One of the many books compiled by grandpa Wang Pek Jin on Borneo that I pulled off the shelf from among many books my dad collected at home is this book, 'A Guide to The Natural History of Borneo' or its title in Mandarin, 'Puo Lou Tzou Tze Wang Nien' (Four Million Years Old Borneo) the 130 pages book was first printed in 1972.
That brought me to discover several other books by grandpa Wang that I've never seen before although had learned about grandpa Wang's work that he wrote several books on ecology, botany and nature when I was a child.
One of the memories I can still remember about grandpa Wang was how we were scolded for meddling with his typewriters as kids, then were those old Chinese typewriters, now antiques. Besides that I remember, he kept lots of books and their little home in Kuching was his office with piles of brown drafting papers, scrips, few typewriters and books everywhere. Ever since he passed on, I have no idea where were all the books kept.
One of the memories I can still remember about grandpa Wang was how we were scolded for meddling with his typewriters as kids, then were those old Chinese typewriters, now antiques. Besides that I remember, he kept lots of books and their little home in Kuching was his office with piles of brown drafting papers, scrips, few typewriters and books everywhere. Ever since he passed on, I have no idea where were all the books kept.
On my recent return visit to Sarawak State Library however had me found several of his books were still well kept on the shelf at the section on Botanical. They are probably being abandoned now as old generations had been replaced by the new ones who are more proficient in simplified Chinese characters than the old books.
According to grandma, grandpa Wang was an educator who came from Singapore in the early days of Chinese migration to Kuching and taught in a Chinese School for early Chinese immigrants, then it was a hut school with not many students.
Giving much of his time in research on botanical and nature only later in his life with the blessings from the early English colonial under the support of Tom Harrisson then a Curator of the Sarawak Museum between 1947-1966. He compiled books on Borneo in Mandarin.
Giving much of his time in research on botanical and nature only later in his life with the blessings from the early English colonial under the support of Tom Harrisson then a Curator of the Sarawak Museum between 1947-1966. He compiled books on Borneo in Mandarin.
Among others, in grandpa's book on the natural history of Borneo, species of plants and inserts found in the Borneo rainforest were recorded in his book, 'A Guide to The Natural History of Borneo'.
Some of the paintings of the early Borneo's people, their villages and longhouses.
Unfortunately, I'm not proficient in Mandarin to understand grandpa Wang's journal on the beauty of Borneo. But I do realise his works were detailed, produced out of hard work, time spent and frequent travel to personally learn and understand the nature, plants and Borneo natural habitats.
Most of all they were compiled with compassion and a person's love of nature. Grandpa Wang research was referred to, mainly for the use of his botany students. I do not think he made a fortune out of his hard work. As far as I can still remember, grandpa and grandma Wang lived a simple and humble life.
From his book, the picture of the early Borneo jungleman. (A 70yo jungleman holding a dog) I believe grandpa Wang efforts contributed much to the study of botanical research in Borneo during the early days.
The printing of his books were mostly sponsored by the early Chinese businessmen and companies in Kuching where at the back of every book, few pages were allocated for sponsors ads and notes of appreciation to the sponsors.
Sincere thanks and gratitude.
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