Written by Christopher Cheng

Since the emergence of local born Chinese (ABCs) in Australia, one of the biggest concerns of their parents was how to pass on the ancestral language and culture to the next generation. Where possible, children were brought back to China for education. But when this was not possible, opening a Chinese school in Australia was considered a viable option. Again, securing qualified teachers was another challenge. Given these obstacles, I must admit I was lucky to have grown up in Cairns in the 1990s, where there was a Chinese community school, and more importantly, we had a dedicated teacher named Mr. Chee Hong Loh, or Luó lǎoshī (羅老師) in Mandarin.

During the week, Mr. Loh taught at a public school. His work however didn’t end on the weekends. On Sundays, he taught children in the Cairns community, many of whom were of Chinese descent. Although I may not have appreciated it much at the time (waking up extra early on Sunday mornings), Mr. Loh’s classes did not only introduce us to the intricacies of Chinese characters, but also opened our eyes to an appreciation of an ancient, exotic culture far from a largely western society in Cairns. Mind you, this was something my parents couldn’t do, even if they wanted to: They simply didn’t have the time, patience, or qualifications to do it. So, it took a university-educated educator, originally from Malaysia, speaking English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, to fill this key role.

After language class, Mr. Loh also held lion dance workshops. A small group of boys, including Mickey Kehoe, Hugh Hayward, and myself, watched videos of competitions, often in Malaysia, then we went on to practise basic kung fu stances. Throughout the year, Mr. Loh and his wife Jenny accompanied us, watching, and performing at various multicultural events around Cairns. Often Mr. Loh served as our driver and was also the drummer. If it wasn’t for these performances, I would probably never have visited as many places in Cairns as I had as a child. With my mother often working overtime, this exposure helped me to know my hometown as well as to gain an appreciation of my ethnic heritage. Much later, the destination of my first solo holiday to China would be to none other than Fat-san (佛山), Guangdong. This was the home of martial arts, and where lion dance remains a defining part of the local culture. My fascination with my cultural heritage obviously never went away, even after I first learned pinyin and how to write characters in Sunday school. The time spent with Mr. Loh in Cairns during my formative years would have a profound impact on my young adult life as well as my chosen career.

As we mourn his passing, I am still coming to terms with Mr. Loh’s larger-than-life influence on my life. Little did I know that when I first started Chinese and lion dancing lessons as a primary school kid decades ago, Mr. Loh’s appreciation for our heritage would one day rub off onto me, and this curiosity would sow seeds for my future travel in south China and a research career that revolved around documenting cultural heritage. Outside of teaching, Mr. Loh devoted his attention to community radio, instigating the Cantonese and Mandarin programme, where he broadcasted a variety of popular and classic songs. In fact, as I write this reflection, Mr. Loh’s distinctive chatty, Malaysian-accented English is already being missed. What is also clear is that Mr. Loh was much more than a Chinese teacher, he played an irreplaceable role in fostering cultural appreciation for the Chinese in Cairns, including among the ABCs.

4 July 2022 

Christopher Cheng

OBJECT – T236  Temple Drum, Lit Sung Goong Collection

This  wooden drum and detached pig skin was salvaged with other important objects from the Cairns Lit Sung Goong temple in Grafton Street by the Chinese community after the building was sold in 1966.

Conservation of the drum was completed in 3 stages with funding from the National Library Community Heritage program and Connected Communities Far North Queensland.

OBJECT T146– Ceremonial Lion Mask, Lit Sung Goong Collection

After more than a year away receiving vital conservation treatment, CADCAI’s oldest surviving Lion mask has been returned in a happier and stabilised condition.

CADCAI is grateful to the COPLAND FOUNDATION for generously funding the Project and to SORENSON ART CONSERVATION for the hundreds of hours of  skilled and dedicated conservation work.

The Lion Mask (T146) is a bespoke object, likely made in Hong Kong in the 1950s or 60s. Prior to treatment its conditon was extremely fragile.  The bamboo frame was broken in some places and the papier-mache was brittle, dry and flaky, making the object difficult to move and store safely.

The Lion Mask has now been completed and stabilised. After an investigative process, gels and adhesives were used with tissues paper and Tyvek to stabilise, repair and strengthen the original materials used in the mask.  Areas that are restored are the teeth of the lion mask and the nose.

The entire project equated to 98 hours of conservation treatment time.

Restoration vs. Conservation

“The driving principle and approach for this project was to salvage as much original material as possible, while adding strength and integrity to areas that were heavily compromised and degraded.

On a whole this treatment approach was achieved and is the very definition of conservation.”

– Conservator, Melanie Sorenson

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