Rich Chinese ethnic, building their houses in a majestic style, using good quality of material and with beautiful details and ornaments. In Pasuruan you can find nice old building of the Chinese ethnic from the past in Jalan Sukarno-Hatta, an elite area in the colonial period, as it was a primary artery, as part of Anyer-Panarukan route built in the period of Daendels. In jalan Soekarno Hatta there are 8 luxury houses, and popular as gedong wulo (8 buildings). Those buildings were owned by Chinese ethnic who had important role In Pasuruan economy.
One of the building SH 1 was owned by a man with Han as the family name, a trader and a businessman. He was also trusted by the Dutch as Mayor, whose duty was to monitor Chinese activities in China Town. The social status of the owner can be seen from the size of the building and the scale, with majestic main building, plus ancillary buildings as guest house on the left and right side. Guest house was fro traders from outsite the town who had no place to stay while staying in pasuruan. The owner entertained the guests staying in the guest house without charging for any of the facilities or service. This was one of manifestation of humanity from the owner. This tradition was kept until the next owner Thalib’s. Culture and art of Chinese ethnic can be seen from the ornament on the building elements. Craftsmanship works can be seen from statue ornaments, on the roof, rich of decorative ornaments on the gable , carvings, tendril motives on ancillary building balcony railings and bouvenlicht, and on glass as material for door. The belief of the owner can be seen from lion statue and the left and right of the gable as symbol of house guards. Also there is an altar as permanent praying made of red brick put on the middle room. Dragon and hong bird are symbol of harmony and house guard can be seen in several parts of the house, especially on the border between room. According to the cultire and belief, though SH 1 is Empire Isdisch Colonial style building yet the front and rear door were not made symetrically yet the circulation is separated into two areas of dining rooms, by putting altar to pray in the middle. This set is linear to culture and belief of Chinese, symmetric front and the rear door make the fortune of the house owner will be gone easily. The roof is sadle-like roof like that of Hsuan Shan, typical of Chinese architecture roof. The owner was trader, plantation owner , that the building is in big scale as mezzanine to store trading supply and crops.The building is a mix of Chinese, local and western architecture. The second owner add Islam architecture on the building.
SH2 building was also owned by Han family and his business was trading, plantation and transportation. It has Romantic style mixed with style of 1915. The building has decorative element with high art value, and tower is the main interest of the building. Colonial influence can be found in the exterior element while the ornament is a mix of local and western. Chinese influence can be found from the statues in the garden. Ornaments show round shape of pearl. IN Chinese belief, pearl is symbol of God (Thian). Even sometimes dragon created in front of gate. This means that God is protected by angels embodied in the form of dragon. Transportation business triggered the owner to build gazebo to fill fuel. Plantation and trading business made the owner creating high space with high roof to store goods. To avoid humid, the roof is given dormer element that air circulation and sun can shower the room. Materials used are good wuality, such as the marble were transported from Europe.
HS 3 is one of the most majestic colonial building in pasuruan. This building style is Indisch Empire. The owner was the richest man in Pasuruan, Kweek family.