Post pics.

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Here are some pics of Thian Hock Keng Temple by hyacinthus.

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Thian Hock Keng ,a.k.a. Tian Fu Gong:

http://www.rgs.edu.sg/events/Chinatown/places/hocktemp.jpg
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http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/images/heritage_areas/chinatown/Thian_Hock_Keng03.jpg
http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/images/heritage_areas/chinatown/Thian_Hock_Keng01.jpg
http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/lessons/webquestchina/resources_files/thianhockkengtemple2002_08b.JPG
http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/lessons/webquestchina/resources_files/thianhockkengtemple2002_02b.JPG http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/lessons/webquestchina/resources_files/thianhockkengtemple2002_03b.JPG http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/lessons/webquestchina/resources_files/thianhockkengtemple2002_05b.JPG http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/lessons/webquestchina/resources_files/thianhockkengtemple2002_09b.JPG http://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/social/lessons/webquestchina/resources_files/thianhockkengtemple2002_07b.JPG


Quoted:

"The Thian Hock Keng Temple is Singapore's oldest and most majestic Chinese temple built by the Fujian Clan and is known as the "Temple of the Heavenly Happiness". This Hokkien Taoist temple began as a joss house between 1821 to 1822 dedicated to the Goddess Ma-Chu-Po or Tian Hou, "Mother of Heavenly Sages", when early Chinese immigrants from Southern Provinces of Canton, Kwang Si, Foo Chow, Amoy came in junks to the new founded settlement of Singapore. They worshipped Ma Chu Po to express their gratitude for the safe journey and for protection for their loved ones they left behind in distant China.
There were economic problems in China at that time, thus a large population of the Chinese left their country to seek fortune here in Nanyang, the name for Singapore then. Also, they were facing political problems as the Chinese Emperor was overconcerned on the welfare of his subjects in the north and north-west China where his traditional enemies were situated

The junks disembarked at Telok Ayer Basin. Telok Ayer until the 1880s was on the water front. Only till 1887 that land was reclaimed from Telok Ayer Basin to Cecil Street and Robinson Road all the way to Shenton Way by draining existing marshland or clearing nutmeg plantation, otherwise Thian Hock Keng would have remained only a few metres away from the seafront.

The temple was erected on the shore, now renamed as Telok Ayer Street, by the early immigrants from China's Fujian province to give thanks to the goddess for their safe voyage crossing the South China Sea from China all the way to Nanyang.

The joss house was rebuilt as Thian Hock Keng Temple between 1839 and 1842 mainly by the Fujian community. This effort was led by a Malacca-born pioneer and philanthropist, Tan Tock Seng, who collected funds from wealthy men and merchants and from owners of Chinese junks from China, Siam and Java. Tan Tock Seng himself was the largest contributer of the funds. Colonel James Low of the colonial administration in the 1850s estimated that the total building costs was about 30 000 Spanish dollars, a huge sum then."

Yue Hai Ching Temple ,a.k.a Wok Hai Cheng Bio:


This little beauty stands proud between towering skyscrapers.Located at Philip Street ,it was first a shrine in a small attap house as early as 1826. The present temple was rebuilt in 1895.

Yueh Hai Ching Temple is one the earliest temples established by our Chinese ancestors. It was built for the worship of the spirits who protected the traders and sailors travelling between Singapore and China. It played an important social role as a meeting place for the Teochew community, which was the second largest and most influential of the Chinese dialect groups. Traders returning from China disembarked from their junks and went into this temple to offer their prayers and gratitude for their safe arrival - such was the faith of our ancestors.

Po Chiak Keng Tan Si Chong Su:

http://www.ura.gov.sg/dgp_reports/sinriver/images/pp-spc03.gif
This ancestral Hokkien temple in Magazine Road is also a community center for the Tan clan in Singapore. The decorations in the temple, built in
1876, are very well preserved, particularly the altars with their ancestral tablets. Much of the materials used to build this temple arrived in Singapore as ballast.

In 2003 ,this temple was illegally renonvated by the temple officials.Now ,the URA is planning how to restore the temple back to its original look.

Unfortunately ,those are the few pictures I can find of it.:(

Tan clan? Interesting;)

and that chicago business university campus... or did you mention that?

That's The House Of Tan Yeok Nee.

Cheng Huang Miao:

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslotusmountain/images/IMG_1346_jpg.jpg
The odd thing is ,I can find absolutely nothing about this wonder.It is a huge temple structure that has a very capacious interior with few columns supporting the spanning roof.The main columns are at the perimetre.

On the façade is an amazing mosaic (mural?).

It is a Taoist temple and is located beside ,but is not part of ,the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery.

Where is Cheng Huang Miao located?

I think the Chinese High clocktower is gorgeous, especially at night. Its rumoured to be haunted. The view from up there is awesome and its one of Bukit Timah's landmarks.

It is beside the Lian Shan Shuang Monastery ,at Toa Payoh.

Lian Shan Shuang Lin Shi:

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Entrance Arch.
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Side near the Arch.
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East Entrance
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29m tall pagoda.


The Shuang Lin Monastery, previously known as the Siong Lim Temple, was gazetted as a national monument in 1980. Its original buildings, the Tian Wang Dian and the Da Xiong Pao Dian, were constructed in 1902 in the traditional Chinese Min Nan architectural style. Verification of the original building design was carried out by the Beijing Cultural Board Research Unit and professional expert advise obtained from the Tian Jin and Hua Qiao Universities. Chinese craftsmen from Quan Zhou, Fujian Province of China, were engaged to carry out the restoration works, and materials, especially stone, were imported from China. Carving works on both stone and timber elements followed the Min Nan style, and specialists from Hong Kong were engaged to do the gold gilding works. The result is a monument restored to its original Min Nan architectural style right down to its finest details.

Originally posted by redstone
On the façade is an amazing mosaic (mural?).
If the image is made of small colored stones that are laid close together to form it, it's a mosaic. The ancient Romans were into mosaics big time, and you can also find fine mosaics in Istanbul. Mosaics frequently grace floors ... Murals, on the other hand, are generally painted.

Redstone, you deserve a HUGE round of applause for continuously coming up with all these spectacular surviving beauties in Singapore! :)
:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:
I am moved and totally in awe every time I open this thread. Thank you so much, and please keep them coming! :angel1:

I like the pix you posted Redstone and Raffles.

Singapore is so sophisticated.

Where is Lian Shan Shuang Lin Shi located?

Toa Payoh.The original entrance was along Jalan Toa Payoh ,but this road has been relaid as an expressway.To reach the temple ,exit to Kim Keat Link from Jalan Toa Payoh.Then ,turn into a small road between blocks 274 and 241.Then turn right until you reach the Cheng Huang Miao.Beside it is the Shuang Lin Shi.

By Helen Conway

Western visitors to Asia will recognise the feeling: you go into a Chinese temple, you "wow" at the incredible decorations, you "ooh" at the goldenness of the deities, and you "aah" at the heady incense. But sometimes, it isn't easy to know which deity you are admiring.

On a recent trip to Singapore, I visited several temples and tried to unravel some of the stories behind them. When the immigrants stepped off the boats from China, their first port of call was to give thanks for a safe sea voyage. And so one of the first joss houses was established on Telok Ayer Street as far back as 1821. At the time, the street was on the sea front; now, roofs stretch away in every direction. It was way back in 1897 that land reclamation began and Telok Ayer bid farewell to the sea.

Thian Hock Keng Temple


The Thian Hock Keng Temple, or Temple of Heavenly Happiness, still stands on the original site, dedicated to Ma Cho Po, Mother of Heavenly Sages and the goddess of safe sea travel.

It is one of the most striking temples in Singapore and should not be missed, although every tourist is of the same opinion and visitors far outnumber worshippers. It must be said that camera flashes going off can hardly be conducive to praying: the temptation to take photographs should be resisted, as these are places of worship.

Some temples prefer you to remove your shoes before you enter although you will know this, as there will usually be footwear lying outside. Steps, or a wooden bar, are often at the entrance to a temple. These serve the double purpose of keeping out wandering spirits and also making those who enter the temple look down, thus bowing the head in humility.

