Kek Lok Si Temple Penang Malaysia

Kek Lok Si Temple is an “important pilgrimage center for Buddhists from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and other parts of Southeast Asia”. The complex is the “inspirational initiative” of its first abbot and creator, Beow Lean. The words Kek Lok mean “supreme joy,” appropriate for this Buddhist complex hidden in the hills.

Visiting Kek Lok Si is a special experience, and if the weather had been cooler, I would have enjoyed climbing the hill to explore. Instead, I took the funicular to the top. It involved several confusing stops and changes, but even with hazy skies, the views were great!

You can hire a guide to take you through the complex, but I decided to go it on my own. I met several interesting people during the tour and bought a jade bracelet for good luck :o) at one of the souvenir shops.

History

Built between 1890-1930, Kek Lok Si Temple is one of the “largest and finest temple complexes in Southeast Asia”. Halls, pagodas, and archways feature Buddha images, intricately carved wooden pillars, lanterns, sculptures, and murals. The original complex was a series of simple monasteries, prayer halls, and landscaped gardens.

Today, it’s known as the “jewel in the crown of Malaysian heritage temples”. Initially, Kek Lok Si was a branch of the “Buddhist Vatican” in Fujian China. The unique complex is a Penang heritage site, “blending art, architecture, and worship rituals of Mahāyāna Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism, and traditional Chinese Buddhism“.

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“The main feature of the complex is the seven-story Ten Thousand Buddha Pagoda commissioned by the late Thai King Rama VI. It features 10,000 alabaster and bronze statues of Buddha and a 36.57-metre-tall (120 ft.) bronze statue of Guanyin (Kuan Yin), the Goddess of Mercy.”

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Abbot Beow Lean

Kek Lok Si founder, Venerable Beow Lean, was born in 1844 to a devout Buddhist family in China Fujian province. At 33, he left his occupation as a businessman to devote his life to the teachings of Buddha.

Beow chose the foothills of Air Itam Mountain near George Town as the site for Kek Lok Si. It’s a spiritual location facing the sea.

The location was named “Crane Mountain“. In Chinese iconography, the “crane holds special significance as a symbol denoting longevity and wisdom”. The auspicious bird is “associated with good luck, high-mindedness, purity, and freedom”.

Features, Layout, Buildings

The Kek Lok Si complex has a “hydraulically operated bell“, which tolls at regular intervals. Visitors can approach the temple by ascending a steep stairway and passing  Liberation Pond. The complex has fish ponds, flower gardens, prayer halls, assembly pavilions, and statues of Buddha, Chinese deities, and bodhisattvas.

A two-tiered funicular carries visitors uphill to the top of the complex. At the middle level, small, open-air buses link the two tiers. From the top, there are spectacular panoramic views of Penang, a fish pond, and a massive statue of Kuan Shih Yin, Goddess of Compassion and Mercy.

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“A man determined can move a mountain, but a man devoted can carve one.” Venerable Beow Lean

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One of the well-known buildings in the complex is the Pagoda of Rama VI, former king of Thailand. It houses a collection of alabaster and bronze buddhas. The foundation stone was laid by the Thai monarch himself. The pagoda is known as the Wan Fo Pau T’a or Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and is “the largest in Malaysia”.

Hall of the Devas or Heavenly Kings

The Tian Huang Dian (Hall of the Devas or Heavenly Kings) displays imposing statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. The kings protect dharma teachings passed down by the enlightened. Each king controls one of the four points of the compass, and the middle of the hall represents the center of the universe:

• Kuang Mu – guardian of the north
• Tou Wen – guardian of the South
• Ch’i Kuo – guardian of the West
• Ch’ng Chang – guardian of the East

A statue of Maitreya, the “Laughing Buddha,” sits in the center of the Hall of Heavenly Kings. Maitreya – “Buddha of the Future” – radiates happiness, prosperity, and good luck for humanity.

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“Kek Lok Si is first and foremost a center and repository for Buddhist Teaching and Chinese culture. The beautiful temple and its historic buildings exist to guide the beginning adherent to the real Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who exist in their own hearts.”

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Temple grounds include beautiful gardens and ponds like Liberation Pond – aka Sacred Turtle Pond. To the Chinese, the turtle is an emblem of longevity, strength, and endurance. Buddhists believe it’s an “act of spiritual liberation to purchase a captive turtle and set it free in this sacred pond”.

During Chinese Lunar New Year, Kek Lok Si complex is strung with tens of thousands of lanterns. The temple complex becomes “a glittering fairyland of lights”.

Modern Renovations

The popularity of Kek Lok Si has led to modern additions and renovations. I noticed several new buildings under construction, and monastery and prayer hall buildings have been refurbished.

More later from South Africa…