Penang heritage: Cheah Kongsi

Three days ago, I wrote about my experiences in Armenian Street, a heritage enclave within George Town. I published this photo and described it as the entrance to the Cheah Kongsi from Armenian Street. It's only an archway and it leads to a narrow alley, beyond which is a neatly kept lawn and courtyard that is the Cheah Kongsi.

This signboard (below) introduces visitors to the Cheah Kongsi. However, it's not the first thing that you'll see because immediately, you'd want to wander all around the premises. But it tells you in a nutshell what the Cheah Kongsi is about. If you cannot read the inscription from the photo, here's what it says:

The Cheah Kongsi, the oldest of the Straits Chinese clan associations in Penang, was founded in 1820 by a pioneer settler named Cheah Em. The 1870s temple is a classic 'Penang style' temple - a hybrid of a Chinese temple, a Chinese courtyard mansion and a colonial bungalow - reflected respectively in the temple roof, the side wings and courtyards, and the central projecting double-storey porch. The office building expresses an interesting blend of Malay, Chinese and European identities.

This is the main building of the Cheah Kongsi. It looks like a temple and indeed, on its first floor is a temple.


But first, a short word about the four lions that decorate the front pillars of the main building. Although the Cheah Kongsi is typically a Chinese clanhouse, it betrays an admiration of everything British. There is no doubt that the Cheah Kongsi - especially during the colonial times - was fully enamoured with the British colonial government. I've heard before that meetings had always been conducted in English but I doubt that it's still true today.


This is the entrance to the Cheah Kongsi's temple on the first floor of the main building. You can marvel at the intricate designs. Possibly, maybe the Kong Kongsi would be the only rival clan association that surpasses the Cheah Kongsi in terms of splendour but for the moment, enjoy the Cheah Kongsi. I won't reproduce any picture of the temple's interior. You need to be there to appreciate its beauty.


Anyway, behind the temple - and still on the first floor - many small rooms have been converted into museums. I'm assuming that these rooms served as temporary quarters for clansmen 'sinkeks' newly arrived from China in the old days. I counted four rooms but there may be more. All dimly lit and you'd need a good steady hand to set your camera's speed to very slow shutter speeds with maximum aperture in order to take acceptable pictures. I was lucky enough to snap this good shot.


Woh! See what I meant when I said the people running the Cheah Kongsi in the old days were anglophiles to the core? There's even a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in the museum. Should be dated around the late 1950s or so.


This is a side door that will allow you to exit from the main building into the front lawn. Note the intricate pictures of the door gods. There's some meaning there some where, but I don't know what ... yet!


And finally, this ends my short tour of the Cheah Kongsi. This photo was taken as I walked out to Armenian Street.