Chinese Architecture in Southeast Asia: Cantonese Architecture

Cantonese architecture, also known as Lǐngnán architecture (嶺南建築), is visually distinct from other architectural typologies of the Southern Chinese coastal regions. While its external colour scheme, that of grey and white with coloured glazed ornaments on its roof ridge, is similar to Teochew architecture, Cantonese architecture is the only typology among those from China's southern coastal region that features a straight roof ridge, as opposed to a curved one. Apart from this, the buildings have gabled ends, where the gable walls more often than not protrude above the ridgeline and typically sport the form of an “omega” at the top, although there are also other variations. As the “omega” shape resembles the handles of a Chinese wok (鑊耳), such gable walls are also referred to as huòěr shānqiáng (鑊耳山牆). As with Teochew architecture, the roof’s fascia board is also carved but the similarity ends there as the fascia board is typically finished with oil rather than gilded in gold as it is in Teochew architecture.

The aforementioned roof ornaments which are made specifically for architectural use, are produced mainly in the Shíwān (石灣) district of Fóshān (佛山), China, a place well-known for its glazed pottery. These stoneware with thick glazes are fired at a relatively low temperature compared to porcelain, and the addition of lead as flux lowers the glaze's melting point, resulting in a glassy finish. Although the glazes come in a variety of colours and tones, it is perhaps the darker shades of green and blue that are seen most often, while yellow and red glazes are used sparingly. Human figurines feature prominently in those used as decorative elements in Cantonese architecture and it is interesting to note that the clothed portions are glazed while the unclothed parts, such as the face and hands, are left unglazed. This not only provides contrast but also allows better portrayal of facial expressions.

In terms of proportion, Cantonese architecture is comparatively taller than other typologies. On the building’s front elevation, the stone columns under the eaves support the roof but there are also stone purlins on the side bays that connect to the front columns at approximately two-thirds to three-quarters the columns’ height. This reduces the slenderness ratio, which is to provide support against buckling. These stone purlins are sometimes fashioned in the shape of a bow and colloquially, they are referred to as xiāgōng liáng (蝦公梁) due to their resemblance to a prawn’s shape. Depending on the span of the purlins, a stone bracket is sometimes placed atop the centre portion of the purlin to support the eaves purlin. The stone column base or zhùchǔ (柱礎) in Cantonese architecture is also unique. The base is often carved in a manner whereby its narrowest cross-section is smaller than that of the cross-section of the column which it supports. With the taller proportions, the main door and door frame size are also correspondingly huge compared to those of other typologies. The walls on the front elevation are typically finished in grey clay tiles or qīngzhuān (青磚), and stone dado can also be observed in most cases.

Stepping into the building, the verticality of the space is marked by soaring columns that lead one’s eyes to the roof’s timber truss. Compared to the architecture of other southern Chinese coastal regions, the truss is relatively unadorned, either with simple carvings, or none in some instances. The timber grains are also left visible as the timber components are typically finished with a coating of oil rather than lacquer or oil-based paint, which are thicker and would obscure the grains. This sense of verticality, coupled with the restrained use of ornaments and colours, lends a sombre and dignified feel to the space. However, there are some architectural components, such as the decorative timber plaque or cǎimén (彩門) which hangs from the roof purlins in the space after the entrance, that depart from the typical pensive treatment. These plaques, which are usually found in religious buildings, are often carved in the form of a boat or flower basket and finished with gold gilding. Another example is the lattice decoration or fēizhào (飛罩) typically installed in front of an altar which is also sometimes gilded in gold. Such decorative timber carvings effectively attract one’s attention and it is hard not to notice them upon stepping into the space. These are typically the works of Fóshān carvers and the names of either the carver or the company that carried out the work can often be found on the more historic (typically from the Qing dynasty period) examples of such components.

Before the establishment of treaty ports with the 1842 Treaty of Nanjing, Canton (today’s Guangzhou) was the only trading port from the 17^th to 19^th centuries where foreign merchants and goods were allowed access. Contemporaneous building materials from the west, such as plate glass, entered China in the early 19^th century and were adopted as window panes for the lattice windows in Cantonese architecture, replacing the use of the translucent Capiz shells (Placuna placenta, also known as windowpane oyster) and paper. Apart from clear plate glass, coloured plate glass and in particular flashed glass, especially those in blue, green and red, were immensely popular. The western technique of acid etching on flashed glass was also adopted. This is a process where acid is used to etch and remove partially the coloured layer on the flashed glass, thereby creating designs using Chinese motifs (rather than Western motifs). Interestingly, Chinese windows with these coloured glass panes are known as Manchuria windows or mǎnzhōu chuāng (滿洲窗). Daylight shining through these coloured windowpanes, against the backdrop of grey or white walls and dark brown timber, creates a delightful visual contrast for the viewer.  

Examples of Cantonese Architecture in Southeast Asia

While the Cantonese community in Southeast Asia is sizeable, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, much of the historic Cantonese architecture has either been lost to redevelopment or altered. It should be noted that the Hainanese community also adopted the use of Cantonese architecture, both in China and Southeast Asia. This is unsurprising as Hainan island was for centuries part of Guangdong province. Hence, it is not uncommon for many of the Hainanese organisations/associations in Southeast Asia to employ Cantonese architecture typology when constructing their buildings. Singapore’s Kheng Chiu Tin Hou Kong (瓊州天后宮), and Hai Nam Assembly Hall (瓊府會館) in Hoi An, Vietnam are two such examples.

