There is no doubt that Penang has got a long list of places to amaze the tourists. Amongst the many tourism spots, there is an old mansion which showcases the Baba Nyonya’s legacy and is known as Penang Peranakan mansion. The mansion belongs to Kapitan (chung Khee Quee) who is from china and made his fortunes over here. Even though he was a Chinese immigrant, he considered staying in the Penang as he was influenced by the Peranakan culture. The mansion actually depicts the Peranakan culture through its strong Peranakan architectural design. The mansion exhibits the magnificent ceramic floor tiles that were brought specially from England. Alongside the ceramic floor tiles, you are also going to find the Scottish iron casted art work  on the railings and the balconies. There are also elegant Chinese screen doors, walls and elegant Chinese wooden panels.

peranakan mansion view

The building was furnished again after some time and was converted into a Baba Nyonya Museum for showcasing the lifestyle and culture of the settlement of the Chinese straits in Penang that is known as Peranakan. ‘Baba’ actually means gentlemen and the Nyonya meant ‘ladies.’ The community of Peranakan represents a blend of Chinese and Malay customs, fashion, language and cuisines, evolved over a period of years.

The mansion is built on a land that belonged to the Ghee Hin clan’s headquarters, who was his rival. Then there is also an ancestral temple that formerly served as a Chinese school, located next to the mansion. During that period, the buildings were closely located to the seashore which is why the name ‘Hai Kee Chan’ was given to it by Kapitan, which means sea remembrance store in English.

peranakan mansion ptc

You are going to find wooden panel elegantly carved at the entrance of the mansion which are gold painted. This open carving is done for creating an oblique and delicate view of the mansion’s interior from its exterior. Alongside the main entrance, there are also two other entrances to the mansion having got wrought iron gates hinged to the pillars. There is a metal crown placed at the top of each pillar’s side, that signifies the ruling period of the British in the Penang islands.

At the right side of the entrance, there is a courtyard, and standing there you can view the cast iron railings with floral designs that are also gold painted. They signify the designs from the Victorian extravagance era on the veranda. The second entrance will take you to the temple the roof of which is decorated with some of the most colorful sculptures and the ornate ceramics.

Inside the building, you will find different valuable artifacts, antiques and several other collectables. Being a huge mansion building, there are several wings which the entire building is divided into. The that is closely located to the main road is allocated for large gatherings, where as the small chamber was meant for the women, where they could enjoy eating the betel nuts along with their card games. There is a central air well and a waiting lounge just ahead of the main entrance. The huge wooden archaizing carved Chinese screen called ‘pingfend’ separates them. The screen is believed to eliminate the entrance of evil spirit from entering the insides of the mansion from the main entrance and also believes to cover the seductive charms of the women, from the visiting men. You are surely going to be amazed by the screen, on your visit to the mansion.

So, visit the mansion to explore everything that it has to offer, as its got a rich history and therefore also happens to be one of the top tourist spots in the Penang islands. You can also consult with our touring services for the arrangement of your trip to the penang peranakan mansion.

Fun 66
Historical 90
Natural 70
Per person Rm119 and minimum 2 pax
Group of 10 person Rm468
Tour guide hire Rm240

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