The Thian Hock Keng Temple was built between 1839 and 1842, using imported materials from China (although the tiles on the façade are from Holland and the railings from Glasgow).

Astonishingly, not one nail was used during the construction. A glance up at the roof shows a traditional beam-and-bracket system and wonderful carved men squat at the cornices, holding the roof on their shoulders.

The statue of Ma Cho Po was brought from China in 1840 and carried through the streets in an elaborate procession before being installed in the temple.

Ma Cho Po was born Lin Mo in 960 AD. Legend has it that she did not cry during her first month and was given the name "Mo," which means, "keeping silent". She was extremely intelligent and she became a Buddhist at the age of ten, dedicating her life to helping others.

She grew up on Meizhou Island, a busy seaport in the Fu Jian province and she was renowned for being able to accurately predict the weather, thus becoming invaluable to the seamen. She also helped out in many sea rescues. Lin Mo died at the young age of 27, since when sailors and fishermen have come to pray to her for safe sea voyages.

Stone lions guard the entrance to the temple: the male on one side has a ball in his mouth, which symbolises strength. It is good luck to twirl the ball round before you step into the temple. The female lion on the other side holds a cup, representing fertility.

Once inside, the courtyard is heavy with the scent of burning incense, said to remind followers of virtue. The main deities are enclosed behind glass. Ma Cho Po sits in the middle, red and yellow silk adorning the statue (Lin Mo is reputed to have always worn red during her life). On either side of her sit the Protector of Life and the God of War.

Offerings are placed on the tables before the gods- here are neatly arranged bowls of apples, oranges and bananas. This artistic scene appears more for the benefit of the tourists than the gods.

Yueh Hai Ching Temple


Ma Cho Po fares better on the food front further up the road at the Yueh Hai Ching Temple (literally, the "Temple of the Calm Sea built by the Guanzhou people"). The offerings here include bowls of rice, fried mushrooms and bok choy, as well as sweets and pastries. Bottles of oil stand next to the burners and, just in case you should doubt the quality of your purchase, a large label informs you that you have purchased "Lucky Oil". As opposed to the other sort, presumably.

This temple on Phillip Street also once fronted the water. Now, the single-storey building and paved courtyard are shadowed by the gleaming skyscrapers of the financial district, which is gradually encroaching on Chinatown.

The original temple was built here in 1826, making it the oldest Teochew (the second largest of the Chinese dialect groups) temple in Singapore.

Across the courtyard are festooned burning incense coils, inside of which hang pieces of paper. On these, people write their name and wish. The smell of the incense alerts and appeases the gods and the wish will be granted.

The temple is unusual in that it has two entrances: the right wing altar is dedicated to Yuan Tian Shang Di, the Heavenly Emperor, and the left wing altar to Ma Cho Po. There is also a statue of Confucius, to whom parents can bring their children to pray as this is thought to bring filial piety and good grades at school.

To one side within the temple is a statue of Gambler Brother. He is worshipped to bring good luck and riches and around his neck hangs a string of coins. Opium used to be smeared on his lips once upon a time; presumably this kept him happy. Now, however, poor Gambler Brother has to be content with a (legal) herbal paste, koyo.

This temple is also unusual in that it has many three-dimensional scenes from Chinese operas, depicting scenes of courageous deeds of the gods and ancient heroes of Chinese legends. They are displayed on the roof to render vigilance and bestow blessings. This quiet little temple is a far cry from the Kuan Yin Temple, which dominates the pedestrianised Waterloo Street. It is not merely the imposing entrance that catches the eye but also the fortune-tellers lining the street and the flower-sellers enticing you to buy your offerings from them.

Kuan Yin Temple


This is one of the most popular temples in Singapore, both with devotees and tourists. The aroma from the incense wafts all the way down the street. A security guard sits at the entrance and warns visitors not to take photographs. Inside, another security guard patrols round and monitors the CCTV.

Streams of people wander in and out all day, praying to Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. It is said that whatever you wish for within the walls of the temple will come true, so small wonder it is busy.

Kuan Yin is often shown on a lotus pod, holding a child.

Sometimes the depiction is of a man with very feminine features and many arms to show the extent of his mercy, although his sex varies. He is also the god to whom childless women turn for help.

Inside the temple is a swirl of activity. The high ceiling reverberates the chanting of the priests as they stand at the front of the hall, ringing the bell and beating the drum.

Worshippers (and there are many) kneel on a large square of red carpet in the centre of the room. They rattle canisters full of what resemble chopsticks and the incessant clattering adds to the din. These are fortune-telling sticks and they shake the canister until one falls out. This is then taken to the interpretation box where they receive the inscription's meaning.

Chairs are set against the walls where people sit and talk, a far cry from the hushed tones of the Protestant churches I am used to. Flowers, signifying the impermanence of life, are brought and offered to Kuan Yin, who sits in all her golden glory behind glass.

Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple


One of the most touristy temples would have to be the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, more commonly known as Temple of 1000 Lights. Indeed, as I arrived, a coachload of Japanese tourists was just leaving. The temple was founded by a Thai monk, Vutthisasara, and the Thai influences are obvious. The building stands taller than many Chinese temples and there is no pagoda roof. However, Chinese influences are present in the bright colour schemes. Inside is an incredible 15-metre high, 300-ton statue of Buddha, painted in a yellow robe. When a donation is made, the 1000 lights are illuminated. Fortunately, no one made any offering while I was there and I was spared being witness to this tacky event.

Around the statue's base are friezes depicting the Buddha's life. Buddhism is the fourth largest religion in the world and was founded in Northern India by Siddharta Gautama. He was born in 563 BC in Lumbini, which is in modern-day Nepal. At the age of 27, he set off on the road as an ascetic. It was while meditating under the bodhi tree that he reached enlightenment, assumed the title Buddha (one who has awakened) and spread the word. He died in 483 BC.

In a cabinet is a piece of bark from the actual bodhi tree in India, as well as a 2-metre replica of the Buddha's footprint, inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

In one corner is the Maitreya, or "laughing Buddha" and at the back of the hall is the "sleeping Buddha" to whom you can also pray.

The temple has an eclectic range of influences, including a statue of the Hindu god, Ganesh, (placed there at the request of the worshippers) and a wax image of Gandhi, but it all feels quite soulless. The very high ceiling and many windows make the inside very light and airy, quite unlike the dark, aromatic temples previously visited.

Leong San See Temple


Across the road is the much more attractive Leong San See Temple, or "Dragon Mountain Temple". Once again, it is dedicated to Kuan Yin.

It was built in 1917 and is infinitely more beautiful, with people actually praying there. Inside is dark, and the walls are black and red with gold carvings. You are supposed to walk around the temple in a clockwise direction for good feng shui. Around the back of the deities is the ancestral hall. Here are countless tablets for the deceased, quite literally glittering in gold and those tablets with red on them signify souls who are still alive. Two ochre-robed monks bang a drum, and hit bells, accompanied by two frail-looking elderly women, shrouded in black. Added to this musical accompaniment is the noise of several tables of people eating and talking. It is such a different experience to visiting churches!

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple


Quite away from all the tourists and well worth the effort to get to is Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Temple. It is the largest complex of temples in Singapore and amongst one of the largest in South-East Asia. Spread over nineteen acres are temples, pagodas, pavilions, a Buddhist library and a vast crematorium.

Saffron roofs, adorned with dragons and birds, compete with fire-engine-red doors to arrest the attention. Columns are covered with ornate carvings of lions, and swastikas loom over doorways, although these are the anti-clockwise version, an ancient symbol of good luck and protection.

The largest building here is the spectacular Chinese-style hall of Great Compassion, and there is also an octagonal Hall of Great Virtue and a nine-metre high statue of Kuan Yin.

Chinese religion can take a while to fathom but, as I discovered, those without an in-depth knowledge can still appreciate it. There are many temples in Singapore, each with a character as individual as the god for whom it was built.

Non-Buddhists are privileged to be able to see inside these incredible places of worship, as long as we all remember that that is exactly what they are.

wow the pics are unreal! it's like the old buildings and new buildings are sticking to their own groups... the old buildings are short intricate and on the hot colour side, while the new buildings are tall and glossy and cool-coloured... but both groups bound by the vividity of their colours

The contrast is just stunnung, especially that first one. Ah... isn't Singapore just lovely....?

