The Lee Tiow Eng Ancestry (1410 A.D.)

The recorded ancestry of Lees dates back to more than 4000 years in the days of ancient Cathay. During the Dynasty of Emperor (Woo), a period famed for drainage control, democratic and political administration in those feudalistic days, the social system of family surname was first introduced. Today the Lees rank as one of the largest ‘surname’ group within the Chinese population at home and overseas.

Our clan ancestry began towards the year 1410 A.D. when Young Hek-Ze, born in the Tai-Tor Village district of Kim-Tong, near Chung King, in the province know as Sze Chuan in the northwest central China, among the gorges of the upper Yang-tze Kiang river. A time of much civil disturbances, chaos and war, Young Hek-Sze enlisted in the local Militia and served under his elder brother Siap-Cheng. Later, during the Ming Dynasty of Ang Boo Chor regime for his outstanding military exploits he was drafted into the royal Guards which saw service in the South and Eastern Provinces and later conquered the ‘Miao’ uprisings in Yunan and Kwei Chow. For his brilliant services, he was militarily honoured and was later posted to Foo Chow, Fukien, as Garrison Commander. Pirates form the eastern island regions were rampant but he successfully cleaned up these brigands. Promotions followed and he became the commander-in-chief of the region. By the 12^th year of the Emperor Eng Lok’s reign, he retired.

As a mark of his loyal and brilliant services to the throne, he was granted the areas known as the 15, 16, and 17 in the District of Eng-Choon, where he settled down to a life farming. His enthusiasm in the promotion of learning brought respect and homage form all people around.

He passed away at the age of …and was posthumously honoured with the title of ‘Tiow Eng’ meaning ‘founded in Eng Choon’.

From thence our clan prospered with time with ‘Pek-Pooi’ and ‘Tai-Peah’as Home.

By the time when Tor-hum became Emperor, Ching Dynasty migration to Taiwan, Phillipines, North Borneo, Sarawak, Malaya, Java and Sumatra began and today, we see thousands of our clansmen in these regions, with an assured future which time can only reveal.