Rocky River Joss House
Date Published
: Temples / Joss House, Mining (gold fields)
: Northern Tablelands (NSW)
: Rocky River
: 1899
Rock River Joss Hse
"Opening of a Chinese Joss house at Rocky River. The new Chinese joss-house or temple at the Rocky River, which has been in course of construction for some time, was nominally opened for the purpose of the usual Celestial devotions shortly after midnight on Thursday. Considering the small Chinese population located at the Rocky, the new place of worship reflects no small credit upon the liberality of the contributing Celestials, and it compares very favourably in several respects with one or two buildings used for Christian worship in this town."
"Upon the altar in the outer sanctuary stand a large gilt wooden sword, innumerable candles or tapers (from the size of an ordinary lucifer to that of a common sperm), variegated pieces of paper upon which are inscribed Chinese characters (sentences from the writings of Confucius), &c. Round the interior of the building some pleasing artificial devices were conspicuous, interspersed with which were numbers of miniature time- pieces, and there were also numerous figures of infants, more striking on account of their nude appearance and the ludicrous positions in which the " youngsters " had been placed than for their possession of beauty."
The Singleton Argus and Upper Hunter General Advocate, 4 February 1880, p.2.
“During the past week a trial of 9 tons of stone from Ryan's Point and the Joss-house (mixed) was put through the stampers"