A touch of Tang

The monk who came in from the cold - he immersed himself in ice for the Ren Ci Charity Show - has finally realised his vision of a Tang-style Zen monastery

By Richard Lim

WHEN Shi Ming Yi took over as abbot of the Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery in Geylang East in 1990, the temple was already more than 50 years old, and showing its age. The previous abbot had died, and a trustee of the monastery's board had approached Ming Yi, then 28 years old and attached to a small temple in Mountbatten Road, to become its abbot. The temple was a small, two-storey building. It wasn't exactly derelict, but it was in need of much repair.

After he settled in, the new abbot saw how, instead of repairing the old temple, he should aim to build a new one, and make it an open sanctuary for meditation and contemplation for the growing number of people, especially the young, who were turning to the Dharma, or Buddhist teachings. He had envisioned a Tang-style Ch'an temple complex, the kind one can still see only in Japan, but with all the mod-cons inside a traditional exterior.

For too long, Buddhism had been associated with ancestral worship, smoky temples, unrecognisable gods and incomprehensible rituals. Many in the English-educated babyboomer generation who left the kampungs of their childhood years had also abandoned the old deities and what they saw as the superstitions of the poor and uneducated.

But by the late 1980s, more secure now in their material well-being, they sought the spiritual. Those not drawn to revealed religions explored the ancient religious traditions of the East. At the same time, a new post-independence generation had grown up which did not associate Buddhism or ancestral worship with poverty and backwardness.

The late 1980s also heralded an era of globalisation and new technologies which brought about unpredictable and disorienting changes. The old certainties were no longer relevant. Unmoored, many people turned to religions to help them cope with the tumultuous times. The 1990s would see the number of Singaporeans above 15 years old who were Buddhists rise from 31 per cent to 43 per cent, the largest increase among all the major religions here.

Ming Yi saw clearly the urgency of his calling. Not one who sits and seeks his own enlightenment, he decided to play a more active and public role as the people's guide to the ancient contemplative tradition, and be a model of compassion which it teaches. He founded the Ren Ci Hospital to attend to the chronic sick in 1994, and because of the spectacular ways with which he has raised funds for it in the last two years, he has become a well-known name, even beyond Buddhist circles.

The monk, today still a youthful 42, is also the secretary-general of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, and is an adviser to a number of religious bodies and schools. Earlier this week, he led a 140-strong delegation from the federation to India.

On Thursday, the group joined Trade and Industry Minister George Yeo at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, where a dedication ceremony to mark its status as a World Heritage Site was held. BG Yeo's visit to India was at the invitation of the country's Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan, to promote spiritual tourism between the two countries.

A ZEN TEMPLE

AMID all the activities - he is also the abbot of a temple in Malaysia and another in Hong Kong - Shi Ming Yi had not forgotten his vision of a new temple complex for Foo Hai. It is a testimony to his drive and his 'networking-CEO' skills that he could raise the money to build a pagoda and an administrative block next to the old temple just four years into the job.

The old temple building was torn down, and in its place a four-storey Tang-style monastery was planned. A 10m-high bronze statue of the 1,000-limbed Guan Yin, designed and moulded in China, and cast in Japan, was shipped over in three containers and assembled by Japanese craftsmen on the temple's grounds in 2001, before work on the building commenced.

The economic slowdown delayed the construction work, however. For the past three years, commuters in the MRT trains which glided past the front of the monastery every day could see the beautiful statue standing in the sun, protected only by scaffolding. And for a while, it looked like the new building might not materialise.

Yet, the $16-million building is finally finished. The Guan Yin is now properly housed, and the new building will have its ceremonial opening in October, after all the finishing touches have been done and the kinks ironed out.

Ren Ci and Foo Hai are separate entities, so the funds raised for the former are not used for the latter. For Foo Hai, Shi Ming Yi sought donations and loans away from the limelight, mainly from well-wishers and supporters, all of whom prefer to remain anonymous.

Leong Toh Yin of A90 Architects, the building's project director, tells Life! that the harder part of the work was its design, which took almost three years. The abbot himself was actively involved in the work, and visited temples in China and Japan to pick up ideas.

Construction work, though difficult, was fairly smooth, taking up about a year. Chinese craftsmen were flown in to assemble the Japanese glazed tiles for the pitched roof and an elaborate system of interlacing wooden brackets, or tou gong, which support the roof. The tou gong's mathematical look is a defining feature of Tang dynasty architecture.

In keeping with the Tang design, the building has clean lines, walls with muted grey or green colours, and none of the more elaborate features which are characteristic of the southern Min Nan style, such as that seen in the recently restored Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery in Toa Payoh. 'I want it as simple as possible,' says the abbot.

Interior design magazines will describe its style as 'Zen'. But then, Foo Hai is literally a Zen temple. Zen is Japanese for Ch'an. The building's ground floor serves as the main prayer hall. More than 20m wide, it has no pillars anywhere except on both sides of the hall. These are granite-clad columns. The walls have acoustic mahogany wood-veneered panels, and the ceiling has a curved wood panel, the better to reflect light from the spotlights installed on the side walls.

The hall opens to the outside on three sides, although there are folding doors and there is provision for air-conditioning. A wraparound verandah reminds one of the ancient Chinese mansions one sees in the movies and can still see in Chinese cities like Suzhou.

The Guan Yin statue is flanked by two flat plasma TV screens. In front of the Guan Yin is a smaller statue of the Buddha, flanked by his two disciples, Ananda and Kasyapa. The new administrative office, partitioned by glass, is behind the main prayer hall.

The fourth floor is given over to a 400-seat auditorium. Lodgings for the resident monks and visiting clerics are provided for on the second floor. On the third floor, there are smaller meditation rooms, and two sound-proof recording studios. 'We can record CDs of teachings and chants here,' says the abbot. For those who drive, there are two levels of basement carpark. The six levels are served by a set of lifts.

Mr Chua Thian Por, chairman and CEO of Ho Bee Holdings, a major property developer, who knows the abbot well, says he is impressed by the work done by both the architect and the contractors. 'It is challenging to build a Tang dynasty structure. You can see such temple structures only in Japan. The high ceiling, the spaciousness and the clean, neat look all add to give a sense of calm.'

TWO BRANCHES OF BUDDHISM

WHY a Guan Yin in a Zen temple? Shi Ming Yi says: 'Most Singaporeans are used to the image of Guan Yin. The 1,000 hands suggest compassion, that we help as many people as we can. Buddhism is not just about theory, but also practice. You have to use your hands to help people.'

Guan Yin is the Chinese version of the bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara. In the Mahayana branch of Buddhism, a bodhisattva or pusa is someone who postpones his own enlightenment, and returns to the community to help others on their paths to Buddhahood. The Hinayana branch is personified by the arhat or luohan - someone who has achieved nirvana and retreated from the community.

These are the two main branches of Buddhism, and in China, it was the Mahayana tradition which took hold, especially during the Tang dynasty. Hence the Tang style for Foo Hai. Ch'an is part of the Mahayana tradition. It was brought across to Japan during the Tang period, and many Zen temples were modelled after those in China.

The Foo Hai Monastery is open to visitors and worshippers, although there are still construction workers around, putting the finishing touches to the building.

Richard Lim's website is at www.limrichard.com

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-02-20/temple_0221.jpg
A towering presence: Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery's 10m bronze statue of the 1,000-limbed Guan Yin was designed and moulded in China, and cast in Japan. -- CHEW SENG KIM

woww so gorgeous when i pass by it it didn't seem so glamorous though... must be the effects of neighbouring hdb blocks hahahaha got pics of the temple anyone?

Heres a temple pic, but dont know which one it is.
http://www.jellesen.dk/webcrea/places/sing/60x.jpg

For god's sake!That's the most famous temple in Singapore ,the Kwam Imm Tong Hood Che Temple at Waterloo Street!:D

Originally posted by RafflesCity

Heres a temple pic, but dont know which one it is.


