The Kek Lok Si Temple (simplified Chinese: 极乐寺 traditional Chinese: 極樂寺 Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ki̍k-lo̍k-sī Penang Hokkien for “Temple of Supreme Bliss” or “Temple of Sukhavati” or “Jile Si”) is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam in Penang struggling with the sea and commanding an outstanding view, and is one of the ideal recognized temples on the island. It is claimed to be the most significant Buddhist temple in Malaysia. It is also an vital pilgrimage centre for Buddhists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and other nations in Southeast Asia. This whole complicated of temples was developed in excess of a time period from 1890 to 1930, an inspirational initiative of Beow Lean, the Abbot. The main attract in the advanced is the putting 7-storey Pagoda of Rama VI (Pagoda of 10 Thousand Buddhas) with 10,000 alabaster and bronze statues of Buddha, and the 30.2 metres tall bronze statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy.
Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism and standard Chinese rituals mix into a harmonious full, both equally in the temple architecture and artwork as well as in the day-to-day actions of worshippers. The temple is heavily commercialised with shops at each and every level and within the key temple complexes marketing all spiritual paraphernalia.
ETYMOLOGY
The literal this means of Kek Lok Si Temple is “Heavenly temple”, “Pure Land Temple”, “Temple of Supreme Bliss”. and the “Temple of Paradise”.
Historical past
The design of the temple began in 1890 and concluded in 1905. It was influenced by Beow Lean, the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple at Pitt Avenue in 1887 he had served earlier in the Kushan Abbey in Fujian in China. The site picked by Beow, a spiritual place in the hills of Ayer Itam, dealing with the sea, was named “White Crane Mountain”. It was founded as a branch of the Buddhist Vatican in Drum Mountain in Foochow in Hokkien province. Beow Lean was the 1st Abbot of the temple. The buildings of the temple complicated had been sponsored by five major Chinese organization persons of Penang acknowledged as “Hakka tycoons”. They had been: Cheong Fatt Tze, his cousin Cahang Yu Nan, Chea Choon Seng, Tye Kee Yoon, and Chung Keng Kooi. Collection of resources for creating the temple was also facilitated by dedicating the constructions and artefacts in the identify of the temple’s benefactors. The major corridor, which was completed very first, housed a shrine to Guanyin, in a recessed spot where numerous other woman goddesses termed the Queen of Heaven, the Goddess of the Earth, and Goddess of Childbirth are housed which is said to depict, on a miniature scale, the island of Potalaka in which there is a substantial shrine committed to Guanyin in the China Sea. Folks in contrast this shrine to the Amitabha Buddha’s Western Paradise and started out calling it the “Kek Lok Si” (“Jile Si”). There are also many other shrine chambers, which have stately statues, all gilded, of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, saintly Lohans, guardian spirits, and Heavenly (or Diamond) Kings of Pure Land Buddhism.
The consular representative of China in Penang reported the grandeur of the temple to the Qing Government. Following this, the Guangxu Emperor invited Beow Lean to Beijing in 1904 and bestowed on him, 70,000 volumes (7,000 is also talked about in some references) of the “psalms and other sacred operates of Buddhism” and also offered him edicts anointing him as “dignity of the Chief Priest of Penang” and also declaring “the Chinese temple at Air Itam as the head of all Chinese temples in Penang”. On the Abbot’s return to Penang, a royal procession, carrying the edict in a rattan chair and the scriptures in pony pushed carts, was organised foremost to the temple elaborate. Notable Chinese dignitaries of Penang in their royal mandarin apparel accompanied the Abbot in the procession.
In 1930, the 7 storey main pagoda of the temple or the Pagoda of “Ban Po Thar”, the 10 Thousand Buddhas, a 30 metres high construction, was concluded. This pagoda brings together a Chinese octagonal foundation with a center tier of Thai structure, and a Burmese crown (spiral dome) reflecting the temple’s amalgam of the two Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. It signifies syncretism of the ethnic and spiritual variety in the nation. There is a massive statue of Buddha donated by King Bhumibol of Thailand diefied in this article. King Rama VI of Thailand laid the basis for the pagoda and it is consequently also named as Rama Pagoda.
