《联合早报》- 庆德会近200年文献 将捐赠国家图书馆 (2023-11-19)
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/singapore/story20231118-1450877
庆德会是历史近200年的本地“神秘组织”。如今，它掀开面纱，准备将七卷历史文献捐赠给国家图书馆，包括创会章程、内部会议报告、会员往来信函、账簿等。
庆德会成立于1831年，是个由36名马六甲土生华商组成的闭门组织，原规定会员资格只能由会员的长子继承，因此一直被认为很“神秘”。这个本地首个兄弟互助会至今传承六代。
庆德会将捐出的这批19世纪中晚期文献将在下星期四（11月23日）正式捐赠给国家图书馆，其中以1831年的创会章程历史最悠久。这批史料将有助于学者通过研究庆德会内部运作、人物关系、祭祀礼仪等，进而了解本地早期的华人社会形态。
本地学者联合编纂《义结金兰：庆德会》
本地历史学者柯木林、林孝胜以及庆德会现任会主陈坤祥，对这些庞杂的史料进行了整理和撰文分析，并到庆德会创始人的祖籍福建泉州与漳州做了考察后，联合编纂了《义结金兰：庆德会》一书。
这本400多页的书籍用了约三年时间编成，除了中文版本，也有英文版，将在文献捐赠仪式上发布。此书从多个角度解读庆德会历史，包括创会原因、管理哲学、会务纪事以及会员家族和商业网络。
书中也收录多位学者的相关研究论文，包括新加坡国立大学中文系丁荷生教授、厦门大学马来西亚分校许源泰副教授，以及马来西亚新纪元大学学院中文系暨东南亚学系副教授廖文辉等。
庆德会36名创会华商是早年本地福建社群中的显赫人物，包括杨金水、徐钦元、薛文仲，以及我国著名先驱陈笃生的哥哥陈有郎。当中许多人也捐建了恒山亭、天福宫等闽帮机构，对开埠初期的新加坡经济及社会发展做出贡献。
林孝胜在书中发表的研究指出，开埠初期经商风险高，创会华商为确保万一他们生意失败，家属生活仍有所保障，才成立了庆德会。
创会之初，会员资格只许长子继承。后来因会员后裔在本地的人数不多，庆德会才允许会员的其他男性后裔入会。这个组织至今仍只保留给创始会员的后人参加，目前仅剩15个家族。
庆德会原会所在直落亚逸街天福宫旁，2015年迁至樟宜路104巷。
庆德会现任会主陈坤祥（68岁，退休会计师）并非长子，因哥哥不感兴趣，因此由他加入，并在2017年接任会主。
陈坤祥介绍，将捐出的这批文献多年来放在创始会员之一陈国朝后裔在马六甲住家的阁楼，2015年被发现。他就文献的事咨询过多名学者，三年多前通过国家图书馆认识了柯木林。柯木林答应整理和研究文献后，他承诺将文献捐赠给国家图书馆。
“文献目前虽由我们保管，但往后万一保存不慎，这些史料就会遗失，捐献出来比较妥当。”
《义结金兰：庆德会》主编柯木林说，文献非常翔实地保存了庆德会的历史，从中也可看出早年土生华人对传统儒家观念的传承与推崇，并展现他们对道教文化的信仰和敬畏，文化意义深厚。
柯木林和林孝胜也将其中以毛笔书写的繁体字原文改为简体字，进行断句、添加标点符号和注释，并且翻译成英文。
柯木林希望此书能让更多人接触到这批文献，为有意研究庆德会的学者打开一扇门，并抛砖引玉，鼓励更多相关研究。
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/200-years-of-brotherhood-new-book-unveils-mystery-of-keng-teck-whay-society
SINGAPORE – The never-before-told story of Keng Teck Whay, a secretive and exclusive mutual-aid society and one of Singapore’s oldest self-help groups, has inspired a publication nearly 200 years after it was founded.
