My 9 - Temple of Supreme Bliss

"Where God hath a temple, the Devil will have a chapel."
- Robert Burton (1577-1640); English writer and clergyman.

Kek Lok Si Temple
(Built in 1893)

Next building is the magnificent Kek Lok Si temple is a Penang Hokkien for Temple of Supreme Bliss. Built in 1890, inspired by chief of Buddhist monk from the Temple of Goddess Mercy for the Mahayana Buddhism followers. The temple situated in Ayer Itam, Penang and one of the icon of Penang Island.

From left : this little girl make us carried an extra more - she's running everywhere and made others exhausted; one of the round-door, I wish I had this kind of lovely door - but minus the statue as we Muslim don't believe in idols. Hehehe

From left : one of the prayer hall; I'm not sure what the name of the hall near to the pagoda. It's not like in the Temple of Emerald Buddha, Bangkok where tourist guide and personal audio guide easily available. *sigh*

The temple was built on phases and still some construction are ongoing; particularly at the Statue of Kuan Yin hill. History stated that the temple even received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Guangxu, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.

From left : Koi pond on the Kuan Yin's hill; the 10,000 Buddhas Pagoda from one of the several large prayer hall.

From left : Incline-lift rail - the highest in Malaysia for a temple, that brings pilgrimage and tourist to the Kuan Yin statue; the Bronze-Kuan Yin statue, inaugurated in 2002 and currently undergone major renovation to built the concentric roof that resembles the roof of Prayer Hall for Good Harvest in the Temple of Heaven, Beijing.

Currently, the temple is a focal point of festivals of the Chinese community in Penang. The Chinese New Year celebrations are particularly impressive: for 30 days following Chinese New Year, the temple remains open until late at night whilst thousands of lights turn the scenery into a sea of light.

One of the Kuan Yin statue guardian