This ‘da ching’ (‘weighing scale’ in Baba Malay) was used in the Peranakan kitchen and pantry for weighing out groceries and produce. It is made of a long, stout rod of hardwood inlaid with brass markings. The rod is held up from a mount, which acts as a fulcrum. At one end, is a large hook from which the item to be weigh is hung. A counterweight is suspended on the other side of the mount. The distance from the mount is adjusted until the rod is horizontal. The weight of the object is then obtained by reading the brass marking on the rod. A smaller version of da ching was used in the important ‘chiu thau’ or coming-of-age ceremony during a Peranakan wedding to remind the bride and bridegroom that as adults, they would have to weigh their actions carefully.
