Thursday, January 05, 2006

19. Jalan Kayu Ban Kok Sua Chong Yee Temple 万国山忠义庙

This present Jalan Kayu Ban Kok Sua Chong Yee Beo [Wan Guo Shan Zhong Yi Miao] 万国山忠义庙, has been at this place since 1964. The main Deity of this temple is Guan Gong, known as Hup Tian Dai Deh [Xie Tian Da Di 协天大帝]. The Guan Di statue was actually from the Guan Di temple in Dong Shan 东山, Fujian. This temple was said to be the springboard for the Guan Di temples in Taiwan, and possibly South East Asia.

After the statue was brought from Dong Shan, it was placed in the Guan Di temple in Paya Lebar, called Chai Shan 柴山. In the 1950s, a group of elders started building a temple, an attap hut, in Jalan Kayu. It seems that this place was called Man Kok Sua [Wan Guo Shan 万国山] In 1962, efforts to rebuild the temple were made and it was built in 1964.

On the land where the attap hut temple was built, it was said that during the old days, there was an angmo, who probably owned this land, and he was ill. He consulted the Guan Di through the medium and was cured. In return, he gave the land for them to build the temple.

In 1984, a new executive committee started recruiting members for the temple, and each year in the Lunar Calendar of 3rd month and 6th month, the temple celebrates the birthday of Xie Tian Da Di 协天大帝 and Xuan Tian Shang Di 玄天上帝 and other Gods

In the old days, the temple was surrounded by farmlands and villages. Now, most of these are gone. But the former residents still come back to the temple, especially during the festive days.

The temple is now raising funds, expecting to move to a new site in the near future. It is now one of the few remaining kampung (village) temples with the timeless village atmosphere.

Jalan Kayu Wan Kuo Shan Zhong Yi Miao
374L Seletar West Farmway 6
Off Jalan Kayu
Singapore 798039
Tel: 6483-2401

Consultations:
Xie Tian Shang Di 协天大帝:
Every Wednesday and Friday, 1st and 15th of Lunar Month, from 2pm
Da Er Ye Bo 大二爷伯, Bao Gong Da Ren 包公大人:
Every Friday, 1st and 15th of Lunar Month, from 8pm

Celebrations:
Jade Emperor: 9th Day of First Lunar Month
Xuan Tian Shang Di玄天大帝 : 5th-7th of 3rd Lunar Month
Xie Tian Da Di 协天大帝: 10-12th of 6th Lunar Month
Da Er San Ye Bo 大二三爷伯: 11th of 4th Lunar Month