Attending the 10th World Conference of Shunde Worldwide Friendship Association

The 10th World Conference of Shunde Worldwide Friendship Association was held in Shunde, China from 22 April 2016 to 24 April 2016.  About 20 countries around the world sent delegates to attend this conference.    This biennial event first started in 1998 and has been hosted by many different countries around the world.   It provides a platform for Shuntak clansman from around the world to gather and strengthen their sense of fellowship. The Shuntak Association Taiping sent a delegation of 16 members to attend this event.   The event was very organised, that it went without any noticeable glitch.  From the moment we arrived, till the time we parted company with the host, everything was done to clockwork precision and perfection.  A job very well done despite the huge number of delegates attending the event.  Congratulations, and a thousand thanks to the host.   

 The registration counter welcomed the delegates from Taiping

Two young and pretty guides were specially appointed to take care of our group.  

 A grand dinner was held for all the delegates.  Shuntak food, at its best, was served. 

 There was free-flow of fine French wine, too.  

And souvenirs to the heads of delegates

We were taken to witness a grand performance of a cultural music and dance aptly entitled Time Together Across the Ocean 

We belonged to group C3 and this is our bus and charming guide, Chou Wan Yee  

 The hotel where we stayed during the course of the conference - The Grandlei Hotel

There is a canal lined with trees and a walking path on one side and some traditional houses on the other.  From the hotel, this canal is just across the road.

 Early next morning, we were taken to this place to have our group picture taken.

Some of the delegates from Shuntak Association Taiping

Another of our charming guides.

The event made headlines in the local newspaper there.

We walked towards the nearby Shunde Performing Arts Centre to attend the opening ceremony of the conference. 

The stage was occupied with heads of delegates and members of the organising committee 

Attendees put their messages and signatures on this special wall. 

 Souvenirs from all over the world

 A vast range of Shunde food was served, from stuffed tou-foo to sauteed water snake

On the last day, we were taken to watch the opening ceremony of the Dragon Boat race.   

Buses lined up to take all of us back for lunch

The delegates from Shuntak Association Taiping 

Happy Chinese New Year 2016 恭喜發財

2016 is the year of the Monkey.  This year the Shuntak Association of Taiping organised its CNY celebration on the 13th of February 2016 at the old Shuntak Association premises at Jalan Pasar.

This year, the event attracted a large number of members.  This is the first time that I have witnessed such a large crowd.  The elderly, the middle-aged, the young and the very young were all there.

Perhaps, this was due to the fact that it was held earlier than usual and so most of those who work outside Taiping were still in town.

 恭喜發財

The celebration started with a buffet dinner for all to enjoy.

步步高陞

While the members were enjoying dinner and having a good time chatting and exchanging the latest gossips, in walked the God of Prosperity (财神)  to distribute hong pow or red packets to all.  The red colour of the packets symbolises good luck.  Furthermore, the God of Prosperity also came with a gold ingot.  It is believed that anyone who gets to touch this gold ingot, will have good fortune. 

  
     As a normal practice, the Shuntak Association of Taiping, always honour the young members who excelled in their studies.  As an added incentive for them to study hard, scholarships were awarded to the deserving young members.

  Young members who received awards of scholarship

There was more reason for the members to celebrate when the mc announced that it was time for the lucky draw.  There was enough lucky prizes for all but everyone was anxious to know what mysterious prize one would get.  

  

Finally, there was a token of appreciation to Ah Lai, our friendly reporter from the Oriental Daily.

   

With that we wish all readers a blessed Happy Chinese New Year 2016!

恭喜發財

萬事如意

 心想事成

年年有餘

Renovations Completed

31 May 2015, 9.00am, was an auspicious occasion for Shuntak Association Taiping for it marks the end of our renovation project to restore the old ancestral hall at 36 Jalan Kota, Taiping.  The grand building was restored to its former glorious self from floor to roof.  Almost 90% of the original materials were restored and reused.  Minimum changes were made and that too, when it was absolutely necessary to do so.  With the newly tiled roof and a new coat of paint, it has a refreshing look and the building stands out proudly in the midst of its dull-coloured neighbours.   

   The new-look Shuntak Association Hall of Taiping

At 9.00am sharp, a simple ceremony was carried in front of the Bat Deity's altar inside the building, to pay homage to the Lord of the Land on which the building stood.  The ceremony was conducted by a feng shui master together with some committee members of the Shuntak Association, Taiping. 

Offerings placed at the altar during the ceremony

Committee members of Shuntak Association Taiping paying homage to the deity

Finally, joss papers were burnt to the deity and it is our hope that the building and our association will be blessed with good tidings, success and happiness through the years.    

Welcoming the Year of The Goat

Members of Shuntak Association of Taiping celebrated Chinese New Year on 21 February 2015. This year, the celebration was held at the heritage Shuntak Association Hall for the first time after an interval of a great many years.   Renovation works on the Hall is still on-going but, still the Shuntak clan members have decided that it was most appropriate to have the celebration there, on the third day of Chinese New Year, so that the younger family members who have returned from near and far, could have a look at the work being done to restore an important part of their social history.    

As could be seen from the photo above, the response from members was very good.  Posing with pride at the doorway of the great Hall, everyone hoped that such a memorable event would be repeated there year after year with more and more members attending.   

As a normal practice, education awards were given out to members' children who have done well in public examinations.  These young members have done us proud and it is hoped that one day, this younger generation would take over the leadership of this association and lead it to greater heights.  

Paying homage to our patron deity Kuan Ti. 

On the whole. the celebration was a successful one. Thanks to the hard-work done by the members especially the committee members, to arrange for setting up the venue and for the food served.  With co-operative effort, one could move mountains.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE !     KONG HEI FATT CHOY !!

Visitor to our Heritage Building

On 11th Dec, 2014, a surprise visit to the STA Heritage Building was made by a DR Paul Recher. Fortunately, our Restoration Chairman, Tung Lay Chun, was there too.  She took a picture of him (below), and they had a lengthy discussion. In short, he is concerned with heritage issues in Taiping since he has made Taiping his second home.  He was impressed with our progress.  One, of course, would like to know more about this distinguished visitor.  Well, below is a brief introduction based on an email sent to Tung Lay Chun from Dr Paul Recher himself. 

 Bio data of Dr Paul Recher:

 Dr. Paul Recher aged 67, ethno-botanist, horticulturist, farmer & heritage lover emigrated from New York to subtropical, wet east coast of NSW where he single-handedly transformed a run down dairy farm into a verdant 32 ha. /80 acre jungle botanical garden & wildlife refuge comprising more than 2000 plant species, 14 species snake, 9 spp. lizards, 11 spp. frogs, 80 spp birds plus bats, koala, platypus, kangaroos, sugar gliders and invertebrates galore e.g. every subgroup of spider and the fascinating land lobster Eustachus sp. For 2 years Paul a a presenter on an ABC TV national gardening show, and for seven years wrote a weekly column covering politics and human behaviour for the regional newspaper circulation 22,000.

Welcome to Taiping Dr Paul Recher and thank you for your support towards our restoration project.