Chinese Motifs and Ornamentation in Heritage House Construction: A Study on the Demang Abdul Ghani House

The Demang Abdul Ghani House is a heritage residence that has been gazetted as a museum under the Malacca State Heritage Department. Built at the end of the 18th century, this house holds high artistic value as it incorporates a mix of diverse motifs and architectural styles, including English, Javanese, Portuguese, Dutch, and Chinese. However, this study focuses solely on the Chinese motifs and ornamentation present in the house. The first objective of this research is to examine the forms of Chinese motifs and ornamentation found in the house. The second objective is to explore the underlying meanings behind the use of these Chinese motifs in the house. This study employs observational methods to collect data and descriptive methods to interpret each motif. The findings reveal that the Chinese motifs and ornamentation in the house fall into three categories: floral, animal, and cosmic. All these motifs are interrelated and possess implicit meanings believed to bring benefits and prosperity to the house's occupants, according to Chinese philosophy and culture.