Penang’s Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kuan Yin Teng)

Nestled at the heart of Georgetown, Penang in Malaysia lies the centuries old and well-preserved Goddess of Mercy temple (also known as Kuan Yin Teng and Kong Hock Keong-temple of the Cantonese and Hokkien community).

Originally built to dedicate to the highly revered Mazu, the Chinese Goddess of the Sea & Heavenly Empress by ethnic Chinese settlers of Georgetown, it eventually became the temple to worship Kuan Yin, the beloved Chinese Goddess of Mercy & Compassion as well as the Goddess prayed to by wannabe mothers as well.

It might not be as grandiose or as large as Air Itam’s Kek Lok Si (temple of Supreme Bliss) which is Malaysia’s biggest Buddhist temple, but Kuan Yin Teng undoubtedly holds an incredible backstory & is a temple where devotees flock in huge numbers when it’s either the birthday of the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva (Kuan Yin’s Sanskrit name) or Chinese New Year to pray to the Goddess.

Having survived various disasters & attacks including when the Japanese Army bombed Penang during World War II to a series of attacks during the 1960’s since it’s inception in 1728 (which has earned the temple a reputation of holding magical powers), Penang’s Goddess of Mercy temple first started out as a temple for Goddess Mazu before transitioning into a Kuan Yin temple while also serving as a mediator during the rivalry years between the Cantonese and the Hokkien communities and even having a Penang tribunal & council during that period as well.

Yet despite serving as a mediator for the continuing polarisation and disunity within the Chinese community with both a tribunal and a council, it couldn’t solve the feud between them and unfortunately it all culminated in the Penang Riots of 1867.

After the 1867 riots, the Chinese community decided to establish the Penang Chinese Town Hall to takeover the temple’s secular role as an arbiter of matters between the two communities with Kuann Yin Teng ended up being a religious site no longer focusing on the bitter rivalry between the Cantonese and Hokkien communities.

It was also during this period that Kuan Yin Teng also began to lose popularity & attention as other more majestic clan houses (such as the Khoo Khongsi Clan Temple) were being built in Penang.

Nowadays though, Kuan Yin Teng is one of Penang’s most popular Buddhist temple with it’s devotees flocking to pray to Mazu & the 18-armed Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, a Chinese Goddess who (according to Buddhist legends), never vowing to become a Buddha (with the Buddha being a fully awakened & enlightened being who’s escaped the cycle of rebirth and has thus transcended to Nirvana) until all sentient beings are free from suffering & harm.

And it’s due to this incredible vow that whilst attempting to help & save individuals across the world, her head split into a dozen pieces so Gautama Buddha repaired it by giving her eleven heads in order to hear the cries & the sufferings of sentient beings. And when she tried to reach out to them, her hands (like her head) broke as well and so Gautama Buddha gave her a thousand arms (hence her name) in order to help those who need her assistance, compassion & mercy.

It’s in this form that Kuan Yin is able to reach and help so many across the mortal world & it’s why she’s one of the most reverently worshipped Gods of the Buddhist pantheon and a highly recognisable Bodhisattva (an enlightened being who hasn’t yet reached Nirvana & isn’t a Buddha just yet).

interior of Kuan Yin Teng
From Google Images

Outside Kuan Yin Teng, the temple is constructed in traditional Chinese architecture featuring a sweeping roof with ornate decorations on top of it and temple door gods guarding it being featured on it’s huge doors as well.

Also outside is where you can find an incense burner with joss sticks and a well (there is another well underneath the Guan Yin altar reserved for temple monks) along with (a lot) of pigeons that can be fed as well as stalls selling goods around the temple.

Venture into the temple to find it’s main prayer hall including the deities, go deeper inside to find the Kuan Yin Bodhisattva & Mazu (there’s also an inner sanctum within the temple but that’s typically reserved only for women & young children’s to enter in). And when you enter inside, you’ll find dragon pillars as well as on both sides of the room, there are paintings representing the Four Heavenly Kings (Buddhist guardians of the four directions of heaven), and there are also red lanterns that adorn the ceiling above the altar alongside scrolls that are placed around it.

In the middle of the room one can find candle holders for red candles as well as an incense burner for to put the joss sticks for the deities after praying to them.

It’s worthwhile to visit this temple which has stood in Georgetown Penang since 1728, successfully avoiding damage during it’s 200+ years of existence, and although it may be significantly crowded during Chinese New Year, Kuan Yin’s birthday and other special festivities (remember it isn’t a particularly large Buddhist temple), visit rather during non-festival times in order to properly marvel at it’s architectural design & it’s unique history.

Often it’s the much larger temples (such as the aforementioned Kek Lok Si) that are undoubtedly the most marvellous ones and who gets all of the attention due to their sheer size, opulence and grandiose nature but sometimes it’s the smaller ones that are nice to visit as well due to their quietness and often interesting history, as it’s the case for Kuan Yin Teng.

It might be small but given it’s past and unique role with regards to the Chinese community of Penang along with having witnessed (and survived) disasters, bombings, riots and attacks, the fact that it’s still standing really is a testament to the temple and it’s easy to why it’s such an attraction for tourists and devotees alike.

So while you’re touring around Georgetown and have had your fill of Penang’s legendary laksa’s, be sure to head to the humble Kuan Yin Teng for a relaxing temple stop and to enjoy a piece of Georgetown’s history.

Youtube video of Kuan Yin Teng