加东文化之旅

加东文化之旅

文图·李国樑

2017年11月4日，宗乡总会主办的文化之旅，我们四位博物馆义务导览员跟90人的团队一起穿街走巷，来到加东这个“土生华人区”。

加东(Katong)的意思是海滩的波纹，可见过去这里碧海秋波，是个罗曼蒂克的好地方。至于加东有多大？民间的共识是从加东公园(Katong Park)到实乞纳路(Siglap Road)，南北以马林百列(Marine Parade)与芽笼士乃(Geylang Serai)为界。

加东距离东海岸公园约一公里，但是半个世纪前，加东就座落在海边，宏伟的郊外别墅，名人故居夜夜笙歌，简朴的马来甘榜，华人的渔舟唱晚，打造着悠闲生活的风情。九皇爷诞辰到了，巴耶里峇葱茅园的信徒浩浩荡荡，游行到加东海边迎神送神。周末假日，年轻人相约到这儿野餐游泳，为加东增添热闹的气氛。加东的东海岸路(East Coast Road)是海岸最佳的见证。

东海岸路上有独立式的加东奥迪安戏院、乐斯戏院和丽宫戏院，为附近居民提供大众娱乐。上世纪90年代初费玉清来新加坡登台，丽宫戏院就是小哥的福地，师奶带着鲜花哨子来捧小哥，场面十分轰动。

建在“海上”的组屋区

新加坡独立后，附近山丘的土壤将加东海滩填平，兴建马林百列组屋区，东海岸公园大道为来往樟宜机场与市区的人士提供环海的风景线。海上商船熙熙攘攘，天气好的时候还可眺望廖内群岛，偶尔水中央出现龙卷风，为生活增添另一番姿彩。

马林百列是本地第一个兴建在填土地带的组屋区，如今这里有约7,800间组屋与两万多居民。1972年第一批组屋落成后，居民开心地迁入“海上”的新家。没多久，发觉到窗户特别容易生锈，住上没几年铁框一片片地剥落了。原来海边的空气潮湿，海风带着咸味，普通钢铁经不起腐蚀，必须改用与一般组屋不同的防锈材料。

从椰林到“阿公的路”

加东的发展史跟新加坡第一任驻扎官法夸尔(William Farquhar)分不开。早在1823年，法夸尔被莱佛士革职之前，他的女婿Francis James Bernard买下了加东的土地来开辟椰园。热带的沙滩气候最适合椰树生长，难怪从芽笼河往东行，一路都种满椰树，大园主拥有的土地几乎等于半个碧山镇。

19世纪的加东跟财富与地位分不开，富裕的洋人、犹太人、欧亚族群、锡兰人、土生华人和南来先民纷纷到加东安家，战前的主要居民则是受英文教育的中上阶级。这些响当当的人物包括殖民地时代的第一任警监Thomas Dunman(Dunman Road，德明中学)，葡萄牙医生Jose d’Almeida(莱佛士坊的D’almeida Street)，三国领事胡亚基(黄埔)和地主周如切(Joo Chiat Road)等。

周炳镜(Philip Chew)是周如切的曾孙。由于如切路是他的“阿公的路”，因此对如切这个地区作了深入研究。原来20世纪初，殖民地政府跟周如切商讨在他的椰园开辟一条公路，从东海岸通往芽笼士乃。周如切表示我的土地是不卖的，但你们可以建路，日后就有了以他命名的如切路，如切台、如切巷等。交通便利了，椰林逐渐消失了，周如切的名字则跟加东连为一体了。

如切路附近以名人命名的支路还有Ean Kiam Place(陈延谦，慈善家)，Marshall Road(马绍尔，第一任市委会主席)，Onan Road(Onan bin Rajidin，建立回教堂)，Koon Seng Road(钟坤成，房产中介先驱)等。

吸睛的老建筑

加东受保留的骑楼店屋，多数是1928年左右落成的。外墙上的图案，则是华人、马来回教徒和欧洲人的文化结晶，有华丽的科林殿式希腊柱头，地中海式百叶窗，凤凰、蝙蝠及花卉组构成的吉祥图案，还有色彩鲜艳的花砖。多元的搭配除了体现艺术的美感外，也展示了各族群文化的包容性。

东海岸路长满青龙木，又名紫檀、帝皇木、红木(Rose Wood)，是制造家具和雕刻艺术品的上等材料。大树旁有三栋别具风味的古老建筑：第一座是保留着浓郁的上世纪70年代建筑风格的加东购物中心，第二座是转型为餐馆的前如切警察局，第三座是隶属回教慈善产业的红屋。

