Monday, April 13, 2009

韩江家庙 Han Jiang Ancestral Temple, Penang























































































































The Han Jiang Ancestral Temple or Han Chiang Ancestral Temple(韩江家庙) , where the Penang Teochew Association is housed. It is located at the Chulia Street, immediately after the traffic light of the Pitt Street(or Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling). Opposite the temple, across the road is the little India(Queen Street) .

Han Jiang Ancestral Temple is a grade one heritage property of Penang The ancestral temple has won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation in 2006.
The Han Jiang Ancestral Temple is one the best conserved teochew temple in South East Asia. It is a 3 halls structures with a portal building(front hall), a courtyard, a middle hall, and an air well and galleries, and a rear hall. It was completed in 1870-1890 period.

The Jury citation for 2006 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation is:-

" Built in the mid-19th century, the Han Jiang Ancestral Hall has been restored to its former glory through a commendable effort by the Teochew community in Penang. A fine example of a Teochew style Chinese temple,the building had suffered through heavy use as a school and a series of unsympathetic additions and renovations over the years.
Meticulous research, both in Malaysia and China, was carried out to uncover the building's history and architecture in order to inform the restoration process.
Master craft men from China were brought in to ensure that the level of workmanship matched the original standards both in terms of materials as well as techniques.
A sophisticated lighting schemes employing fibre optics now showcases the splendid decorative details of the building. By revitalizing cultural in reviving the temple's religious and social functions, allowing it to serve again as the heart of the community"

When I visited the temple, the front door was having minor damage by the cleaning process with the paints fading. There is sign of vandalism,some party has dirty the door with some chemical(or coloring). There was no professional guide to brief the tourist on the history of temple. The positive point is that there is a room explaining the history and architecture of the temple. There should be security guard on the outside of the temple(near the entrance). The door may need to be covered with some protective covering(but it will affect the originality).

If you want to know the architecture of the heritage building, please visit
ttp://www.pam.org.my/AM/18-3/P11_Teo_Chew.pdf

Another interesting site is:
http://www.asiaexplorers.com/malaysi/hanjiang_teochew_ancestral_temple.htm

Also refer to my post on 24-3-2009 on Han Chiang School related to this posting.

槟榔屿潮州会馆,始创于咸丰5年(1855),原称潮州公司。根基既立,许栳合、王武昌、洪声挂、黄遇冬继于同治3年(1864)于尾街381号原址,倡 设韩江家庙,激扬祖绪,启后祀先,敦睦乡谊。先后加入者有潮安、潮阳、澄海、揭阳、普宁、惠来、大埔、丰顺、饶平九邑人士。迨民国纪元,南澳改为潮属县 治,亦加入本会馆,并成十邑整数。

现今位于吉宁街门牌一二七号的会所,创建于同治九年(公元一八七O年)。初期仅系一堂一厅; 至光绪十四年(公元一八八八年),始由许武安、王孟正等,发动扩建,增其式廓。以前中后三座的祠堂传统型态,檐牙高筑,金碧辉煌,蔚为粤东典型建筑,奠定根基,永垂规模于久远。

一九三四年,依旧纪录,庆祝七十周年纪念,并得全体同乡决议,改称[潮州会馆],以迎合时代潮流。翌年,林连登、陈罗雄、戴芷汀、周满堂等,复发动筹款修葺,周详擘划,壮其观瞻,费时三年始告竣事。

百余年来,会馆集同乡于一堂,谋桑梓福利; 至如赈灾恤难,协助地方公益事业,从不落人后。举其荦荦大者,若民国初年的筹款修建韩堤,一九三一年的赈济家乡水灾,以及在中国抗战期间,为伤兵难民请命等事迹,足以长留史实。
(source: http://www.kwangteng-pg.org/archive)



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