The Cheah kongsi or Sek Tong Cheah Si Seh Tek Tong Hock Haw Kong Kongsi was formed in 1810 by members of the Cheah clan from Sek Tong Village in the Fujian province of Southeast China. The main temple was completed around 1870 with architectural influences from Peranakan, Malay, British and Chinese. Although its premises face Beach Street, the main entrance is down a narrow passageway on Lebuh Armenian. The Cheah clan is one of the five largest Hokkien clans in Penang. The place is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm and admission is free.
Kongsi is the official name given to the clan houses or meeting halls for overseas Chinese with the same family name. Many Chinese came to Penang in the early 19th century and they were predominately single men, without any other immediate family in Malaya. They would often worked and lived on small vessels moored around what is now Swettenham Pier which is near the current ferry terminal in George Town. Later, they built houses on stilts over the water that became known as the Clan Jetties. Eventually each jetty became associated with a particular clan but today only six jetties survive. Those of the same extended family or clan began setting up kongsi in various parts of Penang.
