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太平命名的由来
黄中和
文化的起源都跟河流有密切的关系。世界四大文明古国都脱离不了河流的影响，如：巴比伦之与幼发拉底和底格里斯河，埃及之与尼罗河，中国之与黄河以及印度之与恒河。同样的，马六甲王国濒临马六甲海峡，霹雳王国也建立在霹雳河口。
拉律（Larut）因为远离下霹雳（Hilir Perak）之霹雳河口，在19世纪初叶，尚名不见经传。自从隆•查亚花（Long Ja'afar）在拉律开采锡矿而于1844年初次输出锡苗以后，他跟槟城华商的联系，便日渐密切，这是因为拉律的锡苗都出售给槟城华商的缘故。当时，住在拉律的华人，据说只有3 名。后来，隆•查亚花雇请华人到拉律来开采锡矿。19世纪中叶，华人开始在拉律的阿三古邦（Asam Kumbang）、吉辇包（Kelian Pauh）和新吉辇（Kelian Baru）即甘文丁（Kamunting）一带定居。
1857 年，隆•查亚花逝世，雅•依布拉欣（Ngah Ibrahim）子承父业。其时，因为华人移入拉律的人数日益增多，形成了两大党派，那就是历史上所记载的海山和义兴。海山党的成员由广东增城人组成，义兴党的成员则由广东惠州人组成。当时，海山党人居住在吉辇包，人数约有4000人；而义兴党人则居住在新去吉辇，人数约有2200人。海山党中具有影响的领袖是刘三（Law Sam）和郑景贵（Chung Keng Kwee），义兴党则由苏亚昌（So Ah Chiang）、李亚勤（Lee Ah Khun）和陈亚炎（Chin Ah Yam）领导。
1861年7月，两党首次起冲突，义兴党人因为人数较少，所受的损失较大，计死1人，8家人的产业被洗劫一空，因此大起恐慌，大约有1000人逃亡到槟城，其首领李亚勤向槟城海峡殖民地政府投诉并要求协助。结果雅•依布拉欣被迫赔偿17,447元予义兴党人。
第2次的冲突发生于1865年6月，这次的战事更为惨烈，死伤人数更多，致使义兴党的惠州人逃离新吉辇，前往吉隆坡，所以吉隆坡的华人中，惠州人占了大部分。
1872 年初，两党又起战事。事因义兴党魁李亚勤跟海山党首领郑景贵好友的妻子有染，引起海山党人不满，他们将李亚勤及其情妇处死。此事发生后，义兴党人愤怒异常，想攻击海山党人。由于海山党人答应赔款2000元予李亚勤家属，终告和解。后来海山党人违约，其时义兴党人也另选陈亚炎作为他们的领袖，填补李亚勤的遗缺，于是陈亚炎率领600义兴党人从高渊（Nibong Tebal）的吉辇河（Sungai Kerian）出发，在巴东（Matang）登陆，并取得拉律义兴党人的内应，于1872年3月26日将海山党的矿场焚毁，并将海山党人从巴东赶回槟城。
同年10月16日，一艘载满海山党人的舯舡从槟城航行到拉律，潜伏在拉律的海山党人佯言邀义兴党人到巴东集会，以便推选一位华人甲必丹。正当义兴党人在巴东集合时，从槟城赶到的海山党人便乘其不备，一举将义兴党人歼灭，几千名生还者都逃亡到槟城。海山党人收复失地，重新进入拉律。
同年12月，一心想复仇的槟城义兴党人进攻拉律，受到吉辇包的海山党人顽强抵抗，不能长驱直入。不得已，只好封锁离吉辇包不远的新板（Simpang），致使海山党人不能运出锡苗，也不能输入粮食。
在这期间，霹雳州马来王室也发生争夺王位继承权。1871年5月25日，霹雳州第24任苏丹阿里（Sultan Ali）在沙绒（Sayog）驾崩后，由于王储拉惹阿都拉（Raja Muda Abdullah）害怕遭受拉惹尤索夫（RajaYusuf）的杀害，不敢回来沙绒就职，最后由宰相拉惹依斯麦（Raja Bendahara Ismail）在1871年6月28日就任霹雳州第25任苏丹。拉惹依斯麦就任苏丹以后，霹雳州3位王族：即苏丹依斯麦、王储拉惹阿都拉和拉惹尤索夫（后来就任霹雳州第27任苏丹），为了争夺继承权，闹得鸡犬不宁。
由于担扰拉律两党的对峙将蔓延到槟城，同时一劳永逸地解决自1871年以来马来王族争夺王位的争端，海峡殖民地总督安德鲁•克拉克爵士（Sir Andrew Clarke）接到华民政务司毕麒麟（W.A.Pickering）的报告后，便召集各有关人士于1874年1月14日在邦格岛商议。
邦咯会议在1874年1月16日开始举行。会议分开两组进行，一组由克拉克总督代表殖民地政府跟霹雳州马来王族及酋长商议，以谋求解决王位的继承权问题；另一组也是由克拉克总督代表殖民地政府跟拉律的两个华人党派首领会商解决拉律的争端。
义兴党由陈亚炎率领，海山党由郑景贵带领。邦咯协约终于在1874年1月20日由26名出席会议的华人领袖签署。
在邦咯协约中，王储拉惹阿都拉被推举为霹雳州第26任苏丹。此外，两党领袖所赞同的条款如下：
（一）
停止械斗，解除武器，拆除防御工事。
（二）
自由回返拉律，重操旧业。
（三）
不可破坏拉律的和平，任何一方若不依照条文行事，将被罚款5万元。
邦咯协约签订后，霹雳州首任参政司美芝氏（J.W.W.Birch）委任副参政司士必地上尉（Captain T.C.S.Speedy）重新整顿拉律的行政。1874年4月，士必地尉在拉律地区建立了两座新市镇：离开古打（Kota）约4公里、靠近吉辇包的新市镇。在士必地上尉的建议下，英国政府接受以华文“太平”（Taiping——“Everlasting Peace”in Chinese）命名；义兴党的大本营新吉辇，士必地上尉恢复原本的马来旧名甘文丁（Kamunting）。
后来，两个敌对党的首领还结成亲戚——陈亚炎收了郑景贵的第4儿子郑大平（Chong Thye Phin）为干儿子，一时传为佳话。
“太平”原本拼写作Thaipeng，什么时候改拼为Taiping，尚待考查。“太平”改拼成Taiping，跟汉语拼音字母拼写法吻合得天衣无缝，也是巧合。
学科教学网->历史->趣味历史
(Taiping in the early 1880s)
Taiping(Klian Pauh-Larut-Taiping)
