Click
here for map
 6. Yap Kongsi Temple
As you
approach Ubuh Armenian, you will see the Acheen Street Mosque minaret straight
ahead in the distance, the Yap Kongsi temple on the right, and on the left,
a corner coffeeshop, with the entrance to the Tua Pek Kong Temple next to
it.
The Tua Pek Kong Temple,
dedicated to the Chinese God of Prosperity, was formerly the base of the
Straits Chinese secret society called the Tua Pek Kong Society.
 7. Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Penang
Base
Follow the graceful curve of Lebuh Armenian. The low and rickety shophouses
on your right survive from the early 19th century, when this area was a village
composed mainly of Malays and Sumatrans, In the mid-19th century, the Straits
Chinese moved into the area and built residential shophouses which were of
a fine standard for their time.
You will come to a blue
shophouse on your right, No. 120 Lebuh Armenian, which dates from the 1870s.
The first owner was a Straits Chinese named Cheah Joo Seang, a trustee of
the Cheah Kongsi. The shophouse has kept its original historic interior,
with carved timber screens and air wells.
From 1909-1911, it was
the base of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, leader of the historic Chinese Revolution, and
the headquarters of the Southeast Asian branch of the Tung Meng Hooi. The
local Chinese of that time supported Dr. Sun Yat Sen in the great movement
against the Manchu government and the foreign imperialists in China. In 1911,
China became the first republic in Asia and Dr. Sun Yat Sen became its first
provisional president.
 8. Syed Alatas
Mansion
Proceed towards the junction of Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Acheh. On your left
is a children's playground. On your right is a lovely double- stdrff bungalow
set in a walled compound. This is the Syed Alatas Mansion, recently restored
in a government-funded pilot demonstration project undertaken with French
technical assistance in 1993. Before restoration, the bungalow was occupied
by Indian Chettiar scrap dealers and was used as a collection yard.
Syed Mohamed Alatas was
a wealthy Achehnese merchant of Arab descent who traded between Penang and
Aceh. After the Dutch laid siege on Aceh in the early 1870s, he was instrumental
in smuggling arms to the Achehnese resistance. Syed Mohamed Alatas resided
here with his first wife, a Malay of royal descent. His second wife was the
daughter of Khoo Tiang Poh, a leading Straits Chinese pepper merchant, shipping
tycoon and a leader of the Khoo clan.
Lebub Acheh
From here you can turn right onto Lebuh Acheh. In the late 18th and 19th
centuries, this was the street of Sumatran and Malay traders. The Arab and
Achehuese pepper merchants of North Sumatra, such as Syed Mohamed Alatas,
were the leaders of this community. In the old days when the Muslim pilgrimage
was more often made by ship rather than by airplane, this street was the
centre of Haj activities. Pilgrims came from North Sumatra, South Thailand
and the Northern Peninsula to make their travel arrangements and embark on
the Haj. In this area, bustling with travel agencies, shops, restaurants
and lodging-houses, the pilgrims mingled, shopped and attended religious
gatherings while awaiting the ships that would take them to Mecca. Today,
there are still some shops in front of the mosque selling Islamic books and
prayer accessories.
 9. Malay Mosque, Acheen Street
The
octagonal minaret marks the entrance to the Arheen Street Mosque, founded
in 1808 by a wealthy Arab merchant prince from the Acehnese royal family.
The mosque is located in
the middle of a large compound, surrounded by detached houses which are rare
survivors of the mid-19th century village. You can walk clockwise around
the mosque, passing the cemetery where the mosque founder, Tengku Syed Hussain,
is buried.
10. Khoo Kongsi
Coming
out of the mosque compound, walk straight ahead onto Lebuh Cannon. This street
is supposedly named after a hole in the ground made by cannon balls fired
into the area during the Penang Riots of 1867. These were the secret society
wars, fought between local groups, which the British tried to suppress. The
Straits Chinese from the surrounding clan associations together with the
Acheen Street Mosque community formed an alliance against later Chinese
immigrants and the Rope Walk Mosque community.
 On your left, you will see a
row of Straits ecletic-style terrace houses from the late 1930s, faced with
Shanghai plaster. On your right are a plainer row of shophouses from the
late 19th century. Enter the porte cochere in the middle of the row to visit
Penang's most famous historic monument, the Khoo Kongsi at Medan Cannon.
You will walk through a charming street flanked by rows of mid-19th century
shophouses. Turn right and you will see the recently renovated Khoo Kongsi
office building before you come to the majestic Khoo Kongsi, a gloriously
ornate late Ch'ng dynasty temple, and the theatre building. Both were recently
restored.
The Khoo Kongsi is a clan
association of the Leong San Tong (Dragon Mountain Hall) clan, whose forefathers
come from Sin Kang clan village in Hokkien province. The Khoos were among
the wealthy Straits Chinese traders of 17th century Malacca and early Penang.
In the 19th century, the clan complex resembled a miniature clan village,
with its own self-government as well as educational, financial, welfare and
social organisations. The clan temple was built in 1906 when the Khoo clan
was at the height of its wealth and eminence in Penang society.
 11. Cheah Kongsi
Like the Khoo Kongsi and the Acheen Street Mosque, the Cheah Kongsi is located
in a large compound accessible only through a narrow entrance. Coming through
the gateway, you will find a little surprise - a splendid double- storey
Chinese temple with an open balcony and sweeping roof, decorated with British
lionheads, standing on the edge of a small but well-kept lawn.
Straight ahead is the
association's office building, with a charming heritage interior. You can
ask for permission to enter the office building and the temple during office
hours.
NEXT STEPS
Emerging from the Cheah Kongsi, you have several options. You can head back
to Fort Cornwallis, catch a bus from the Lebuh Victoria bus station or you
can proceed to the clan jetties at Gat Lebuh Armenian.
OPTION 1
To head back, you can turn left onto Lebuh Armenian and then left again onto
Lebuh Pantai. If you continue north to the end of lzbub Pantai, you will
see the Fort Cornwallis at the end of the street.
OPTION 2
To get to the bus station, you can turn left onto Lebuh Armenian, turn left
onto Lebuh Pantai, turn right onto Lebuh Chulia and then turn left again
onto Lebuh Victoria until you come to the bus station. On the way you will
pass the Beach Street Fire Station and the Yeoh Kongsi, another Straits Chinese
clan association, at the junction of Lebuh Chulia and Lebuh Victoria.
OPTION 3
To make a detour to the clan jetties, just continue east along Lebuh Armenian
and Gat Lebuh Armenian until you reach Weld Quay along the waterfront. Then
cross the road and you will come to the Chew Jetty.
This is a clan jetty, a
village built on stilts over the sea and populated by members of the same
clan. Altogether there are six clan jetties along Weld Quay. Of these, the
Chew Jetty is the most attractive, with a large community of petty traders,
fishermen, stevedores and their families. Their homes are the attap-roofed
timber houses on stilts built over the water, their streets are the wooden
plank walkways and jetties.
For more information, contact:
Penang Heritage Trust, 26A Stewart Lane, 10200 Penang. • Tel:
604-264 2631
E-mail: phtrust@po.jaring.my • Website: www.pht.org.my
The Penang Heritage Trust
(PHT) is a registered, non-profit, non-govermental organisation promoting
the conservation and preservation of the cultural, historical and architectural
heritage of Penang. The trust organises site visits, heritage trails, talks
and educational programmes on Penang's heritage. |
