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When the
first immigrants from the Hokkien province of China
arrived in Penang, one of the first things they set out
to do was build one of the most magnificent clan houses
in Penang. Work began on the clan house in the 1890's
which resulted in what was said to be a palace which
rivaled that of the Emperor of China. As the story
goes, this extravagance incurred the wrath of the Gods
and on the first night of the clan house's completion,
an unexplainable fire broke out and burnt the house
down! It wasn't until 1902 that the current clan house
began construction.
One of
five clan houses still standing in Georgetown, the Khoo
Kongsi clan house takes on a remarkable resemblance to a
mini clan village. One of the grandest clan houses in Penang, the Khoo Kongsi features tall thin columns
supporting a gently sloping, red tiled roof, topped with
carvings of dragons, phoenixes, mythical animals and
various scenes from popular Chinese legends.
The clan
house also has a grand hall adorned with resplendent and
intricate carvings and richly ornamented pillars which
are said to have been crafted by master craftsmen from
China. Other major Hokkien clan houses that can be found
in Penang are the Cheah Kongsi, Yeah Kongsi, Lim Kongsi
and Tan Kongsi.
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