In 2002, a 30.2-metre bronze statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, was finished and opened to the general public. It replaced the earlier white plaster Kuan Yin statue which was weakened owing to a fireplace a handful of years before. The bronze statue is positioned on the hillside previously mentioned the pagoda. The statue is complemented with a 60.9 metres 3-tiered roof pavilion (with 16 columns manufactured of bronze supporting the pavilion), which was concluded in 2009. It is the tallest Guanyin statue in the entire world. 1 hundred statues of the goddess Kuan Yin, just about every of 2 metres top, are set all around the primary statue of the goddess. Nevertheless, its top was restricted to stay clear of its shadow falling on the Penang Point out Mosque. This shrine also has other 10,000 statues of Buddha, apart from a statue of 12 Zodiac Animal Signals of the Chinese Calendar.
The temple sophisticated has a significant hydraulically operated bell, which tolls with a superior pitch at regular intervals. Wood and stone carvings are profusely seen in the temple. In front of every deity there is a cushion, spectacular scrolls, and candles established in very interesting suspended lamps, and with a large selection of priests in attendance.
DESCRIPTION
Kek Lok Si Temple is found at the foot of the Air Itam mountain in George Town on Penang Island. It is created in excess of a plot of an spot of 12.1 hectares that was donated by Yeoh Siew Beow. It is about 3 kilometres wander from the Penang Hill Station.
Most site visitors strategy the temple as they ascend a stairway, roofs of which supply shelter to a multitude of retailers advertising souvenirs and other – mainly secular – commodities. They move by a so-called Liberation Pond, following the Buddhist custom of merit-producing, turtles may perhaps be released into independence, albeit a constrained one.
The temple by itself is made up of various significant prayer halls and pavilions for assembly and prayer, statues of Buddha many Bodhisattvas as effectively as Chinese gods are currently being commemorated. The architectural capabilities incorporate carved pillars, fantastic woodwork, typically painted in vibrant colours, and a myriad of lanterns increase to the visible effect. Fish ponds and flower gardens are also portion of the temple complicated.
There is a cable car or truck to carry pilgrims and website visitors additional uphill. On the elevated system, there is a fish pond, and the towering statue of Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy which is worshipped by females to beget little ones. The monks and nuns, who are housed in a monastery and who are incharge upkeep and procedure of the temple advanced, think about it as a non secular retreat to attain salvation.
Yearly Occasions
The temple is a focal stage of festivals of the Chinese neighborhood in Penang. The Chinese New Year celebrations are particularly remarkable. For 30 times following Chinese New Calendar year, the temple continues to be open up until eventually late at night time while countless numbers of lights transform the surroundings into a sea of light-weight. During the festival days, the complex is decorated with hundreds of lanterns representing donations offered by devotees. Yet another festive element is the extensive marches undertaken by hundreds of monks from Thailand to the temple, at the time or twice in a calendar year.
WORSHIP
Worship of the deities in the temple sophisticated reflects the diversity of the ethnic origins of the Buddhist devotees. These worship could be in the type of counting prayer beads or by burning incense or by hard cash offerings or just by bowing and clapping to make one’s existence recognised to the deity. Highly figured out persons present prayers at the tower of Sacred Books in the higher element of the temple. Some pilgrims also give prayers in the considerable gardens found in the precincts of the temple.
The religious paraphernalia sold along the winding methods that lead to the temple precincts cater to the spiritual choices to be created by the pilgrims. The items on sale comprise ornaments, books, shots, assortment of sayings and strings of a sacred orange color and mementos such as T-shirts and CDs.
WIKIPEDIA
Posted by Manfred Sommer (334 Million Sights) on 2016-09-28 23:13:06
Tagged: , Buddhist Temple , Malaysia , Penang , Kek Lok Si Temple , asienman-photography , asienman-photoart
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