加东购物中心于1973年启业，是新加坡第一座全冷气购物中心。购物中心旁就是曾经叱咤一时的加东奥迪安戏院了。20多年前，本地电影业面对录像光碟的强劲竞争，大型电影院逐一没落。加东购物中心扩张版图，将戏院并吞了。

1928年落成的殖民地风格的如切警署，是为了对付日益猖獗的私会党而设的。警匪专家何盈表示，早年每家警署都设立了私会党调查组，私会党徒被捕后，先拘留在警署内，被法庭定罪后才关入樟宜监狱。如切警署地方大，成为主要的拘留所之一。上世纪80年代内政部改组后，调查私会党的任务才交由罪案调查署(CID)负责。

1923年落成的红屋“嘉东面包厂”(Katong Bakery & Confectionery)楼上住家，楼下店面则由犹太人售卖瑞士卷(Swiss roll)、咖喱角和面包。1925年店主去世后，由海南籍人士接手，推出了新加坡第一个三层结婚蛋糕，为新人婚礼增添了甜蜜与浪漫。

面包为新马华人的“传统食物”，追溯起来并不传统，而是来自洋人家庭。早期的海南移民跑洋船，在船上当海员兼侍应生，有些则在洋人和峇峇家庭当厨师，逐渐掌握到西式厨艺。他们将欧洲人的饮食料理本土化，通过咖啡店与面包店，普及到各个华人角落，成为“传统”南洋早餐。

嘉东面包厂运作了80年后，因建筑结构出现状况而关闭了，最近才重新开放，以复古的咖啡店门面经营。

红屋的主人莎丽花扎因(Sheriffa Zain)于20世纪中叶将红屋与相连的五栋店屋捐赠给回教慈善基金(Wakaf Ilmu)，租金收益用来为贫困的各族人士施医赠药。莎丽花扎因出生于富裕的阿沙卡夫(Alsagoff)家庭，她的父亲就是在甘榜格南设立了本地第一所男女混合回教学校(Alsagoff Arab School)的阿拉伯富商，外曾祖母花蒂玛(Hajjah Fatimah)则在美芝路创建了花蒂玛回教堂。阿沙卡夫家族一向来取之社会，用之社会，乐善好施的心意代代相传，堪称本地回教人士的典范。

锡兰路上的庙宇教堂

东海岸路有一条名为锡兰路(Ceylon Road)的支路，屹立着典雅的圣帕加维那雅加神庙(Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple)。神庙由锡兰人(斯里兰卡)创建，五层的黄色门塔跟本地常见的色彩缤纷的兴都庙风格完全不同。

庙宇的负责人告诉我们，这座神庙是很多元化的。2003年重建时，建筑师是华族佛教徒，负责重建工程的也是华人建筑商，佛教徒、回教徒和基督教徒都大方解囊，捐款资助。该神庙起源于一个半世纪前，当时信徒在附近的池塘边发现了维那雅加王(象神甘尼沙Ganesha)的雕像，于是建立了简陋的庙宇来供奉象神。

象神是破除障碍之神。信徒相信世界上所发生的所有大小事都是象神的旨意，万能慈悲的象神能够为信徒消除人生中的种种阻障，引导大家踏上康庄大道。

距离兴都庙百米之遥，有长老会的栋材堂和圣公会的圣希达尔教堂。1948年落成的栋材堂原为一所小学，叶栋材牧师的遗孀和女婿以叶牧师的名义创校，为战后的婴儿潮贡献了一份力量，上世纪80年代才将原建筑改为教堂。

至于圣希达尔教堂，大家最感兴趣的是教堂建筑旁的洗礼池和洗礼盆。接受洗礼的时候，不论男女老幼都穿上洁白的衣服，在众姐妹弟兄的见证下，走入池水中受洗，称为“浸信”。婴儿或行动不便的老人家，则在洗礼盆“点洗”，一旁的狗牙花(马蹄香)散发出阵阵茉莉花般的幽香，为信徒献上祝福。

经典女红装

曾几何时，加东的土生华人打造着独特的文化氛围。随着时代变迁，这批“原住民”搬的搬，走的走，浓郁的土生气息逐渐消失。昔日居住在这里的土生华人的特点是以与闽南话混杂的峇峇马来语交谈，妇女穿着秀丽得体的沙龙可巴雅(sarong kebaya)和珠绣鞋子(kasut manik)，表示对家人与宾客的尊重。

沙龙可巴雅的峇迪沙龙源自爪哇蜡染艺术，花纹图案则融合了欧洲的美术特性。可巴雅特色为长袖开襟，用蕾丝来装饰；衣服没有纽扣，一般使用三枚胸针(kerosang)扣上，这些蕾丝和胸针都是西方的舶来品。珠绣则是土生华人女子的精湛手艺，她们必须学得一手好珠绣，才能嫁入好婆家。这些产自日本与欧洲的珠子可串织成鞋子、腰带、钱包和头饰。一双精致的珠绣鞋，鞋面可用上整万颗珠子，非常考究功夫与耐性。

