Kek Lok Si

Temple (Penang Hokkien for "Temple of Supreme Bliss" or "Temple of Sukhavati"; Simplified Chinese: 极乐寺; Traditional Chinese: 極樂寺) is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam in Penang and is one of the best known temples on the island. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia.
Mahayana Buddhism and traditional Chinese rituals blend into a harmonious whole, both in the temple architecture and artwork as well as in the daily activities of worshippers.

History
The construction of the temple began in 1890 and was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple at Pitt Street. With the support of the consular representative of China in Penang, the project received the sanction of the Emperor Guangxu, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.
The primary benefactor of the Kek Lok Si Temple in 1906 was none other than Kapitan Chung Keng Quee.
In 1930, the seven storey main pagoda of the temple or the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, was completed. This pagoda combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmesecrown; reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.
In 2002, a 30.2m bronze statue of the Kuan Yin was completed and opened to public. It replaced the previous white plaster Kuan Yin statue which was damaged due to a fire a few years earlier. The bronze statue is located on the hillside above the pagoda while the head of the previous statue which survived the fire is preserved and placed on the right hand corner of the new statue.


A temple in the making
As the fairly recent date mentioned above may suggest, the temple is still growing. Generous donations from the affluent Chinese community allow the construction of additional buildings. The current focus is to create an ornate shelter for the Kuan Yin statue. 16 carved dragon pillars are being built, the concentric roof will be inspired by classical Ming architecture, reminiscent of the roof of Prayer Hall for Good Harvest in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

Visiting the Temple
Most visitors approach the temple as they ascend a stairway, roofs of which provide shelter to a multitude of shops selling souvenirs and other - mostly secular - commodities. They pass by a so-called Liberation Pond, following the buddhist tradition of merit-making, turtles may be released into freedom, albeit a limited one.
The temple itself consists of several large halls for assembly and prayer, here, statues of Buddha, various Bodhisattvas as well as Chinese gods are being venerated. Intricate woodwork, often brightly painted and a plethora of lanterns add to the visual impression.
There is an inclined lift to carry pilgrims and visitors further uphill. On the elevated platform, you can find a pond filled with Koi and the towering statue of Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, which can also be regarded as Avalokitheshvara, Bodhisattva of Universal Compassion.

Annual Events
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.


THE magnificent Kek Lok Si temple will soon see an added attraction – a landscaped rock garden.
Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said the state government had earmarked a 2.8ha plot of land at the foot of the Air Itam hill for the project.
“We are in the midst of purchasing the land from the state so that we can start work this year.
“The project includes additional parking lots as well as a tea pavilion for tourists to rest and take in the beauty of the rock garden,” he said, after the temple lighting ceremony on Sunday.
He said the temple was expecting more than one million visitors during the Chinese New Year period.
“There will be Rela members from the first to the eighth night of the festival to help direct traffic at night,” he said.
During the ceremony, more than 10,000 lanterns and 230,000 decorative bulbs were lit after temple abbot Rev Seck Jit Heng received the Malaysia Book of Records certificates for the tallest pavilion at 89.23m, the tallest bronze Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) statue at 33.67m, and the tallest granite pillars at 42.24m.
Night-time visits to Kek Lok Si will only be allowed during the first 28 days of the Chinese lunar calendar (Feb 14 to March 13).
From now until Feb 12, the temple is only open from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
From the eve to the third day of Chinese New Year, the temple is open from 7pm to 7am.
From the fourth day until the Chap Goh Meh on Feb 28, visits are allowed from 7am to midnight and from March 1 to 13, the times are from 7pm to 10pm. During the ceremony to switch on the lights, the temple presented RM300,000 to the Malaysian Buddhist Institute, Hui Yin Seah and Pu Ai Buddhist Community Service Centre.
“The donation is for their building fund and to help them conduct activities to promote Buddhism,” he said.
State Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee Committee chairman Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, who was also present, described various races visiting each other’s religious place of worship as a “good thing”.
“As a Muslim visiting a temple, I don’t think there’s anything wrong because my faith remains strong and unshaken — even when I am on holiday, I visit many historic churches.
“Such visits should be encouraged because it helps us understand each other’s cultural and religious practices better,” he said.
In his speech, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said it was crucial to have a “shared and inclusive society”.
“This means that we must allow democratic participation by everyone; respect diversity and individual dignity; equal opportunity; and prohibit any form of discrimination.
“Federal and state governments, non-governmental organisations and religious institutions must be rational when handling controversial incidents,” he said.