Hong San See Temple - Hinduism

Things To Know About Hong San See Temple – Hinduism

The Chinese temple is Hong San Si Temple, located in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, on Carpenter Street. The Kuching Heritage Trail includes it.

History

The ancient Carpenter Street is visible in the right corner of the front vista of the Hong San See Temple Hinduism Singapore. The St. Thomas Cathedral is visible in the background on the left.  The Hokkien child god Kong Teck Choon Ong is the subject of the temple, which has been around since 1848.

According to the region’s early history, when the first Rajah of Sarawak, James Brooke, went by, he noticed a little child playing with water adjacent to the temple’s main stage. He asked the Hong San See Temple Hinduism Singapore newcomers from mainland China about the youngster but got informed no kids were playing nearby. The temple devotees continued by claiming that the youngster was a manifestation of Kong Teck Choon Ong, a boy god who had been given honorific treatment by several Chinese dynasties’ monarchs in China.

Heritage

After being amused by the tale, the Rajah ordered the temple devotees to construct a hydrant – a sign of respect for the god and hope for Kuching’s future prosperity. He also urged his people to finish erecting the temple and contact him if they ran – into any difficulties. The kid deity appeared on building rooftops at Ewe Hai Street during the Great Fire of Kuching in 1884, alerting neighbouring residents and bringing rain to put out the fire. The Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance designated the temple as a cultural structure in 1993.

However, the hydrant was demolished in the 2000s to create room for construction in 2005 – the state government replaced it with a water fountain and garden. The temple had renovations earlier in 2004, with some of the – temple buildings getting constructed from new materials.

Hong San See, UNESCO Chinese Temple, Singapore Location & Hours

The temple was erected in Singapore between 1908 and 1913 by the Hokkien people using materials sent from China. It got constructed on a tiny hill that at first gave followers panoramic views of the ocean.

Although massive buildings have blocked the temple’s sea vistas, it is worth visiting for its bright traditional Asian architecture and detailed embellishments. Although there is a steep staircase to climb, it is worthwhile once you view the magnificent temple.

Heritage

The classic southern Chinese-style temple, Hong San See – is a prime example. Walled enclosures, axial layout, beam-frame construction, and courtyards are some of its characteristics.

The impressive granite columns – carved with phoenixes, dragons, magpies, and peonies are among the temple’s other remarkable attractions. The plaster relief and “Chien Nien” embellishments on the roof and eaves are worth viewing, particularly the prancing dragons.

In 1978, Hong San See got designated as a National Monument. Several modifications from 2006 to 2010 have kept it in excellent shape. It’s also important to note that at the 2010 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, thus it became the first Singapore landmark to – ever win an Award of Excellence.