Malaysia

1. Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall 隆雪陳氏書院宗親會, Kuala Lumpur
   Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall was established in 1896. The land was purchased in December 1897 and construction of the building was completed in February 1906. It features Shíwān (石灣) architectural potteries made by a famous Fóshān potter (吳奇玉) and it is believed that the building was modelled after the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (廣州陳氏書院) in Guangzhou, China.
    
2. Toi Shan Ning Yang Wui Kwon庇能台山寧陽會館; Nin Yong Temple 武帝廟 and; Ng See Kah Miew 伍氏家廟, Georgetown
   While the land lease for Toi Shan Ning Yang Wui Kwon is dated 13 July 1833, it is believed that the clan association was founded earlier in 1831. However, it is unclear when the current building was constructed. The adjoining Nin Yong Temple and Ng See Kah Miew (Ng Family Ancestral Hall) are also of similar architectural style, as are the materials and craftsmanship used in their construction. As such, there is reason to believe that the ensemble was constructed at the same time. The gable walls of these buildings are especially striking visually as instead of the typical huòěr shānqiáng (鑊耳山牆), stepped gables are used.
   
   
   Bas-relief timber carving on the truss, and stone door frame of large proportions at the front elevation.
   (Toi Shan Ning Yang Wui Kwon, Penang, Malaysia)
    
3. Ng Fook Thong Temple 五福書院, Georgetown
   Ng Fook Thong Temple is generally believed to have been established in 1854 although some attribute its founding to an earlier date of 1819. According to the 1898 stone stele《重修五福书院小引》, this is the year that the current building dates back to. Thereafter, the building underwent several rounds of repairs and restoration, notably in 1978 and 2017.

Singapore

1. Former Thong Chai Medical Institution 前同濟醫院
   Thong Chai Medical Institution was founded as Thong Chai Yee Say (同濟醫社) in 1867. It was renamed Thong Chai Medical Institution in 1892 and in the same year, it moved into the building we see today. The building served various functions after the Medical Institution vacated the premises in 1976, including the controversial use as a discotheque. It is currently the only example of Cantonese architecture that has been accorded legal protection status as a National Monument in Singapore.
    
2. Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee 沙岡萬山福德祠
   Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee is believed to have been established in the second half of the 19th century, during the early years of the reign of the Qing dynasty Emperor Tongzhi. The temple relocated from a place colloquially known as Coconut Pond (椰水塘) to its current location in 1900, underwent an expansion in 1905 and was continuously upgraded until 1919. In 1954, a restoration was carried out and in 1981, the temple underwent a round of repairs that saw modern-day ceramic wall and floor tiles installed. This is a relatively humble temple without much ornamentation.
   
   
   A relatively simple Cantonese architecture with the straight roof ridge.
   (Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee, Singapore)
    
   
   
   Simple timber trusses are commonly found in Cantonese architecture.
   (Sar Kong Mun San Fook Tuck Chee, Singapore)
    
3. Kheng Chiu Tin Hou Kong 瓊州天后宮
   Kheng Chiu Tin Hou Kong is also home to the Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan (新加坡海南會館) and both the temple and clan association were established in 1857. (Another version of history claims that they were established in 1854.) The land occupied by the temple and clan association was purchased in 1878 and the original building, which is of Cantonese architecture typology, was completed in 1880. Between 1957 and 1962, the front portion of the building was demolished and redeveloped into a seven-storey reinforced concrete structure which officially opened in 1963. A small portion of the 1880 structure housing the temple remains on the site.

Thailand

1. Kwong Siew Association of Thailand 泰國廣肇會館 (廣東神廟), Bangkok）
   While the Kwong Siew Association of Thailand was only formally established in 1936, its history can be traced back to 1877 when a group of Cantonese embarked on the construction of a building for their locality-based association. Upon completion, this building was named “The Mansion of Guangzhao” (廣肇別墅).

Vietnam

1. Hoi Quan Tue Thanh (Ba Thien Hau Pagoda) 穗城会馆 (天后廟), Ho Chi Minh City
   The date of establishment for Hoi Quan Tue Thanh is unknown. According to the association’s stele, a major construction exercise was carried out for the building in 1800, and it underwent a few rounds of restorations in 1825, 1842, 1882, 1890 and 1996.
    
2. Hai Nam Assembly Hall 瓊府會館, Hoi An
   Hai Nam Assembly Hall is believed to have been established in 1851 and the current building is thought to have been constructed between 1883 and 1891. Although this building belongs to the Hainanese community, the building is of Cantonese architectural typology. The current building has since been renovated but despite the changes to the architectural finishes and colour scheme, the proportion and structure that are characteristic of Cantonese architectural typology are still discernible.

Cantonese Architecture: Rule of Thumb

• Exterior colour scheme: Predominantly grey (roof and wall tiles), and white (plastered walls)
• Roof ridge: Straight roof ridge
• Roof ornamentation: Shíwān architectural pottery
• Roof fascia board: Features bas-relief carvings
• Gable: Typically huòěr shānqiáng (鑊耳山牆)
• Exterior façade: Typically no window openings
• Door frame: Large proportion stone door frame, typically paired with stone plaques above the door frame and stone couplets flanking the door frame
• Timber carving: Elaborate carvings, typically executed on decorative timber plaque or cǎimén (彩門) and lattice decoration or fēizhào (飛罩)

Major References

1、陸琦, 《廣東古建築》, 中國: 中國建築工業出版社, 2015.

2、陸琦, 《廣東民居》, 中國: 中國建築工業出版社, 2008.

3、鄒偉初, 《廣府木雕》, 中國: 廣東人民出版社, 2009.