By JAG
From Kinta Chronicles
The descendants of Dr Wu Lien-Teh and General Lam To’Kai Heritage Organisation congregated in Penang for the Qing Ming celebrations on 6th April 2026. The descendants were joined by the YLCO team led by Ignatius Chew and Taoist priest Lee Tai Sung from the Loong Thow Ngam Taoist temple in Ipoh.
The first stop was the Mt.Erskine Cemetery, Penang. Located at the top left corner of the cemetery are found three mounds surrounded by 4 pillars with guardian ‘foo dogs keeping watch’ on the graves below.
These 3 mounds located next to each other contain 5 graves. The first mound on the right was the remains of Lady Guo Huang Rong, the wife of General Lam To’kai. Beside were the elaborately decorated graves of Lam Looking and his wife Chan Kim Phan Neoh then after was the graves of Dr Wu’s parents Ng Khee Hok and Lam Choy Fan.
Alison Chong began the liturgy as she led the Wu-Lam families to renew their filial pieties to their ancestors. She then led the group by giving thanks and bowed three times, 1st to Heaven, 2nd. to our Ancestors and 3rd. in gratefulness for Heaven’s Blessings upon us. Alison did the ritual again at the grave of Lam Looking.
Priest Lee conducted the ceremony at the grave of Dr Wu’s parents. The graves had been desecrated by vandals in Penang and thus he recited the liturgy for reconciliation and redemption, which was said in Mandarin.
The next schedule was the Batu Gantong Columbarium where the remains of Dr Wu and his wife are interred. Once again Priest Lee recited prayers on a common altar before entering the cubicle housing Dr Wu Lien-Teh and his wife Lee Suk Ching. Alex and Tai Soh Quin joined Lee to pay respect and later the group followed.
After lunch was Dr Wu father’s clan temple called Ng See Kah Meow or Wu Kongsi at 40 King Street in George Town. During the groups’ visit in March 2025 the curator of the temple offered to place a tablet of Dr Wu similar to the fathers. This year Alison and the family agreed to accept the curators offer and selected a suitable place for the tablet.
The groups continued with the heritage trail passing through 38 Love Lane where Dr Wu lived with his wife and son and 72 Love Lane where he founded the Anti Opium in 1906, the Hu Yew Seah School where 1938 laid a foundation stone.
At 10 Brown Road a bronze bust of Dr. Wu Lien-Teh stands on the grounds of Penang Institute. It was donated by the Medical University of Harbin to the people of Penang in 2014.
A most enlightening and educational outing.
