The inscription on this plaque is a list of 155 names. The matching design of this plaque, which we have called Names Plaque Dated 1866, indicates that it forms a pair with Donation Plaque Dated 1866. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Name plaque dated 1866 (IMG_6881, 16.4.21) Because Names Plaque Dated 1866 likely forms a pair with Donation Plaque Dated 1866, the names on Names Plaque Dated 1866 are therefore probably those of the “followers” and members of the “Yeung Fook Tong” society named in Donation Plaque Dated 1866’s inscription, who are given to have collectively donated one or more door-like screens and entrance adornments, including the “Yeung Fook Tong” Entrance Adornment. Both plaques are believed to have been purchased by Inverell Pioneer Village from an auction of temple items in Tingha in 1978. As Tingha was not established until 1872, the date of these plaques of 1866 indicates that they come from a Rocky River temple dated 1866, for which...Read More
A Chinese-temple donation inscription that is couched as an address to that temple’s deity or deities, as is customary with such inscriptions. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Donation plaque dated 1866 – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6880, 16.4.21) TRANSCRIPTIONS Regular-script transcription that retains variant character forms and original format Regular-script transcription that employs standard character forms and a rearranged format 同治五年歲次丙寅孟冬吉旦 沐 恩弟子仰福堂敬送彩門企陽 TRANSLATION Entrance adornment(s) and door-like screen(s) respectfully given by Thy/Your favoured followers’ Yeung Fook Tong, on an Auspicious Day in the First Winter Month of the Fifth Year of the T῾ung-chi Era, which is the sexagenary year IIIiii. WHERE WAS THIS OBJECT USED? This plaque and the matching “Name plaque dated 1866” are believed to have been made for a temple that opened that year in Rocky River. NOTES: Overview: This text is a Chinese-temple donation inscription that is couched as an address to that temple’s deity or deities, as is customary with such inscriptions. The romanisation “Yeung...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
This canister was used to hold the chim sticks, or fortune sticks, that were used in divination rituals at temples. It is likely from one of the Tingha temples. LOCATION Inverell Pioneer Village Chim stick canister 2 – at Inverell Pioneer Village (IMG_6629, 16.4.21) OBJECT BIOGRAPHY This canister was obtained by Inverell Pioneer Village, probably from Les Jack’s 1978 auction of temple artefacts from Tingha. It is also a match for Chim sticker canister 1, which is in a private collection. The two canisters may have been from the same temple in Tingha. Chim stick canister 1 – private collection Chim stick canister 2 – Inverell Pioneer Village 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
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
