Deciphering tombstone Lim Thean Gow

Lim Thean Gow is my Great Great Grand Father, father of Lim Boon Keng. His tomb was recently uncovered by Raymond Goh 6 months ago. I have just cleared the saplings around it, allowing enough light to get in to take a decent photo

Tombstone of Lim Thean Gow.

My friends at Bukit Brown have helped me decipher  the inscription:

Chengmin Wang Posthumous name 林舜卿 Hanyu Pinyin Lin Shun Qing.

Lim Su Min 林蘇民 ‎Chengmin Wang: 谢谢: so original given name not shown??

YKhoo Ee Hoon Original name not shown.

Lim Su Min 林蘇民 ‎Khoo Ee Hoon many thanks

Khoo Ee Hoon It was mentioned one of the son was given away.

Lim Su Min 林蘇民 didnt know that fact!

Khoo Ee Hoon One son two daughters given away. When I get to my computer I will do all the pinyin for you so you know the full inscription on the tomb like what I did before.

Khoo Ee Hoon Its quite rare to add on tomb stone that "these kids were given away".

Khoo Ee Hoon Please clear the mess in front of tomb so that we can read the name of Grand daughters, there's one more name hidden.

Lim Su Min 林蘇民 ‎Khoo Ee Hoon YES MAM! *standing at attention*, * Salute*

Chengmin Wang The tombstone inscription stated that 出嗣 means given to become someone's children. One son 木庆 (Mu Qing) and two daughters 幼玉 (You Yu) and 幼汝 (You Ru).

Khoo Ee Hoon All sons have similar last characters in their names while all the daughters have similar middle characters. Its interesting how the naming works in the Chinese family.

Chengmin Wang All names are clearly visible, 3 sons (善，联，文庆） including Lim Boon Keng, three daughters （幼璧，心，意） and a grand daughter （月华)。

Khoo Ee Hoon

‎Father of Lim Boon Keng (and great great grandfather of Lim Su Min)


Posthumous name of Lim Thean Geow (林 天尧 lín tiānyáo)
天 tiān (sky, heaven; god, celestial)
尧 yáo (a legendary ancient emperor-sage)

顯 xiǎn
考 kǎo (指已死的父亲 -dead, father)
林 lín (Surname)
舜 shùn (legendary ruler)
卿 qīng (noble, high officer)
林 lín (SURNAME)
府 fǔ (Residence)
君 jūn (sovereign, monarch, ruler, chief, prince)

Phrases:
顯考 xiǎnkǎo (dead, father)
府君 fǔjūn (gentleman of the house, male one of the family)

Other phrase on left:
出嗣 chū sì - given away as to other family

Son
木庆 (Mu Qing)

Daughters
幼玉 (You Yu)
幼汝 (You Ru)

NB Lim Thean Geow (林 天尧 lín tiānyáo) name is clearly seen on his father's tombstone.

*POSTSCRIPT: from my visit to National Museum today (1st April 2012)

 I learned that Lim Thean Gow's wife Mdm Su was from Malacca, and Peranakan.