14/02/2026
【山門修復紀錄|清華宮螭龍窗復刻工程】
白蟻,把百年山門的螭龍窗吃空了。
馬六甲干冬清華宮,建廟逾百年,是當地早期華人重要信仰中心。其山門馬六甲一代傳統的閩派廟宇格局,木作與雕飾,均帶有為地方特色。
此次修復範圍,為山門兩側的螭龍圓窗木雕構件。其中一側因長年曝曬與白蟻侵蝕,木質粉化、結構中空,已難以補強保存;另一側則仍維持完整原件。
若以一般做法,直接重做一對新件替代最方便。但那樣會使老廟原有的歷史痕跡和工藝一併消失。
因此我們選擇更費工的方式——
保留完好的原件,僅復刻受損的一側,依原貌精準對應。
本次工程由檳城景華工坊承接,由有在地傳承的傳統鑿花匠所承製,以延續老一輩木雕師傅的手工技法與刀路。我們依舊件逐一量測、描樣存檔,比對原始比例、刀路與層次關係,以傳統鑿花工法重新復刻,全程不以用機械雕花而是手工鑿刻完成,只求形制、氣韻與另一邊的原件一致。
目的只有一件事——
讓新件與百年前的原件並立時,看不出新舊差異。
當螭龍窗重新安回山門,光影穿過窗櫺,層次與線條回到熟悉的位置,那份屬於老廟的神采,也隨之歸位。修復古建築,從來不是把它變新,而是尊重留下來的每一分老工藝。
傳統工藝的價值,
不在於做得多快,
而在於是否有人願意,
照老規矩慢慢做。
—— 景華工坊
檳城在地非遺|傳統木雕|鑿花復刻
(部分照片取自清華宮官方網站)
Restoration Record | Replication of the Chi-Dragon Window, Cheng Wah Keong Temple, Malacca
Termites hollowed out the century-old chi-dragon window of the temple’s entrance gate.
Located on Jalan Kandang, Cheng Wah Keong Temple of Malacca has stood for over a hundred years as an important spiritual centre for the early Chinese community in the region. Its entrance gate reflects the traditional Minnan temple layout with localised characteristic of Malacca, containing intricate timber structures and carvings that embody strong local craftsmanship.
This restoration focused on the pair of circular chi-dragon windows flanking the main gate. On one side, after years of exposure to weather and termite damage, the piece had suffered structural hollowing and severe deterioration, making reinforcement no longer viable. The opposite side, however, remained intact as an original piece.
The easier approach would have been to replace both with a newly carved pair. Yet doing so would erase the historical traces and original craftsmanship preserved in the surviving work.
Instead, we chose the more demanding path:
to retain the original intact window panel and replicate only the damaged side, ensuring precise correspondence to the existing piece.
This project was undertaken by Keng Hwa Carving Studio, a Penang-based traditional carving studio rooted in local heritage transmission. Executed by our craftsmen trained in traditional woodcarving techniques, the work followed the methods and tools passed down from earlier generations. Each dimension was carefully measured, patterns documented, proportions and carving sequences analysed. The replacement panel was recreated entirely by hand using traditional chiselling methods — no mechanical carving was employed.
Our sole objective was clear:
When placed side by side, the new piece should be indistinguishable from the century-old original.
Once reinstalled, light filtered through the lattice once again. The depth, rhythm, and visual harmony of the gate is back to it's original form. Architectural restoration is not about making the old look new. It is about honouring what remains and allowing craftsmanship to continue across time.
The value of traditional craft does not lie in speed, but in the willingness to follow old methods patiently and faithfully.
Keng Hwa Carving Studio
Penang Heritage Craft | Traditional Woodcarving | Architectural Replication
(Some of the photographs used in this post are courtesy of the official website of the temple.)