Malacca

 



HANG LI PO’S WELL

In the mid-15th century, following many visits to Malacca by Admiral Cheng Ho, a Chinese emperor sent his daughter, Hang Li Po, to be the third wife of Mansur Shah, Sultan of Malacca.

When she arrived with more than 500 ladies-in-waiting, the Sultan gave them ‘the hill without a town’ in perpetuity, subsequently called ‘Bukit Cina’. Later used as a burial ground by the Chinese community, it was dubbed ‘the biggest cemetery outside China’ and has several graves dating back to the Ming dynasty. These days, it serves as a park, with the locals jogging or practising tai chi there in the evening.

In 1459, Hang Li Poh’s followers built a well at the foot of the hill which, in those days, was said never to have dried up, even in times of drought. When the Dutch conquered Malacca in 1677, they built a wall around it to maintain their rights to water.

Adjacent to the well is Sam Po Kong Temple, dedicated to Admiral Cheng Ho, who first visited Malacca in 1409. According to legend, the temple was named after a fish, which saved the Admiral when it selflessly plugged its body into the resulting hole when the Admiral’s ship hit rocks during a storm.

 



CHENG HOON TENG TEMPLE

The Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, otherwise known as the Temple of the Bright Clouds, was built in 1645 with materials shipped in from mainland China. It is the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia and is adorned with coloured glass, porcelain and exquisite wood carvings. Fine workmanship is evident in the ornately decorated mythological figures, carving and lacquer wood work inside the temple.

The temple, which stands on Jalan Tokong, covers an area of 4,600 sq. metres and is a fine sample of southern Chinese architecture. It is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin.

 

 

 



THE A’FAMOSA.

Also known as Porta de Santigo, this is a landmark of Malacca and perhaps its most photographed subject. Built by the Portuguese in 1511 as a fortress, it sustained severe structural damage during the Dutch invasion.

 

 

Upon the peaceful handover of Malacca, its new British governor was given the formidable task of demolishing the fortress, some of which walls were up to 4.5 metres thick. Only the timely intervention by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1808 saved what remains now of A’Famosa.

 


Penang


WAT CHAYAMANGKALARAM

Located on Lorong Burma, this Thai temple houses a gold-plated 33 metre long statue of the reclining Buddha. Behind the statue are pigeonholes which house numerous urns containing ashes of devotees.

 

A pair of serpents link the balustrades at the entrance to the interior of the temple, and inside the temple are many statues covered with golf leaf. The temple is reminiscent of Bangkok’s  many wats. The intricate finish of the interior in vibrant colours and designs is an example of Thai architecture.

Photography is forbidden inside the temple.

 

DHARMIKARAMA BURMESE TEMPLE

Located opposite the Thai temple, Dharmikarama Burmese Temple has a pair of white stone elephants guarding its entrance.

The first Buddhist temple to be built in Penang in 1803 on land donated by Nyonya Betong, one of its many woman patrons, it was originally known as the Nandy Molah Burmese Temple.

The oldest part of the temple is the stupa which was consecrated in 1805. It is enshrined within an outer stupa which, together with the ceremonial hall, was constructed in 1838.

Mythical figures and religious icons dot the spacious compound, much of which were later additions, among which are bell-bearing acolytes, myriad Buddhas, chimeras and flying beings.

Near the disused 200-year-old well is a pond filled with carp. A huge mural depicts the great renunciation of prince Siddhartha.



KEK LOK SI TEMPLE

The Temple Of Supreme Bliss


The Kek Kok Si, the largest and best known Buddhist temple in Malaysia, is also reputed to be the largest in southeast Asia. It is perched majestically on a hill in Air Itam, overlooking the township of Air Itam. Construction of the temple started in 1893.

The entrance at the foot of the hill takes visitors up 193 steps, lined with stalls selling all manner of handicrafts and bric-a-brac. Decorated with flags and lanterns, the temple complex features the famous 30 metre high Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas, scenic gardens, shrines, sculptures, as well as a pond where turtles are liberated.

The pagoda combines Chinese, Thai, and Burmese architecture and craftsmanship. The octagonal base is Chinese, the middle tiers are Thai and the spiral dome is Burmese.

The latest addition to the temple complex, on the hillside above the pagoda, is the 30.2 metre bronze statue of Avalokitesvara, Goddess of Mercy, or Kuan Yin. This statue was completed and open to the public at the end of 2002.

 


Ipoh, Perak


PERAK TONG

Located on Jalan Kuala Kangsar, the Perak Tong is the most famous cave temple in Ipoh. It was built in 1926 by a Buddhist priest from China. Its main cavern is dominated by a 15 metre high golden statue of a sitting Buddha. Other smaller caves are connected to the main cavern, their walls decorated with paintings of flowers and Chinese calligraphy. There is also a cement stairway of 385 steps leading up to a natural ledge on a cliff, offering a panoramic view of the valley studded with limestone hills.

 

SAM POH TONG TEMPLE

This temple is located south of Jalan Gopeng and houses countless statues of Buddhist and Daoist deities. From the main chamber, one passage leads to a huge air-well containing a tortoise pond.

Vegetarian food is offered at a restaurant outside the temple.