Tye Kee Yoon Explained

Tye Kee Yoon (; 1849–1919)[1] was a Vice Consul of Qing dynasty China in Penang,[1] [2] one of the founders and 'Five Great Sponsors,' of the Kek Lok Si[1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] owned property in Perak, and was proprietor of a business named Chop Hen Choong Toong. He arrived at Penang, a penniless coolie from China, in 1873, but by December 1907, had risen to the prominent position of diplomat.[1] [8] Success and recognition followed that appointment. He became a Revenue Farmer, and succeeded in obtaining the Gambling Farm for Taiping (Perak), the following year.[9] In 1910 he was appointed to the Committee of the District Hospital, Penang.[10] Disaster soon followed success beginning with the death of his wife, Khoo Lye Neoh on Sunday 6 April 1913[11] and later that year, on Friday 14 November, of his daughter, the wife of Khoo Chye Hean.[12]

He was Chinese Vice Consul in Penang between 1907 and 1911, an Acting Consul-General of Singapore from 1911 to 1912, toward the end of the Qing dynasty and a philanthropist of Lebuh Tye Kee Yoon fame. He was one of the largest individual town-property holders in the state.[1] [13]

He contributed handsome donations to schools, hospitals, temples and may other philanthropic establishments, among which are the King Edward Memorial Hospital, the Adventist Hospital, the Penang Free School, the Chung Hwa Confucian School and the Kek Lok Si Temple.[1] [14] [15] He contributed to the Malayan Aircraft Fund during the First World War.[16]

The Shih Chung School premises which was, at one time, known as "The Chinese Residency," belonged to Tye Kee Yoon,[17] who used it for China's Consulate in Penang.[18]

His other well-known property was on Leith Street.[6] [19] [20]

He died in Penang in 1919 at the age of 71.[21] According to newspaper reports, after his death, Tye Kee Yoon was regarded as the richest man in Penang at the time of his demise.[22] Upon his death, Tye Kee Yoon's son, Tye Phey Yuen, also known as Tye Shook Yuen, succeeded him as Chinese Consul at Penang, appointed to that position by Dr. Sun Yat Sen.[23] [24] [25] [26]

