怡南興生葯行--怡南興出入口公司EE Nam Hing company Imort-Export

1955年怡南興生葯行的廣告頁

怡南興生葯行
怡南興出入口公司
add：廣東街 34號
( 34, Triệu Quang Phục, quận 5, TPHCM)

怡南興出入口庄

EE Nam Hing company Imort-Export
香港高陞街16號3樓
EE Nam Hing company Imort-Export
No 16, Ko Shing Street 2nd Floor, HongKong

              十九世紀末起，香港的潮州商人在東南亞各地除了「南北行」外，經營南洋各地進出口業務的稱之為「南洋辦莊」。南洋辦莊包括三條貿易線：一是經營泰國業務的「暹羅莊」，二是經營星馬業務的「新加坡莊」，三是經營越南業務的「安南莊」。

   

               香港稱經營出口雜貨者為「莊口」，在1930年代約共有二百餘家。安南莊約在1900年始陸續建立，初時出口茶葉、藥材及雜貨等，進口越南土產。

                第一次世界大戰爆發後，旅越潮僑乘時經營，創設商號，業務與日俱增，進出口的貨物種類大為增加。安南盛產稻米，是魚米之鄉，在第二次世界大戰前，安南莊的業務非常蓬勃。香港的安南莊因受越南戰爭及政治影響，逐漸淡出。安南莊全盛時期，有益利莊、聯興昌、美豐莊、偉星公司、百和祥、信成號、源益、森元、怡南興、萬益、瑞榮豐等商號。

                雖知怡南興商號是潮商所經營，但其商號歷史及經營者則無從得知。又，怡南興生葯行在堤岸廣東街34號，與位在廣東街49號的「二天堂葯行」，相去不遠，只能想像這二家葯行以前都是熟識。

參考資料：香港潮州商會九十年發展史，2012，周佳榮，第 42 頁。

        At the end of the nineteenth century, in Hong Kong, " The Nanyang Office " '南洋辦莊' where the Chaozhou merchants operated import and export business throughout Southeast Asia. The Nanyang Office consists of three lines of trade for Thai business, Singapore business, and Annan business.

         In the 1930s, there were over 200 companies to to opera business in those lines.  Annan business began to establish in the 1900s, initially exported tea, herbs and groceries from Hongkhong and imported of native products from Vietnam.

           After the outbreak of the World War I, more and more Chaozhou merchants whose were living in Vietnam used this chance to establish the company in Hongkong, and the business was growing, also increased greatly goods of the import and export.

           Before the World War II, Business is very flourishing. Later, due to the influence of the Vietnam War and politics, gradually fade out the Vietnam market. In the heyday, there had a lot of companies in Saigon, ex: 利莊, 聯興昌, 美豐莊, 偉星公司, 百和祥, 信成號, 源益, 森元, 怡南興, 萬益, 瑞榮.

             I only can find out the information about EE Nam Hing company Imort-Export (怡南興) was operated by Chaozhou merchants, but hope can know the history of the company and the story of the owner. On the other hand, the address of “EE Nam Hing company Imort-Export “  was nearby “Yeetintong”(二天堂) drug store, maybe in long time ago, they were friends and competitors! Who knows?

      Reference：香港潮州商會九十年發展史，周佳榮，2012，頁42。