈子”，必有马戏的节目。沈奶奶就是表演骑术的杰出者，她的“三堂快马”表演，在当时的“马戏圈子”中，一时无两。
所谓“三堂快马”，即有单马、双马、马上的罗汉三个节目内容。凡称马戏，必有“三堂快马”的节目，否则是不足称为马戏的。（RP 7）
The predecessor of the Tai Thean Kew was the “Circus Troupe” (马戏圈子), which refers to the traditional Chinese-style circus troupes from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican era, run by itinerant performers. These were family-based troupes without formal names. Granny Sheum (沈奶奶) led such a troupe.
In 1919, while performing in Fuzhou, they encountered a military-political figure who gave them the name Tai Thean Kew Technical Troupe (大天球女子技术团). By 1921, when the troupe was performing at Yau Ma Tei (油麻地) district in Hong Kong, they met Sun Si ting (孙锡亭), a cloth merchant from Yancheng, who expanded the organization and renamed it the Tai Thean Kew Circus Troupe (大天球马戏班).
Granny Sheum was married to Sheum Qiguo (沈棋国) and had many children. The eldest son was Sheum Quan Gui (沈全贵), the second son Sheum Cheang Fook (沈常福), and the entire family numbered more than thirty people. After her husband passed away, Granny Sheum carried on his legacy and continued leading her children to wander the jianghu (江湖, the world of itinerant performers) selling their arts.
At that time, anyone in the trade who mentioned the name “Widow Sheum” (沈寡妇) knew exactly who she was. Widow Sheum was none other than Granny Sheum. She was born with extraordinary physical strength: her arms could lift stone locks and large stone poles. A large stone pole weighed 500 jin (approximately 250 kg or 550 lbs in modern terms). Lying flat on the ground, she would lift one stone pole from her chest with both hands, while another stone pole was placed on her small bound feet. With her four limbs bearing two stone poles, and nine men and women sitting on top of the poles, the total weight Granny supported with her body was roughly 1,600 jin (approximately 800 kg or 1,760 lbs). Despite being a woman with bound feet, she was the most popular and renowned performer for her signature act: the “Thousand-Jin Millstone” (千斤磨盘).
The millstone was the kind used in oil mills to press oil, about one-and-a-half chi thick (roughly 50 cm) and eight chi in diameter (roughly 2.6 m), extremely heavy and cumbersome. During the performance, more than ten people would roll it out. Shen Granny lay on the ground, raised her left foot, and the crowd lifted the millstone and placed it on her small foot. Her small foot held the millstone steady without moving, then she pushed it with her right foot, causing it to rotate slowly and steadily.
Granny Sheum possessed unmatched strength and was also skilled at tightrope walking, performing three ascents and descents, as well as various martial-arts postures (把式). Her horsemanship was another of her specialties.
The troupe led by Granny Sheum was a traditional Chinese-style circus called the “Horse Play Circle.” The animal acts were limited to “performing bear,” “performing dog,” “monkey riding goat,” and similar routines; there were no large ferocious beasts such as elephants, lions, tigers, or leopards. However, since it was called a “Horse Play Circle,” it necessarily included horse-riding performances. Granny Sheum was an outstanding performer of equestrian arts, and her “Three Halls Fast Horse” act was unrivalled in the “Horse Play Circles” of her time.
