Cheah Kongsi
PenangSentral.com » Penang Tourist Attractions » Cheah Kongsi
History says that Kongsi Temples or Associations were formed by the different
Chinese clans to retain their identity on the basis of their province and
village of origin in Penang, where they migrated to. Cheah Kongsi (Simplified
Chinese: 谢公司) in Penang was established in 1880's by Cheah Yam, one of the clan
members who came from a village called Sek Tong in the Hokkien province.
One of the first of the five great Hokkien clans to have settled in Penang,
Cheah Kongsi spread into a large population later. Cheah Kongsi shows an exotic
blend of Malay, Chinese and European influences. You may have heard about other
Kongsi meaning clan or family house of a Chinese group in Penang, but unlike
other groups, you can access Cheah Kongsi only through a small gateway painted
in bright red.
If you can view it from far and you will realized that the Clock Tower is leans
to one side. That's the legacy of all the bombs dropped around it during the
Second World War that destroyed the Government Building nearby. Inside the
premises of Cheah Kongsi, there is a two-storey building resembling other
temples and mansions in China.
The roof of the structure has elaborate sculptures of sirens, dogs, lions of
stucco and shards of both Chinese and Dutch porcelain crockery. It has a Chinese
courtyard with an open balcony and a lawn.
The worship hall is located in the upper floor and the office building within
the premises of the clan house.
Contact Information
Address: 7 Lebuh Armenian, Penang 10200 Malaysia
Open Hours: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm from Monday to Sunday
Tel : 604 262 0202
Fax : 604 2631020
Email : enquiry@tourismpenang.gov.my
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