Chew CHONG

Early Chinese settler, Chew CHONG (CHAU Tseung [周祥]), was a successful entrepreneur born in Canton somewhere between 1827 and 1844. He made his first ‘bucket of gold’ exporting the fungus auricularia polytricha from Taranaki to China. Known to Māori as hakeke and to Chinese as the ear of the wood [木耳] it became known locally as Taranaki wool. The edible fungus with medicinal properties was a delicacy and a favourite in Chinese dishes. It was gathered and dried as a cash crop by both Pākehā and Māori.

CHONG expanded his business to the manufacture and export of butter and was the first to solve the challenge of preserving the quality of butter on the long journey to Britain. In 1890, at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in Dunedin, he won the Class A butter award for producing the best half-ton of butter packed suitably for export. He was awarded a silver trophy which is held at Puke Ariki. Before his retirement CHONG supported the re-structuring of the New Zealand butter industry and sacrificed the profit from his own butter business for the good of the whole industry.

An illuminated address signed by 85 prominent citizens of the New Plymouth business community is also held at Puke Ariki. Dated November 1910, it states, “We the undersigned wish to place on public record, our appreciation of the services which you have rendered to your adopted country”. It goes on to say how Chew CHONG saved many a family from want and penury through his export trade in fungus.*

During his outstanding career, his trust and consideration of others was notable. Chew CHONG died in 1920. In 1996, 76 years later, he was inducted posthumously into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.

In photographing the illuminated address, I created lighting that accentuated its shimmering luminosity.  I photographed the silver trophy with a dark classic background, signifying a moment of respectful silence.

* Refer https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c17/chew-chong.

King Tong HO

2018

周祥

在早期华裔移民中，周祥是成功的企业家，他大约是在一八二七年至一八四四年间出生及居住在广州 。他赚取的［第一桶金］，是将菌类 auricularia polytricha 从 Taranaki 贸易至中国。这菌类毛利人叫作 hakeke、中国人称为木耳、而在当地名为 Taranaki wool。这种含药用价值的食用菌，在中国是受欢迎的精美膳食。当地的白人和毛利人将菌采集、晒干成为经济作物。

周祥亦透过制造及出口牛油以扩展业务，他是首位商人成功地解决将牛油长途运输至英国而能够保持其品质。于一八九零年、在但尼丁举行的 New Zealand and South Seas 展览中，他以生产半吨装适合出口的最佳牛油、在［A］级牛油比赛中取胜，而他奖获的银杯，现收藏在 Puke Ariki 博物馆。在退休前，为著整个牛油制造业的美好前景，他放弃了自己在这方面的利润，而支持纽西兰牛油制造业的重组。

Puke Ariki 博物馆收藏了一张由 New Plymouth 商界的八十五位杰出市民、在一九一零年共同签署的表扬状（Illuminated Address）。内里写着：「我们在此签署、以公开记录、表扬阁下在入藉国家的服务和贡献。」*

在他辉煌的事业里，他的信誉和对别人的体谅，得到大众称许。周祥在一九二零年离世，七十六年后的一九九六年，他被列入纽西兰商业名人殿堂。

拍摄表扬状时，我用灯光效果，使它闪闪生辉；而用深色典雅的背景去拍摄银杯，象征对他的肃然起敬。

* 参考自 https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c17/chew-chong。

何经棠

2018

周祥

在早期華裔移民中，周祥是成功的企業家，他大約是在一八二七年至一八四四年間出生及居住在廣州 。他賺取的［第一桶金］，是將菌類 auricularia polytricha 從 Taranaki 貿易至中國。這菌類毛利人叫作 hakeke、中國人稱為木耳、而在當地名為 Taranaki wool。這種含藥用價值的食用菌，在中國是受歡迎的精美膳食。當地的白人和毛利人將菌採集、曬乾成為經濟作物。

周祥亦透過製造及出口牛油以擴展業務，他是首位商人成功地解決將牛油長途運輸至英國而能夠保持其品質。於一八九零年、在但尼丁舉行的 New Zealand and South Seas 展覽中，他以生產半噸裝適合出口的最佳牛油、在［A］級牛油比賽中取勝，而他獎獲的銀杯，現收藏在 Puke Ariki 博物館。在退休前，為著整個牛油製造業的美好前景，他放棄了自己在這方面的利潤，而支持紐西蘭牛油製造業的重組。

Puke Ariki 博物館收藏了一張由 New Plymouth 商界的八十五位傑出市民、在一九一零年共同簽署的表揚狀（Illuminated Address）。內裏寫著：「我們在此簽署、以公開記錄、表揚閣下在入藉國家的服務和貢獻。」*

在他輝煌的事業裏，他的信譽和對別人的體諒，得到大眾稱許。周祥在一九二零年離世，七十六年後的一九九六年，他被列入紐西蘭商業名人殿堂。

拍攝表揚狀時，我用燈光效果，使它閃閃生輝；而用深色典雅的背景去拍攝銀杯，象徵對他的肅然起敬。

* 參考自 https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2c17/chew-chong。

何經棠

2018