The so-called “Three Halls Fast Horse” consisted of three routines: single horse, double horse, and the Luohan (Arhat) on horseback. Any troupe called a horse circus had to include the “Three Halls Fast Horse” act; otherwise, it would not qualify as a true horse circus. (RP 7)
沈家：
沈和尚：原有一个沈家马戏团。
沈寡妇：是沈和尚的妹妹。抗战前，随哥哥演出。后来她带领自己的女儿、女婿等十几人到南洋去，成立了“大天球马戏团”，当时被称为“中国第三马戏团”（另两个是“华侨马戏团”、“环球马戏团”），在国际上享有声誉，有外国的演员。
沈常云：现为杭州杂技团主要演员。
另外，还有夏家的夏其勇、夏其康二兄弟及夏贤发（夏其勇的三儿子）；应家的应潮喜和儿子应文海、媳妇应胖子（朱氏）；谷家的谷长根、谷长斌弟兄二人，也都是杂技艺人。
（原文中提到的“谷长根、谷长斌弟兄二人，也都是杂技艺人”，已直接整理保留。）
说明与补充背景（基于历史资料的上下文补充，仅供参考，不改变原文）：
这段文字出自建湖文史资料，主要记载江苏建湖“十八团”杂技世家的历史。“十八团”是建湖县庆丰镇一带的俗称，因历史上多户人家以杂技、马戏为生而闻名。这些家族在清末民初至抗战前后，曾形成多个流动马戏团，部分艺人因战乱、经济压力而远赴南洋（东南亚）谋生和发展。
“大天球马戏团”（Tai Thean Kew Circus）确实是上世纪中期在新加坡、马来西亚等地非常著名的华人民营马戏团之一，以猛兽表演、空中飞人、高空节目等闻名，曾被誉为当时华人社会中最具影响力的马戏表演团体之一。它与“华侨马戏团”“环球马戏团”并称“中国三大马戏团”（或“南洋三大马戏团”），在东南亚巡演多年，深受当地华人及国际观众欢迎。沈寡妇（沈和尚之妹）带领家人南下创办该团的故事，正是“十八团”杂技艺人海外发展的典型案例
Ref jhwsw.com/hjzj/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=3649
The earliest mention of this troupe in newspapers was in 1934 where they mentioned the troupe first arrived in Penang in 1933
中國大天球女子馬戲團將抵麻坡表演爲精武會報効一晚
南洋商报 (Nanyang Siang Pau), 5 October 1934, Page 8
大天球女子馬戲團前在暹羅馬來亞一帶各坡表演，備受歡迎，以此馬戲事業，向爲歐美人士所盛倡，國人出而組織者，殊屬罕見，至於女子馬戲團，更爲破天荒之組織，大天球女子馬戲團，純屬妙齡女郎，出而獻技，近更羅致虎豹猿象，及技術專門人才，規模漸大，媲美西歐，此眞僑胞所當愛護者。
該團近在永平港表演，每夕皆座爲之滿，蓋其技術確有驚人之處，大力士沈常復、能以雙足承三百二十斤之大石，石上坐臥七八人，重量計千餘斤，沈指揮虎豹，使之馴狎如貓，沈會於其下狀極自如，其他如孫小寶之騎術，孫阿弟之技擊，余廣東之翻騰，咸美不勝收，表演之技，如空中飛人等，凡百數十種，班主孫錫亭慘淡經營、煞費苦心，聞日間尙擬到上和港立卑，巴羅，居鑾，豐盛港，林候，峇株巴轄，龜叨士乃十條石，到處表演，俾僑胞共同欣賞中國之固有技藝，準於一月十五日到柔佛，演罷即來新加坡云。
English Translation
The Tai Thean Kew Women Circus has previously performed in various towns throughout Siam (Thailand) and Malaya, receiving a warm welcome. Circus enterprises have traditionally been championed by Europeans and Americans; it is extremely rare for our fellow countrymen to organize one. Furthermore, an all-female circus troupe is an unprecedented, "groundbreaking" organization. The Tai Thean Kew Ladies Circus consists entirely of young women performing skills. Recently, they have even recruited tigers, leopards, monkeys, and elephants, alongside technical specialists. Its scale is gradually expanding to rival those of Western Europe—it is truly something that our overseas Chinese compatriots should cherish and support.
The troupe recently performed at Yong Peng (永平港), where every evening was a full house. This is because their skills are truly astonishing. The strongman Shen Changfu (沈常復) can support a 320-catty (approx. 192kg) stone with his feet, while seven or eight people sit or lie upon it, totaling over a thousand catties in weight. Shen also commands the tigers and leopards, making them as tame as house cats; he appears completely at ease beneath them. Other performances, such as Sun Xiaobao’s horsemanship, Sun Adi’s martial arts, and Yu Guangdong’s acrobatics, are all magnificent. The show features over a hundred acts, including the "flying trapeze" (trapeze artists).
The troupe leader, Sun Xiting (孫錫亭), has managed this venture with painstaking effort and great hardship. It is heard that during the day, they plan to visit Sungei Atas (上和港), Kuala Lipis (立卑), Paloh (巴羅), Kluang (居鑾), Mersing (豐盛港), Rengit (林候/龙引), Batu Pahat (峇株巴轄), Pontian Kechil (龜叨), and Senai 10th Mile (士乃十條石). They aim to perform everywhere so that compatriots can collectively appreciate traditional Chinese arts. They are scheduled to arrive in Johor on January 15th, and after finishing their performances there, they will head to Singapore.
