Doorway, Penang, Malaysia

The Pinang Peranakan Mansion, built towards the end of the 19th century, was the home to a very wealthy Chinese man and his extended family. Though the tour I took of the Mansion did not make this clear – the guide was full of information, or so it seemed, but next to impossible to understand – I presume the man made his fortune as a trader. Chinese trading networks built around families originally from Guangdong and Fujian in southern China have played an enormous role in the history of Southeast Asia. You certainly see their influence everywhere in Penang. In any case, the Mansion is now a museum housing a magnificent collection of traditional Chinese arts and crafts, from painting and jewelry to jade, porcelain, and embroidery. This is a photo of the beautifully carved wooden door panels that form the original entrance to the building.

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Steve

Born in the United States, photographer, bookworm, expatriate

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