Yeo Cheow Kaw and Rangoon Kian Teik Tong
Printed in the 120th Anniversary Sourvenir Magazine of Rangoon Kian Teik Tong, published in 1955 was a Tribute on our Grandfather Yeo Cheow Kaw.
Mr. Yeo Cheow Kaw, with aliases Teang Ann and Soo Seng, came to Burma from Fujian Haichen as a youth. He started Sin Chip Moh, which engaged in the international trade. An affable person, he often lamented the very humble education he obtained as a young boy. With that regret, he collaborated with other overseas-Chinese in Myanmar to start the Teong Hwa Chinese School. He spent every afternoon visiting the school. He showed an unreserved high regard to the teachers, and on Sundays would invite them to his villa in Kokhine to drink and discuss school matters. He became the vice chairman of our association in 1909. He was canny, resolute and always took education programmes seriously. After the new Republic was formed, he took the Chinese secretary [Zhang Wen Qi] and English secretary [Kang Ming Zhang] back to China to assume the post of Fujian’s Provincial Industry Secretary. He died at the age of 48 in the 15th year of the Republic. His children and grand-children would continue to follow in the footsteps of this noble man. His dedication was immensely felt following his passing, which was cited as a huge loss to the Chinese Education in Burma.
Kian Teik Tong is a cross-regional association of Hokkien migrants which in its long history in the overseas Chinese communities has been attached with many politically incorrect markings: “Oppose Qing and restore Ming”, “Green Gang”, and “Secret Societies”. There was no track of Grandfather’s involvement in Kian Teik Tong in other historical data. However, the following facts would answer question on his involvement.
Kian Teik Tong was remarked to be very active in smuggling arms to support Yang Qu Yun, in his uprising attempts to side Sun Yat Seng. The Rangoon Kian Teik Tong was formed in 1841 by leaders from the five big families famous in northern Malaya peninsula and southern Burma — the Khoo, the Cheah/Chia, the Yeo/Yeoh, the Lim, and the Tan. From the Yeo/Yeoh family was Yeo Cheow Ban. Both Yang Qu Yun (Yeo Khoo Hoon in Hokkien) and Yeo Cheow Ban were from XiaYang, the hometown of Grandfather.
There is a photo of [Kang Ming Zhang], the English Secretary mentioned in the Tribute, in Grandfather’s photo album. A second photo is likely to be a photo taken by Grandfather with him and the Chinese Secretary [Zhang Wen Qi], also mentioned in the Tribute, before they left for Grandfather’s appointment in Fujian (Hokkien) in 1913/14. This Mr [Kang] later became a Legislative Committee member in the Rangoon municipal government. The Chinese newspaper, Nanyang Siang Pao reported the number of votes he won in the election in December 1925.
