Cheah Kongsi Clan Temple
The Cheah Kongsi clan association was founded in 1820 by Cheah Yam, an immigrant
who originally hailed from Sek Tong village in South China. Upon his death, his
widow Ong Sin Neoh took charge of the association and created the legal
mechanisms and trust funds to ensure that the association would continue into
perpetuity. Her son, Cheah Choo Yew, and his succeeding descendants have served
as the presidents of the clan association ever since.
The Cheah clan temple is an eclectic mix of a Chinese mansion, Chinese temple,
and European bungalow. The present temple building dates from the 1870s. The
premises also include a similarly eclectic office building and surrounding
rentable properties.
The temple porch was renovated in the 1930s with the addition of British
lionheads. The roof decorations feature sirens, dogs, lions of stucco and shards
of both Chinese and Dutch crockery. Just as eclectic are the old office building
and it's interior which combine Malay, Chinese and European elements.
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