美食人生

迈入21世纪后，商家跟旅游局联手打造下，东海岸路和如切路交界处一带，出现了土生华人特色的娘惹餐馆、金珠(Kim Choo Kueh Chang)和Rumah Bebe等小型展馆和商店，重塑消失的生活原貌。

金珠的东主之一Edmond告诉我们，这门家族生意已经传了三代。创始人李金珠女士乃南来的第四代华人，从马六甲来到新加坡。她12岁就从祖母那儿学来制作娘惹粽的窍门，每年端午节帮忙裹粽卖粽。1945年日据时期，生育了四个孩子的李金珠为了帮补家用，在Joo Chiat Place自家锌板屋门前摆摊卖粽，没想到转眼间已经超过一个甲子。

金珠的品牌为“kueh chang”，就是糕饼(kueh)和粽子(chang)。先民将粽子带到南洋，土生华人则将祖先的粽子南洋化。金珠娘惹粽小巧玲珑，使用的是瘦肉和甜冬瓜，粽叶则是就地取材的班兰叶。娘惹粽味道偏甜，有一股班兰叶的幽香，跟一般使用肥猪肉和竹叶包裹的肉粽不一样。

当今农历新年期间颇畅销的黄梨挞是另一个文化交融的好例子。黄梨的福建话和粤语是“旺来”，兴兴旺旺谁不爱？大家都说黄梨挞是娘惹食品，不过马来人和印度人的节庆同样离不开它。早期欧洲人的下午茶都会吃一些奶油饼干，我小时候，大人称这些饼干为“番仔饼”。心灵手巧的娘惹将番仔饼和新马种植的黄梨结合起来，精心研发了黄梨挞，各族人士吃过后都赞不绝口，于是在民间流行起来。

汤汁香浓偏白，散发着椰浆香的加东叻沙所承载的，则是先民为生活打拼，推陈出新的故事。乐斯广场(Roxy Square，前乐斯戏院原址)地面层有家超过半个世纪的老字号“正宗加东汤匙叻沙”。早在七八十年前，昵称Janggut (大胡子)的黄老先生，挑着扁担在加东沿街贩卖娘惹叻沙。他将粗米粉剪短，方便食客用汤匙将食物和汤汁一起送入口中。后来租下东海岸路咖啡店的摊位，向日晒雨淋的日子告别。近年来才搬到乐斯广场。

原来的摊位由南茜租了下来，卖的是“328加东叻沙”。取名328是为了易读易记，谐音“生意发”，顾客喜爱，店主更加喜欢，还在附近开了分店。南茜推出自家的加东叻沙，主要是想让食客吃得开心，欣赏厨师的手艺，她就心满意足了。

土生华人的九层糕

小时候偏爱的一毛钱一个的九层糕，滑溜溜的质感、彩虹般的色彩令人垂涎。这些颜色都是天然色素，譬如蓝色来自蓝蝶豆，绿色来自班兰叶，红色来自红糟。当时我们都很珍惜，不舍得大口大口地吞下去，而是一片片地撕开来小口轻尝。

源自土生华人的九层糕顾名思义，共九层，寓意长长久久，原意是一层层地剥开来放入口中。Edmond解释道，人生并非一帆风顺，有时候意气风发，有时候阻障重重，无论是开心或低落，路都必须行一程看一程地走下去，失败了站起来，整装后再出发。年老时回望前尘，原来经历了风雨艰辛，尝尽了苦辣甜酸，努力耕耘的岁月编织出靓丽的彩虹。一页页地翻阅，一片片地品尝，就像手中色彩斑斓的九层糕。

我们由衷希望吃喝玩乐之余，加东文化之旅能够让大家深一层了解到先民离乡背井后，广纳各族文化的大气度，为新加坡发热发光。日后回忆起这一趟加东行，原来也像九层糕那样，值得细细咀嚼，开心回味。

(作者为新加坡国家博物馆义务中文导览组特邀执委)

