This would have been one of a set of probably eight staffs, which would have been displayed at the 1883 Howell Rd temple in Tingha. This staff, along with Processional staff 1, are the only ones from this set still known to exist. LOCATION Wing Hing Long Museum, Tingha Processional staff 2 – at Wing Hing Long Museum (IMG_6219, 13.4.21) Date inscription (IMG_4169) Donor inscription (IMG_4171 TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION 光緒九年仲春吉旦 沐 恩弟子梁國仝敬送 Respectfully and conjointly given by Thy/Your favoured follower Leung Kwok on an auspicious day in the second Spring month of the ninth year of the Kuang Hsü Era. WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? This object, and the matching entitled “Processional staff 1”, are inscribed with a date that corresponds to 1883. Accordingly, the hypothesis is that they come from Tingha’s lavish 1883 temple. NOTES 仝 “conjointly”: This object forms a pair with “Processional staff 1”, which was donated by a certain 梁苟 “Leung Kau”. The word 仝 “conjointly” in the inscription presumably references...Read More
A temple bell that, at some stage, became a church bell. It is not known in which temple this bell was used. LOCATION Grounds of St Andrew’s Church, Tingha Temple bell – at St Andrew’s Church, Tingha (IMG_4240, 14.7.19) This is a continually evolving website, and more information about this object will be published as further research is conducted. Objects gallery view Objects list viewRead More
Dedicated to Sudhana Kumāra, an acolyte of Avalokitasvara (a.k.a. Kwun Yam), it is therefore highly likely that the printing blocks come from a temple at which Avalokitasvara was venerated. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Fortune-paper printing blocks (IMG_6594, 16.4.21) The same three blocks in IMG_6594, turned over (IMG_6595, 16.4.21) One of the three blocks shown above, Fortune-paper printing block “No. 81” – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6596 flipped horizontally, 16.4.21) TRANSCRIPTIONS AND TRANSLATIONS Verso inscriptions in top photograph (left to right) 第壹 First 第陸 Sixth 第捌拾壹 Eighty-first Upper inscription on each fortune-paper template 善財童子靈籤 [Efficacious] Sudhana Kumāra Chim Sticks. WHERE WERE THESE OBJECTS USED? The answer to this question is not known. Sudhana Kumāra is an acolyte of Avalokitasvara (a.k.a. Kwun Yam); it is therefore highly likely that the printing blocks come from a temple at which Avalokitasvara was venerated. NOTES Sudhana Kumāra: Sudhana Kumāra is a Buddhist deity and acolyte of Avalokitasvara (a.k.a. Kwun Yam), both of whom, on account of its syncretic nature, are also venerated in Chinese folk religion. “Chim sticks”:...Read More
The papers printed on this block would have been the answers to health questions asked of 華佗 Hua T῾o, the Chinese God of Medicine. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Prescription printing block – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6591 flipped horizontally, 16.4.21) TRANSCRIPTIONS AND TRANSLATIONS Upper inscription on each prescription template 華佗靈籤 [Efficacious] Hua T῾o Chim Paper. Line of text running down the side 此籤版藏佛山舍人後街近文堂書坊 These chim-paper woodblocks are held by the Kan Man Tong book workshop, She Yan Back Street, Fat Shan. Text that appears between the lower row of templates 十三 Thirteen. WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? The answer to this question is not known. The prescription templates all relate to Chinese God of Medicine Hua T῾o, who contemporaneous Chinese-language newspaper reports unambiguously identify as the primary deity of the Emmaville temple. But the Emmaville temple was reported to have been totally destroyed by fire in 1932, and it is not inconceivable that Hua T῾o was venerated at other temples in the region. NOTES: 籤 “Chim”: The word 籤 “chim” (a.k.a. 籤條 “chim-tiu”)...Read More
This stamp belonged to one or both of Tingha’s Chinese Masonic society buildings. The “Yee Hing Society” was an earlier name for this organisation. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Tingha Yee Hing Society stamp – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6684, IMG_6685 flipped horizontally, 16.4.21) Rear view of Tingha Yee Hing Society Stamp – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_4070, 14.7.19) TRANSCRIPTIONS AND TRANSLATONS Recto 天架義興公司拜 Compliments of the Yee Hing Society, Tingha Top end of the verso 上 Top WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? In the light of the unambiguous inscription, it appears probable that this stamp belonged to one or both of Tingha’s Chinese masonic buildings. The first of these would appear to have been otherwise known as the “masonic shack”, and to have been located at the northern end of Tingha, opposite Chen Ah Song’s store and adjacent to a wooden bridge over Cope’s Creek. The more recent Chinese masonic building, referred to as the “New Masonic Temple”, is given...Read More
This pair of candlesticks would have likely stood upon an altar table in the 1883 Howell Rd temple in Tingha. LOCATION Wing Hing Long Museum, Tingha. Pair of candlesticks, with their texts delineated and numbered (IMG_6282, 16.4.21) Text 2 (IMG_6303, 16.4.21) Text 1 (IMG_6307, 16.4.21) Showing text 3 as it progresses around the candlestick (IMG_6298, 16.4.21) Showing text 3 as it progresses around the candlestick (IMG_6295, 16.4.21) Showing text 4 as it progresses around the candlestick (IMG_6287, 16.4.21) Showing text 4 as it progresses around the candlestick (IMG_6288, 16.4.21) Each of this pair of candlesticks would have been held mounted upright in a pair of pewter candlestick holders, which would have stood upon an altar table in a temple. A 1901 photo of the interior of the 1883 Howell Rd temple in Tingha, shown below, depicts a pair of candlesticks displayed like this on the altar. This even maybe the same candlesticks in the photograph that are now preserved at...Read More
A remnant of the packaging of an incense packet from Macao, from the firm 陳聯馨 “Chun Lun Hing”. Printed in multiple ink colours. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Multicoloured incense-stick packaging – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6755, 16.4.21) TRANSCRIPTION CHUN LUN HING DEALER IN BEST QUALITY JOSS STICK MACAO CHINA. 178 ⋯⋯ 陳聯馨 TRANSLATION … CHUN LUN HING. 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 history-referencing substitutes for...Read More
Nine packets of incense, printed in red ink, and probably used in Tingha. From the firm 陳聯馨 “Chun Lun Hing” in Macao. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Red incense stick packaging – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6765, 16.4.21) TRANSCRIPTION CHUNLUNHING DEALERIN BESTOUALITY JOSS STICK MACAO OHINA 粵東陳聯馨茄楠息香 本號虔造各品各香發客舖在澳門火船頭街開張 TRANSLATION Benzoin and agarwood incense by Chun Lun Hing of Eastern Yuet. This firm, whose shop is located on Rua das Lorchas, Macao, devoutly makes various forms of incense and other items for retail sale. 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...Read More
