Home/History, Yuan #156, Yuan Magazine, /蔡厝港:采菊东篱下 悠然见南山

蔡厝港:采菊东篱下 悠然见南山

文图 · 李国樑

蔡厝港:19世纪的种植园,20世纪的乡村,21世纪的现代化成熟市镇

新加坡西部的蔡厝港地广人稀,走过19世纪的种植园与20世纪的甘榜之路,如今有17万居民在约5万个建屋局单位里安家,地铁和轻轨穿梭在千家万户之间。

蔡厝港起源自19世纪初的港主时代,潮州先民沿着秉祥河开辟甘蜜种植园。当河畔的土地不再肥沃时,先民向内陆发展,形成人虎争夺地盘,森林大王吃人,猎人上山打虎的局面。当园主转移阵地,越海到柔佛种植的时候,蔡厝港恢复荒凉。

19世纪末福建先民迁入,延续垦地安家的作业。1930年最后一头老虎在蔡厝港村被猎杀,本地从此告别虎踪。这个年代,各籍贯人士和异族同胞已经在同一片土地上和谐生活。

蔡厝港的整体农业发展经历过甘蜜与胡椒、橡胶与黄梨的种植阶段。新加坡独立后,居民对胡姬种植业趋之若鹜,有些胡姬园已由第二代接手。70年代美国炸鸡进入本地,这里的养鸡人家甚至供应鸡只给炸鸡连锁店。蔡厝港的其他特殊行业包括饲养牛蛙、鳄鱼、乌龟等。

现代蔡厝港的原点


蔡厝港地形图(底图为1975年新加坡公路图)

十里广场(Junction10)是新加坡公路网的中心点,地处蔡厝港、兀兰和武吉班让的交界,昔日南下北上西行的各路人马先在这一带歇息,形成热闹的墟集。十里广场所在地是从前的警察局,与乡村、养鸡场和来往新马的百年铁路为邻。铁路的自动闸门开关频繁,车辆都必须停下来,耐心地等候火车驶过,转眼间独特的风景线已经消失十个年头。

墟集附近居民人气最集中的,是位于蔡厝港路12英里一带的蔡厝港小镇。这里村落密集,有捕杀猛虎的蔡厝港村、种植甘蔗的Kampong Cutforth,鱼塘风光Kampong Bereh,濒水的双溪登雅村(俗称东成村)和以学校命名的南山村。现在的碧林路(Brickland Road)就是前蔡厝港村所在地。

地处登雅河(Tengah River)和秉祥河(Peng Siang River)“两河流域”三角洲的东成村,堪称现代蔡厝港的发源地。南安人到此地开垦,形成内东成村和外东成村,全盛时期住了两三百户人家。为东成村延续香火的,就是迁移至德惠巷的百年古庙蔡厝港斗母宫。关于古庙的起源,据说是村民请来九皇大帝的香火后,得到该区领袖王可味的支持,创建斗母宫来供奉神灵。

南山与北山

东成村跟该地区的南山学校渊源深厚,创校的经过跟将一生心血全放在蔡厝港的王可味密不可分。

清朝末代皇帝溥仪登基那年,也是王可味出生的年份。他10岁下南洋,跟父亲在裕廊农场工作。父亲去世后,母亲带着他和两个妹妹搬到内东成种植黄梨和割胶。二战蔓延至新加坡前,王可味与朋友合伙,在南山村大街经营杂货店。

那个时候,乡民倡议把在民房和戏台上课的蔡恩义校和东成学校合并为新的南山学校。日军攻打新加坡时,一些参与建校的村民不幸罹难,等不到学校落成。

战争结束后,王可味和其他乡贤接过创校的棒子,南山学校于隔年在斗母宫和日军留下的货仓开课,新校舍落成后成为当地的亮点。乡村局将那一带以学校命名为南山村,道路称为惹兰南山,形成先有学校后有村的格局。

