Plaque from Magenta Cottage

These ornately carved and gilded plaques once hung in Magenta Cottage, the home of Lee Cheng Yan. They appear to date from the completion of the house in 1890, since the main plaque is inscribed at right: 喬遷之敬 “Congratulations on moving to your new residence”. The large central inscription, 衛荊 Wei Jing, refers to Gongzi Jing of the Wei State who was described by Confucius as a man who wisely managed his wealth and houses. The figure was thus seen as a positive example for wealthy merchants.