Thian Hock Keng

Coordinates: 1°16′51.8″N 103°50′51.1″E / 1.281056°N 103.847528°E / 1.281056; 103.847528
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Thian Hock Keng Temple
天福宮
Mazuism, Buddhism
Established1821–1822
Architecture
StyleHokkien architecture
Groundbreaking1839; 185 years ago (1839)
Completion date1842; 182 years ago (1842)
Construction cost30,000 Spanish dollars
Site
LocationTelok Ayer Street
CountrySingapore
Coordinates1°16′51.8″N 103°50′51.1″E / 1.281056°N 103.847528°E / 1.281056; 103.847528
Websitewww.thianhockkeng.com.sg
Designated6 July 1973
Reference no.5
Thian Hock Keng
Hanyu Pinyin
Tiānfú Gōng
Southern Min
Hokkien POJThian-hok-keng

Thian Hock Keng

Buddhist bodhisattva
of mercy.

Thian Hock Keng was

national monument on 6 July 1973.[3]

History

Late 19th/early 20th century image of Thian Hock Keng

The temple originated as a small

Mazu for a safe sea passage on their arrival to Singapore.[4] The temple is located on Telok Ayer Street
and originally faced the sea; the Telok Ayer Street used to be situated along the coastline before land reclamation work began in the 1880s.

Starting in 1839, the temple was rebuilt with funds collected over the years and donations from the community, the largest of which was from

Spanish dollars.[5]

In 1840, the clan association Hokkien Huay Kuan serving the Hokkien community was formed within the temple ground of Thian Hock Keng.[2] In 1849, the Chung Wen Pagoda and Chong Boon Gate were added to the right of the main temple. The building was renovated in 1906, and some 'western-style' features were added, such as a wrought-iron gate from Glasgow and dado tiling.[7] A scroll and plaque were presented to the temple by Guangxu Emperor to the temple in 1907. The Chong Hock Pavilion was built in 1913, and was once used by the Chong Hock Girls' School established in the temple.[8]

The temple was gazetted as a National Monument in 1973. A major renovation of the temple was initiated in 1998 and completed in 2000 at a cost of US$2.2 million. The renovation received an honourable mention from the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2001.[7]

Architecture

Courtyard and front of main temple

Thian Hock Keng, built on a square site, is of traditional Chinese design whereby a group of buildings or pavilions cluster around the main courtyard. It has the standard layout of three halls that are commonly found in such temples, with an entrance hall, a main hall, and a rear hall.[2] The temple is constructed in the temple architecture style commonly found in Fujian. The main halls are of single-storey beam-frame structures with brackets supporting curving roofs with wide eaves.[5] Dragons and other decorative motifs are placed on the roofs of the entrance hall as well as the main hall.

Entrance hall

The entrance hall has one main door and two side doors, with a high step in front. The side entrances are decorated with coloured tiles with peacocks, roses, and the Buddhist swastika motif that symbolises good luck, eternity and immortality.[4] Guarding the doors are the traditional sentinels of Taoist temple – stone lions and Door Gods.[9] The temple is richly decorated with coloured tiles, red, black and gold lacquered wood, as well as figures of dragons and phoenix, with embellished and gilded beams, brackets, and ceilings.

The entrance leads directly into main courtyard. Overlooking the courtyard is the temple proper where the shrine of Mazu is located. On either side of the temple are

ancestral tablets of Hokkien immigrants who founded the temple.[4] Behind the main shrine is another courtyard where a smaller altar dedicated to Kuan Yin may be found. Down either side of the temple are aisles leading to the monks quarters.[5]

Worship

Altar to Mazu

The main deity worshiped in the temple is

Mazu (媽祖婆, "Ma Cho Po" in the local dialect), a 10th-century Fujianese shamaness deified as a Chinese Sea Goddess. Early immigrants to Singapore offered incense to the Goddess to give thanks for a safe passage across the sea from China. Today's worshippers come to the temple to pray for peace, protection and good health.[10]

A smaller shrine dedicated to

Holy Emperor Lord Guan (關聖帝君, Guansheng Dijun, worshipped for spiritual protection), the Sacred Duke Kai Zhang (伽藍菩薩, Qie Lan Pu Sa) and the City God (城隍爺, Cheng Huang Ye). Confucius is also venerated in the temple.[2][11]

References

  1. ^ "About Us", Official site, Singapore: Thian Hock Keng, 2007. (in Chinese) & (in English)
  2. ^ a b c d "Thian Hock Keng". Roots. National Heritage Board.
  3. ^ William Campbell (3 August 1973). "Ancestors' memory saves a temple". The Straits Times. p. 10.
  4. ^
    ISBN 981-4068-23-3
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-9971947972
    .
  6. ISBN 978-9814260374
    .
  7. ^ a b "Project Profile - 2001 Honourable Mention - Thian Hock Temple". UNESCO.
  8. ^ "Thian Hock Keng". Infopedia. National Library Board, Singapore.
  9. ISBN 9781740597081
    .
  10. ^ "Warm welcome for sea goddess Mazu". The Straits Times. 7 July 2017.
  11. ^ "Deities". Thian Hock Keng. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016.

News articles

External links

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