Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple
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Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple (Chinese: 柔佛古廟; pinyin: Róufú Gǔmiào) known as Old Temple (Chinese: 古廟; pinyin: Gǔmiào) by the locals, is a Chinese temple located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Located at downtown Johor Bahru of Jalan Trus, the temple is flanked by modern skyscrapers. This temple is one of the oldest structures in Johor Bahru. The temple is a place of worship and a symbol of unity among Five Chinese Dialect Groups which are "Teochew", "Hoklo (Hokkien)", "Cantonese", "Hakka" and "Hainan".
In 2007, a Documentary Series called My Roots featured the temple in the episode "Grand March with the Deities".
History
The temple was built during the 19th Century by then Head of Ngee Heng Company led by Tan Hiok Nee and various Chinese community leaders.[1]
Although there are no actual records regarding the completion of the temple, the plaque and the century-old bronze bell located in the temple shows that the temple is around 130 years old.
In 1995 - 1996, it underwent a major renovation at a cost of MYR1.5 million. Much of its cultural aura was preserved, and important relics such as the century-old bronze bell, joss stick pot and wooden tablet remain.
Deities
The temple hosts 5 Deities. There are:
- Xuan Tian Shang Di (元天上帝) (大老爷)
- Hong Xian Da Di (洪仙大帝) (洪仙公)
- Gan Tian Da Di (感天大帝)
- Hua Guang Da Di (华光大帝)
- Zhao Da Yuan Shuai (赵大元帅)
Each of the deities are separately worshipped by "Teochew", "Hoklo (Hokkien)", "Cantonese", "Hakka" and "Hainan" people.
The Annual Chingay
Every year in the first lunar month of 20-23rd, the Temple organizes its annual Chinngay known as the Parade of Deities (Chinese: 古廟游神).
The Chingay parade lasts for four days. The climax of the parade is on the night of the 3rd day when the Deities parade around the Johor Bahru Town Centre or in Chinese known as 圣駕巡游.
The annual Chingay has attracted more than 300,000 people to march around the major roads of Johor Bahru together with the 5 Deities being worshiped in the Old Temple.
See also
References
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