1. Water and Mountain: A Journey Begins

      Kuantan reminds me of water, Lembing, of mountains. Kuantan is a fishing village, a harbor. Ling Ming, a tin mine, a mountain.

       Lembing is about an hour's drive from Kuantan. My friend told me, “Time stands still in Lembing. Ten years ago and ten years from now, nothing much changes except for the smoother roads."

        This was my first trip to Lembing. But I had known for a long time that there was a mountain there, drawing people from Kuantan and Kuala Lumpur, who would travel through the night, reaching the summit just before dawn to witness the breathtaking sunrise and the sea of clouds.

      The Malay Peninsula boasts several renowned mountains. Gunung Kinchin is a warm-up mountain, perfect for novice climbers. Many begin their climbing journey here, completing the 5-hour trek. The trail is filled with young, enthusiastic climbers. GunungBesarHantu, on the other hand, is a mountain for the seasoned climber, a gruelling 8-day trek demanding meticulous preparation, both physically and mentally. This mountain challenges its climbers, rewarding them with a sense of exhilaration and accomplishment as they conquer its rugged terrain.

        But what kind of mountain is Lembing?

        Driven by curiosity, I set off…

2. A Stroll Through the Mountain Town: 

            Shyness and Warmth Combined

        Lembing has no hotels, but the community hall offers rooms for rent.

       “Lembing is small, you can't get lost," my friend reassured me.

        After settling my luggage at the hall, I wandered around. As I strolled along the path, camera in hand, a tall, middle-aged man approached me. His name was Yun Hui, a man with the shy reserve of a mountain dweller, honest and simple, yet warm and attentive.  He offered to show me the tin mine.

       I was thrilled to be invited into the world of the people of Ling Ming.

       Many of them, their families, and generations before them, had migrated south from China to work in the mines. Lembing was once the largest underground tin mine in the world, employing over 3,000 people at its peak. However, with declining global demand for tin, falling prices, and internal administrative issues, the Ling Ming tin mine closed its doors in 1983. The young and strong workforce had to seek other opportunities, leaving Lembing mostly populated by retirees and semi-retirees.

      Near the entrance of the mine, a building under renovation stood proudly. Yun Hui explained that it was once the home of the mine manager. Now, the government plans to transform it into a Ling Ming museum, preserving and showcasing the town's rich history.

       The tunnels leading to the mine shafts are now closed, many of the machines rusted and idle. A company has recently taken over, operating a small-scale production within the mine.

      As we walked and talked, we reached the old railway tracks used for transporting ore, now overgrown with weeds. I gazed at the severed tracks, wondering where they led. What would become of Lembing?

3. A Mountain Town's Freedom: A Taste of Home

        Mountain spring water flows into the homes of the mountain town, and the people are as pure as the water itself. There are no temptations of shopping malls, and the people have modest material needs. In the few hours we spent together, I realized that Yun Hui was a peaceful and contented man. His family had left him a small business, but he didn't seem particularly driven to expand it. He ate and dressed simply, spending his free time reading newspapers and strolling around the community hall. As a Singaporean, I might have judged him as idle, but from another perspective, he possessed a freedom and space that city dwellers could only dream of.

      “When you're in Lembing, be sure to try the noodles," my Singaporean friend had advised me. The Ling Ming noodles, made with spring water, were both chewy and refreshing.

        Besides the noodles, Lembing is also famous for its coconut cakes. These cakes are baked in traditional ovens. Every afternoon at 4:30, when the fragrant coconut cakes are fresh out of the oven, a small wooden house near the library is filled with eager customers. The baker, Li Dachun, is a Hainanese. His family's recipe must have been passed down from Hainan Island, a region known for its abundance of coconuts.

        Besides the Hainanese, many Hakka people also call Lembing home. And what are the Hakka known for? Tofu, of course, especially stuffed tofu (酿豆腐). If you order a plate of white noodles (猪肠粉), the vendor will always ask, “What filling would you like?" And the answer? A variety of stuffed tofu fillings, ready to tantalize your taste buds.

4. Midnight Melodies: The Mountain's Spirit

       “After dinner, come to the library," Yun Hui told me. “The choir has a rehearsal tonight."

        The choir practice started at 9 p.m. and ended at 10:30 p.m. What a lively night life for a mountain town!

        As night fell, nearly 20 people gathered in the library to sing. Yun Hui accompanied them on a Yamaha piano, several of the high notes on the piano were dulled, but the singers were full of enthusiasm. They sang old songs.

       No, don't get me wrong, not the classics by Bai Guang or Zhou Xuan. They sang “Katyusha," “Yangtao Grows Abundantly on the Mountainside," “Song of Mount Kumgang," “Sending You a Bunch of Jujube Flowers," and even the theme song from the TV series “Journey to the West," “Dare to Ask Where the Road Lies?" The songs, it seemed, all had a connection to the mountains, and they also spoke of the bittersweet nature of life's journeys and separations. Yun Hui taught himself to play the piano. He usually played the melody with his right hand and provided simple accompaniment with his left. The harmonies weren't always perfect, but the emotion was there. The voices of the people of Ling Ming reflected the spirit of the mountain town, a blend of poignant melancholy and the unwavering strength of the mountains themselves.

       After the rehearsal, the energy didn't fade. Everyone went to a coffee shop, sharing stories and laughter. I learned that some of the singers were still rooted in the mountain town, while others had moved elsewhere, returning to Lembing only on weekends. Now I understood why this quiet mountain town transformed into a bustling hub on weekends.

5. A Sunrise Rendezvous: 

      The Path Lies Beneath Our Feet

      At midnight, it was time for those leaving Lembing to hit the road. We said our goodbyes.

       Those who remained in the mountain town, we made plans to watch the sunrise together.

      Yun Hui told me that climbing Lembing Mountain only takes 45 minutes, much easier than GunungKinchin or GunungBesarHantu. In just 45 minutes, we could witness the sea of clouds, gaze at the horizon, and stand on the mountain's peaks, each pointing in a different direction. Ling Ming Mountain embodied the essence of the mountain town: grounded, reserved, inclusive, unpretentious, contented, carefree, relaxed, and accepting of fate.

      I couldn't sleep that night, my mind filled with the anticipation of the sunrise. I knew that the mountain held a special place in my heart, and my friends were waiting for me there.

      The sounds of the library choir echoed in my ears all night, accompanying my restless sleep. I counted sheep, turned and tossed, finally drifting off to sleep. But I was awakened by the same song in the early hours of the morning. Through the haze of sleep, I heard:

        The climber asks, “Dare to ask where the road lies?"

        The mountain replies, “The path lies beneath your feet."