By Maryam Nasir
(Article by Elena Koshy, New Straits Times)
An enthralling review by Elena Koshy that started with the fresh expression of the nostalgic vibe in the Blue Mansion, George Town using scene-setting technique, captivated me to continue reading the rest about the mansion that was built using the principle of feng shui.
Natch, the author succeeds in giving a sense of purpose, a clear description and intent to make it a good tale, with the story flow of her impression from the outside of the antique building, all the way inside making it more entrancing to depict its value.
One thing for sure that caught my attention is how she drew the flow of Chinese history throughout her stay but still highlighted the experience as bedrock. On top of that, utilising each term of Chinese tradition along with the clear interpretation of each and every single one, makes it easier to understand it.
The writer wrote:
The Cheong Fatt Tze, or better known as the Blue Mansion
With the saying lok lok tai soon which means “smoothness for every dealing”
Overall, the story isn’t hard for the readers to catch up with its meaning until they need to search it on another tab for certain words. It also includes all that a good feature needs to be which is based on human interest and also easy for the reader to comprehend apart from escaping to be in a different moonstruck.
In respect of that, how she describes the very detail of the building using precise measurement and background research shows how meticulous she is. That by saying, it gave lucid imagination for the readers before they actually came to the Blue Mansion to see by themselves.
The article read:
Constructed in 1897, Cheong Fatt Tze’s Blue Mansion spans a colossal 5,202.4sq m square metres and with a built-up area occupying 3,065.7sq m square metres.
The most prominent Chinese garden-style architectural example in Malaysia, the once dilapidated building was extensively and faithfully restored to its former glory in 1995.
The restoration won UNESCO the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s Most Excellent Project in the Asia Pacific Heritage Award in 2000.
Interestingly, the feature seems to include most of the plot movement to consistently attract the reader to stay until the end. Yet, through the peak and valley, it is continuously spellbinding for readers to scroll using the graphic image as an attraction.
Providing worthy descriptions of Chinese cultural schmaltz such as musical instruments, philosophical view, belief and significance shows how the writer appreciates the diverse culture and nature which leaves a good impression on her.
Therewithal, the story provides a thoughtful view as it has a strong narrative line as the ingredient. This piece of writing gives rise to an innate local aura that will urge the readers to go there, experiencing it such as impromptu sort of interview or natural bid with strangers.
The writer wrote:
The woman seated next to me expels a loud languorous sigh.
“Don’t you love the sense of history in this place?” my sister asks as we sit in the large open courtyard, where we listen to the sounds of the guqin played by a serious-faced young man.
It’s certainly got my sisters in a mood.
All three of them are clad in some form of oriental garb.
It has been a cool evening but they’ve whipped out their little folding fans and started flapping them around like some displaced courtesans.
This can be considered as “close to the reader’s heart” where the writer knows how to tackle the emotions, feelings, and sentimental values of the readers.
Categorised as a feature story, this story uses Freytag’s pyramid structure to develop the plot from the start to climax and resolution. The transition between the plot felt when she inserted the “Last Mandarin” history instead of just continuing her escapade there.
As a fold of this amusing story, the writer quoted “The “Last Mandarin'” of Penang must be very pleased” as essential to extend that she’s standing on how good the feeling of staying at the Blue Mansion is.
In my opinion, it is pleasing to read something enjoyable that is run into by the writer first, thus far affecting our feelings.
Although the article is light and leisurely, by all means, it is also a good human interest story that should be written – just a simple review of a place to the one-touch appreciation of an old age culture. ***
(This article is written as part of individual assignment series for Feature Writing class)