Chan Sow Lin

Chan Sow Lin
Chan Sow Lin
陳秀連
	A portrait of Chan Sow Lin
Born	1845; Panyu district, Guangdong province, China
Died	5 June 1927
Resting place	Guangdong Cemetery, Sungei Besi
Other names	玉池
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, Miner, Philanthropist

Last updated August 17, 2024

Chan Sow Lin was one of the modern founding fathers of Kuala Lumpur. He played a role in restoring the peace in the Larut Wars. His pioneering in the ironwork industry earned him the title of the father of Chinese iron works in Malaya.^{[ citation needed ]} He was also a philanthropist and his legacies can be seen throughout modern day Kuala Lumpur.

Early life

Chan was born into a poor family in the Panyu District, Guangdong province of China in 1845. At the age of 16, Chan migrated to Malaya. He started working in Taiping under Low Sam in tin mining. Chan quickly proved himself useful, and was appointed to supervise the tin mines at Assam Kumbang, Taiping within a few months. And a year later, he was given full authority by Low Sam to take charge of all his mining interests in Larut district.^[1]

After an undereducated childhood, Chan sought a private tutor to learn Mandarin, and later learned the local Malay language.^[2]

Involvement in Larut Wars

Chan was involved in the Larut Wars, a series of wars waged between dialect group^{[ clarification needed ]} Ghee Hin and Hai San. While participating in the conflict between Si Yap and Chung Loong groups, he was seriously wounded and was treated in Penang.

At the end of the war, Taiping was captured by British troops. However, there were some unsatisfied members who wanted to start another war. Chan acted promptly to act as mediator between both parties. He offered to arrange a dinner to convince both parties that it was in their interest to keep the peace. Chan offered himself as the hostage to prove its sincerity to the rivals. The dinner ended with both parties agreeing to a truce.^[1]

Business venture

After the war, Chan re-joined Low Sam briefly, and later founded his own tin mining business. During his time in Taiping, he met Loke Yew, fellow Chinese migrant who later came to be the richest man in British Malaya.^[3]

In 1883, Chan and Loke Yew moved to Selangor together due to the war in Perak, The Selangor Government welcomed fresh investments and barren lands and tin mines, as the economy was being affected by the war in Perak. Barren lands and tin mines leased at very low remunerations. Together, the duo became the pioneer and the largest tin mine owner.

In 1893, Chan leased two rich mine lands at Serdang and Sungei Besi from Loke Yew under his firm, Chop Tan Kee, and later the mining lands at Simpah, Sungei Puteh, Kuala Kubu, Setapak, Kepong and Petaling from the government.

Chan became the first Chinese to use a tin dredge for mining tin. At that time, most of the tin dredge machinery was imported from British, which was expensive. To cut costs, Chan founded Chop Mee Lee (or known as Chan Sow Lin & Co. Ltd) in Jalan Ampang, an ironwork foundry that focused on producing high quality tools, machinery for mining and construction.^[4] He employed technicians from Guang Zhou and Hong Kong to train local labor in the engineering works. His success spawned the establishment of other foundries in the area, and helped develop the economy of Kuala Lumpur.

Philanthropy and other work

Chan was the chairman of the Selangor Anti-Opium Society and the Selangor Chuan Hong Chinese School. He was the trustee of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple’s assets.^[3]

Chan also succeeded Loke Yew to become the president of the Selangor Chinese Chamber of Commerce, from 1907 to 1909.^[5]

He is one of the co-founders of Tung Shin Hospital, Jishangtang Charity Hall, and Chan She Shu Yuen (Chan Clan Temple) at Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur. He was a trustee of the Victoria Institution. He was also an appointed member of the Selangor State Council (1902–1921), a member of Visiting Committee of the Selangor Goal, the Lunatic Asylum and the Selangor General Hospital.^[1]

Achievements

In 1906, a special commissioner on education to the Malay States was sent by the viceroy of Guangdong under the decree of the emperor of China. After visiting the Chinese-owned companies and tin mines, the commissioner had written a report to the viceroy praising Chan's role in promoting Chinese culture, knowledge and technology in his business in the Malay states. For this, the viceroy awarded him a medal.

He was awarded another medal by Wong, the Chinese ambassador to England (Malaya was under British rule at the time) for his philanthropic work.^[1]

Personal life

Chan had four sons.^[1]

On 8 June 1927, Chan passed away at his residence at 20 Klyne Street, Kuala Lumpur. He was buried at the Guangdong Cemetery in Sungei Besi, Malaysia.^[1]

Legacy

The British Malayan government named a road Jalan Chan Sow Lin, after him, to commemorate his contributions to the development of Kuala Lumpur. It is said that the road was famous for ironworks, even after his death.^[6] The road is nestled between the Sungai Besi airport and Pudu and is now an industrial zone.

The Chan Sow Lin station, named after Jalan Chan Sow Lin, serves as the interchange station between the LRT Sri Petaling Line, LRT Ampang Line and MRT Putrajaya Line ^[3]

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References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Khoo, Eugene (25 December 2011). "Overseas Chinese in the British Empire: Chan Sow Lin 陳秀連". Overseas Chinese in the British Empire. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
↑ "陈秀连LRT站知多少？ | 龙门阵". 東方網馬來西亞東方日報 (in Simplified Chinese). 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
1 2 3 "Chan Sow Lin's legacy to establishing modern KL – The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
↑ "陳秀蓮". kwongsiew.org/. 20 November 2011. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
↑ "Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry". Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
↑ "Who is Chan Sow Lin?? Never mentioned in History Textbook-Chan Sow Lin Memorial". One Malaysia Community. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

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[:0-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Khoo, Eugene (25 December 2011). "Overseas Chinese in the British Empire: Chan Sow Lin 陳秀連". Overseas Chinese in the British Empire. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

[2] "陈秀连LRT站知多少？ | 龙门阵". 東方網馬來西亞東方日報 (in Simplified Chinese). 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

[:1-3] 1 2 3 "Chan Sow Lin's legacy to establishing modern KL – The Star". www.thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

[4] "陳秀蓮". kwongsiew.org/. 20 November 2011. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.

[5] "Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry". Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

[6] "Who is Chan Sow Lin?? Never mentioned in History Textbook-Chan Sow Lin Memorial". One Malaysia Community. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.

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