Approximately 90% of the Chinese population in the Perting Chinese New Village are Guangxi Chinese.

In my previous posts, I have provided a concise introduction of Bentong and delved into some of the main historical and significant figures of the town. In this article, I am going to write about the Guangxi Chinese community of Bentong, touching on the trinity that is the pride of the Guangxi community — their unique story, their culinary culture, and the largest Chinese association in Bentong.

As mentioned previously, Bentong is one of the few towns in Malaysia which has a majority of Guangxi Chinese within the Chinese community. Based on the information I gathered from the Bentong Guangxi Association, it is estimated that around 75% of the Chinese population in Bentong can safely trace their ancestry back to Guangxi Province, China. Notably, about 90% of the Chinese population in the Perting Chinese New Village are Guangxi Chinese.

Typical wooden houses in Perting Chinese New Village.

There are some theories as to why there is such a huge Guangxi community in Bentong. One explanation is that the Guangxi community filled the mining and manual labour job gap in the town. There are several possibilities as to why the Guangxi Chinese were mainly involved in manual labour, unlike the Hakkas and Hokkiens who were usually business owners. The most credible one, in my opinion, is that the Guangxi Chinese were “latecomers” amongst the waves of Chinese immigrants coming to Malaysia. This may be partly due to the fact that the Guangxi province did not possess any significant ports in the 19^th Century, unlike its counterpart Guangdong.

Nevertheless, it suffices to say that the sheer perseverance and determination demonstrated by the forefathers of the Guangxi Chinese community in Bentong has, over the years, improved the social standing of the community as a whole. Today, the Guangxi Chinese community is seen as one of the most successful communities in the town, and Chinese of Guangxi ancestry are prevalent in almost every social and economic landscape of Bentong, from influential politicians to entrepreneurial businessmen.

The Story of the Guangxi Chinese

Although relatively small in number, the Guangxi Chinese people had the advantage of living in close proximity, geographically speaking, in certain regions of Malaysia. The area encompassing Bentong and Raub is one of the few areas in Peninsular Malaysia which is home to a significant community of Guangxi Chinese. As they were a minority even within the Chinese of Malaysia, the Guangxi people had to adapt and adopt some of the cultural influences of other communities. Hence, the Guangxi Chinese today share many cultural similarities with other Chinese clans in Bentong.

Guangdong and Guangxi are located in the southern part of China. Click to enlarge.

Historically, the Guangxi Chinese share many cultural and linguistic similarities with their eastern neighbours, Guangdong. In fact, for many years, the Chinese imperial government treated the Guangdong/Guangxi area as one administrative unit with the Viceroy of “Liangguang” (including modern Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces).  With the passage of time, the Guangxi people developed their own unique dialect, the ‘pinghua’ and cultural norms which differed from their counterparts in Guangdong. Thereafter, the modern Chinese government decided to recognise the distinct identity of the Guangxi Chinese and allowed for the establishment of a new separate Guangxi province in China.

In the late 19^th Century, the rapid increase of opium imports into China disproportionately affected the southern provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi, as the port of Guangzhou was the first point of contact for opium imports. As a result, opium addiction in both provinces (and later across the rest of China) climbed drastically. The efforts of the imperial Qing government to enforce opium restrictions resulted in armed conflicts between China and the Western imperial powers led by the British Empire. The ensuing armed conflict inflicted even more hardship and suffering on the local people especially in the poorer southern provinces which had already been ravaged by the plague of opium addiction.

To escape abject poverty and hardship, many Guangxi Chinese emigrated to Southeast Asia. As many were illiterate and had little or no further education, they had to work in manual and menial jobs. This was exacerbated by the fact that the Guangxi Chinese were considered “latecomers” to Malaya and Bentong. The Chinese from other provinces had already established a foothold in Malaya decades before the Guangxi Chinese arrived. Hence, the Guangxi Chinese had few options but to work for Hokkien/Guangdong businessmen across Malaya.

