Chan Sow Lin Memorial / 陳秀連墓園
Chan Siow Ling / Chan Sow Lin / Chen Xiu Ling (陳秀連) 1845-1927 was a wealthy business man in the late 19th and early 20th century.
He began his journey from China for Penang (some said Taiping, Perak) at the age of 16 and arrived to work as a tin miner. After some time, he was able to save some money and relocate to the then booming Kuala Lumpur to start his own mining business. Reportedly, he was the first chinese to have imported advance dredging machineries from the Europe to be used for tin mining here in Malaya then.
Later on, he is known to have started another business in iron works where he became known as the first overseas chinese to have venture into it back then.
Gradually becoming a famous businessman in iron works industries, he became known to be The father of Chinese iron works in Malaya.
A great philanthropist in the community back then, he has also co-found Chen Shi Shu Yuan, Tong Shing Hospital and many more and at the same time donating much land and money to charity and educational bodies.
There’s still a major road in kuala lumpur today named after him called Jalan Chan Sow Lin. And according to oldies, this area was once very famous for iron works even after his time.
Buried in Kwang Tung Cemetery / Kwong Tong Yee Shan (廣東義山). Sg Besi, his grave is located about 3 minutes walk from the main access road call Jalan Kerayong. You will see a memorial plaque pointing to it’s tomb.
Below:- Photo of Chan Sow Lin dress in chinese officials robes on it’s tomb.
My Time – my.72dragon.com – A web blog cataloging chinese temples in malaysia / 記錄馬來西亞廟宇文化.
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Interesting. He is my grandfather. This must be the first site to have written something about him. My father passed away almost 3 years ago at aged 90 and his father-Chan Sow Lin-according to this brief of yours lived up to 82. I understand my father was from his fourth wife. I think all the wives were buried nearby. I used to pay respects at his tomb during Ching Meng when I was younger. I am now already 60.
Hi Mr. Chan,
Its great to have you here. I guess it always curious me on who and why a road or an area is named after a Chinese.LOL.
About sometime last year a friend Adlan Jaafar, whom is a journalist, did a 3-4 page write up on Mr. Chan Sow Lin. It was a great long write-up. It would be great if you could share a little on what you know about mr. CSL or even your Dad. Correct me if i’m wrong, you should have a cousin by the name of Chan Yoon Mooi whom is the daughter of Chan Yew Chong. Could i know you dads and grandmothers name? Thanks.
My father is Chan Yew Kong and yes I remember he had a brother staying somewhere in Jalan Birch-old name- somewhere diagonally opposite the Chan Clan temple which I understand still stands at the foothill of Merdeka Stadium. I am not Chinese educated and can’t give you the Chinese name of that temple. The cousin you mentioned I think should be in the same age group with my elder brother who unfortunately also passed away 2 years ago. Because of the age gap I seldom had contact with those older cousins. I don’t know the name of my grandmother.We had some old news clippings about CSL but those were lost when our house were burnt down during the May 13 incident in 1969.I hope I have been of help.
Yes, The Chan clan temple is know as Chan She Shu Yuan. I did a post on it sometime ago. Can i email you personally to inquire a few more questions about CSL, your dad and your experiance on 513?
Okay..no problem if I can be of any help. You mentioned a write up on CSL by one Adlan Jaafar. You think you can post it here for us to read. Maybe it can help me understand my roots better.
Hi, The copywrite of the CSL writeup by Adlan belongs to a local news firm. I am unable to posts the article here. I ‘ve started to re-write this post with more infomation but wouldn’t know when this will complete. Will send you an mail soon.
hi…im siew wan son~~~u is 6th uncle??? im yuzhe ^^
yes..I’m your 6th uncle lah…from ampang…I visit your grandparents normally around 2nd day of cny…this year can’t make it…already told ah mooi
my grandfather is chan peng hong pass away 1942-2009… chan sow lin is my grandpa grandfather…. >< …
im chan siew wan…. my dad is chan peng hong….chan sow lin is my dad grandfather….my dad pass away. 4 years ago…at hospital selayang…cancer attack…if you want some detail i maybe can help you
Hi,
Its great to have you here. Any info about CSL that you could provide here will be very valuable to those who loves malaysia chinese history. Thanks.
actually all the story about csl my dad know,but he passed away already
HI,
No Problem. Happy Chinese New Year.