主要参考资料

• EdmondWong,Kim ChooKueh Chang的成立背景与娘惹文化的口述, 2017年10月19日。
• LilyKong, T C Chang,“JOO CHIAT a livinglegacy”, Joo Chiat Citizens’Consultative Committee, 2001.
• Long,“何谓土生Peranakan”, http://dragondescendents.wixsite.com/long/peranakan. Accessed 3 November 2017.
• Philip Chew,“Histo r y of Joo ChiatRoad”, http://mychewjoochiat.blogspot.sg/2009/03/history-of-joo-chiat-road.html.Accessed 22 October 2017.
• “Rediscover the East”, URA，November2004.
• Shefali Rekhi，“Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple consecration ceremony: 5things about the historic temple in Ceylon Road”，TheStraitsTimes January 21, 2015.
• “SriSenpagaVinayagar Temple”booklet.
• Vernon Cornelius, “Tanjong Katong”, Singapore Infopedia – NLBSingapore http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/sip_829_2005-01-18.html. Accessed 2 November 2017

Katong, a Living Legacy

Katong refers to the rippling effect of a sea mirage when looking at a shoreline. In the early 19th Century, Katong was developed as coconut plantations stretching from Geylang River to Siglap Road. Since the 1920s, many people moved out of the city and ventured into Katong. The area was a famous seaside, ideal for weekend retreat for the wealthy city dwellers. Bungalows, shophouses and places of worship were built for the multi-cultural communities.

Today, Katong is a conserved site with rich architecture and heritage. Katong’s identity is especially shaped by its colourful two-storey pre-war shophouses and terrace houses. Their facades are often decorated with stylish columns, intricate motifs, and ceramic tiles, not only depicting Chinese and Malay cultures but also European influences.

East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road are the two main roads in Katong. As the name East Coast implies, the road was located by the sea. Today, the seafront has been pushed one kilometre away. Marine Parade and East Coast Park are built on reclaimed land after Singapore gained its independence.

Chew Joo Chiat owned a vast piece of land in the area for his coconut plantations. In 1916 the Municipality wanted to buy land from Chew Joo Chiat to build a proper road from Geylang Serai that extends all the way to the beach for the wealthy. Chew foresaw the benefit of a road going through his coconut estates and donated the land instead of selling. A proper road was constructed a year later and was named after him in recognition of his generosity.

The former Joo Chiat Police Station is an important landmark along East Coast Road. It was probably one of the most infamous places for secret society members up to 1970s. Triad members were locked up here and transferred to Changi Prison upon being sentenced in court.

The “Red House” Bakery, once famous for its Swiss rolls and curry puffs, is iconic along East Coast Road. It was originally built as a private residence cum bakery which operated for 80 years. The building was subsequently deemed unsafe and renovated as a bakery once again in 2016 after closing down for 13 years. The Red House came under the ownership of the Alsagoff family in 1957 and was donated to Wakaf Islamic endowments. The revenue is to fund a dispensary to provide free medical care for the needy of all wards.

Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple sits on Ceylon Road which reflects the mix of cultures in Katong. According to the temple management, Lord Vinayagar’s statue (the Hindu Elephant God) was said to be found under a Senpaga tree. The Ceylonese Tamil pioneer built a small attap-hut for the god in 1875. The temple was rebuilt a few times since then.

Multi-racial and multi-religion cohesion was at work in other forms for the temple. The yellowcoloured Rajagopuram, designed by a local Chinese Buddhism architect when the temple was rebuilt in 2003, makes it uniquely different from many decorative Tamil temples in Singapore. Chinese contractors were involved in the rebuilding program, which was supported by donations from Muslims, Buddhists and Christians.

Katong was once branded as a Chinese Peranakan neighbourhood. When more and more HDB flats were built, the community had moved out while new owners settled in. Katong appeared to lose its Peranakan flavour.

The Peranakan culture was revitalised in the early 21st Century. Near the junction of East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road, two Peranakan shophouses Rumah Bebe and Kim Choo Kueh Chang stand beside each other. The Rumah Bebe story begins with nyonya Bebe Seet. She was encouraged to learn the traditional Peranakan art of beading slippers (kasut manik). In the good old days, young nyonyas were skilful in beading their own footwear. However, after the Second World War, beading became a dying craft. Bebe researched the history of beading done by the nyonyas of the past and started holding classes for those who are equally passionate about the craft.

Edmond, the great grandson of Kim Choo, told us that Kim Choo came from Malacca. She learned the skill of making Nyonya rice dumplings from her mother. During the Japanese occupation period, she set up a Nyonya Chang stall outside their house on Joo Chiat Place under a banyan tree. Kim Choo Kueh Chang has been in operation for more than 70 years since then.

The Nyonya delicacy 9-layer kueh lapis is probably one of a kid’s many favourites and are still treasured by many adults today. The most classic way of eating this kueh is by peeling it layer by layer. The multiple colours are from natural sources such as pandan leaves and blue pea flowers. The kueh lapis is steamed layer by layer. It requires passion and patience which our elders were blessed with back then when the pace of life was slower. We have since advanced so much but we should also spare the time to chew at our past and pause to think about our sense and purpose.