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Fu De Ci Temple in George Town: A 215-year story of protection, prosperity and cultural significance
GEORGE TOWN, July 2 — Intricate sculptures fashioned from pieces of broken porcelain bowls featuring dragons, a scene of a grand temple and the Jade Emperor riding an auspicious creature adorn the roof of the Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple in King Street.
At the entrance, colourful sculptures and decorative tiles tell stories and Chinese folk tales that carry good wishes such as luck, peace and happiness while golden carvings decorate the interiors.
The 215-year-old temple, named the Fu De Ci Temple, was originally built as an annex to the main Thai Pak Koong (Ng Suk) Temple in Tanjung Tokong.
Temple committee president Foo Yen Chow and vice president Datuk Lio Chee Yeong at the entrance of the temple.
The original temple was believed to be built by devotees who arrived and lived in Tanjung Tokong in 1792 but as George Town became a trading port where business was conducted, they decided to build a temple nearer to town for devotees there.
The temple committee vice president Datuk Lio Chee Yeong said the Fu De Ci Temple was built in 1810 and the earliest records of the temple show that it underwent major restorations sometime in 1865.
'There were other minor restorations throughout the years but the second major one was in 2015,' he said.
The restoration was done according to the appearance of a Fujian-style temple of the 1900s as they did not have any other records of the temple's appearance prior to that.
'It took longer to complete as we hired craftsmen from China to restore the intricate sculptures and carvings,' he said.
Intricate carvings and reliefs at the temple.
He said the whole roof was replaced as at one point in time, it was rebuilt with cement.
'We rebuilt the roof with timber and terracotta tiles while each sculpture and carving was restored through careful craftsmanship,' he said.
The restoration was completed in 2019 and the attention to details earned the temple the 2021 Unesco Asia-Pacific Award of Merit for Cultural Heritage Conservation due to its exemplary restoration that preserved its architectural authenticity and cultural significance.
The temple was built for folk religion devotees to seek blessings from the main deity, Thai Pak Koong, and other deities as well, such as Guan Gong (also known as Guan Sheng Di Jun), Da Er Ye Bo, Hua Gu (Flower Deity), Hu Ye Gong (Tiger deity) and Na Tuk Kong.
The main altar is dedicated to the deity Thai Pak Koong.
Thai Pak Koong was respected for his compassion and righteousness during his lifetime and after his passing, he was believed to manifest a divine presence who protected the local community in times of hardship.
Devotees seek blessings by making offerings to him at the temple or ask for an angpau from him.
Temple committee president Foo Yen Chow said those who were granted permission by the deity to get an angpau from him will receive blessings such as good luck and prosperity.
She said there have been stories of devotees having their wishes granted and coming back to offer thanks to the deity.
The deities Da Er Ye Bo (right) and Hua Gu (Flower Deity) (centre).
'Some of them come to seek blessings from Hua Gu and those who have their wishes granted would come back to make offerings of flowers and potted flowering plants to her as thanks,' she said.
Hua Gu is believed to have the power to bless devotees who seek good relationships and life partners.
The temple has continued to organise celebrations for the resident deities such as Thai Pak Koong's birthday which falls on the 16th day of the second lunar month, Hua Gu's birthday which is on the 12th day of the second lunar month and Guan Gong's birthday which falls on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month.
The temple is also open earlier for prayers and offerings by devotees on the 1st and 15th of every lunar month.
The altar dedicated to the deity Guan Gong (also known as Guan Sheng Di Jun).
Lio said the temple is open daily from 9am to 5pm and welcomes all visitors, including those who do not practise folk religion.
'This is not merely a place of worship but a cultural site full of historical significance,' he said.
He said the many features of the temple, from its ornate carvings to its intricate sculptures, are interesting features that visitors can admire.
'We plan to set up a heritage centre in future to showcase some of our artefacts and turn this into a cultural site for visitors to learn and understand more about our culture,' he said.
The temple is jointly managed by five Hakka clan associations, namely, the Fooi Chew, Kar Yin, Tai Pu, Yung Ting, and Tsenleung.
The temple is one of the eight heritage buildings that will open its doors to visitors under the Historic Building Open House programme during heritage celebrations on July 7.
Volunteers will give visitors guided tours of the temple to explain the significance of the features and deities in the temple.