Taiping is the town located at Northern Perak, Malaysia. It is the 2nd largest town of Perak State of Malaysia, after the state capital Ipoh. It was the administration town of the District of Larut, Matang and Selama. It was the former state capital of Perak, taking over from Kuala Kangsar(called Sayong),and was the state capital between 1876 to 1937, replaced by Ipoh. it is also called Rain Town, as it is the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia. The average annual rainfall is about 4,000mm in Taiping while the peninsula's average is 2,000mm – 2,500mm. Its unusual rainfall has also led to a fertile collection of flora and century-old rain trees in the Taiping Lake Gardens.
Klian Pauh,the old name
Taiping was known historically as Klian Pauh. Klian means mine in Malay language, and Pauh is a type of small size mango. Before the arrival of the British, the district known as Larut settlement was governed by the Minister of Larut,Dato' Long Jaafar(d 1857),who was empowered under the Sultan of Perak at that time to govern the territory. Long Jaafar was historically credited for discovery of tin in Bukit Gantang in Klian Pauh, which led to the name of Larut in 1848.
Discovery of Tin & Larut
There is a legend on the discovery of tin by Long Jaafar. He has a elephant named Larut, he used to take the elephant when journey between Bukit Gantang and Lubok Merbau. One day the elephant went missing, when the elephant was found, Long Jaafar discovered that there was tin ore embedded in the mud that was on its legs. It was reported that that is how Larut got its name.
Long Jaafar and Chinese Tine miners
Around 1848, Long Jaafar invited Chinese from Penang to mine tin in Larut(spelt Laroot orLarot at that time). The original mine field, Klian Pauh is where the jail at Taiping stands today. Long Ja'afar appointed Low Sam from Penang as agent and Low Sam was associated with Chung Keng Quee. In 1850, he was bestowed to govern Larut by Raja Muda Ngah Ali, and and the Chiefs of Perak, Temenggong, Panglima Bukit Gantang, Panglima Kinta, Syahbandar and Seri Adika Raja. Long Jaafar make Bukit Gantang as its administration centre, and Kuala Sungai Limau at Trong the principal harbour of the Larut Settlement. Long Jaafar Fort or Kota Long Jaafar still remained today, there also the mausoleum of Long Jaafar within the compound. Long Jaafar passed away in 1857, his son Ngah Ibrahim(d 1887). Sultan Jaffar Muazzam Shah presented an acknowledgement letter to Ngah Ibrahim on 24 May 1858. This letter was signed by Sultan Jaffar, Raja Muda Ngah Ali and the Raja Bendahara of Perak.
