TEONG Ah Chin 张华清
Chinese Dialect Groups,
Accession Number 000536
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 34
Total Reels
- Ang Siew Ghim
Interviewer
- 16:11:47
Total Running Time
- Mandarin
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 34
Metadata
- 16 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:29:36
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Personal background. Number of siblings; siblings' names. Grandfather rich landlord; owned rice fields and orchards in village. Grandfather's business in Fuzhou managed by interviewee's uncles and father. Interviewee's education in Fuzhou - private tuition. He came to Singapore after father's business failed. Reason why father's business failed. How he came to Singapore. Why some of his relatives remained in China instead of migrating to Singapore.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 34
Metadata
- 16 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:28:33
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Why he stayed mostly at maternal grandmother's house in Fuzhou city then. Description of Fuzhou when he was a kid. Shops along street he lived specialised in selling luggage bags. Many restaurants, tea houses and textile shops in neighbourhood. Food sold at tea houses then. Types of wine sold at small wine shops nearby. Other shops: cosmetic shops, textile shops and cake shops. Theatre nearby staged Fuzhou operas. Mode of transportation then: horse carriages and jinrickshaws.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 34
Metadata
- 16 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:28:05
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Other forms of pastimes in Fuzhou then: four-coloured cards and mahjong. How appearance and way of playing mahjong differed from those in Singapore. Pipe-smoking popular then. Most tobacco companies then owned by Henghuas. Other forms of pastimes in Fuzhou then. Prices of commodities. Salaries of labourers then. Prices of properties very low.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 34
Metadata
- 16 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:29:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Description of maternal grandmother's house where he lived. Kindergartens set up by the Church in Fuzhou. His mother was father's second wife. Father was opium-smoker. Opium-smoking popular among the rich. How employees swindled father's money.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 34
Metadata
- 23 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:29:07
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Maternal grandparents' family's religious belief. Two English schools in Fuzhou set up by foreigners. Festivals celebrated in Fuzhou. Big New Year cake made by villagers; ingredients in it. Number of servants in maternal grandparents' household. Operas staged to celebrate most festivals. How deities' birthdays were celebrated in Fuzhou.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 34
Metadata
- 23 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:29:10
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Sanitary facilities, water and electricity supply at maternal grandparents' home. Water supply then came from well or river. People consulted Chinese physicians when sick. Bucket type of sanitation system used then. Dressings of males and females in Fuzhou. People in southern China followed fashion trends from Shanghai at the time. Why father chose to migrate to Singapore instead of other places. Journey to Singapore - adult and children fare.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 34
Metadata
- 23 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:29:16
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Life on board ship. Stayed at Hong Fa Inn upon arrival. Later father rented room in Queen Street. Elder brothers became apprentices in printing firm. He worked in provision shop. Nature of work; working hours. Later he worked in coffee-shop in Prinsep Street. Salary he received in provision shop. Salaries his elder brothers received. How he and family members adapted to Singapore's weather and way of life.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 34
Metadata
- 30 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:27:23
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Worked at uncle's coffee-shop at age of 12. Nature of job as coffee-shop assistant. Salary. First duty: wash cups and saucers. His working attire. Soft drinks sold in coffee-shops then. Types of soft drinks sold in coffee-shop where he worked. Had to do marketing as well. Meals provided by boss.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 34
Metadata
- 30 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:28:32
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Cigarettes sold in uncle's coffee-shop. Most employees in coffee-shop then were recommended by friends or relatives to the boss. Promoted later; salary increased. Advice boss gave him. Later learned to make coffee; also learned art of roasting and grinding coffee beans. Amount of coffee powder used in coffee-shop daily. Promoted to chief coffee maker. Wanted to resign, uncle disapproved his resignation.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 34
Metadata
- 30 Mar 1985
Recording Date
- 00:28:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Duties of waiters at coffee-shop; their working attire. He resigned and worked for Yong Feng coffee-shop at Selegie Road. Nature of work; business hours. Yong Feng's interior decoration. Yong Feng also catered for take-away orders. He later started own business, rented space from Indian eating-house owner. Rent paid then. Good business. His capital.
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