福建省閩清 Geng Niang

My grand mother used to tell us about her trips to Geng niang. She told us how she walked to the Geng Niang to get things done or to buy some supplies. she must have been a very clever little girl before she came to Nanyang after she was 10.

She was sold at the age of 4 for 5 silver dollars by her Tiong father. Although sold to the Lau family, she did maintain her Tiong family connection because later in sibu she met up with several of her relatives. In fact, she had affectioally called my Grandfather Tiong Kung Ping "ah Koh" or brother and that was before my father fell in love with my mum and proposed to her. My father even needed a match maker to be go between to have the engagemet approved, and that was after the World War 2.

My grand mother came from a village called Keh tou Puoh (Head of Creek village) and it was a very hilly area. She told us that it was quite a walk from her village to Geng Niang (perhaps she even had to stay over night at a relative's place before arriving in the town). She told us that Geng Niang was very very busy.

It was very much later that I realized that she meant going to the pasar or the city to see officials or to get certain documents. Geng niang in Foochow dialect means seat of the government.

Photo by my friend Wong Meng Lei : Wong Nai Siong Park at Minqing Township or Minqing Geng Niang.