Penang: Pinang Peranakan Mansion

Penang or Pinang? Which is it?

Well, it’s Penang in English but Pinang in Malay … specifically, Pulau Pinang … which means the Island of Penang.

Eagle eyes might notice the different spellings in the title of this footprint, so I thought it best clarified.

Our visit to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion on Church Street was definitely a highlight of today’s tour around George Town.

The sign at the entrance explained the purpose of the mansion-turned-museum …

“Depicting the typical home of a rich Baba of more than a century ago, the opulent lifestyle of these locally acculturated [assimilated] Chinese is recreated … to offer a glimpse of their many customs and traditions. More than just a Baba-Nyonya museum, this century-old stately mansion of eclectic design and architecture incorporates Chinese carved-wood panels with English floor tiles and Scottish iron-works. Built at the end of the 19th century by one of local history’s famous personalities, the “Hai Kee Chan’ or Sea Remembrance Store had once served as the residence and office of Kapitan Cina Chung Keng Kwee.”

(“Peranakan” generally refers to a person of mixed Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage. “Baba-Nyonya” is a combination of two words. Baba, literally means father in many languages. In this instance, it is an honorific of respect used to address Chinese men born in the British Straits Settlements. It is common for Peranakan men to be known as Baba. As for Nyonya — it is the term applied to Peranakan women.)

We found the mansion quite fascinating … ornate carvings; plenty of gold gilding; beautiful stained glass details; colorful Chinese ceramics; marble statues; furnishings embellished with mother of pearl; period clothing and beaded accessories; and so much more.

We spent just over an hour at the mansion. I could have easily spent twice or thrice as long studying all the details that kept popping up around every corner.Read more