Born in 1931, he came to Singapore from China when he was 7 with his younger sister and mother. His father had arrived 3 years earlier to find work and finally saved up enough money to bring them over. Uncle stayed and worked in mainland Singapore and then bought a land in Ubin 20+ years ago, after advice from his peers. He grows his own herbs and cacti, claiming that his herbs (a kinda root 地上枕 I think was what he said, which he claimed to be similar to ginseng) could prevent and cure diseases such as kidney failure and stomach cancer. He uses the roots to make broth every Sunday and sells them for $5 a bowl. He added that a certain dr lee (she used to write a column for ST) had visited his place and told him those roots could contain harmful substances but he rebutted that all medicine are harmful to a certain extent.
He was married with child/children but seemed to be living alone ( I didn't dare to ask about his wife in case she had passed).
He said the population in ubin was 5000+ in the past but now only 38 people are living on the little island.
We commented that he looks extremely young and healthy for a 83 year old man and he said it's the air in ubin that keeps everyone healthy. People sleeps at 8-9pm here. No one ever gets sick and there are no health services on the island.
He reminds me a little of my grandma, who used to tell me stories when I was young.
I don't have a story to tell but I have ears to listen.
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