Cheang Hong Lim
{{Short description|Singaporean Chinese headman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Cheang Hong Lim
| honorific_suffix = JP
| native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|zh-hant|章芳林}}}}
| native_name_lang = zh
| image = Cheang_Hong_Lim.png
| caption =
| birth_date = 1825
| birth_place = Singapore
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1893|2|11|1825||}}
| death_place = Singapore, {{flag|Straits Settlements}}
| resting_place = Bukit Brown Cemetery, Singapore, {{flag|Straits Settlements}}
| occupation = Merchant
| spouse = {{plainlist|
- Bek Chit Boey Neo
- Yeo Bin Neo
}}
| children = 3 daughters, 11 sons
| father = Cheang Sam Teo
| mother = Bek E Neo
| module = {{Infobox Chinese |child=yes
| name1 =
| c = 章芳林 / 章芳琳
| p = Zhāng Fānglín
| w = Chang1 Fang1-Lin2
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|ang|1|-|f|ang|1|.|l|in|2}}
| poj = Tsiong Hong-lîm
| altname = Wan Seng
{{small|(courtesy name)}}
| c2 = 苑生
| p2 = Yuànshēng
| poj2 = Uán-sing
| altname3 = Sik Yong
{{small|(posthumous name)}}
| t3 = 錫庸
| s3 = 锡庸
| p3 = Xìyōng
| poj3 = Sik-iông
}}
| honours = Ronglu mandarin 榮祿大夫
}}
Cheang Hong Lim{{family name footnote|lang=Chinese|Cheang|Hong}} JP (c. 1825 – 11 February 1893) was a Chinese opium merchant and philanthropist in Singapore. He was recognised by the British colonial administration as head of the local Hokkien Chinese community.{{cite news|title=Death of Mr. Cheang Hong Lim|newspaper=Straits Times Weekly Issue|date=14 February 1893|page=7|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/stweekly18930214-1.2.44}}
Biography
Cheang was born to Cheang Sam Teo, a Chinese migrant from the Changtai District of southern Fujian, China. He was the eldest of four sons born to his mother Bek E Neo.
When his father died, his brother Cheang Hong Guan filed a lawsuit against Cheang (and against Wee Bock Seng, Low Thuan Locke and Tan Beng Chie) alleging forgery of his father's will. Cheang, Wee, Low and Tan were acquitted.{{cite book|author=Ong Siang Song|title=One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oOsBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA168|year=1923|publisher=J. Murray|pages=167–168}}{{cite news|title=A Remarkable Case|date=23 March 1872|newspaper=Straits Times|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes18720323-1.2.8.32|page=2}}{{cite news|title=Fortnight's Summary|newspaper=Straits Times Overland Journal|date=25 April 1872|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/stoverland18720425-1.2.4|page=1}}
Like his father before him, Cheang sold spirits, but further extended his business to include opium and held one of five opium licenses in Singapore, but quickly expanded his business interests to include property. His main business partners were Tan Seng Poh and Tan Yeok Nee, initially trading under the name "Chop Teang Wat Wan Kee" on Telok Ayer Street and later "Chop Wan Seng".{{cite web|author=Rojak Librarian|title=Cheang Hong Lim (Bukit Brown)|url=https://mymindisrojak.blogspot.com/2011/11/cheang-hong-lim-bukit-brown.html|date=24 November 2011|access-date=5 Apr 2021}}{{cite journal|title=The Rise of Singapore's Great Opium Syndicate, 1840-86.|first=Carl A.|last=Trocki|journal=Journal of Southeast Asian Studies|volume=18|issue=1|year=1987|pages=58–80|doi=10.1017/S0022463400001259|jstor=20070942|s2cid=162311458 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/20070942|url-access=subscription}}{{cite book|title=The Singapore and Straits Directory|year=1881|publisher=Mission Press|location=Singapore|url=https://eservice.nlb.gov.sg/data2/BookSG/publish/6/6e76cb75-dfe3-4203-a211-76305cafde9d/web/html5/index.html?opf=tablet/BOOKSG.xml&launchlogo=tablet/BOOKSG_BrandingLogo_.png&pn=71|page=64}}
He is remembered primarily for his philanthropy. In 1876, he donated $900 to the Portuguese Mission Church of St Jose.{{cite news|last=de Cunha|first=J.P.S.A.|title=A generous Act|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/stoverland18760930-1.2.19.14|newspaper=Straits Times Overland Journal|date=30 September 1876|page=8}} Also in 1876, he donated $3000 to convert the land in front of the Police Office to become a public garden, and to supply two gardeners to maintain the grounds thereafter. This is the garden now known as Hong Lim Park. In 1878, he donated $2,750 to purchase the land on Pyeleang Road for the use by a mosque.{{cite news|title=The Islam mosque at Pyeleang Road.|newspaper=Singapore Daily Times|date=22 Jul 1878|page=3|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singdailytimes18780722-1.2.14.4.1|access-date=5 Apr 2021}}