The development of the Larut tin fields was initiated by Malay Chief 'Che Long Ja'afar by advancing money to the Chinese miners in his district to work the mines and it was only in his son Ngah Ibrahim's time (c. 1858-74) that the Chinese worked the mines with their own money.
Royal Succession disputes
Some time later, the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Abdullah, died in 1857 and a series of Sultan succession disputes ensued. Unhappy with the abuse and favoritism of various royalties, rival Malay camps took sides with one or the other of the two great Chinese secret societies present in that place.
Chinese kongsi and Larut Wars
In the time of Ngah Ibrahim the Chinese increased in number and in early 1860 two large groups were formed by the Chinese, the "Five Associations" whose members worked in the mines of Klian Pauh and the "Four Associations" whose members worked in the mines of Klian Baharu.
Mining rights were given to the Hakka "Five Associations" or Go-Kuan (五館 or 五群) and the Cantonese "Four Associations" or Si-Kuan (四館). Chung Keng Quee (鄭景貴) was leader of the Hakka Go-Kuan and the Hai San (海山) society they belonged to and began to operate his tin mines in Larut in 1860. Larut was destined to be plagued by four major wars between members of both the Ghee Hin Society (義興私會黨) that owned the Cantonese Go-Kuan and the Hakka Hai San society. Many Hakka fled China when the Taiping Rebellion broke out there and found work in the mines of Chung Keng Quee establishing his position over the mining area in Larut as leader of the Hai San from 1860 to 1884.
Ngah Ibrahim invited Capt Sppedy to raise and command a body of Indian troops to restore order in Larut. Capt Speedy resigned in 1873 from his appointment as superintendent of police on the island of Penang,which he took up in 1871.
The area developed quickly in the 19th century when tin was discovered. The mines attracted large numbers of settlers, particularly Chinese. Feuds began between the different groups of Chinese immigrants and became so bitter that, in the early 1870s, the British intervened and assumed control of the town.
Treaty of Pangkor
The need to restore law and order in Perak gave cause for a new British policy concerning intervention in the affairs of the Malay States which resulted in the Treaty of Pangkor.
In 1874, on the 20th of January, the Straits Settlements governor Sir Andrew Clarke convened a meeting aboard the H. M. S. Pluto anchored off Pangkor island. Documents were signed on 20 January 1874 aboard the ship The Pluto at Pangkor Island to settle the Chinese dispute, clear the Sultan succession dispute and pave the way for the acceptance of British Residency - Captain Speedy(1836-1911) was appointed to administer Larut as assistant to the British Resident. Abdullah was recognised as Sultan by the British and was to be installed on the throne of Perak in preference to his rival, Sultan Ismail.
In actuality there were two distinctive agreements made. The primary agreement was intended to ensure an end to the fighting between Ghee Hin and Hai San and pave the way for peaceful coexistence in future. The second, to settle the issue of succession in Perak.
Chung, Keng Quee was one of the two main signatories to the treaty known as the Pangkor Engagement (copy of treaty) entered into aboard the H.M.S. Pluto at Pangkor Island by twenty-six headmen of the Chinese Secret Societies. Chung, Keng Quee and Chin, Ah Yam, leaders of the Hai San and Ghee Hin, respectively, were ennobled by the British with the title of Kapitan China (華人甲必丹 or the leader of the Chinese community) and the town of Larut was renamed Taiping ("太平" in Chinese, meaning “everlasting peace”) as a confirmation of the new state of truce
There were three possibilities for the Perak throne and of these only one was present at the meeting -Raja Abdullah. Sultan Ismail who was the crowned ruler, had refused to attend. The British did not appear to know of the existence of the third possible claimant, Raja Yusof, who was naturally not invited.
The agreement that was signed recognised Raja Abdullah as Sultan giving Ismail the status of Raja Muda, and provided for a British officer called Resident whose advice must be asked and acted upon on all questions other than those touching on Malay Religion and Custom. Ngah Ibrahim's position in Larut as granted by Sultan Ja'afar and confirmed by Sultan Ali was recognised.
