Tan Cheng Lock’s home preserves family values
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
In Melaka, Malaysia, the descendants of Tan Cheng Lock, founder of the MCA political party, maintain his family’s ancestral home on Jalan Tan Cheng Lock.
The house, purchased in 1875 by Tan’s great-great-grandfather, Tan Choon Bock, served as a centre for family life and political discussions. Tan Siok Choo, Cheng Lock’s granddaughter, recounts childhood visits to the house, which then required a long journey from her home.
The home reflects the Tan family’s values, notably their commitment to education, paper lanterns above the gate proclaim that educating sons and daughters is essential. Inside, the house extends across three courtyards and features altars dedicated to family values like righteousness and compassion. During Malaya’s formative years, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the country’s first prime minister, met with educators at the house to discuss the future of education.
Siok Choo now conducts Confucian ancestor-remembrance rituals in the Hall of Filial Remembrance, concerned that these traditions are fading as fewer Chinese families maintain ancestral homes. The house holds photographs and mementos from generations of the Tan family, including a photo of the Sultan Ibrahim Al-Masyhur of Johor gifted to Cheng Lock. Despite challenges maintaining the property, especially during the pandemic, Siok Choo hopes to preserve the house and its legacy for her relatives.
