Category Archives: China

Arrivals Malvine, en route to Victoria

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Celestial Visitants. —Considerable amusement has been created in town within the last few days by the grotesque appearance of some Chinese, who arrived here in the schooner Malvine, and who have paraded our streets in full display of their national costume. Young and old invariably stop or turn to look at the wiry pigtails and capacious inexpressibles, which appear to have been made for that most symmetrical of female forms—the Hottentot Venus. It is droll to observe the air of self-complacency with which these people move about; swinging their rigid arms like the pendulum of a clock, and rolling from side to side, a party of four or five will occupy the width of a street; whilst the continual grin upon their countenance indicates a full persuasion of transcendant superiority. Nevertheless, one cannot but regard them with deep interest, as forming part of a nation embracing nearly half the entity human family and who, after centuries of seclusion, are now stepping into the world around them. The men (thirteen in number) proceed to the digings
Launceston Examiner via the Banner, 20 June 1854

MAGISTRATE IN A FIX.—At the police office on Saturday last, thirteen emigrants from the celestial empire, arrayed in apparel peculiar to their country, and headed by Ahong the watchmaker, of Wellington-street, who assumed the character of interpreter for his less-learned countrymen; applied to the police magistrate under the following circumstances:–They stated that they had emigrated in the Dutch schooner Melvine, under the agreement that the captain should land them in Melbourne from Canton for the sum of seventy dollars. The captain had received the passage money and brought them here, but refused to pay for their transmission across the Straits. This was the cause of complaint, and in substantiation of their claim, to amazement of the police magistrate, they placed in hand an agreement written in the Dutch language, and bespattered with Chinese hieroglyphics. Mr. Gunn said it was too much to expect a police magistrate to understand the Dutch and Chinese languages, and handed the document to Dr. Casey, who happened to be sitting on the bench at the time The doctor may have seen some “enigmatical prescriptions” during his professional career, but the one now placed before him appeared to mystical for him to decipher. The police bench declined to interfere in the matter.
Cornwall Chronicle, 22 June 1854

The Malvine. — This schooner (Dutch) from Canton is now discharging tea, She was 63 days on her passage, and spoke a schooner in the Straits of Sumla bound for this port or Melbourne. Thirteen Chinese emigrants came in the Malvine for the purpose of joining some of their countrymen at the diggings. They had not enough money to pay for their passage, but Along, a Chinese who keeps a watch-maker’s shop in Wellington-street, made up the deficiency out of his private purse.
Cornwall Chronicle, 17 June 1854


Departures from Launceston, The Courier, 19 June 1854

Weldborough Joss House

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This page is part of a series of linked posts. You want to start with the main page

This one being the best known and most frequently mentioned, I’m just including material relating to its opening, closure and useful descriptions.

The first mention of a joss house at Weldborough or Thomas Plains predates the opening of the building by almost a year:

From “The Chinese Camp at Thomas’ Plains”
The Joss-house is frequented, and bushels of crackers burnt, the debris from which bestrews the whole camp.
The Mercury, 15 February 1883

The opening was apparently a big event in the area.

New Joss House. We have been informed that at the end of the present month a new Joss House will be opened in the Chinese Camp at Thomas Plains, when a grand display of fireworks and colored lights will also take place in connection therewith. On this occasion the Chinese resident in the district are to appear in their native dresses and gorgeous regalia, in order that they may help in the opening ceremony. The gathering is to last two days.
Daily Telegraph, 24 January 1884

New Joss House.–We have been interviewed by the high priest (about 5ft 6in) who is to officiate at the inauguration of the new Joss House at Thomas Plains on the 31st inst. The ceremony is to be of a most imposing, character, as the Mongolian dresses, emblems, banners, regalia, and fireworks are to be gorgeous, and the music–most ancient; from Pekin—-celestial. The ceremonies will occupy two days and nights, viz., Thursday and Friday next, 31st January and 1st February. We envy the inhabitants of Thomas’ Plains, who will have full opportunity of. witnessing the mysterious ceremonies on this occasion. The admission is free, and all are invited.
Daily Telegraph, 26 January 1884

GEORGE’S BAY.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Thursday last was a red letter day for the people at Thomas’ Plains, being the commencement of the New Year with the Chinese. There was a great muster of that nation, as well as Europeans. The fireworks that were let off in the evening were certainly very beautiful, being imported direct from China, The Joss consists of a painting of an immense personage, and two much smaller figures, one on each side. Pigs were roasted whole, weighing from 80 pounds tot90 pounds, and were well done all through. Before being eaten they were placed in the Joss House before the Joss, and left for about an hour, for him to get his supper first. Strange to say, a t the end of the time allowed the Joss for his repast, when his worshippers went for the pigs, they had not been cut into a t all, his lordship, 1 suppose, not being hungry. The Chinese were very hospitable, and paid every attention to the visitors, supplying them with all sorts of good things in the shape of preserves, spirituous liquors, and other luxuries. I believe that all the horses at George’s Bay were in requisition to carry the visitors from here to the plain. The fireworks, I understand, cost a lot of money, and one may easily imagine they* must have done so, when one alone cost £30, and was something to he remembered. The carving of the wooden frame work of the picture was really a beautiful piece of workmanship, and is well worth seeing.
Tasmanian News, 6 February 1884