However, as far as the chiefs of Perak (who were not present) were concerned (with this agreement made between the British and Abdullah or the British's recognition of Abdullah as Sultan) - the issue of succession was settled three years earlier with the election of Sultan Ismail. To these Chiefs the British may have proclaimed Abdullah Sultan but his accession was not valid in their eyes and indeed in Malay eyes if he did not hold the (royal) regalia which was at that time in the hands of Sultan Ismail, all attempts at recovering these from him having failed.
Commission for the Pacification of Larut
Three days afterwards, Chung, Keng Quee was appointed a member of Commission for the Pacification of Larut also comprising Captain S. Dunlop, John Frederick Adolphus McNair, Frank Swettenham, W. A. Pickering and Chin Seng Yam, whose terms of reference, among others, was to arrange for an amicable settlement relating to the Larut tin mines. The Commissioners after due investigation and deliberation decided to hand the mines in Klian Pauh (Taiping) over to the Hai Sans and the mines in Klian Bharu (Kamunting) to the Ghee Hins
Larut changed its name to Taiping
In 1874 Capt Speedy was appointed assistant British resident of Larut and he established and named Malaysia’s oldest town, ‘Thaipeng’ or ‘Taiping’ meaning ‘Heavenly Peace’. He remained assistant resident until 1877.
Perak War(1875-1876)
British influence in Perak, a state in northwestern Malaysia, began in 1818 when trading agreements were first made with local chiefs. The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 allowed Britain to send its first resident, James W.W. Birch (b 1826, d. 1875), to take charge of governmental administrative affairs. Soon after his arrival later in 1874, Birch changed many old-fashioned and inefficient procedures and policies, especially those concerning revenue collection and slavery. The sultan of Upper Perak and other Malay chiefs met secretly in July 1875, and decided to get rid of Birch, whose ways of modernization they opposed, and to end all foreign influences. While in Upper Perak on tax business, Birch was murdered by one of the chiefs and his warriors. British troops were promptly sent into Perak and quickly stamped out all resistance. The war is called Perak War(1875-1876). By mid-1876, the dissident chiefs were arrested, and later tried and punished; the sultan was deposed. The Malayans had failed to halt the increasing British political and economic influence; subsequent British residents, however, did not try to make changes on their own but instead operated jointly with the native Malay rulers.
Taiping become state capital
The capital of Perak was moved from Bandar Baru (New Town) to Taiping after Datok Maharaja Lela killed the first British Resident of Perak Mr. James Wheeler Woodford Birch at Pasir Salak in 1875
Perak State Council
Sir Hugh Low established the Perak State Council in 1877. Kapitan Chung, Keng Quee was appointed a member of the State Council of Perak (there were six members of the council, four Malays and two Chinese) which held its first meeting at Kuala Kangsar on 10 September, 1877. The other members of the Council present were Raja Yussof (the Raja Muda), Sir Hugh Low (Resident), Captain Tristram Speedy (Assistant Resident), Raja Dris', Orang Kaya Temenggong, and Kapitan Chin Seng yam, Che Karim of Selama being absent. His magnanimity is manifestly clear from the Council Minutes of Perak in "Papers on Malay Subjects" by R. J. Wilkinson, F. M. S. (Federation of Malay States) Government Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1908. He was the first of three generations to serve on the Council, his son Chung Thye Phin and his grandson Chung Kok Ming following in his footsteps
First Railway
The town's mining industry continued to thrive; the country's first railway was built to transport tin from Taiping to Port Weld (now known as Kuala Sepetang) at the coast for export. The first train in Malaysia to take its schedule was on 1st June,1885.
The list of British Residents:
4 Oct 1874 - 2 Nov 1875 James Wheeler Woodford Birch (b. 1826 - d. 1875)
Nov 1875 - Mar 1876 Frank Athelstane Swettenham (b. 1850 - d. 1946)
(1st time)(acting)
11 Apr 1876 - 31 Mar 1877 James Guthrie Davidson
1 Apr 1877 - 31 May 1889 Hugh Low (from 1883, Sir Hugh Low) (b. 1824 - d. 1905)
Reference & related articles:
1. Taiping, www.wikipedia.org
2. 課本上的太平開闢史, 李永球, 星洲日報／田野行腳,2009.09.27,
http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/131850?tid=15. Note: Mr Lee Yong Kiew is a local authority on Taiping history, a respected scholars.
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