Hey! That's the one that's just opposite the main road in front of my church! Hundreds of old grannies flock there every sunday, so the buses i take to church are always super duper crowded....

If i'm not wrong, people worship the Goddess of Mercy there....

Originally posted by redstone

For god's sake!That's the most famous temple in Singapore ,the Kwam Imm Tong Hood Che Temple at Waterloo Street!:D I noe where it is, but I dont noe its name too. I find Guang Ming San far more familiar. :D

Originally posted by redstone

For god's sake!That's the most famous temple in Singapore ,the Kwam Imm Tong Hood Che Temple at Waterloo Street!:D

oh THANK YOU! I actually dont really recognise it and I am not very adept at distinguishing temples although I love their intricate details.

But when it comes to remembering their names, I go bonkus:baaa:

A temple dedicated to Kuan Yin - The Goddess of Mercy. That would be taoist or Buddhist?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/504/103temple.jpg

A temple dedicated to Kuan Yin - The Goddess of Mercy. That would be taoist or Buddhist?


Kuan Yin is a god in Buddhism....I did a term paper on Kuan Yin this semester. But there could be Taoist influence in the temple such as the "lots" 求签 (where you "ask" Kuan Yin for life directions) so in Singapore temples, it's usually a mixture( like in this case a buddhist god's temple with taoist practice in it).....

Also, the temple's name kuan ji tang, the character tang 堂 is actually used for taoist temple....So this shows again temples in Singapore are usually a mixture of buddhist-taoist ....(ie the god is from buddhism but the name of the temple is taoist)

Hope this answer your question..... :)

Kuan Yin is a god in Buddhism....I did a term paper on Kuan Yin this semester. But there could be Taoist influence in the temple such as the "lots" 求签 (where you "ask" Kuan Yin for life directions) so in Singapore temples, it's usually a mixture( like in this case a buddhist god's temple with taoist practice in it).....

Also, the temple's name kuan ji tang, the character tang 堂 is actually used for taoist temple....So this shows again temples in Singapore are usually a mixture of buddhist-taoist ....

Hope this answer your question..... :)

Oh thank you!:okay:

I thought Kuan Yin is female?
I'm not too familiar with the exact differentiations with Buddhism and Taoism.
At night this temple is lit up very grandly.

Oh thank you!:okay:

I thought Kuan Yin is female?
I'm not too familiar with the exact differentiations with Buddhism and Taoism.
At night this temple is lit up very grandly.

There is a series of argument on whether Kuan yin is a female....I think only those doing research on buddhism will be able to answer that....haha....

In Singapore, the buddhism and taoism influence in temple are so "mixed" that it is rather difficult to separate the two. So I presume only those who are really into buddhism or taoism can tell.

Where's this temple?? :)

Its at Moulmein Road, near Novena MRT.

and the best part is that there is another religious structure next to it from another religion, showing the diversity and harmony here. :cool:

are you of any faith or free-thinker? just curious :D

Its at Moulmein Road, near Novena MRT.

and the best part is that there is another religious structure next to it from another religion, showing the diversity and harmony here. :cool:

are you of any faith or free-thinker? just curious :D

Oh Moulmein Road....I use to go there quite often...

I'm supposed I'm a free thinker....I go to temples sometimes but I don't really question their practice....

I see... I also go to church *some* times. :D ;)

I have not gone to church for months.......sigh...........

maybe they should build a skyscraper church heh!

maybe they should build a skyscraper church heh!
I might end up going to church every day then! :D

Kwan Yin temple at bugis.......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ylstan03/Miscelleneous/DSCN28981.jpg

Indian Temple near the Kwan Yin temple

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ylstan03/Miscelleneous/DSCN29001.jpg

Where is that Chinese temple at Bugis located exactly? I've never come across a temple there.

At Waterloo Street Pedestrian Mall, near to the Stamford Arts Centre.

Where is that Chinese temple at Bugis located exactly? I've never come across a temple there.

Hmmm........I thought the temple quite famous......:yes:

Hmmm........I thought the temple quite famous......:yes:

heheh..well for me I dont know my temples very well as I dont have any reason to visit them, but recently I'm getting interested in them as they ARE tourist attractions and recently I saw those 2 at Bugis and even stepped inside during a worship session! :banana:

heheh..well for me I dont know my temples very well as I dont have any reason to visit them, but recently I'm getting interested in them as they ARE tourist attractions and recently I saw those 2 at Bugis and even stepped inside during a worship session! :banana:

Haha...ok....But then I'm glad it finally attract your attention...:D

26 DEC 2004 (15th Day of Lunar Calendar's 11th month)

http://img149.exs.cx/img149/6872/r11eg.jpg

http://img154.exs.cx/img154/1175/r23mb.jpg

http://img134.exs.cx/img134/7428/r30xf.jpg

Thanks for the pics hyacinthus!

did you go to visit the temples too?

that area is usually very crowded and has lots of stalls selling flowers outside. I actually went in both of them to check it out but didnt feel appropriate to take pics of the alter ..heh

Thanks for the pics hyacinthus!

did you go to visit the temples too?

that area is usually very crowded and has lots of stalls selling flowers outside. I actually went in both of them to check it out but didnt feel appropriate to take pics of the alter ..heh

My mum did this morning. I just tag along... :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/wanfota.jpg
Wan Fo Ta, the tallest religious structure here.

wow..its beautiful at night!

the Burmese temple next to Sun Yat Sen Villa also looks just as stunning at night with the 'spire' lit up

The Burmese one is more ornate than Wan Fo Ta.
The interior of the former is beatiful!

I am intrigued by a huge animal statue outside the Burmese one...its most unusual :cool:

The interior of the tallest tower are lined with hundreds (or thousands?) of Buddhas! :eek:

There's a very old Taoist temple at Balestier Road...
Called Wu Cao Temple, I think...
Any pics? :D

there are many temples at Balestier Rd and around it..quite amazing actually..you can even smell the joss-sticks burning ^^

There's one, a remnant of a kampong, off Jln Kayu.
One beside OCBC Thomson...

Heres a prominent temple along Balestier Rd..I'll try to take more pics next time:)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/103DSCN2264.jpg

That's very new leh...

its hard to tell the age of Chinese temples as they tend to retain the same designs and older ones also undergo facelifts

a rather old-looking Chinese temple

http://img172.exs.cx/img172/3163/temple26015hj.jpg

Near Tessensohn Rd?

sounds like it..its near the back of Kerrisdale

they were chanting loudly when I walked past, but parts of it look quite dirty and old

:eek2:
Leong San See or Hock Siew Tang?

sounds like it..its near the back of Kerrisdale

they were chanting loudly when I walked past, but parts of it look quite dirty and old

Hmmm... Think is called Leong San See temple along Race Course Rd. Just checked the Street Directory.

that area is FULL of small, shophouse-sized little treasures that are not quite well painted and looking in the original state, worth a look

Confrimed, Leong San See!
I didn't know THAT!!!
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980006579-8105-3181-0075/img0102.jpg

when was it built?

the design looks quite impressive

http://www.sngs.sch.edu.sg/cf2004/little_india.html#
Leong San Buddhist Temple

Its elaborate clay sculptures on the roofs originates from Fujian Province, China, 1913. Reverend Chuan Wu came to Singapore with a mission. Bearing only a statue of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, and an urn, he set about establishing a lodge for treating the sick. In 1926, the humble lodge that consisted of only a few huts had grown into an elaborate temple, known to locals as Leong San See. Built on funds donated mostly by Tan Boon Liat, a prominent local merchant and philanthropist, the new temple housed a statue of Confucius that soon attracted a large local Chinese following.

The temple’s abbot, Venerable Zhuang Feng started the Leong San School within the temple grounds to provide education to children living in the surrounding area’s attap houses. Classes proved popular and soon became overcrowded. In 1954, Venerable Sek Kong Hiap took over the running of the school. The plot of land adjacent to Leong San Buddhist Temple was to have been the site of a new temple, Mee Toh Temple. However, convinced of the importance of education in a child’s social and moral development, Venerable Sek Kong Hiap decided that a new school be built to replace the Leong San School. The school was renamed Mee Toh School, or School of Eternal Birghtness. The temple managed the school until 1957, when it became a government-aided school. The school remains closely linked to the temple. Today, a side gate connects both compounds and school children are often found sneaking into the temple to say a little prayer before class.

cool..a Chinese temple in Little India! :D

Another Chinese temple at Keng Lee Rd. Kampong-style

http://files.photojerk.com/RafflesCity/kltemple.jpg

http://files.photojerk.com/RafflesCity/kltemple2.jpg

They're numerous kampong temples here...
2 at Kayu...

wow...numerous?

maybe theyre in rather undeveloped locations

u got pics?

