Tanghao plaques on HDB doors reveal family names and roots
If you have ever come across a plaque above a doorway with Chinese characters, you might be looking at a tanghao, or an ancestral hall name that traces back to somewhere in China. Lianhe Zaobao lifestyle correspondent Tang Ai Wei introduces a tradition that reveals more than expected.
The ancestors who crossed the seas from China to Nanyang (Southeast Asia) did not want their descendants to forget their roots, so they hung a tanghao (ancestral hall name) above their door. The tanghao represents the origin of the family surname and has a long and deep-rooted history. It serves not only to honour the ancestors and unite relatives of the same clan, but also to help descendants trace their roots in China.
Toh Siam Ker’s father came from Nan’an in Fujian province to Singapore in 1896. A tanghao plaque inscribed with “Yunfeng” (云峰, lit. cloud summit) hung in front of their village home, and many fellow clansmen bearing the Toh (Zhuo 卓) surname lived in the same village. In the 1960s, villagers began breeding tropical fish. After the kampong was cleared, the fish farms moved to the Tampines area.
One such fish farm was run by Toh’s second brother, where the plaque was relocated. The 77-year-old Toh told Lianhe Zaobao: “When our house was rebuilt in 1955, a fellow villager named Toh Tien Poh, who copied the calligraphy style of famous masters, made us a red plaque with the tanghao in black characters. He was a warm-hearted person who voluntarily helped many villagers free of charge.”
“I remember our old home had a tanghao that read ‘Fenyang’ (汾阳), with a yellow background and red characters. After hearing my friend (Toh) talk about it, I thought I’d do the same. — Kwek Chee Heng, 68, who used to live in a kampong near the soft drink factory in Ulu Sembawang
In 2001, the fish farms in Tampines again faced demolition. The tanghao plaque was too heavy to carry away, and Toh’s brother left it behind. Feeling both pained and helpless, Toh decided to hang one at the entrance of his HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio. Toh’s son, who was then in secondary school, asked a classmate to write one; that plaque has been hanging for over 20 years.
Friends join in the tradition
Toh has influenced two of his friends. Kwek Chee Heng, 68, who used to live in a kampong near the soft drink factory in Ulu Sembawang, said: “I remember our old home had a tanghao that read ‘Fenyang’ (汾阳, which could be traced to the Tang dynasty general who was conferred the title of “Prince of Fenyang”) with a yellow background and red characters.
“After hearing my friend (Toh) talk about it, I thought I’d do the same. By then, I had already moved into this four-room HDB flat in Woodlands. I have an older sister and two younger brothers, but I’m the only one with this ‘old-fashioned’ mindset who wants to hang a tanghao.”
Kwek and Toh were not sure where they could find a wood workshop any more, so they turned to a signboard company. The cost of producing a plastic plaque with red background and black characters ranged from S$80 to S$100 (US$62.20-US$77.80) at the time.
Their friend Yap Chin Hock, 78, has a more traditional wooden plaque hanging outside his home in Yishun. It cost about S$200, and is inscribed with the characters “Nanyang” (南阳, lit. south sun), with smaller inscriptions “Auspiciously erected in the Year of Jia Shen” (甲申年吉立, meaning 2004) on the right, and “Inscribed by Yap Chin Hock” on the left.
“Back in the kampong, we didn’t hang plaques — we would have someone write spring couplets and the tanghao before Chinese New Year, and replace them with new ones the following year. I think we should preserve these traditions; otherwise, we will lose the human touch.” — Yap Chin Hock, 78, who hangs a traditional wooden plaque outside his home in Yishun
Yap said: “The words were computer generated, not written by me. But the company said that’s how it should be printed. Back in the kampong, we didn’t hang plaques — we would have someone write spring couplets and the tanghao before Chinese New Year, and replace them with new ones the following year. I think we should preserve these traditions; otherwise, we will lose the human touch.”
Learning surnames through plaques
All three men said that when relatives or friends visit, they often express curiosity about the plaque. Younger generations, in particular, may not even know what a tanghao is.
Toh Siam Ker said, “At the very least, it sparks curiosity and attention, and then we can explain it to them. Unfortunately, I can only influence two friends with my limited ability. I hope that after this report is published, more people will be inspired to hang a tanghao at their door. This not only allows the older generation to reminisce about kampong traditions, but also lets neighbours on the same floor know each other’s surnames.”
In the past, tanghao plaques in kampong houses were mostly wood carvings. After some inquiries, I found that Jin Ze Fo Si Pte. Ltd at 270 South Bridge Road offers custom tanghao plaques. The owner, Ma Mingze, said that a handcrafted wooden plaque measuring 30 by 15 inches, with two engraved characters (either red background with black characters or black background with gold characters), costs about S$680.
In Singapore, some commonly seen tanghao include Yingchuan (颍川) for the Chen (陈) clan, Xihe (西河) for Lin (林), Jiangxia (江夏) for Huang (黄) clan, Longxi (陇西) for Li (李), Qinghe (清河) for Zhang (张), and Taiyuan (太原) for Wang (王).
Common tanghao in Singapore
Tanghao originally referred to the name of a hall. In ancient times, clans sharing the same surname often lived together or in close proximity, and the tanghao served as a shared emblem; ancestral halls and family temples would also bear plaques inscribed with the tanghao.
The origins of a tanghao typically come from place names (such as the ancestral homeland or the county where the family rose to prominence), classical references (stories or achievements associated with the clan), moral teachings, or the names of ancestors.
In Singapore, some commonly seen tanghao include Yingchuan (颍川) for the Chen (陈) clan, Xihe (西河) for Lin (林), Jiangxia (江夏) for Huang (黄) clan, Longxi (陇西) for Li (李), Qinghe (清河) for Zhang (张), and Taiyuan (太原) for Wang (王).
A single surname may have multiple tanghao. For instance, the Chen clan has eight, including Yingchuan, Runan (汝南), and Xiapi (下邳). Fenyang (汾阳) is the most famous tanghao among the Guo (郭) clan. It traces back to General Guo Ziyi, a celebrated Tang dynasty military leader who was granted the title of Prince of Fenyang. His lineage adopted Fenyang as their tanghao.
Conversely, a tanghao is also not always exclusive to one surname. In southern China’s Fujian and Guangdong regions, six surnames — Hong (洪) , Jiang (江), Wang (汪), Gong (龚), Weng (翁), and Fang (方) — all share the tanghao Liugui (六桂, six laurels). All six surnames are descended from the Weng lineage.
In Singapore, the names of many clan associations also include their tanghao, such as Boey Ni Lam Hong 梅汝南堂 (Runan is a tanghao of the Mei 梅 clan, although the Zhou 周 clan also uses it); the Chia (Pow Soo) Hakka Clan Association 客属宝树谢氏公会 (Baoshu 宝树 is a tanghao of the Xie 谢 clan); and Eng Yong Tong Tay Si Association 荥阳堂郑氏总会 (Xingyang 荥阳 is the tanghao of the Zheng 郑 clan).
This article was first published in Lianhe Zaobao as “组屋大门挂堂号 知姓氏思根源”.
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