But John, like all other thinking animals, must have his religion : it may be hard to reduce it an intelligible issue, what with its mythological figures, fables, fireworks and fatality. Still to him, it is everything, and no sooner are we favoured with an imperfectly macadamized highway than it is immediately utilised in supplying him with the necessary helps in support of his faith. Almost the first dray load of merchandise brought directly on to the plains consisted of a costly set of religious furnishments, including of course a brand new Joss, with fireworks, drums, gongs, and cymbals to boot, hence the unlovely outburst, hinted at in the opening of these notes. To one whose musical fibre seems attuned to nature’s pitch there is something horribly aggravating in John’s musical efforts. I can liken them to nothing better than a tin-kettle corrobborree breaking in upon a marriage feast. Whatever may be tho moral excellencies involved on the philosophical teachings of Confucius, it is to be regretted that he, though skilled himself to play upon a lute with ten silken strings, left nothing recorded to enlighted his countrymen touching the concord of sounds.
Mercury 6 February 1884
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Chinese Memorial & Funerary Oven, Moorina Cemetery

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A Chinaman, named Lin Foo, died rather’ suddenly at the Garibaldi camp on Sunday night, It appeals that he has suffered from heart disease for some time, and after gambling on Sunday evening, smoked some opium, and died soon after. He was buried in the cemetery here this evening. Tho Chinese are certainly rather unceremonious in their manner of disposing of their dead. They have no prayers, the coffin is lowered directly into the grave, and on top of it are thrown a quantity of calico, a billy containing rice, and a pair of chop sticks. The grave is then filled in, and while this is being done they burn large quantities of paper and candles, specially prepared for this purpose, and incense. There is little or no show of feeling, most of the mourners or followers talking and smoking, evidently seeming glad it is all over.
The Mercury, 20 December 1886


This stone has been erected by the Chinese of Garabaldi, Argus and Moorina, as a place of worship of Confusias religion to the departed Chinese and those connected with the Chinese in the Moorina cemetery.

Garibaldi Joss House

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This page is part of a series of linked posts. You want to start with the main page

I’ve found very little about Garibaldi’s temple. I’ve included everything below, with a break in the middle to consider the photo. Due to a lack of information, it’s hard to pin down the dates of use, but, based on available information, c.1890 to 1920s seems likely

A large Chinese camp has lately been built at the Garibaldi about eight miles from here, which will probably shortly become the head-quarters of the Chinese in this district. The only thing required to make it so now is a Joss House, which will probably be obtained, either by building a new one, or the removal of the one at Weldboro’, unless our respected missionary Wong Poo, succeeds in converting the majority to Christianity, when probably instead of a Joss House, they will have a church.
The Mercury, 3 April 1886

The Chinese new year is just over and the Celestials, numbering about 600 in camp, have had a rare festival this year. I hear that about £400 was gathered for the occasion, which went towards a new joss house at the Garibaldi claim, an addition to joss house at Weldborough, and £100 for fireworks.
The Tasmanian, 23 February 1889

Leaving the one main street we go a few hundred yards to a separate building of larger dimensions. This is the josshouse. Hundreds of visitors are round about it and here, too, we find most of the Chinese congregated. Beautiful and costly lanterns are hung by the josshouse door. Round some lanterns are paper mandarins, etc. revolving on stately procession. Inside the building one is almost overcome with the strong incense and heated air from multitudes of burning tapers. Heavily decorated silks, etc. shut off most of the end view, where, perhaps, Joss himself has his abode for the time. Most of the decorations are very elaborate, and some are exceedingly beautiful.
The Mercury, 1 March 1912

Garibaldi Joss House WC
Chinese Josshouse, Garibaldi
Weekly Courier, 21 May 1914

The panels either side of the door are in storage at the Queen Victoria Museum. The large text translates as “He whose Military Achievements are certain is fit to be a Warrior Deity” and “He whose Smaller print down the sides says “Respectfully presented by Lei Yi Chun from Xin Ning District” and  “Established on the auspicious festive day in an Autumn month during the 16th reigning year of Guang Xu” which I’m told is between 16 August 1890 and 13 October 1890.
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