Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

The house

The mansion has 38 rooms, 7 staircases and 220 louvre windows

Built by the merchant Cheong Fatt Tze at the end of the 19th century, the mansion also has 5 granite-paved courtyards. It served as his private residence and as the seat of his business activities in Penang.

220vernacular timber louvre windows

The blue

The blue walls come from lime mixed with indigo dye

The blue is the result of mixing lime with natural dye from the indigo plant, imported from India by the British. The lime-wash absorbed moisture and cooled the house. Indigo was chosen because it was highly prized by all communities.

Feng Shui

Feng Shui shaped the plan, down to the water pipes under the floor

The mansion was built with careful attention to Feng Shui. The domestic annexe stands in front to prevent a road from making a T-junction before it. Water runs from the roof eaves to the central courtyard and leaves through pipes beneath the floor.

Mixed styles

Glasgow ironwork and Stoke-on-Trent tiles sit beside Chinese porcelain work

The mansion mainly reflects Chinese architectural styles of the Imperial Period, with some European elements. Features include Gothic louvred windows, Chinese cut and paste porcelain work, Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles, Glasgow cast iron and Art Nouveau stained glass.

Saved

Local people bought it in 1989 to save it from demolition

A group of local people bought the mansion from Cheong Fatt Tze's descendants in 1989 to save it from encroaching development and possible demolition. The restoration has won awards from UNESCO, and the house now operates as a hotel and museum.