Shipping crate for “superior benzoin incense” from the Macao firm of 陳天祥 “Chan Tin Cheung”. This firm was one of eighteen members of an incense manufacturers’ guild that formed in 1898–9. LOCATION Wing Hing Long Museum, Tingha Incense crate – at Wing Hing Long Museum (IMG_4136, 14.7.19) TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION 粵東澳門 陳天祥上息香 Chan Tin Cheung’s superior benzoin incense. Macao, Eastern Yuet. NOTES 粵東 “Eastern Yuet”: 粵 “Yuet” was the name of a vast area of southern China that was home to the ancient Yuet peoples, and does not correspond to the provincial or other administrative boundaries of any Chinese state. Such expressions as “粵東/東粵” “Eastern Yuet”, “粵西/西粵” “Western Yuet”, and “兩粵” “The Two Yuet” were, however, often used as literary and history-referencing substitutes for the province names “Kwang Tung”, “Kwang Hsi” and the “The Two Kwang” (both Kwang Tung and Kwang Hsi) respectively, in much the same way as the words “Hibernia” and “Caledonia” are used in English as literary and...Read More

This name plaque, which would perhaps have originally been displayed above a front doorway, may come from Tingha’s Yee Hing Society building in Amethyst Street. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Collage of four photographs of the Yee Hing Society name plaque TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION 義興公司 Yee Hing Society WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? This name plaque, which would perhaps have originally been displayed above a front doorway, may come from Tingha’s Yee Hing Society building on the high side of Amethyst Street, which seems to have been variously referred to as the “New Masonic Temple”, “the Chinese Freemasons building” and “the Old Joss House”. NOTES: See also: For other artefacts that relate to the Yee Hing Society, and commentary thereon, see the Tingha Yee Hing Society stamp, the Sydney Yee Hing Society plaque, and the Moree Yee Hing Society plaque. This is a continually evolving website, and more information about this object will be published as further research is conducted. Inscriptions...Read More

The drum on this stand would have been struck to call the attention the deity or deities of a temple. The donor names inscribed on the stand link it to the 1883 Howell Rd temple in Tingha. LOCATION McCrossin’s Mill Museum, Uralla Temple drum stand – at McCrossin’s Mill (IMG_4579, 15.7.19) Inscription on temple drum stand – at McCrossin’s Mill (IMG_6112, 12.4.21) TRANSCRIPTION 沐 恩弟子香邑烏石 鄭泰坤 鄭賀麟 敬送 TRANSLATION Respectfully given by Thy/Your favoured followers Cheng Tai Kwan and Cheng Ho Lun of Woo Shek, Heung Shan. WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? “Cheng Tai Kwan” is also named as a donor of Processional placard 1. That placard is linked to Tingha’s 1883 Howell Road temple. Accordingly, it seems likely that this object also comes from Tingha’s lavish 1883 Howell Road temple. This hypothesis fits with the preponderance of donors of the same surname—鄭 “Cheng”—who are named on the processional placards (9 of the 20 placard donors are surnamed 鄭 “Cheng”). Another fact that seemingly supports this...Read More

The shape of this frieze suggests it graced the top of the front of an altar table. It was made by the firm of 三友 “Sam Yau” in Canton. LOCATION McCrossin’s Mill Museum, Uralla Carved scene with three sheep – at McCrossin’s Mill (IMG_6204, 12.4.21) TRANSCRIPTIONS AND TRANSLATIONS Manufacturer’s name at top right 省城杉木欄三友造 Made by Sam Yau of the Provincial Capital’s Cham-muk-lan. Above-door inscription within the scene 太史第 Residence of the Grand Record Keeper. NOTES 省城 “the Provincial Capital”: The expression 省城 “the Provincial Capital” would refer in this context to the city of Canton (now also known as Guangzhou). 杉木欄 Cham-muk-lan: “Cham-muk-lan” is a historical romanisation of the name of a woodworking and timber-supply quarter of Canton. This quarter’s Chinese name (杉木欄) translates literally as “Fir-wood Market”, fir having been the mainstay of traditional Chinese building and woodwork. Cham-muk-lan was located to the southwest of the city, outside the city walls, along a section of road called, for obvious reasons, 杉木欄街 “Cham-muk-lan Street” (now 杉木欄路“Cham-muk-lan Road”). 三友 “Sam Yau”:...Read More

This couplet board is believed to have formed part of a shrine-cabinet surround, as is suggested by the tenons projecting at top. LOCATION McCrossin’s Mill Museum, Uralla “Southern sky” couplet board – at McCrossin’s Mill (IMG_4567, 15.7.19) TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION 神靈顯赫耀南天       Gods so illustrious that they outshine the southern sky. WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? The hypothesis is that this couplet board, which the metrical structure of its text indicates occupied a position on the left, formed part of a shrine cabinet surround (as is suggested by the tenons projecting at top). However, the identity of the temple it comes from is not known. NOTES “Southern sky”: The nature of the text and the tenons projecting from the top of the board suggest that it once formed part of an altar surround within a temple. It seems likely that the expression translated as “southern sky” is an oblique reference to this temple’s geographical location in Australia, and thus constitutes...Read More

It is clear from the metrical structure of the text that it constitutes the first or so-called upper line of a Chinese couplet. LOCATION McCrossin’s Mill Museum, Uralla “Gold in Hand” couplet board – at McCrossin’s Mill (IMG_4562, 15.7.19) TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION 手握黃金憑利濟 It rests upon Thy providential aid that gold is held in hand, WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? The answer to this question is not known. The inscription contains an overt reference to or prayer for divine aid in the finding of gold, which would connect the couplet board not with tin mining (ruling out Emmaville) but a different location and the earlier gold rush. The hypothesis is thus that the board originally belonged to a gold-field temple. It is perfectly conceivable, however, that it was later relocated to a temple elsewhere. NOTES The text is the first line of a couplet: It is clear from the metrical structure of the text that it constitutes the first or so-called...Read More

Part of the framing from a diorama which would have showed mannequins from a scene in a play, and which would have part of the displays within a temple. LOCATION McCrossin’s Mill Museum, Uralla Mannequin frame section 1 – at McCrossin’s Mill (IMG_5999, 12.4.21) A well-preserved example of a diorama at Launceston’s Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery (QVMAG), an image of which is shown below, sheds further light on this object. The QVMAG diorama has a frame surround which is a very close match for several fragments held in at McCrossin’s Mill Museum: Mannequin frame section 1, Mannequin frame section 2, Mannequin frame section 3 and Mannequin frame section 4). McCrossin’s Mill also holds a Mannequin stand which would have been part of the structure of the diorama. Diorama with mannequins – Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery collection, Launceston (DSCF4397) This is a continually evolving website, and more information about this object will be published as further research is conducted. Objects gallery view...Read More