No, didn't have my digicam then... :(

They're behind Seletar Farmway Estate, off Jln Kayu...

A Chinese temple at the foot of Ann Siang Hill, in Chinatown

http://img162.exs.cx/img162/4466/annsiangtemple7oe.jpg

The oldest Chinese temple!

really huh :eek:

ya so, according the the URA brochure on Chinatown!

have u guys seen that full-white temple @ bukit merah?
http://img239.exs.cx/img239/5743/125bu.jpg
it says
STRICTLY FOR MEMBERS ONLY ....

kinda interesting....
finally after like 5 years or so i finally know its background :)
Chong Hua Tong Tou Teck Hwee Building (http://www.geocities.com/athens/ithaca/4886/with001.htm)

looks very nice...is it old or new?

hmm... its quite old already

Looks new... As in post-war... :yes:

See how each person defines 'old' and 'new'! :D
Old, as in 20 or 30 years... :yes:

But not old as in over 100 years! :D

haha... i define new as 2-3 years
old as anything after that

then its new... (in your definition of new and old)

I tend to associate temples as being 'old'

must be the design that tends to remain unchanged :yes:

Temple found at a deserted location, care to guess?? ;)

http://img57.exs.cx/img57/2746/dscn233918iu.jpg

I know this building well, it's not far away from my place ;-)
It's looking new indeed, very clean and white.
So what's the use of it ?

another building in sengkang same as this. :)

sengkang..... hougang? hmm... opposite heartland mall?
if you talking about it.. it was demolished last year (it was the hq)

sengkang..... hougang? hmm... opposite heartland mall?
if you talking about it.. it was demolished last year (it was the hq)

i said that the building opposite heartland mall was demolished for giving way for the North East Line, now the building is moved to sengkang rivervale cres.

:eek:

where are all the tiles gone?

where is it anyway? looks a lot like the Golden Relic Tooth temple

oic... i din know they moved!

Punggol???:?

Punggol???:?

Correct......:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/redstone2/shptemp.jpg
Rowhouse-turned-temple... :eek:

Can see it ;-)
It's on River Valley Road up UE Square.

Got pics of a temple at Devonshire Road, looks like a mini Shuang Lin. But spoilt by modern alterations to the deco.

This one hah?

http://img157.exs.cx/img157/6518/dvnshire8pk.jpg

Ya, so you went there too eh? :D
But I didn't go in, a huge group of people in the front hall... :eek:

of course, I took that pic last year in fact :yes:

I find it hard to take good temple pics because they look flat from the outside...and I dunno if its ok to just walk in and snap away....

of course, I took that pic last year in fact :yes:

I find it hard to take good temple pics because they look flat from the outside...and I dunno if its ok to just walk in and snap away....

Can, if the people in charge allows you!:D
Yue Hai Ching and this temple have a family in charge, I think...

Jiu Huang Da Di Temple, Upper Serangoon Road

http://img164.exs.cx/img164/9803/jh15sd.jpg

http://img164.exs.cx/img164/2651/jh22ru.jpg

http://img176.exs.cx/img176/5322/jh34fz.jpg

http://img176.exs.cx/img176/2475/jh41nd.jpg

http://img222.exs.cx/img222/7154/jh55bv.jpg
Kampong structure beside it

:eek:

amazing temple! Looks a bit like Thian Hock Keng

whats that arch over the whole temple?

A huge tent lor! :D
I think it is said that the temple's roof leaks when it rains.... :runway:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/yhctemp.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/wall.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/roofdet.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/gatetop.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/gate2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/gate.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/dragon.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/door4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/door3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/door2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/door.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/det6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/det5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/det4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/det3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/det2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v606/redstone/Yue%20Hai%20Ching/det1.jpg

cool!

they look like some ancient ruins

what are those brown 'baskets' hanging in the first pic?

Whats the name of this temple again?

Baskets?
They're joss sticks! :D

Yue Hai Ching Temple. :)

http://img111.exs.cx/img111/4279/longsan4ye.jpg

http://img22.exs.cx/img22/7541/dscn21493jw.jpg

More pics! :banana::D

More pics! :banana::D

u meant the above ah? I post my best for this temple. These 2 are so so.

http://img201.exs.cx/img201/4356/longsan21ke.jpg

http://img115.exs.cx/img115/2927/longsan31lt.jpg

do you know why this thing is here?

http://img185.exs.cx/img185/1461/longsan42tw.jpg

Huh?:?

Anyway one Leong San See, one Hong San See..... :lol:
Perfect match eh? :D

where is hong san see?

This is Hong San See...
http://img62.exs.cx/img62/5002/hshtemp9rz.jpg
Mohd Sultan Road.... :)

I see. never seen this before. what's the uniqueness of this temple?

I also don't quite get it.....
I think it's because the temple was built into the hill, and the slope was changed (by walls, you see)....

I don't quite get why Hong San is a Monument, but not Leong San and even Fullerton, Ford Factory.... :?:?:?:?:?

I thought I read it somewhere in Kopitiam that you have official contacts to consult for such matters? :D It's late. Good night.

@Vanquish, great pics of that temple!

Is that the one near Kerrisdale?

and whats so unusual about that gate?

Ya, Leong's at Race Course Road, near Petian Road....
Maybe hya could grab an aerial of it in the future? :D
Nvm... :lol:

> RafflesCity
Where's Kerrisdale? :?

I dunno too about the gate. I asked RedStone and he/she didn't know too.

Another Chinese temple in Chinatown

familiar with it redstone?

http://img230.exs.cx/img230/69/templchinatown5kc.jpg

7 Apr 2005
Tian Fu Gong

http://img158.exs.cx/img158/1803/dsc05876yw.jpg

http://img16.exs.cx/img16/8799/dsc05900fp.jpg

http://img50.exs.cx/img50/4756/dsc05883tw.jpg

http://img157.exs.cx/img157/201/dsc05834jq.jpg

nice pics, and the interior looks clean and well-maintained :cool:

Yup... I think they use "high contrast and reflective" paints to make it picture perfect for tourists!!! :lol:

notice I have compressed the filesize to only 50kb or so? but the pictures still look alright... :eek:

10 Apr 2005
Former Tai Pei Buddhist Center

http://img210.echo.cx/img210/8813/dsc09797xa.jpg

10 Apr 2005
Former Tai Pei Buddhist Center

former?

Yup. That's what the www.StreetDirectory.com.sg says.

Oic..

Pano of Wak Hai Cheng Biohttp://img258.echo.cx/img258/7171/yuehaichingtemple2small6dx.png

Restored - after 92 years in cylinder

24 Apr 05

Scroll handwritten by Qing emperor was a gift to Thian Hock Heng temple in 1907

By Sarah Ng

FOR 92 years, a silk scroll handwritten by Emperor Guang Xu from the Qing dynasty was kept in a metal cylinder in the main prayer hall of Thian Hock Keng temple.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-04-24/12.jpg
Restored at a cost of $10,000, the silk scroll from Emperor Guang Xu had been kept in a metal cylinder for years. The restoration was done by a specialist from China, who worked on it for 2+ months. It is now with the National Heritage Board, which plans to build a special exhibition around it.


Nobody had actually seen it, and some members of the Singapore Hokien Huay Kuan were worried that it might have disintegrated with age.

But the scroll has been restored, and Singaporeans will now get a chance to see it.

The clan association gave the scroll to the National Heritage Board, which plans to build a special exhibition around it, highlighting the history of overseas Chinese, Chinese painting and calligraphy, and Chinese temple culture.

