Tag: business

A gift from Tai Kung

 

Continuing a fine tradition.

Story and photos by Foong Pek Yee.

July 9, 2023.
HE is on his feet all day long – courteous and serving Chinese traditional desserts to customers with a smile.
At 25, Weng Wah believes in the business potential of the desserts.
Upbeat: Weng Wah (left) is proud of his family’s tradition.
He is the fourth generation in his family history selling the desserts;  from sweet soups, herbal tea to kuih or kok kwai in the predominantly Cantonese speaking community in Ipoh.
e
Auspicious: Hoong Ku -red glutinous rice dumpling in Cantonese is a very popular  and sometimes a  must have dessert during Chinese festivals.
All time favourite:  Yam cake is among the popular desserts in Trishaw Dessert Stall.
Weng Wah  says his maternal great grandfather ( tai kung ) and maternal grandfather (kung kung) sold desserts for a living.
It is desserts on wheels, he says of his ancestors who peddled food on a bicycle in the old days.
This perhaps had inspired Weng Wah’s parents to name their eatery – Trishaw Dessert Stall- which they opened in 2008.
Trishaw is a three-wheeled vehicle used to carry passengers in the old days.
Pedal power: Tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle used to transport goods in the old days. This  is a deco in Trishaw Dessert Stall.
The eatery, along Jalan Merlin off Jalan Pasir Puteh, Ipoh, has a relaxed ambience and is visibly popular among the young and old alike.
The weather may be hot and humid last Saturday afternoon (July 8, 2023)  but it is no deterrent for customers to enjoy their desserts with just ceiling fans over their heads.
Perhaps this also reminds them of the good old days where fans was a luxury item then.
Like his ancestors, Weng Wah says hard work and long hours remain an integral part of the business.
The eatery opens between 10.30am and 5.00pm daily from Monday to Saturday.
A typical working day sees his mother, Ah B, slogging away in the kitchen by 7.30am and he joins her an hour later.
Each of them easily chalked up at least 10 hours of work daily.

 

A beautiful Spring on the way

Hope: Forward-looking is a strong characteristic of the Chinese.

Dec 22, 2022
By Foong Pek Yee
A person is a year older after eating the first bowl of “tang yuan”  (glutinous rice ball in sweet syrup in Chinese ) on Winter Solstice Festival (Dongzhi).
“Tang Yuan” which rhymes with reunion also makes the delicacy a must have for the festival.
Most of all, the delicacy is  affordable and palatable to the young and old alike as family members gather to celebrate.
Today (December 22, 2022) is the Winter Solstice Festival.
Auspicious:  CNY deco that focus on all things good.
With Chinese New Year  (CNY), also known as Spring Festival,  exactly a month away (on Jan 22, 2023), many traders are hopeful that Dongzhi shoppers are also in the mood for CNY shopping.
My turn: It is Year of the Rabbit starting Jan 22, 2023
Vibrant : Red for good luck and traders are hoping business will pick up as CNY draws near.
Upbeat: A trader livens up the festive mood with CNY songs.
At a wet market in Ipoh, traders are selling CNY deco and delicacies side by side with ready -to-eat  colourful “tang yuan”
One  CNY deco trader says business has yet to pick up, and that she has started selling the items two weeks ago.
She says people may be more cautious with their spending nowadays.
Nevertheless, she is upbeat that business will pick up as the celebration draws near.
Hope: Never too old to persevere.
She says many young people returning to their hometown to celebrate will do last minute shopping for their  family  elderly.
This coming year is Year of the Rabbit – a symbol of peace, energy and joy.
With the lovely  bunny hopping happily, the people are hoping for a good year for all.
Lively:  Plants and flowers are evergreen deco especially during CNY.

From Seoul to Jirisan with love

By Foong Pek Yee

13 Dec, 2021

THE Kim family left Seoul for the mountains for good.

It is do- or- die for Kim Geong-Sik, 40, his wife Ryu Sun- Young, 36 and sons Kim Do-Yun and Kim Do- Yeon aged 11 and seven respectively.

“My husband  cannot  take the stress  in Seoul anymore ,” shares Sun-Young  of how stress- a silent killer- forces her family t0 leave the city for good.

They  escape from’ kwarosa’ which in Korean means  stress and death from overwork.

They left for Namwon in Jirisan – about four-hour-drive from Seoul. Jirisan means  Jiri Mountains (san is mountain in Korean) .

Upon arrival, they stay in Sil Sang Temple at the entrance to a farming village.

And that marks the beginning of their two months of orientation – to adapt to rural living and life as a farmer.

That was in 2006.

The Kim family is among thousands of South Koreans who left big cities like Seoul and Busan for the countryside since the late 1990s.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) staff, Sin Bi, says the exodus started shortly after the 1997 Asian Financial crisis.

Many from the cities who lost their business or jobs in the crisis have left for  the countryside to start all over again.

The trend is called  “Return to the Farm”, says Sin Bi who is in Namwon to get an update on how people like Sun-Young are doing.

Sun-Young  (right) and Sin Bi peeling persimmons  at Snail Guesthouse.

But not all are cut out for farming though, says Sin Bi, adding that the government and relevant NGOs have programmes to help them settle down in the countryside.

It  was in Autumn 2018 when I met Sun-Young and Sin Bi.

Sun -Young and Geong-Sik  has ventured into homestay business in their ‘hanok” (traditional Korean house) in 2013 .

They built another adjacent’ hanok’  three years later (2016) as their business picks up.

Perched on a hillock, their ‘hanok’ named Snail Guesthouse, commands a panoramic view 0f the picturesque surroundings.

“We want our guests to experience the beauty of a slow-paced lifestyle.

“The snail moves slowly, making stops along the way,  but it never gives up,”  says Sun-Young.

The Kim family’s han0k-traditional Korean house.

Sun-Young says their guests are like a family to them.

At 52,  Geong-Sik is a  doting halabuji (grandfather) to their  young guests.

He mingles with their guests in the morning while Sun-Young is busy preparing breakfast.

Geong-Sik and a young guest took his dogs -Sundal (white) and Borum (black)- for morning walk.

The kitchen is a place for guests and Sun-Young to interact and share their culture.

A photo of the boys when they first arrived at the village in 2006 is displayed prominently  in her kitchen.

A good conversation starter, the photo speaks volumes of the family’s journey.

In 2018, Do -Yun, 23 and Do- Yeon, 19 were already in college and high school respectively .

Besides running the guesthouse, Geong – Sik  is also  a  carpenter and has a workshop in the village.

His  creations are made from the wood of apple trees.

“Our village is called Apple Village because it is famous for its apples,” says a beaming Sun-Young who is proud of her husband’s creations.

Sun -Young  is warm and cheerful.

A typical day for her is waking up at 5.0O am to prepare traditional Korean breakfast.

The breakfast comprises a main dish, several side dishes, soup, rice, fruits and snacks is ready by 7.00am.

a

Sun-Young busy in her kitchen, and Korean traditional breakfast in Snail Guesthouse (top)

Much of her waking hours are spent in her kitchen where she cooks and interacts with her guests and friends at the same time.

The couple’s hard work, self discipline and perseverance has given their family a new lease on life.

“I cannot imagine if  my husband who cannot take the stress anymore continues to stay in Seoul,” recalls Sun-Young.

While there is rising awareness on the dangers of prolonged stress, many South Koreans have yet been able to overcome this silent killer.

The current Covid – 19 pandemic saw some 20 delivery men purportedly died from  “kwarosa” – stress and death from overwork.

tagwords:  Seoul, stress, Jirisan, hanok, guesthouse, lifestyle, homestay, kwarosa