THE BLUE MANSION - indigo

The History Behind The Mansion

The Birth of Glory and Grandeur

The Blue Mansion is the perfect epitome of the grandeur and achievements of Cheong Fatt Tze, which today stands as a landmark in the fabric of George Town Penang’s vibrant heritage as a boutique hotel and historical attraction

The story began in the late 19th Century where Cheong Fatt Tze aspired to house his descendants in a home that personifies the essence of majesty and elegance.

Not long after, the bricks were laid with painstaking and arduous detail after a thorough consultation with the era’s leading Feng Shui master. While many of his Hakka friends and relatives took interest toward modern Anglo-Indian Houses, Cheong Fatt Tze loved the sophisticated beauty of traditional Chinese houses. More than anything, he wanted to preserve his heritage and share his love of culture and tradition through architecture.

With that came about one of the most lavish and elaborate constructions of his time – The Blue Mansion. With an eye for detail and excellence, Cheong Fatt Tze was determined to use only the best materials for his Mansion. He shipped artisans in from Southern China and imported building materials from as far as Scotland. Much to his delight, The Blue Mansion was more refined than his native home in Tai’pu, and it was said that only one of two such buildings of this size – with 5 courtyards – an eclectic style of architecture that mainly exists outside of China.

At the height of its glory, The Blue Mansion was the pivotal heart of the city. Here, life radiates at every nook and cranny of the Mansion, with an unceasing and enigmatic rhythm of activity. The space served both as a home and an office, and acted as the base for Cheong Fatt Tze’s commercial enterprises. It also housed the Chinese Vice-Consulate and was home to his favoured 7th wife. Within the backdrop of the majestic mansion, business meetings were held, guests were greeted in function rooms and significant business activities were concentrated in the centre of the Mansion.

The rear halls were kept away from the hustle and bustle of Cheong Fatt Tze’s business and administrative work. Here, favoured family members were housed in the centre bay and rooms on the first floor. Some spaces were kept exclusively for ancestral prayers and meal times and those who had lost favour, as well as lesser relatives, were moved to the wings of the Mansion.

Stables were sited at the back of the Mansion, together with a row of outhouses and bathrooms. A low building by the main gate as well as 5 terrace houses across the road was used as staff quarters alongside a raised viewing pavilion that was badly damaged during the Second World War.

THE BLUE MANSION - indigo

We are here today for a great dinner experience.