Introduction
- Meng Eng Soo or Ghee Hin Memorial Hall of Heroes is the base of the infamous Ghee Hin Secret Society of the 19th century.
- The Meng Eng Soo acts as a clan temple for the Ghee Hins who are mostly of the Teochew and Cantonese dialect groups.
- They are a spin-off from the Hung League triad group in China and in the Malay peninsula they had their branches in Penang, Taiping, Ipoh and Singapore.
- When the British outlawed secret societies, it compelled the Ghee Hin Society towards dissolution.
- The property previously known as Hong Eng Tong (or in Mandarin Hong Ying Tang) at 48 Jalan Pintal Tali had to be registered to new trustees.
- The Meng Eng Soo was then set up as a legitimate society with the purpose of offering prayers to noted deceased Ghee Hin members numbering 165 in all.
My Experience
Now, I would like to share my experience of visiting the Meng Eng Soo.
I went there at night so the photos that I post might be a little dark.
I visited that place at about 9pm.
Previously, I had seen that place before but it was only from the exterior.
I never had the opportunity to enter that building before until on that day.
The feeling of entering it gave me an adrenaline rush as I believe it would provide me with an unforgettable experience and I was proven right.
The place was simply amazing.
It is not exactly a big place but the treasures within it will take you by surprise.
Without further ado, let's explore the wonders in that place.
Main entrance:
This is the only picture that I had taken of the main entrance.
Inside the building:
There are 3 things that I would to highlight.
They are as follows.
They are as follows.
This is the God that they pray to, Kuan Kong.
This is the altar which they use to pray to the early founding members.
These are the photos of those who have contributed to this new building replacing the old dilapidated one.
Exhibits:
The following photos are the exhibits that I had seen in the building.
They are really amazing and it had captured my attention fully.
Let's have a look at them.
Informational boards:
These are the 4 informational boards that I had found in the building.
Do read to obtain more info.
Informational Board 1
Informational Board 2
Informational Board 3
Informational Board 4
Conclusion:
The entire experience of visiting the Meng Eng Soo was great.
The exhibits were amazing and the informational boards were very helpful.
It was a truly meaningful and memorable experience.
I had not only gained new experience but also managed to widen my scope of knowledge.