30多年前,南山学校和林厝港的亚妈宫学校合并成为政府学校(South View Primary School),不过保留着“南山小学”中文校名。

既然有南山,应该有“北山”吧?居民心目中的北山为双溪登雅路(Sungei Tengah Road)这个小山坡,其中经营40多年的国华科艺农场以水耕法种植芥兰、苋菜、生菜、小白菜等,供应给本地市场。

国华科艺农场以水耕法种植芥兰、苋菜、生菜、小白菜等,供应给本地市场

农产曾经是新加坡的主要作业,应付内需绰绰有余。曾几何时,辛苦低回报的传统农业被淘汰,农场景观从熟悉变得陌生。新冠疫情期间,食物供应链的脆弱性立见,政府连忙推出新加坡农产品“3030愿景”。如今一些城市农夫传来捷报,本地研发的淡马锡稻米亦小有收成,未来几年,科技农场是否能够扭转过度依赖农作物进口的趋势,值得大家关注。

蔡厝港的早期工业区

南山村一带是蔡厝港的早期工业区。上世纪50年代,黄种行看中附近的天然土壤,决定在此地创建亚洲砖厂。

新加坡独立后,政府兴建大量组屋来安置居民,砖块的需求量激增,建屋局甚至收购新新砖厂,投入巨资来提升产量。亚洲砖厂搭上时代的顺风车,生产的砖块成为许多昔日新镇的建材。

上世纪90年代,建屋局以预制墙面的现代化技术来取代人工砌砖。进入21世纪,强韧化的透光玻璃成为建材主流,砖块的需求量进一步减少,产砖已失去经济效益。蔡厝港半个世纪的窑火熄灭了。

女皇镇丰兴山居民在蔡厝港落户

二战后的新加坡,许多乡村居民到市区谋生,造成市区边缘出现许多非法木屋区。蔡厝港13与14英里的原住民则是从市区边缘迁徙到乡野的异数。

上世纪50年代中期,殖民地政府发出最后通牒,第一批女皇镇丰兴山(现在的女皇镇体育场一带)居民必须于四天内迁往蔡厝港13与14英里。居民搬到连间茅厕都没有的荒山野岭,来不及搭建房屋的只好风餐露宿,或者寄居在他人的屋檐下。

卓孙笔(阿笔)是我多年前的校友,在蔡厝港13英里土生土长。这个地区直到1989年才被征用,成为克兰芝高速公路的一部分。

阿笔的乡居生活,也是典型的在地华人住户的经历。阿笔一家十口住在木板锌板屋,屋前露台有洋灰矮围墙,大门装上铁闸,屋顶和木墙间刻意留下通风口。

客厅的洋灰地板铺上漆席,吃饭的时候将多用途小桌上的书本杂物搬走。饭后兄弟姐妹们围着桌子做功课,时而发生口角。反正打虎不离亲兄弟,共用的空间堆砌起共同记忆。

至于屋前的空地可接地气了,有铁篱笆围成的鸡寮、晾衣服的空地、还有自建的篮球架。由于找不到工人挑粪,索性自己在屋后搭建厕所,完事后将夜香冲到厕所外的粪坑。反正土地不缺,粪坑满了就用泥土盖起来,挖过另一个粪槽粪坑。

毕业后,阿笔在武装部队学院当兵,受训时到住家附近行军。由于对地形了若指掌,甚至带队友回家小休。在目的地等候的长官见他们行军精准快速,还特别嘉奖呢!至于武装部队训练学院的实弹演习场和登格蓄水池,就是从前蔡厝港的尽头,居民以烟草和胶林为业。

那个年代的军训地区跟平民住宅重叠是颇常见的。虽然长官“命令”不准干扰居民,但更多时候是乡间杂货店老板看到阿兵哥来了,立刻打开大雪柜,可口可乐加盐、七喜、绿宝等成为抢手货。

居民神通广大,早已知道阿兵哥出现的时间和地点,由家中的美眉上阵,或推着脚车,或骑着摩多到休息处兜售。阿兵哥在军营对着清一色的室友,不禁眼前一亮,塑料袋饮料和咖哩卜霎那间销个精光。美眉开心地抛个飞吻绝尘而去,给阿兵哥留下缕缕思念。