The 517-page book, titled Keng Teck Whay – 200 Years Of Brotherhood, and its Chinese edition will be launched on Nov 23 at the National Library.
The book is edited by the society’s current president, Mr Ronney Tan, 69, and renowned historians Kua Bak Lim, 75, and Lim How Seng, 81, and is written by several guest writers.
Mr Kua, the chief editor, said the book attempts to analyse the society according to its founding background, building, management philosophy, personnel and its chronicles.
The association was founded in 1831 by 36 wealthy Hokkien Peranakan businessmen from Melaka. While the “blood brothers” were mostly unrelated and had 20 different surnames among them, they worshipped a common deity in Zhangzhou, in China’s Fujian province – the Sanguan Dadi (Three Emperor-Officials).
They had responded to the call of William Farquhar, the first Resident of Singapore, to seek business opportunities in Singapore.
Each member gave 100 Spanish dollars – the currency used for trade then – to the association’s central fund at its inception. Members wanted to ensure that if any of their businesses failed, their families would be financially supported by the society.
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“By that sworn agreement in 1831, all descendants of the founders are still considered blood brothers today,” said Mr Tan, a retired accountant who now helms the association.
Unlike clan associations, Keng Teck Whay is a “Chinese brotherhood” and private family benefit society bound by kinship and filial piety. It has been shrouded in mystery throughout its existence, as membership is passed on only to the descendants of the founders.
Its activities were not publicised, and the door of the Keng Teck Whay Building, then sited next to Thian Hock Keng temple in Telok Ayer Street, was always shut, leading to its image as a secret society.
Mr Tan refuted the notion, saying Keng Teck Whay was never an illicit body and has been a registered society since 1890.
It is now sited in a terrace house in Changi Lorong 104. Its original building’s ownership was transferred to the Taoist Mission (Singapore) in 2010. The building was transformed into a Taoist temple. Renamed the Singapore Yu Huang Gong (Temple of the Heavenly Jade Emperor), the building is now a national monument.
Mr Tan said he started researching the history of the society in 2006.
“I had followed my father to the society’s committee meetings since 1980, but the committee members had little to tell me about its history,” he said. “When I started gathering information from online sources, newspapers, books and annual reports, I realised there was much more out there waiting to be discovered.”
The discovery of the society’s historical materials convinced him that his ancestors wanted the book to be written, he added.
An old document from Keng Teck Whay. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
These included seven volumes of the society’s logbook written in ancient Chinese characters, which documented discussions, debates and decisions of committee members and information on the three succeeding generations of the founders. These were found in 2015 in the Melaka residence of founding member Tan Kok Teow, and will be donated to the National Library Board.
Mr Kua said: “This is the very first book for the mysterious society, and it has taken us about three years to complete it. We hope it serves as a base and foundation for future research on Keng Teck Whay.”
One interesting observation is the strict codes of conduct, he said.
Descendants had to produce genealogical evidence and swear to uphold the principles of its founders as laid out in the rules and regulations. They also had to burn incense and make offerings of sweets and tea to the gods before joining the society.
Decades later, as the number of descendants dwindled, exceptions were made for those who were not the first son, and sometimes, nephews were allowed to ensure succession. Members faced expulsion if they did not maintain the standards and reputation of the society.
The 517-page Keng Teck Whay – 200 Years Of Brotherhood and its Chinese edition will be launched on Nov 23 at the National Library. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Today, there are only 15 families and 30 members left. At its peak in 1908, there were 25 families and 38 members.
The society continues to provide allowances to members and their lawful wives if they require financial assistance, and bereavement support to members and their families.
Keng Teck Whay – 200 Years Of Brotherhood is available at $68 (soft cover) and $88 (hard cover) via e-mail at tankoonsiang@yahoo.com.sg
庆德会新书出版揭秘百年发展历史
原载《源》（总167期），2024 年第一期，页56-57