第11页 广告 专栏 2
南洋商报 (Nanyang Siang Pau), 8 February 1935, Page 11
中國大天球女子馬戲團
本團自一九三三年在檳城組織以來，所歷馬來亞大小各埠表演，深蒙僑胞各界盛譽贊許，認為我國唯一之馬戲集團。茲為便利消息起見，特將經過各埠奏演時期，預先登報披露，由二月六日起，本團即在峇都吧轄開演，轉向柔佛獸善以後，大約在三月初旬可抵星洲，與各界僑胞行相見禮也。至於內容方面，材料繁多，不勝枚舉，男女演員共計四十餘人，各負絕技，虎豹馬象等凶猛獸類數十頭，訓練純熟，大有可觀！
中國大天球女子馬戲團
代表人 孫錫亭 謹啓
English Translation
China Tai Thean Kew Women’s Circus
Since our troupe was organized in Penang in 1933, we have performed in various large and small towns across Malaya. We have received high praise and acclaim from all circles of our overseas compatriots, who recognize us as the only circus group from our home country.
For the convenience of providing information, we are specially publishing our performance schedule for various towns in the newspaper in advance: From February 6th, our troupe will begin performing in Batu Pahat, then move on to Johor (Muar/Segamat area). We expect to arrive in Singapore (星洲) around early March to greet our fellow compatriots.
Regarding the program: the acts are numerous and too many to list. We have a total of over 40 male and female performers, each possessing extraordinary skills. We also have dozens of fierce animals, including tigers, leopards, horses, and elephants, all highly trained and well worth seeing!
Sign-off
China Tai Thean Kew Women’s Circus
Representative: Sun Xi Ting (孫錫亭), Respectfully
The Rise of Sheum’s Circus
沈常福另起炉灶 (Sheum Cheang Fook Starts Anew)
由于孙锡亭是江苏人，在他旗下的好多艺人都是他的同乡，他手下的一员大将沈常福，便是他的亲戚。沈常福身材魁梧，肌肉结实，力大如牛，而且头脑灵活，身手不凡，除了精于驯兽之术外，还能表演各种以气力与技巧取胜的惊险杂技。
1935年，沈常福脱离大天球马戏班，随同他离班的还有好几个艺人，沈常福就以这些人为班底，组织了“沈常福大马戏团”。
1941年底，太平洋战争爆发，日军大举南侵，风云突变，时局动荡，新马各地惨遭日军蹂躏，“大天球”也不能幸免于难。在战乱期间，所有设备全部被毁，所有兽类，死的死，散的散，经此浩劫，不仅大天球马戏班元气殆尽，主人孙锡亭也元气大伤。眼看自己苦心经营24年的马戏班落得如此下场，他悲愤交集，积郁成疾，终于在1942年中，死于新加坡。
孙锡亭在弥留之时，还念念不忘他的马戏班，他沉痛地叮嘱女婿史炳生、杨少柏和嗣子孙天竺、孙耀东，要继承他的遗志，设法恢复“大天球”的组织，重振声威。
战后大天球重整旗鼓
1945年9月新加坡光复后，史炳生、杨少柏等人果然不忘岳父的遗志，四处活动，努力筹资，终于使歇业了三年八个月的“大天球”复办。在战后百废待兴的时期，史杨等人这种顽强意志和奋斗精神，当时深受世人敬佩。
1998年10月4日《联合早报 · Lianhe Zaobao "Roots" (根) section on October 4, 1998
Sheum Cheang Fook Starts Anew
Since Sun Xi Ting was a native of Jiangsu, many of the performers under his leadership were his fellow provincials. One of his top "generals," Sheum Cheang Fook, was also his relative. Sheum Cheang Fook was powerfully built, with solid muscles and the strength of an ox. Moreover, he was quick-witted and exceptionally skilled; in addition to his expertise in animal training, he could perform various thrilling acrobatics that required a combination of great strength and technique.
In 1935, Sheum Cheang Fook left the Tai Thean Kew. Several other performers left with him, and using them as his core team, he organized "Sheum's Circus" (Sheum Cheang Fook Grand Circus).