各族人士的宗教色彩

阿笔家不远处便是旧蔡厝港路的武林山和马来甘榜,形成一里路一个村庄的格局。一个甲子前,居民在菜园里兴建朴素的马来回教堂Masjid Al’Firdaus(原名Jamek Mosque),标志不是熟悉的圆穹顶,而是传统塔楼、新月和星星。

新马铁路绿色廊道旁的传统兴都庙Sri Arasakesari Sivan Temple则是另一番景色,呈现本地少见的斯里兰卡庙宇建筑风格。慈悲为怀乃宗教的特性,许多庙宇为弱势民众提供免费膳食,Sivan Temple同样跟民间组织合作,为一些马西岭居民提供免费餐饮。

南山学校一带的海印寺根据《华严经》的“海印三昧”之说而得名。徐悲鸿在芽笼江夏堂居住的时候为海印寺题字,大家参观寺庙之余,不妨同时欣赏大雄宝殿内徐悲鸿的墨宝。约一个世纪前海印寺初创,原为专供妇女学佛的道场。二战时期,寺庙成为附近居民的避难所,军政府为寄宿的女信徒和小孩提供基本必需品。随着女信众年华渐老,古寺转型为现今的僧伽道场。

海印寺收藏的徐悲鸿墨宝

蔡厝港的迁葬业

登加空军基地是为了防卫日军侵略,特别建造的军用机场。国防部计划扩建登加基地,将巴耶利峇空军基地搬迁到此处,蔡厝港坟场的8万个华人与回教坟墓受到影响。

蔡厝港坟场于二战结束后正式启用,那是目前本地唯一允许土葬的坟场,法律规定埋葬超过15年的遗体必须挖掘出来,让其他人使用。随着多数国人接受火葬,许多坟墓早已超过年限,有些甚至找不到后人了。

出于对现代二度葬的好奇,我跟随在蔡厝港坟场出入一辈子的Johnny,以及他旗下的起坟师和捡骨师,进一步了解迁葬作业。

Johnny祖孙三代都与尸骨为生,非黄道吉日不起坟,农历七月也不起坟。拿着锄头挖坟的工人以印度与孟加拉客工居多,一个半小时便挖出五尺深坑。想当年我当兵时挖掘差不多一样大小的战壕花整个晚上,可真觉得汗颜。

开棺和捡骨由另一组人负责。根据捡骨师的经验,三年左右尸体便完全腐化,只剩下骨头。捡骨师先从手掌部位开始,寓意见面的礼貌与尊重,同时请亡者起身,接下来顺序为双脚、臀、胸部,最后才到头部。用白米酒将骨骸清洗后送到蔡厝港坟场火化场,两个小时后骸骨化为小石子盛在骨灰瓮中,安置在主家安排好的地点。

捡骨师表示做这行必须命中带火,阴魂野鬼才会退避三舍。周末半夜的坟场特别热闹,有些赌徒跪在新下葬的坟前求财,有些载着金银元宝和纸扎品前来答谢,上演着另一类远郊风情画。

蔡厝港的迁葬作业是后人怀念先民的方式之一,老地址出现在新地方则异曲同工,将消失的旧时光以另一种形式保存在人们的记忆中。或许唯一不变的是,蔡厝港依然保留着朴素的乡野角落,不经意间串联古今。

参考文献:

[1]黄向京,“亚洲砖厂第二代:经营砖厂如开杂货店”,《联合早报》2014年9月7日。

[2]新加坡南安会馆,https://www.lamann.org/media-interviews-14 accessed 1 September 2021

[3]《浮生街影3》(第4集):乡土寄情蔡厝港,新传媒。

[4]“From Villages to Flats (Part 1) The Kampong Days”, https://remembersingapore.org/2012/04/04/from-villages-to-flats-part-1/accessed 20 Apr 2021.

