The Change of Social Life of the China Community in Pekan

Labuhan, Medan, Indonesia

Morida Siagian

, Samsul Bahri

, and Rudolf Sitorus

Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

Keywords: China Architecture, China Community

Abstract: Pekan Labuhan is the old area of Medan where has the change of social life and settlement. Since the end

century until the early 19th century the China community has undergone a process of social life in a row

of shophouses at this area. The destruction of social life of the China community was influenced by the

emergence of a political incident in Medan. The atmosphere and the dynamics of social life in the area also

has changed. Today, the physical aspects are still dominated by China architecture, but the social lives are

dominated by Malay community.

1 INTRODUCTION

The early development of Medan began from Pekan

Labuhan. The access to the port from the Deli River

makes newcomers interested to explore this area.

The progression of Deli Tobacco Plantations

Company managed by the Dutch company. Started

from this area since in 1886 Pekan Labuhan were

accessible for river transportation through the port of

Deli, bus transportation, and rail transportation

access. Shophouses, business centers, houses of

worship and office plantations grow in Jl. Syahudin

Yatim, the main streets of the area. In 1990, Pekan

Labuhan had grown to be commercial center of trade

for the local people and abroad.

The presence of commercial center in Pekan

Labuhan are not separated from the role of China

community. China settlement in this area emerged

since the beginning of the development and the

civilization form is extent until this day. The

building form row of shophouses and 2 viharas still

exists until today, but the activities of China

community is not found again. That contrast

situation make this discussion is so important. Why

is this area been maintained and developed by a

China community since now it is dominated by

indigenous activities?

2 THE PRESENCE OF CHINA

ARCHITECTURE

SHOPHOUSES

The area of Pekan Labuhan is a residential of China

community since the end of the 18

century up to

the 19

century. They live in row of China

architecture style shophouses. The buildings form

has a regular grid pattern linear following JL.

Syahbudin Yatim, the main street at the area. Total

area of shophouses were 20,520 m2. The whole

building has two floors, the first floor is used for

shop area and the second floor is used for living.

Figure 1: Left: Medan, Right: Pekan Labuhan

Siagian, M., Bahri, S. and Sitorus, R.

The Change of Social Life of the China Community in Pekan Labuhan, Medan, Indonesia.

DOI: 10.5220/0010073701750178

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

175-178

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

175

The settlement of the China community in the

area face to the Deli River and also overlooks the

main street. In the 19

century to the early 20

century the area had a port and the commercial

center who trade centers who crowded visitors from

various locations.

In the same time, there are two China’s

worship houses. Vihara Siu San Keng which is

located at the entrance of Jl. Syahbudin Yatim and

Liat Sim Kong inside of the area. The access to the

vihara from Jl. Syahbudin Yatim. Liat Sim Kong

first was built in 1872, subsequently followed by Siu

San Keng, built in 1890.

3 THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIAL

LIFE OF CHINA COMMUNITY

BEFORE 1965

The settlement of Pekan Labuhan at the end of the

century up to the beginning of the 19

century

was dominated by the China community. The

civilization of this settlement has been formed since

the beginning development process of Pekan

Labuhan. Social lifes, trading activities on the row

of shophouses, religious activities in both viharas,

public spaces and economic activities on the dock of

China’s fishermen called Toamang dock are

coloring everyday life of this area.

Everyday life activities of the China

community were divided into two zoning. Early to

the middle zone of Jl Syahbudin Yatim was

dominated by commercial and religious activities.

While the central zone until the end of this main

street was dominated by social life, on public spaces,

such as China’s wine market, China’s coffee shop,

entertainment stage and movie theater.

The social life of China community exists on

the Vihara Siu San Keng and Liat Sim Kong, they

are always crowded by the presence of religious

activities of China communities. In a row of

shophouses, China families sold goods, daily

necessities, gold shops, wholesalers, restaurants and

photo studio. Meanwhile around Toamang dock,

from the afternoon to the evening, there are many

China who recently finished their activities drank

China’s wine on the wine market. The crowd

scattered took place from wine market to the main

street. On this street there were three coffee shops

located nearby. Also behind the wine market

complex there were public space in the form of stage

entertainment. In the same place with it there were

also Mutiara Movie Theatre building. The

atmosphere of everyday life of China community

were able to revived the social life area Pekan

Labuhan in a long time.

4 THE EXISTENCE OF SOCIAL

LIFE OF CHINA COMMUNITY

AFTER 1965 UNTIL NOW

In 1965 the political incident disrupted Pekan

Labuhan. At the time the issue of the Communist

Party of Indonesia grew in some areas of Medan.