On the yellow silk are the words 'bo jing nan ming', or 'waves are calm in the South seas', and the royal seal of the emperor, who ruled from 1871 to 1907. It measures 228cm long and 78cm wide, and was presented to Thian Hock Keng - Singapore's oldest Chinese temple - in 1907.

The scroll was seen as a token of the emperor's appreciation for Chinese immigrants here, who sent money to their home country in times of droughts, floods and famines.

The Qing ruler had also wanted to gain support from the Chinese community overseas as he fought off the revolutionaries seeking a change in government.

On April 16, a miniature crystal replica of the scroll was presented to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong to mark the completion of the temple restoration, the association's 165th anniversary and the official opening of the new Hokien Huay Kuan Building in Telok Ayer Street.

Mr Perng Peck Seng, chairman of the association's cultural committee, said the clansmen took the cylinder down in April 1999, before restoration work on the temple began.

It had been hung 8m from the ground, mounted on a wooden plaque in the main prayer hall.

'We had heard about the scroll but none of us had actually seen it. And because it was something of sacred value, we didn't dare to bring it down just to have a look,' he said.

The cylinder had turned black with age and its lid was stuck. They tapped and pulled it, and it came off with a twist.

'We were overjoyed when we saw the scroll, because we thought that it might have been stolen or become disintegrated,' he said.

But the scroll was so old that when they tried to unroll it, the black ink of the words started to crumble. It had become stuck to the silk over the years.

It was promptly sent to the National Heritage Board for restoration.

And for 2 1/2 months, Mr Zhang Xiaozhai, a specialist in Chinese painting restoration from Zhejiang, China, worked on filling up the holes in the fragile scroll with matching silk he sourced from China.

The restoration cost the board $10,000.

Today, a replica of the original scroll, together with the original plaque, hangs at the same spot in the temple.

Said Mr Perng: 'We hope this historical nugget would spark an interest in the lives of our pioneers, who, despite their own struggles in eking out a living, helped one another.

'Hopefully, this would inspire among us a spirit of care for the community and those in need.'

Next to the Indian temple at Bugis, is a Chinese temple. Pics of it have been posted earlier in this thread but here are some aerial views:

http://img91.echo.cx/img91/9085/bugistemple7us.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

http://tinypic.com/5bxwfm

Raffie! i see that you have been out and taking pictures!..wonderful pics!:)

the temples looks cool:yes:

20 Jun 2005
Not sure what is the name of this temple along Keong Siak Rd. Can't find on Street Directory... :p

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/2074/dscn02742pv.jpg

Does anyone remember the name of this temple? Lazy to check. Its behind OCBC.

They were burning lots of incense with those coils hanging from the ropes. It has a very nice atmosphere but if I stayed there too long might have gone into a trance ^^

http://tinypic.com/7088it.jpg

What are these giant urns used for?

http://tinypic.com/708a3t.jpg

Yue Hai Qing Temple.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5893/p10006937nz.jpg

Those are for burning incense paper.

hmm..in that case any idea what the burning of those coils/hats suspended on the wires are for?

thanks for reading it off the name :D

hmm..in that case any idea what the burning of those coils/hats suspended on the wires are for?


Not too sure about that. Zzzz...

they're like incense that takes longer to run out so they dont have to keep replacing is it?

Raffie & Hya > nice pics of the temples!:yes:


Raffie> the temple behind OCBC is very coasy:yes:

thanks drwho! :)

it sure is! next time I go I'll see if I can go inside.

The grounds of the temple are quite big for such an important location in the CBD!

yeaps. its a very nice place :D you dont feel "threatened" by the skyscrapers suddenly while in the coompunds of the temple.. :D the temple has a wonderful history too..

the temple has a wonderful history too..

yes, and it says what those burning stuff on the coils are for.

I realised you took a pic of it on the previous page
http://img258.echo.cx/img258/7171/yuehaichingtemple2small6dx.png

you called it Wak Hai Cheng Bio ^^

Yueh Hai Ching Temple

Ma Cho Po fares better on the food front further up the road at the Yueh Hai Ching Temple (literally, the "Temple of the Calm Sea built by the Guanzhou people"). The offerings here include bowls of rice, fried mushrooms and bok choy, as well as sweets and pastries. Bottles of oil stand next to the burners and, just in case you should doubt the quality of your purchase, a large label informs you that you have purchased "Lucky Oil". As opposed to the other sort, presumably.

This temple on Phillip Street also once fronted the water. Now, the single-storey building and paved courtyard are shadowed by the gleaming skyscrapers of the financial district, which is gradually encroaching on Chinatown.

The original temple was built here in 1826, making it the oldest Teochew (the second largest of the Chinese dialect groups) temple in Singapore.

Across the courtyard are festooned burning incense coils, inside of which hang pieces of paper. On these, people write their name and wish. The smell of the incense alerts and appeases the gods and the wish will be granted.

The temple is unusual in that it has two entrances: the right wing altar is dedicated to Yuan Tian Shang Di, the Heavenly Emperor, and the left wing altar to Ma Cho Po. There is also a statue of Confucius, to whom parents can bring their children to pray as this is thought to bring filial piety and good grades at school.

To one side within the temple is a statue of Gambler Brother. He is worshipped to bring good luck and riches and around his neck hangs a string of coins. Opium used to be smeared on his lips once upon a time; presumably this kept him happy. Now, however, poor Gambler Brother has to be content with a (legal) herbal paste, koyo.

This temple is also unusual in that it has many three-dimensional scenes from Chinese operas, depicting scenes of courageous deeds of the gods and ancient heroes of Chinese legends. They are displayed on the roof to render vigilance and bestow blessings. This quiet little temple is a far cry from the Kuan Yin Temple, which dominates the pedestrianised Waterloo Street. It is not merely the imposing entrance that catches the eye but also the fortune-tellers lining the street and the flower-sellers enticing you to buy your offerings from them.

What are these giant urns used for?

http://tinypic.com/708a3t.jpg

I think it's used for burning of "fake money"(and the likes of it).......:yes:

^
thanks...they look cool..very huge..like stage props :D

An art deco Chinese Temple :)

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8083/temple5nv.jpg

strange... art deco arch plus trad chinese roof

yup..I was wondering if it was a clan clubhouse or a temple, or both. Many of these seem to merge their functions, at least it appears that way to me...quite a cool one!

I am not too sure myself.

Here's a closer look at the words. Anyone can tell the actual year? It says "中华民国二十八年九月十三日立"
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4074/dsc00575gg.jpg

Did a google search for "中华民国二十八年" and i think it should be the year 1939. The use of 中华民国 seems to be only used in Taiwan and thus is it possible that the founders of this temples were of Taiwanese descent or maybe Taiwanese immigrants?

^^ Probably about there. Many shophouses in that area are between 1920s to 1940s based on the year I see on the buildings.

Certainly very interesting!!! :D

I wonder what the actual temple looks like behind that art deco wall. Actually it looks newer than the wall...

Probably about there. Many shophouses in that area are between 1920s to 1940s based on the year I see on the buildings.

That should coincide with the Art Deco age.

Another pic of the temple.

http://img282.imageshack.us/img282/2316/cheekongtong2sk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Did you go inside?

nope...maybe I should have but I was quite shocked to see it for the first time...it looked so strange on the outside..the roof looks slanted

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/3553/ckt36qa.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/2315/ckt27gt.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

YIKES!!! :runaway:
Slanted roof!!!


I think the project there once stood an Art Deco single storey corner shop. :cry:

Did a google search for "中华民国二十八年" and i think it should be the year 1939. The use of 中华民国 seems to be only used in Taiwan and thus is it possible that the founders of this temples were of Taiwanese descent or maybe Taiwanese immigrants?


ROC was the Government of China from 1912 to 1949

This buidling doesn't belong to Taiwanese, all building built before 1949 by Chinese Immigrants (considered themselves as China's Citizen ) used "Republic of China" or ROC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China

ROC was the Government of China from 1912 to 1949

This buidling doesn't belong to Taiwanese, all building built before 1949 by Chinese Immigrants (considered themselves as China's Citizen ) used "Republic of China" or ROC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_China

oic.. thanks for the clarification :D

Leong San See Temple

A place where souls rest in peace...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3913/dsc87502la.jpg

Closeup on the decor...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2954/dsc87681oj.jpg

Leong San See deserves be be a National Monument. :)

The only Hindu temple's name I can remember is Sri Marianman....
I can't even spell thier names properly!!! =p

didn't even spell right :lol:

anyway it is sometimes difficult to remember and spell their names in full.