At the end of 1941, the Pacific War broke out. The Japanese army launched a large-scale southern invasion, and the situation changed abruptly. During this period of turmoil, various places in Singapore and Malaya were ravaged by the Japanese; the "Great Globe" could not escape this fate. During the war, all equipment was destroyed, and the animals were either killed or scattered. After this catastrophe, not only was the vitality of the Tai Thean Kew Circus exhausted, but its owner, Sun Xi Ting, was also severely broken. Seeing the circus he had painstakingly built over 24 years reduced to such a state, he was overcome with grief and indignation. He fell ill from his mounting sorrows and finally passed away in Singapore in mid-1942 (Note: Historical records/tomb inscriptions later clarified this as 1944).
On his deathbed, Sun Xi Ting still could not forget his circus. He solemnly exhorted his sons-in-law, See Peng Seng (Shi Bingsheng) and Yeoh Shao Pak (Yang Shaobai), and his adopted sons, Sun Thian Chok (Sun Tianzhu) and Sun Yiu Tung (Sun Yaodong), to carry out his last wishes: to find a way to restore the organization of the Tai Thean Kew and revive its prestige.
Post-War: Tai Thean Kew Rallies Its Forces
After the liberation of Singapore in September 1945, See Peng Seng, Yeoh Shao Pak, and the others indeed did not forget their father-in-law's last wishes. They campaigned everywhere and worked hard to raise funds, finally managing to restart the "Great Globe" after it had been closed for three years and eight months. In the post-war period when everything was waiting to be rebuilt, the tenacious will and fighting spirit of See, Yeoh, and the others were deeply admired by the people of that time.
The Straits Times, 19 October 1952, Page 11
"Boss" Sheum put on a new act for the Commissioner-General
The Sheum Circus, which is in Singapore again, is a Chinese family affair. This time the boss, 52-year-old Mr. Sheum Cheang Fook, has 14 of his 16 children working with him in the ring.
Seven of them are sons and seven are daughters, and the youngest is a girl of 17. They all bear a strong family likeness to the Boss. Mr. Sheum said yesterday that he was raising all his children to be either trapeze artists, acrobats, tight-rope walkers, dancers or animal trainers.
On Friday there was great excitement at the circus, which is in Outram Road, because the Commissioner-General, Mr. Malcolm MacDonald, dropped in informally with some friends to see the matinee. On the spur of the moment, the Boss decided to launch a new act.
The act consists of mid-air acrobatics as the troupe is catapulted at speed off a spring board and is climaxed by one of the girls doing a triple backward somersault and landing on her feet on the shoulders of a performer who is already standing on another performer's shoulders. It requires split-second timing. The team tried the difficult finale five times, during which a few of them suffered painful falls, before they got it perfect. Then they got a big hand.
The Boss said after... the troupe had not really had time to perfect the act but that he felt he had to christen it in honour of Mr. MacDonald's first visit. For a travelling circus, which never stays longer than a few weeks in each place... town and village in Malaya for the past 25 years, Sheum's is a large one.
It is in every sense a traditional circus with large marquee, trapeze swings in the lofty roof, blaring music, audiences sucking bottles of pop through straws, sawdust floor, silly clowns and the inevitable groups of awed kids outside trying to peer in.
It has become a well-beloved Malayan tradition and wherever it goes the kampong kids gather around to goggle at its caged wild animals—two lions, four lion cubs, two leopards, one tiger, five elephants, one baboon, one tapir, nine horses and an orang utan.
The orang utan, "Kobis," originally belonged to a Sumatran planter, who sold him to a Singapore animal dealer. Mr. Sheum bought him three years ago and now says he wouldn't sell him for less than $10,000. Because of the difficulty of erecting a huge strong cage in the ring for Kobis' act, the circus puts him on only once or twice in each place it visits.
Mr. A. Anderson, an English wild animal dealer, who visited Singapore last week for the first time, described Kobis' act as "the most near to human act I've ever seen an ape perform". Kobis washes his face and hands before eating a meal of coffee and eggs, and he eats with a knife and fork and then smokes a cigarette.