Notes and References

  1. "Tye Kee Yoon 1849 - 1919." PHT Newsletter (May to July) Issue 79 (2003): 15. Print. George Town (Penang): Penang Heritage Trust.
  2. According to the Penang Heritage Trust (2003a), Tye Kee Yoon was the fourth Chinese Vice-Consul of Penang from 1907 to 1912 and Acting Chinese Consul-General of Singapore from 1911 to 1912.
  3. Lim, Kean Siew. The Eye over the Golden Sands: The Memoirs of a Penang Family. Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia: Pelanduk Publications, 1997: 67. Print.
  4. Monographs on Malay subjects, Volumes 61-63, MBRAS, Page 71
  5. Khoo, Salma Nasution., and Malcolm Wade. Penang Postcard Collection 1899-1930s. Penang: Janus Print & Resources, 2003: 235 Print.
  6. Khoo, Salma Nasution. Streets of George Town, Penang. Penang, Malaysia: Areca, 2007:37-38. Print: According to Khoo (2007, Page 105), miniature statues of the Five Great Sponsors to Kek Lok Si are preserved within the temple.
  7. Chin, Kon Yit., and Voon Fee. Chen. Penang Sketchbook. Singapore: Archipelago, 2001: 95 Print.
  8. "(Notices) Social and Personal." The Straits Times [Singapore] 20 Dec. 1907: 6. Print: The Straits Times (1907) noted, 'Mr. Tai Kee Yoon, a prominent supporter of the Anti-Opium movement, has been appointed Chinese Vice-Consul in Penang.'
  9. "The Perak Farms." The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942) 29 Sept. 1908: 5. Print. Citing a Taiping newspaper, the Singapore Free Press (1908) reported, 'the Gaming Farm has been given to Towkay Tye Kee Yoon, proprietor of Chop Hen Choon Tong, and Chinese Vice-Consul at Penang.'
  10. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942) 30 Apr. 1910: 6. Print. : 'Towkay Tye Kee Yoon, vice consul for China at Penang, has been elected a member of the District Hospital Committee, Penang. He and Gan Ngoh Bee each gave $10,000 for coffins last year.'
  11. The Straits Times 10 Apr. 1913: 8. Print.
  12. "(Notices) Social and Personal." The Straits Times [Singapore] 17 Nov. 1913: 8. Print.
  13. The Penang Heritage Trust (2003a) recorded, 'By dint of hard work, he emerged in the early 20th century as the largest individual holder of town property in the state.'
  14. The Penang Heritage Trust (2003) called his donations, 'handsome,' and noted he gave to 'hospitals, schools, temples and many other needy establishments among which were the King Edward Memorial Hospital, the Adventist Hospital, the Penang Free School, the Chung Hwa Confucian School, the Shih Chung School and the Kek Lok Si Temple,' the last of which he also served as one of its 'five leading benefactors.
  15. The Straits Times [Singapore] 28 Mar. 1918: 24. Print: The Straits Times (1918) reported that Tye Kee Yoon promised '$5,000 in War Loan to the Penang Free School, the interest to be used towards payment of the salary of the teacher of Chinese, who has recently arrived from Amoy.'
  16. The Straits Times [Singapore] 1 May 1915: 9. Print; "Alma Baker's Air Fleet Fund." The Straits Times [Singapore] 19 May 1915: 10. Print; The Straits Times [Singapore] 21 Mar. 1916: 23.
  17. PHT Newsletter (May to July) Issue 79 (2003): 14. Print. George Town (Penang): Penang Heritage Trust: According to the Penang Heritage Trust (2003) The building originally belonged to Cheah Tek Soon - 'a prominent 19th century figure, after whom Tek Soon Street was named' - who had had it built before 1893. Tye Kee Yoon acquired the premises in 1908.
  18. "Penang's Most Endangered Heritage Sites." PT Newsletter (November) Issue No. 102. (2012): 5. Print.
  19. Streets of Georgetown (2007, p.105) carries a photograph of Tye Kee Yoon's Leith Street residence (designed by Chew Eng Eam) which eventually became of Leith Street Pub.
  20. See also Lee, Jo. "Revelling in the past at New Pub." New Straits Times [Kuala Lumpur] 29 Apr. 1997: 12 (Heritage). Print.
  21. "(Notices) Social and Personal." The Straits Times [Singapore] 17 May 1919: 8. Print: The Straits Times (1919), in announcing his death, noted, "The death has occurred of Mr. Tye Kee Yoon, Consul for China in Penang up to a few years ago, at the age of 71. He was a well-respected member of the Chinese community and a generous subscriber to charitable undertakings. He was well-known as a millionaire and before his death was generally reputed to be the richest man in Penang.'
  22. "Big Penang Will Case Settled. Tye Kee Yoon Estate." The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942) 7 May 1930: 8. Print: At the conclusion of the court case settling his estate, the Singapore Free Press (1930) citing the Pinang Gazette, reported, "The Late Mr. Tye Kee Yoon at the time of his death in 1919 was reputed to be the richest man in Penang, and his estate which comprises very large landed interests in Penang and the Federated Malay States is estimated to be worth in the neighbourhood of $5,000,000 at the present time.
  23. "Chinese Consul Retires. Notable Services of Mr. Tye Phey Yuen and His Father." Straits Times [Singapore] 12 Apr. 1930: 6. Print: The Straits Times (1930), at the time of his retirement, reported that the services of Tye Phey Yuen during his eleven years as Chinese Consul at Penang, and of his father Tye Kee Yoon before him who had served in like capacity, were notable.
  24. "A Five Million Will Case. Eight Counsel Engaged." The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942) 9 Apr. 1930: 6. Print. The Singapore Free Press (1930) and The Straits Times (2 April 1930, Page 12) before it, in covering the story of the court suit involving the will of Tye Kee Yoon, reported, 'The parties to this action, which is being brought for the interpretation of the will of the late Mr. Tye Kee Yoon, Chinese Consul, Penang, are Tye Siew Yong (the wife of the well-known newspaper proprietor, Mr. Lim Cheng Kung) plaintiff, and Tye Chee Theam and Thye Shook Yeun [the Straits Times spelling it Tye Shook Yeon], Trustees of the will, defendant.'
  25. The Straits Times [Singapore] 27 June 1934: 13. Print: The Straits Times (1934) in announcing the engagement of 'Huang Yen-kai, Consul for China in Penang, to Miss Tai Hsin-hua,' his eldest daughter, referred to Tye Phey Yuen as 'Mr. Tye Shook Yuen.
  26. Choong, Kwee-Kim. "A Peek into Hakka Heritage." The Star [Petaling Jaya] 16 Aug. 2006: n. pag. Archives | The Star Online. Star Publications (M) Bhd., 16 Aug. 2006. Web. 04 Apr. 2015. : Choong (2006) too referred to him by his later name but spelt it differently, when he wrote, "These Chinese consuls in Penang included Cheong Fatt Tze, Chang Yu Nan, Cheah Choon Seng, Neohh Phaik Lu and Tye Kee Yoon, whose son Tye Siok Guan was later appointed by Dr. Sun under the Republic of China Government as Chinese consul based in Penang (1912-1930). That article went on to note that Tye Siok Guan (Thye Phey Yuen) established the Penang Kheh Association, serving as its first president, in 1939.

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