What is the difference in meaning between Leong San See Temple & Hong San See Temple?

nice pics btw hya

Leong San See is Dragon Mountain Temple
Hong San See is Phoenix Mountain Temple

Dragon and Phoenix complement each other. The 'highest ranking' mythological creatures in Chinese mythology. ;)

Ooooo.....

anymore ___ San See Temples here?

I don't think so. :)

Dragon represents the masculine, phoenix represents the feminine.

"Wan zhi cheng long, wang nü cheng feng"
:D

Means wishing son becoming a dragon, the daughter becoming a phoenix. :D

Hong San See Temple

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/hss2.jpg
http://img437.imageshack.us/img437/2153/hss4jj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

looks formidable on the hilltop

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/3240/hss36ci.jpg

Round the back is quite scary.... :eek:
Wonder what's up there.

I didnt go inside the temple...yah...would be interetsing to see whats behind it :yes:

Temple near Eunos

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/3406/pic0466210ej.jpg

Ohhh ... all these temples are so incredibly colorful! :)

My thanks to all the photographers for showing them off. :applause:

2 Dec 2005
Thian Hock Keng
Thian Hock Keng Temple is the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore and the island's most important Hokkien Buddhist one. Telok Ayer Street once formed the foreshore of the sea before it was reclaimed in the 1880s and it was at this temple where early immigrants game thanks to goddess Ma-Zu-Po (Tian Shang Shen Mu), the Celestial Queen. The temple was gazetted as a National Monument on 28 June 1973.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7962/dscn21495rr.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/961/dscn21520zo.jpg

O thank you so much, hyacinth, both for the photos and for the introduction! :)

It's amazing to see that old house or worship of a different era so close to Singapore's modern scrapers! :okay:

Ha, I also took some photos of this temple :-) Not as good as yours of course ^ ^

http://membres.lycos.fr/pengui/051126_chinese_temple01.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/pengui/051126_chinese_temple04.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/pengui/051126_chinese_temple05.jpg

This is not a photo competition anyway. ;)

It's good to share different perspective. :yes:

its just a pity that the sky wasnt blue and filled with clouds... if it was, Pengui pics would turn out great... or just an extreme of grey thick cloulds would do the 'trick' too...

Haha, yes, but it's not so easy to get some clear blue sky in Singapore ;-)
In fact in those pics the sky is soooo white that it could probably be photoshoped out and replaced by something nicer very easily ;-)

:laugh:

I quite like those photos, Pengui ... they are different from those Hyacinth took. These are more like closeups, and the colorful, lavish ornamentation is stunning. :okay:

beautiful pics hya!

Pengui's pics with the skyscrapers make them look really more exotic as well :cool:

As hya said, this is not a photo contest ... and I'm quite happy about that. :)

I think both photo sets reveal this beautiful piece of Singapore's rich religious architecture from different perspectives.

A big Thank You to both photographers! :master:

Shuang Lin Monastery
http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/3738/cl24ih.jpg

Looks magical, especially with the pagoda lighted up! :cool:

yeap looks mystical:yes: good picture redstone:)

Thanks! :D

A Chinese temple at Havelock Road.

Anyone knows its history?

It looks kinda cute, being perched at the bottom and corner of the hill.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/havelocktemple.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/havelocktemple2.jpg

Most temples would have their year of construction engraved on the columns or the name panel. :)

ok...is this a monument?

If it isn't, it should be! :)

Thian Hock Keng Temple appropriately lit up.

Probably the most significant temple in Singapore's early history.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/thk.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/thk4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/thk3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/thk2.jpg

http://nanyangtemple.wordpress.com/

Done by a group of heritage and architecture enthusiasts.

A Chinese temple at Havelock Road.

Anyone knows its history?

It looks kinda cute, being perched at the bottom and corner of the hill.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/havelocktemple.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/havelocktemple2.jpg


This is the temple to the Jade Emperor - the Supreme Deity in the Taoist scheme of things - more popularly known as Geok Ong Tian in Hokkien.
There are a few major celebrations related to this temple - one being the 8th/9th day of Lunar New Year when Hokkiens give thanks to him for saving them many centuries ago. I think there is a separate birthday celebration on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year too...

Anyway, at midnight of the 8th, it was overflowing with worshippers!

It was built almost a century ago by Cheang Hong Lim (who is also the benefactor behind Hong Lim Park) and used to be surrounded by kampongs and squatter areas. Together with the other small temple across the road, and Sui Lian Gong next to 91 Zion Road, they miraculously were left untouched even though everything around it got burned to the ground! you can see the pictures at Sui Lian Gong.

The pictures of Thian Hock Keng are fantastic!

while the major temples are saved, no one looks after all these smaller local temples that are just as old, and just as beautiful, and just as significant to the identity of the area and tie their communities to this island spiritually and emotionally...

sigh.

Go see Sui Lian Gong before HDB demolishes it sometime in the next two years....

Why demolish?

This is the temple to the Jade Emperor - the Supreme Deity in the Taoist scheme of things - more popularly known as Geok Ong Tian in Hokkien.
There are a few major celebrations related to this temple - one being the 8th/9th day of Lunar New Year when Hokkiens give thanks to him for saving them many centuries ago. I think there is a separate birthday celebration on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year too...

Anyway, at midnight of the 8th, it was overflowing with worshippers!

It was built almost a century ago by Cheang Hong Lim (who is also the benefactor behind Hong Lim Park) and used to be surrounded by kampongs and squatter areas. Together with the other small temple across the road, and Sui Lian Gong next to 91 Zion Road, they miraculously were left untouched even though everything around it got burned to the ground! you can see the pictures at Sui Lian Gong.

The pictures of Thian Hock Keng are fantastic!

while the major temples are saved, no one looks after all these smaller local temples that are just as old, and just as beautiful, and just as significant to the identity of the area and tie their communities to this island spiritually and emotionally...

sigh.

Go see Sui Lian Gong before HDB demolishes it sometime in the next two years....

Thanks for that info. Its another old temple then!

It's always caught my eye due to its prominent location at the foot of the hill and road junction.

It would be great if future developments could work their way around these temples (like they do some trees), after all the temples do not really take up a large footprint.

Speaking of the Sui Lian Gong, I've seen it lit up in some blue neon lights at night I think. Would try to grab a shot....I also read that another old temple along Shenton Way/Palmer Rd is trying to get designated as a national monument. :cheers:

Together with the other small temple across the road, and Sui Lian Gong next to 91 Zion Road, they miraculously were left untouched even though everything around it got burned to the ground!
You are referring to the big fire at Bukit Ho Swee that destroyed thousands of squatter homes? This confirmed what I heard from someone who fled the big Bukit Ho Swee fire which burned almost to the temple but did not touched it.

Dunearn Road 'temple' house has neighbours incensed

22 Apr 07

They say they've put up with chantings, smoke for nine years; URA says no rules broken

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20070421/ST_IMAGES_CTTEMPLE-ATSt.jpg

NESTLED along Dunearn Road is a house that stands out among a row of terrace houses.
Not for its architecture, but for the 15 statues of Buddha measuring 1.2 to 2m tall in the front garden, and gold fabric umbrellas that flank the front door.

Almost every night for the past nine years, neighbours have had to put up with late-night chantings, ringing of bells, the strong smell of incense and crowds of people who park their cars along the pavements when they visit the house.

Until two months ago.

That's when one of the neighbours decided she had had enough and called the police.

'The chantings, singing and bell ringing that stretch into the middle of the night are frustrating especially when my husband and I are tired and just want to get a good night's rest,' said the neighbour, an expatriate who moved in a year ago.

The houses in that area are worth at least $2 million and some neighbours are worried the late-night activities in the house might devalue their properties.

The big question was whether the house was doubling as a place of worship, something not allowed under Urban Redevelopment Authority rules.

