Eng Hock Tong Medical Hall (Yong Fu Tang)
Eng Hock means Forever Happiness; my late grandpa named after his medical hall (shop) long time ago. We are the third generation in the family practicing Chinese medicine. But is a lot of thing has been changed when people from my hometown moving from pharmacognosy therapy to western pharmaceutical. In fact, I am ONE of them.
NO! Don’t get me wrong. I do appreciate Chinese medicines. They are beautiful herbs!
This is my very very cool dad! 
Dad is the second generation. He gained his knowledge of Chinese herb by working as apprentice in Penang Island when he was young. Apprenticeship was very very difficult back then, he said.
My mum is helping out in the shop. My mum has been helping my late maternal grandpa running retail business at very young of age. She probably doesn’t know much about Chinese medicine, but managing business and staff members in the shop..I would say she is the role model.
mum is busy ‘counting money’, that’s why she wasn’t looking at my camera.
Let me present: my baby brothers!!! They both are helping out my parents as well. Running in and out…
Making money…and allow me to persuit my dream here in Aussieland.
These are classic Chinese Medical Hall storage–drawers.
Each drawers is subdivided into few spaces in them, and well labeled. The label is made by high quality metal, the words are engraved and background is painted in colour.
Everytime I home, I look at them. It is absolutely breath-taking seeing my parents are keeping these old antiques well. Absolutely fastinating.
Plantation is widely used in chinese medicine…
so does other insect such as cockcroach, scorpion, etc etc
These heavy mortars and pestle(s) are made by very high quality metal. Dad is the only one in our family manage to ‘play some nice rhythm’ out of it while crushing some herbs. At the end of the crushing process, he always use the pestle, lightly hit the edge of the mortar, and “TING”!! (a sound produced). No one, seriously no one manages to “TING” like my dad.
During this trip, happend that my dad need to crush some herbs. I sat next to hit…looking at his familiar movement, and the “TING” … He is the legend! How cool is that?!
Running chinese herbs itself won’t survive in Bagan Serai. Most of the Chinese ppl come in for chrysanthemum tea, pepper…*I am pretty sure I know abit more than this * At some occasions, we get prescriptions too, and my cool dad will dispense them accordingly.
I will be still doing the same job, just dealing with different type of medication. This makes me think..I am as cool as my dad. 
Last very photo of mine for this entry.
Me and the antique.
Wow, thanks for this peep into your life in Malaysia! Are there any Tiger penises there? Or Rhino horns? I was always fascinated by Chinese Medicinal Halls, because of those dried seahorses!! That was when I was little. Nowadays, I haven’t been back into any for a long time..
Me: Hello! No tiger penises. I’ve seen rhino horns when I was very very young, but not anymore since they banned them. Rhino horns had different smell thru’out all time, if I’m not mistaken. Yes! I do have photos of these tiny little seahorse!!!! I should had put them up! I was abit worries these photos are abit overloaded
Will update soon. 
I love this entry. I’ve always followed mum to the chinese medical halls and looked at the drawers with fascination. In a way I think you are carrying your family’s tradition so I think yes, you are very cool!
Me: ello~! I am glad you like this entry. I doubt I will carry this tradition..cos I won’t be doing as good as my dad. If I am doing it, I must be competent. I don’t want to kill people. ekekekekek. I am still doing the same job heer, just different medications we are dealing with, I guess.
What an informative entry… thanks for the mini-tour!
So… after you graduate, are you going to combine Western medicine with Chinese herbs?
Me: I was thinking of going home years back but not now anymore. I have Kian who wanna stay here. ‘jia4 ji1 shui2 ji1′ gottit?
eh, got sell tiger penis onot?
Me : you and albie asking the same question. NO LAR!! Where got tiger penis!!?? Now ppl use Viagra liaw lar! Why you so hum sup pne ah?
ur parents are cool!!
nice entry. get to know abt u a bit more liao. hah
Me: more to come thou…stay tunned. I am glad you like it. Thanks!