The Communist Party are considered by

Government Indonesia as rebel groups so that the

state ordered the group must be destroyed. The

China community in Pekan Labuhan was regarded

as pro-communist group so that indigenous youth

gangs in the area did criminalization to them.

Everyday life of the area was confused as a

consequence of that disruption. Due to the

criminalization, many of China people was slain.

The criminalization in 1965 destroyed the social life

of China communities and also destroyed; China

shophouses and houses, wine market, Toamang dock

and coffee shops. The atmosphere of everyday life in

the area was deserted, half of them survived from

criminalization and begun a new life outside the

area. Since that time their populations becomes

minority. The function of the buildings and the space

in the area changes. On the North part of the area

then are filled with the Malay houses. Then the

activity on stage entertainment complex and movie

theater increasingly lose out. In 1970-80s this area

was dismantled and replaced with the residential of

Departement of transportation office.

The incident of political divisions happened

again in 1998. At that time the State of Indonesia

was through reform phase. The conflict between

indigenous and non-indigenous occurred again in

Labuhan. These incidents threaten the existence of

China business and their trade. Community groups,

youth gangs and indigenous people in the area

provoked to reject China's presence in their

neighborhoods. They did loot to the entire China

community-owned shophouses in area Pekan

Labuhan.

The looted process of these items made China

be fear and traumatic. While time they took refuge

in the vihara buildings to save themselves by

carrying important files. The incident made the

China community were afraid to live in the area

Pekan Labuhan. They assumed that it was not safe

anymore to stay afloat in the area.

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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So in 1998 many of China sold their shophouses

with low prices to indigenous families and they

moved to other secure areas.

The current Pekan Labuhan atmosphere goes

quietly as the "City of the Dead." The old port now

has changed to be unplanned settlements. Business

centers was dominated by the exchange value

activities becomes neighbourhood which dominated

by use value of living activities. A row of China

shophouses that are scattered throughout the region

has been inhabited and managed by new families

who are most Malays, Batak and Java.

In 1970 (Figure 2, point 3), the China wine

market changed to be an elementary school. In 1980

(Figure 2, point 2) the entertainment and movie

theater complex changed to be Department of

Transportation office. Since 1998 (Figure 2, points

3 and 4), row of China shophouses, nowadays

became an indigenous settlement, from 2004 until

nowadays at the row of shophouses were bought and

owned by Malay people. Since 2004, the new owner

of shopouses started rent the space and first floor to

be morning market. Then this place is popular with

Pekong Market. However, both of viharas (Figure 2,

point 5 and 6) are activily used by China

communities for their religious activities.

The China community who was local

community, now is a minority. The political incident

occurred in 1998 make more than 80% of them have

decided to move out the area. Only some of them

settled in both viharas complex. Even though most

of them do not live in Pekan Labuhan anywhere,

they still visit and worship at both viharas. For them

this both buildings is are strong inner bond, they

believe that hope and their life still depends on

respecting those that space.

To keep religious need, they maintain and

build good relations with the Malays. They maintain

the relationship with the Malays community with a

sense of passion and sympathy. They serve with

mercy by share food staple rice, egg packet, edible

oil, noodle packet, etc in special occasions. Also

they are empathetic with doing a free treatment and

health check-up for free. China always stand-by

ambulance to assist any Malay people who need

helps. They are always available for Idul Fitri

parcels to give to Malay society with the rotation

system.

As the research done by (Siagian, 2015) in

Kampung Keling in 2014, China and Tamil groups

interact each othe in order to build an harmonius

relationship. This relationship can keep both groups

safe in doing their activities. The efforts have been

able to keep the existence of both viharas. Since in

1998 until to the present the viharas are safe from

various disruption currents. Both viharas exist and

are able to become an icon and the identity of Pekan

Labuhan. The viharas are growing. The buildings are

renovated to be more magnificent.

5 CONCLUSIONS

The eexistence of old cities of Medan who

dominated by China's business with their daily lives

change from time to time. The political incident

made disruption and changes of those which makes

negative impacts towards the growth and

development of communities in this old area of

Medan. The challenge ahead is political expediency

should not divisive and destructive existence and

social life between the communities that live in it.

Figure 2: The Changes of Use Building Usage

The Change of Social Life of the China Community in Pekan Labuhan, Medan, Indonesia

177

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Authors are wishing to acknowledge assistance and

encouragement from some people and organization

in the created and improved of this paper. Thank to

Research Institution University of Sumatera Utara

that has been providing opportunities and funding

over the smooth running of this research. Thank also

to all those who have helped us in the process of

research and the completion of this paper.

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