Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia: Chinese Style with Tropical Colors

A paifang in a Southeast Asian Chinese settlement. The form is a three-bay, four-column system of Minnan or Chaoshan origin, complete with jiannian (cut-and-paste porcelain mosaic) and painted decorations, but adapted due to local climate and materials: the columns are made of local granite or cement, plastered with bright colors; the painted decorations use colors more vibrant and saturated than the homeland, with pink, bright green, and turquoise added to the traditional red and gold; the eaves have widened drip edges to cope with heavy rain. The surroundings are a tropical environment: tall coconut and rain trees, Nanyang-style arcade shophouses, strong sunlight, and deep shadows. The walls show mold and water stains due to the hot and humid climate. Avoid: using low-saturation homeland color schemes, depicting a temperate environment, eliminating traces of humidity and heat, or making the form non-Chinese.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一座東南亞華人聚落的牌樓。形制是閩南或潮汕系統的三間四柱,剪黏與彩繪一應俱全,但因為當地的氣候與材料而有變化:柱身使用當地的花崗岩或水泥塑成,表面粉刷成明亮的顏色;彩繪的用色比原鄉更為鮮豔飽和,粉紅、亮綠與土耳其藍加入傳統的紅金之中;屋簷下有應付暴雨的加寬滴水。周邊是熱帶的環境:高大的椰樹與雨樹、南洋風格的騎樓街屋、強烈的日照與濃重的陰影。牆面因為濕熱而有黴斑與水痕。避免:使用低彩度的原鄉配色、把環境畫成溫帶、消除濕熱造成的痕跡、讓形制變成非中式。