Stories from Deli

Yen Ching Wang on 1886 Chinese fact finding mission

In the last two decades of the nineteenth century, China had diplomatic representatives stationed in most Western capitals. The first imperial Chinese consulate was set up in Singapore at the end of 1877. All Chinese diplomats were required by the Ch’ing government to report regularly to the Tsungli Yamen (forerunner of Qing Foreign Office) about foreign countries, prospects of trade and conditions of overseas Chinese. There were also special missions. The first was sent by Governor-General Chang Chih-tung in 1886 to enquire into conditions of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and Oceania, and was led by Wang Yung-ho and Yii chun who toured most of the regions.

In 1886, the Qing Imperial Court dispatched a fact-finding mission in South East Asia for establishment consuls. Wang Yung-ho and Yu Chun left Canton on 26 August 1886 onboard a commercial vessel. The first leg of the visit was to the Philippines. Then they proceeded to Singapore, Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Penang, Rangoon, Deli (North Sumatra), Batavia, Semarang, Surabaya, and then to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Queensland (Brisbane).

More than twenty cities or ports were visited and the trip took twelve months to complete.   The mission collected a great deal of useful information relating to the conditions of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Wang and Yii were impressed by the wealth of the Southeast Asian Chinese, particularly those in Singapore and Malaya. They reported to the Ch’ing government that the Chinese in Singapore had owned eight-tenths of local properties and trade, and there were quite a few Chinese millionaires who were big mining magnates in Selangor and Perak.

But they also found Chinese were generally despised, ill-treated and discriminated against, except for those in the British Straits Settlements (Singapore, Malacca, and Penang). The envoys found the conditions of the Chinese in the Philippines most appalling. Many of the 50,000 Chinese were beaten, robbed, or killed. Their properties were damaged, burned, and they were subjected to cheating and extortion by the police and soldiers.  The local Filipinos were campaigning for the expulsion of the Chinese coolies, but due to the arrival of the mission, the anti-Chinese campaign came to a halt for a while. The envoys pointed out that the local Chinese had urged for consular protection and had expressed their willingness to raise money for the funding of consular establishment.

Wang and Yu found the Chinese in the Dutch East Indies in a similarly distressed condition. The Chinese in Batavia numbered about 74,600 and had to pay heavy taxes to the local government. In addition to income tax, they had to pay property tax, household utensil tax, carriage tax, wedding, and funeral taxes. It was claimed by the local Chinese that similar taxes were not imposed on other foreigners. To protect their wealth, some Chinese merchants were forced by the local authorities to take up Dutch citizenship. Both envoys asserted that this practice of forcing the Chinese to become Dutch nationals could become a major problem for China in the future.

The Chinese in Semarang and the neighbouring areas complained to the mission that they suffered additional misery apart from the discrimination and heavy taxes, caused by strict control on their daily movement by the local authorities. They were required to produce a pass wherever they went, and to hold a lamp on their outings at night after 8.00 in the evening. Those who failed to comply with the regulations were punished with two or three months of hard labour.

The coolies of Deli in North Sumatra were ranked as the worst treated group among the Chinese in the Dutch East Indies. Their miseries were widely known in the overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Deli was not included in the schedule of the mission’s visit, but while the envoys were visiting Penang, they were convinced of the alleged atrocities on the Chinese coolies and warranted them a special trip.

The Chinese in Deli numbered about 50 to 60,000 and the majority of them were Teochews. Most coolies there were recruited by brokers in Swatow and were brought to Singapore or Penang where they were “resold” to Deli. Most of them worked on the tobacco plantations owned by Dutch nationals, and many suffered from cruelty by the owners or overseers. When the envoys arrived at their destination on 17 December 1886, the suspected atrocities had been confirmed. They had the opportunity to interview local Chinese leaders, merchants and coolies, and all agreed that many coolies were ill-treated. One form of ill-treatment was the sacking of coolies as a result of sickness. The victims became either beggar or died of hunger on the roadside. Local Chinese residents who came to the aid of the victims were sometimes accused by the employers of keeping escapees, and this could result in three months’ imprisonment. Another cruelty was flogging. Coolies who failed to perform their work satisfactorily or dared to argue with the overseers and owners were flogged severely. Some floggings resulted in death but the local Dutch officials condoned the cruel actions.

Before the arrival of the mission, a serious case of flogging had taken place. A coolie named Wen Ya-lung was alleged to have been flogged to death by the owner of a tobacco plantation. Wen did not perform his work satisfactorily and had argued with the owner, the result of which was severe flogging and death. It was said that Wen Ya-lung did not pick and pack the tobacco in the way that the overseer wanted. Wen was hung and flogged. He was given more work and was only allowed to have one cold meal a day. Wen was flogged many times further until his death. Wen’s fellow workers petitioned the Chinese Luitenant (Tjong Yong Hian) for justice, but no concrete result followed. The envoys intervened in the case and the local Dutch officials were urged to arrest the owner; however, the reply was that the suspect had fled the country. Whatever the truth is, the Dutch authorities had shown their unwillingness to uphold justice, and the Chinese Luitenants appeared to have no power over Dutch.

During their tour of the Dutch colonies m Southeast Asia, the envoys were also struck by the timidity of the Chinese leaders who were appointed by the Dutch as Majoor, Kapitein and Lieutenant. These leaders were supposed to represent the Chinese community and act on its behalf in relation to the Dutch authorities, but due to their delicate relationship with the Dutch, they were unable and unwilling to fight for justice for their compatriots.

* Tjong Yong Hian became Lieutenant of the Chinese in Medan in 1884, Captain in 1893, and Major in 1898.

When Wang and Yu arrived in Batavia on 6 January. 1887 (13th day of 12th moon of 12th year of Kuang-hsu), Chinese Majoors, Kapitens and Lieutenants dared not greet them in fear of inviting the displeasure of the Dutch authorities. It was not until the Dutch officials had received the mission and shown their approval by a meeting with the envoys that the Chinese Majoors, Kapiteins, and Luitenant came to meet them. The inability of the Dutch appointed Chinese officials to protect their countrymen prompted the envoys to recommend to the Ching government that an imperial Consul-General be present in Batavia, and Vice-Consuls be appointed among Chinese merchants who could speak out on behalf of the Chinese communities.

The findings of the Wang Yung-ho and Yu Chun mission confirmed the fact that the overseas Chinese needed protection.

From: Collies and Mandarin by Yen Ching Wang.