My Time….Chinese temple in Malaysia / 馬來西亞神廟文化.

Wen Wu Sheng Di Miao-Bukit Tinggi / 文武聖帝廟-武吉丁宜

Location: Kampung Bukit Tinggi, Bentong, Pahang / 武吉丁宜, 文冬, 彭亨.

I’ve always enjoy going for road trips whenever my schedule permits. Today, we decided to travel along the federal route 68, an old road linking Gombak and Bentong, Pahang. Its definitely a good ride thought the hilly greens. Enjoying the fresh air and magnificent views till we arrive this small village with many restaurants known as Kampung Bukit Tinggi. Upon entering the village, we saw a Pai Lou / 牌樓 leading to this temple. I have seen this temple for many time by the side of the karak highway but had never stop over till this very day. This temple would be hard to miss as it has a miniature replica of the Great Wall of China for its surrounding fence. The first thing that really amaze me when we arrive was the size of its property along with the beautiful view of it hilly surrounding. There is just so much space for future expansion and yet they maintain the temple structure as a simple place of worship with a community hall and an opera stage for its festival/community purposes. Luckily for us, a few committee member along with the medium of the temple was around when we visited. They were kind enough to explain bits of the place and also about the patron deity of this temple.

Based on what was told to me, this temple was establish in 1965 by the chinese community living around this area. It has a administrative area where they have black and white pictures of festival done in 1970 and street parade photos taken in 1996 hanging by the wall. From what i can make out, it was a grand festival with devotees carrying banners, flags and its patron deity on a palanquin parading through the small town here. Bits of written history can also be found in this area.

In the main hall, the altar on the centre is devoted to the God of War, Guan Di / 關帝 and one riding a horse known as SanTai Wei Guan / 三太尉官. The altar to the left of it is dedicated to Deng Gong Sheng Ye / 鄧公聖爺. It was mention that this deity was invited over from 广西 / GuangSi, China. The altar on the right is dedicated to Guan Yin Fo Mu / 觀音佛母 and Xian Tai Fu Ren / 冼太夫人 (a famous historic heroine figure during the Sui dynasty). A smaller altar on the side is devoted to the Eight immortal / Ba Xian / 八仙.

Two altars in front of the temple houses its huge statues of Si Da Tian Wang / The four heavenly kings / 四大天王 follow by long steps leading down the temple. According to its members, the concept of the long steps is said to be from a temple in china where they’ve invited one of their patron deity. It is said that the number of steps is symbolically auspicious.