Cheong Fatt Tze

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Cheong Fatt Tze (Chinese: 張弼士; pinyin: Zhāng Bìshì) (1840-1916) was a Hakka born in 1840 in Tai Pu, Guangdong Province in South China. As he came from a poor Hakka family, he started working at an early age as a cowherd back in his village. In 1856, civil war had broken out in China between the Chinese and the English, known as the Second Opium War 1856-1862. The people had experienced hardship and suffering during the war. As a result Cheong Fatt Tze migrated to South-East Asia together with other coastal Chinese families to seek their fortune.

[edit] Career

Initially, he had worked as a shopkeeper in Indonesia. After his marriage, he established a trading company with the help of his father-in-law. Gradually, he began to accumulate his wealth through hard work and perseverance.

In 1877, he began to expand his business from Jakarta to Medan. His business was mainly based on agricultural products such as rubber, coffee and tea. But he had diversified his business to the financial sector by acquiring a bank. This move had made him a wealthy man.

In 1886, he decided to expand his business to Penang, Malaysia, by setting up a company here. As his business grew, he owned three ships which plied between Penang and Sumatra. In the course of his work, he occasionally resided in Penang and he owned a mansion in Leith Street, which stands to this day.

In 1890, in recognition for his hard work and contribution, he was appointed the Chinese Consul, based in Penang. Eventually, this office was shifted to Singapore, as during that time, Singapore was established as a well-known trading port in South-East Asia. As the Chinese Consul, he worked tirelessly for the interests of Overseas Chinese residents through diplomatic channels with the British authorities.

In 1899, he was summoned back to China twice by the Emperor of China and instructed to present a national development plan, which was well received by the Qing Dynasty Government. As a result, he was promoted to be the Minister for agriculture, industries, roads and mines for the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. Later he was instructed to conduct a study of trade and education in Penang and Singapore. Subsequently, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce was established.

In 1912, the Republican overthrew the Qing Dynasty Government and took over the administration of China. Cheong was appointed as a member of the Legislative Assembly so that he could be actively involved with politics. He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Chinese national Chamber of Commerce, which was well received by all parties.

In 1915, he was sent to the United States to study all aspects of industrialization of that nation. During his journey, when he stopped over in Hong Kong, he was awarded a Ph.D. in Law.

Cheong Fatt Tze died in Indonesia in 1916. His body was sent back to China to be buried. On its final journey through Penang, Singapore and Hong Kong, the overseas Chinese were greatly saddened by the loss of this great personality. The Chinese government sent a high-ranking official to his funeral and ordered the National Archives to record his life in historical documents so that his contributions would always be remembered.

[edit] Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Main article: Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Cheong Fatt Tze (1840 - 1916), a Hakka from Tai Pu in the Teochew district, migrated to Java in the 1850s, then he later prospered and moved his base to Penang in the early 1890s. Was well-known as a powerful Nanyang industrialist and a first-class Mandarin in the Manchu government, he was made Consul-General in Singapore and economic advisor to the Empress Dowager.

He had eight wives and owned many residences throughout his trading empire (mostly Southeast Asia) but made Penang as his base, where he raised his six sons as well.

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was built throughout the seven years from 1896 to 1904 by the teams of master craftsmen he brought from China. This mansion is only one of three of its kind left outside China. The mansion is the only stately Chinese-type dwelling representing the best of 18th and 19th century Chinese architecture in the State.