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It is in the Malaysian blood to love flea markets and bazaars ― the wafting smell of food, the vociferous sound of sellers and buyers bargaining for cheaper prices, and the feel of it captures Malaysians heart, no matter from what race or religion you come from. Though, little do you know, there is one famous weekend flea market in Ipoh which bears a dark history of its own. A small lane, yet a historical site nonetheless.
It is in the Malaysian blood to love flea markets and bazaars ― the wafting smell of food, the vociferous sound of sellers and buyers bargaining for cheaper prices, and the feel of it captures Malaysians heart, no matter from what race or religion you come from. Though, little do you know, there is one famous weekend flea market in Ipoh which bears a dark history of its own. A small lane, yet a historical site nonetheless.
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| Images are from Google.com |
Concubine Lane, or Yi Lai Hong (二奶巷) in Cantonese is a historical place of Perak, is located on Jalan Bandar Timah, Ipoh. It has been said that it was established around the early 1900s.
Before all those vivid walls that we now know stood proudly, Concubine Lane was a housing area for British officers’ and Chinese businessmen’s mistresses. As the Merriam-Webster dictionary states, concubine means mistress, therefore that’s how the place got its name. This place was also a hot spot for gambling and prostitutes before Malaysia gained its independence. After the British left, the place got aborted and and left an abundance of historic buildings on site.
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| Concubine Lane in the past |
Before all those vivid walls that we now know stood proudly, Concubine Lane was a housing area for British officers’ and Chinese businessmen’s mistresses. As the Merriam-Webster dictionary states, concubine means mistress, therefore that’s how the place got its name. This place was also a hot spot for gambling and prostitutes before Malaysia gained its independence. After the British left, the place got aborted and and left an abundance of historic buildings on site.
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| Historical buildings of Concubine Lane |
Nowadays, most of the run-down buildings were revamped to become more aesthetic, pleasing to the eyes. There are pop-up stalls on weekends, making this place a good tourist attraction.
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| Concubine Lane market |
At present, you can find a lot of sweet treats to satisfy your cravings such as attractively-shaped cotton candies and ‘ais kepal’.
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| Enjoying the 'ais kepal' before it melts |
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| Flower shaped cotton candy, available on Concubine Lane market |
The place is also Instagram-friendly – which is why it is not surprising to see both teenagers and adults alike taking extravagant selfies here and there.
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| A tourist taking a picture under the Concubine Lane sign |
Concubine Lane has become a commercialised place now but it can never hide the dark truth of the past. We as Malaysians should always preserve our historical sites and know the history behind it, instead of being ignorant about it. Attached is a video montage of the present Concubine Lane so the readers who haven't stepped foot here yet can experience the vibe of it too.
That’s all for this post, until the next.
References:
1. Concubine Lane AKA Yi Lai Hong??? In Ipoh Old Town. (2015, September 1). Retrieved from http://shuangxingfu.blogspot.com/2015/09/concubine-lane-aka-yi-lai-hong-in-ipoh.html
2. Concubine Lane Ipoh [Video file]. (2018, March 24). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIDA0D9uy5o
3. The Concubine Lanes of Ipoh! (2016, August 9). Retrieved from https://alwaystravelicious.com/2016/08/09/concubine-lane-ipoh/
4. De Groen, M. (2018, October 22). Heritage, history and culture on Concubine Lane, Ipoh. Retrieved from https://thedailyroar.com/travel/heritage-history-and-culture-on-concubine-lane-ipoh/
5. Definition of concubine. (n.d.). In Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concubine
6. Is Concubine Lane just an emporium of Chinese tat? (2017, September 16). Retrieved from https://www.ipohecho.com.my/v4/article/2017/09/16/is-concubine-lane-just-an-emporium-of-chinese-tat
7. The memory Of 120 years old lane - Ipoh Concubine Lane. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sini.com.my/business/lgmtravelDetailview/1000005267
1. Concubine Lane AKA Yi Lai Hong??? In Ipoh Old Town. (2015, September 1). Retrieved from http://shuangxingfu.blogspot.com/2015/09/concubine-lane-aka-yi-lai-hong-in-ipoh.html
2. Concubine Lane Ipoh [Video file]. (2018, March 24). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIDA0D9uy5o
3. The Concubine Lanes of Ipoh! (2016, August 9). Retrieved from https://alwaystravelicious.com/2016/08/09/concubine-lane-ipoh/
4. De Groen, M. (2018, October 22). Heritage, history and culture on Concubine Lane, Ipoh. Retrieved from https://thedailyroar.com/travel/heritage-history-and-culture-on-concubine-lane-ipoh/
5. Definition of concubine. (n.d.). In Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concubine
6. Is Concubine Lane just an emporium of Chinese tat? (2017, September 16). Retrieved from https://www.ipohecho.com.my/v4/article/2017/09/16/is-concubine-lane-just-an-emporium-of-chinese-tat
7. The memory Of 120 years old lane - Ipoh Concubine Lane. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sini.com.my/business/lgmtravelDetailview/1000005267