The big moment comes when he playfully wrestles with the Boss but it's no game to Mr. Sheum who has to use all his strength against the enormous power of the 220-lb. animal. Outside the ring, Kobis lives in his own cage and is as gentle as a baby with everyone except Mr. Sheum. The moment the Boss approaches his cage Kobis wants to wrestle with him. Yesterday, while Mr. Sheum was standing near Kobis' cage posing for a photograph, I saw the ape stretch a negligent hand through the bars of his cage and get a grip on Mr. Sheum's shirt and shoulder that it took three men to dislodge.
Circus boss Mr. Sheum Cheang Fook, centre, seen yesterday with six of his 16 children, 14
of whom appear with him in the ring. He is training all his family to be circus artists.
Circus owner quits after 51 years of life at the very top
The Straits Times, 6 September 1970, Page 3
SINGAPORE, Sat. — Veteran Malaysian circus owner and performer, Mr. Sheum Cheang Fook, 70, has called it a day — after 51 years of life at the big top.
After becoming almost a "legend" in the stars, spangles and sawdust world in South-east Asia, Mr. Sheum has handed the circus — it goes under [his] name — over to his son, Henry, 29.
Henry also replaces his father as the circus' animal trainer. Mr. Sheum, who started his business from scratch, announced his retirement today after flying in from Indonesia, where his circus is now performing.
"I'm too old to be in the circus. I have the stamina, but lack the concentration so necessary for an animal trainer," he said. Retirement for the hale and hearty Mr. Sheum will not, however, mean the end of an active life ahead.
Now a doctor
"I will continue to practise as a Chinese Sinseh (physician). I learnt this art of Chinese healing after the war, realising there was a need for a doctor on the spot."
His wife, who usually waits in their Kuala Lumpur home for his brief returns from his circus tours, is glad over his retirement. "I'm happy he has decided to retire. Now, we can have more time to be together," she said.
Career Beginnings
Shanghai-born Mr. Sheum first started out as a strongman in an acrobatic show in Hong Kong at 19.
In 1927 when the group performed in Penang, he started his own circus in a small way — with a pair of tigers he bought with his life savings.
After the war, a penniless Mr. Sheum went to Thailand and gave acrobatic shows. He began to save with the help of friends, and built his circus up again in 1946.
The Sheums Circus will perform in Singapore later this month — this time with Mr. Sheum in the background.
浪迹天涯 作戏人
联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao), 29 March 1987, Page 15
Granny Sheun ‘s son Sheum Cheang Fook and wife Tan
During Tai Thean Kew Si Ting time, he recruited many of his troupe members from his hometown in Jiangsu province, and one of them was a big and strong man Sheum Cheang Fu.
Sheum Cheang Fu decided to break off from Tai Thean Kew and founded his own circus – Sheum Circus
《沈常福大馬戲團》報紙廣告。典藏者：國家電影及視聽文化中心。創用CC 姓名標示-非商業性-禁止改作 3.0台灣（CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 TW）。發佈於《開放博物館》[https://openmuseum.tw/muse/digi_object/ec38ae3d6e975157de39631386bee667#12140]（2026/02/01瀏覽）。
Sheum’s Circus
ST Article 1952 Oct 19. 52 year old Sheum Cheang Fook has 14 of his 16 children working with him in the ring
The Sheum Circus has come to town!
An advertisement by Sheum’s Circus
At that time, there was also 3 beautiful sisters working in Sheum Circus
Long before the tent doors were opened, little Asian and European children wre waiting outside.
Some brought the inevitable thermos with orange juice and boiled water, others sucked ice balls and drank bilious
looking brown drinks.
Chang Lye Di, Chang Lye Lye, Chang Lye Mei
張萊娣 張萊萊 張萊妺
Chang Lye Di (Lan Di) sang an golden oldie in the hit movie (The Lark). She died in 1991 after an operation.
Sheum’s mother Mdm Gao died in 1948 at an old age of 74 years and was buried in Bukit Brown next to Soon Si Ting.
She was remembered as a kind and good hearted old lady who always give sweets to children and give them free seats to the circus if they did not have money to enter the circus.
According to Chang Lye Lye, during an interview with National Oral Archives, Sheum Cheang Fook married 3 times, including a 30 year old Malay woman when he was 70 years old. He has many children, and many of them turned out to do well in life.
Reference :
1) Down memory lane in clogs, growing up in Chinatown
2) Newspapers archives
3) Advertisements
4) Tomb inscriptions
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