Bridging the Seh Ong Sua with the Hokkien Ong Clan (星洲姓王山與開閩王氏)

In here, I will like to do a brief intro on the Bridging of our Singapore Seh Ong Sua aka The Ong Clan Hill with the Hokkien Ong Clan.

A lot of people might be wondering why Seh Ong Sua is also known as Tai Yuan Shan (太原山), in Hokkien Thai Whan Sua?

This we will have to trace back to Late Zhou Dynasty, where the Patron Ancestor of the Ong Clan – Prince Jin (太子晉) aka Wang Zi Qiao (王子喬/姬晉), was being demoted into a Commoner by his Father King Zhou Ling (周靈王) in BC 551 (周靈王廿二年).

Prince Jin, born in BC 565 also known as the descendant of Yellow Emperor (黃帝). Since young, he was a brilliant child of King Zhou Ling, but due to his Father’s stubbornness and unwise, Prince Jin tends to offend his Father since his young age.

At the age of 14/15, during the Morning Meeting at the Court, King Zhou Ling suggested an unwise method to avoid the Flooding Disaster that occurred frequently. Upon listening to the suggestion, Prince Jin objected his Father’s suggestion, which had landed King Zhou Ling in an awkward situation in front of the other Officials. Immediately, he was being demoted into a Commoner.

Upon the demotion, Prince Jin was disappointed and foresees the Collapsing of the Empire.

BC 549, after 3 years of suffering from his depression, Prince Jin pass-on at the age of 17, leaving behind his Wife & a young Son – Ji Zong Jing (姬宗敬).

Soon after Prince Jin pass-on, his Father King Zhou Ling also departed the Mortal World and Prince Jin’s younger brother – Prince Gui (太子貴), had to ascend the Throne as King Zhou Jing (周景王).

At a young age, Ji Zong Jing was being appointed the “Prime Minister” by his Uncle King Zhou Jing (大司徒 – 相等丞相之職).

Knowing that his Uncle King Zhou Jing was like his Grandfather – King Zhou Ling, an unwise Emperor and seeing that the Empire was collapsing, Zong Jing had to resign from his post and left the Imperial Court, escaping to Shan Xi Province (山西省), Tai Yuan City (太原市) to take refuge. In order not to be recognised by anyone, he had to change his Surname & Name, in order from attracting disaster.

Due to his was the descendant of the King or Imperial Family, he used the Chinese Character Wang (王) as in King, to replace his actual surname Ji (姬). And his name Zong Ji (宗敬) to Rong (榮). From then, he was known as Wang Rong (王榮) – symbolising the Royal Lineage will be Prosperous & Continuing.

Soon, the surname Wang rooted in Tai Yuan City and the Offspring was multiplying. By Tang Dynasty, the descendant from this surname Wang was huge and spread all over the Middle Kingdom (中原). And later part in the Chinese History, the Wang Clan will refer Tai Yuan as the place where the surname Wang originated. (And this is how Tai Yuan Shan in Singapore was founded)

Since AD 615 - 755, after the Revolution started by An Lu Shan (安祿山), Southern China (especially the Fujian area), had been landed in chaotic situation where internal Wars/Battles had arise, making commoners suffered.

In AD 885, after a mass recruiting of volunteered Armies by 3 brothers – Wang Chao (王朝), Wang Shen Zhi (王審知) & Wang Sheng Gui (王審邽), the Armies drove into the Southern China to defeat the Rivals and those who created the internal Wars. In order to protect the commoners from further suffering, the 3 Brothers stayed in the Southern China to rebuild the State and soon, the Southern Kingdom was built, in Chinese History known as Min Guo (閩國).

From then, the strength of the Ong Clan in Southern China expanded and expected-to-be, this surname became the First Surname in the Southern State of China.

In Late Ming Dynasty & Early Qing Dynasty, many Hokkien Ong Descendants started to leave their Homeland in the Southern China to other parts of South East Asia.

By Late Qing Dynasty, many Countries in South East Asia were occupied by the Hokkien Ong Descendants, this included Singapore.

In 1872, the long staying Hokkien Ong Descendants in Singapore decided to have a piece of Own-owed land for staying and also, for a Well-long-resting place for the Ancestors, 3 Hokkien Ong Descendants (Wang You Hai 王友海, Wang Qiu Li 王求理 & Wang Zong Zhou 王宗周) came out with a large sum of money to buy over a plot of land somewhere off Lornie Road, where later known as Seh Ong Hill (姓王山), which later changed to Thai Whan Sua (太原山).

Soon after the land was being developed, the 3 Good Friends suggested building a Temple in the area to honour the Patron Ancestor of the Hokkien Ong Clan. With the assistance of the other Hokkien Ong Descendants, the Temple was built and was known as Min Wang Temple (閩王祠). Upon completion of the construction, Wang You Hai (王友海) set off to China, Fu Jian Province, Fu Zhou City, Qing Cheng Si Street, Zhong Yi Wang Temple (中國福建省福州市慶城寺街忠懿王廟) to bring back the Ancestor Urn & Painting of the 3 Brothers of the Tang Dynasty (唐朝開閩三王香火及聖像) – Wang Chao, Wang Shen Zhi & Wang Shen Gui, for honouring.

In 1875, a Hokkien Ong Clan Association known as Min Wang Ci (閩王祠) was being set-up to assist and look into the issues that the Hokkien Ong Clan Descendants encountered which later in 1944, the Association changed the name to Min Wang Ci Gong Hui (閩王祠公會) and in 1970, the final-change of the name for the Association to Singapore Kai Min Wang Shi Zong Hui (開閩王氏總會).

In Year 1982 – 1990, Singapore Land Authority started to develop the land around Seh Ong Hill and those remaining vacant land around the Hill was being “bought” back by the Official Authority. By using the sum that the land was sold from (approx of S$9,000,000.00), the Hokkien Ong Descendants bought over another piece of land in Bukit Batok Street 23, to rebuild the Hokkien Ong Clan Temple.

In 1999, the construction for the Temple was completed. On 2 May of 1999, Late President Sir Ong Teng Cheong was invited to be the Officiating Officer for the Grand Opening of the Temple & the new premises for the Hokkien Ong Clan Association of Singapore.

Till today, the Hokkien Ong still conduct their Annually Spring & Autumn Honouring of the Ancestors in Singapore and also, back in China. This is a form of respect the Hokkien Ong Descendants had for towards their Ancestors and also, to remember the Credit & Merit that the Ancestors had accumulated while building the “Hokkien Ong Empire”.

Written by Jave on 18 May 2012, 0400 hours.
Dedicating to the Ong Clan & Ong Ancestors

References:

http://bukitbrowntomb.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-post.html