Chen Quin Jack

The knowledge of Chen Quin Jack’s name in Chinese characters — 陳 觀 植 —led to an important recent discovery made by Our Chinese Past members Paul McGregor and translator Ely Finch. Chen Quin Jack’s name is inscribed as the donor of these two elaborate gilt carved altar-table candlesticks which date to 1883. This relationship corresponds with the timing of the construction of Tingha’s 1883 Howell Road temple and further confirms that it was built by Chen Quin Jack, and that he had close ties with the temple – You can read more detail about this discovery on Our Chinese Past website.

On one of the candle sticks the transcription reads;

光緒癸未陳觀植送

Gifted by Chen Quin Jack, in Xviii of the Kuang Hsü Era.

This photo taken in 1901 shows the interior of the 1883 Howell Rd temple in Tingha, displayed on the alter there are a pair of candlesticks, which may well be the same candlesticks now housed in the Wing Hing Long Museum in Tingha.