1. 梁公燊南墓表
Epitaph for the Late Mr. Leong Sin Nam
2. 公讳文新，字燊南，姓梁氏，世居广东梅县大竹堡。父讳钦福，母管太夫人，生三男，公其长也。
The late Mr. Leong, whose personal name was Wenxin and courtesy name Sin Nam, was a member of the Leong clan. His family had for generations resided in Thai Chook Pau（大竹堡, Da Zhu Bao）, a village in the district of Mooi Yan (梅县, Mei Xian), Guangdong province. His father was Leong Hin Fook（梁钦福，Liang Qinfu）, and his mother was Madam Guan. Of their three sons, he was the eldest.
3. 公三岁时随父母南来槟城，七岁入塾。就传性颇聪敏，稍习诗书，年十四钦福公即世。翌年，随太夫人北旋途次鮀江，复遭太夫人忧怙恃均丧。
At the age of three, he accompanied his parents southward to Penang. He entered a traditional school at seven and, being naturally intelligent, soon acquired some knowledge of the Chinese classics and poetry. When he was 14 years old, his father passed away. Next year, while accompanying his mother on her journey northward, he suffered another bereavement at Tuo Jiang (鮀江, now it is in Shantou, Guangdong Province) with the death of his mother. Thus, at a young age, he was left without either parent.
4. 公挈二弟扶母柩旋里丧葬，抚教之责，皆身任之。家无儋石，衣食不给。弱冠复南来怡保，佣矿为生，以勤俭而薄有盈余，乃自立门户，胶矿兼营，商工并举。
He accompanied his two younger brothers in escorting his mother’s coffin back to their ancestral home for burial, and thereafter personally assumed responsibility for their upbringing and education. The family was destitute and often lacked even the necessities of food and clothing. On reaching early adulthood, he again journeyed south to Ipoh, where he earned a living as a mine labourer. Through diligence and thrift, he gradually accumulated modest savings and eventually established his own business interests. Engaging in both rubber and mining, and combining commerce with industry, he steadily advanced in fortune and social standing.
5. 其事业与位望遂蒸蒸日上，拥陶朱之富，输卜式之金。仁能济物而不矜，义足感人而众附。每遇国家大事，辄领导同侨为祖国效劳，为社会服务，劳怨不辞，亘三十年如一日。举凡慈善、实业、教育等公益事业，公倡导扶植者不知凡几。
In time, he amassed considerable wealth, yet remained generous in contributing his resources to worthy causes. His benevolence benefited others without ostentation, while his sense of righteousness won the respect and support of many. Whenever major affairs concerning the nation arose, he invariably took the lead in rallying his fellow overseas Chinese to serve their ancestral homeland and contribute to society. For thirty years, he devoted himself tirelessly to such causes, undeterred by hardship or criticism. In charitable work, industry, education, and other undertakings for the public good, the causes he initiated, supported, and fostered were too numerous to recount.
6. 公壮年得志，而又具勇于任事，富于毅力之精神，故所树独多。如去年落成之巍峨宏壮之霹雳中华大会堂与华人接生医院，皆赖公之毅力财力，始告厥成。
Having achieved success in the prime of his life, he was endowed with both the courage to undertake great responsibilities and remarkable perseverance. Consequently, his accomplishments were many. Among them were the imposing Perak Chinese Assembly Hall and the Chinese Maternity Hospital, both completed only last year. It was largely through his determination and financial support that these institutions were brought to completion.
7. 抚战事起，在公领导之下，霹雳一州华侨所捐帐款为数几达一千万元。其自解义囊之数，亦远出人右。
When the War broke out, the overseas Chinese community throughout Perak, under his leadership, raised nearly ten million dollars in relief contributions. His own personal donations were likewise far greater than those of most others.
8. 任商会会长二十余年，经公排解之纠纷与夫消弭当地各族人士之意见，直接间接为当地同侨谋福利，因而提高华侨地位者，厥功更不可没。公以年少失学，每引为憾。故于推广教育中，尤关怀贫苦学童。受其荫者，难以数计。
For more than twenty years, he served as president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. During his tenure, he mediated numerous disputes and worked to resolve differences among the various communities of the locality. Through these efforts, he directly and indirectly promoted the welfare of his fellow overseas Chinese and contributed greatly to enhancing their standing in local society. His achievements in this regard must not be overlooked. Having himself been deprived of educational opportunities in his youth, he always regarded this as a matter of deep regret. For this reason, in his efforts to promote education, he showed particular concern for children from impoverished families. The number who benefited from his support was beyond count.
9. 公深谙世故，明辨是非。遇事裁决如流，隐然为侨众泰斗。当地政府复极器重，尊为华人领袖。遇事关华侨而虑阻梗横生者，多与公协商进行。如取缔小贩是其一也。
Possessed of a profound understanding of worldly affairs and a keen ability to distinguish right from wrong, he was decisive and swift in his judgement. He came to be regarded as a leading figure and elder statesman of the Chinese community. The local government likewise held him in the highest esteem and recognized him as a leader of the Chinese community. Whenever matters affecting the Chinese population were expected to encounter difficulties or resistance, the authorities frequently consulted him and sought his cooperation in carrying them forward. The regulation of hawkers was one such instance.
10. 是以，霹雳州同侨举动，悉唯公之马首是瞻。凡社团要职，多推公主持。中英两国政府又频委以重任，赐予殊勋。
Thus, among the Chinese community of Perak, his leadership was widely acknowledged and his guidance readily followed. He was frequently entrusted with leading positions in Chinese associations and public organizations. The governments of both China and Britain repeatedly charged him with important responsibilities and conferred upon him numerous honors and decorations.
