The Cheah Kongsi Ancestral Temple was founded in 1810 is where the 207-year-old Seh Tek Tong Cheah clansmen venerate their ancestors and patron deities. It is one of the oldest Hokkien Kongsi in Penang together with Khoo, Yeoh, Lim and Tan Kongsi that formed the backbone of the Hokkien community in early Penang. It was formed to look after the welfare of clansmen, from the Sek Tong Seah ancestral village in Fujian, China ,which came in search of better fortunes in Malaya.
While the temple has since been a few renovation, alterations and additions, some of the building elements are historically inappropriate. The first major restoration works commenced in the year of 2013 was carried out according to stringent international conservation guidelines and concluded in 2016. The main intention of the restoration works was to accurately reveal, recover or represent the state of a historic building, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.
The building is classified as a category one heritage building in the core zone of George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, Penang. A study has been carried out by the architectural team to justify every element of the temple, remove some additional elements and recover the temple to its most original historical state. Besides the restoration works, a public landscape garden was also created to function as a Green Lung in George Town, as well as a place for lawn parties and community activities.
Cheah Kongsi also collaborated with the state government by allowing its wall at Armenian street to be painted with what is now the most widely photographed ‘children on a bicycle’ mural.
The restoration has futher enhanced this World Heritage site, making a new phase in the history of the Cheah Kongsi and allowing it to continue showcasing its rich heritage in a distinctive and engaging way, while remaining true to its origin.
The Cheah Kongsi Ancestral Temple was founded in 1810 is where the 207-year-old Seh Tek Tong Cheah clansmen venerate their ancestors and patron deities. It is one of the oldest Hokkien Kongsi in Penang together with Khoo, Yeoh, Lim and Tan Kongsi that formed the backbone of the Hokkien community in early Penang. It was formed to look after the welfare of clansmen, from the Sek Tong Seah ancestral village in Fujian, China ,which came in search of better fortunes in Malaya.
While the temple has since been a few renovation, alterations and additions, some of the building elements are historically inappropriate. The first major restoration works commenced in the year of 2013 was carried out according to stringent international conservation guidelines and concluded in 2016. The main intention of the restoration works was to accurately reveal, recover or represent the state of a historic building, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.
The building is classified as a category one heritage building in the core zone of George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, Penang. A study has been carried out by the architectural team to justify every element of the temple, remove some additional elements and recover the temple to its most original historical state. Besides the restoration works, a public landscape garden was also created to function as a Green Lung in George Town, as well as a place for lawn parties and community activities.
Cheah Kongsi also collaborated with the state government by allowing its wall at Armenian street to be painted with what is now the most widely photographed ‘children on a bicycle’ mural.
The restoration has futher enhanced this World Heritage site, making a new phase in the history of the Cheah Kongsi and allowing it to continue showcasing its rich heritage in a distinctive and engaging way, while remaining true to its origin.
The Cheah Kongsi Ancestral Temple was founded in 1810 is where the 207-year-old Seh Tek Tong Cheah clansmen venerate their ancestors and patron deities. It is one of the oldest Hokkien Kongsi in Penang together with Khoo, Yeoh, Lim and Tan Kongsi that formed the backbone of the Hokkien community in early Penang. It was formed to look after the welfare of clansmen, from the Sek Tong Seah ancestral village in Fujian, China ,which came in search of better fortunes in Malaya.
While the temple has since been a few renovation, alterations and additions, some of the building elements are historically inappropriate. The first major restoration works commenced in the year of 2013 was carried out according to stringent international conservation guidelines and concluded in 2016. The main intention of the restoration works was to accurately reveal, recover or represent the state of a historic building, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value.
The building is classified as a category one heritage building in the core zone of George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, Penang. A study has been carried out by the architectural team to justify every element of the temple, remove some additional elements and recover the temple to its most original historical state. Besides the restoration works, a public landscape garden was also created to function as a Green Lung in George Town, as well as a place for lawn parties and community activities.
Cheah Kongsi also collaborated with the state government by allowing its wall at Armenian street to be painted with what is now the most widely photographed ‘children on a bicycle’ mural.
The restoration has futher enhanced this World Heritage site, making a new phase in the history of the Cheah Kongsi and allowing it to continue showcasing its rich heritage in a distinctive and engaging way, while remaining true to its origin.
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