Saturday 17 January 2009

Immigrants in Colonial Malaya and Borneo: a pictorial account (4)

Opium and the Chinese Coolies in Malaya

Historians have argued that the harsh conditions of work in the tin mines and farms, the tropical heat, debilitating diseases and malnutrition had driven many coolies to seek succour in opium. But it is also probable that many who had left China were themselves already addicts. On the other hand, others have argued that opium fortified them with the energy and strength to endure pain, loneliness and back-breaking work. It was used as a cure for dysentery and fever from Malaria. Many coolies abandoned the tin mines when the supply of opium ran out as they could not work without opium. Whatever the rationalization, the opium trade was a significant contributor to the Malayan economy and made the Colonial business houses and Kapitans China tremendously rich. The kapitans, through kongsis, not only controlled the supply and sale of opium and spirits, but also the gambling dens and the suppy of daily necessities of the coolies , which kept the coolies perpetually in debt.

By the time the coolies came over, millions of Chinese in the mainland were already addicted to opium.


Workers in India processing opium for export to China and the British colonies


By 1885, China herself was already cultivating the poppy to meet burgeoning domestic demands
(Source: Peter Lee: Opium Culture)


Just as people of the west would meet in pubs for their regular doses of beer or liquor, the Chinese would meet in opium dens for their fix (Source: The social life of opium in China by Zheng Yangwen)


Smoking had become a means of hospitality offered to friends, colleagues and guests
(Source: Zheng Yangwen)


The rich of course had the pleasure of ladies attending to their smoking needs in lavish surrounding


(Source: Zheng Yangwen)

The culture of opium smoking had spawn a demand for a class of women well-versed in the art of preparing opium and pipes for their clients. They would also join their clients in the habit (source: Opium Culture: the art and ritual of Chinese tradition by Peter Lee)


For the rich, they had the purest opium and their utensils exquisitely crafted to indulge in the habit. Seen here is a gold plated lamp, black lacquered pipe and other paraphernalia
(source: Opium Culture: the art and ritual of Chinese tradition by Peter Lee)


Pipes with tips of ivory and jade
(Source: Zheng Yangwen)


Pipes with saddles of wrought silver
(Source: Zheng Yangwen)


The opium bowls. Two bowls (below left) shaped in the form of a lady's "golden lotus" ( bound feet, considered to be intensely erotic in the early Qing Dynasty)
(Source: Zheng Yangwen)

James Lee's description of an opium den for the poor in Shanghai ("The Underworld of the East). For the poor, the ultimate reward after daily toil was to smoke a pipe of the lowest grade opium while lying on a coarse mat in a roadside den
(Source: Peter Lee: Opium Culture)



John Blofeld's description of an opium den, Te I Lou in Beijing for the wealthy ("The City of Lingering Splendour" from Peter Lee)


Opium smokers in South East Asia in the early 2oth century


Arguments on why opium was beneficial to both the suppliers and consumers


The Empress Dowager Ci Xi of China's last dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, was an opium smoker herself.

The Chinese called opium "Da yen" or "great smoke" and the pipe "Yen chiang" or "smoking gun". Pretty apt description I must say.

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  5. Kepada seluruh Malaysian yang dihormati;
    Bahawa Chairman Gombak MCA (Malaysia Chinese Association, YIP KUM FOOK menguna kuasa politiknya menipu wang kami di Taman Daya, Kepong(memohon gerai), merosakkan keluarga orang lain, import wanita dari China(dangin hidup)………….

    Sekira tuan-tuan dan puan-puan tidak percayai atas kejahatannya bolih bertanya orang tempatan di Taman Daya, kepong.

    Chairman MCA Gombak (Malaysia Chinese Association), YIP KUM FOOK “U” buat Dosa “U” tetap akan menimpa kesusahan tidak lama lagi. TUHAN ADA MATA.

    Respected throughout the Malaysian;
    That the Chairman Gombak MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association, YIP KUM FOOK used political power cheated our money at Taman Daya, Kepong (applying stalls), hurt people’s family, imports women from China (living meat) .............

    If ladies and gentlemen do not trust the evil, can ask local people at Taman Daya, kepong.

    Chairman Gombak MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association), YIP KUM FOOK "U" created of sin "U" will override trouble Unallocated fixed soon. GOD HAS EYES.