[5]Joshua Lee, “Ever wonder why Choa Chu Kang is called Choa Chu Kang?” https://mothership.sg/2016/10/ever-wonder-why-choa-chu-kang-is-called-choa-chu-kang/accessed 20 Apr 2021.

[6]Ng Yew Peng, “What’s In The Name? How The Streets And Villages In Singapore Got Their Names”, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 2018, ISBN 978-981-32-2139-0.

[7]Toh Guan Nge 16 October 2018, https://www.facebook.com/groups/265763383605892/permalink/1013595042156052/.

(作者为英国皇家造船师学会会员、自由文史工作者)

Choa Chu Kang, a fusion of serenity and modern living

Choa Chu Kang is a sparsely populated area. The modern facilities and tranquil scenery are interwoven with the unfailing love of the early villagers.

Choa Chu Kang has its origins set in the early 19th century when early Chinese settlers lived along the Peng Siang River. They moved further inland and fought with tigers for living spaces. The last local tiger was killed in Choa Chu Kang Village in 1930. In this era, people of various races and dialects were already sharing the common land harmoniously.

Choa Chu Kang’s agricultural development has gone through phases of gambier and pepper in the 19th  century, and rubber and pineapple cultivation in the early 20th century. After Singapore’s independence, some farmers here branched out to orchid nurseries. Interestingly, when a U.S. fried chicken giant was looking to set up outlets in Singapore in the 1970s, farmers here also supplied chickens to the food chain.

Junction 10 is the midpoint of Singapore’s road networks. The century-old Malaysia railway was just next to it. Local folks would probably acquaint with the train and level crossing which had disappeared for more than a decade.

The area around Choa Chu Kang 12 mile is where the former Choa Chu Kang Village was located and has become Brickland Road today. The villages adjacent to it include Kampong Cutforth, where sugar cane was grown, Kampong Bereh with several fish ponds, Kampong Tengah facing the waterfront, and Lam Sam village which was named after a school.

After WWII, Nam San School started its education journey at the Tao Bu Keng Temple and a vacated warehouse. Ong Koh Bee, a community leader there, raised funds with other villagers in order to build a proper school. Eventually, the Nam San School became an icon of Choa Chu Kang. The Rural Board named that area Lam Sam Village and the road Jalan Lam Sam, all of which are after the school.

In 1990, South View Primary School was established by merging Nam San school with Ama Keng School in Lim Chu Kang.

The pioneers of Choa Chu Kang 13 and 14 mile moved from villages in Queenstown to make way for new town development in the 1950s. As the inhabitants moved hastily to the formerly deserted area, many of them could not even build their shelters fast enough and had to live under the roof of others.

The traditional places of worship here have their own characteristics. Masjid Al’Firdaus is a mosque surrounded by vegetable farms when first erected 6 decades ago. It resembles the serene nature of the old mosques generally marked by tower, crescent and star.

The Sri Arasakesari Sivan Temple, erected next to the railway corridor, has an exceptional style of Sri Lankan’s temple architecture. The temple is dedicated to the main deity Shiva, the God of Destruction, as well as Krishna, Ganesha, and Velmurugan.

When the Hai Inn Temple near the defunct Lam Sam village was founded about a century ago, it was a place solely for female devotees to learn and practice dharma.  The China artist cum calligrapher Xu Bei Hong personally inked the words “海印寺” (Hai Inn Temple) which were then engraved onto the signboard.

The Choa Chu Kang Cemetery is a peaceful resting place for the dead. It is the only local cemetery for burial. The law requires that remains buried more than 15 years be exhumed and made available for others. However, by the 1990s, Singaporean had embraced cremation which made exhumation more of an afterthought. With the plan of relocating the Paya Lebar Air Base to the west, 80,000 Chinese and Muslim graves would have to give way for the Tengah Air Base expansion. Exhumation is inevitable now.

Home/History, Yuan #156, Yuan Magazine, /蔡厝港:采菊东篱下 悠然见南山