He established a fire brigade for the Havelock Road area in 1886. Giok Hong Tian, ({{lang-zh|c=玉皇殿}}), a Taoist temple dedicated to the Jade Emperor along Havelock Road was built by Cheang in 1887. He was also patron to the young Lim Boon Keng, at the request of Richmond William Hullett, the then principal of Raffles Institution, .{{cite web|title=Or Kio Tow Geok Hong Tian|url=http://www.beokeng.com/disptemple.php?temple=geok-hong-tian|access-date=5 Apr 2021}}{{cite book|last=Comber|first=Leon|title=Chinese Temples in Singapore|location=Singapore|publisher=Eastern Universities Press|year=1958|chapter=Giok Hong Tian Temple at Havelock Road|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/image.aspx?id=78844ff2-f1dd-48fb-874a-8069d1ccd0f7#:~:text=The%20temple%20is%20dedicated%20to,Title%20devised%20by%20Library%20staff.|page=48}}
He sat on the Singapore legislative council, was made one of five Chinese Justices of the Peace in 1872, and was conferred the title of Ronglu mandarin ({{lang-zh|t=榮祿大夫}}) of the Imperial Qing court. He was prominent in Singapore society{{cite news|title=Mrs. Anson's Farewell Garden Party|newspaper=Singapore Daily Times|date=23 Oct 1877|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singdailytimes18771023-1.2.6.3|page=2|access-date=8 Apr 2021}} and entertained the Governor of Singapore and the Sultan of Johor at his home on Havelock Road.{{cite news|title=Mr.Cheang Hong Lim's At Home|
newspaper=Daily Advertiser|date=20 October 1892|page=3|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/dailyadvertiser18921020-1.2.8}}
Cheang died on 14 February 1893, from cardiac complications of rheumatic fever. Cheang had 3 daughters and 11 sons. Three of his sons, Cheang Jim Hean, Cheang Jim Chuan, Cheang Jim Khean, had roads in Singapore named after them.{{cite book|author=Yew Peng Ng|title=What's In The Name? How The Streets And Villages In Singapore Got Their Names|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cpA4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA115|date=28 September 2017|publisher=World Scientific|isbn=978-981-322-147-5|pages=115–}}
Legacy
There are a number places in Singapore named for Cheang :
- Hong Lim Green (later Hong Lim Park){{cite book|author=Ong Siang Song|title=One Hundred Years' History of the Chinese in Singapore|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oOsBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA168|year=1923|publisher=J. Murray|pages=168–170}}
- Hong Lim Market
- Cheang Wan Seng Place
There were formerly a number of places in Singapore named for Cheang:{{cite news
| author = J. Polglase
| date = 25 August 1914
| title = Singapore Municipal Notice: Changes in Street Names
| url = https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/singfreepressb19140825-1.2.74.2
| url-status =
| work = The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser
| location = Singapore
| access-date = 4 April 2021
}}
- Hong Lim Quay (now part of Alkaff Quay)
- Cheang Hong Lim Street (used to run from Telok Ayer Street to Cecil Street, where China Square Food Centre is now){{ cite web
| author = Lee Kip Lin
| publisher = National Library Board Singapore
| title = Cheang Hong Lim Street: aerial view
| url = https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/pictures/Details/bd75616a-19a4-4c06-a7e1-036d302274df
| date = 2009
| access-date = 7 Feb 2023
}}
- Cheang Hong Lim Lane (used to run from Pearl's Hill Road to Covent Market)
- Cheang Wan Seng Road (used to run from Havelock Road to Beng Hoon Road)
File:Tomb_of_Cheang_Hong_Lim.jpg
Cheang Hong Lim was buried at the Cheang family cemetery off Alexandra Road, but was exhumed and reburied in 1961 at Bukit Brown by his granddaughter Cheang Tew Muey.
Notes
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References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheang, Hong Lim}}
Category:19th-century merchants