    整个马来西亚的尊重;
    Chairman Gombak MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association, YIP KUM FOOK(叶金福用政治权力,在Taman Daya,甲洞(申请摊位)骗我们的钱,伤害别人的家庭,从中国进口妇女 买卖色情业务...... ....

    如果女士们,先生们,不相信他的邪恶,可以问当地的人。

    Chairman Gombak MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association, YIP KUM FOOK (叶金福),叶金福 “您” 将面对因果报应。老天有眼。

    主办单位: MCA Selayang..

    ReplyDelete
  6. YIP KUM FOOK (MCA GOMBAK) DON'T BREAK THE BUDDHIST RULES
    To Samnak Sambodhi Manager (Yip Kum Fook, MCA Gombak) and Yap Leaong Lan (Peggy Yap)
    The local public asked about wanting to be a member of the SAMNAK SAMBODHI BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION, No: 19 Jalan 38 Taman Desa Jaya, Kepong 52100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but happily they were not all MCA party members. Why?
    1) This is not a place of political arena; this is a place of prayer.
    2) This is where people’s property is not your own property.
    Hope you are understanding and free of wrong laws immediately, otherwise unsweet things will happen.

    Thank you
    Taman Desa Jaya, Kepong
    (Ah Low)

    ReplyDelete
  7. We have been informed and told everyone to everyone. YIP KUM FOOK (lawyer, president of SAMNAK SAMBODHI BUDDHIST TEMPLE) was embarrassed by Buddhism, as a shame of the Buddhist world

    In addition, do dirty with monks. He thinks this temple is his, when we read the articles on the internet, our mind is sadder because of many posts and comments on the internet.

    But he still doesn't know anything. Maybe he is close to the six senses feelings. This is very low knowledge. Some old man groups at Taman Desa Jaya, Kepong are also very embarrassing when they speak about SAMNAK SAMBODHI BUDDHIST TEMPLE

    On the contrary, if this Yip Kum Fook has learned the law, he needs to understand some laws, other lawyers do not make problems and deceive people, only this Yip Kum Fook in the world…..

    In Buddhist also same, if he understands Buddhist knowledge, why does he need to do badly, insult Buddhist monks (rejected monks out from Temple), we know about SAMNAK SAMBODHI BUDDHIST TEMPLE because we are groups opened this Temple at Taman Ehsan on 1987
    We don't say much because of his karma (YIP)

    By Mr Lim, Desa Jaya, Kepong

    ReplyDelete
  8. His son (YIP JIUN HANN叶君瀚, 律师..MCA GOMBAK) also has the same behavior and habits as his father because father (YIP KUM FOOK叶金福, 律师) does bad things in society, cheats people about money and has sex with people's wives everywhere and the children(son) also play women everywhere too

    now many people know about this YIP KUM FOOK叶金福 family in their way of life, but they can't escape from people gossiping about what they have done. in the end life is hard.. pity those who do evil, not in this life but have to bear it for another life as well.

    They will tremble all their lives in life and they are not free all their lives like animals touching hot water, in Buddhist who broke the Sangha community, this is the greatest sin, also not easy to confess and there is no way to cleanse it

    Really to happen to you, your friends and relatives will laugh at you, you will be lonely without friends because when you have a lot of money, you are proud of them, at that time nobody wants you...you will walk the road alone

    Shared by loke & friends in Kepong

    ReplyDelete
  9. People will have a chance to change you do bad things to people but karma will not give you a chance forever, you will suffer all your life because you have suffered a lot to people

    Now many people know in Kepong area about you doing evil, the last time you did something bad people don't care, when you do it with Buddhist monks, that your karma will always increase and you will suffer before you die

    What you are doing with the Buddhist Sangha are a very biggest sin in this life because Buddhist monks, they have practices in their journey(way) or teachings, we are ordinary people born in the world for a while and you are destroying Buddhist culture, Buddhist monks never do anything only to be you are angry but you are jealous of them(Buddhist Monks)

    This Datuk Yip Kum Fook and his security and spy (Simon Low Kok Meng (Taman Daya, Kepong) everyone needs to be careful because it is more dangerous in Kepong... Mr. Simon Low is the mastermind for Datuk Yip Kum Fook... both are large crocodiles

    Cheng from Taman Ehsan, Kepong

    ReplyDelete