11. 综其荣膺于祖国者，有孙大总统之三等勋章、黎大总统三等文虎章、军政府三等爱国章、教育部三等嘉祥章、财政部五等爱国章。
Among the distinctions he received from China were the Third-Class Medal awarded by President Sun Yat-sen; the Third Class Mun Foo Medal awarded by President Li Yuanhong; the Third Class Order of Oi Kok awarded by the Military Government; the Third Class Hing Hock Medal awarded by the Chinese Education Bureau; and the Fifth Class Order of Oi Kok Cheong, conferred by the Minister of Finance for distinguished services rendered to the Chinese Republic Government.
12. 赐自英国者，有前英皇佐治五世之奖章及银禧纪念章、今皇佐治六世登极纪念章及优等名誉勋位（OBE）。
His British honors included the Loyal and Valuable Service Medal awarded by His Majesty King George V; the Silver Jubilee Medal commemorating the Silver Jubilee of Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary; the Coronation Medal commemorating the Coronation of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth; and appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), conferred by His Majesty King George VI.
13. 其履历之多，尤有足述。民国初年，历充中国国民党霹雳支部部长、中央酬饷局干事、农商部顾问。现任国民政府经济建设运动委员会总会及广东分会委员会委员、国民大会马来亚华侨代表、当地议政院议员、华人参事局议员、霹雳州太平局绅、保良局议员、四州府矿务局董事、霹雳矿务农商局总理、霹雳中华总商会会长、霹雳华侨筹赈祖国难民委员会总会主席、马华日报董事主席、霹雳中华大会堂建筑委员会主席、金马仑东方酒店有限公司主席、霹雳储蓄按揭有限公司董事主席、华侨锡矿有限公司主席、近打电力有限公司董事、霹雳华人接生医院总理、嘉应会馆总理、星洲客属总会副会长、霹雳育才中小学校董事长、霹雳女子中小学校董事长、明德学校董事长等职。以一身而膺要职至如此之多，非位望尊隆者曷克臻。
His record of public service and official appointments was particularly extensive and merits special mention. In the early years of the Republic of China, he successively served as Head of the Perak Branch of the Kuomintang, an officer of the Central Bureau for the Collection of Contributions, and Adviser to the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. At the time of his death, he held numerous public, commercial, educational, and community positions. He was a Member of the General Committee and the Guangdong Branch Committee of the National Government’s Economic Reconstruction Movement; Member of the People’s Assembly of the Republic of China representing the Chinese community in Malaya; Member of the Perak State Council; Member of the Perak Chinese Advisory Board; Justice of the Peace for Perak; Member of the Po Leung Kuk Committee; Director of the Mining Bureau for the Four States; President of the Perak Mining and Planting Association; President of the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the Perak Overseas Chinese China Distress Relief Fund Committee; Chairman of the Malayan Chinese Daily News Ltd.; Chairman of the Building Committee of the Perak Chinese Assembly Hall; President of Cameron Highlands Eastern Hotel Company; Chairman of the Perak Trust and Investment Co. Ltd.; Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Tin Mining Company Ltd.; Director of Kinta Electrical Distribution; President of the Perak Chinese Maternity Hospital; President of the Perak Kaying Guild in Ipoh; Vice-President of the Khek Community Guild in Singapore; President of the Yuk Choy Public Chinese School; President of the Perak Public Girls’ School; and President of the Min Tet Chinese School, among many other appointments. That one man should have been entrusted with so many important offices was itself testimony to the extraordinary esteem and standing he commanded.
14. 此然卒，以任重事烦，积劳成疾而不起。讣至之日，遐迩与悲，中英两国政府、各地侨团侨领及巫印等族人士函电吊唁者，如雪片纷飞。出殡之日，执绂者逾万人。怡保市华人商店、社团、学校，概休业半天以志悼。悃其生荣死哀，堪称为破霹雳侨胞空前之纪录。
Yet the heavy responsibilities he bore and the unceasing demands of public affairs eventually took their toll on his health. Worn down by years of arduous service, he fell ill and never recovered. When news of his death arrived, grief was felt far and wide. Messages and telegrams of condolence poured in from the governments of China and Britain, Chinese associations and community leaders throughout the region, as well as members of the Malay, Indian, and other communities. On the day of his funeral, more than ten thousand people joined the procession. Chinese shops, associations, and schools throughout Ipoh suspended their activities for half a day as a mark of mourning. The honor he enjoyed in life and the grief occasioned by his death were without precedent among the Chinese community of Perak.
15. 公生于民国纪元前三十一年四月二十日巳时，即世于民国二十九年一月十九日未时，享寿六十。使天假之年，其所建树岂止于此。耶多财者善贾自古而然，斯何足奇。若以是贤公，则小觑公矣。彼拥巨赀而行同扬子孙外人群。
He was born at the hour of the Snake on the 20 of April, 1880, and passed away at the hour of the Goat on the 19 of January, 1940. He was sixty years of age. Had Heaven granted him more years, his accomplishments would surely have extended far beyond what he had already achieved. That men of great wealth should possess a talent for business has been true since ancient times and is, in itself, hardly remarkable. To judge him worthy on this account alone would be to underestimate him. Though possessed of immense wealth, he devoted himself to purposes that reached far beyond his own family and personal interests.
