Peak Nam Tong-Kota Kinabalu / 碧南堂-亚庇.

Peak Nam Tong-Kota Kinabalu / 碧南堂-亚庇.

Pinyin:- Bi Nan Tang.

Aka. K.K. Peak Nam Tong Buddhist Mission

Location:- Kota Kinabalu, Sabah / 亚庇, 沙巴.

My first visit to this temple was in 2009 and If memory serve me right, it was going through some renovation works then. It was drizzling a little when we arrived on this sunny evening and i was really lucky that it didn’t pour wildly. The drizzle help clear the sky for some nice evening shots and i guess it helped wash the exterior as well. The caretaker were at his desk when we arrived. Much thanks to him, i was able to find out some detail about this place. He explain that this temple was first establish in 1970 and was refurbish in 1982. He also introduce us to each and every deity in this temple with much detail and mention that it main patron deity was invited over here to this temple from An Xi, Fujian Province, China.

Located in a housing estate, this temple has a 9 tiers pagoda builded next to it and when lighted at night, it emit a beautiful glow visible miles away. It also has a octagonal shaped Tian Gong / 天宮 shrine builded on its compound for the worshipped of the Jade emperor / Yu Huang Da Di / 玉皇大帝.

In the main prayer hall, its surrounding walls are fill with colorful drawings about their main patron deity along with large murals of The Four Heavenly Kings /Si Da Tian Wang / 四大天王. Parade banner with names of its patron deities at also been displayed too.

It’s main prayer hall consist of three beautifully crafted altar. The center altar is devoted to the worshipped of it’s main patron deity Guang Ze Zun Wang / 廣澤尊王. This red faced deity with protruding eyes are usually seen seated with his right foot pointing to his left knees and he is said to have existed during the five dynasties and ten kingdom period in Nan’an , Quanzhou, Fujian Province / 南安, 泉州, 福建省.

The deity to his right is known as Sheng Ma Xian Fei / 聖媽仙妃 aka Miao Yin Xian Fei / 妙應仙妃 and is the missus of Lord Guang. Legend has it that she bore him 13 sons whom is known as Shi San Tai Bao / 十三太保. Other deities worshipped on this altar includes Na Zha San Tai Zi / 哪吒三太孑 and interestingly, the Er Shi Ba Xiu / 二十八宿. These are the deities of the 4 cardinal points and its constellation groups (7 in each cardinal point) also known as twenty eight mansion.

An altar to the right in the main prayer hall is devoted to the worship of its other patron deities. Among the deities worshipped on this altar includes Qing Shui Zu Shi / 清水祖師, Zhang Gong Sheng Jun 張公聖君, Guan Sheng Da Di / 關聖大帝, Er Lang Shen Jun / 二郎神君, Fu De Zheng Shen / 福德正神 also known as Da Bo Gong / 大伯公.

And altar to the left is devoted to the worship of Guan Yin Pu Sa / 觀音菩薩. Other deities worshiped on this altar includes Tian Hou Niang Niang / Goddess Tian Hou / 天后娘娘, Qi Xian Niang Niang / 七仙娘娘, etc..

An adjoining hall behind houses a large altar fill with ancestral tablets. It’s walls are painted with drawing of the 24 filial piety along with a rarely seen image of the deity Kui Xing / 魁星 aka Da Kui Xing Jun / 大魁星君. This deity is known to be the god of examination and will bestow its worshipers with academic success.