To..Goddess of Mercy temple

8.12.11,

we went out for for a field trip

hahaha..well sorry for delaying my post again and again

We were going because of Malaysian studies..LOL

At first I dont fancy the idea much but after this I feel grateful


for given us the opportunity to understand the various kinds of cultures in Malaysia


I used to hate History


but this has broaden my view and
now I think, with proper approach, History could be very interesting!


George town is labelled as one of the world heritage city by UNESCO


and indeed, she is very beautiful =))




so how it goes..=)


this is our  little research about the Goddess of Mercy temple




........

The Goddess of Mercy Temple in George Town, Penang is fondly known among the locals as 'Kuan Yin Teng' in Hokkien dialect. Stands as one of the oldest Chinese temples in Penang, it was built in in the 1800s by early Chinese settlers of the Hokkien and Cantonese communities.

      It is located at the intersection where China Street meets Jalan Kapitan Keling (formerly known as Pitt Street It was sited on a gentle knoll, which is regarded as a dragon in feng shui, a geomantically strategic place to locate a temple, The Goddess of Mercy Temple is always incredibly active throughout the opening hours from as early as 6 am and as late as 8 pm.

      The original name of this temple is Kong Hock Keong Temple which literally means 'The Temple for Cantonese and Hokkien', referring to the major ethnics of early Chinese settlers in Penang. At the beginning, this temple was constructed in dedication to Mar Chor Po (a patron deity that protects seafarers) and Goddess of Mercy. During the 19th century, most people were depending on sea as source of their economic income, thus they prayed for prosperity and guard from any sea spirits. As time evolves, it turned out be more popularly known as Goddess of Mercy as hearsay, this temple had provided shelter to Penangites during World War II

side view of the temple...and small stalls selling praying materials

me and my group mates in front of the temple

believers praying 

Here are some interesting stories behind this temple:

Folk tales no.1

They believed that the power of geomancy could give life to non-living things.

A pair of granite lions donated by someone gave rise to rumours that the lions will turn into living creature at night and go swimming in the nearby sea.

It is believed that they stopped turning once the British built the Clock Tower nearby the sea.

Folk tales no.2

there are 3 wells in the temple symbolize dragon eyes. The third well, means the third eyes is hidden.

It is believed that if the third well is opened, a huge disaster may fall on these people, as it may disturb the feng shui.

Folk tales no.3

During Japanese colonization era, the Japanese dropped  bombs on the temple with the intention of destroying it. Surprisingly, the bomb dropped in the courtyard instead and Kuan Yin temple was left untouched. They believed it is the protection of Guan Yin who saved their lives.

Interesting, isn't it?? =)