The Magazine Road is one of the ancient roads in Penang but only four ancient shops are left here as many others have been demolished for development.

It was said that there was a development plan for the Magazine Road 20 years ago, but the plan has been shelved and delayed. Thus, shop owners here dare not to maintain or upgrade their shops as they are worried that their shops might be demolished after the maintenance.

Therefore, shops here are old and shabby. But many still stay because of the low rental rate.

Among the ancient shops left here, we found one making traditional Chinese surname lanterns. Tai Keat Seong is as well the only traditional Chinese surname lantern shop in Penang.

The second-generation owner of the shop Li Ya-Fu has been guarding the shop for 60 years and most importantly, he has inherited the craft from his father.

The 80-year-old shop, however, would be moving out in the end of June.

Li said the relocation was spontaneous as he was worried that the shabby ancient shop would collapse in the coming rainy season.

He said that he has declined the Penang Chief Minister’s and others’ suggestion of relocating the shop to Komtar because of rental issue, as well as because the endless stream of people would distract his concentration and affect the progress of production.

According to Li, almost all Chinese families in Penang hung a pair of surname lanterns in front of their houses in the past. It was his understanding that hanging lanterns has been a Chinese custom and it has nothing to do with religion or superstition. As long as the then Chinese afforded a house, they would hang a pair of lanterns as decoration.

Therefore, there were at least four shops making surname lanterns in those times. However, perhaps the craft could survive only in Penang as most of the Chinese here were Hokkiens and lanterns were a representative item for Hokkien and Teochew people.

Li started to learn the craft from his father after he had completed his primary school. He mastered the craft by constant learning and training and inherited the shop after his father’s death.

He said that it takes four days and 60 bamboos are required to make a pair of lanterns. It is a very hard work as he has to cut and tie the bamboos to make the structure all by himself.

He said that he has not found any successor but he is not worried about it. Instead, he optimistically thought that perhaps someone with creativity might make surname lanterns with modern machines in the future. (Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)