Nevertheless, the spirit of kinsmanship between fellow Guangxi Chinese should not be underestimated, as organisations such as the Guangxi Chinese Association flourished in the years following their arrival. The Guangxi inhabitants of Malaya often assisted their fellow clan members settle in by providing financial and humanitarian assistance to the needy members of their community.

This spirit of kinsmanship was further strengthened during the ‘new villages’ communist era, as the British colonial government created closely-knit and tightly-monitored working class communities in Bentong, which comprised mostly of Guangxi Chinese. Today, although the days of communism have long passed, the new villages of Bentong remain a vibrant community where Guangxi Chinese live together in harmony with other Chinese communities in the town.

Guangxi Chinese Association

The Kwangsi Association Bentong

The Bentong Guangxi Chinese Association was formed in 1910 by a group of Guangxi Chinese immigrants. At the time, the Bentong Chinese community was divided according to geographical origins as, although they came from the same country, different regions of China often had different cultures and different dialects which made understanding each other difficult. Consequently, the Guangxi Chinese felt the need to form a fraternity which could provide a platform to support other members of the clan.

Over the years, the Bentong Guangxi Chinese Association has contributed greatly to the local community. Amongst others, the Association is an active contributor both monetarily and physically to the Bentong Chinese Town Hall, which was established to represent and improve the standards of living of all Chinese in Bentong. The Association has also been actively involved in charity-related events, especially in the funding of Chinese vernacular education.

Furthermore, in the early days of the 20^th Century, the Association played a prominent role in standing up for the rights of indentured labourers. Previously, labourers were forced to enter into temporally structured unfree employment contracts. Subsequently, they were bound to work for a particular employer for a specific period of time. In many instances, these indentured labourers were exploited by their employers as they were not provided with stable jobs yet were not allowed to seek work elsewhere. Hence, in the absence of effective government intervention, the Guangxi Chinese Association played a pivotal role in standing up for the workforce.

Authentic Guangxi Cuisine

Bentong’s Guangxi cuisine is unique in the sense that it does not have much of a separate cultural identity. Due to the diverse demographic makeup of Bentong’s Chinese community, the local Guangxi cuisine has evolved to incorporate elements from other Chinese cuisines, rather than developing its own distinct flavour. Therefore, the Guangxi dishes of Bentong feature a unique combination of various flavours. These dishes can be considered heavy in taste, lightly spicy and delicately fragrant.

A local food stall selling Guangxi food.

Visitors who try Bentong’s Guangxi cuisine will quickly notice a distinctive feature which they are unlikely to taste in other parts of Malaysia. Over the years, Bentong’s Guangxi Chinese have cultivated the habit of including chives in most dishes, especially in the famous meat-filled Bentong “Taufu Puff”. The inclusion of chives provides an entirely unique taste experience. In fact, many visitors make a special trip to Bentong for the Guangxi “Taufu Puff”.

One must also not forget to try the Guangxi boiled chicken (“Bai Zhan Ji”) which in itself isn’t Guangxi in origin, but the signature sauce which is served on the side with the chicken makes it incredibly delicious. The mixture of chives and Bentong ginger in the sauce complements the soft and smooth texture of the boiled chicken. In fact, I have received feedback that some visitors can finish a bowl of rice accompanied only by the boiled chicken and the signature sauce!

Authentic Guangxi stuffed “Taufu Puff”

Guangxi chicken with ginger sauce

Boiled chicken Guangxi style

Conclusion

The Guangxi Chinese community have come a long way and have created opportunities out of nothing. Throughout their years in Bentong, the community never believed that they were victims of luck and circumstance. Instead, they worked cooperatively with other Bentong communities and dedicated themselves to contributing towards the economy.

Over time, the Guangxi Chinese were able to turn a desert into an oasis by achieving success after success in their community’s development. In fact, the Guangxi people of today are one of the most successful communities in Bentong, producing successful people in every strata of society.

Tags: bentong, china, culture, food, history, Malaysia

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