I am Chin Wah Yin. I live and work in Chan Sow Lin. I am very glad that I now know some historical background about Grand Grand Pa called Chan Sow Lin. I am not related to Chan Sow Lin but somehow I am very attached to Chan Sow Lin. The reason being I am also from the same surname except I am a Hakka and Chan Sow LIn was a Cantonese. A decade ago, I bought this piece of industrial land from Chan Chim Mooi. Is Chan Chim Mooi related to Chan Sow Lin? Pls advise. Thank you all. Warmest Regards.
Greetings and I am Isabella Loh, my great grandmother is Chan Yit San aka Chan Yuet Sum. She married Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng’s son Yap Tai Kim. I too am interested to know about her family . Don’t know much except she was the only daughter of CSL ? Should I go to the Chan temple to find out more.
Thks again for any help…Isabella
Hi, The best way to know more about CSL lineage is to visit the Chan clan temple. I helped a friend did some research about CSl and most of the info are obtain via the chan clan members. Cheers.
Hi, my name is Rashid, how do I find more info about Loke Yew, CSL n many other great people of KL. I plan to write a book about these great people.
Regards
As I was scouting through the internet to learn more about this illustrious historic figure I came across this webpage. As one who is very keen in Chinese genealogy, I could not help but to add on to the comments. It would appear that the descendants of Chan Sow Lin might not have collated the family tree at least from the point descended from him. Collecting of family history in Jiapu (家譜) is a unique Chinese cultural heritage which has been practiced since ancient times. No other culture has a comparable history of keeping family records and for over such a extended period of time. Researchers are now studying Chinese genealogies as a supplement to other research areas, such as social economic history, geographical history, history of law, population history, religion and culture, history of overseas Chinese, inheritance practices, and biography of historical figures.
I have done my ancestry not only from the time my ancestor who first came to Malaya, but now come out with pedigree chart showing each level of ancestors going all the way to Yellow Emperor (Huang Di) in 2,697 BC). Initially I thought I would only be able to do that from the first ancestor here. What I try to do now in my spare time could be gauged from the flyer below for a talk I gave at UTAR on Chinese genealogy:
http://www.utar.edu.my/pdf/talk/RegForm-ChineseGenealogy.pdf
That came about subsequent to an interview I had with TV2. See YouTube recording below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OPi7it1ga8
Since then I have, on a voluntary basis, help many others both (overseas and here) to do theirs. I am willing to assist and guide descendants of Chan Sow Lin to track down and draw up at least draw the family tree from him downwards. As the ancestral place of Chan Sow Lin is known, it would not be difficult the relevant Chan Zupu (族譜) or Jiapu (家譜) (if still available) to trace the ancestry of this illustrious figure back. As Chan Sow Lin is of the surname as mine, it may be possible to locate the common ancestor back in time. I have done that for many Chen/Chan/Chin/Tan (陳) with those originating from Guangdong and Hainan. Just a couple of months ago, I just guided and assist a fifth generation Hakka friend of mine to track down his ancestry. Initial he knew nothing of his family ancestry; he now can trace his ancestry as far back as I do.
If descendants of Chan Sow Lin are interested, I am willing to assist and guide them in going about collating the family tree.
I just a nobody who work at southgate (2015) and curiously finding for the history of road name Chan Sow Lin.
it really surprise me there are so many noble story of Mr Chan, Really wish you guys can have a family reunion for ever.
also just a tiny suggestion, create a family facebook page really not a bad idea 🙂
I took the putra line today 20 March 2023 and wondered who CSL was, as a station was named as such. I proceeded with wiki and then googled CSL family and came across this page. What fantastic information. I really hope like Tan in 2015, that the “keluarga besar” have had reunions since and shared family stories which then may be shared with the wider public. Looking forward to that. Good luck.
I am Mr. LK Wai, I worked at ONE OF FACTORY AT CHAN SOW LIN, JALAN 5. I wishes to buy back and redevelop Chan Sow Lin Industrial Hub..
My last day in Chan Sow Lin was 7 Sept 2017. Now I try to relocate a factory but Chan Sow Lin is my birth place and the place where Chan Sow Lin I belonged. Not sure I can successful relocate back to Chan Sow Lin.