Happy Chap Goh Meh!
元宵节快乐！
Me: did you go throw ‘kum’?
Somehow I like this post too. Now we know a little more about you.
Me: There are more to come..I always wanted to do this type of posts…but I dont have the photos to show off. I only manage to take photos when I go home for this trip
stay tunned.
Cyn
I used to buy my kiddies formula milk from the chinese medicine shops. They are much2 cheaper compare to the other supermarket. And also I always get my asam2 from there too.
Me: Heheh… how cool is that eh, kak? Is like..we sell everything?
I tried Chinese medicine for my stomach complaint years ago. Didn’t work. Made me violently ill. Of course, now I know the stomach problem was Mesinteric Paniculitus.
I’ve also seen those Chinese Medicine Cabinets before, but they were invading earth. [I hope that link works].
A girl once told me I had a Tigers penis … she just wonder why tiger is that small? um … er … *runs*
[Naughty Dabido!]
I’m glad you and Kian want to stay in Perth. At least I have two friends here who haven’t run away like Swifty and Justin did!
[At least until I run away to Japan or Sydney or somewhere].
Me: Hey, the link doesnt seem to be working. Can you pls send another one to my email pls. I don’t mind anywhere I go..serisouly. As long as I am with Kian, I am all set and happy =) Speaking of tiger penises..they are just like human being…different in wide ranges of sizes..from african tiger, to aussie tiger and asian tiger…ahem. I hope you know what I mean, mate.
Nice mini tour
cockroach & scorpion?
Eeeeeee..
I just saw a scorpion in the car park nearby the Sarawak Cultural Village.
Luckily nobody step on the scorpion…
lol I was only kidding about the tiger penis! lol
I’ll send you the link Seemed to work when I just tested it though.
This reminds me of the times I tagged along when Mum went to the Chinese medicine halls to get herbs for cooking soups. Thank you for the memories.
Me: I am glad you too, like this entry.
Hi, I wouldn’t thought that someone going to introduce Bagan Serai in the internet, hehe, although I from this town… yaya, Bagan Serai have change alot from year to year, young people keep moving out as ther are better job oppertunity in city suc as Penang and KL, The only time that you will see a “mass” quantity of youngster gather in the street is two days before Chinese New Year, to all from this town also know this ‘
phenomena’.. Anyway, I love this town because this is my hometown..
Hi Cynthia
I’m a Bagan Serai boy, but from an older generation. Just happen to come across your blog website.
Have not been back to Bagan Serai for over 12 years. Do you have any more pictures of the town?
By the way, your dad looks familiar to me. I believe your dad’s shop used to be at the corner of the main road, next to the river.
Would really appreciate more pictures from you on Bagan Serai.
By the way, I used to live in 46 Jalan Besar, Bagan Serai. Our family shop was called Yen Kee. I’m sure your dad will know us. My late uncle shop is on 7 Jalan Besar, Bagan Serai. The shop name is Ng Kim Kiew. My cousin is running the business now.
Cheers.
Enjoyed the pics. I am an Indian. Use to live in Bagan Serai Garden. My mom and sis still lives there. My dad (Ramachandran) just died. I will be visiting there from Aug 9 till Aug 21. Will try to get more recent pics. I visit them every two years. I live in the US. Married to an American lady for 25 yrs. I live in Florida. Thanks for the website. Really cool.
Hi Cynthia, I am from Bagan Serai too. know your dad and mum and heng kuan is still our favourite store. Glad that someone is actually trying to make this town known. I used to live down the main road and my dad used to run a watch/clocks shop. We left Bagan Serai like most people but I am trying to look for my long lost friends from there. I am much older than you and dont expect you to know me. Still visit Bagan Serai when I go back to visit my parent in either Penang or Taiping.
Cheers, u’ve done a good job here. like the pictures u posted.
keep it up…