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Showing posts from August, 2007

Tua Pek Kong Temple, Kuching

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Tua Pek Kong Temple is one of the oldest (or the earliest known) Chinese temple in Sarawak; it is also one of the most famous and mentioned tourist destination in Sarawak. The temple was believed to be built around the year 1800, more than two centuries; the earliest known official land title issued by Charles Brooke was 29 August 1871. Like many of the earlier Chinese temple in Sarawak, it was a small & simple hut; the first known renovation was done in the year 1856, and subsequently it was upgraded with ceramic roofing & partial brick walls in 1863. By the year 1880 when cement was introduced into Sarawak, major parts of the temple were then concreted as to existing look. The earlier management of the temple before the Japanese occupation was elected informally by yearly cast lots of getting one representative with two ‘taukey’ to assist the required periodic ceremonial & religious occasions. After the war, the temple was managed by five Chinese

Tua Pek Kong Kuching - the Feng Shui Legend

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The Kuching Tua Pek Kong Temple was once seated on the best Feng Shui location in Kuching; as according to the Feng Shui principle, a hill at the back, a small and smooth flowing river in front (the lost Sg Kuching), and the best front view of the highest peak in the area, Gunung Serapi. The temple was built more than two centuries ago, long before James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, arrived in Kuching. Like most Chinese temples, the temple prosperity affected and associated highly to the businesses, emotion and activities of the local Chinese community in the early days where majority were followers of Taoist related faith. It was also one of the few buildings that survived the 1884 the Great Fire of Kuching, where most Chinese believed was due to good Feng Shui. It was said that after the 1857 Chinese Insurrection in Bau, a gold mine township nearby, the Brooke Administration was worried about the Tua Pek Kong dominance and its influence to the local Kuching

Tian Hou Gong, Bintawa

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Like many of the Tian Hou Gong in Sarawak or Ma Zhu temples around Southern China; Ma Zhu, the Taoist Goddess of the Sea, is worshipped in the temple; here with two Heavenly Guardians at the sides. Ma Zhu is widely worshipped among the Chinese communities traditionally engaged in the fishing line of work or whose ancestors lived around the Southern China coastlines. She is widely worshipped & popular among the Taiwanese, Fujians, Cantonese, and the Chinese in the South East Asia. According to legend, Ma Zhu or Lin Mo Niang was born in 960 on Meizhou Island, Fujian. She had the gift of heavenly power, and her warm heartedness & eagerness had earned her respects & love from the villagers. She died at the young age of 28; according to one legend, when she climbed a mountain alone and flew to heaven and became a goddess. The Tian Hou Gong in Bintawa; it was said that in the 1960s or earlier, the local pioneer Heng Hua community live around the Ang Cheng Ho area

Hock Teck Tsyr, Limbang

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The Chinese started settlement in Limbang area more than a century ago. Around the year 1887, the pioneer Chinese migrated from Kuching (now the Capital of Sarawak); it was said that one of the senior immigrants started the construction of a small hut, said to be on a nearby small hill, for the Hock Teck Tsyr, or Tua Pek Kong Temple. The Temple had provided them a means of spiritual support as well as encouragement especially during the earlier years of challenging & harsh environment. This early simple temple was maintained by a small group of devotees until around 1890. The 1st relocation of a better premise was initiated by a businessman, said to be from Singapore who came to Limbang around that year. The present premise is of the 2nd relocation as the earlier land was gazetted for Government purposes in 1964. The completion of the current Hock Teck Tsyr was August 1978. Like most places of worship in Sarawak, the temple here, or Hock Teck Tsyr and its affiliated