But the URA, which had received similar complaints in the past, didn't think so - much to the surprise of residents in the neighbourhood.

Seven neighbours spoke of massive amounts of joss sticks burning, causing smoke to billow through the vicinity.

Retiree Peter Chin, 60, who lives a few doors away said: 'The smell of incense is very strong, but I'm more concerned that the burning of incense could pose a fire hazard as his house is next to a petrol station.'

The problem gets worse during the Hungry Ghost Festival every August. Another neighbour claimed to have seen the home owner, jeweller Danny Loo, 45, in a trance before his 'followers'.

Mr Loo is disappointed his neighbours are kicking up a fuss. He insists his house is not a place of worship.

'The people who gather here are my friends and family and we hold parties where we enjoy each other's company and share life experiences with each other,' he said.

He denied conducting any ritual and is puzzled that his neighbours could hear the chants as he does not use a microphone.

When asked about a woman in a Buddhist nun's robe who was seen in his house last week, he said she was there to seek a donation from him and was not staying there.

He also finds it ironic that none of his neighbours have approached him with their complaints before going to the police.

The neighbours' reply: They were either too afraid to approach him, which is why they declined to be named, or did not think it would make a difference.

One said that they had complained to the various authorities on many occasions, but the problem persisted.

A neighbour once stormed over to the house when the level of noise became unbearable, but stopped short as the porch was full of people.

The parking problem improved after some neighbours started putting potted plants outside their houses to prevent strangers from parking there.

Mr Loo said: 'I've already cut my gatherings to twice a week, but if I've really become a nuisance to the neighbourhood, I will stop them.'

A gathering that was planned for last night was cancelled after the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paid him a visit on Friday.

Mr Loo said he was 'disheartened' by the latest visit although the SCDF found no fault with him.

The URA receives about 55 complaints a year about houses that are used as places of worship.

In another case three years ago, the resident of a house in Lange Road, near Yio Chu Kang Road, was warned because it was used as a place of worship.

The occupant, a monk, had a 2.4m tall statue of Buddha in his front yard which he was asked to remove. Neighbours said the monk moved out last month and the house is now empty.

A neighbour, undergraduate Shalini Raj, 23, said: 'The crowds brought vibrancy to the neighbourhood and it's a pity about the statue; it added a touch of quirkiness to our street.'



By Cheryl Tan

wow... in my opinion, places of worship should not be in residential area.

I think it is a social and planning issue.

Historically many temples coexist in residential areas and their removal might be sensitive....but some homes do look like temples..

Saw an old bungalow in Mountbatten Rd that looks like a temple

Buddhist Temples do not burn incense or do loud rituals. Like there are churches in residential areas.

I think the article was about a house being used as a temple?

The URA probably has guidelines on the usage of land. Temples would normally sit on land zoned "Worship"

Po Chiak Keng Tan Si Chong Su:

http://www.ura.gov.sg/dgp_reports/sinriver/images/pp-spc03.gif
This ancestral Hokkien temple in Magazine Road is also a community center for the Tan clan in Singapore. The decorations in the temple, built in
1876, are very well preserved, particularly the altars with their ancestral tablets. Much of the materials used to build this temple arrived in Singapore as ballast.

In 2003 ,this temple was illegally renonvated by the temple officials.Now ,the URA is planning how to restore the temple back to its original look.

Unfortunately ,those are the few pictures I can find of it.:(

No action was taken by the Authorities since 2003, a lapse of six years.
No one seems concerned or know what to deal with it... URA,BCA,PMB or SLA!!! They are not even able to defend the term of "Presevation" of monuments and implications to future generations!!!

I never been inside it, so i don't know what it looked like before or after the illegal addition works.

Shuang Lin is a half-restored temple. The drum and bell towers, modern replicas built perhaps in the 60s are in state of disrepair. The rear hall, now the tallest point of the complex is obviously a new addition but had not been demolished. I feel although it looks nice, the paintings and frieze works on the walls had not been restored, instead leaving blank "frames". Strictly speaking, Shuang Lin is more of a rebuilding than a restoration.

I never been inside it, so i don't know what it looked like before or after the illegal addition works.

Shuang Lin is a half-restored temple. The drum and bell towers, modern replicas built perhaps in the 60s are in state of disrepair. The rear hall, now the tallest point of the complex is obviously a new addition but had not been demolished. I feel although it looks nice, the paintings and frieze works on the walls had not been restored, instead leaving blank "frames". Strictly speaking, Shuang Lin is more of a rebuilding than a restoration.

Given that the site will be redeveloped totally fresh when the HDB blocks are demolished, the future plans could be worked around the temple. I wonder if it has been even considered for conservation and if not, what the reasons are.


Go see Sui Lian Gong before HDB demolishes it sometime in the next two years....

Century-old temple appeals against eviction
It has failed to pay fee arrears to HDB despite repeated extensions

By Ang Yiying


A 102-YEAR-OLD temple in Zion Road will have to vacate its premises by next weekend after it failed to pay rental arrears despite being given repeated extensions by the Housing Board.

The temple owes about $153,370 to the HDB, and has not been paying its monthly fee since 2006, said its spokesman.

The Chwee Hean Keng, or Shui Xian Gong, has now sent a last-ditch appeal to HDB to let it remain there permanently or, at least, for another two years.

Asked about the status of the appeal yesterday, HDB told The Straits Times that it would consider allowing the temple to stay at the site till 2011, roughly when the area is expected to be redeveloped, if arrears are paid in full and monthly payments are made on time from now.

HDB first asked the temple to move out in October 2007 for not having paid its temporary occupation licence fee - akin to monthly rent - since 2006, despite repeated reminders to do so.

The temple management asked for more time to settle its arrears and was given an extension. However, from 2007 to this year, the temple still failed to settle its arrears. Despite that, the HDB gave it three more extensions, said its spokesman.

When the temple still did not pay, its licence was terminated in December last year. The HDB took court action against the temple in March this year for unlawful occupation. The court ruled in HDB's favour. Upon request, HDB gave the temple one last extension, until June 28.

Earlier this month, the temple sent the HDB an appeal letter.

Temple keeper Jimmy Tay, 66, told The Straits Times that in 2006, when the temple was told its area was earmarked for redevelopment along with neighbouring blocks 88 to 92, he stopped paying rent because he was told by HDB officials he no longer needed to do so.
But the HDB said this was not true.

Shui Xian Gong has been plagued by funding woes for the past three or so years. It has a small community of devotees made up of mostly elderly people from the nearby Covent Garden estate and those who used to live in the area when it was still a kampung.

Donations have been hit even more recently by the economic crunch, said Mr Tay. 'Incense money' collected from donation boxes at the temple range in the hundreds, but the cost of upkeeping the temple is in the thousands, he added.

Mr Tay said he even had to dip into his own pockets at times or get friends and relatives to make up the shortfall.

The temple's administration was traditionally handed down from one volunteer temple keeper to the next and the temple did not have a management committee until last year when the Shui Xian Gong Moral Association was formed.

The registered society was set up mainly to look into the HDB arrears and the temple's relocation, said its chairman Lee Kok Leong, 63.

Told of HDB's willingness to consider letting it stay till 2011 if it would pay the arrears, Mr Lee said: 'If they allow us to stay till 2011, we will make arrangements to pay. We will try to get our friends to come in to donate money. It is impossible to depend on temple income.'
Its secretary B.X. Eng, 48, said the committee will hold a meeting once they get an official reply from HDB. 'We want to have ample time to move our deities and to raise funds,' she said.

In the meantime, the lead grassroots group in the temple's constituency, the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens' Consultative Committee, is offering to help.

Committee chairman David Ong said a constituency MP had written to the HDB on the temple's request. 'As the area is slated for redevelopment by HDB, we will work with them to see how best to assist with the temple's request.'

Since 1907, Shui Xian Gong has been paying respects to loyal officials in the late Song dynasty: Wen Tian Xiang, Lu Xiu Fu and Zhang Shi Jie. It also has Buddhist and Taoist deities.

ayiying@sph.com.sg

so great

What the...

can anyone tell me that, is is necessary to buy tickets to enter these temples ?