Description:
Immigrants from China have lived in Retreat Street Alexandria – the site of the Yiu Ming Temple – since the 1870s. Over this period the Yiu Ming Society – one of the oldest and largest of the Chinese societies – has assisted immigrants from two counties in Guandong by providing low cost housing, financial support and employment opportunities. Yiu Ming Temple is an important place of worship and communal activity for Sydney’s Chinese community. Its construction – authorised by the Yiu Ming Society – commenced in 1908 and was completed in 1910. The precinct consists of two distinct architectural components: a row of ten, two storey, late nineteenth century brick workers' cottages and a temple that opens onto a walled garden. One end of the street has been enclosed by a high brick wall and the other end by a gate forming an internal courtyard. The precinct is approached through a 'pailou', or ceremonial gate-way that was constructed in May 1981. The Temple is designed as a 2 block layout. The front and the rear blocks are set at different heights and are separated by a small enclosed sunken coutyard. The area is top lit by a pyramidal 'roof lantern' incorporating large fixed windows by a mosaic of alternating coloured glass. The Temple and the surrounding site follow certain principles of Chinese cosmology known as feng shui. For example the Temple's entrance faces south reflecting the belief that the south embodies the sun-orientated principle of yang while a solid north wall is built to deflect the cold yin principle.

Jurisdictions::
City of Sydney

photos:

photo ID#: 1968813


photo ID#: 1968814


photo ID#: 1968816